When we design church AV systems with our clients, we often use the “AV Budget Triangle” to help design the system. Let’s chat about the AV Budget Triangle and how it influences AV system design.
What are the Primary Design Factors?
When you design an audio/video/lighting system (especially in a church), there are a few key factors you consider:
- Cost: How much money does this system cost? Can I afford the system? In a church, can I save money by using volunteer labor?
- User-Friendliness: How easy is the system to use? This is especially important for volunteer AV staff who may not have a technical background or experience multi-tasking.
- Reliability: How likely is the system to malfunction? Does it require frequent troubleshooting to operate correctly?
Of course, we all want a system to be perfect in all of these categories. However, that’s rarely the case, and that’s where the AV Budget Triangle comes in.
How does the AV Budget Triangle Work?
The AV Budget Triangle says three things:
- A system that is Cheap & Reliable probably lacks user-friendliness
- A system that is Cheap & User-Friendly probably requires a lot of troubleshooting to run smoothly
- A system that is Reliable & User-Friendly probably has a high price tag
What are Examples of the AV Budget Triangle?
Cheap & Reliable
A product that is Cheap & Reliable probably doesn’t have many features. For example, the Epiphan Pearl Nano or the Blackmagic ATEM Mini are both incredible low-cost video switchers. When you need something that is cheap, reliable, and gets the job done for a small production, we highly recommend these.
However, their features are limited. If you need an advanced production or plenty of room for growth, you will find that these solutions become cumbersome very quickly.
Cheap & User-Friendly
Many small churches with advanced livestreams design their own vMix or OBS systems with macro buttons, custom automations, and live graphics. These systems are cheap, and they’re often user-friendly.
In fact, check out this Custom vMix Installation we did in Blue Springs back in 2016.
But, with the custom macros & automations and low-end equipment, sometimes these systems occasionally require additional troubleshooting when something doesn’t go perfectly (Windows updates, anyone??).
Reliable & User-Friendly
We all want systems that are reliable & user-friendly! Professional-grade systems like the Blackmagic Constellation 2 M/E or Tricaster TC1 are renowned for their stability, reliability, and broad capabilities.
But, if the AV Budget Triangle has taught us anything, there’s a catch….and if you’re looking for one of these systems, you’ll have to break out the checkbook.
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This seems relevant:
So…How Do I Know What to Buy?
That’s a great question! There’s no right or wrong answer– the goal of AV system design is to meet your needs and make sure you and your staff are comfortable operating the system you’ve purchased.
If you’re capable of weighing the various features and products on the market against your budgetary and staffing needs, you can build pro & con lists for each available product and decide where on the AV Budget Triangle you feel the most comfortable.
If you don’t feel ready for that, that’s a good time to call an AV Integrator! Our team is trained & certified in the latest technology (and we have DECADES of combined experience in church AV), and we are happy to walk through the options with you. We’ll discuss the options, understand your needs, and advocate for your best interests through the entire process.
We are more than a contractor.
We are your advocate.
