Summary:

• Feld Entertainment deployed RF Venue’s RF PA Extension Kit paired with a CP Stage Antenna, creating a reliable, high-performance wireless audio link across three stadium zones, reaching remote speaker positions up to 300 feet away without the time, complexity, or infrastructure required by traditional cable runs.
• The RF PA system offered a straightforward, plug-and-play installation that streamlined load-in and simplified system calibration.
• The deployment successfully proved that wireless signal extension can save significant time while giving production teams greater flexibility to place delay speakers throughout large venues.

Feld Entertainment recently brought the Monster Jam World Finals XXV, the 2026 championship event, to Rice-Eccles Stadium at the University of Utah, where its sound team faced a familiar challenge for large-scale stadium production: extending PA coverage to remote speaker locations without the time, complexity, and infrastructure required by lengthy cable runs. To meet the challenge, the team turned to RF Venue’s RF PA Extension Kit paired with a CP Stage Antenna, creating a wireless audio link that proved both simple to deploy and reliable across the expansive venue.

[The Next Chapter of Pro AV]

“We needed to extend the range of our PA system without running additional cable,” said Clarence Achille, Feld Entertainment manager, sound operations. “The RF PA Extension Kit eliminated that requirement entirely, giving us the coverage we needed without the added infrastructure.”

The Feld Entertainment audio team, including Achille serving as system tech, Denicia White at front of house as A1, and Austin Powell of Poll Sound handling RF coordination, divided the Monster Jam World Finals system into three zones throughout Rice-Eccles Stadium, with the most distant speaker position located approximately 300 feet from the transmission point. Despite the distance and the challenging RF environment of a major stadium event, Achille reports that the RF PA Extension Kit maintained a solid connection throughout the deployment.

For transmission, the Feld team paired the RF PA Extension Kit with RF Venue’s CP Stage Antenna, a compact circularly polarized antenna designed for demanding live production environments. According to Achille, the combination made setup particularly straightforward. “We paired the CP Stage Antenna with the RF PA Extension Kit, and the installation was seamless, genuinely plug-and-play,” he notes. “The CP Stage was compact and easy to deploy, and we were especially impressed with the range of the antennas.”

Because Monster Jam productions operate in demanding environments where equipment may be exposed to changing weather conditions, the outdoor-ready design of the system provided another important advantage. “Setup was straightforward, and the IP rating gave us real peace of mind for our outdoor event,” Achille says. “Knowing the system could handle exposure to the elements meant one less thing to worry about on site.”

Rice-Eccles Stadium also presented the team with a crowded RF environment. Working alongside several Shure PSM 1000 systems, RF Coordinator Powell was able to easily slot the RF PA Extension Kit into the production’s overall frequency plan as it operates in the less congested 470-to-506 MHz UHF band.

The Monster Jam deployment marked Feld Entertainment’s first experience with RF Venue products. The company worked directly with the RF Venue support team in selecting and deploying the solution, with the results opening the door to additional applications on future productions. For Feld Entertainment, the ability to establish remote PA positions without hundreds of feet of additional signal cable offers practical benefits that extend beyond a single event. By reducing cable infrastructure, the RF PA Extension Kit can help streamline load-in and deployment while providing production teams with greater flexibility in placing delay speakers and other remote PA elements throughout large venues. What’s more, the RF PA receiver units have up to 800 milliseconds of built-in digital delay to allow time alignment with the main PA’s propagation.

“The kit simplified our workflow considerably and saved us significant time,” Achille concluded. “Across the board, everyone involved was pleased with the results. Overall, we were extremely impressed with the performance of the system, and we’re excited about the possibilities it opens for our more complex projects going forward.”

Quick view:

• To support everything from corporate events to live music and celebrity DJ sets, Astys Audio Video installed a complete Optimal Audio loudspeaker system powered by LEA Professional Connect Series amplifiers, delivering even coverage, tonal balance, and high output without distortion.
• The venue’s audio network relies on Dante-enabled LEA Professional CS704D and CS1504D 4-channel amplifiers, providing up to 1500 watts per channel alongside onboard 96kHz DSP.
• To simplify staff operations, a wall-mounted Connect Series Touch PoE panel was installed, allowing venue employees to manage volume levels and select audio sources across individual zones effortlessly, ensuring the sound environment matches the venue's shift from relaxed dining to peak nightclub energy.

Located in Pune’s vibrant Phoenix Mall of the Millennium, F Lounge by FTV features a contemporary interior complemented by an expansive alfresco area, creating a dynamic environment that transitions effortlessly from daytime social gatherings to high-energy evening events. With dedicated VIP seating, a spacious dance floor, and flexible event spaces, the lounge accommodates a variety of experiences, from casual dining and corporate functions to live music performances and celebrity DJ appearances. LEA Professional was called up to provide a complete audio system design capable of serving multiple hospitality functions throughout the venue.

[A High-Tech Oasis Rising above Low-Tech Downtown Vegas]

The venue's owner, a seasoned international traveler with extensive exposure to premium hospitality experiences worldwide, had high standards for the audio system. One of the primary challenges was achieving consistent coverage and tonal balance throughout the space while maintaining the ability to deliver high output when needed. The venue ultimately selected a solution built around Optimal Audio loudspeakers powered by LEA Professional Connect Series amplifiers.

"The goal was to provide even, high-quality sound that could get loud without distortion while maintaining tonal balance throughout the venue," said Sparsh Basak, owner of Astys Audio Video . "LEA amplifiers stood out because of their power density, built-in DSP, loudspeaker presets, flexible control options, and overall sound quality and reliability."

Astys’s team installed several Dante-enabled Connect Series 704D and Connect Series 1504D amplifiers to power the nightclub. The CS704D is a 4-channel amplifier with 700 watts per channel, and the 4-channel CS1504D provides 1500 watts per channel. The Connect Series also includes 96kHz DSP as a standard feature, providing a range of benefits that greatly enhance audio performance and system versatility.

A Connect Series Touch PoE-powered wall controller was also installed to provide a tactile controller for the system. The wall-mounted, touch-enabled control panel is designed for simple and intuitive control of LEA amplifiers, including source selection and volume adjustments by individual zone.

Astys’s team utilized LEA’s free SharkWare software to configure a base profile and push it out to all the pre-staged LEA amplifiers. SharkWare includes amplifier grouping, offline design, granular user access control levels, locked speaker tunings, and a graphical EQ. SharkWare also allows users to monitor the status of every amplifier connected to the network, as well as the status and performance of individual channels. Additionally, with LEA Cloud, AV integrators like Astys can remotely control and monitor amplifiers from anywhere.

Today, the audio system at F Lounge delivers the premium experience envisioned by management, providing clear, balanced sound throughout the venue while maintaining the flexibility to support everything from relaxed dining periods to high-energy entertainment events.

What to know:

• Because concrete, glass, and ice create severe acoustic reflections, integrator Avonlyd utilized the arena's short throw distances and KV2 Audio’s precise directional control to keep audiences in the direct sound field, maximizing speech intelligibility without resorting to excessive volume.
• Avonlyd and KV2 Audio extensively mapped the venue using EASE and SketchUp software to test coverage, delay times, and speaker placement in advance.
• To avoid obstructing the existing central media cube, the team engineered a new steel suspension structure to hang an oval array of eight KV2 VHD4.18 subwoofers around the cube, complemented by 26 ESD12 full-range loudspeakers flown around the rink's perimeter.

Indoor ice hockey arena, Leangen Ishall (Arena) opened in 1977 and is home to Nidaros, one of Norway’s Elite Hockey League teams. The 3,000-capacity venue hosts competition matches, training sessions, and public skating events throughout the year. A recent renovation of the ice arena called for an audio upgrade, one that could deliver precise, intelligible sound across the venue. A new KV2 Audio system was selected to meet the challenge.

[Inspiration for Creating Immersive Experiences]

AV integration specialist Avonlyd AS designed and commissioned the upgrade that would fulfill the requirements of the venue. “The arena demanded a sound system capable of delivering exceptional speech intelligibility for announcements, high-quality music playback, and consistent coverage across audience seating areas,” said Edgar Andraa Lien, partner, founder, and sales director at Avonlyd. “Due to the inherently reverberant nature of an ice hockey arena, there were several acoustic challenges that we needed to overcome.”

The performance requirements were set by consulting engineers COWI, whose tender specified two demanding—and potentially conflicting—targets: high sound pressure level and a high Speech Transmission Index. Built from large concrete walls, exposed steelwork, and expansive reflective surfaces of glass and ice, Leangen Arena’s previous sound system struggled to overcome the long reverberation lines.

Avonlyd had been in contact with KV2 Audio from the early stages of this project, during which a core solution was developed by the two companies well in advance of the installation. Lien worked closely with Leo Tanzil, KV2’s technical support director and product specialist for APAC, throughout the design process, refining the EASE models and optimizing the loudspeaker design.

“Loudspeaker positioning, amplifier racks, cable routing, and mounting details were all digitally modeled to verify coverage, delay values, and predicted intelligibility,” Lien explained. “KV2 Audio’s comprehensive SketchUp library proved invaluable as it allowed every loudspeaker to be precisely integrated into the digital venue, giving us detailed data for coverage and intelligibility.”

Fredrik Haugdal and Øyvind Antonsen of COWI met with Avonlyd and KV2 Audio at Integrated Systems Europe (ISE) in Barcelona. The consultants placed significant emphasis on simulation data, documentation, and design methodology, and the meeting gave Avonlyd the opportunity to present its EASE models, SketchUp drawings and the technical reasoning behind every major design decision.

“Meeting the consultants face to face at ISE was extremely valuable,” said Lien. “It allowed us to walk through the project together, explain our design philosophy and demonstrate how every engineering decision had been validated. Those discussions helped build confidence—not only in our approach, but in KV2 Audio as the right solution for the venue.”

An eight-piece subwoofer array system from KV2’s VHD Series and twenty-six ESD Series full-range loudspeakers were chosen to deliver power and clarity across the arena. “The original plan was to suspend the subwoofer cluster in the centre of the ice rink for low-frequency reinforcement, but a media cube was already suspended in this position to display scores and live match content to the audience,” he said. The digital EASE model had already allowed them to determine the optimum loudspeaker placement, leading to the installation of a completely new steel suspension structure around the media cube from which eight VHD4.18 subwoofers were deployed in an oval geometry that reflected the layout of the arena. Additionally, 26 ESD12 2-way, passive loudspeakers were flown around the perimeter of the ice rink, with four positioned along each short side and nine along each long side.

Since the installation, Leangen Arena has seen significant audio improvement during ice hockey matches and public skating events. KV2’s VHD and ESD Series deliver smooth, even full-range coverage across the seating areas, ensuring audiences hear all announcements and enjoy pristine music playback during matches, intervals, and public events.

“One of the most rewarding aspects of the project was working with people who share the same engineering mindset,” concluded Lien. “KV2’s Leo Tanzil, Sascha Khelifa and Dominik Krampera were always available throughout the design and integration process, and this close collaboration ensured that every aspect of the system was carefully refined, from the earliest EASE model through to final optimization."

Quick view:

• The new 30,000-plus-square-foot facility replaces an aging infrastructure with high-performance Extron AV technology, enabling secure, real-time audio and video sharing across autopsy suites, observation areas, and training spaces.
• Utilizing Extron DTP matrix switchers, signal transmitters, and SMP 352 dual-channel recorders, the facility allows medical staff to view live procedures, capture high-definition recordings for case documentation, and streamline clinical and training workflows with simple TouchLink Pro control panels.
• Supported by Extron's extensive control driver library, the control processor coordinates PTZ cameras, microphones, displays, and an Extron ShareLink Pro wireless system alongside a Cisco Webex Codec, delivering unified, hybrid conferencing and remote collaboration across all facility spaces.

Extron AV technology has been deployed at the new Lubbock County Medical Examiner’s Office in Texas to enable secure, real-time communication between autopsy suites, observation areas, and training spaces. Designed by DataCom Design Group and installed by Moyers Group, the system supports clinical workflows, forensic accuracy, and training requirements across the 30,000-plus-square-foot facility.

[Integrators … Mount Up!]

Two independent AV systems, each centered on an Extron DTP CrossPoint matrix switcher, provide reliable routing of video and audio between spaces while allowing separate operation and controlled interconnection for live demonstrations and collaboration. The result is a flexible, standards-based AV environment that enables staff to view procedures in real time, communicate across rooms, and record sessions for later review.

“Extron allowed us to implement a robust yet flexible control system to give medical staff access to a wide range of AV technology,” said Nick Rogers, CTS programming and commissioning agent. “Extron excelled with a wide range of control drivers that allow simplified control and programming of third party devices such as conferencing codecs, microphones, displays, and PTZ cameras.”

Lubbock County needed clear audio and video between autopsy rooms, the special autopsy space, the viewing room, and the training conference room. Each space had different routing needs. The system had to send signals only to selected rooms. Staff wanted to see procedures in real time, record sessions, and review material without delays. They also needed simple controls for switching and monitoring.

The new facility introduced two separate AV environments with different roles. One covered the autopsy, observation, and circulation spaces, while the other served the training conference room. The county needed both to operate independently, yet still support direct communication between locations. A routing method was required to connect these systems without merging them.

Coordination with the IT department was important. The training room had to work with the county’s Cisco Webex Codec. This required careful planning. The codec needed to integrate with touchpanels, cameras, microphones, and local device inputs. Staff training also mattered. The system offered many options, so users needed to understand each function.

The system uses Extron DTP HDMI transmitters and receivers for signal extension, along with SMP 352 dual channel recorders to capture live procedures for documentation and training. A dedicated AV system in the training conference room integrates an Extron ShareLink Pro system for wired and wireless content sharing and connects to a Cisco Webex codec for real-time communication with the autopsy suite. Extron TouchLink Pro touchpanels and an IPCP Pro 255Q xi control processor provide intuitive system control, enabling staff to manage routing, camera feeds, audio, and recording with ease. The completed installation delivers a modern AV infrastructure that supports medical training, case review, and day-to-day operational needs while ensuring reliable, clear communication throughout the facility.

The county now has an AV environment that fits the clinical demands of the building. It supports training, case review, and communication. With their system design, and use of Extron technologies, the Moyers Group helped the medical examiner move from an aging facility to a modern space with reliable AV tools across all rooms.

Summary:

• FORM50 Fitness partnered with Pro Audio Design (PAD) to address room reverberation and echo.
• The installation pairs full-range DAS speakers for impactful, rhythmic bass with Symetrix audio processing.
• PAD delivered a seamless audio infrastructure, serving as a proven operational model and high-standard design blueprint for future FORM50 studios as the brand continues to expand.

FORM50 Fitness, a boutique reformer studio brand founded in 2018, combines streamlined strength training with Pilates-influenced precision movement to deliver full-body workouts centered on proper form and hands-on coaching. Following the success of her original location in Astoria, Queens, founder Monica Marder recognized that expanding the brand would require elevating the physical and acoustic environments of her spaces. To achieve a premium sonic atmosphere for her Brooklyn Heights studio, Marder partnered with Pro Audio Design (PAD).

[The Next Chapter of Pro AV]

In fitness environments, sound directly shapes the client's emotional and physical performance. While initial retail audio equipment provided sufficient volume, it lacked the vocal clarity necessary for instructors to deliver precise coaching safely without straining their voices. PAD approached the project holistically, combining customized acoustic treatment with high-performance audio hardware to solve the challenges common to long, reflective workout spaces.

The team addressed room reverberation while installing full-range DAS speakers to supply powerful, motivating low-end frequencies alongside clear high frequencies. To keep operations simple for instructors, PAD integrated Symetrix audio processing, which provides user-friendly volume control and feedback suppression without requiring complex technical adjustment.

"PAD’s specialized attention to our needs made a massive impact on this location.," Marder said. "They managed every stage of the project from design, to installation, to tuning, to calibration, and I felt confident at every step that we’d made the right investment."

By aligning high-end audio architecture with functional fitness design, the Brooklyn Heights location creates an immersive environment where music energizes participants while instruction remains effortlessly clear. The successful integration now serves as a blueprint for future FORM50 studios, giving leadership the operational confidence to expand the brand while maintaining high standards for client experience and instructor support.

“The studio is a completely seamless sonic environment to step into and it makes the instructor setup incredibly simple and easy to dial-in so they can focus on what matters most,” Marder concluded. “Being able to ensure that high-quality experience gives me a lot of relief and freedom to run the business. PAD was instrumental in ensuring that.”

Quick view:

• The space incorporates 38 Harman JBL Pro speakers—including 13 subwoofers and JBL-M2 master reference monitors—powered by Crown amplification, BSS digital signal processing, and a Dante network to deliver reference-grade accuracy and balanced imaging from the front to the back of the room.
• Unlike traditional loud venues or clinical recording studios, the lounge was developed in collaboration with ArchitectureWorks to feel like a comfortable living room.
• The custom audio infrastructure offers full operational versatility, distributing sound throughout the entire venue

An integral part of Birmingham’s Lakeview Marina District, the High Dive HiFi Lounge, places an emphasis on creating a space with exceptional audio fidelity. Founder Bart Stephens was focused on immersive group listening and feature top-notch HiFi systems.

[The Real Differentiators]

At the onset, Stephens wanted to develop a HiFi lounge that raised the bar on what was possible acoustically and sonically. This goal led him to Grammy and Emmy Award-winning producer and mixer Nathaniel Kunkel, of Studio Without Walls, who is a collaborator with Advanced Systems Group (ASG) and was lead systems designer for this project. Kunkel became the principal audio designer of High Dive Lounge, working closely with ASG and Jim Pace, president, audio intervisual design and VP/partner ASG, who led the overall initiative for ASG.

“Of all the projects I have designed playback systems for I must admit I am most proud of the system at the High Dive HiFi Lounge," Kunkel said. "The systems perform at the highest level in so many respects. The imaging from room front to room rear, balance of reverb time to absorption, flexibility of format capability, system linearity, environmental comfort, and lastly, sheer power, make this a place to experience music with others that is truly unparalleled.”

With Kunkel and acoustician Jeff Minnich of Valencia Technical Consulting, both long-time ASG collaborators, the team handled all the acoustical design, equipment selection, sale and delivery, plus stayed in consistent dialog with Stephens from the concept stages until completion.

Like a recording studio, the architecture and interiors are designed to keep the room quiet and the music crystal clear. Music is played at the lounge all day and night with levels low enough for conversation. Nowhere in the space is acoustically challenged, and when it’s time for the full experience, “Even if you sit in the far back, it’s still going to thump,” said Pace. “There are eight, 12-inch subwoofers in the ceiling alone.”

The ASG audio team worked in close collaboration with Bruce Lanier and his team at ArchitectureWorks to ensure the mechanical and electrical design performed and looked as good as the owner wanted.

“The room is designed to feel comfortable, more like a living room than a recording studio,” explained Lanier. “There was an intentional effort to keep an emphasis on things like good daylighting, honest materials, and thoughtful details throughout the process—even as we were working to incorporate high performance audio systems and acoustical design.”

The selection of speakers was critical in achieving Stephen’s goal of having optimized sound. High Dive has 38 Harman JBL Pro speakers, including 13 subwoofers. “The JBL-M2 master reference monitors continue to fill a performance threshold for rooms of this size," said Pace. "The BSS processing mates with these and the entire Harman network is Dante capable, as are the amplifiers. Speakers are in the ceilings, in the bathrooms.”

By integrating JBL Professional studio monitors with BSS processing, Crown amplification, and a Dante network extending to outdoor and ancillary spaces, High Dive HiFi Lounge delivers reference‑level accuracy alongside the scale and impact required for live performance. "It’s a system designed entirely around listening quality, without sacrificing operational flexibility,” concluded Chris Hansen, director, recording and broadcast, Harman International.

ViewSonic is not going to like me for saying this, but its new VG1457 14-inch dual-screen portable monitor is not for everyone. However, for those of you who can truly use it, I’m betting it’ll become invaluable in short order.

Flexibility is the main appeal for the VG1457. You've got two screens that can be used to make one big display or two identical versions of your current display or even show content from two sources at once. There's even built-in Auto Pivot, so the orientation adjusts to how you've positioned the unit.

The VG1457 ships with two USB-C cables, a power supply, and a nifty sleeve that provides a little extra protection during transport. You can also cut out a portion of the packaging and create a small case for the cables and power supply.

Each 16:10 LED panel features 1,920x1,200 pixels, so they are basically Full HD but taller (WUXGA, technically speaking). In other words, they don't hold a candle to the ViewSonic VG3456C 34-inch curved ultra-wide monitor on my desk. Then again, my desktop monitor isn't going with me to sales meetings (or anywhere else). But I don't want to undersell these panels—they are bright with an anti-glare surface, 8-bit color, and 800:1 contrast ratio—and should deliver at least 15,000 hours of use.

