Category: Audio Equipment Rentals

Planning an event, whether its a conference, exhibit booth, or an outdoor reception, demands attention to detail—especially regarding AV equipment rentals. High-quality audiovisual gear can elevate your event, while poor choices can cause technical issues and underwhelm your target audience. That’s why it’s critical to approach AV rentals with a thoughtful checklist and a clear understanding of what to ask.

This guide will walk you through ten essential questions to ensure you’re renting the right equipment, from the right provider, with the proper support, making your event both professional and unforgettable.

1.What Type of A/V Equipment Do I Need?

First things first—identify what gear your event requires. A/V equipment covers audio equipment components like microphones and PA systems, video elements such as projectors and LED walls, lighting for ambience or drama, and a range of accessories, including cables and stands.

The type of event—corporate seminar, exhibit booth, concert, or film shoot—will influence your needs. Some rental company offerings include pre-made packages that may not match your specific AV requirements. You may benefit more from a custom setup tailored to your venue size, event goals, and the kind of experience you’re delivering.

2.Is the Equipment Professional-Grade and Up-to-Date?

Equipment quality matters. Always check whether the AV gear is professional-grade and up-to-date with current AV technology standards. Consumer-grade equipment might save money, but it often lacks the durability, output quality, and reliability that professional setups provide. Ask for specific models and the year of manufacture or last update.

Reputable AV companies keep their gear modern and well-maintained, ensuring fewer equipment failures. Outdated electronic device options not only underperform but may also lack compatibility with today’s systems. Don’t hesitate to dig into the specs—your target audience will notice the difference in performance and clarity.

3.Are On-Site Technicians or Support Included?

You don’t want to be alone when something goes wrong during a live event. That’s why you need to know whether AV technicians or real-time support are part of the rental. A dry hire means you only use rented equipment without technical assistance, while a full-service rental includes setup, monitoring, and breakdown help.

On-site technicians ensure everything works as expected, handling glitches and adjustments on the fly. While it may add to the cost, the peace of mind and smooth experience it provides can be invaluable, especially if you’re not an AV pro.

At GSE Audio Visual, we provide experienced on-site AV technicians to ensure everything runs flawlessly. This allows you to focus on your event while we handle the technical side with confidence and care.

4.What Is the Backup and Redundancy Policy?

Technology is fallible. That’s why you must ask what backup plan or redundancy measures are in place. Do they provide extra microphones, a spare projector bulb, or a secondary audio feed? Reputable AV companies prepare for worst-case scenarios by building in fail-safes.

If something malfunctions, having standby gear or backup systems can keep your entire event on track without interruptions. Ask how quickly they can swap out faulty equipment and whether extra items are delivered on-site or kept nearby. Knowing this upfront can save you from mid-event panic. Read this complete guide to audiovisual equipment renting to help you decide.

5.What Are the Delivery, Setup, and Breakdown Terms?

Logistics are often where events stumble. Clarify who is responsible for transporting, installing, and breaking down the equipment. Some AV company providers handle everything from delivery to teardown, while others may expect you to do the heavy lifting—literally. Ask when the gear will arrive, how long the setup takes, and what access is needed.

Also, be aware of additional service charges for weekend service, late-night pickups, or last-minute changes. Don’t assume anything is included—spell it all out and get it in writing. Good logistics planning avoids surprises and keeps your event running smoothly.

6.What Are the Total Costs, Including Hidden Fees?

Sticker shock is real when you discover the actual cost of your equipment rental. Always ask for a full breakdown. Beyond base rental fees, watch for added expenses like delivery, technician time, insurance, damage waivers, and late return penalties.

Some companies may also charge overtime if your event runs long. Get an itemized quote to compare total costs across vendors—not just headline rates. This way, you avoid unnecessary expenses and can accurately budget. Transparency is key to preventing last-minute financial stress.

At GSE Audio Visual, we offer transparent, upfront pricing with no hidden fees—just honest quotes that help you budget confidently and avoid any last-minute surprises.

7.Is the Equipment Tested and Pre-Configured Before Delivery?

