Audiovisual (or A/V) is a really broad term that tends to be thrown around often in our technological world. It’s usually used in reference to equipment or technology itself, but what does it actually mean?
Merriam-Webster defines audiovisual as “of or relating to both hearing and sight.”
So, essentially, A/V is anything that has both a sound and a video component (or some other type of visual aid). This could be anything from a movie on a TV screen to a formal PowerPoint presentation in a conference room.
There are countless pieces of equipment that fit under the name “AV equipment,” but here are a three main categories:
- Residential AV – flat screen TVs, speakers, receivers, amplifiers, and various cables (i.e. HDMI). There are also various AV accessories such as window treatments, wall panels, seating and lighting.
- Conference Room AV – digital projectors, projector screens, network cables, sound systems and lighting control.
- Commercial AV – digital signage, video walls and control centers.