This video describes how to quickly get a good overview before starting a Waved installation. Getting a good overview of both the venue layout, the sound system and how the client normally controls the music in their venue can both save time during installation, prevent misunderstandings and improve the end result.
When arriving at an installation, it is always smart to walk through the venue, and to create a plan of action. When doing the walkthrough, there are several things to look for and think about:
Identify smart sensor placements. Look for sockets and track lighting in locations where sensors should be placed.
Locate the speakers. This is helpful when finding locations for the sensors, as the sensors shouldn’t be placed too close to the speakers.
Look for good locations to place the Waved Hub. Often, these locations have ethernet ports and power sockets close by.
Look for sound panels and/or devices used to control the music or music volume in the venue. This includes tablets, wall-mounted panels, music streaming devices and other devices used to play or pause music, adjust sound levels or change input sources.
Locate the sound system and/or the technical room.
Asking the client, or anyone who works in the venue, to give a tour of the venue is often smart. They have valuable information about where things are, and how they are normally used. This can help to better understand the client’s needs, and how to accommodate them in the best way possible.
After getting an overview of where audio panels or music-controlling equipment is located, try to play some music in the venue. When music is playing, investigate the following:
Are there multiple audio zones on the panel? If there are, try to find out which speakers belong to each audio zone. Try to control the volume of each zone on the panel individually, and listen for changes in the music.
Can the music be muted or unmuted from the panel? If so, try muting and unmuting each zone individually and verify the expected behaviour.
Can input sources be changed through the panel? If so, test and verify this behaviour as well.
Are there any master volumes available on the panel? Sometimes, there is one or more master volumes available for end users to control the music volume in multiple zones simultaneously. Master volumes need to be accounted for when calibrating the system, and inspecting the audio panel is often a good way to find them.
To summarise, getting a good overview of the venue, audio zones and music control devices or equipment is the recommended way of starting an installation. All the information wanted isn’t always available, but often the installation goes smoother when the installer takes time to plan and investigate before setting up the Waved system.