Infocomm AIO / CTS® Certified Technology Specialist Exam Guide, Third Edition / Ciddor / 013608-6 / Front Matter Blind Folio: i CTS ® Certified Technology Specialist E X A M G U I D E Infocomm AIO / CTS® Certified Technology Specialist Exam Guide, Third Edition / Ciddor / 013608-6 / Front Matter Blind Folio: ii ABOUT THE AUTHOR Andy Ciddor is a technical writer, consultant, teacher, and systems technician. His unhealthy interest in how things work began when he terminally dismembered an army field telephone at the age of eight. Andy’s interests eventually expanded into wireless, audio, lighting, electronics, AV, IT, software, control systems, communications, technical production, cosmology, rocket science, neurobiology, etc., as the opportunities arose. He has contributed on a wide range of subjects to publications across the English-speaking world and was the founding editor of AV Asia Pacific magazine. His favorite place is at the bottom of a steep learning curve. Previous Contributor Brad Grimes is the senior director of communications for AVIXA and the former edi- tor of Pro AV magazine. He has been writing about technology for more than 20 years, including positions covering information technology for Ziff Davis, International Data Group, and Post Newsweek Tech Media (now 1105 Government Information Group). Brad continues to author articles and white papers on everything from video commu- nications to cloud computing. His work has been recognized by the American Business Media, the American Society of Business Publication Editors, and the American Society of Magazine Editors. Technical Editors Amanda Beckner, CTS, is the vice president of learning for AVIXA. Since joining AVIXA in 2000, Amanda has researched, designed, authored, or revised more than 40 online courses, classroom courses, publications, and assessments for the audiovisual industry. Amanda holds a master’s degree in communication, culture, and technology from Georgetown University, and a bachelor’s degree in education studies from the Catholic University of America. Zachary Fisher, MA, is a curriculum developer for AVIXA. He has worked for AVIXA since 2016 designing, writing, and developing online and in-person audiovisual courses and assessments. Zachary graduated with a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Illinois in 2000 and a master’s degree in English from the University of Virginia in 2015. Infocomm AIO / CTS® Certified Technology Specialist Exam Guide, Third Edition / Ciddor / 013608-6 / Front Matter Blind Folio: iii CTS ® Certified Technology Specialist E X A M G U I D E Third Edition Andy Ciddor New York Chicago San Francisco Athens London Madrid Mexico City Milan New Delhi Singapore Sydney Toronto McGraw-Hill Education is an independent entity from AVIXA™ and is not affiliated with AVIXA in any fashion. 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Infocomm AIO / CTS® Certified Technology Specialist Exam Guide, Third Edition / Ciddor / 013608-6 / Front Matter CONTENTS AT A GLANCE Part I The Certified Technology Specialist and the CTS Exam Chapter 1 What Is a Certified Technology Specialist? ............................... 3 Chapter 2 The CTS Exam ............................................................... 9 Part II Essentials of AV Technology Chapter 3 Analog and Digital Signals. ............................................... 27 Chapter 4 Audio Systems .............................................................37 Chapter 5 Video Systems .............................................................79 Chapter 6 Networks ................................................................. 123 Chapter 7 Signal-Management Systems .......................................... 143 Chapter 8 Control Systems ......................................................... 159 Chapter 9 Electrical Systems ....................................................... 169 Chapter 10 Wireless Radio Systems ................................................. 181 Part III Creating AV Solutions Chapter 11 Gathering Customer Information ...................................... 191 Chapter 12 Conducting a Site Survey. .............................................. 223 Chapter 13 Evaluating a Site Environment ......................................... 255 Chapter 14 Recommending Changes to the Site Environment. .................. 279 Chapter 15 Developing an AV Project Scope. ...................................... 293 Chapter 16 Designing AV Solutions ................................................. 313 Part IV Implementing AV Solutions Chapter 17 Integrating AV Solutions. ............................................... 367 Chapter 18 Operating AV Solutions ................................................. 415 Chapter 19 Managing an AV Project ................................................ 429 v Infocomm AIO / CTS® Certified Technology Specialist Exam Guide, Third Edition / Ciddor / 013608-6 / Front Matter CTS Certified Technology Specialist Exam Guide vi Part V Servicing AV Solutions Chapter 20 Maintaining AV Operations ............................................. 445 Chapter 21 Conducting Maintenance Activities ................................... 457 Chapter 22 Troubleshooting and Repairing AV Solutions ......................... 465 Part VI Appendixes Appendix A Future Trends in AV ...................................................... 489 Appendix B AVIXA Standards ......................................................... 495 Appendix C AV Math .................................................................. 499 Appendix D About the Online Content .............................................. 509 Appendix E AV Technology Image Library .......................................... E-1 Glossary .................................................................. 513 Index ...................................................................... 555 00-FM.indd 6 28/08/19 12:19 PM Infocomm AIO / CTS® Certified Technology Specialist Exam Guide, Third Edition / Ciddor / 013608-6 / Front Matter CONTENTS Foreword ............................................. xix Acknowledgments ...................................... xxi Part I The Certified Technology Specialist and the CTS Exam Chapter 1 What Is a Certified Technology Specialist? .................... 3 What Does a CTS Do? .................................. 3 Why Earn Your CTS? ................................... 4 The Purpose of the CTS Exam ............................ 5 Are You Eligible for the CTS Exam? ........................ 6 The CTS Exam Application Process ........................ 7 Chapter Review ........................................ 8 Chapter 2 The CTS Exam ............................................... 