Advice on TV Equipment

I regularly get requests for advice on buying audio and video equipment. Often the request involves setting up a complete production facility.

For many reasons I can't give this kind of advice.

First, I would have to be thoroughly familiar with your needs and resources. To do that right I would have to visit your site to see what you already have, see what limitations there might be in terms of facilities, existing equipment, resources, etc., and I would need to discuss how you intend to use what you produce. Producing occasional instructional tapes for a small training facility will be quite different doing a program for your local TV station.

There is also the issue of what people are expecting of you and what it will take to meet those expectations. Next, I would have to evaluate the level of expertise of your staff. Will training be needed for specific equipment?

And then there is the issue of future plans and the the possible need to build onto facilities and add compatible equipment.

Of course, each of these issues can lead to a dozen more questions.

For people who say (as they have) "I have three months to set this up, so I have to get going on this tomorrow at the latest," I can only suggest talking things over with a local equipment dealer or a representative from a full-line company such as Panasonic or Sony.

This approach can have major limitations, but it can be the fastest, especially if you can specify in a signed contract a guaranteed turnkey operation, including absolute deadlines and costs.

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