You've got three USB-C ports on the adjustable integrated kickstand (please, don't kick it). The top port (C1) is dedicated to the top display (when the unit is completely unfolded), while the middle port (C2) provides access to both displays and audio output. C2 is the default main input signal when both ports are in use and the one I mostly used during testing. The bottom port (C3) is strictly for monitor power. Bonus feature: Plug in the included power adapter into either C1 or C2 and it can charge a device plugged into the other port.

Also on the kickstand is a four-button stack, a tactile control panel for navigating a handful of small, on-screen menus. I probably should have read the directions, but I just went right into it.

Turns out it’s a very intuitive way to customize your panels. The top two buttons are up and down, while the bottom two buttons are OK and back. From here, you can change inputs, adjust the volume and image brightness, and modify how sources are displayed. Download ViewSonic's vDisplay Manager software for even easier on-screen display adjustments.

The bottom button also doubles as the power button, and there's a small power indicator light next to it. While it's best to plug in the VG1457, it can also work off your laptop’s battery. That said, it chewed up battery power very quickly, so I’d argue against relying on external battery power unless you have the world’s shortest presentation.

We finish our tour of the kickstand with two 2-watt speakers, positioned above the ports and the buttons. They sound exactly how you think low-power speakers on a monitor kickstand would sound—think entry-level speakerphone, not high fidelity. Sadly, there is no EQ or other adjustments for the speakers, only volume.

If you're like me and work with a wider desktop monitor, going back to a smaller laptop screen can be … an adjustment. The VG1457 provides a bigger canvas (comparable to a 19-inch monitor) than most laptops when you set it to Full Screen mode, albeit with about a 1-inch bezel in the middle. You can set horizontally, as usual, or vertically for more of a portrait approach to your computer workspace. If you have a compact laptop, this monitor is a godsend. Just be sure your ports are positioned upward when you use the kickstand to avoid cable kinks.

There are three other display modes. Mirror, as you'd expect, mirrors your laptop display, while Extend gives a wide view across all three. There's also Dual Source, which allows you to dedicate each panel to a separate device—not a universal need, but could be very handy in some scenarios.

Mirror mode is where the VG1457 really shines. Not every presentation happens in a conference room, and not every room has easy access to a projector or even a large-screen TV. But you can fold the VG1457 so it resembles an A-frame, which activates what ViewSonic calls Share Mode. That means meeting participants on both sides of the table can see your presentation clearly, while you navigate from your laptop at the head of the table.

Available for about $350, ViewSonic is clearly targeting "road warriors" with the VG1457, be they sales associates, consultants, or other frequent travellers. The well-built unit weighs less than 3 pounds but folds up neatly for easy transport, and punches above its weight for flexible presentations and oversized screen real estate. Again, I understand the VG1457 does not address a universal Pro AV need—but if you have the need, it’s definitely going to be a want.

Almost 20 years ago, when I was deeply invested in the sustainability proposition and the emerging world of green building, I read a book with a title that is difficult to ignore for anyone in the AV integration space: Broken Buildings, Busted Budgets.

Written by Barry LePatner, the book examined why construction projects so often produced familiar poor outcomes: cost overruns, delays, disputes, compromised results, and frustrated owners. Sound familiar?

The book was published in 2007, long before the current AI moment, and certainly was not about hybrid work, intelligent buildings, adaptive collaboration environments, or the future of the modern workplace.

Yet what it triggered in me at the time has stayed with me since, and feels even more relevant today. The way we go about building something is as important as the thing we intend to build.

When a process is fragmented, information is incomplete, incentives are misaligned, and accountability is divided, disappointing outcomes should not always be treated as isolated failures. They may actually be the predictable product of the system used to create them.

That principle has particular relevance for the AV and collaboration industry because we have long occupied an unusual position between two worlds. Our value is increasingly shaped by the digital environment: software, platforms, data, user experience, and now intelligence. Yet our systems and delivery model remain highly embedded within the physical environment, dependent upon walls, ceilings, furniture, cabling, acoustics, lighting, power, and construction schedules.

Despite years of discussion about AV and IT convergence, the physical side of that equation has continued to dominate how our environments are delivered. AV is still largely funded, designed, procured, installed, commissioned, and handed over through workflows inherited from a project-centric construction model.

That model was/is not designed around the continuous adaptability, shared outcomes, and ongoing learning realities of today. It was designed to define what largely static physical structures would be built, divide that answer into scopes, allocate risk, control change, and eventually reach completion. Because AV was so closely integrated into that process, we inherited much of the same inertia, fragmentation, and accountability challenges.

Interconnected Environments

As collaboration outcomes become more dependent on the speed and agility of digital capability, what was once an awkward tension risks becoming a foundational constraint.

The workplace is becoming one interconnected environment, whether our organizational structures are ready for it or not. Physical space, workplace applications, collaboration platforms, occupancy data, identity, employee experience, organizational policy, and eventually AI-enabled contextual intelligence are all becoming increasingly interdependent.

That means more stakeholders in the build process, greater consequence to the decisions each makes, more complexity across the lifecycle, and much less certainty about what future users and workflows will require.

In other words, we are taking a delivery model that was already struggling with fragmentation, information asymmetry, and divided accountability, then asking it to absorb more participants, faster change, greater integration, and far less visibility into the future.

The book does not provide a contemporary blueprint for solving that challenge. But it offers a valuable diagnosis of the familiar model we still work within, and an invitation to recognize why simply forcing more technology and complexity into it will not produce a fundamentally different outcome.

That is why the traditional reliance on defining project-centric scope upfront deserves much greater scrutiny.

Rethinking Scope

Our procurement models typically begin by trying to define the answer. Requirements are established, translated into specifications, divided between disciplines, priced, contracted, and then managed against the original definition. Commercial accountability depends upon the assumption that the intended result can be understood with enough confidence at the beginning.

For physical construction, much of that discipline will always be necessary. Buildings require plans, budgets, sequencing, code compliance, and contractual clarity.

But the modern workplace presents a different challenge. Organizations are still being asked to define long-term requirements when their visibility into future need is shrinking. AI is changing interfaces, workflows, support models, collaboration patterns, and the role of the workplace itself. Capabilities that might seem experimental if not futuristic when a project begins may become commonplace before the initial deployment reaches completion.

The more intelligent and adaptive the workplace becomes, the less credible it is to believe that all meaningful value can be specified at the outset.

That does not mean scope disappears. It means scope cannot continue to be treated as a complete and static answer.

A tightly defined scope may provide immediate commercial certainty while simultaneously constraining future opportunity. It can reward delivery of what was understood yesterday while leaving no one responsible for what becomes possible tomorrow. The conventional process seeks to eliminate uncertainty, yet the future workplace must embrace the opportunity of uncertainty and a capacity to learn and adapt to whatever the future holds.

There are no quick or easy answers to this new reality. But I believe there are two practical directions end-user leaders can begin pursuing today: reconsider how the workplace itself is designed, and challenge whether the procurement and accountability models around it are capable of supporting that design.

A Layered Approach to Design

The first direction begins with recognizing that the workplace is not a single system operating to a single lifecycle. It is an interconnected environment spanning infrastructure, hardware, digital capability, and contextual intelligence. Each layer changes at a different speed and should be considered accordingly.

The infrastructure layer includes the structure, power, pathways, network cabling, acoustics, mounting provisions, furniture, environmental systems, and other relatively permanent characteristics of the space. It moves slowly, lasts a long time, and is disruptive and expensive to change. Its role should be to provide a resilient foundation without unnecessarily predetermining what must sit above it.

The hardware layer includes cameras, microphones, displays, loudspeakers, sensors, control devices, local compute, networking equipment, and other physical technology endpoints. Hardware may be digitally upgradeable, but it remains constrained by its processing power, memory, optics, connectivity, inputs, outputs, sensors, and physical architecture.

The digital layer is the software and data environment that activates and connects that hardware. It includes operating software, collaboration platforms, applications, control logic, identity, APIs, integrations, analytics, cloud services, and management platforms. This is where capability becomes far more agile, but only to the extent that the infrastructure and hardware beneath it allow.

Finally, the emerging contextual intelligence layer interprets who is gathering, why they are gathering, what they are trying to achieve, what has happened previously, which constraints or preferences matter, and how the environment might respond. It connects real-time signals, organizational knowledge, history, individual needs, and human purpose to create a more relevant and adaptive experience.

The practical principle is that each slower-moving layer should create permission for the faster-moving layer above it to evolve, rather than predetermining its limits.

That offers end-user leaders a different way to think about scope today. Does the largely static infrastructure simply support the current equipment list, or does it preserve future flexibility? Does the hardware only meet today’s specification, or can it support new software capabilities as they emerge? Is the digital architecture open and integrated enough to enable future intelligence? Are we imagining contextual experiences while making foundational decisions that may prevent them?

These are not abstract future questions. They belong in current design and governance conversations.

Moving Toward Shared Accountability

But layered design alone is not enough. A workplace may be architected for evolution and still be pulled back toward a static answer by the procurement model through which it is delivered.

That is the second practical direction for change.

A process built around tightly defined upfront scope, fragmented contracts, lowest initial cost, and responsibility that largely ends at handover will naturally reinforce the very outcomes we are trying to move beyond. It encourages each participant to optimize their own deliverable, even when the employee ultimately experiences the result as one integrated workplace.

Specification accountability remains necessary, but it is no longer sufficient. The future workplace requires greater shared accountability for how the combined environment performs, adapts, and creates value across its lifecycle.

That does not mean every partner can guarantee every workplace outcome. Collaboration quality, employee behaviour, organizational culture, and business performance will never sit entirely within the control of an architect, consultant, integrator, or technology provider.

But partners can be held accountable for their contribution to those outcomes. They can help establish the original assumptions, identify how their decisions enable or constrain the intended experience, remain involved in measuring performance, and participate in refining the environment as needs and capabilities change.

That is very different from completing a project, signing off the scope, and transferring responsibility to an operational team. It treats the workplace not as a static collection of assets, but as an organizational capability that should improve over time.

Many AV and workplace technology leaders may reasonably feel they have limited authority over these wider processes. Construction may sit with real estate. Procurement may be centralized. Workplace policy may belong to HR. AI governance may reside elsewhere in the enterprise.

But leadership has rarely been defined by remaining comfortably within an established lane. It often begins with recognizing that the existing lanes no longer serve an outcome for which you carry some responsibility.

Catalyzing Integrated Processes

This is not about AV leaders claiming ownership of the entire workplace. It is about becoming catalysts for a more integrated process: connecting physical decisions to future digital consequences, bringing the right stakeholders together before major constraints are locked in, and asking how success will be judged across the lifecycle rather than only at commissioning.

It means pursuing two connected propositions.

Design the workplace for evolution.

Procure the partnerships and accountability that allow it to evolve.

Broken Buildings, Busted Budgets was a catalyst for this reflection because it challenged the idea that flawed outcomes are always caused by the failure of individual participants. Sometimes capable people working within a flawed structure will continue to produce flawed outcomes.

For the collaboration industry, that is not only a lesson from the past. It is a warning about the future.

We cannot seek to procure tomorrow’s intelligent workplace through yesterday’s construction workflow.

We may not yet know the specific technologies, capabilities, or experiences that will define that future. But we do not need to wait for those answers before beginning the work. The practical path available today is to rethink the foundations we design and the models through which we procure, operate, and remain accountable for them, so that future change becomes something the workplace is prepared to embrace rather than something it is structured to resist.

Sonos has introduced a new multichannel streaming amplifier engineered to bring high-level flexibility and scalability to professional integrators. Built specifically to handle large, open-concept floor plans, the new Amp Multi solution expands the Sonos experience into high-density systems without adding friction for installers.

[The Real Differentiators]

Designed to address evolving space layouts, Amp Multi features eight amplified outputs delivering 125 watts each at 8 ohms. Integrators can assign any output to any of up to four independent zones, with the capacity to drive up to 24 Sonos Architectural speakers per unit or scale up by combining multiple units.

At the hardware level, the device utilizes a GaN power architecture paired with Class-D post-filter feedback (PFFB). This combination ensures high dynamic accuracy while maximizing thermal efficiency, enabling fanless, silent operation that maintains long-term stability without dust buildup or thermal stress.

Amp Multi offers workflow efficiency for professionals at every stage of a project. Physical installation is streamlined by a flat-back design, recessed connectors, and a 1.5U chassis paired with a dedicated 2U Rack Mount requiring just eight screws. The mounting system automatically creates spacing for passive ventilation, eliminating the need for separate vent panels and maintaining clean cable routing. For setup, each unit emits a unique audible chirp triggered via the Sonos app, allowing technicians to identify hardware in equipment racks instantly without manual PIN entry.

For system calibration, Sonos introduces ProTune, a manual sound optimization tool within the Sonos app. ProTune grants granular acoustic control over each output using a 10-band parametric EQ, gain adjustments, stereo width control, and delay offset to solve challenging room geometry. Additionally, the integrated Optimize Sonos Speakers feature applies targeted DSP profiles specifically calibrated for Sonos Architectural hardware.

By merging custom integration workflows with the approachable control of the Sonos app, Amp Multi allows integrators to build robust, scalable systems that adapt to changing project needs while delivering clean, reliable multi-room audio.

Summary:

• Highmark Mann Center completed major venue upgrades—including a new L-Acoustics sound system—to celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2026.
• The new L2D speaker system fixes long-standing coverage gaps, giving lawn and terrace audience members the same high-fidelity sound quality as those sitting inside the main pavilion.
• By using Soundvision prediction software and L2D directional control, the venue can project full, powerful sound to the back edge of the lawn without spilling over into the adjacent Parkside neighborhood.

Philadelphia’s Highmark Mann Center for the Performing Arts opened in 1976 as the summer home of The Philadelphia Orchestra. Fifty years later, the venue draws more than 400,000 visitors annually to Fairmount Park. Ahead of its milestone anniversary, Highmark Mann underwent extensive upgrades, including a new backstage facility, the Skyline Stage, a reimagined plaza, and an innovative L-Acoustics L2D audio system.

[Colorado's Historic Fox Theatre Modernizes Audio]

When VP and general manager Evan Rogers joined Highmark Mann five years ago, he audited the legacy sound system and consulted touring crews, peer venue operators, and major promoters. Discovering that nine out of 10 incoming productions requested L-Acoustics, Highmark Mann partnered with local certified provider Bauder Audio Systems. By the end of this summer season, major acts had (or will have, with a few weeks to go) utilized the new setup.

The venue seats 4,500 under the TD Pavilion roof, 2,000 in the Connelly Terrace, and over 6,000 on the Great Lawn. Delivering premium sound to lawn patrons while mitigating noise pollution in the adjacent Parkside residential neighborhood presented a core challenge. Highmark Mann mirrors other urban venues like the Hollywood Bowl, where boundary control is essential. Following a successful demo in late 2025, four compact L2D enclosures were flown above the lawn at pre-existing delay points in mid-May.

Despite using only four hang points, the L2D array delivers exceptional output. Each unit houses 20 transducers powered by an LA7.16i amplified controller, replacing the need for 24 conventional boxes. Powered by Progressive Ultra-Dense Line Source (PULS) technology, the system maintains a coherent wavefront across long distances, ensuring pristine audio clarity for patrons sitting at the very back of the lawn.

Additionally, the L2D system addresses previous sound coverage gaps in the Connelly Terrace. Its 60-degree progressive vertical directivity and cardioid design allow the lower modules to cover near-field terrace seating while upper drivers push sound to the lawn edge. The system debuted on June 13 for a performance by Bleachers, delivering full-range audio across the entire lawn without requiring supplementary delay hangs.

Using L-Acoustics Soundvision CAD software, Bauder Audio Systems predicted exact sound coverage and containment before installation. The precise directivity allows Highmark Mann to deliver high-fidelity concert sound while respecting its surrounding community.

“L-Acoustics and Bauder have been right here with us all along during this upgrade, and it really feels like a very successful partnership," Rogers said. "That’s not always the case when you’re dealing with vendors that are just pushing the next sale. The most important thing is that sense of engagement, of being connected to what’s happening inside the pavilion, and our new system truly delivers that.”

Absen has unveiled its new LR V3 Series. This transparent LED display solution is engineered for the demands of touring, festivals, and large-scale live events. Designed to move efficiently from one production to the next, LR V3 combines creative versatility, lightweight construction and streamlined deployment to give rental companies, production teams and designers greater flexibility from load-in through showtime.

[Video Wall Brings MLK’s Vision to Life at Atlanta's King Center]

“Today’s touring professionals need technology that gives them more creative options without adding unnecessary complexity to the production,” said Emily Chan, president Absen. “With LR V3, our focus is on giving crews and designers a platform that can adapt to the stage, move efficiently from show to show and deliver the performance audiences expect.”

At the center of LR V3’s creative capabilities are adaptive louvers that allow the display to transition from transparent to solid stage visuals with a single touch. Combined with curved configurations, mixed-panel connections, and 90-degree L-shaped applications, LR V3 gives production designers greater freedom to integrate LED into the overall stage environment and create structures beyond conventional flat displays.

Touring equipment needs to perform night after night while keeping crew requirements, transportation and changing production configurations in mind. LR V3 is available in three lightweight cabinet sizes: 39.37×19.69×3.15 inches, 19.69×39.37×3.15 inches, and 39.37×39.37×3.78 inches (1000 × 1000 × 96 mm). The lightweight design, combined with a pre-lock system, supports one-person handling and installation to help crews move more efficiently during setup.

LR V3 is also designed for outdoor production environments, with water-resistant modules, power boxes, and cables providing additional protection for demanding live event applications. LR V3 gives production teams multiple ways to build beyond a traditional flat LED wall. Dual horizontal curve locks support angle adjustments from -7.5 degrees to +10 degrees, giving designers the ability to create curved display configurations while maintaining secure cabinet connections.

A 45-degree dual-edge design on both sides of the cabinet also enables 90-degree L-shaped displays, opening additional possibilities for dimensional stage structures and scenic integration. For touring and festival productions, efficiency extends beyond the build itself. LR V3 incorporates retractable positioning pins for efficient on-site maintenance, along with quick maintenance access for modules and power boxes.

Together, LR V3’s lightweight construction, installation features, maintenance access, and transportation systems are designed to reduce handling demands and help rental and staging teams keep equipment moving efficiently from one production to the next.

Today, a Pro AV integrator that started in a small city in North Dakota back in 1974 has expanded its global footprint in a big way. FORTÉ, which recently announced plans to separate from GPA at the end of the year, has acquired Vega Global, a systems integrator with a significant presence across the APAC region.

FORTÉ acquired the international company through Chicago-based Baird Capital, which acquired a majority stake in Vega back in 2020. Terms of the acquisition between the two private companies were not disclosed. Jeff Stoebner, chairman and CEO of FORTÉ, told SCN that while the company remains committed to its local and regional customers, this move "accelerates our ambition of being as close to our global customers as possible."

With the acquisition, FORTÉ now has team members in more than 20 countries and offers AV solutions and managed services in more than 70 major markets. Based in Minneapolis, FORTÉ is already established in Germany, Ireland, Mexico, Sweden, and the United Kingdom, in addition to 42 office locations in the United States. Now, it adds offices in Australia, Mainland China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Macau, Malaysia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, United Arab Emirates, and Vietnam.

Vega brings more than 750 employees to FORTÉ, growing the company's workforce by roughly 50%. According to Stoebner, plans call for adding more technicians to Vega operations in the near future. "I'm excited about growing a global brand," he added.

Eventually, Vega will adopt the FORTÉ brand. However, Stoebner expects it will likely take close to a year to change the name. During the transition, it will be known as Vega Global, A FORTÉ Company. Steven Medeiros, who currently leads Vega, will remain with the company as CEO of FORTÉ Asia.

Stoebner said FORTÉ specifically targeted Vega because the company is "growing nicely in a market that is growing nicely." He said the APAC region will generate close to $200 million in Pro AV business this year, and Vega has been growing at a rate of 14% CAGR.

When it comes to multinational customers, Stoebner said the questions are less about the technology or even the price. Instead, it's about coverage. "We're working to build the answer for that type of customer, the global customer," he said.

While cloud-based solutions and AI are certainly impacting Pro AV deployments, Stoebner argued most of the customer investment is still in hardware. "There's a physical nature to what we do," he explained. "There's a lot of hardware … and that hardware requires technicians to integrate and support. What’s been true for a long time is you have to have people, trucks, and tools as close to the customer as possible."

With the Vega acquisition, FORTÉ is building a model where it can better manage the quality of its global delivery of services. Stoebner said the company learned a lot from its partnership with GPA over the past six years—but now it's focused on applying that knowledge and investing in its own infrastructure.

"We want to enhance the customer experience end-to-end under the FORTÉ brand," Stoebner added. "This acquisition is not the end of our journey, but it is another important milestone."

