The Key Factors To Consider When Renting Audiovisual Equipment

Renting audiovisual (AV) equipment for any occasional event is more practical than buying your gear. The benefits include low up-front cost, no maintenance and storage responsibilities and access to the latest hardware. However, a professional sound system with a visual display doesn’t fit every situation. Learn what to consider when choosing an audiovisual equipment rental and where to source it.

What Are the Key Factors to Consider When Renting Audiovisual Equipment?

Consider the following factors to find and rent the right audiovisual gear.

Event Details

The nature of your event and its primary objectives determine your AV requirements. The audiovisual needs of a microenterprise holding an intimate football viewing party differ from those of a trade organisation planning a conference for its members nationwide.

More is not always better. An oversized projector paired with too many speakers can overwhelm a small audience confined in a tiny space.

Think about the venue. Its size, layout, acoustics and lighting conditions should influence your equipment choice. Make decisions with your expected attendance in mind, so everyone should be able to see and hear clearly and comfortably throughout the event.

Don’t forget about the event program. It tells you where specific AV information would come from and when it’s relevant. Displaying streamable content, having multiple hosts speaking from different parts of the venue and interviewing someone remotely mid-event have unique audiovisual requirements.

Technical Specifications

Part of using audiovisual equipment rental services is to avoid dealing with the technical side of event planning. While that’s a valid reason, you should at least be familiar with basic AV terminology to compare gear properly.

Knowing the names and functions of various audiovisual components — like microphones, speakers, amplifiers, mixers, cameras, screens, projectors, monitors, LED displays, video walls and connectors — that make up various professional sound and video systems helps. These AV elements usually have subtypes, and it pays to understand the difference between handheld and lapel mics, public address systems and line arrays, and so on.

Moreover, a decent working knowledge of bandwidth, resolution, aspect ratio, HDMI, frame rate, bit rate, and codec allows you to compare equipment rentals and vendors.

Compatibility

Incompatible hardware can result in different problems — no sound, distorted sound, video disruptions, sync issues, unresponsive touch screens, to name but a few. Make it a mission to use a system with compatible equipment, as any audiovisual challenge can ruin your event.

Using components from the same manufacturer is one way to avoid compatibility problems. Another is to go with an integrated system. However, you may have to mix and match AV elements to achieve your event goals.

Seek technical advice from an audiovisual equipment rental service provider to find hardware designed to work together. A vendor that sends a technician to set up and manage the system from beginning to end helps prevent and address technical problems.

Where to Rent Audio Visual Equipment — Top 3 Options

The three best places to rent audiovisual equipment are as follows.

1. FunFlicks

FunFlicks is the leading movie screen rental service for indoor and outdoor community events. Founded in 2001, it has earned this reputation thanks to its broad selection of visual displays, including inflatable, drive-in, slim profile and wall and mobile trailer LED screens. This vendor’s basic setup includes an inflatable screen, a high-resolution projector and a high-definition sound system.

This established AV equipment provider also offers high-resolution LED walls — the kind you see in arenas, stadiums and other venues for sporting events. They have an IP65 rating, which means they’re waterproof and dustproof. These LED video installations are available in many sizes and shapes — flat, cube or pyramid — and can be connected to devices to support various use cases.

FunFlicks operates anywhere in the United States and has a nationwide network of local technicians who ensure everything goes smoothly. Find the contact information of the nearest branch to discuss your AV equipment requirements and receive sound recommendations on renting the gear that fits your event.

2. Premiere Outdoor Movie

Premium Outdoor Movie has been the premier source of audiovisual equipment rentals on the East Coast since 2009. Its service area covers 14 states — Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas and Virginia.

This vendor offers multiple packages for event sizes, ranging from backyard movie nights for five people to massive outdoor gatherings with up to 5,000 attendees. Every package has an inflatable screen, professional sound and projector systems, and high-quality AV electronics, which you can’t rent separately. An insured specialized event crew supervises everything, from setup to teardown. The standard package time is two and a half hours.

Premium Outdoor Movie allows you to shift event dates due to forecasted inclement weather. You must reschedule at least three hours before your event or before its staff begins to travel to your venue.

3. Ultimate Outdoor Movies

Ultimate Outdoor Movies has offered indoor and outdoor audiovisual equipment rentals for over 16 years. It has locations in Washington, D.C., and 16 states — Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Maryland, Nevada, New Jersey, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia.

This vendor’s diverse arsenal of AV gear suits any imaginable event, including family get-togethers, community gatherings, graduation ceremonies, theatre performances, tailgating parties, concerts, simulcasts of live games, trade shows, fundraisers, faith-based celebrations and political rallies. Ultimate Outdoor Movies does specialized AV equipment setups for poolside events and film screenings that are throwbacks to bygone eras, like drive-in theatres and silent cinema.

This provider rents inflatable, fast-fold, and LED screens along with LED video walls. These visual displays come in different sizes to fit various venues, from private backyards to arenas. Its professional video and sound systems include HD projectors, pro audio speakers, and high-end Blu-ray players. Friendly technicians oversee equipment setup, operation and teardown.

Rent Audiovisual Equipment That Fits Your Event

The larger the scope of your event, the more complicated your AV requirements will become. Do your research and contact any of these audiovisual gear vendors in your area to find one that meets your needs.

Ankita Sharma

Ankita is the Senior SEO Analyst as well as Content Marketing enthusiast at The Next Tech. She uses her experience to guide the team and follow best practices in marketing and advertising space. She received a Bachelor's Degree in Science (Mathematics). She’s taken quite a few online certificate courses in digital marketing and pursuing more.

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