A reliable rental company doesn’t just hand over gear—its team tests and configures it first. Ask if the audiovisual equipment is function-tested, calibrated, and ready to plug-and-play before delivery. This means checking for faulty cables, verifying signal paths, and adjusting audio equipment levels or screen resolution in advance.

Pre-configured gear reduces setup time and minimizes surprises. If you don’t receive the gear pre-tested, you may end up spending precious hours troubleshooting rather than preparing for your successful event.

8.What Connectivity and Compatibility Should I Be Aware Of?

Nothing derails an event faster than incompatible connections. Your laptop might have USB-C, but the projector takes HDMI. Or your mixer uses XLR inputs, while your mic uses a quarter-inch jack. These mismatches can delay events and require emergency adapter runs. One of the key questions to ask your AV rental provider is what input and output connections the equipment uses, and confirm compatibility with your existing devices.

Request the right cables and adapters as part of the rental. If you’re using new technology or software-based systems like live streaming, verify that everything integrates correctly. Don’t leave compatibility to chance—double-check every connection.

9.What Is the Cancellation or Rescheduling Policy?

Event planners know that schedules shift. But how flexible is your rental agreement? Before booking, understand the cancellation policies, including how far in advance you must notify them to avoid penalties. Are deposits refundable? Is there a restocking fee? Can you reschedule without losing your payment?

These terms vary significantly between vendors. Some are strict, some lenient—but all should be crystal clear. Avoid headaches by asking for a copy of the agreement upfront and reviewing the fine print. It’s better to know your options now than face surprise charges later.

10.Are There References, Certifications, or Insurance Provided?

Finally, make sure you’re working with a reputable AV company. Ask for client references or testimonials, especially from event planners who’ve managed client events or conferences. Check if they hold industry certifications and verify that they carry the right amount of liability insurance. These elements show that the business takes professionalism seriously and can back up its promises.

Consider it a red flag if a provider hesitates to share this information. Trustworthy AV companies are transparent and happy to showcase their track record, because they know it sets them apart in a crowded market.

Plan Your Event Confidently with GSE AV

Choose GSE Audio Visual for your AV needs to make your next event planning seamless and unforgettable. Our expert AV team, professional-grade equipment, and reliable technical expertise ensure you get the support you need and seamless communication every step of the way. Contact us today to get a custom quote tailored to your event and make your best event a reality for this and future events.

The AV industry is constantly changing, thanks to new technologies every year. As an audio visual company in Orlando, it’s vital for us to be aware of the latest trends so we can be consistent in our efforts to provide our clients with the best AV equipment for their needs.

Here are some AV trends that have risen in 2021 with an overarching theme revolving around effective and seamless communication regardless of location.

New AV Trends in 2021

Better Online Conferencing

With the rise of internet-based communication because of the pandemic, there is more demand for online meetings than before. As a result, AV conferencing systems are becoming increasingly popular in digital workplaces. These high-tech audiovisual tools allow companies to speak face-to-face without being in the same building. 

Touchless Technology

Thanks to the rise of touchless technology, people are moving away from physical controls like buttons, switches, and knobs to touch-sensitive interfaces instead. Touch screens have allowed companies to do this already; and due to the pandemic, customers have evolved to giving away touch styluses to interface with our touch screen monitors.

Digital Events

The rise of digital events like music festivals and conferences means that more people than are using audiovisual equipment. Fortunately, with the top AV equipment, it is possible to host high quality and realistic digital events today. 

While it’s not as costly to host a virtual event as compared to a live event, businesses should not see this as a chance to lower their budget. Instead, it’s worth investing the money into ensuring top quality sound and visuals for your audience. An event that impresses your audience will create a corresponding positive impression of your business, leading to better conversion rates.

Rooms with Integrated AV Systems

Integrated AV systems refer to how lights, speakers, video cues and more can all be controlled with room sensors. They are designed to work seamlessly with each other and to make it much easier to set up for meetings. As they can be rather costly, they are not very common in businesses or homes yet. However, it might be a great time to start thinking about how your business will approach this trend in the near future for their events.