Quick view:

• The merger brings together two software platforms, offering a complete portfolio that covers every business stage. The company will maintain all three existing products—Portal.io for quick client-facing proposals, D-Tools Cloud for end-to-end operational management, and D-Tools System Integrator (SI) for large-scale enterprise deployments.
• Integrators will see no immediate changes to their everyday workflows, software access, pricing terms, or support teams.
• By merging their massive manufacturer and distributor data repositories, the combined company creates a comprehensive product catalog and shared AI innovation.

D-Tools and Portal.io have merged, a move that unites two widely used software platforms serving commercial, residential, and security AV professionals. Together, the companies give integrators a portfolio of purpose-built products that scale with their business, from proposal through enterprise deployment.

[Diversified's New Global Managed Services Practice, and More People Movers and Partnerships]

For nearly three decades, D-Tools has been an anchor platform for the integration industry, building the breadth and scale integration businesses need to bring structure, accuracy, and control to their operations across sales, system design, engineering, project management, and procurement. Portal.io has spent 15 years understanding how dealers sell and turning that insight into an intuitive proposal and catalog experience.

The two companies have been partners for more than a decade, since Portal.io’s managed product catalog was first integrated into D-Tools SI. Bringing the organizations together reflects a recognition that integrators are better served by one team investing in the tools they depend on every day than by two teams solving the same problems twice. The acquisition was announced in August.

For customers, there is no forced migration and no plans to end-of-life any product currently offered. Rather than force every customer into a single system, D-Tools and Portal.io will continue to support each platform while working with integrators to match the right software to their needs.

G Paul Hess continues as CEO, while Kirk Chisholm, founder and CEO of Portal.io, joins as chief product officer, with responsibility for product vision and strategy across the portfolio. Josh Willits, Portal.io’s COO, will serve as head of Portal.io, continuing to lead the Portal business unit.

"Putting our two teams together is a real chance to shape where this industry goes and to build what dealers have always wanted," Chisholm said. "In a world of AI, an integrator should be able to run their entire business on software that is powerful, beautiful, and intuitive all at once. If you had to handpick two companies to deliver on that, it would be D-Tools and Portal.io. That is the company I want to build, and it is why I am excited to take on product for the combined organization.”

Details:

• Transformation Church deployed a comprehensive Riedel Communications system across its three-story venue to support a high-volume digital ministry reaching hundreds of thousands of viewers.
• The new ecosystem eliminated previous system bottlenecks by providing full-facility wireless coverage, crystal-clear audio that reduces listening fatigue, and per-source volume control for custom audio mixes.
• Color-coded SmartPanels and intuitive software made configuration easy enough to delegate to line techs, while direct, proactive support from Riedel ensured a seamless, reliable operation for the production crew.

Transformation Church is a digital ministry which has deployed a comprehensive communications infrastructure built around the Riedel Communications Artist intercom ecosystem. Reaching tens of thousands of concurrent viewers live and hundreds of thousands more online, the church requires flawless real-time communication among directors, camera operators, lighting teams, audio engineers, stage managers, and broadcast staff. As production scale increased, the church’s previous setup operated at its absolute limits, prompting the move toward a more flexible, reliable, and scalable matrix system.

[The Integration Guide to House of Worship]

Designed and deployed by system integrator Diversified in collaboration with the church's internal technical team, the new communications network spans Transformation Church’s expansive three-story facility. The venue features a 3,000-seat auditorium, production control rooms, media studios, meeting areas, and children's ministry spaces. At the core of the deployment is an Artist-1024 intercom matrix, supported by more than 50 Bolero wireless beltpacks distributed across 39 antennas, over 40 1200 Series SmartPanels in 1RU and 2RU configurations, and more than 90 Riedel headsets in PRO and AIR variants.

The immediate improvement in audio clarity drastically reduced listening fatigue for crew members working long production days. Staff members no longer need to run beltpack volumes at maximum levels just to understand cues. Additionally, the Bolero wireless ecosystem provides complete, uninterrupted coverage throughout the entire building—including elevators and exterior areas—allowing staff to roam freely without losing connectivity. Beltpacks also leverage Bluetooth pairing, enabling hosts and operators to handle personal calls or IFB monitoring through a single headset without switching devices mid-show.

The addition of SmartPanels streamlined day-to-day operations through intuitive, color-coded interfaces that allow users to easily distinguish channels, groups, and priority feeds. Unlike the church's previous party-line setup, the Artist matrix provides per-source volume control, allowing back-end level adjustments for individual users without affecting the entire team. This ease of configuration enabled production leaders to delegate daily communications management to dedicated technical staff, freeing executive directors to focus entirely on show execution.

"We like to say we're a content house packaged as a local church. Everything we do is a coordinated effort — whether it's video, lighting, audio, stage management, or cameras — communication touches every part of the production," Tyler Tritten, technical director at Transformation Church. "The flexibility and reliability of the system make it easier for our teams to stay connected and focused on what they're doing.”

Beyond hardware capabilities, the direct partnership with Riedel Communications proved invaluable. Proactive manufacturer support, including unprompted site visits from sales engineers to resolve minor technical issues on the spot, established a high level of trust. By integrating Riedel's scalable Artist matrix and Bolero wireless infrastructure, Transformation Church built a robust, future-proof platform capable of supporting its expanding production demands and global digital ministry.

Details:

• Z2 Entertainment kept the Fox Theatre's 30-plus year old outdoor PA system instead of replacing it, refurbishing the speaker enclosures to maintain the venue's visual and acoustic identity.
• Lux AVL replaced the failing, power-hungry original amplifiers with compact Powersoft X Series units.
• The upgrade eliminated technical failures and added modern digital control (via Dante and ArmoníaPlus).

The Fox Theatre in Boulder, CO, managed by independent venue group Z2 Entertainment, is historic live-music hall that balances heritage with the technical demands of modern touring productions. Over the years, Z2 Entertainment built its reputation on preserving classic rooms while updating crucial infrastructure to deliver consistent performance for visiting artists and sound engineers. However, balancing preservation with modern expectations often brings unique technical challenges.

Powersoft answered those challenges, helping to modernize the Boulder classic.

[The Next Chapter of Pro AV]

When recurring amplifier failures threatened live performances at the Fox Theatre, Z2 Entertainment brought in Lux AVL to diagnose the issues and implement a reliable, long-term solution without altering the venue’s iconic acoustic character. The source of both the challenge and the charm lay in the venue’s legacy loudspeaker system. Originating from large-scale outdoor events across Colorado during the 1990s, the system was later repurposed for permanent installation inside the Fox Theatre. Rather than replacing these historic enclosures, Z2 Entertainment chose to refurbish their internal components. This decision preserved a piece of local audio history, but it introduced severe technical constraints. The power-hungry PA required multi-channel amplification and substantial wattage for every single cabinet.

Beyond resolving reliability concerns, Z2 Entertainment wanted to optimize its physical layout. The technical team aimed to relocate the heavy amplifier equipment off the stage area and into a compact loft space. This shift freed up valuable stage footprint for touring productions, but required a high-power system with an extraordinarily small footprint and lower electrical draw.

To solve this spatial and electrical puzzle, Lux AVL selected Powersoft’s X Series amplifier platform, integrating a mix of X8, X4, and X4L models. Designed for demanding touring and installed sound environments, the X Series consolidates amplification and advanced loudspeaker management into a single lightweight chassis. By combining high channel density with internal DSP, routing, and matrix capabilities, the new platform allowed the engineering team to consolidate the entire drive system into a drastically smaller rack. Ethernet connectivity, three-phase power supplies, and redundant signal paths—utilizing both Dante and analog inputs—ensured rock-solid stability during live shows.

Altogether, the installation included four Powersoft X8 units, one Powersoft X4L, and one Powersoft X4, all featuring integrated DSP and Dante connectivity, alongside eight B&C Speakers 18SW115 drivers. The hardware is housed in a Middle Atlantic BGR-25SA-32LRD rack equipped with a Middle Atlantic FAN2-DC-FC cooling unit and two custom-labeled Lux AVL keystone patch bays. Network infrastructure and signal routing are managed via two NETGEAR switches: an MSM4214X-100EUS and a GSM4212P-100NAS.

Additionally, the integration of Powersoft’s ArmoníaPlus software platform provided Z2 Entertainment’s technical staff with intuitive control, remote Wi-Fi monitoring, and streamlined workflows consistent with modern touring standards. The result is a seamless hybrid: historic enclosures driven by state-of-the-art power and processing.

“They walk into the room and it still feels like an old club," Wessley Stern, director of operations for Lux AVL, concluded. "But when you turn it up, it sounds like a modern system, and that’s exactly what they were aiming for.”

Since commissioning, the upgraded system has operated with total stability, eliminating past component failures while delivering exceptional clarity and headroom. By pairing refurbished vintage speakers with cutting-edge amplification, Z2 Entertainment and Lux AVL extended the life of a legacy audio system, demonstrating how smart technical choices can keep historic, independent venues modern, competitive, and true to their roots.

SCN: How long have you been with this company, and what are your responsibilities?

Curtis Heath: I have been with Guitar Center for almost five years. My responsibility is to lead our B2B platform, which includes Audio Visual Design Group (AVDG), Guitar Center Professional (GC Pro), and Custom House at Guitar Center, bringing together Pro AV, pro audio, systems integration, managed services, and high-end music solutions for corporate, education, hospitality, houses of worship, venue, stadium, and entertainment clients.

SCN: Does your integrator business, AVDG, have any overlap with your music-based brands?

CH: Yes, but the overlap is strategic rather than transactional. AVDG is a true Pro AV integrator focused on complex systems integration, corporate AV, higher education, healthcare, stadiums, and large-scale environments. GC Pro and Custom House are more rooted in pro audio, music gear, studios, venues, artist relations (artists, engineers, producers, etc.), and entertainment spaces. Where the overlap becomes powerful is when a client needs more than one capability. A stadium, for example, may need integrated AV infrastructure from AVDG, musical instruments and backline from Guitar Center, and high-end audio or artist-facing support from Custom House. That combination is very unique in the marketplace.

SCN: As an integrator, how do you find that sweet spot between technology and simplicity for corporate AV?

CH: The sweet spot starts with people. In my opinion, talent and culture are the real differentiators in any AV company. The gear matters, but the gear is secondary to the people designing it, engineering it, installing it, programming it, supporting it, and helping the client understand how to use it. In corporate AV, the goal is not to impress the client with complexity. The goal is to create rooms, systems, and experiences that feel intuitive, reliable, and consistent. The best corporate AV environments are often the ones where the technology almost disappears. That only happens when you have a team culture that is focused on listening first to the client's needs and goals, solving the actual business problem, and thinking through the experience from the client’s point of view.

SCN: Which markets are showing the most growth?

CH: We are seeing strong momentum in corporate, higher education, healthcare, legal, stadiums and venue work, and AI-related clients. Corporate AV continues to evolve as companies rethink collaboration spaces, executive briefing centers, hybrid meeting environments, and return-to-office expectations. Higher education remains a strong vertical because campuses are continuously modernizing. Stadiums and entertainment venues are also showing real growth because venues are no longer just designed around one primary event. The AI vertical (our largest) is especially interesting. They need AV environments that can keep pace with their growth, and they often value partners who can move with urgency while still maintaining discipline and quality.

SCN: How important is AVaaS to AVDG, and is demand increasing for managed services?

CH: AVaaS is important, and I do believe it will continue to become more relevant in our industry. That said, the reality is that many clients still budget and operate through a traditional CapEx model, especially when it comes to larger AV investments. That makes AVaaS a real opportunity, but also one that will take time to fully mature. We are seeing momentum, but education is still a big part of the process. For AVDG, the direction is clear: We want AVaaS to work, and we believe it can create value for both the client and the integrator. But we also have to meet clients where they are today.

SCN: How is AVDG helping its clients with cybersecurity?

CH: Cybersecurity has become critical. AV systems are no longer isolated pieces of hardware sitting in a room. They are networked systems, often connected to enterprise infrastructure, cloud platforms, user devices, cameras, microphones, control systems, and remote management tools. That means AV integrators have to think more like technology partners. We need to work closely with the client’s IT and security teams, follow network standards, document systems properly, and make sure the solutions we deploy do not create unnecessary risk. AVDG helps clients by designing with security in mind from the beginning. The best cybersecurity approach is not something added at the end of a project. It has to be part of the design, deployment, and support model.

SCN: Do AVDG’s customers have a clear vision for how they want to use AI in their projects?

CH: Some do, but many are still trying to define what practical AI means inside their environments. There is a lot of excitement around AI, but the clearest use cases right now tend to be around productivity, automation, analytics, meeting intelligence, support, and better user experiences. In Pro AV, I think the near-term value of AI is less about a futuristic concept and more about solving real problems. Can AI help improve meeting summaries? Can it optimize room usage? Can it support predictive maintenance? The customers who are most advanced are not asking for AI just to say they have AI. They are asking how it can improve workflow, reduce friction, increase uptime, and create better experiences. That is where the conversation becomes much more meaningful.

SCN: You recently held your inaugural Resonate technology expo in Nashville. What made you decide to produce the show?

CH: We created Resonate because we saw an opportunity to bring the full Guitar Center Business Solutions ecosystem to life in one place. Nashville was the right place to do it. It is Music City, but it is also a growing business, entertainment, hospitality, education, and technology market. We wanted clients, vendors, consultants, educators, artists, and internal teams to experience how these worlds connect. The goal was not just to create a trade show. The goal was to create a platform for connection, education, technology, music, and business development.

SCN: Was Resonate a success, and can we expect to see more tech expos in the future?

CH: For a first-time event, it validated the idea that there is real value in bringing Pro AV, pro audio, music, vendors, clients, and thought leadership together under one roof. What made it successful was not only the attendance or vendor participation, but the conversations it created. It helped clients better understand the depth of Guitar Center Business Solutions. I do expect Resonate to continue. We will keep learning, refining the format, and making sure it delivers value. The opportunity is to build it into a recurring platform that supports the industry, our clients, our partners, and the broader Guitar Center mission.

Summary:

• UMD journalism lecturer Josh Davidsburg is using Sony FX30 cinema cameras to teach students how to merge traditional reporting with cinematic techniques for social media, digital platforms, and modern documentaries.
• The FX30 offers high-end features—such as low-light capability, advanced autofocus, S-Cinetone color science, and lightweight ergonomics—at a fraction of traditional production costs.
• Journalism students at UMD start on standard ENG-style video cameras to learn core production basics before "graduating" to the FX30 for advanced cinematography and documentary courses

Josh Davidsburg, a documentary filmmaker and principal lecturer at the University of Maryland’s Philip Merrill College of Journalism, is using Sony’s FX30 cinema cameras to help his journalism students at the learn new ways to tell a story. He finds the Sony FX30 is the right camera for the evolving field of “creator” journalism, a unique blend of feature and documentary-style filmmaking suited for social media and digital platforms from YouTube to streaming services.

[Ready for the Virtual World]

“Growing up, I was deciding between being a TV journalist like my dad or a movie director because I had a passion for film and cinema,” said Davidsburg. He chose the former, which led to a journalism degree and eventually a teaching position at UMD.

Davidsburg describes modern-era documentaries as a convergence of journalism and cinema, likening them to the pioneering work of 1970s “new journalism” writers like Hunter S. Thompson or Tom Wolfe, who injected literary techniques into their reporting. Newer camera technologies have also dramatically democratized filmmaking, now with high-end capabilities that cost a fraction of the early prices of production cameras, putting them easily in reach of students and reporters at any level.

Currently, UMD has six FX30 cameras and about 40 Sony ENG-style cameras—a mix of the HXR-NX800, HXR-NX5U, and HXR-NX3 models. Journalism students start with the ENG cameras in their first video production course and then “graduate” to the FX30s in cinematography and documentary producing courses.

Davidsburg’s personal filmmaking projects were also responsible for bringing the FX30 to the UMD students. He shot his latest documentary, “A Banner Year” about local, nonprofit newspaper The Baltimore Banner with Sony’s FX3 cinema camera, which he described as a perfect run‑and‑gun camera with the ergonomics and video‑focused controls to match his shooting requirements.

“When you're following newspaper reporters who are often dealing with sensitive topics and confidential sources, you don't want something big and imposing,” Davidsburg said. “I was often filming at night and with the FX3’s low light capabilities, the camera can almost see in the dark.”

Production for “A Banner Year” is complete and his experience with the FX3 led him to choose the FX30 for his coursework. The FX30 offers many of the FX3’s capabilities but at a lower price and with enough features to give students an entry into the cinematic world.

“The FX30’s ergonomics are great,” he said. “Students aren’t complaining about lugging giant cameras everywhere. The leap in quality from the cameras we were using to the FX30s is incredible. They can go out and come back with a beautiful image that inspires them and gets them excited about this type of work.”

Students find the FX30’s autofocus valuable when dealing with the shallow depth of field of cinema shooting. The camera’s color science with the S-Cinetone picture profile combined with its dynamic range elevates everybody's shooting according to Davidsburg. The UMD program is also pairing the FX30s with Sony wireless audio, and the camera-to-editing workflow is straightforward and compatible with UMD’s editing software.

Most importantly, UMD students are getting a head start on their future careers, gaining valuable hands-on experience that they will eventually apply on a set or in a newsroom. “If you're doing documentaries right, you're taking cinematic techniques and journalistic techniques and combining them to do journalistic storytelling," he concluded. "With these cameras, we’re on that track.”

Details:

• Refreshed end zone videoboard and control system are ready for the coming 2026 college football season.
• The display improved resolution 4.5 times the previous screen using the Daktronics Renew product line.
• The display is capable of variable content zoning so it can show one large image or multiple zones of content to meet the needs of UTEP Athletics at every event.

Daktronics has refreshed the video display and control system at the University of Texas, El Paso’s (UTEP) Sun Bowl Stadium. The display improved resolution 4.5 times the previous screen using the Daktronics Renew product line, adding to the visual game-day experience for Miners fans. Daktronics is also including a complete Show Control solution as part of the upgrade.

[A High-Tech Oasis Rising above Low-Tech Downtown Vegas]

“We’re grateful for our continued partnership with Daktronics, and we’re excited about the recent enhancements that have been made to the Sun Bowl video board,” UTEP VP and director of athletics Jim Senter said. “This comes at an opportune time as we launch a thrilling new era in the Mountain West Conference and are introducing numerous initiatives designed to improve the fan experience.”

While the physical display dimensions remain the same at 33.5x60 feet, the resolution improves with a new 10mm pixel spacing compared to the previous 15HD pixel layout. This brings 50% more LEDs spaced closer together, creating 4.5 times the resolution to deliver greater image clarity and contrast to Miners fans.

“Daktronics is honored to assist in upgrading the game-day experience at the Sun Bowl, one of college football's most unique stadiums,” said Daktronics sales representative Charlie Durrenberger. “It was great to work with the university and its fine staff on this project from the early stages through to completion.”

The display is capable of variable content zoning so it can show one large image or multiple zones of content to meet the needs of UTEP Athletics at every event. This includes any mix of video, replays, statistics and game information, graphics and animations, and sponsorship messages.

Unlike the first two weeks of August, there was not a flood of acquisitions this week. That didn't mean there wasn't an abundance of new hires, promotions, strategic partnerships, and more company announcements you needed to know.

[SCN Top AV Consultants 2026]

So, sit back and get caught up with this week's Pro AV Newsmakers.

PEOPLE MOVERS

Almo Pro AV Expands Leadership Team

Almo Pro AV expanded its leadership team with two internal promotions and one executive appointment. The leadership advancements include Jane Tran, VP of growth marketing; Liz Wheeler, director of business development; and James Salter, VP of vendor marketing.

Tran leads Almo Pro AV's marketing strategy to help attract new customers while strengthening existing relationships. Working closely with the company's sales and marketing teams, she oversees demand generation initiatives and digital marketing efforts that help manufacturer partners and customers drive growth. Tran brings nearly 20 years of experience building brands and helping technology organizations grow across multiple industries.

Wheeler leads a team of business development managers and helps shape the strategic direction of the company's business development organization. Working across multiple areas of the business, she collaborates with manufacturer partners, sales leadership and key stakeholders to strengthen relationships and expand opportunities throughout the channel. Recognized for her strategic insight and collaborative leadership, Wheeler has been a key contributor to Almo Pro AV's success for more than a decade and will play an important role in the continued evolution of the company's business development strategy.

Salter brings more than 20 years of experience in the Pro AV and technology industries. In this new role, Salter leads the company's vendor marketing group, working closely with manufacturer partners to strengthen strategic relationships. He is an accomplished marketing leader, having successfully led global teams and scalable programs that delivered measurable business results. Previously with Microsoft, AVer, and Canon, Salter brings deep expertise in partner marketing across Pro AV, cloud, cybersecurity, IoT, enterprise software and other emerging technologies.

