Mixed Deck — All CTS Topics Flashcards

A CTS technician is setting up a multi-camera videoconferencing system and needs to configure correct white balance on all cameras. What does white balance achieve, and what is the standard procedure?

Answer: White balance calibrates the camera's color channels so that a white object under the room's lighting appears neutral white on screen — set by pointing the camera at a white reference card under actual room lighting

White balance ensures the camera renders the room's color temperature correctly. Under tungsten lighting (2,700–3,200K) without white balance, an image appears orange; under fluorescent lighting (4,000–5,000K), it may appear green. Manual white balance using a reference card under actual room lighting gives the most accurate result.

Composite video is made:

Answer: by combining the luminance and chroma information onto one cable

Composite video is an analog video signal format that combines all video information—luminance (brightness) and chrominance (color, or hue and saturation)—into a single signal. This combined signal is then transmitted over a single cable, which can lead to some signal degradation due to the intermingling of information. It was a common standard before the advent of separate component signals.

What is screen gain in projector screen technology?

Answer: The ratio of light reflected by the screen compared to a standard reference surface

Screen gain measures how much light a projection screen reflects relative to a Lambertian (perfectly diffuse) surface; a gain above 1.0 concentrates reflected light toward the audience.

What is the primary purpose of an AV system 'block diagram' in a CTS project?

Answer: To illustrate signal flow and interconnections between system components

A block diagram visually maps how signals travel between devices, making it essential for design review and troubleshooting.

Which protocol allows a control system to discover and control AV devices automatically over a network without manual IP address configuration?

Answer: Auto-IP via mDNS/Bonjour

mDNS (Multicast DNS) with Bonjour/Zeroconf enables automatic device discovery and addressing on a local network without a DHCP server.

A site survey reveals 9-foot ceilings in a training room planned for an 84-inch flat-panel display. Which sightline concern should be documented?

Answer: The top of the display mounted at standard height may be too high for comfortable viewing from rear seats

With low ceilings and a large display, mounting height is constrained, and the top edge may exceed comfortable viewing angles for occupants in rear rows.

During a site survey, a room appears to suffer from reverberation. What treatment could be recommended to improve the acoustics in the room?

Answer: Use soft furnishings and flooring

If a room suffers from reverberation, which is caused by sound waves reflecting off hard surfaces, the most effective treatment is to introduce sound-absorbing materials. Using soft furnishings like upholstered chairs, curtains, carpets, and acoustic panels helps to absorb sound energy, reducing reflections and improving speech intelligibility and overall acoustic comfort.

When surveying an occupied office building, who should be your first point of contact for conduit routing approval?

Answer: The facilities manager or building engineer

The facilities manager controls access, knows existing utility locations, and governs renovation protocols that directly affect conduit routing decisions.

Which video synchronization method embeds sync information within the luminance signal itself, eliminating the need for separate sync lines?

Answer: Sync-on-green (SOG)

Sync-on-green (SOG) embeds the horizontal and vertical sync pulses onto the green channel of an RGB signal, requiring no dedicated sync wire.

A client requires a front projection system. What drawings should be requested from the client to select the appropriate lens?

Answer: Reflected ceiling plans and elevations

For selecting the appropriate lens for a front projection system, reflected ceiling plans and elevations are essential drawings. Reflected ceiling plans show the exact location of the projector relative to the screen, while elevation drawings provide crucial information about screen height, room height, and viewing angles, all necessary for calculating throw distance and lens shift requirements.

A system designer wants to send a 4K HDR signal with Dolby Atmos audio over a network. Which specification must the HDMI cable and switches support?

Answer: HDMI 2.1

HDMI 2.1 supports 4K/120Hz, HDR10+, and the Enhanced Audio Return Channel (eARC) required for Dolby Atmos object-based audio.

What is the primary purpose of a pull string left in conduit after cable installation?

Answer: To facilitate future cable additions without re-fishing the conduit

Leaving a pull string in conduit allows future technicians to easily pull additional cables without the labor of re-fishing an already occupied conduit.

After presenting a proposal to a client, confirming that all objections are answered and that the final buying decision will be made at an internal meeting, what is the next step?

Answer: Communicate regularly, until a decision is made

After presenting a proposal and addressing client objections, it's essential to maintain consistent, professional communication without being overly aggressive. Regularly following up demonstrates continued interest and commitment, keeping the project top-of-mind for the client. This proactive approach helps guide the decision-making process and ensures the AV provider remains engaged until a final decision is reached.

A projector lamp suddenly dims significantly during a presentation. What is the most likely explanation?

Answer: The lamp is nearing end of its rated life or has a cooling/thermal issue

Projector lamp output degrades over time; sudden significant dimming often signals that the lamp hours are near the rated limit, or that inadequate cooling is causing the lamp to throttle output.

An AV designer needs to ensure that all participants in a video conference can see facial details clearly. What minimum camera angle of view and resolution combination is generally recommended for a 12-person boardroom table?

Answer: Wide-angle 4K PTZ camera

A wide-angle 4K PTZ camera provides the flexibility to capture the full table while delivering sufficient resolution to resolve facial detail.

How is an AV project estimate created for a client?

Answer: Calculating goods, labor, materials, and other projected costs, plus a markup.

An AV project estimate is created by meticulously calculating all projected costs, including goods (equipment), labor (installation, programming), materials (cabling, mounting hardware), and other expenses like freight or permits. A markup is then added to these total costs to cover overhead, administrative expenses, and ensure profitability for the AV company.

The Architect, Engineers, and Consultants are all members of the:

Answer: Design Team

The Architect, various Engineers (e.g., electrical, structural), and specialized Consultants (e.g., AV, acoustical) are all integral members of the broader Design Team for a construction project. They collaborate to create the comprehensive plans and specifications for the building and its integrated systems, ensuring all elements meet functional, aesthetic, and regulatory requirements.

What is throw ratio in projection, and how do you calculate the required projector throw distance for a 120-inch wide screen using a lens with a throw ratio of 1.5:1?

Answer: Throw ratio = throw distance ÷ screen width; distance = throw ratio × screen width = 1.5 × 120 = 180 inches

Throw ratio = throw distance ÷ screen width (or image width). Rearranging: throw distance = throw ratio × screen width = 1.5 × 120 inches = 180 inches (15 feet). This tells you how far from the screen to mount the projector.

Screen gain:

Answer: Is the ability of a screen to redirect projected light to the audience to make it appear brighter.

Screen gain describes a projection screen's ability to reflect more light back towards the audience than it receives from the projector, making the image appear brighter. A screen with a gain greater than 1.0 concentrates the reflected light into a narrower viewing cone, enhancing perceived brightness for viewers within that cone. This property is crucial for optimizing image visibility in various environments.

A video matrix switcher is primarily used to:

Answer: Route any video input to any video output independently

A video matrix switcher allows any input signal to be routed to any one or multiple outputs simultaneously and independently, providing flexible signal distribution.