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Opinion
Aux Out
8/21/2006
By Will Craig
Fear, uncertainty, doubt, and hope are reflected in typical teacher stations, podiums, and classroom equipment racks in the form of auxiliary input/output connector panels. Checking the auxiliary connector panel in a college or university classroom will give you some insights about the room’s system designer.
If you find lots and lots of connectors for all sorts of input and output signals, the designer is probably overly-cautious about trying to provide a flexible system. As a result of past projects where users complained about lack of inputs/outputs, they prefer to err on the side of connectivity.
If there are only a few connectors, the designer is probably confident in their understanding of the current and future needs of the end-users. Or they were dealing with stringent budget constraints in terms of the signal routing and distribution. Or both.
In order to figure out what auxiliary input/output signals are necessary for your systems, check the following partial list of common auxiliary input/output connectors and why you might use them:
System Inputs:
Wired microphone jack (XLR 3F): If you are using wireless microphones, this is a must for when the batteries are dead. If you have a gooseneck microphone on the podium that isn’t accessible to an instructor sitting at the podium, a wired, handheld microphone would provide a reasonable accommodation for that contingency.
Composite video (BNC or RCA): For when an instructor needs to show a laserdisc, a PAL or SECAM video, a camcorder tape, or other infrequent video source. While commonly seen in auxiliary connector panels, it is often not necessary where a VCR/DVD combination unit is being used, as most of these units have a front-panel auxiliary audio/video input built-in.
VGA (HD-15): Useful for answering questions like “what if we bring in another laptop?”, or “can my assistant operate my computer in the back of the room?” VGA inputs are also useful for connecting to interactive remote conferencing servers or codecs.
USB: USB2.0 jacks provide a convenient way to allow for external computer control devices/remotes, memory sticks, or digital audio devices.
Line level switched inputs (1/8” stereo mini jack or RCA): Audio to accompany video or computer presentation sources.
Mixed line level (unswitched) input (1/8” stereo mini jack): Allows use of a portable audio device for music playback, which could potentially accompany a switched program source rather than being an either/or choice.
Codec line level input (RCA): For when the portable videoconferencing/ITV cart is rolled in. This should be routed into the sound reinforcement bus on your room mixer. You will need a second bus for the audio output to your codec, below.
System Outputs:
Record output (microphone and/or line level; XLR-3M, RCA, 1/8” stereo mini): If you have an audio distribution amplifier, additional/extra audio output jacks are almost free. Consider those who want to record their own lectures/classes using iPod recording modules, portable tape recorders, or their laptop/tablets. It also provides a clean audio output of both microphone and program audio for your streaming/archival system.
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