Digital Signage

Due to the pandemic, the use of marketing materials like flyers have decreased since people try to avoid touching things unnecessarily. This is where digital signages come in. Video walls, for example, are being relied upon to share information today. With various specifications and technology, digital displays are versatile and able to cater to any events and any size audience.

Conclusion

We can help with your AV rental needs, whether you require projectors, touch screens, lighting or more. With our finger on the pulse of the AV industry and upcoming AV trends, you can rest assured that we’ll provide the latest and most effective custom solutions for your business or event.

If you’re looking for an effective way to save time and money, then it’s a good idea to hire an Orlando AV Rental Company for your event. Take the stress off your shoulders and get everything you need, from projectors to microphones, speakers, and more. 

Hiring an AV rental company is the best option if you are short on time or don’t have the knowledge of what equipment will work best for your needs.

How You Could Save Time and Money by Hiring an AV Rental Company for Your Event

Equipment You Can Rent

AV rental companies provide a broad range of equipment you can rent. Need to present a  presentation but don’t have the right equipment? We have the right video or data projectors that will work perfectly for your presentation needs. 

Instead of forking out a significant amount to purchase high-quality speakers for a one-off event, choose to rent them instead. You will need quality speakers to ensure that your guests can clearly hear the presentation, so it’s vital not to scrimp on your speakers. Rather than spending top dollar purchasing high-quality ones, renting them will be more cost-effective.

AV rental companies also rent out microphones for speeches or presentations. However, if multiple people are speaking, you will need to rent more than one microphone.

More Options to Scale Up or Down

Unsure of how big your event will be? Or perhaps, your next event won’t be as major as the previous one. Hiring AV equipment instead of purchasing them means you have that much more flexibility to have or less equipment on hand, as required by the extent of your event.

You might have an event requiring more projectors and microphones, but you know that you won’t need so many of this equipment for future events. 

Hiring an AV rental company means you can select the AV solutions that you need. This is certainly more cost-effective than purchasing excessive but unnecessary AV equipment, or worse, finding that you lack the equipment necessary.

Expert Technicians

An AV rental company has professionally trained technicians to help set everything up. You don’t need to worry about complicated setups, and you don’t have to guess how to operate complex equipment. Leave this to the experts and focus on running your event.

Also, our technicians know exactly what AV equipment you will need. Without the right training and knowledge, you might purchase the wrong equipment which means more money wasted.

What to Expect From AV Rental Company

Latest Technology

A reputable AV rental company will have all the latest technology. We are in touch with the latest trends and equipment launches on the market and ensure that we have a good catalog of equipment for your needs. Your event will run smoothly, thanks to our expert technicians and up-to-date equipment.

Quality Service and On-Site Assistance

You can also expect quality service and on-site assistance when hiring an AV rental company for your event. Our trained experts will be present to help set everything up and ensure that everything runs smoothly without a hitch.

Reliability

As an AV rental company that prides itself on customer satisfaction and our positive reputation, we’ll always be on time and ready to set up everything in advance, ensuring everything’s working when your guests arrive at the event or presentation. 

Conclusion

Hiring an AV rental company for your event can save you time and money while taking significant stress off yourself. There’s no need to worry about complicated setups or having to purchase expensive equipment that you might never use. Instead, you can count on our reliable technicians and high-quality equipment to help make your event a success.

When you’re planning an event, you might come across a handful of seemingly confusing AV terms that Audio Visual rental companies in Orlando use. Many people use them interchangeably to refer to the same thing: “sound system.” However, some differences between the terms may affect your event planning decisions down the line or impact how well you can carry out tasks in the early stages of event planning. 

Gobo

A gobo is a piece of metal with images or patterns cut out. You can also have glass gobos.  Glass gobos can be made in multiple colors.  Gobos can be created to cast shadows on the wall behind them, depending on the angle and distance from them to the wall. They can be used as a design element, such as decoration, casting specific shadows to create a particular effect.

Bandwidth

Bandwidth is the amount of data that can be sent through a certain connection. So, if you are hosting an event online and streaming your video feed, but it keeps buffering or freezing up, this is because there’s inadequate upload bandwidth available for all the viewers you were trying to accommodate. External attendees viewing the live stream utilize download bandwidth to watch the stream.  Both are important for your virtual events success.

