The Audio/Visual Department is responsible for providing technological support for meetings and events within the Student Union. This includes projectors, laptops, microphones, lighting and sound mixing equipment.

The Student Union utilizes equipment which connects via HDMI or VGA. If your laptop or smart device does not use either of these connections, you will need to procure an appropriate adapter. Please be aware, we do not carry or offer any type of adapters. Mac users in particular are advised to check their connection type, as Apple employs multiple non-standard or proprietary connectors.

Audio Visual Services

All conference rooms at the Student Union are equipped with large flat panel HD displays and wireless screen sharing systems. We also offer portable video conferencing equipment, podiums, sound systems, lighting systems, and presentation aids. You can request any A/V equipment that you need through your room reservation request.

The Student Union features a Theatre, Ballroom, and multi-use event space, room 304. The Theatre and Ballroom feature large screen projection formats, premium sound systems, ADA height-adjustable podiums, and wireless microphones. Room 304 features 90”+ flat panel displays, installed sound system, podiums and wireless microphones. We also offer portable audio visual systems for programs held in other university event locations.

For scheduling purposes, please allow a minimum of 3 weeks lead time for events. Also please note that the Student Union Audio Visual staff is unable to provide support in the setup, operation, or troubleshooting of audio visual equipment we do not own

The Student Union provides technical support to customers utilizing our audio visual equipment. Customers experiencing an issue or needing assistance in with A/V equipment in a reserved Student Union Space may call the Information Center at 860-486-1140 and a technician will be deployed to your location.

Please be aware that only Student Union staff are authorized to operate A/V equipment. The use of equipment without approval may lead to damages and is also a violation of your usage agreement. Charges for the repair or replacement of lost or damaged equipment will be automatically billed to the sponsoring department or organization.

Users in the Division of Student Affairs who require audio visual assistance at their site may open a ticket with SAIT by sending an email to sait@uconn.edu and audio visual staff will reach out to assist.

Due to liability reasons, the Student Union Audio Visual staff are unable to provide support for equipment we do not own. For users experiencing IT issues relating to customer supplied laptops and/or software, we recommend contacting your delegated system administrator.

Technical support is available Monday-Friday from 8am-10pm, and Saturday-Sunday from 10am-10pm during the Fall and Spring semesters.

A/V Services offers assistance to users in the Division of Student Affairs who require aid in the following:

• Audio visual system design
• 3^rd party vendor reviews
• Project management
• Small-medium sized integrations
• General consultation.

For more information, please contact Jim Wheeler at jim.wheeler@uconn.edu.

A/V FAQ

Nearly all electronic manufacturers have adopted HDMI as the standard interface used to transmit audio and video. While there are some models that do utilize HDMI, Apple has also elected to use a royalty-free interface called Display Port, or their own proprietary interface (Thunderbolt, Lightning). If you have one of those models, an adapter is needed to convert the signal to HDMI or VGA.

By offering equipment for customer use, there’s an implied guarantee of functionality to the user. Since HDMI is the de facto audio/visual electronics interface, there is no set standard for how compatibility information should be communicated when a third-party adapter is used. Additionally, certain conditions can alter a Mac’s display settings, often unbeknownst to the user. These settings can break HDCP compatibility, which also causes display issues. This ultimately creates an unreliable user experience, which falls below the standards our customers expect.

Due to liability reasons, we are unable to provide support of any kind for equipment we do not own. This includes customer supplied laptops, which are assumed to have confidential or sensitive information on them. If you are experiencing issues with your laptop or software, please contact your system administrator.

These tips will help us provide you with running your event as smoothly as possible:

• Give us much detail as you can
• Rehearse your program if you’re able.
• Time it; note any scenes or transitions that made need special attention.
• Provide an agenda or order of events for tech running your event to follow. i.e. – what music to play, what source it’s playing from, when it plays, etc.
• If possible, have a member of your organization dedicated to assisting the tech run your event.
• Arrive on time, and be prepared to test all A/V. The more time we have to ensure everything is working the way you like it, the smoother your program will be.
• Try to simplify as much of your A/V needs as possible. Are you playing music from a Youtube video, then an iPod, then a CD, then your Droid? Put everything all on one device, in the order you want it played.
• Make sure the volumes from all the songs you want played are the same.
• Be aware of exactly how long you have access to the technician working.

Microphones collect sound, which is then transmitted through a speaker system. Feedback occurs when the sound coming from a speaker gets picked back up by the microphone, creating a loop. This can be avoided by adhering to the following microphone techniques:

• Hold the mic close to your mouth.
• Don’t speak quietly.
• Avoid pointing the microphone at speakers.

If you are using one of our laptops, our technicians are able to provide a basic level of support. This includes system settings, login information, and connectivity issues. User accounts and software assistance is beyond our scope. Due to liability reasons, we are unable to provide any kind of support for customer provided laptops.

If you are an organization that incurs charges, you will be charged for equipment regardless if you use it or not, as this removes the resource from inventory and prevents others from using it.

We cannot turn up the volume of your program to a level where it distracts the group next to you. Additionally, meeting rooms are dedicated to meetings and are not appropriate spaces for anything significant in size or sound volume. 304, the Ballrooms, the Theatre, or the Lobbies are more appropriate spaces for these types of events.