Have you been asked to provide equipment for a virtual event? If not, you will be soon! With so many companies and organizations moving to online-only events, the need for quality AV equipment is greater than ever. This blog post will help you understand what’s needed for a successful virtual event and how to choose the right AV gear. Happy planning!

Table of Contents

Reliable Wi-Fi

Virtual events are all about online engagement; if people can’t stream the event or connect to Wi-Fi, they’ll walk. The last thing you want is for your client’s attendees to be unable to follow along with the event on their devices.

A solid internet connection is key to a successful virtual event. To ensure your Wi-Fi is up to snuff, invest in a high-powered wireless router for the venue space –and have a backup just in case there’s an issue.

Laptops

Laptops are a given for virtual events. You need these to show your presentation or run a webinar. If you want to stream the event live, it’s also helpful if participants can ask questions in real-time.

Good news! This is probably the easiest component of AV equipment to get right—just make sure you have enough laptops for all your participants and enough battery power so they can last through the whole event.

Don’t forget about technology etiquette when choosing which laptop(s) to provide for your virtual event. While older styles might be more affordable, do you really want people using CRT monitors with no headset?

HD Webcams

Consider HD webcams essential for successful online events. A lot goes into making the presenter look good when people are watching them online. You can use webcams to avoid pixelation by zooming in on the speaker, smooth out shaky camera movement with software stabilization, and give viewers a better sense of space by panning in front of the camera.

Make sure participants know how to set up their webcam before the event starts- there’s nothing worse than joining late and having no idea what does what (you might want to provide instructions).

Teleprompters

Whether you’re hosting a live event or an interview with executives, teleprompters allow speakers and interviewees to see their entire script without having to memorise it beforehand. This allows them to focus on the presentation rather than the words they’re saying, which in turn keeps audiences engaged!

There are quite a few different types of teleprompters available on the market today, each catering to specific needs such as conference calls and video conferencing. Some models even come equipped with Bluetooth capability so that users know exactly when they need to start or stop reading their lines!

Data Projectors and Screens

Don’t let the technology fool you: virtual events still require plenty of hardware. That’s why reliable projectors and screens are a must for your AV arsenal.

For optimum performance, we recommend using 1080p resolution video projectors with HDMI inputs; choose models that have built-in speakers to save space. You can also opt for high-definition flat panels, which are available in either 60 Hz or 120 Hz refresh rates depending on what fits best with the event schedule.

For the screens, look for models with HD or UHD resolutions (the higher the better). Whether you’re presenting in a conference room, auditorium, or arena-style space, there’s a screen size for every event.

Video Monitors & Video Walls

Sporting large screens allow your viewers to see what’s happening both at the event and backstage.

When it comes to using monitors, look for ones that can be mounted on walls; this allows them to serve as a backdrop behind the podium during live events and presentations.

Monitors can also come in handy when you’re hosting a meet and greet session during breaks, allowing everyone to clearly see one another without having to gather around a tiny camera feed or teleprompter (especially if there are language barriers involved!).

Video walls serve similar purposes during virtual events, but they differ greatly from regular monitors thanks to their ability to display larger images over multiple screens. Video walls allow you to create dynamic displays for presenters or audiences as part of your customised visual branding package!

Microphones

Like projectors and screens, microphones are an absolute must for your virtual event arsenal.

Make sure there is at least one microphone in each video filming area to ensure all speakers and attendees can be heard clearly. For smaller events, the industry-standard lavaliere or headset mic works well.

For larger events, we recommend using handheld mics with long-range transmitters; they’re good for up to 500 feet when paired with a quality wireless receiver

Also, don’t forget that audio recording is also important! You can invest in lapel mics for interviews and lectures so you can create high-quality videos of your client’s event for future use. And if space allows, invest in a boom mic for capturing full venue sound –professional filmmakers do it all the time!

While at it, note that there are wired and wireless options for microphones. Wireless mics can be especially helpful in Q&A sessions, where they allow speakers to engage in the discussion without being held back by cables. Wired options on the other hand are best for events where physical movement is limited, such as presentations.

