The "world's most vital Pro AV show" is inching closer. InfoComm 2026 is back at the Las Vegas Convention Center from June 13-19, and SCN has you ready for the show floor. We're taking you behind the scenes, and allowing several exhibitors to talk trends, technology, inspiration, and provide an exclusive special sneak preview of what they’ll show in their booths.
[Products, Sessions, Insights: InfoComm 2026 on AV Network]
Today, Ken Eagle, CEO, Hall Research, discusses USB-C connectivity and digging deeper than AI-enabled messaging.
SCN: What is your company’s story at InfoComm this year?
Ken Eagle: This year our focus is on simplifying AV deployments while increasing performance and reliability. The industry has spent years adding complexity—more endpoints, more bandwidth, more points of failure—and we’re taking the opposite approach.
At InfoComm, we’re showcasing solutions that reduce friction for integrators and end users: fewer boxes, cleaner signal paths, and more predictable performance in real-world environments. It’s not about chasing specs—it’s about delivering systems that actually work consistently once they leave the lab.
SCN: Why is InfoComm such an important show for you and your company?
KE: InfoComm is where real conversations happen. Not just product demos, but direct feedback from integrators, consultants, and end users who are dealing with these systems every day.
It’s one of the few places where you can validate whether what you’re building actually aligns with what the market needs. For us, it’s less about making noise and more about pressure-testing our direction against people who are deploying and supporting AV at scale.
SCN: What do you expect the buzz to be on the InfoComm 2026 show floor?
KE: AI will dominate the conversation, but not always in a meaningful way. There’s going to be a lot of “AI-enabled” messaging without clear, practical value.
The more important shift is happening underneath that: higher bandwidth demands, increased reliance on IP-based distribution, and the continued push toward unified connectivity standards. Integrators are looking for stability and interoperability more than hype. The companies that stand out will be the ones solving real deployment challenges—not just layering new features on top of existing complexity.
SCN: How important is USB-C connectivity to today’s meeting rooms?
KE: USB-C has become foundational. It’s not just a connector; it’s the expectation for how users interact with meeting room technology. People walk into a room and expect a single cable to handle video, data, and power without thinking about it. When that experience breaks, the entire system feels unreliable.
That said, USB-C is also one of the most misunderstood standards in AV. Not all implementations are equal, and inconsistent performance is still a major issue. The real challenge isn’t adoption—it’s delivering USB-C that works consistently across devices, cable lengths, and environments.