Rigging

Rigging is the process of securing equipment and other items on a platform. For example, if you are doing an event in a ballroom or in a convention center, you may choose to rig your overhead video wall or line array sound system, for optimal viewing for your audience.

Stage Wash

Stage wash is a term used to refer to lighting that hits the stage directly. Suppose you are hosting an event in a small room with very little light but want your guests to see the action on stage. In that case, this type of lighting may help provide better visibility without requiring too much wattage or making it difficult for people in the back of the room to see whats happening on a dark stage.

Crossover Frequency

The crossover frequency, also known as a crossover, determines which frequencies are sent through which speakers. Suppose you have multiple speakers that can be controlled independently for volume and tone to provide different sound experiences at varying locations. In that case, this is where you would set the crossover frequency to ensure that bass tones are not being sent through speakers meant for treble.

Mixer

A mixer is used to mix sound inputs. You need a high-quality mixer if you are hosting an event with multiple microphones that need to be mixed together so they can all be heard clearly by the audience at different locations.  It is recommended that you hire one of our technicians to operate this mixer.

Switcher

As the name suggests, a switcher is used to switch between different inputs. If you want guests to see behind-the-scenes footage alongside video from your main camera feed that’s broadcasting everything happening live, a switcher will allow you to do that without much lag time switching between them both.

Codec

A codec is a piece of software used to compress data to be transmitted in smaller chunks. Suppose you have set up your video feed online for guests at home or around the world to watch live but need to use both wired internet connection as well as wireless to accommodate all viewers without causing too much lag time in data transmission. In that case, a codec can compress the video feed to get through without taking too long.  The best codecs for HD video content is .H264 or .H265 with a .mp4 wrap.  Feel free to reach out to GSE AV for any of your HD production needs.

Conclusion

Whether you are an event planner or a guest who plans to host a small gathering, these AV terms should help you understand the available options. If you’re still unsure about any of these AV terms, don’t hesitate to ask us for help!

No matter how much you prepare for your conference or event, poor audio visual work can make all the difference in how your audience perceives you. To ensure you keep your audience engaged and entertained, here are some audio visual rental equipment that you can use.

Audio Equipment 

There is nothing worse than attending a conference or presentation and not being able to hear what is going on. Not only will you not have been able to hear what the presenter was saying but you will also feel like you have wasted your time. 

It’s crucial to ensure that quality sound equipment is top of the priority list. 

Any good, professional audiovisual service provider will know what equipment is best for your specific venue, so be sure to fill your audio experts in on the size of your venue and audience. If possible, it is a good idea to test out the equipment in the venue before the day of the event, but if that is not an option, ensure that you and the audio experts arrive early the day of.  

Another factor to keep in mind is how you will be presenting. Some questions to ask are: are you going to be sitting in a chair during a presentation, will you walk around as you speak, will there be a lot of movement on stage and will you be sharing the stage with other presenters? 

Assuming you are walking around a lot, it is best to have a wireless microphone, and if there are multiple performers it is necessary you have multiple microphones to eliminate sharing. 

Spotlights and LED Lights 

One way to keep your audience engaged is to set the mood of the room and create an atmosphere to suit your performance with lighting. Whether or not you have any control over the venue you present at, simple things like the look of the feeling of the room you perform in can have a big impact on how you are received. 

Although adjustments to the look of the space aren’t always up to you, a simple way to transform the way your event or presentation is perceived is with the lighting. Whether you set the mood with warm or cool lighting, certain colors or spotlights, a simple change in the room’s lighting can do a lot to subconsciously set the scene for your audience. 

Consider what should have attention, if the attention is on you and only on you when you speak try out a spotlight. If the room feels small, placing some LED lights around the outer walls can make the space feel larger. 

While planning your event, be sure to discuss lighting with the venue or the audiovisual service provider to ensure your audience remains engaged and the focus is on you throughout the performance. 

Impactful Visuals

It is said that there are many types of learning, the three main types being auditory, visual and kinesthetic learning. If you are presenting any type of event or speech with only audio, there is a chance you are missing out on a large portion of your audience. 

