AVIXA offers three industry standard certifications. The CTS (Certified Technology Specialist) is the base and prerequisite for the others which was earned in 2015. I earned my CTS-I (Installation) last week by building upon the foundation of the CTS. My situation in Chicago is a bit strange since I’m in the engineering department and not a union installation technician. If I were employed in a non-union area I would be doing both install and engineering. Since I’m in Chicago, most of my work is engineering in the field.

A Certified Technology Specialist – Installation (CTS-I) certification confirms the AV system installer is capable of installing and maintaining audiovisual systems by following specifications, schematics, codes and safety protocols; administering installation process logistics; troubleshooting and problem-solving systems; maintaining tools and equipment; and communicating with clients, designers, other trades, other installers and staff to provide the best audiovisual solutions for clients.

I’m already Zoom Certified but this webinar was nice to keep current. It was a technical discussion focused on integration. They discussed size of room, types of peripherals required and licenses required based on the platform. It was covid-19 style. I’m an essential worker which means I don’t work from home – which is both good or bad depending on one’s attitude for the day.

This webinar covered the fundamentals of wireless microphone. It was both scientific and practical. Topics were frequency modulation, RF theory, wave inter-modulation, DECT, coordination, antenna distribution and design considerations.

The second part of Shure certification includes the Dante certification. Fortunately, I’ve already completed this so that saved a day or two. This section was by far the most beneficial as it addressed wireless microphone coordination. This included design of antennas and television auctioning.

This certification required completion of multiple classes which proved to be very helpful in day to day work. Shure once again proved they earned their place as an industry leader. The training did not disappoint in its scope of material and technical depth.

• Audio Basics for Meetings and Conferences
• Wireless Basics
• Integrated Systems Portfolio Overview
• Selecting the Right Integrated System for the Right Application
• Networking for AV Professionals – Part 1 (The Basics)
• Best Practices for Merging AV and IT Systems

Description

Like the utility company, sound system designers sometimes need to drive lots of loads from a single source, and drive them over very long distances. Both of these obstacles can be overcome with a transformer-distributed loudspeaker system.

If you understand how these systems work, you can effectively design and troubleshoot them. You will learn how transformers are used for signal distribution, including how they affect the applied voltage, current and reflect the connected impedance.

This course will answer questions like:

• How many loudspeakers can I connect to an amplifier?
• What size amplifier do I need?
• What are “power taps” and how loud will they make the sound?
• What gauge of wire is adequate?
• How many loudspeakers does it take to cover a room?

The last lesson includes scenarios that will walk you through some distributed system design issues.

This in-person training was conducted at Messiah College in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. We took a tour of several spaces such as the Hostetter Chapel, the high-tech Miller Auditorium that featured moving acoustic ceiling panels and wall drapes, several other acoustically engineered spaces and the gym with line array speakers. Pat Brown setup a measure mic coupled with an audio system to demonstrate the principles from the class.

Description
Learning how it works is the key to sound system setup and troubleshooting.

• Can you logically think your way through all of the interfaces in a sound system?
• Do you depend on guess-work to solve system problems?
• Are you spending hours equalizing with minimal improvement?

Pat Brown will demonstrate how to measure voltage, impedance, polarity, SPL, and STIPA using audio and acoustic instrumentation. More importantly, he will help you learn what these measurements mean and how to use them to ensure that your system is performing optimally.

Pat will demonstrate an optimized method for equalizing a sound system a method that is efficient, logical, and repeatable. Time is money. Learn how to get it done quickly.

He takes these hard-to-explain topics and uses lecture, analogies, and active demos to get the points across. If you don’t get a concept on the first pass, you will also hear it from a different perspective. Because of this approach, Pat is known to be among the best teachers in the audio industry.

Attend this seminar and look forward to having the satisfaction that your systems are the best they can be.

SynAudCon is the best and most comprehensive audio training in the AV Industry. Pat Brown of Synergetic Audio Concepts, Inc. is a skillful teacher whose knowledge and passion for audio is a gushing fountain. The course held my interest with deep audio concepts that made sense because of Pat’s mastery of the content.

Description
Most sound problems come from overlooking basic fundamentals. We can take many years off of your journey to becoming a competent audio practitioner. Principles of Audio not only presents the theory, it presents it in a logical order, with each topic receiving the proper priority and covered to just the right depth.

This course:
• Identifies Best Practices
• Aids in Troubleshooting
• Dispels the Myths

Lays the important foundation for progressing to:
• 3D Room Modeling
• Audio & Acoustics Measurement Systems

The course will help you understand:
• Time, Frequency, and Wavelength
• Audio Interfaces
• Audio Levels in Decibels
• Measuring Audio and Acoustics Signals
• Basic Electricity (Voltage, Current, Impedance and Power)
• Loudspeaker Fundamentals

Lots of webinars get pumped out by manufacturers which focus more on sales. But this one was technical for the design and field guys who have to make it happen. Thanks Gary Kayye!

This one covered industry standards for resolution, frame rate, chroma sub-sampling, pixel clock and data rate (bandwidth). Each one is a session in its own so this was a nice overview.