Pieter Claes Joins AtlasIED

AtlasIED has appointed Pieter Claes as director of sales-EMEA. In this role, Claes assists with AtlasIED’s footprint expansion in EMEA by strengthening relationships with local customers, channel partners, and sales representatives across the region. He also collaborates with AtlasIED’s sales team, independent manufacturer representatives, and key channel partners to strengthen relationships, expand market opportunities, and drive growth across strategically targeted verticals.

Claes joins AtlasIED with more than 15 years of experience in professional AV sales and channel development. Most recently, he served as regional sales director at Biamp, where he worked closely with customers, partners, and integrators.

CODA Audio USA Adds to Technical Team

CODA Audio USA has added three new technical team members who will offer support in the areas of pre-sale support, system design, and commissioning. The new additions to the team will provide a strong support base of expertise and experience across the network.

New York City-based Brad Ward joins CODA Audio USA as a freelance design consultant, bringing vast experience as a sound designer and AV consultant. He specializes in the design and engineering of high performance sound systems for theatre, music, and immersive environments worldwide.

Ward is joined by Houston-based founder and CTO of MultiPoint Integrated Technologies, Michael Mordente, who has enjoyed 3-plus years in the professional audio space, including large scale stadium and arena touring, system design and install, consulting, training and R&D. Completing the trio is New Jersey-based Shil Patel, a systems design engineer specializing in large-scale professional audio and integrated AV systems for houses of worship, institutional, and commercial environments. The founder of system integrators Omni Technology,

Diversified Expands Global Services Strategy 

Diversified has added a new Global Managed Services Practice, bringing together the company’s proven managed services capabilities into one organization. Rob Mello has joined Diversified as VP-global managed services to lead the new practice.

The practice will focus on three main priorities: delivering consistent quality at a global scale, creating long-term client value, and driving intelligent service operations. Mello brings more than two decades of experience building and scaling technology-enabled services for global organizations, including NTT DATA, Orange Business Services, and IBM. Across his career, he has created new practices, launched differentiated service offerings and led complex transformation initiatives that aligned technology, operations, and commercial strategy. A patent holder and author, Mello has a proven record of turning innovation into scalable capabilities and measurable business value.

Partnerships, Announcements, and More Company News

ADI Launches Inaugural Control4 NEXT Conference for Certified Technicians

ADI is launching its Control4 NEXT, a three-day education and training conference created for Control4 Certified Technicians. As part of ADI’s continued investment in the long-term success of the Control4 platform and its authorized dealer community, the event will provide attendees with advanced technical education, hands-on product training, and direct access to the teams shaping the future of Control4.

Scheduled for October 20-22 in San Antonio, TX, Control4 NEXT reflects ADI's continued commitment to innovation, technical excellence, and customer success. Designed to become an annual gathering for the Control4 professional community, the conference will bring together advanced training, direct collaboration with engineering and product teams, and advanced previews of future innovations across the Control4 platform.

More than a training event, Control4 NEXT is designed to strengthen connections across the Control4 ecosystem, giving integrators an opportunity to learn, collaborate, share best practices and explore new opportunities for business growth.

frame:work Becomes a Member-Based Organization

frame:work, the community for live pixel people that has been organizing conferences, meetups, and the New Talent List through countless volunteered hours since 2019, today announces the next step: a professional society for community, by community. The new framework.video website is live and membership is open.

“This is a genuinely exciting next chapter for frame:work," said SCN Hall of Famer and board member, Sarah Cox. "Membership is open, it's open at every stage of a career, and that part matters. Growth was never the number. It's whether people feel they belong here and can contribute and feel that what they know is worth sharing or help someone looking for advice. Everyone has something to teach and something to learn, and membership is how we make room for that support and growth across our pixel community.”

Humly Strengthens German Market Presence

Humly has strengthened its presence in Germany through a new distribution partnership with DELO Computer GmbH. The agreement expands access to Humly's workplace hardware and software ecosystem while providing customers and reseller partners across Germany with enhanced local product availability, technical expertise and responsive customer support.

As an official distribution partner, DELO Computer will help strengthen Humly's market visibility throughout Germany while ensuring products are readily available through local sales channels. The partnership also enables faster response times, localized technical support and stronger engagement with resellers and customers across one of Europe's largest workplace technology markets. Building on DELO Computer's established expertise in modern workplace technologies, the companies will work together to help organizations create more transparent, productive and people-centered work environments.

Syntegra Brings LEA Professional to Bulgaria

LEA Professional announced a partnership with Syntegra, a Sofia, Bulgaria-based commercial AV distributor. This partnership will connect the Bulgarian AV industry with LEA Professional’s extensive technology catalog.

With nearly 40 years of combined experience in the AV industry, the Syntegra team is perfectly positioned to assist LEA’s footprint expansion in Europe. Through this partnership, Syntegra will represent LEA Professional’s Network Connect series of professional amplifiers, as well as the companion Dante Connect series, which features Dante and AES67 connectivity.

SFM Named Master Distributor for DJI Enterprise in Canada

SFM was appointment master distributor with the civilian drones and aerial imaging technology company, DJI Enterprise. The agreement gives SFM direct access to distribute DJI Enterprise's complete portfolio—including drone platforms, payload and sensor accessories, docking and automation software, and enterprise data management tools.

SFM will be supported by DJI Enterprise with pre and post-sale technical guidance, deployment assistance, and training for its partner base. The solutions are aimed at organizations that need faster, safer, and more accurate ways to collect data, spanning fields such as public safety, geospatial, energy and utilities, and oil and gas.

Uniguest Renames Tripleplay, eStream and pCare under Hub Brand

Uniguest has renamed three of its flagship technology platforms as part of a strategic move to bring its core portfolio together under the Hub brand. Tripleplay is now Hub AV, eStream is now Hub Media, and pCare is now Hub IPS. The Tripleplay, eStream, and pCare brand names will be retired, with the platforms moving forward as Hub AV, Hub Media and Hub IPS respectively. Together with the existing Hub Digital Engagement Platform, the renamed solutions create a unified family of Hub platforms spanning Uniguest’s key markets and applications.

The move follows the successful relaunch of Otrum as Hub at ISE 2025 and represents the next stage in Uniguest’s strategy to create a clearer and more cohesive identity across its technology portfolio. While the names are changing, the underlying platforms are not. Customers will continue to use the same technology, supported by the same teams, expertise and product roadmaps.

Under the new naming structure:

• Hub AV, formerly Tripleplay, provides IPTV, digital signage and video distribution technology for enterprise, hospitality, sports, corporate and other professional environments.
• Hub Media, formerly eStream, provides media management, enterprise video and content delivery capabilities.
• Hub IPS, formerly pCare, delivers interactive patient experiences for healthcare providers.
• Hub, Uniguest’s Digital Engagement Platform, provides a unified platform for managing and delivering digital experiences across hospitality and other environments.

In an ongoing effort to improve situational awareness during active incidents, accelerate emergency response, and strengthen investigative capabilities, a growing number of law enforcement agencies across the United States are investing in real-time crime centers (RTCCs). These centralized operations hubs, now serving communities ranging from large metropolitan areas to small municipalities, are redefining how police departments manage information, coordinate resources, and respond to unfolding events.

Regardless of size or budget, the core mission of every RTCC remains the same: Improve public safety by reducing response times, increasing operational efficiency, and enabling officers to make better‑informed decisions in real time. According to the National Real‑Time Crime Center Association, more than 300 RTCCs are currently in operation nationwide, with a reported 148% increase in adoption of centralized monitoring technologies between 2020-2024.

At its core, an RTCC is a centralized, technology‑driven hub within a police department that aggregates and analyzes live data feeds to provide immediate, actionable intelligence to officers in the field. These feeds typically include surveillance cameras, 911 call data, license plate readers (LPRs), body‑worn cameras, drone footage, and other sensor‑based systems. In many cases, this information can be shared across jurisdictions or accessed remotely, extending the reach of the center well beyond a single physical location.

By consolidating disparate sources of data into a single operational picture, RTCCs allow analysts and dispatchers to monitor incidents as they unfold, identify suspects more quickly, and relay critical information directly to responding officers. This real‑time visibility has proven invaluable during high‑risk incidents, major crimes, and large‑scale public events, where seconds can make a measurable difference.

Big City Benchmark

One of the earliest and most advanced examples of an RTCC is operated by the New York City Police Department. Launched in 2005, the city’s multi‑million‑dollar RTCC was among the first of its kind in the nation and remains a benchmark for large‑scale deployments.

Operating 24/7, the center provides data‑driven support to officers across all 77 precincts serving a population of approximately 8.5 million residents. Thousands of surveillance cameras feed into the system, along with facial recognition tools, LPRs, gunshot detection sensors, and social media analysis platforms. Together, these technologies enable analysts to generate instant intelligence for detectives and officers at crime scenes.

A key component of the NYC RTCC is the Domain Awareness System (DAS), a Microsoft‑developed platform that integrates CCTV cameras, radiological sensors, and other data sources into a unified interface. DAS applies artificial intelligence to tasks such as facial recognition, predictive analytics, and gunshot detection—using acoustic sensors commonly known as ShotSpotter—to help locate incidents quickly and accurately. Officers in the field can access DAS and 911 data through handheld devices, ensuring that intelligence reaches decision makers without delay.

Smaller Success

At the opposite end of the spectrum is the Warner Robins Police Department in Georgia, which serves a community of approximately 90,000 residents. The city unveiled its own RTCC at the Law Enforcement Center, creating a modern hub for technology‑driven policing tailored to a mid‑sized municipality.

Staffed by two to three personnel from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. each day, the 900-square-foot center integrates live traffic cameras, LPRs, public safety databases, and communication systems to support coordinated responses to incidents as they occur.

“We looked at how we could improve our operations,” said Captain Eric Gossman. “And we identified a shortcoming of utilizing technology to improve our workflow.”

Inspired by a visit to Georgia Tech’s operations center, Gossman recognized the potential of centralized monitoring to transform how the department handled critical situations. The department partnered with Solutionz, under the supervision of senior account manager Heather Kireta, to bring the concept to life.

The project involved approximately $257,000 in renovations and technology upgrades, including the installation of Haivision Command 360 video wall solution featuring a large, central LG LCD display. Two staffed workstations equipped with desktop monitors sit in front of the wall, and multiple BYOD inputs are available for flexibility.

“With the Haivision system we can view up to 16 4K streams of high‑resolution video at the same time,” Gossman explained. “At a desktop, I might only be able to monitor two streams. This allows us to see everything at once. For an agency of our size, it’s perfect.”

Measurable Improvements

Since the RTCC became operational, Warner Robins has seen measurable improvements in response times and officer safety. By providing officers with greater awareness of what they may encounter before arriving on scene, the center has helped reduce uncertainty during critical calls.

“We’ve had two homicides that the center helped close that might not have been resolved as quickly otherwise,” Gossman said. “We’re now looking to integrate Drone as First Responder (DFR) technology, which will be operated from this center. At that point, we’ll be running 24/7.”

According to Kireta, once the project was approved, implementation took approximately three months after construction was completed. The scope included running nearly 2,000 feet of Cat 6 cabling to connect the RTCC to the department’s central IT closet, installing the video wall, and deploying two 24/7-rated desks provided by Fountainhead Control Rooms, with fully networked personal computers and videoconferencing capabilities.

“The department wanted multiple wall displays where operators could view different content simultaneously,” Kireta explained. “We designed a system that brought all those feeds together and significantly improved their ability to respond to incidents.”

The Haivision Command 360 platform’s software and hardware components can connect to cable TV boxes, encoders, decoders, and other sources, allowing disparate feeds to be managed through a single interface. Operators can drag, drop, and manipulate content on the video wall with ease, while built‑in KVM functionality enables seamless control of multiple systems. LG LCD displays with ultra‑thin bezels were selected to create a clean, continuous video wall appearance.

Integration and Infrastructure

As RTCC adoption accelerates, manufacturers of control room technologies are developing solutions specifically designed to meet the needs of public safety environments. For example, RGB Spectrum offers a portfolio of multiview and control technologies tailored to operations centers. According to Dan Marcus, VP of business development, the RTCC market has expanded far beyond its early adopters.

“It used to be that large cities were the first to deploy crime centers,” Marcus said. “Now we’re seeing them everywhere. They’re evolving alongside technologies like drones, wearable cameras, and mobile devices that support first responders.”

RGB’s offerings include the Zio video over IP platform, video wall processors, KVM over IP systems, and its IPX Flyaway Kit for portable command and control applications. What differentiates the company’s approach, Marcus explained, is tight integration.

“The multiview processor is part of the matrix,” he explained. “There aren’t external boxes converting IP streams back into HDMI. It’s a hybrid IP solution that can also accept baseband inputs, with all processing handled within the Zio platform.”

This hybrid approach allows operators to manage multiple local inputs with minimal latency, an essential requirement for real‑time monitoring of video sources at different resolutions. “A lot of times, it’s a trade‑off between fidelity and latency,” Marcus added. “Lower latency generally requires more bandwidth, so agencies must decide how important video quality is to their mission.”

Redundancy and Reliability

Another major player in the RTCC space is Extron. In 2025, the company worked with systems integrator North Carolina Sound to upgrade the Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office Communications Center in Bolivia, NC. The project transformed an existing call center into a modern RTCC serving as the primary link between the public and emergency services.

While the original AV system was functional, it lacked redundancy, meaning a single component failure could bring operations to a halt. The upgraded system was designed to deliver optimal signal integrity, true redundancy, and failsafe operation for the center’s 911 workstations, centralized dispatch system, and specialized communications equipment.

Operators manage emergency calls through a computer‑aided dispatch system, with sources displayed on a Planar Clarity G2 video wall, individual workstations, and an adjacent conference room. Extron’s XTP modular matrix system provides centralized switching and distribution, while the NAV Pro AV over IP system links the 911 center with a conference room and a backup emergency operations center.

“The key to an efficient control room workflow is the harmonious integration of every system element,” said Joe da Silva, Extron VP of marketing. “Our goal is always to ensure a flawless operational experience for the end user.”

Monitoring the Situation

Modern RTCCs centers are typically built around a combination of dvLED and LCD video wall systems, which are supported by large-format displays and operator desktop monitors. Touch-enabled displays that support interactive workflows, annotation, and real-time collaboration are also widely used at operator positions to enhance control, navigation, and user interaction with critical systems.

“Direct-view LED is rapidly becoming the preferred solution for primary visualization walls due to its seamless design, high brightness, and scalability,” said Greg Fechner, sales director for state and local government at Planar. “These attributes allow agencies to display multiple data sources clearly across large environments where visibility from any position in the room is critical. LCD video walls remain a strong option, particularly in applications requiring very high pixel density or where budget considerations are a factor.”

Since its inception, the Chattanooga Police Department (CPD) Real Time Intelligence Center (RTIC) has used Planar’s Clarity Matrix LCD video wall system. As the number of integrated camera systems grew, and additional technologies and data sources were added, the department upgraded to a nearly 36x7-foot Clarity Matrix G3.

The system serves as the central visualization platform, supporting monitoring of thousands of live camera feeds. This includes fixed cameras, body cameras, and other real-time data sources, providing officers and analysts with a unified operational picture. When an incident is not in progress, the video wall serves as a collaborative tool that supports CPD’s ongoing intelligence work.

“At the end of the day, command centers require a complete ecosystem of display technologies that perform without compromise,” said Fechner. “Planar delivers that ecosystem with the reliability, clarity, and long-term support these mission-critical environments demand, while also helping agencies standardize on a single manufacturer to simplify deployment, streamline support, and ensure consistency across their operations.”

Whether deployed in a city of millions or a town of fewer than 100,000 residents, RTCCs have proven their value for modern policing. As AI, facial recognition, drones, and predictive analytics continue to mature, these centers will become even more capable and effective.

At Warner Robins, the results are already clear. “We always try to stay one step ahead of criminals,” Gossman said. “This crime center has helped reduce our response‑to‑call times and close cases faster. It’s been a big win for our department—and I’m sure for many others across the country as well.”

Need more command and control insights? Get your free copy of SCN's Integration Guide to Command and Control.

Details:

• The NC30 acts as both an NDI encoder and decoder in a single device.
• It simplifies Bring Your Own Device workflows.
• Designed to fit directly into existing AVer ecosystems, the compact unit lets organizations easily expand AV over IP across meeting rooms and classrooms while maintaining centralized control and leveraging current hardware investments.

AVer Information released the NC30, a flexible NDI encoder and decoder designed to simplify AV over IP deployments. The NC30 connects cameras, displays and room systems across the network, supporting more efficient deployment of meeting, learning, and collaboration environments.

[NDI Partners with KTC to Bring Native IP Video to Commercial Displays]

“As organizations continue to adopt AV-over-IP and hybrid collaboration technologies, they need solutions that are flexible, easy to deploy and simple to manage,” said Katie Sullivan, senior product manager for AVer Information. “The NC30 helps bridge traditional AV systems with network-based workflows while making it easier for users to access professional AV resources from meeting and learning spaces.”

Supporting both encoding and decoding within a single device, the NC30 enables seamless conversion between HDMI, USB-C, and NDI video sources. Built to complement AVer's existing ecosystem, the NC30 allows organizations to maintain a consistent platform across cameras, peripherals and AV-over-IP infrastructure, simplifying deployment and management through a single ecosystem.

The NC30 enhances Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) workflows by enabling users to access room cameras and AV resources directly from personal laptops. With support for 4K60 video, USB-C connectivity, NDI HX, HDMI pass-through, and flexible audio routing, users can quickly connect to room technology without requiring additional hardware or complex configuration.

Designed for meeting rooms, classrooms, training spaces, and hybrid collaboration environments, the NC30 helps bridge traditional AV systems with network-based workflows. The NC30's compact form factor and broad compatibility support AV over IP deployments while helping organizations leverage existing AVer technology investments.

Quick summary:

• Ninety-six A15i speakers, and16 KS21i subwoofers were installed at Houston's 20,656-seat Shell Energy Stadium, replacing an outdated 2012 vocal-only PA with a high-energy, music-friendly setup.
• Engineers solved complex coverage gaps around the stadium's north video screen without structural modifications..
• The new system tightly directs clear, impactful audio into the stands while keeping noise off the field for game officials and out of the surrounding downtown neighborhood, earning immediate praise from fans.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup brought re-found soccer fandom to Houston, which served as one of the major host cities. Since 2012; however, the city's soccer culture extends far beyond international tournaments, operating weekly at Shell Energy Stadium. To enhance the game-day experience, LD Systems, a Clair Global brand, recently installed L-Acoustics A Series loudspeaker system.

[LD Systems Gets NFL Stadium World Cup Ready with Enhanced Sound]

The 20,656-seat venue, which is the first downtown soccer-specific stadium in Major League Soccer, hosts four distinct teams: Houston Dynamo FC, the National Women’s Soccer League's Houston Dash, Texas Southern University Tigers football, and the Houston Gamblers of the United Football League. Since majority owner Ted Segal committed over $30 million to venue overhauls starting in 2021, upgrading the stadium’s original 2012 audio system became a top priority. The club sought higher energy, superior intelligibility, and impact for fans without increasing off-site noise pollution in the surrounding East Downtown neighborhood or interfering with players and officials on the pitch.

Sustainability and physical constraints were central to the redesign. The venue actively works toward LEED-certified decarbonization goals, requiring any new system to limit electrical draw. LD Systems achieved this by utilizing existing cabling infrastructure and keeping structural modifications to a minimum, powered efficiently by just twelve L-Acoustics amplified controllers.

The physical layout of the stadium presented unique acoustical challenges. While the east and west bowls feature large overhangs for easy speaker suspension, the north and south ends lack overhead structures. The north end is further complicated by a massive video display measuring 34x73 feet, leaving limited mounting space near a noisy, angled supporters' section. Using L-Acoustics Soundvision modeling software, engineers mounted enclosures directly onto the scoreboard structure and directed additional corner arrays back toward the end zone, closing coverage gaps seamlessly.

In total, the installation features 96 A15i enclosures (84 Wide and 12 Focus models) paired with 16 flown KS21i subwoofers for full-range musical fidelity. Powered by 10 LA12X and two LA4X amplified controllers, the system delivers precise vertical directionality, keeping high-SPL audio focused on the stands while avoiding the playing field.

The new deployment replaced the old vocal-reinforcement setup with a dynamic, music-friendly sound system ideal for matchday DJs and live production. The immediate improvement in clarity and low-end impact transformed the overall game-day atmosphere, earning instant acclaim from stadium attendees and technical operators alike.

“We heard a ton of unsolicited comments about how much better the sound is from people that had no idea that there even was a new sound system in there," Matt Rhodes, sales engineer at LD Systems, shared. "Fans, who are not technical people, said to us, ‘Wow, it sounds so much better this season.’ To get that kind of feedback was really cool.”

By pairing advanced L-Acoustics technology with smart engineering choices, LD Systems provided Shell Energy Stadium with a high-impact, energy-efficient audio solution. The upgrade ensures the venue remains a premiere destination for live sports and entertainment while honoring its environmental commitments and downtown neighbors.

