AV Site Surveys Flashcards

During a site survey, you notice the planned display wall receives direct sunlight from south-facing windows for several hours each afternoon. What is the BEST design response?

Answer: Specify a high-brightness direct-view LED or LCD panel with anti-reflective coating

Direct sunlight creates both high ambient light levels and specular reflections. High-brightness displays (2,000–5,000 nits) with anti-reflective glass maintain readable contrast even under direct sunlight, and are the preferred solution when wall relocation is not feasible.

What does RT60 measure, and why is it recorded during an AV site survey?

Answer: The time (in seconds) for sound to decay 60 dB after a source stops — used to assess room acoustics

RT60 (Reverberation Time) is the time in seconds for a sound to decay 60 dB after the source stops. A high RT60 causes speech intelligibility problems and influences loudspeaker system design, equalization, and acoustic treatment requirements.

On a site survey sketch, you mark a symbol indicating an existing wall penetration (sleeve). What critical information should accompany this marking?

Answer: The sleeve's inner diameter, estimated length through the wall, and fire-rating of the wall assembly

Sleeve diameter determines cable capacity. Wall fire rating (1-hour, 2-hour) determines whether fire-stop compound must be re-applied after cabling, which affects scheduling and compliance with local codes.

A site survey identifies that the planned rack room has no dedicated air conditioning and relies on building HVAC only. Equipment in the rack dissipates 4,200 BTU/hr total. What action should the AV designer take?

Answer: Document the heat load and recommend a dedicated rack-cooling solution or room air conditioner to the client

Building HVAC is designed for human comfort, not equipment heat loads. 4,200 BTU/hr is significant and will cause elevated ambient temperatures, reducing equipment reliability and lifespan. The designer must communicate this risk and recommend a solution.

When measuring a room for display sizing per AVIXA DISCAS standards, what is the formula for calculating the maximum viewing distance for a display?

Answer: Maximum distance = display height × 8

AVIXA's DISCAS (Display Image Size for 2D Content in Audiovisual Systems) standard specifies maximum viewing distance = 8 × display height for general AV content, ensuring adequate image resolution for the furthest viewer.

During a site survey, you find that the existing network infrastructure uses CAT5e cabling. The AV design requires HDBaseT transmission at 4K/UHD resolution. What should you advise the client?

Answer: CAT5e may support HDBaseT 4K at reduced distances; CAT6A is recommended for reliable 100-meter 4K HDBaseT runs

HDBaseT 2.0 (4K) is specified for CAT6A at 100 meters. CAT5e may work at shorter distances but is not the recommended cabling standard for 4K HDBaseT at full 100-meter runs. The survey should document existing cable grades and flag potential upgrade requirements.