FOREWORD

InfoComm International has been serving the professional audiovisual industry for more than 75 years. Throughout those years, AV technology—like all technology—has changed dramatically. As a result, the jobs of people who make AV technology come to life have changed.

AV designers have had a front-row seat to the change happening all around them. That is because on an AV project, it’s the designer—the professional who conceptualizes the solution from beginning to end—who often must know the most about the various specialties and technologies that impact a finished AV system. How will a client’s network infrastructure impact the desired AV solution? The designer needs to know. How might the AV system communicate with the client’s building systems, including lighting, HVAC, and security? The designer understands how it’s possible. At the end of the day, the more an AV designer knows about how an AV system fits in with a client’s overall mission, the greater the chance of designing and overseeing completion of a technology solution that meets that client’s needs and exceeds expectations.

One of InfoComm’s core purposes is to support the AV industry through professional development and certification. This means collecting and making available technical knowledge and best practices pertinent to your job from a network of expert volunteers who work in the AV industry. That knowledge, in turn, helps inform InfoComm certification.

AV industry certification demonstrates to your employer, to industry partners, to the business world at large, and to yourself, that you are committed to a higher level of professionalism and expertise in all aspects of AV integration and design. InfoComm’s general Certified Technology Specialist (CTS) designation demonstrates knowledge of the widest breadth of AV solutions, tasks, and operations. After you attain your CTS credential and want to take your skills to the next level, you may pursue a more focused certification, such as Certified Technology Specialist-Design (CTS-D).

As you will learn in this book, a CTS-D works with clients to understand their needs, designs AV systems that meet those needs, prepares the necessary design documents, coordinates with other professionals to create AV systems, and ultimately ensures that the final product meets the clients’ requirements. People who hold the CTS-D credential, like its counterpart for the AV installation community, the Certified Technology Specialist-Installation (CTS-I), are members of a special group of AV pros who have gone beyond foundational experience and dedicated themselves to quality work, focused expertise, and the confidence of the people they work with. And because a CTS-D has already spent years in the AV industry, he or she forms the basis of a growing, global marketplace expected to be worth $114 billion in 2016.

The CTS-D credential is accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) under the International Organization of Standardization (ISO) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) ISO/IEC 17024 General Requirements for Bodies Operating Certification Schemes of Persons program. For many, an ANSI/ISO/IEC certification is an additional mark of distinction because ANSI/ISO/IEC is recognized across many different industries. For example, the Building Performance Institute offers ANSI/ISO/IEC-accredited certifications. So do Cisco Systems, the Computing Technology Industry Association, the Green Building Certification Institute, the Project Management Institute, the Society of Industrial Security Professionals, and many other, non-technical trades. Holding a professional certification that meets the same high standards as that of another trade certification can help raise your profile in a company of large project teams that include many diverse individuals.

The fact that all InfoComm certifications meet ANSI/ISO/IEC requirements has other implications. In accordance with globally recognized principles, no single publication or class can necessarily prepare you for the CTS-D exam, nor are you obligated to enroll in InfoComm courses to take the exam. As you will learn, on-the-job experience is a critical prerequisite for taking the CTS-D exam. Because of the way InfoComm certifications are developed—in accordance with ANSI/ISO/IEC standards and separate from InfoComm’s own professional training, including this book—relying on a single source of exam preparation may not prove successful for every AV professional. Put another way—specifically with regard to this exam guide—no prep tool is permitted to “teach to the test” and still maintain ANSI/ISO/IEC accreditation. InfoComm, through its AV design classes and publications, attempts to offer prospective designers the latest knowledge; prospective designers must then apply that knowledge to the CTS-D exam—and to their design careers. For other ways that InfoComm can help establish your professional qualifications, visit us at www.infocomm.org/ctsd.

CTS-D Certified Technology Specialist-Design Exam Guide includes the latest information that AV designers need to create solutions in a converged AV/IT world. Yes, all the bread-and-butter skills are here, too, such as how to perform a thorough needs assessment and document an AV design. But so are tips and background information for configuring and troubleshooting modern protocols, such as Extended Display Identification Data (EDID) and High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection (HDCP)—two important attributes of today’s high-definition video systems. Plus, you’ll find important information about current multimedia transmission technologies, such as High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI), DisplayPort, Mobile-High Definition Link, and more. And with all the talk about ultra high-definition “4K” video, AV designers need to understand when it’s really needed, how it’s achieved, and how it impacts an overall system design. This book has you covered.

Finally, CTS-D holders—and AV designers in general—must know how to integrate and control AV gear on a network. They must understand Internet protocol, network security, and other IT-related issues to help ensure that networked AV systems operate as promised without impacting other IT services. This book includes several chapters that encapsulate important AV/IT skills.

CTS-D Certified Technology Specialist-Design Exam Guide represents InfoComm’s knowledge base for aspiring CTS-D holders. Even if you never take the CTS-D exam, this guide is a handy reference. It reflects what professionals like you—InfoComm volunteers—say goes into being a modern AV designer. It also reflects the CTS-D exam as it has changed over time and will help prepare you for the test but won’t automatically turn you into a CTS-D. For more on the CTS-D exam itself, see Chapter 2.

Again, this guide is not required reading, but it’s an excellent place to start. You may decide to burnish your design skills in other ways. InfoComm University offers three levels of AV design training—though they’re also not required—which are available in classrooms or online. It also offers a four-week CTS-D Prep Virtual Classroom. You can find information at www.infocomm.org/education.

If you have decided to pursue your CTS-D certification, congratulations. If you have been looking for a valuable resource to use on the job, you’ve found one. We hope this guide helps you reach your goals. As I’ve told many people in many different settings, now is an exciting time to be part of the AV industry. By certifying your skills, you show that you’re committed to your own success and to the success of AV professionals everywhere. You’re ready to be a leader in this industry, and we thank you for your commitment. Good luck.

David Labuskes, CTS, RCDD
Executive Director and CEO
InfoComm International