Sharp Imaging and Information Company of America (SIICA) has released a new Sharp Displays control plug-in, which enables direct control and monitoring from within the Q-SYS Full Stack AV Platform. The plug-in has received the Q-SYS Verified badge and is now available in Q-SYS Library.

[Cybersecurity: Lock It Down]

"Q-SYS is a widely adopted platform in enterprise and education environments, and this Q-SYS Verified plugin reflects our commitment to meeting customers where they are," said Mark Quiroz, SVP and general manager of Sharp's Professional Display Division. "By integrating Sharp displays directly into the Q-SYS Ecosystem, we're helping integrators deliver consistent, high-quality AV experiences with greater efficiency and confidence."

Developed in collaboration with Q-SYS and supported by Control Concepts, the Q-SYS Verified Plug-in allows integrators to manage key display functions, including power, input selection, audio, brightness, diagnostics, and status monitoring directly from the Q-SYS Full Stack AV Platform. It supports all current Sharp large-format displays, Sharp All-in-One dvLED models, and legacy NEC large-format displays. There is also flexibility to access other display functions using Sharp's expansive control set. This is part of a shift toward simpler integration for partners, making it easier to specify Sharp in projects where Q-SYS is the designated platform.

Alfatron Electronics has unveiled its new 3GSDI-HD SDI to HDMI Converter. This compact and reliable converter enables seamless conversion to HDMI for easy connection to monitors, displays, and projectors without signal loss or latency—making it an ideal solution for use in professional broadcast, AV, and video production applications.

[The Next Chapter of Pro AV]

“The new 3GSDI-HD is a versatile unit that facilitates a variety of signal conversions commonly encountered in today’s application environments, and with its small footprint, the unit can easily be placed just about anywhere," said Tiaan Hoogstad, marketing director at Alfatron Electronics.

Designed to support high-speed signal transmission up to 2.970 Gbit/s, the ALF-3GSDI-HD ensures clear video performance for 720p, 1080i, and 1080p image resolutions. Built to support SMPTE 425M, 424M, 292M, and 259M-C standards, this versatile converter integrates seamlessly into professional SDI workflows.

With its compact form factor, the 3GSDI-HD is an ideal choice for broadcast racks, live events, control rooms, AV integration, and portable production systems. Further, the unit’s integrated SDI loop output also enables users to easily extend or distribute SDI signals to additional displays or equipment.

Extron has introduced the DSC 12G‑HD A and DSC HD‑12G A.These high‑performance 4K/60 scalers are engineered to streamline SDI and HDMI workflows in professional AV, broadcast, and production environments. Designed to support SDI‑to‑HDMI or HDMI‑to‑SDI conversion powered by Extron’s Vector 4K scaling technology, the DSC 12G‑HD A converts 12G‑SDI, 6G‑SDI, 3G‑SDI, and HD‑SDI signals into high‑quality HDMI output, while the DSC HD‑12G A converts HDMI signals into a 12G‑SDI, 6G‑SDI, 3G‑SDI, and HD‑SDI formats.

[Integrators … Mount Up!]

“The DSC 12G-HD A and DSC HD-12G A scalers expand system design options for integrating broadcast-type equipment within professional AV environments,” said Casey Hall, chief marketing officer for Extron. “With our Vector 4K scaling technology and carefully designed audio features, these products deliver the performance, versatility, and advanced functionality required to support many different applications.”

Both video scalers feature audio embedding and de‑embedding, seamless transitions for upstream switching, aspect‑ratio control, and the ability to display logo images. Front‑panel controls, intuitive on‑screen menus, Ethernet and USB configuration, EDID management tools, internal test patterns, and compact 1-inch half‑rack enclosures make them easy to integrate into any system design.

Quick view:

• Edith Cowan University (ECU) implemented a full Riedel Communications ecosystem (including Artist nodes, Bolero wireless intercom, and MediorNet units) that unifies audio, video, and comms across multiple venues, enabling complex capabilities like running two independent broadcasts simultaneously.
• The infrastructure brings real-world live production workflows directly into the educational environment, giving students hands-on experience with contemporary, industry-standard equipment and practices used at professional venues like the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA).
• By using Riedel SimplyLive RiCapture, instructors and students can record up to six video streams along with production communications. This allows them to replay live feeds to analyze workflows, retrace decisions, troubleshoot mistakes in real-time, and preserve session recordings as study materials.

Edith Cowan University (ECU) in Perth, Australia, implemented a comprehensive Riedel Communications infrastructure that brings professional live production workflows into the teaching environment. Connecting spaces across the university—from broadcast facilities to the theater—the integrated ecosystem makes communications, audio, video, and recordings flexibly accessible throughout the building.

[How Radford University Achieved 'Flawless Audio']

At the heart of this infrastructure are two Riedel Artist-1024 nodes, which are primarily used at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA) — a specialized academy within the university — as well as in the broadcast department. In addition, stage managers and directors can use Riedel Bolero wireless intercom to move between different event areas while maintaining uninterrupted communication with the rest of the production teams.

MediorNet is now being used as the technical backbone to ensure reliable distribution of audio and video. The ECU team utilizes five MicroN UHD units as well as an additional mobile unit that reliably transmits signals within the building and, when a fiber-optic connection is available, also supports outside broadcast scenarios. MediorNet HorizoN connects traditional SDI and MediorNet infrastructures with ST 2110 workflows within the broadcast environment. This ecosystem ensures the independent execution of two parallel broadcasts. Furthermore, live productions from the theater auditorium can be fully integrated into the broadcast environment, including backstage communication, video, and audio transmission.

“Our partnership with Riedel has significantly transformed communications and coordination across our venues," said Richard Reddrop, associate professor of associate dean (production and design), WAAPA. "Stage managers, front-of-house teams, technicians, backstage crews, and production staff are now able to work together through a single integrated communications platform, creating a more connected and professional operating environment. Importantly, it provides our students with the experience of industry-standard workflows and technologies that reflect contemporary professional practice."

Another key component of the ecosystem is Riedel SimplyLive RiCapture. ECU operates three RiCapture servers, including two larger systems for 4K workflows and a dedicated system for teaching. With SimplyLive, students and instructors can record up to six video streams simultaneously along with the associated production communications. During training sessions, they can replay the recorded feeds and communications to review production workflows, retrace decisions, and identify where and why issues occurred. This gives students immediate, practical feedback on their work in a professional live production environment. Instructors can also record teaching sessions and make them available to students afterward as part of the course materials.

“Artist, Bolero, MediorNet, and SimplyLive create a learning environment here at ECU that can be ideally adapted to the students’ needs as well as to various production formats," concluded Chris Johnson, director Oceania at Riedel Communications. "Students are thus given the opportunity to experiment and work in a practical environment that mirrors real-world production workflows."

The New York Stock Exchange creates a steady stream of live content, including opening and closing bell ceremonies, corporate announcements, interviews, IPO events, broadcasts, digital streams, and its daily live show, NYSE Live.

A few years ago, it became clear to the production team that an upgrade was needed. As production demands grew across the trading floor and event spaces, the team pushed its control room, which had not been updated since 2010, to its limits.

“We were definitely behind on technology, and some of it was even starting to die on us," recalled Ian Wolff, director of broadcast and AV operations, NYSE. "We were also lacking space for everything we wanted to do. There were some days we did two or three events in one control room, which isn’t ideal. There’s only so much jerry-rigging you can do."

To meet growing demands and prepare for the future, last year the NYSE decided to redesign the area and build three matching control rooms. Planning for future scalability was also key. The NYSE kept SDI for most of the facility, added NDI where it added clear benefits, and ensured the new setup could adapt as requirements evolve.

The new control rooms are built on Ross Video technology. Each room supports identical workflows, giving the team a consistent environment and the ability to move productions between rooms quickly.

Three Carbonite switchers are central to the project, with one in each control room. The main room uses Carbonite Ultra 60 for NYSE Live, handling larger productions with more guests, feeds, and complex visuals. The other two rooms support more live events, such as investor programming and daily content.

XPression remains important in every control room. By combining XPression with Carbonite, the team created a smooth workflow and can trigger graphics more quickly. Three additional TouchDrive panels further improved control and efficiency.

The project also introduced openGear and Ross Tally to simplify signal conversion, standardize infrastructure, and support production throughout the building. NDI is used in select rooms and event spaces where permanently installed cameras reduce setup time and help the team respond quickly to new productions.

“The combination of a Carbonite switcher, Xpression, and Ross Tally made everything a whole lot easier than doing productions with several different machines. They just talk seamlessly," Wolff said. "openGear has proved a lifesaver and a space saver. You don’t have racks and racks of encoders, just a 4 RU unit with a few cards in the back.”

CTI managed the integration and worked closely with the NYSE team throughout the project. They developed a tailored solution based on how the team operates and supported the move from the legacy control room to a temporary setup and ultimately the final space. Ross Video provided hands-on technical support during the process and continues to support the team today.

With three identical control rooms, the NYSE can now run multiple live productions simultaneously, with less strain on people and systems. Interviews, ceremonies, investor events, and daily programming no longer have to compete for space.

Having identical control rooms also reduces operational risk. If one room has a problem, productions can move to another with the same setup and continue with minimal interruption—a redundancy that was a key objective from the start.

The facility is also built for the future. While SDI meets current needs and security requirements, the system can scale to support 12G-SDI and 4K workflows over time.

Chief, a brand of Legrand | AV, has released its new TiLED Universal Trim Kits. The new Trim Kits complement the TiLED dvLED mounting ecosystem, giving integrators a fast, repeatable way to deliver a clean, architectural perimeter finish on video wall installations without the cost, lead time, or unpredictability of custom millwork or field-cut alternatives.

[Chief Display Mounts Help Crestron Modernize Its Training Rooms]

“When dvLED video walls are deployed into design-forward spaces, the finishing details are critical,” said David Albright, senior product manager, video wall solutions and services for Chief. “Integrators shouldn’t have to choose between a polished result and a predictable timeline. TiLED Universal Trim Kits give them both.”

As dvLED moves into more design-forward commercial environments, the quality of the perimeter finish has become just as important as the quality of the display itself. Integrators have long faced a gap at project close-out: custom millwork adds cost and lead time, field-cut trim introduces jobsite risks, and manufacturer-specific edge covers lock them into narrow compatibility. TiLED Universal Trim Kits close that gap with an off-the-shelf modular system that installs after the panels are up with no cutting or fabrication required.

TiLED Universal Trim Kits are a modular finishing system comprised of side and top/bottom panels, seam covers, and corner components that work together to elegantly enclose exposed cabinet edges and conceal cabling around dvLED video walls. Because the trim installs as a final step after the display is installed, integrators can finalize the structural installation on their own timeline and add the finishing Trim Kit without redesigning scope or adding days to the schedule. Trim is available as individual components or as pre-configured kits sized for common 27-inch configurations (4x4, 5x5, 6x6, 8x4 and 8x8). Vented top and bottom trim profiles promote passive cooling airflow, protecting display performance and longevity after enclosure.

TiLED Universal Trim Kits are compatible with TiLED Universal mounts, legacy TiLED mounts, and TiLED Off-the-Wall mounting systems (adapter required), as well as other third party and OEM mounts with video wall depth of 3-5.25 inches (76.2-133.35mm). This broad compatibility means integrators working across different project types and mount generations can specify a single trim solution with confidence, reducing the learning curve and jobsite variables across large multi-site rollouts.

TiLED Universal Trim Kits are purpose-built for environments where dvLED installations have high visibility including corporate lobbies, higher education campuses, control rooms, retail stores, hospitality spaces, and government facilities. In each of these settings, a dvLED wall is expected to look finished and intentional whether the display is powered on or off. TiLED Universal Trim Kits deliver that result.

Details:

• Going wireless removed trip hazards, cable ramps, and floor obstructions, creating a safer, cleaner environment that directly benefited guests using wheelchairs or mobility aids, catering staff, and event attendees.
• The RF Venue system overcame difficult architectural limitations—where floor or overhead cable runs were impossible—delivering clean, delay-optimized audio for both the luncheon and gala speaker setups.
• Eliminating long cable runs significantly reduced setup time, simplified logistics, and proved so successful that Midway Production Services integrated the system into more than 20 subsequent productions.

Midway Production Services recently deployed the RF Venue RF PA Extension Kit, alongside RF Venue Diversity Fin antennas and DISTRO distribution systems, to solve audio challenges during two VIP fundraising events at Radford University in Virginia. By adopting this wireless approach, the production team eliminated extensive speaker cable runs across public walkways, delivering flawless, uninterrupted sound without creating safety hazards or aesthetic disruptions.

[A Dream(scape) Come True: UNLV Immerses Higher-Ed AV/IT Professionals in Virtual Reality]

The events included an informal luncheon and a formal black-tie gala. Radford University, recognized for academic excellence, innovative technology, and sustainability, hosted alumni, donors, and university leaders. Both gatherings demanded reliable wireless microphones and distributed loudspeaker coverage. However, the venue’s architecture offered no viable traditional cable paths. Floor runs would have obstructed heavy foot traffic, and overhead drops were impossible due to ceiling construction.

Midway paired RF Venue Diversity Fin antennas and DISTRO systems with the RF PA Extension Kit to power two Turbosound iP300 loudspeakers for the luncheon delay system. Later that evening, they used the same setup to feed the main array of Electro-Voice EV Evolve 50 speakers. The wireless link maintained pristine audio throughout both settings without requiring cables to be taped down or covered with ramps.

This cable-free solution proved vital for accessibility, as many guests relied on walkers, wheelchairs, or other mobility aids. Eliminating floor hazards created a safer, cleaner, and more welcoming environment.

“Clients rarely comment on the technology itself; they simply expect everything to work,” said Brian James, senior project manager for Midway Production Services. “This time was different: the client specifically noticed there weren’t any cables on the floor, and one guest with mobility challenges thanked us because navigating the venue was so much easier.”

The kit also simplified logistics and reduced setup time by eliminating lengthy runs. Configuring the receiver's built-in delay timing took only minutes. Midway has since integrated the RF Venue system into over twenty subsequent productions with excellent results, praising its ability to streamline workflows while enhancing safety and guest comfort. Ultimately, the invisible technology allowed Midway to meet both technical demands and high event standards seamlessly.

Executive Summary

• Physical spaces are becoming connected environments that integrate touchpoints into a seamless customer journey.
• This "Connected Customer Experience" turns locations into strategic assets that shape perceptions and strengthen relationships.
• Future competitive advantage depends on intelligently integrating technology to create memorable experiences and drive sustainable growth.

For decades, organizations have invested heavily in making digital experiences smarter. Websites became interactive. Mobile apps became personalized. Loyalty programs became data-driven. Artificial intelligence is accelerating every aspect of customer engagement.

Today, an equally important transformation is underway, not on our screens but inside the physical places where customers shop, dine, stay, relax, and receive care.

Restaurants, hotels, retailers, medical practices, spas, fitness centers, and other customer-facing businesses are no longer simply physical locations. They are becoming digitally intelligent, connected environments capable of communicating, personalizing, measuring, and continuously improving the customer experience.

I believe this transformation will define the next era of customer engagement.

For years, businesses managed the customer journey in pieces. Marketing attracted customers before the visit. Operations owned the experience during the visit. Loyalty programs worked to bring customers back afterward. Each stage evolved independently because the technologies supporting them evolved independently.

Customers, however, never experienced those divisions. They experienced one relationship with one brand. The disconnect was never in the customer journey; it was in the technology behind it.

That limitation is finally disappearing. Cloud platforms, APIs, AI and intelligent integrations now make it possible to connect systems that once operated in isolation. For the first time, physical spaces themselves can participate intelligently in building customer relationships.

This is what I call the Connected Customer Experience.

A Connected Customer Experience is created when a digitally intelligent physical environment connects every customer touchpoint before, during, and after the visit into one seamless, measurable journey that consistently reinforces the brand, strengthens customer relationships, builds loyalty, and drives long-term business growth.

Music, messaging, signage, loyalty, AI, and analytics are no longer separate technologies. Together, they become one coordinated, strategically managed experience that customers remember and return for.

Where Brands Are Built

The Connected Customer Experience comes to life in the moments that matter most. A guest walks into a restaurant expecting more than a good meal. A traveler enters a hotel looking for comfort and confidence. A shopper steps into a retail store hoping to discover something new. A patient arrives at a medical practice seeking reassurance and trust. A guest enters a spa expecting relaxation and renewal. In every case, the customer isn't simply purchasing a product or service. They're experiencing a brand.

For decades, those physical environments remained largely passive. Music played in the background. Digital displays communicated information. Loyalty programs lived inside mobile apps. Customer messaging occurred before or after the visit. Each element served a purpose but rarely worked together as part of a unified strategy.

Today, that's changing. Physical spaces are no longer just places where transactions occur. They are becoming intelligent, connected environments that help shape perceptions, strengthen relationships, and actively reinforce the brand at every stage of the customer journey.

The next competitive advantage won't come from simply deploying more technology. It will come from transforming physical spaces into strategic, brand-building environments that create stronger customer experiences, deepen loyalty and drive sustainable business growth.

The Opportunity for Customer-Facing Businesses

Restaurants, hotels, retailers, healthcare providers, spas, fitness centers, and other customer-facing organizations all face the same opportunity: transforming physical spaces into connected customer experiences that consistently express the brand while strengthening loyalty and supporting long-term growth.

For companies operating in this space, the opportunity is increasingly about connecting technologies that have traditionally been managed separately. Branded music and AI-powered messaging can shape how a physical space sounds and feels, while integrations with loyalty programs and digital signage platforms can bring those touchpoints together into a single connected experience. The broader goal is not simply to connect technologies, but to help organizations create experiences customers remember, relationships customers value, and brands they choose repeatedly.

The Next Competitive Advantage

The Connected Customer Experience is not another technology trend. It is a new blueprint for customer-facing businesses.

Organizations won't distinguish themselves by deploying more technology than their competitors. They'll distinguish themselves by connecting technology more intelligently to create physical environments that actively build brands, deepen customer loyalty, and drive sustainable business growth.

That future is no longer theoretical. It's already taking shape, one connected customer experience at a time.

Quick hits:

• Brompton Technology’s 4K Tessera SX40 LED processors and Tessera XD 10G distribution units powered the visual clarity, color accuracy, and contrast needed to render the piece's complex pixel structures and deep black backgrounds.
• Artist Kim Asendorf, who builds software art intended for universal device playback, noted that Brompton’s system's "almost surreal" display quality, making Brompton controllers his preferred setup after first using them at Art Basel Miami Beach.
• The project highlights an ongoing shift in contemporary digital art, where processing hardware is treated as an active part of the artwork rather than a passive display screen.

Brompton Technology’s Tessera LED processing recently helped bring German visual artist Kim Asendorf’s PXL DUO POD to life at Art Basel Hong Kong, delivering the color, depth, and precision required to present its evolving pixel structures on a large-scale interactive LED installation.

[The Art of Digital Signage]

Presented by New York and London-based contemporary art gallery Nguyen Wahed, PXL DUO POD formed part of Zero 10, Art Basel’s global initiative dedicated to art of the digital era. A special development within Asendorf’s expanding PXL ecosystem, PXL DUO POD followed PXL DEX, the first work in the series, and its cylindrical successor, PXL POD. Asendorf developed the Duo version after discovering an unexpected visual relationship when viewing two PXL POD works adjacent to one another.

Presented across two LED screens positioned side by side, PXL DUO POD placed two evolving systems alongside one another, allowing their colors, movement and pixel density to interact. Visitors could use a control pad to rotate the forms, zoom in and alter the camera angle, directly influencing how the work was experienced.

For the Hong Kong presentation, a ROE Visual Topaz 2.6mm LED system was driven by Brompton’s 4K Tessera SX40 LED processors and Tessera XD 10G data distribution units. The combination enabled the work’s individual points of light, carefully developed color palettes, and deep black backgrounds to be reproduced with the clarity required to preserve its spatial qualities and constantly changing detail.

“I create software art meant to run on every device. Brompton Technology changed my mind,” said Asendorf. “I care deeply about display quality, but what Brompton controllers bring to LED walls is almost surreal. Now I have a first-choice setup.”

Asendorf’s relationship with Brompton began at Art Basel Miami Beach, where his work Raster und Spektrum was presented during the inaugural Zero 10 program. Following Asendorf’s meeting with the Brompton team at a demonstration in London, the gallery requested that Brompton’s processing technology be used for his Miami Beach presentation. Fuse Technical Group provided technical management and introduced the project team to Absen. As a result, Absen LED panels were used for the exhibition, paired with Brompton LED processing to deliver the deep blacks and pixel separation essential to Asendorf’s work.

The progression from PXL DEX, through PXL POD to PXL DUO POD reflects a wider shift in contemporary digital art, where software, interaction, physical installation and display technology all contribute to the artwork. The screen is therefore more than a surface for presenting a finished image, making accurate color reproduction, contrast, motion and processing essential to preserving the artist’s intent.

