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Do you have the study guide? This is really the best resource to study for the exam, but CTS General is not that difficult. The hardest part of the exam was knowing which was the 'most' right answer.

This part frustrated me a little. Not enough to come close to not passing, but the wording of their questions and options for answers are not always what you would expect. Sometimes, depending on what industry you're in, the best practice differs, which leaves room for more than one right answer. They are looking for their definition of the answer, which you'll only find in the study guide or prep classes. There are some other process questions related to project management that are only in the study guide as well, but probably not enough to make you fail if you missed a few of them.

That being said, if you're solid on the practice exam, you should be alright. The General CTS exam just isn't that tough if you know your basics you should be able to pass. The study Guide (you can buy it on amazon - https://www.amazon.com/Certified-Technology-Specialist-Guide-Second/dp/0071807969/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1479329136&sr=8-1&keywords=cts+study+guide ) has a CD-ROM with a practice test that changes, unlike the InfoComm practice exam.

For CTS, I believe you are allowed 1 page of 'notes'? Bring along your Ohms law formulas if you need it, there's probably 5% on that alone. Spl/db calculations are good to know as well. Beyond that, it was MOSTLY common sense, at least enough to pass.

Good Luck! I got my CTS General and CTS-I back to back at InfoComm shows. For what it's worth, I DON'T recommend scheduling a CTS Exam at the Infocomm show in Vegas... That was no fun... Much better suited for Orlando where there's really not much else to do.. :P

Not all of these are in our core training/ required knowledge, or related to our day to day functions as a university A/V department, but They are all available to my team for knowledge building and professional development. Additionally , and our job ladder includes Infocomm certifications, so the library is a little biased towards infocomm resources at the moment.
Books I use are

• [Master Handbook of Acoustics](
  http://www.amazon.com/Master-Handbook-Acoustics-Alton-Everest/dp/0071603328)
  
• CTS exam guide
  
• sound reinforcement handbook
  
• a/v best practices
  
• Sound system engineering
  
• show networks and control systems
  
• television production handbook
  
• tcp/ip illustrated vols 1-3
  
• PMBOK
  
• network wiring
  
• entertainment electricity
  
• sys admin
  
  just ordered digital video and hd
  based on a recommendation in r/videoengineering
  
  infocomm's audio and visual systems design, essentials of the av industry, av best practices, AV installation hand book
  
  
  white papers/ online training from extron, JBL, Dalite, surgeX, bluejeanscable, and others. (out of the office and do not have the exact list and links with me
  
  
  
  
  

I've read this book a couple times in the last year and can pass the chapter quizes added up at like 90%.

I work in higher ed and have been doing AV work for a few years, but don't get much exposure to the project management side of things. I feel like most of it is easy enough and I can deduce a lot of answers through process of elimination.

I'm hoping that the book I read is a decent enough representation of the real test.

I'm moving in a couple months and really want to get this knocked out to add on my resume before applying for new jobs.

Edit: I forgot to ask, how much experience did you have when you took the test?

I have the Ideal VDV IInpro and love it. Does everything you mentioned and I love how I can tone specific pairs and even verify the pairs by shorting the pairs will change the tone.

kit

testers

Probe


Edit: Fixed links

Yamaha Sound Reinforcement Handbook: http://www.amazon.com/Sound-Reinforcement-Handbook-Gary-Davis/dp/0881889008

Shure has a bunch of great webinars online: http://www.shure.com/americas/support/training/materials
and Extron has a lot of stuff:
http://www.extron.com/technology/technology.aspx?techid=1&tabid=0&tab=training&s=th07

"CTS Certified Technology Specialist Exam Guide" would probably be a good resource for them, as well.

Thanks. I think the powepoint slide narration recording should be pretty straight forward. Do you think this microphone will output to a PC? http://www.amazon.com/Sony-Lavalier-Microphone-Transmitter-Operating/dp/B001I1SZRK/ref=sr_1_3?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1372086892&sr=1-3&keywords=sony+lapel+microphone+wireless

its the latest PDF from avixa thats free that contains pretty much everything you would need for passing the CTS.

The updated exam guide (physical book) can be found here:

https://www.amazon.com/Certified-Technology-Specialist-Guide-Second/dp/0071807969/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1507908911&sr=8-1&keywords=cts+prep

http://entertainmentnetworks.com/partsensor.htm has been rock solid for me with multiple DSP brands since it just connects to a GPIO input. Run a Cat5 from the rack to the sensor and use 2 of the Cat5 conductors to connect the sensor to a GPIO input on the Q-SYS. The other 6 conductors on the Cat5 can be used for the power to the sensor.

Spend $9 on a pair of adapters and you can easily prewire both the rack and the sensor before you even get in the field.

Yes it is, you can find more info about the CTS course here
http://www.infocomm.org/cps/rde/xchg/infocomm/hs.xsl/21952.htm

A Study guide if you think you need one

https://www.amazon.com/Certified-Technology-Specialist-Exam-Guide/dp/007173919X

With the study guide if you read it front to back over say 2-4 weeks and then challenge the test you should be able to pass, CTS is a recongnized certification and they also provide lots of info on the website for education in this field.

1x2 1 in 2 out. Strips out hdcp and crestron can strip to an extent. OREI HD-102 1x2 1 Port HDMI Powered Splitter Ver 1.3 Certified for Full HD 1080P & 3D Support (One Input To Two Outputs) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005HXFARS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_2zgNBbGHX8H3Q

To add to this you can use an HDMI extender. You run CAT 5/6 between 2 boxes then break out to HDMI on the ends. Something like this https://www.amazon.com/J-Tech-Digital-Extender-Single-1080P/dp/B00G5RBX2Q/ref=sr_1_10?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1521811367&sr=1-10&keywords=hdmi+extender

thats weird, maybe some kind of unmatching with the old switcher BNC and the HDMI converter RCA... have your tried with a rca to s-video adapter and using that port instead of BNC?

Im 99% sure you have but, have you tried different resolutions on the laptop?

Unless you know the exact model projector you're using, I wouldn't trust that it can play whatever you have. It might, but it might not, and what then?

There are some small, cheap standalone players you could get, like http://amzn.com/B008NO9RRM , which would remove all uncertainty about the actual projector.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005HXFARS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_mzkNBbMGRSH0C

Amp: https://smile.amazon.com/Pyle-Hydra-Marine-Amplifier-Waterproof/dp/B000N5T0T4


Extender: https://www.amazon.com/J-Tech-Digital-Extender-Single-Through/dp/B00G5RBX2Q/

​

Switcher: https://www.amazon.com/StarTech-com-VS221HDQ-Automatic-Priority-Switching/dp/B00IUCVUB8/
We have one of that switcher, and one from the same company that's HDMI or VGA in instead of 2 HDMI.

It's not fancy but as long as you don't need interactivity it should be okay...

http://www.amazon.com/Micca-Full-HD-Portable-Digital-Player/dp/B008NO9RRM

Actually, would the above be different from:

1. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00H0KANNC
   
2. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000MCGF1O/
   
   
   Which would be expected to work?
   
   
   If there's a mismatch on ohms, what will happen?