Tips on Sound Systems
to help you run yours

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Data Projection

Getting the projector to run often falls to the sound guy and at some point you will have to give sound to some video or PowerPoint presentation. 

Ideally someone else is in charge of this discipline as it can take just as much effort as running a sound desk but life isn't always like that hence this section.

Getting Sound Into A Mixer

Ideally you want to control the source as nothing is worse than a video starting without any sound and having to restart it. Not all projectors or computers have the same outputs so you'll have to be creative, in order of preference try this:

1. Use a dedicated DVD player (they don't crash, start up quickly, can be used with remote controls and are cheap), ideally at the desk with line-level phono outputs on the back which you connect directly into the desk through a single cable into stereo-in or use a converting plug/cable to get two 1/4" jacks (see tip 1 if you only have one)
2. If you have to use a computer then you'll need a normal headphone socket to phono (if sitting next to you) or to 1/4" jack if you need to bridge some distance. It'll then need to go through the snake or possibly a direct XLR cable to the desk. Ideally in both cases use a DI Box to protect your equipment from spikes, though you should be alright (especially with a laptop) but don't quote us!
3. Sometimes you can't get sound directly out of the source, especially if video and sound are sent down the same cable. Two options are to use the laptop speakers and mic it up or in some cases a project has a speaker on it. However both are likely to sound poor and pick up fan noise but it's often better than nothing.

Key Tips

1. On phono outputs often the left (white) one is a mono output and unless vital you probably don't need stereo so focus on this plug, though do check as unbranded equipment can sometimes be different.
   
2. Mute the source until the last minute, computers with sound turned on can make wonderful beeping noises or might need restarting mid-talk and startup sounds aren't quite so funny then!
   
3. Make sure the person controlling the computer knows to NOT up the volume on the computer if they hear the video starting a bit quiet, set a volume and keep it
   
4. Sound check the source! Even if you have 5 minutes to go and have just been handed the video by the speaker let them know you have to check it or you either won't play it or that it will start quiet. Don't cut any corners, the sound check must be with the equipment that will play it for real
   
5. Not all computers have the same sound-card line-level output, test them all and if you have the ability to link them in separately then do, switching a cable between computers causes all kinds of potential problems (noise spikes to connectors not being pushed in properly)
6. Don't set any EQ on videos as they're probably very well balanced, that is unless it's a YouTube or Home video and hence #4 is even more vital to avoid the potential high peaks and reduce background noise with low cut and low frequency dials
   
7. Most video sources (camcorders, laptops, etc) and even some DVD players go to sleep at some point. Make sure this isn't the case about 5 minutes before you need the video to play.