“I was fortunate to be in the room when Kim visited our London headquarters with Matthew,” concluded Rob Fowler, director of business development at Brompton Technology. “It was fascinating to learn more about this rapidly growing area of art as well as see how the work we have been doing over the lifetime of Brompton Technology to enhance accuracy and faithful image reproduction dovetails with the work Kim is creating.

“Seeing his response to our Tessera platform, and the pleasure he took in viewing his work rendered on LED using features we have developed over more than a decade, was hugely gratifying. It demonstrated how processing can become integral to the way an artwork is experienced, rather than simply a means of displaying content.”

We are living in an immersive world, with audio systems becoming more focused and digital content getting more realistic. Displays and video walls are getting larger and more defined as well, which means knowing what is behind that display is more important than ever.

From lobbies to control rooms to retail and hospitality spaces, dvLED has moved from novelty to expectation. "Here's a truth every integrator learns fast," Robert Meiner, technical sales engineer, Peerless-AV added. "The structure behind the wall determines whether an installation looks flawless on day one and stays flawless for years."

All-in-One or Bust?

One of the big questions for integrators today revolves around the simplicity of installation. Is there a one-size-fits-all approach to supporting dvLED displays and video walls? Are all-in-one solutions now the go-to?

Unfortunately, there is no one answer, as several factors play a role in the decision. The larger and heavier a display installation, the more necessary a custom solution becomes. The structure of the build, whether it's a wall or a floor, may not be suitable for the ease of installation provided by an all-in-one system, thus requiring a customized approach.

However, according to John Kozlowsky, channel manager at Absen, all-in-one solutions are becoming increasingly popular for dvLED projects on a smaller scale in corporate boardrooms, conference rooms, classrooms, and retail environments where requirements are relatively straightforward and timelines may be tight. Many manufacturers keep all-in-one systems in stock, which make them ready to ship quickly. They simplify installations because everything is preconfigured, including the number of panels, modules, cables, processors, and mounting hardware.

Meiner agreed. The market is moving toward consolidation, he explained, which means clients want fewer vendors, faster timelines, and a single point of accountability. All-in-one solutions answer all three.

For example, the Refinio Media Wall by Peerless-AV, a turnkey dvLED display solution for high-end meeting spaces, consolidates the display, mounting structure, and essential supporting technologies into one engineered system, significantly reducing pre-installation room preparation, shortens installation timelines, and helps lower overall project costs.

"The practical impact is real," Meiner said. "Less time on site. Fewer surprises. A more predictable bill of materials. For small and midsize integration teams especially, that efficiency translates directly into margin and the ability to take on more projects without expanding crews."

Planning and Precision Required

According to Justin Spangler, senior director of service and support at Planar, one of the biggest misconceptions about dvLED is that it's simply another display that mounts to a wall. The reality is that successful LED installations require an exceptional level of planning and precision.

"Challenges often include structural engineering, wall flatness, mounting tolerances measured in fractions of an inch, power and signal coordination, environmental conditions, logistics, and coordinating multiple construction trades," Spangler added. "Even small installation inaccuracies can affect panel alignment, image uniformity, and long-term reliability."

Much like mounting options are not the same, neither are the walls upon which they are mounted. "Most 'display problems' are actually structure problems," Meiner offered. "Solve the mounting layer correctly and the majority of these headaches simply do not materialize."

This presents the biggest challenge in mounting systems, as not all walls are perfectly flat—and the larger the wall gets, the larger the chance of inconsistencies throughout. Kozlowsky said sometimes mounting 3/4-inch plywood to a wall can create a suitable surface for installation, while other situations call for a custom mounting system to achieve the flattest possible surface.

Kozlowsky and Meiner agree that adequate access behind a video wall or display is a must. Many all-in-one systems are installed by lowering the display panels onto a wall-mounted bracket, Kozlowsky explained, so clearance must be available above the recess to allow the display to be installed properly.

LEDs also generate quite a bit of heat. Per Meiner, a mount that ignores airflow or buries access points creates long-term maintenance headaches. Sufficient space also needs to be considered for cable management, processors, and other serviceable components.

Unfortunately, as Meiner pointed out, service access is one of the most overlooked specification decisions in any dvLED video wall project. Front-serviceable designs, he offered, allow a technician to remove and replace an individual cabinet from the face of the wall, usually with magnetic or mechanical pull tools. Rear-serviceable designs require working space behind the array and suit applications with a dedicated service corridor or freestanding structure.

"The best practice is simple," he concluded. "Decide on the service strategy at the design stage, not after the wall is built. Match the substructure to the access you will realistically have in that room. The right mounting system makes panel replacement a quick, low-stress swap rather than a disruptive operation, and that directly protects the client's uptime and your service reputation."

The Pro AV industry loves standardization, which is yet another challenge to dvLED installations: There are none. At least just yet.

"We’re much closer than just a couple years ago," explained David Albright, senior product manager, video wall mounts and services, Legrand|AV, Chief. "The challenge has never been simply attaching a display to the wall. It’s creating a mounting system that’s flexible enough to accommodate the differences between cabinet designs while delivering the precision alignment adjustments required for today’s fine pixel pitch microLED displays."

Tools of the Trade

These challenges reinforce why specialized installation expertise matters. According to Spangler, Planar acts as an extension of the integrator's team from project conception through final commissioning.

The company's Professional Services organization focuses exclusively on LED display deployments, and that commitment extends well beyond installation. Planar provides comprehensive post-installation support through technical support, field service, preventative maintenance, replacement part management, repair services, and its Planar Care maintenance program.

"Our collaboration begins well before the first panel is installed through design reviews, site readiness assessments, constructability evaluations, installation planning, logistics coordination, and dedicated project management," Spangler said. "Several members of our Project Management Office hold Project Management Professional [PMP] certifications, bringing proven project management methodologies to complex deployments."

Chief's TiLED Universal Wall Mount solutions are another way to simplify dvLED installations. Albright said the mount is compatible with more than 95% of interlocking dvLED cabinets from virtually every major display manufacturer including Absen, Barco, Hikvision, INFiLED, LG, LianTronics, Philips, Planar, Samsung, Sharp, Sony, Unilumin, and many others.

While Chief offers display-specific TiLED mounts, its TiLED Universal systems give integrators a single common dvLED mounting platform that works across nearly every project. This simplifies specification, inventory, and installation because integrators can standardize on one solution instead of relying on multiple manufacturer-specific products.

Peerless-AV unleashed the Refinio Media Wall at ISE 2026, but its SEAMLESS dvLED mounting systems have long been a "go-to" for integrators. "Unlike LCD video walls, dvLED arrays leave nothing to hide behind," Meiner said. "There are no bezels to mask a misaligned tile. A fraction of a millimeter of variance between cabinets shows up as a visible seam or shadow line the moment content plays. Peerless-AV’s SEAMLESS dvLED mounting systems are engineered for exactly this challenge.

"The Connect Series is built to the precise specifications of major panel manufacturers, so cabinets land where they should with the alignment tolerances dvLED demands," he continued. "Features like fine micro-adjustment, integrated cable management, and serviceable access are not extras. They are what separates a clean install from a callback."

Other manufacturers, such as Mount-It! PRO, are continuing to reinvent wall mount solutions for modern day installation. Its Zaxxis Micro dvLED video wall mount, which was unveiled at InfoComm 2026, offers precise Z-axis depth control in a 43mm profile. Meanwhile, Absen's all-in-one Saturn Series features rear-serviceable modules and power boxes, and can transform into several configurations like curves, cylinders, and arcs.

Whether you go all-in-one or a customized fit, careful planning of dvLED and LED walls and displays is more important now than ever before. Working with manufacturers from planning and through the lifespan of the wall, whether it is with their online tools or after-installation care, dodges many of the pitfalls behind the display. If challenges are addressed and installations are done correctly, the dvLED video wall will shine and bring awe to visitors, while the support system remains the unsung hero.

Summary:

• Integrator ArtAV standardized on LEA Professional Connect Series amplifiers and Fohhn loudspeakers to tackle complex, temporary museum installations.
• For John Akomfrah’s 'Listening All Night To The Rain' exhibit, ArtAV deployed LEA Connect Series 168 amplifiers to power and synchronize 104 audio channels across multiple gallery spaces.
• LEA Professional's web GUI (WebUI) simplifies daily operations for front-of-house staff, while IoT capabilities allowed ArtAV’s team to remotely monitor metering, perform fault-finding, and adjust levels directly from the U.K. throughout the exhibition’s run in Italy.

Galleries and museums around the world host an enormous range of art installations and exhibitions, but what appears on screen or occupies the space is often only part of the experience. Audio plays a significant role in these environments, whether by setting the atmosphere, providing complementary background music, or serving as the installation's soundscape. Recently, integrator ArtAV has gradually standardized on Connect Series amplifiers from LEA Professional and loudspeakers from Fohhn.

[No Drawing Required]

ArtAV specializes in exactly these kinds of spaces, where the supporting AV technology must be technically sophisticated, reliable over extended periods, and nearly invisible. The relationship between ArtAV and LEA was facilitated by Audiologic, whose expertise and industry relationships helped connect the two companies. Together, these technologies have enabled ArtAV to balance operational simplicity with a robust technical foundation across several international exhibitions, including the Venice Biennale.

Behind the scenes, though, these systems are far from simple. Many installations involve a lot of audio channels spread across several rooms or outdoor areas, with equipment concealed in walls, plant spaces, or temporary racks. ArtAV's team sets up, measures, and fine-tunes the audio at each installation using LEA Professional's extensive DSP parameters and its highly regarded Sharkware configuration suite.

“Usability can be every bit as important as amplification power and sonic performance,” said Simon Weightman, project manager at ArtAV. “In addition to the built-in DSP capabilities and speaker tunings, LEA amplifiers offer an absolutely fantastic web GUI [WebUI] that simplifies day-to-day operations for front-of-house staff. That is a huge benefit and a significant part of the reason we standardized on LEA for amplification.”

ArtAV worked alongside John Akomfrah on his largest and most ambitious exhibition to date, Listening All Night To The Rain, at the 60th International Art Exhibition at the Venice Biennale. It included 104 audio channels distributed across a basement gallery, flanking side rooms, and a main hall, all of which were required to play in precise sync.

Each space carried its own distinct soundscape: 18 loudspeakers setting a foreboding tone in the basement, voices threading through a suspended sculptural cloud of tape players and vinyl records, and a sphere of sound shaped by 20 loudspeakers in the main gallery's immersive eight-projection wrap-around. With spaces in close proximity and wildly different sonic characters, the audio mix needed to both stand alone in each room and cohere as a single, unified experience.

LEA’s amplifiers proved central to achieving that balance. ArtAV’s team installed several Connect Series 168 amplifiers to power the exhibit. The CS168 is an 8-channel amplifier providing 160 watts per channel. All amplifiers in the Connect Series are professional-grade, IoT-enabled smart amplifiers suitable for installations of any size. They support both Hi-Z (70V or 100V) and Lo-Z, selectable by channel, eliminating the need for separate amplifiers to handle different speaker impedances, while streamlining installations and reducing equipment costs. The Connect Series also includes 96kHz DSP as a standard feature, providing a range of benefits that greatly enhance audio performance and system versatility.

Artgoers and critics responded very positively to the exhibit, praising its immersive blend of moving image, sound, and archival material, with major reviews calling it a “magnificent” and emotionally overwhelming experience.

“As installations become more immersive and increasingly reliant on complex audio, having intelligent amplification is now just as important as having great loudspeakers,” said Weightman. “With LEA, we know we have a platform that is reliable, flexible, and easy to support remotely, which allows us to focus on helping artists realize their vision.”

Snapshot:

• Captures 4K Ultra HD at 60 fps with a 1-inch, 50MP CMOS sensor, 20x optical zoom, phase-detect autofocus and optical image stabilization.
• Supports professional workflows with 12G-SDI, timecode, genlock, FreeD camera tracking, SFP+ fiber connectivity and professional XLR audio.
• Ships with Horizon Web for intuitive camera control, image adjustment, intelligent presets, tracking and automation.

Introducing the PTZOptics Rise 4K. This new flagship broadcast PTZ camera brings technology once reserved for high-budget studios within reach of more broadcasters, producers, and production teams by combining cinematic 4K imaging, professional broadcast connectivity and intelligent video technology in a robotic camera designed for sports, broadcast, live events, enterprise studios, universities, houses of worship, and independent productions.

[A Turning Point for AI]

It gives teams a practical way to add high-quality camera angles, expand multicamera coverage and create more polished content without placing an operator at every camera position. “Rise brings together engineering expertise and continuous innovation with a deep understanding of real-world production workflows shaped by years of user input and feedback.," said Matthew Davis, chief technology officer at PTZOptics. "Our goal is to put the imaging quality, precision and advanced capabilities once limited to major broadcast networks and high-budget television studios within reach of more broadcasters, production teams and professional creators.”

At the heart of Rise is a 1-inch, 50MP CMOS sensor that captures 4K Ultra HD video at up to 60 fps. A 20x optical zoom and approximately 71-degree horizontal field of view provide the flexibility to move from wide establishing shots to detailed close-ups. Phase-detect autofocus keeps subjects sharp, while optical image stabilization and smooth brushless motors support stable images and precise, natural camera movement. A built-in three-stage ND filter provides greater exposure control across changing lighting conditions.

Rise provides the connectivity and synchronization required for professional multicamera production. Timecode and genlock keep cameras precisely synchronized, while FreeD support enables integration with virtual production and augmented reality systems.

Video outputs include 12G-SDI for 4K60, 3G-SDI, HDMI and USB 3.0. Network options include NDI HX, RTMP, RTSP, SRT and 12G-compatible SFP+ fiber connectivity. Professional XLR inputs with 48V phantom power, onboard TF card recording and front and rear tally lights complete the production package.

Rise ships with Horizon Web as its standard camera interface, bringing responsive camera movement, image and color adjustment, intelligent presets, tracking, auto-framing and automation into an intuitive browser-based workspace accessible from any device on the same network.

“Production teams are being asked to create more content, cover more events and capture more angles with limited resources,” said Claudia Barbiero, director of global marketing at PTZOptics. “Rise gives them an attainable path to higher-end production, combining broadcast-quality imaging with intelligent tools that help smaller teams accomplish more.”

Details:

• Vue, the largest cinema operator in the U.K. and Ireland, has installed Auri across 20 cinemas—covering over 28% of its total circuit admissions..
• Guest experience next-generation Bluetooth Auracast technology.
• The system installs quickly on walls or ceilings without requiring expensive venue retrofits or operational downtime.

In a major step forward for entertainment accessibility, Vue, the largest cinema operator in the U.K. and Ireland, is rolling out the innovative Auri assistive listening system across its locations. Co-developed by industry pioneers Listen Technologies and Ampetronic, Auri leverages Bluetooth Low Energy Auracast broadcast technology to deliver crystal-clear, personalized audio directly to moviegoers. The initial deployment spans 20 Vue cinemas, covering more than 28% of the circuit’s total admissions. This initiative reinforces Vue's commitment to combining premium comfort with technology to create an inclusive, top-tier big-screen experience for all patrons.

[Ready for the Virtual World]

“This installation of Auri in Vue Cinemas marks a major milestone in the adoption of Auracast technology within the cinema industry," said Craig Davey, national sales manager U.K. and Ireland, Ampetronic | Listen Technologies. "As one of the first large-scale deployments of Auracast in cinemas, it demonstrates how next-generation assistive listening technology can be seamlessly integrated into entertainment venues.

“The rollout highlights Vue’s commitment to improving accessibility and offering a more convenient and personalized listening experience. It also showcases the growing momentum behind Bluetooth LE Audio and Auracast as the future standard for public venue accessibility.”

Auri transforms the cinema experience by offering a seamless "bring your own device" model. Moviegoers with Auracast-enabled hearing aids, cochlear implants, earbuds, or headphones can simply select the venue’s audio stream to receive low-latency, high-quality sound directly through their personal devices. For guests without compatible tech, dedicated Auri receivers paired with standard headphones are available to borrow. Beyond serving those with hearing loss, the system delivers audio descriptions for visually impaired guests and provides tailored sound options for neurodivergent individuals seeking a less overwhelming environment.

Narinder Shergill, general manager at Vue U.K. and Ireland, emphasized that partnering with Ampetronic and Listen Technologies helps remove barriers so audiences can focus on deeper emotional connections to the film. Auri joins a series of recent innovations at Vue, including spacious Ultra Lux recliner seating, EPIC premium large-format screens featuring HDR projection with Dolby Atmos sound, and streamlined retail concepts.

From an operational standpoint, Auri provides a hassle-free, future-ready solution for venue operators. The system installs quickly without requiring structural retrofits or costly downtime. Compact black or white transmitters mount easily on walls or ceilings to blend into the decor while broadcasting to an unlimited number of devices within range. Operators manage the network using centralized Auri Manager software, and the system can operate alongside legacy accessibility setups.

Craig Davey, national sales manager for Ampetronic and Listen Technologies, highlighted the deployment as a landmark milestone for Auracast adoption in the entertainment industry. Vue joins other notable U.K. venues utilizing Auri, including Brighton Station, the University of Oxford, and the Birmingham Hippodrome. As consumer adoption of Bluetooth LE Audio devices continues to accelerate, Vue’s proactive installation positions the chain as a leader in modern, accessible cinema.

The history of projection technology is, in many ways, a history of trade-offs. Greater brightness often meant larger systems. Wider color gamut came at the expense of cost or gradation. For decades, manufacturers have optimized individual components in isolation, repeatedly encountering the same limits.

Visual compromises can pull audiences out of the experience, diminishing the sense of immersion that today’s environments demand. The pressure is on for projection technology to deliver the engaging, high-quality immersive experiences audiences crave.

Projection tech has always evolved, but the latest advancements mark a distinction in the industry’s ability to create truly vivid, lifelike, and colorful activations. Let’s explore how VIVID PRIME, a new approach to RGB laser light source technology, uniquely solves this challenge.

A System-Level Approach

One of the tradeoffs to the ease and cost-effectiveness of 1-DLP projection is the "rainbow effect," brief flashes of spectral color at the edges of bright objects, most visible when the eye scans across a high-contrast scene like white subtitles against a black background. This occurs because a single DMD chip can only display one color at a time. Therefore, it cycles through red, green, and blue subframes at high speed.

Under typical viewing conditions, the eye blends these into a full-color image, but certain viewing scenarios can make the individual subframes more noticeable. As a result, audiences may notice distracting flashes of color during fast eye movement, particularly in dark or high-contrast environments.

The intuitive solution is to increase subframe speed, since shorter color segments reduce visual separation during eye movement. However, higher switching speeds can introduce gradation loss and visible dither noise patterns, creating a different kind of artifact. Solving the rainbow effect without introducing these secondary issues requires precise coordination between the light source and DMD sequencing.

Seeing the negative impact the rainbow effect has on both the audience and operator experience, we chose to solve for this challenge with our new VIVID PRIME technology. Rather than advancing individual components independently, it takes a system-level approach, integrating the optical design, light source architecture, and DMD drive circuitry into a unified system.

The result is a projection technology that resolves long-standing conflicts between image quality parameters—not by managing trade-offs more efficiently, but by engineering around them at a system level. Its light source architecture delivers color switching speeds more than five times faster than conventional systems, dramatically increasing the subframe rate.

At the same time, a proprietary DMD sequencing approach, developed in collaboration with Texas Instruments (TI), helps preserve gradation and minimize visual anomalies at these higher speeds. By aligning these elements, VIVID PRIME reduces the visibility of the rainbow effect while maintaining overall image fidelity.

Fortunately, the same architecture that minimizes the rainbow effect also addresses a set of technical challenges that have long constrained what projection, even pure RGB, can deliver in demanding environments. This includes camera color shift, speckle noise, and the inherent tension between wide color gamut and smooth gradation reproduction. A comprehensive projection system where each element contributes to performance allows improvements to build on one another within a unified design.

An Impact on Experiences

This level of coordinated performance is particularly valuable in applications where multiple image quality factors come into play simultaneously, settings where no single compromise is acceptable and where image performance is highly visible.

Museums and cultural institutions: Exhibition environments increasingly rely on projection for both interpretive display and artistic installation. Galleries and museums need advanced projection tech to achieve accurate, stable color reproduction as well as artifact-free imagery at extended viewing distances.

Themed entertainment and immersive environments: Projection mapping and immersive installations place intense demands on image consistency, often requiring multiple projectors to operate for long periods and at close viewing distances. In these settings, even minor visual inconsistencies can break immersion. High-performance projectors with a compact form factor support easier integration in these constrained spaces.

Corporate and large-venue presentation: In a single day, a large-venue system might shift from a product launch video to a dark-room executive presentation. Each demands a slightly different visual priority. Rather than forcing trade-offs between these modes, RGB laser light source technology helps maintain consistency across them, so content changes feel intentional.

