AUDIO VISUAL - AV
By Noel Dean (Area 3+)
For many years I have been an interested and admiring viewer of the work of the many people who specialise in this rather sophisticated branch of photography. Indeed I have heard AV defined as the sophisticated slide show. My interest has taken me to several International events at Bath, hosted by the RPS, and other events around the country staged either by a municipal authority or by one of the many groups of AV workers. Although I have never so far progressed to producing an AV myself, two projectors are my preferred way of showing my transparencies. I suppose I am fortunate in that the UK has some of the best AV workers, many of them well-known internationally by their exhibiting and prize winning at many overseas events; and particularly fortunate that the North East of England has one of the strongest and best groups of workers. The group is based at the Community Centre in Wilmslow and meets monthly through the year. In addition there are special evenings and twice each year an AV weekend is organised, jointly sponsored by the group and the RPS.
A prominent participant is Colin Balls, well-known as the designer and manufacturer of the outstanding Royale Projection System, a single box combining twin projectors, sync and sound, and stereo amplifiers. The unit is capable of projecting very high quality, correctly registered images. Unfortunately a unit of this quality is quite expensive comprising as it does of a large number of precision mechanical and electrical parts sold into a market of rather limited size. It would also appear that part of the market, for example commercial and education presentations are turning towards computer based systems, perhaps because of the ease with which the basic material can be prepared.
It isn’t clear whether it was to protect his market against computer systems or whather he decided that digital technology had made sufficient progress to be taken seriously, but Colin recently announced the arrival of a Digital Royale. The machine was on view and used as part of the projection equipment at the December AV weekend in Wilmslow. Although no specification was given, the unit consists in essence of a high specification PC with audio amplifiers and in-built loud speakers assembled in a box having sides of about 12 to 15 inches in length, on top of which is mounted a digital projector. The digital projector is of course the key element. I would judge that the one used at Wilmslow had a resolution of 1024 x 768 pixels for each of the primary colours giving an overall picture resolution of about 2.4 million pixels.
However, sitting in a darkened room about twelve feet from a screen about 12 feet wide, it was virtually impossible to tell if the projector in use was digital or one of the superb analogue Royales. This was in spite of slide sequences of the two kinds being shown in quick succession. This supports my experience at other events when digital projection has been used. The give-away, if there is one, is that slide sequences using digital technology can be made more complex than analogue even where more than two projectors are used. Colin is of the view that in competitions sequences should be kept in separate categories, so great is the advantage of digital presentations.
Digital projectors are not cheap compared with a home brew assembly of projectors, tape sound/sync, amplifiers and speakers. But it should be possible to assemble a computer and digital projector for rather less than the cost of a Royale slide system. Such a system would also require a slide scanner (assuming the pictures had not been taken using a digital camera) and a monitor for the assembly of the picture sequences.
Technically, the quality of digital projection may not yet match that of the slide projector, but for all practical purposes there is no discernable difference. Any limitations of the digital system do not intrude into the enjoyment of the show. Indeed the additional freedom that digital presentations offer provides more than adequate compensation. I think it is inevitable there will be a steady movement of AV workers to digital techniques and new entrants, who have no heavy investment in the old technology, will start out using digital technology. Progress has been very much faster than I expected. I own a simple Royale projector and I did not expect its performance to be challenged so soon.
All the above is of course my own personal view. Further information may be
available from the following sources: Royale Projectors are made by CBAV, The Courtyard, 15-17 Anderton Street,
CHORLEY, Lancashire.
The Wilmslow Audio Visual Group meets at the Wilmslow Guild on Fridays at 7.30pm (September to May). The Chairman is Howard Gregory, phone 01925 753303. The
evening of March 21st is devoted to “Digital AV - Ian Bateman ARPS.” Visitors are admitted to meetings at £2.50 per visit. The AV Group website is to be found at:
www.wilmslowguildAV.org.uk
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