Speakers

Virtual events are typically live-streamed or recorded to be watched later, which means that it’s important for the audio to be high quality. For this reason, it’s important to invest in quality speakers.

When choosing a speaker system for your virtual event, go with active models that have built-in amplification. If you’re using multiple speakers across various areas of the venue, look into wireless options that are easy to set up and move around.

Another advantage of using wireless speakers is that they allow you to control the sound from a distance, from any place in the venue. This is especially useful when events are scheduled to take place simultaneously across multiple rooms or if a production team plans on filming live from a different location.

Powered speakers are also ideal for smaller venues, as they don’t require additional gear to make them work. They’re compact, portable, and durable –which is perfect if you’ll be doing any off-site live streaming or remote filming!

Media viewers

In order to watch the event in real-time, both attendees and production teams need a way of monitoring what’s going on.

Media viewers let you see how the streaming is progressing at a glance. They also enable a more effective remote production by allowing producers to monitor multiple areas at once from anywhere within signal range.

And if you want to record video content for your client’s event, media viewers make it easy to capture footage without any hiccups or technical problems (besides bad WiFi).

Some of the most used media viewers include iPad media viewers, Android tablet media viewers, and fibre media viewers. While these aren’t technically equipment per se, it’s important not to forget about software!

Podiums

Whether you’re planning on hosting virtual events or recording them for later, make sure the presenter and their equipment are visible and easy to access.

When it comes to podiums, we recommend using wireless models that can be hidden during breaks and set up again when the presenter is ready. To do this, look for a podium with a telescoping mast that can be easily raised or lowered at your command without anyone present.

Also, keep in mind that some venues don’t allow speaker systems; if this is the case with yours, there are non-amplified podiums available as well!

Cables & Cords

Whether you’re setting up an HDMI station at your event or testing out microphones before an interview, cables and cords are necessary for ensuring successful live-streaming and recording.

When it comes to cords, make sure you’re investing in high-quality gear that can be used both indoors and outdoors. Some of the best quality cords include VGA, HDMI, RCA, UBS, and XLR. You also don’t want to forget about the power cord!

For cables like speaker wire, check to see whether your venue requires special (often thick) wiring capable of transferring large amounts of data over long distances; you’ll need this if you plan on using any wired equipment during events or presentations.

Networking Hubs & Switches

While networking hubs should already be part of your existing setup, it’s important that they remain an integral part of your virtual event production.

Networking hubs allow you to operate multiple devices from a central location, which makes it easy for everyone involved in the streaming and recording process to monitor the event as it unfolds. Quality switches are crucial for quality production!

When using a hub or switch, make sure you put each device on its own network so that they don’t interfere with one another during an event. To do this, use IP addresses along with physical locations as identifiers (i.e., Use Location A as identifier number 1, Location B as identifier number 2, etc.).

Once all devices have been labelled accordingly, you can connect them without having any problems!

Laser pointers

Laser pointers aren’t just for presentations and webinars!

If you’re running a presentation or event that requires audience participation, laser pointers can be quite useful. When it comes to virtual events, they allow broadcasters to accurately track where individuals are in the room and which areas need attention without having to get up.

They also keep audiences engaged with the content at all times by turning them into active participants who enjoy immersing themselves in what’s happening on screen.

As part of your production kit, make sure lasers are powerful enough so they can be seen easily across larger rooms—they should ideally have an effective range of 100 meters or more!

Lighting

Virtual events aren’t more or less likely to require lighting than their physical counterparts –it all depends on the event itself!

As with any event, you’ll want to make sure there is ample light in the area hosting the virtual component of your client’s event. If it’s an educational program, dimmable lighting will allow for optimal video quality and create an inviting atmosphere.

For best results, go with 3000K lights with CRI 80+ rating. They’re closest to natural light and won’t cause colour distortion during filming. You may also want to invest in dimmable lights with built-in control options, so they can be operated by remote.

Taking the time to plan out all of your equipment needs will help you ensure that everything is in working order and ready for any situation. When it comes to producing virtual events, the best thing you can do is be proactive and check all of your equipment before presenting!

With this said, we hope everyone has a great time live-streaming their next event!