Simulation and visualization: In simulation environments, projection quality shapes decision-making. A military defense member in a simulated training environment relies on subtle visual cues as scenes evolve while projection reliability determines someone’s next swing in a golf simulator. Speckle suppression and gradation fidelity speak directly to these needs.

Broadcast and live production: On a concert stage, projection is often doing double duty—enhancing the in-person experience while also becoming part of the televised frame. What looks vibrant in the room still must translate through a camera sensor and broadcast feed.

Solving for the rainbow effect requires more than a collection of features. It demands a unified engineering approach that emerges from the same integrated system design.

For integrators and end users evaluating projection technology for demanding applications, the development of RGB laser light-source technology represents a meaningful step forward in designing and delivering projection performance.

Details:

• The d&b audiotechnik installation by CAVS at Napa Music Hall spans two floors.
• The upstairs Ballroom utilizes CL-Series CCL8 and CCL12compact cardioid line arrays with d&b's ArrayProcessing technology to ensure even coverage, complemented by KSL-GSUB subwoofers strategically buried beneath the stage.
• The Club utilizes an assortment of models from the xS series including 12S, 10S and 8S point source loudspeakers, complemented by a cardioid subwoofer array comprised of three Bi6-SUBs. The entire system is driven efficiently by a combination of 40D, 25D, and 5D amplifiers.

The newly launched Napa Music Hall, housed in the 19th-century Napa Valley Opera House, was designed to be Northern California's luxury entertainment destination. Spearheaded by wine and hospitality entrepreneur John Anthony Truchard and Commercial Audio Video Solutions (CAVS), the venue utilizes a d&b audiotechnik audio system, featuring CL-Seriescompact cardioid line arrays, KSL-GSUB subwoofers, and U-Series point source loudspeakers to deliver unparalleled auditory experiences for touring artists and audiences alike.

[A High-Tech Oasis Rising above Low-Tech Downtown Vegas]

Truchard, founder and CEO of John Anthony Wine & Spirits, is no stranger to blending wine, hospitality, and music. After spending a decade as a presenting sponsor for the BottleRock Napa Valley music festival, Truchard saw a unique opportunity for his hometown.

"Our goal with Napa Music Hall is putting Napa on the map for music another 362 days a year," explained Truchard. "We want to be an unmissable stop for artists that are touring through this route, making Napa Music Hall the perfect intimate add-on for their VIPs, most loyal listeners, and fans."

Napa Music Hall features two distinct performance spaces: the 650-capacity standing-room Ballroom upstairs, and the intimate 160-seat Club downstairs. When renovating the spaces to accommodate diverse entertainment options ranging from acoustic sets and comedy to high-energy rock and EDM, the venue's 15-year-old legacy sound system needed a dramatic upgrade. Truchard prioritized a highly rider-friendly system that would attract premium talent. After extensive modeling and listening tests, he chose d&b audiotechnik. "It operates exactly as advertised," Truchard notes. "d&b presented a solution, and then they delivered perfectly on that."

Don Lynch of CAVS specified the d&b audiotechnik CCL-Series for the main Ballroom because they offer true broadband directivity, combined with low-frequency cardioid performance, keeping the stage quiet while focusing all the energy out into the house. Low-frequency support proved just as impressive, with KSL-GSUB subwoofers placed out of sight under the stage. Jamie Trant, production lead at Napa Music Hall, especially appreciated the cardioid nature of the subwoofers, noting that the PA can be on at full volume, and you can still have a normal conversation on stage, allowing musicians to easily hear each other.

When Napa Music Hall successfully opened its doors this past May with acts like LCD Soundsystem and Bush, the results spoke for themselves. "Between the quality of the venue, our professional staff, and our choice of d&b audiotechnik, there's not a musician in the world who’s not going to be delighted to play here," Truchard concluded. "It sounds great, and more importantly, the bands themselves tell us it sounds great."

What to know:

• Absen’s next-generation LED display platform delivers enhanced image quality, greater creative flexibility and improved panel consistency for live events, touring, and broadcast.
• The PL Plus V2X Series delivers significant improvements in visual performance, including brightness up to 1,200 nits.
• Designed with rental companies, production team, and system integrators in mind.

Absen has unveiled the PL Plus V2X Series, the latest evolution of its Polaris Series for indoor rental and staging applications. Built for rental companies, production team, and system integrators, the PL Plus V2X Series is engineered to meet the demands of live entertainment, corporate events, touring productions and broadcast environments.

[No Drawing Required]

The new PL Plus V2X Series delivers enhanced visual performance, expanded creative flexibility, and improved panel-to-panel consistency for today's live events, touring, corporate productions, and broadcast environments.

“The PL Series has become one of the most trusted LED platforms in rental and staging because it consistently delivers the performance and reliability our customers need,” said Emily Chan, president of Absen. “With the PL Plus V2X Series, we've enhanced many aspects of the platform, including image quality and color accuracy, giving production teams even greater confidence to deliver exceptional visual experiences for live events, touring, corporate productions and broadcast applications.”

The PL Plus V2X Series delivers significant improvements in visual performance, including brightness up to 1,200 nits, a 95% DCI-P3 wide color gamut and a 7,680 Hz refresh rate that provides smooth on-camera performance while reducing flicker, even at low brightness levels. Together, the enhancements of the PL Plus V2X Series produce vibrant, lifelike imagery for both live audiences and broadcast applications.

Designed to support a wide range of creative display configurations, the PL Plus V2X Series includes flat, curved, L-shaped and flexible panel options that enable event professionals to build custom stages, immersive environments and architectural LED installations. Through same-batch LEDs and color-matched mask controls during manufacturing, Absen further improves panel-to-panel uniformity, helping deliver seamless visual performance across large LED canvases. 

The new hires and promotions kept rolling at an increased pace last week. There were also plenty of noteworthy partnerships formed. But before we get to that, there were a trio of big stories from FORTÉ, LED Studio, and Uniguest.

GPA and FORTÉ have agreed to conclude their current partnership at the end of to pursue their respective strategic priorities and growth initiatives. The two have been in a strategic alliance since 2020, which has contributed to the successful delivery of AV projects and programs designed to enhance communication and collaboration for customers worldwide. However, both companies agreed future strategies are best advanced independently. Mark J. Pescatore spoke to Jeff Stoebner, chairman and CEO of FORTÉ, for more. You can read it here.

The very next day, Uniguest acquired Visix to enhance its workplace and campus engagement strategy. You can get all the details here.

Lastly, LED Studio North America has rebranded to VOD North America. Per a company release, this transition formalizes a deep operational partnership with global LED display manufacturer VOD Visual to significantly scale manufacturing, engineering, and localized support across the region.

The rebrand introduces greater operational agility to meet surging North American demand. The expansion is anchored by 56,000 square feet of new infrastructure, featuring a primary operation facility and product showroom in Sacramento, CA, alongside a dedicated secondary showroom in San Antonio, TX. The Sacramento hub will also house advanced engineering resources and a dedicated domestic RMA repair and service center designed to significantly reduce turnaround times and streamline post-sale support for North American clients.

Now, get caught up on the Pro AV week that was.

People News

Advanced Systems Group Appoints Eran Binyamin Zeitoun as Senior Technical Program Manager

Advanced Systems Group (ASG) appointed Eran Binyamin Zeitoun as senior technical program manager. Zeitoun will help lead a new ASG business initiative focused on enterprise media asset management and storage systems, newsroom computer systems (NRCS), and media infrastructure solutions for broadcasters and media organizations.

Zeitoun provides technical strategies, solution architecture, program management, and client engagement to help organizations design and deploy scalable, future-ready media workflows. Zeitoun joins ASG after a distinguished 27-year career with Dalet Digital Media Systems, where he most recently served as senior infrastructure and solution architect. During his tenure, he designed and validated enterprise media and IT solutions for leading broadcasters and media organizations worldwide, served as the highest technical escalation point for complex issues, and worked closely with engineering, professional services, support, and project teams to ensure successful implementations and rapid issue resolution.

Audio Engineering Society Announces Results of 2026 Elections

The Audio Engineering Society has announced the results of its 2026 Board of Directors and Board of Governors elections. The Society’s membership has elected David v.R. Bowles as President-Elect, as well as several new Governors and Regional Vice Presidents.

In the AES Elections for the Board of Governors (BoG), the following have been elected as regional Vice Presidents: Malik Williams, Vice President: Eastern Region, USA/Canada; Jess Berg, Vice President: Western Region, USA/Canada; and Merlijn van Veen, Vice President: Northern Region, Europe. Additionally, newly elected as at-large Governors are Helen Caddes, Ivo Marković and Angela Piva. Valerie Tyler has been re-elected as Secretary.

Save for the president-elect, each newly elected individual will serve a two-year term. Bowles will serve on the AES Board of Directors as president-elect in 2027, in 2028 as president, in 2029 as past president, followed by two years as a Governor. All those newly elected will begin their terms on January 1, 2027.

The 2027 Audio Engineering Society Board of Directors will be led by president Cesar Lamschtein, past president Brecht De Man, and Bowles. Joining them in key officer roles are secretary Valerie Tyler and treasurer Jayant Datta, alongside director Agnieszka Roginska. One additional director will be elected by the Board of Governors within the next 60 days.

In addition to the directors, the AES 2027 Board of Governors features regional VPs Masataka Nakahara (Asia-Pacific), Merlijn van Veen (Northern Europe), Piotr Majdak (Central Europe), Huseyin Hacihabiboglu (Southern Europe/Middle East/Africa), Ezequiel Morfi (Latin America), Malik Williams (Eastern USA/Canada), Kelvin Grimble (Central USA/Canada), and Jess Berg (Western USA/Canada). The Board is completed by governors Jamie Baker, Fariuska Lira Barully, Leslie Gaston-Bird, Helen Caddes, Gary Gottlieb, Ivo Marković, Angela Piva, and Bernarda Ubidia.

Celestion Appoints Torben Müller as Business Development Manager

Celestion appointed Torben Müller to the position of business development manager. In his new role, Müller’s primary focus is identifying, exploring, and developing new opportunities for growth alongside Celestion’s valued customers and partners. He is also responsible for serving many of Celestion’s international distributors, plus several key OEMs across both the pro audio and guitar sides of the business.

Müller joins Celestion with an extensive background in the music instrument and professional audio industries. He initially taught music at a grammar school before transitioning to the music technology industry. He spent more than a decade in sales and promotion at Tube Amp Doctor (TAD) known for premium-quality valves for guitar amplifiers. His tenure at TAD, which also serves as Celestion's German distributor, provided an opportunity for Müller to gain a deep understanding of Celestion’s products and customers.

DPA Microphones Appoints Raul Contreras as West Coast Regional Sales Manager

DPA Microphones welcomes Raul Contreras as its new West Coast regional sales manager. In this role, Contreras oversees sales and customer relationships throughout the Western United States, supporting DPA Microphones, Austrian Audio, and Wisycom, while working closely with dealers, distributors, and end users to further strengthen the company’s presence across the region.

Contreras, who steps into the role following the retirement of industry veteran John Root, brings more than 15 years of experience in driving business growth, strategic partnerships, and brand development across the pro audio, music technology and consumer product industries. Throughout his career, Contreras has held leadership positions with respected global brands, including Native Instruments, Monster Energy, and HOTPIT Autofest. It was in these positions that he built strong relationships with channel partners, developed go-to-market strategies, and led initiatives that expanded market presence and revenue across North America and Latin America.

RCF USA appoints Michael Curtis as Product Specialist and System Engineer

RCF USA appointed Michael Curtis as product specialist and system engineer, further strengthening the company’s technical support and customer education initiatives throughout North America. In his new role, Curtis provides loudspeaker system design and application support for RCF’s growing network of consultants, integrators and sales partners while also leading the development of technical training, educational content and customer-focused resources across the company’s professional audio portfolio.

Zixi Appoints Alyson Stewart as Senior Director of Sales

Zixi has appointed Alyson Stewart as senior director of sales. In her new role, Stewart drives direct sales and partnerships, deepening Zixi’s relationships with broadcasters, media companies, and enterprise clients as the company continues to expand its footprint across the media and entertainment industry.

Stewart is responsible for growing new business across Zixi’s direct sales channel, strengthening go-to-market partnerships, and supporting customers as they transition live video workflows from legacy infrastructure to scalable, IP-based delivery.

Partnerships

Bogen Communications Joins the Partner Alliance for Safer Schools

Bogen Communications has joined the growing list of PASS Partners, a coalition focused on improving safety and security in educational environments through industry collaboration and guidance. The approval highlights Bogen Communications’ investment in the education industry and positions the company within a network of manufacturers, consultants, and public safety professionals focused on standardizing school safety practices.

PASS develops School Safety and Security Guidelines that provide a tiered framework for assessing risk and implementing protective measures across K-12 facilities. The guidelines are widely referenced by school administrators, design consultants and integrators when planning and upgrading safety infrastructure.

By supporting PASS, Bogen Communications gains direct visibility into evolving school safety requirements and the opportunity to contribute to discussions that shape how communication systems are specified and deployed in educational settings. Bogen Communications' engagement allows the company to align its product development and system design with frameworks already used by decision-makers in the field.

CODA Audio USA Appoints Five New Rep Firms

CODA Audio USA continues its rapid expansion in the United States with the appointment of five new rep firms to significantly increase the company’s reach in the United States professional audio market. The new firms add to CODA Audio USA’s existing network of representation, bringing on board yet more experience and expertise to propel the brand forwards.

MultiPoint Integrated Technologies will represent CODA in Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Delaware, Washington DC, Maryland, Western Pennsylvania, and Virginia Beach, whilst Frequency Sales will take care of Illinois and Wisconsin. UC Technology Partners will take the reins in Connecticut, Rhode Island, Vermont, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Upstate New York, with Caliber Sales looking after Florida. Completing the new lineup is Bassett Sales Corporation who will operate in Hawaii, Northern California, and Northern Nevada.

Sennheiser Becomes Official Sound Provider of Formula E

Formula E and Sennheiser announced a multi-year partnership under which Sennheiser will become Formula E’s official sound provider. The collaboration will see the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship integrate Sennheiser’s professional audio solutions and pioneering AMBEO immersive audio technology across the global series, creating new ways for fans to experience the excitement, energy and emotion of electric racing.

As the first all-electric FIA World Championship, Formula E continues to lead the way in sport-tech innovation. Through this partnership, Formula E and Sennheiser will explore how advanced audio capture and encoding workflows can create more immersive experiences for viewers watching on any device. By partnering with Sennheiser, the series aims to set a new global benchmark for live sports broadcasting and fan engagement, utilizing Sennheiser’s expertise to capture the unique, high-performance soundscapes of the GEN4 era.

Company News

AtlasIED’s German Experience Center Holds Grand Opening

AtlasIED hosted a multi-day grand opening event at its new Warendorf, Germany experience center and showroom. The opening included hands-on training and product demos for a wide range of European distributors and integrators, as well as a reception and celebration to commemorate the event.

The experience center is designed as a collaborative hub for distributors, system integrators, consultants, and end users to gain hands-on experience with the company's solutions. During the opening event, attendees participated in live product demonstrations, project presentations, and interactive training sessions. They also had opportunities to directly access and program the Atmosphere platform.

In addition to manufacturer-led courses, AtlasIED is expanding its curriculum to include specialized instruction for third-party technologies, such as EASE and Dante, while a dedicated seminar room supports small-group, software-focused training sessions.

Custom Channels Introduces Next-Generation Customer Portal

Custom Channels has rolled out its completely reimagined customer portal, giving businesses a more powerful and intuitive way to manage branded music and messaging across every location, from a single storefront to hundreds of sites nationwide.

As physical spaces become increasingly connected and digitally intelligent, organizations need more than music management tools. They need the flexibility to deliver consistent, brand-building customer experiences while responding to local opportunities and customer preferences. Developed in direct response to customer feedback, the new portal enables businesses to do exactly that through a single, scalable platform.

Designed to support organizations of every size, the new portal scales effortlessly from a single location to regional operations and national enterprise deployments. Customers no longer need different management tools as their businesses grow. The same intuitive platform supports every stage of expansion while preserving a consistent brand experience.

Hosa Technology Launches Pro Access

Hosa Technology has introduced Pro Access, a purchasing program that gives qualified professionals direct access to Hosa's catalog of interconnects, adapters, and patch solutions at professional pricing.

Hosa makes the cables, adapters, and patch solutions behind the final connections in an AV system, at the rack and at the endpoint. The catalog spans more than 1,200 SKUs across Euroblock, Cat6, HDMI, fiber optic, DMX, AES/EBU, and analog audio, from mic lines to speaker runs. Pro Access gives qualified professionals the Hosa catalog at pro pricing, with no minimums, quotas, or purchase commitments.

The program is open to businesses of any size—from independent contractors to full integration firms. Applicants complete a one-time business verification, then order online or by phone in any quantity.

Shure Secures Sustainability in AV Certification

Shure is now officially SAVe Certified at the corporate level. Twenty-one Shure Associates, representing a broad cross-section of company operations, participated in the SAVe Certification process, which involves an educational program, workshop, and planning session. The certification program is designed to help organizations develop action plans to advance the 2030 SDGs.

SAVe provides a vehicle for the AV industry to achieve sustainable development and serves as a bridge to other industries, NGOs and partner organizations who share the conviction that we must take urgent action to preserve the health of our planet, communities, and people.

SAVe initiatives include SAVe Certification, a process by which organizations can develop an action plan to advance the SDGs; SAVe: A Second Life, a program designed to reduce e-waste by giving AV equipment a second life at the end of its first one; and SAVe Sustainable Manufacturers Council, which seeks to provide AV manufacturers the information, tools and leadership necessary to accelerate the sector’s transition to a more sustainable future.

Oh no, not another article about AI, you may be thinking. But this time, we're addressing where cloud computing and AI converge, and what that means for us as system integrators in the Pro AV space in our mission to provide the best service to our clients.

First, some definitions so we’re all speaking the same language. The classical definition of cloud is a method of doing compute. Cloud refers to a group of computers working in concert, and that term has been around long before Amazon or Google existed. For systems integrators today, it’s important to return to that classical definition, because cloud means a group of computers working in a coordinated way that could be on premise, in a co-location, in a client's data center, or in a public hyperscaler or a neoscaler (tailored equipment and software to a particular clients' needs).

In the classic sense of cloud compute, up until now we’ve been talking about methods for transforming signal workflows and workloads from dedicated hardware to software running in compute. As the capabilities of compute have continued to evolve and we’ve moved to software-defined infrastructures, we could be running them in a hyperscaler, on our client's premises, or in a third-party data center.

This opens the door for us to begin to add services that would not be possible in a traditional SDI, HDMI, or NDI-based hardware environment—and where the application of AI is both useful to our clients and commercially viable today. Much of what is written about AI is still very forward facing. However, today we see applications that we can install for our clients in useful ways.

AI Tech Deployable Today

This is a turning point in the system integration world. Previously, much of our talk about what AI might or might not do has been very specific to a vendor embedding a technology in a device, such as tracking a speaker with a camera. But, today, via the work that NVIDIA and others have done, we have practical applications that can run in real-time systems to assist our clients now. These applications are not only useful to our clients but create recurring revenue for us and help spread the cost as an OpEx load.

Of the low hanging fruit today are tools for closed captioning, translation, and localization. All of us who’ve installed systems for multinational corporations have been grappling with these topics for decades, starting as requirements around captioning, then translation and localization. AI technology has matured to the point where it is now deployable in our clients’ spaces running on local hardware, which eliminates many of the security concerns that previously existed.

Through the NVIDIA Holoscan for Media initiative, AI modules called NVIDIA NIM (NVIDIA Inference Microservices) are being deployed that provide containers to self-host microservices for customized AI models across clouds, data centers, and RTX AI compute. Holoscan for Media was built to enable multi-vendor applications with compressed and uncompressed media support through ST 2110 and other interfaces.

When we started our work in partnership with NVIDIA on Holoscan for Media, we had a much larger vision for replacing hardware systems with completely software-defined workflows in mind. But in today's hyper-inflated compute cost environment, that's not as practical as we and the market expected it to be. It doesn’t mean that the concept of using modular software-defined products in our real-time production and AV worlds is off the table. It just means, as always, using the right tool for the right job at the right cost.

We cannot solve the issue of translating a CEO’s speech into multiple languages in a video switcher, video router, or any other part of the video ecosystem, but we can solve that by running AI on prem for our clients. At the 2026 NAB Show, NVIDIA demonstrated the ability to translate a commentator into three different languages, closed caption those languages, and adjust the lip sync so that each language looked natural. All running a set of NIMs in a scaled Holoscan for Media environment on a single computer in real time. These are the beginnings of applications we’ll see throughout this year that are practical, deployable, and will fit within our clients’ budgets and cost structures.