9 The Scope of the CTS Exam .............................. 9 The CTS Exam Over Time ............................... 10 Studying for the Exam .................................. 11 Sample CTS Exam Questions ............................. 12 Question-Evaluation Strategies ............................ 15 What to Expect on Exam Day ............................. 16 Identification Requirements ......................... 17 Data Retention Policy .............................. 17 Items Restricted from the Exam Room ................. 18 The Exam ....................................... 18 Chapter Review ........................................ 21 Part II Essentials of AV Technology What Is an AV System? .................................. 24 AV System Goals ....................................... 25 Chapter 3 Analog and Digital Signals ................................... 27 Analog and Digital Waveforms ............................ 27 Digital Signal Basics .................................... 28 Digital Signal Processing and Sampling ................. 28 Bit Depth of a Digital Signal ......................... 29 Bit Rate ......................................... 30 Signal Compression ................................ 31 Digital Media Formats .............................. 32 vii Infocomm AIO / CTS® Certified Technology Specialist Exam Guide, Third Edition / Ciddor / 013608-6 / Front Matter CTS Certified Technology Specialist Exam Guide viii Noise and Signal Transmission ............................ 32 Analog and Digital Signal Considerations .................... 34 Chapter Review ........................................ 34 Review Questions ................................. 34 Answers ......................................... 35 Chapter 4 Audio Systems ............................................... 37 Sound Waves .......................................... 37 Wavelength ...................................... 38 Frequency ....................................... 39 Bands and Octaves ................................ 40 Harmonics ...................................... 41 Logarithms ...................................... 41 Decibels ......................................... 42 The Inverse Square Law and Sound ........................ 44 Digital Audio ......................................... 44 Digitizing Analog Audio ............................ 45 Digital Audio Compression .......................... 46 Digital Audio Network Protocols ...................... 47 Acoustics ............................................. 48 Reflected Sound Energy ............................. 49 Reverberation .................................... 49 Absorption ...................................... 50 Transmission ..................................... 50 Ambient Noise ................................... 50 Sound Capture ........................................ 51 Microphones ..................................... 51 Audio Signal Levels ................................ 59 Audio Devices .................................... 61 Loudspeakers ..................................... 67 Audio Signal-Level Monitoring ....................... 69 Examples of Audio System Applications ..................... 73 Sound Reinforcement or PA ......................... 73 Mix-Minus ...................................... 73 Intercom and Paging Systems ........................ 73 Playback Systems .................................. 74 Audioconferencing and Audio for Videoconferencing ...... 74 Sound Masking ................................... 74 Chapter Review ........................................ 74 Review Questions ................................. 75 Answers ......................................... 77 Chapter 5 Video Systems ............................................... 79 Light ................................................ 79 Units of Light Measure ............................. 79 Inverse Square Law and Light ........................ 82 Color ........................................... 82 Infocomm AIO / CTS® Certified Technology Specialist Exam Guide, Third Edition / Ciddor / 013608-6 / Front Matter Contents ix Color Vision ..................................... 82 Color Temperature ................................ 83 Color Rendering Index ............................. 84 Ambient Light .................................... 85 Image Capture ........................................ 85 Camera and Focus ................................. 85 Video Signals ..................................... 89 Digital Signals .................................... 92 Producing an Image .................................... 95 Display and Projection Technology .................... 95 Flat-Panel Display Technologies ....................... 97 Positioning a Display Within a Room .................. 98 Aspect Ratio ..................................... 100 The Projected Image .................................... 102 Projector Optics .................................. 102 Video Projection Technologies ........................ 104 Front Projection and Rear Projection ................... 106 Screens ......................................... 106 Perceived Quality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108 Viewer Placement ................................. 109 Throw Distance ................................... 112 Keystone Error and Correction ....................... 114 Digital Display Alignment ........................... 114 Projection System Brightness ......................... 116 Brightness and Contrast Adjustments .................. 117 Chapter Review ........................................ 118 Review Questions ................................. 118 Answers ......................................... 121 Chapter 6 Networks .................................................... 123 Types of Networks ..................................... 123 Network Topology ..................................... 124 Star Topology .................................... 124 Bus Topology ..................................... 125 Ring Topology .................................... 125 Mesh Topology ................................... 125 Ethernet ............................................. 126 Ethernet Connections .............................. 127 Fiber-Optic Connections ............................ 128 Wireless Connections .............................. 128 The OSI Reference Model ............................... 129 The TCP/IP Networking Model ........................... 132 Network Interface Cards and MAC Addresses ................. 132 Internet Protocol Addressing .............................. 133 IPv4 ........................................... 133 IPv6 ........................................... 133 Subnet Masks .................................... 134