Although it is likely very difficult to target those who are kinesthetic learners, adding some visual elements to your show can keep those who tend to lean more towards the visual learning side of the spectrum who may have trouble concentrating on audio-only presentations, focused and engaged. 

Consider how you can introduce visual elements into your show, whether it’s through relevant information on a screen, stats that the audience may be hard to remember, photos, graphs, charts or any other form of imagery. Utilize equipment like touch kiosks, LED walls, VR projectors and more.

Once you have an idea of your visual content it is important you discuss with your audio visual company to ensure they have a screen or screens that will be visible to everyone sitting everywhere in the venue. 

Conclusion

Your audio and visual during an event can make all of the difference between an engaged or a bored audience. It is important to consider audio and visuals and discuss your plans with your audiovisual service providers to ensure you have all equipment necessary. Although it may seem frivolous, a small detail like lighting can be crucial to ensure you are well received and your audience remains engaged the whole time. For more ideas, consult AV Rentals in Orlando for help.

Whether you are just going to present in front of an audience, or need to stream your conference over the internet, there are a lot of things going into it. If one thing goes wrong, the flow of the presentation can be affected. To help you ensure everything is ready for your conference, we have compiled a list of things you will need to set up and check off.

Audio Visual Checklist for Conferences and Meetings

The things you need to have set up before your conference starts includes:

Lighting

Lighting is one of the most important aspects of the conference. You want the lights to illuminate the speakers, while dimming everyone else. This will draw and hold attention to the speakers and keep the audience quiet. Make sure you either have a set spotlight that illuminates the stage, or someone to manage the spotlight to follow those who are moving around on stage.  

Microphones

No one needs to lose their voice yelling to get to the back of the audience. But not all microphones are going to set up the same way. For hands free headsets, you want to make sure it is situated on the face correctly and tested before the conference starts. 

For standard microphones, you need to make sure that cords are placed in a way that will prevent tripping, and cordless microphones are fully charged. Making sure that the speakers are the correct height and properly attached to the podium or stand.

Laptops

If you are presenting something using a computer, you want to make sure that the computer is going to run without issues. It is smart to restart the computer the night before to make sure that there are no updates needed before the presentation starts. You should also make sure the programs are updated and no unnecessary tabs are open to slow your computer down.  Turn off automatic updates so Windows updates do not automatically start taking away your necessary bandwidth & computer resources.

Projectors and Remote Controls

To help make sure everything is blown up large enough to be seen by the audience, it is helpful to use a projector. There are many types of projectors, so make sure that the one you are using is compatible with the computer you are using. Make sure you have the remote control for it and that it has full batteries.

Screens

A screen will allow the projection to be as clear as possible. Screens are usually determined by the ceiling heights as well as the audience size. If a screen needs to be installed, make sure it is done at least a day before the conference.

Video Cameras

If you want to record, IMag or broadcast the conference, you will need to have the proper cameras for the job. Know where you want your cameras placed, have them charged or connected to a power source, and make sure that if they need a memory card, that they have it.

Bandwidth

If you want to stream or broadcast your conference, or use things online in your presentation, you will need to check your bandwidth. Bandwidth is what is going to determine how smoothly your internet experience will be and how choppy it may look. If your bandwidth is poor, you may want to reassess whether you should be incorporating the internet into your presentation.

Speakers and Mixers

Microphones alone may not be enough. You may also need to have speakers and a mixer if you want to better control your audio. It is helpful to have someone in charge of all your audio, including speakers and microphones. They will also be able to make sure your speakers are the right size for the space, as well as loud enough for the audience.

Cables

The cords to make sure all of this runs is just as important as the equipment itself. Make sure you have all your cables and any adapters you may need to make everything run. If you need extension cords, video or audio cables; have them with you along with spare cables, as sometimes cables do go bad.

Conclusion

Don’t rely on your memory or chance to set up your conference. By making sure everything on this list is set up and running smoothly, you can avoid complications and any technical issues that can cause interruptions, and setup early. If you need any help setting up your conference, consult our AV Rental Company in Orlando.