Stay Aware of What's Available

What is that going to look like for system contractors as we go to sell these products and services to our clients? It's going to break down into multiple parts, as every system does.

First and foremost, we're going to need to learn the services that are available today to sell to our clients, and that will include understanding who the vendors are, what the risks of deploying those vendors are, and what the business models look like. This is the same as all products we’ve deployed throughout our careers.

Some of the AI-enabled applications becoming available in our real-time production world include the ability to use AI to upconvert material with greater quality than any previous technology provided. And AI provides a more nuanced set of tools for automatically reframing 9:16 for vertical streaming. In terms of audio, Ross Video showed a widely deployed AI audio mixing tool at NAB called Lama, which provides sophisticated audio mixing with less user interaction. These are tools that can be deployed in real time, on-prem client facilities today.

As this year progresses, we’ll see more products coming into general availability. These are continuous opportunities for us to help our clients evolve their systems and workflows, and provide better capabilities at lower operational costs.

A Sea Change for Integrators

How does this work in today's on-prem systems? It means you’ll be configuring and installing compute, either individual computers or small clusters in our client spaces, where we have traditionally put other devices, such as video switchers and other products that have evolved to become computer based. It also means that these systems are going to need real-time audio and video I/O.

It will be important to understand the signal flow in your existing system that you're adding these capabilities to, so the compute systems you’re building can be configured optimally. Is it SDI? Is it NDI? Is it HDMI?

This is where we take a different approach to the marketplace, because now we’re looking at augmenting existing on-prem, real-time systems with small clouds of compute within the existing environment. We’re bending the compute to fit the existing environment, as opposed to bending the workflow to fit the compute. This is a sea change in opportunities for system integrators—it brings these sophisticated capabilities into a place that doesn't require a major pivot in operations.

What do you need to do to get ready for this? As we begin to deploy this into our client sites, the most important set of skills for integration firms is that we have staff trained and ready to deploy virtualized and containerized applications on premise. Most traditional AV integrators have not had to do this previously.

The skills you will require will depend on your vendor partners. Some may choose to run their products in virtualized Windows environments using Hyper-V, others may choose Docker or Kubernetes environments. All of these are related but require different certifications and skills.

Then, of course, there will be the specific training on each vendor, how their product deploys, and how we train our customers to use it. These are skills we’re all familiar with and have been doing for many years.

This is the first time since I’ve written this column where I can say that everything we're talking about this quarter are things you can deploy for your clients next week. I encourage you to seek out vendors, learn the marketplace, and understand these ecosystems, as they will be highly valuable to our clients in the near term.

In this installation, Genelec helped:

• Keep foreground audio as a central pillar of the hotel's luxury experience, character, and brand identity.
• Helped solved the distance issue via a single network cable per speaker while preserving the luxury aesthetic with the Genelec Smart IP loudspeakers using Power over Ethernet (PoE).
• Used the loudspeakers as a visual and technical feature, intentionally displaying 21 surface-mounted Genelec 4430 in the Mojo Lounge.

While luxury hospitality traditionally focuses on fine dining, elegant interiors, and attentive service, JAG Hotel in downtown St. John’s, Newfoundland, sets itself apart through sound. Under the guidance of owner John Steele, whose passion for music shapes the property’s character, audio quality is built into the hotel’s identity rather than treated as an afterthought, which was Genelec was selected for the guest experience.

[AV/IT Summit Offers Solutions to Today’s Integration Challenges]

This music-driven philosophy took center stage when JAG Hotel expanded its top three floors to include the office floor, a penthouse suite, and the Mojo Lounge—a lavish cocktail bar on the eighth floor. To deliver an exceptional listening experience, the property required a premium audio system capable of making sound a core part of the guest environment.

To achieve this, Steele Hotels collaborated with Canadian AV distribution and integration specialist SFM to select and program the system alongside the hotel’s in-house installation crew. The project faced key challenges: The upper floors were located far from the main AV control room on the second floor, the timeline was tight, and the equipment needed to integrate cleanly with the lounge’s high-end decor.

SFM selected Genelec’s Smart IP series, utilizing Power over Ethernet (PoE) technology to power and network the system over single network cables. This approach solved the long-distance cabling challenge without cluttering the visual environment or requiring extensive new infrastructure.

The hotel’s technical team installed 71 Genelec Smart IP loudspeakers across the new spaces. Fifty 4435 in-ceiling models provided discreet coverage throughout the top floors, while 21 surface-mounted 4430 models were placed in the Mojo Lounge using adjustable brackets. Rather than concealing the wall-mounted units, the design team intentionally displayed them to complement the lounge’s aesthetic and signal the hotel's focus on high-fidelity audio.

The installation succeeded in moving beyond standard background audio, creating an immersive atmosphere that aligns with the property's musical roots and receives strong praise from guests and industry visitors.

"We at JAG Hotel don’t believe in background music," concluded property manager Shawn Basha, "it’s something we actively avoid. Instead, we believe in the power of foreground music for defining the atmosphere and identity of our hotel. With Genelec, we have been able to create a space that reflects the true JAG Hotel brand—bold, music-led, and committed to the experience of our guests."

What to know:

• Tateside repurposed existing audio hardware and engineered a central Mac Studio and QLab system—supported by an NDI decoder—to control five projectors, multi-channel audio, and automated door mechanics from a single playback platform.
• Complex technology was hidden behind simple, single-touch operation.
• Extensive offsite testing ensured instant, flawless deployment.

Trillium, a Berkeley Group residential development in Marylebone, London, offers premium homes paired with private wellness and lifestyle amenities. To introduce prospective buyers to the project, the Sales & Marketing Suite on Edgware Road features an immersive projection room designed to showcase the lifestyle on offer. Tateside was appointed to redesign the technically complex space, engineering a unified show-control system that seamlessly integrates projection, audio, touchscreen operation, and automated door control.

[Ready for the Virtual World]

"Creating a successful system involved much more than installing the projectors," explained Jonny Faint, project manager at Tateside. "We were delivering a fully sequenced storytelling environment designed to help prospective buyers picture the development and the experience of living there."

Tateside joined the project after previous setup attempts failed to deliver the required experience. While existing audio equipment—including loudspeakers, amplifiers, and DSP—was retained, the projection, media control, and room automation needed to be brought together into a reliable solution.

To achieve this, five Epson EB-L210SF short-throw projectors were positioned to cover three walls and the floor, with the main wall using a seamless two-projector edge blend. Custom shrouds conceal the white units within the dark environment while preserving ventilation. At the heart of the system, a Mac Studio running QLab acts as the central playback engine, coordinating all visual, audio, and room functions. An added NDI decoder handles video distribution for the floor projector, keeping the entire showcase running off a single, streamlined platform.

Despite the technical complexity behind the scenes, staff operation remains completely straightforward. An OpenAVC control system links a user-friendly touchscreen to QLab, allowing team members to launch the presentation or access a separate HDMI input with a single touch. At the conclusion of the sequence, QLab triggers a WebRelay connected to a concealed door, automatically opening it to transition guests into the next phase of the tour.

Offsite pre-building and close collaboration with OpenAVC allowed Tateside to resolve communication issues ahead of time and meet a strict onsite schedule. The system proved its reliability immediately after installation when staff hosted an unexpected live visitor, executing a perfectly synchronized show from projection down to the final door reveal. With the core presentation now delivering the intended impact, Tateside will return for final lighting integration, leaving Trillium with a powerful, automated sales tool.

What to know:

• Strict security rules required UMass Boston to keep all doors locked, eliminating traditional internal cable routes.
• Despite operating in a notoriously crowded wireless spectrum, the system delivered a strong signal with clear audio and simple delay configuration over a 2,000-foot student processional route.
• The wireless kit drastically reduced setup and testing time from hours to minutes. Its ease of use and reliability made it an essential, permanent "workbox tool" for production crews facing unpredictable venue challenges and tight installation windows.

When event security requirements, pedestrian safety concerns, and complex venue logistics threatened to complicate audio distribution for the University of Massachusetts Boston campus commencement ceremonies, Capron Lighting & Sound turned to RF Venue's RF PA Extension Kit to replace lengthy cable runs with a reliable wireless solution that simplified deployment while delivering uninterrupted audio performance.

[AV/IT Summit Offers Solutions to Today’s Integration Challenges]

“Live event professionals constantly face changing venue requirements, tighter installation schedules, and increasing logistical challenges,” said Chris Regan, chief innovation officer at RF Venue. “The RF PA Extension Kit was developed specifically to eliminate the time, labor and safety concerns associated with long analog cable runs while maintaining the audio quality and reliability professional productions require. It’s rewarding to see companies like Capron Lighting & Sound using the system to overcome real-world challenges at high-profile events.”

Supporting the university’s student processional system required reliable audio transmission between front-of-house operations to where graduates were lining up more than 700 feet away. While the university’s recently installed fiber infrastructure transported audio to a campus technology room the bulk of the distance, the remaining 150-foot span crossed a large glass atrium inside the Campus Center and continued across an outdoor pedestrian parkway, areas where traditional cable deployment had become increasingly difficult. The RF PA receivers fed a distributed PA system covering the approximate 2,000 feet of the student processional route.

In previous years, production crews were forced to route cables across audience seating areas, active roadways, multiple pedestrian walkways and through the Campus Center building. These installations often required overhead cable runs using platform lifts or extensive cable protection systems such as cable troughs.

Adding to the challenge, university security protocols required that all campus doors, including staff-only and non-public entrances, remain closed and secured throughout event preparation, eliminating the ability to route cables through the building and significantly reducing available installation and testing time.

The RF Venue RF PA Extension Kit provided a wireless alternative. Purpose-built for professional live sound applications, the RF PA Extension Kit pairs a two-channel 1RU transmitter with two single-channel IP54-rated diversity receivers featuring built-in compensation delay, allowing production teams to deliver high-quality audio to remote loudspeaker systems quickly, safely and cost-effectively when traditional wired connections are impractical.

“The RF PA Extension Kit was the perfect product to solve the problem,” said David Messcher, senior project manager/LED video screens at Capron Lighting & Sound, with the setup performing flawlessly despite the use being in one of the most RF-congested environments in the Northeast. “It worked exactly as advertised even in close proximity to Boston’s Logan International Airport and the busy downtown Boston area, including the Prudential Center. Signal strength remained rock solid throughout commencement despite the tremendous amount of RF activity and thousands of people on campus. Audio quality was excellent, delay configuration was simple, and deployment was significantly easier than previous methods we’ve used.”

Using the RF PA system, Capron Lighting & Sound transmitted audio wirelessly across the Campus Center atrium and outdoor pedestrian areas without interfering with pedestrian traffic, building access, or university operations. The receivers were positioned at the student lineup location, feeding a distributed PA system covering approximately 2,000 feet of student processional route.

“Instead of spending valuable time installing hundreds of feet of cable across heavily trafficked areas,” said Messcher, “we had the system operational within minutes. It allowed us to broadcast cleanly across the atrium and outdoor parkway without blocking doors or disrupting pedestrian traffic, making installation, testing and event operation incredibly straightforward.”

Within minutes, Messcher and his team was fully operational, ready to broadcast cleanly across the atrium and outdoor parkway without blocking doors or disrupting pedestrian traffic. The RF PA Extension Kit has also earned a permanent place in the company’s production inventory. “Beyond commencement, this is simply a great workbox tool," he concluded. "Every production company encounters unexpected situations where running cable isn’t practical. Having a dependable wireless audio transport solution like the RF PA gives us another option for solving problems quickly and professionally.”

What to know:

• Overcoming low ceilings and hard room reflections, a tailored point-source deployment brings high-energy worship and crystal-clear preaching to every seat.
• By bringing the speakers closer to the audience, Stage Audio Works achieved complete coverage while drastically reducing room reflections.
• Tailored for contemporary worship, The Father’s House Church system uses Plus Audio CPH212 and CPH210 point-source speakers complemented by CPU105 front fills and ET218B subwoofers.

Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth)-based Father’s House Church had a classic contemporary worship challenge: a wide seating layout, low ceilings, and polished concrete floors. To elevate both high-energy worship and clear, articulate preaching, the church partnered with long-time integration partner Stage Audio Works (SAW) to install a distributed Plus Audio system engineered specifically to handle the building's physical real estate.

[Now Available: The Integration Guide to House of Worship]

Balancing impactful music with intelligible spoken word demands uniform coverage across the entire room. Instead of driving high volume from a traditional front-of-house array, which triggers harsh acoustic reflections in wide, hard-surfaced spaces, SAW adopted a decentralized approach. By bringing the speakers closer to the audience, SAW achieved complete coverage while drastically reducing room reflections.

"In spaces with reflective concrete floors and low head-height, pushing sound across long distances usually backfires, creating a wash of room reflections that buries the vocals," explained Kieren Hempel of Stage Audio Works. "By distributing Plus Audio point-source cabinets in localized zones, we keep direct acoustic energy focused right where the congregation is sitting. It delivers dynamic worship impact and vocal precision without forcing FOH to fight the building."

Tailored for contemporary worship, The Father’s House Church system uses Plus Audio CPH212 and CPH210 point-source speakers for clear, controlled main and delay coverage, complemented by CPU105 front fills and ET218B subwoofers for warm low-end headroom. Driven by networked AC415 and AC420 Dante amplifiers, the system relies on onboard DSP and FIR filtering to ensure an uncompromised signal chain and exact time alignment across all zones.

For the church’s technical production crew, the biggest day-to-day win is consistency of the sound mix. By eliminating volume drop-offs and uneven frequency response across the sanctuary, FOH engineers can mix with complete confidence, knowing that what they hear at the sound desk faithfully translates to the back row and side wings.

"The SAW team understood our vision from the very beginning," said Vincent Swanepoel of Father’s House Church. "They presented us with clear, well-considered design approaches tailored specifically to our space, making it easy for leadership to approve a system that serves our entire congregation every Sunday. The collaboration felt natural, and the final result speaks for itself."

Uniguest has acquired Visix, an Atlanta‑based provider of enterprise‑grade digital signage, room management, and visual communications solutions. The acquisition expands Uniguest’s presence in the corporate and higher education markets.

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“Workplace and campus communications are becoming increasingly critical as organizations look for better ways to connect with their people,” said Matt Goche, CEO of Uniguest. “Expanding deeper into these verticals has been a strategic priority for us, and bringing Visix into Uniguest accelerates that vision. Their established presence in the market, combined with our global reach and engagement expertise, positions us to deliver even more impactful solutions to the customers we serve.”

For more than four decades, Visix has helped organizations communicate more effectively through secure, scalable, and highly customizable technology. Its digital signage, room scheduling solutions, and wayfinding systems support clients seeking to modernize communication, enhance safety, and create more connected experiences for employees, students, and visitors.

“This is a tremendous moment for Visix and our team," said Sean Matthews, CEO of Visix. "Joining a global organization like Uniguest—one that is growing quickly and is committed to building a strong, collaborative culture—feels like a natural fit for us. We’re excited to join a company that shares our values, and we look forward to what we can accomplish together.”

The acquisition supports Uniguest’s strategy to bring together digital signage and engagement technologies under one global platform. It also creates opportunities to deliver a broader suite of solutions to customers across corporate campuses, universities, healthcare systems, and other complex environments.

What to know:

• Global AV Group installed a custom 1 SOUND system that allows Madison Modern Social to transition smoothly from clear, background ambient music during daytime dining to high-energy, full-frequency audio for evening jazz performances and DJ sets.
• Following the initial installation, B|R Hospitality expanded the concept with OLS (Our Little Secret).
• By combining Cannon C8s, Contour CT28s, and SUB310 subwoofers the installation delivers balanced, high-fidelity sound tailored to the unique aesthetic and energy needs of both environments.

When Madison Modern Social first opened in Old Bridge, NJ, B|R Hospitality set out to create more than another upscale restaurant. To support the vision of a versatile destination capable of transitioning effortlessly from refined daytime dining to lively evenings featuring live jazz, DJs, and a vibrant nightlife atmosphere, B|R Hospitality partnered with Global AV Group to design and integrate a premium distributed audio system built around 1 SOUND loudspeakers.

[Do-Re-Mi-Fa-So-La-AI]

The initial setup succeeded in delivering balanced, high-clarity sound during lunch service while offering the dynamic output needed as energy builds throughout the night. The success of that installation paved the way for the venue's next chapter: OLS (Our Little Secret), an intimate luxury speakeasy hidden discreetly beside the main restaurant. Accessible through a concealed entrance, the Celano Design Studio-designed lounge features moody lighting, a striking marble bar, and an exclusive atmosphere.

To handle the restaurant's shifting energy levels without relying on sheer volume, Global AV Group deployed a distributed 1 SOUND system tailored to each space's unique acoustics and layout.

In the main dining area of Madison Modern Social, Cannon C8 loudspeakers paired with SUB310 subwoofers deliver consistent coverage across every room. This setup provides exceptional midrange clarity for comfortable daytime conversation while supplying robust low-frequency impact for evening entertainment.

Next door in the OLS speakeasy, the system combines Contour CT28 loudspeakers, custom-finished Cannon C8 units, and SUB310 subwoofers. Custom-matched through the 1 SOUND Custom Shop to complement the dark interior, the hardware generates high-energy impact suited for craft cocktails, late-night DJ sets, and intimate lounge gatherings.

By pairing thoughtful interior design with precision acoustic engineering, Madison Modern Social and OLS demonstrate how integrated audio can unify two distinct hospitality experiences under one roof. The result is a seamless journey for guests—moving from elevated dining to an exclusive speakeasy without sacrificing sound quality.

What to know:

• Extron and AV Structural built a centralized, standards-based AV infrastructure using DTP CrossPoint matrix switchers, TouchLink Pro touchpanels, and a 70V audio distribution system across clinical rooms, imaging suites, and executive offices.
• AV Structural successfully managed a highly compressed installation schedule alongside active framing and electrical trades, while quickly redesigning signal pathways on the fly.
• Leveraging Extron’s responsive technical and sales support, the team executed rigorous installation standards (including pre-tested 568B terminations and automated occupancy sensor controls) to deliver a flexible AV system that meets current clinical needs while allowing for seamless future expansion.

Extron and AV Structural Streamline AV for High-Performance Medical Clinic

Extron and AV Structural have delivered a unified, standards-based AV solution for Human Longevity’s advanced medical clinic in South San Francisco, enabling seamless support for video conferencing, patient consultation, medical imaging, and digital content delivery across the entire facility. Designed to complement the clinic’s focus on precision wellness and personalized care, the system leverages Extron DTP CrossPoint Series scaling presentation matrix switchers to provide centralized signal routing, integrated control, and consistent user experiences across diverse spaces, including consultation rooms, imaging suites, executive offices, and public areas.

[AV/IT Summit Offers Solutions to Today’s Integration Challenges]

The timeline for this project presented immediate constraints. Because AV Structural was engaged after construction was already underway, both the design and installation phases were significantly compressed. With framing, drywall, and electrical work already progressing, access to key rooms was delayed and often fragmented. This required the AV team to sequence installation around other trades, often working in off-hours or shifting focus room by room based on availability. Product procurement had to be executed in parallel with system design and coordination, demanding accurate development of the bill of materials and fast internal approvals.

In the MRI suite, an unforeseen conflict required a full relocation of AV conduit and terminations to accommodate DMX-controlled lighting systems. The design team responded by rerouting feeds and updating signal pathways without delaying construction. Amid these changes, AV Structural maintained strict standards for physical infrastructure. All cable pulls were labeled, terminated to 568B standards, and tested in advance of rack placement. Audio zones were mapped using a uniform 70V topology to simplify distribution, reduce amplifier count, and support long-term scalability.

“Extron’s technical and sales support made a huge difference,” said Teo Nguyen, senior systems engineer/programmer at AV Structural. “With deadlines tight and logistics changing daily, having direct access to people who could get us answers and hardware quickly was critical. The system we delivered gives Human Longevity what they need today, and it’s built to grow with them as their clinic evolves.”

The installation includes Extron DTP 4K transmitters and receivers, TouchLink Pro touchpanels, and TLS 1025M scheduling panels to streamline room control and coordination while preserving patient privacy. An Extron DMP 64 Plus digital matrix processor manages audio across a facility-wide 70-volt distribution system, while XPA U and MPA Series amplifiers and SF 3CT LP SoundField ceiling speakers deliver clear, consistent sound. Occupancy sensors automate room behavior, enabling intuitive operation and reducing staff interaction with technology.

The AV systems now in place at Human Longevity’s South San Francisco clinic represent a complete integration of architecture, workflow, and technology. The Extron DTP2 CrossPoint matrix switchers enable full system routing across the entire building. Clinical rooms, imaging suites, executive offices, and shared zones all share the same control logic and user interface, reducing training time, and minimizing support calls. Clinic staff have responded positively to the system’s consistent interface design and responsive performance, because it enables seamless transitions between rooms with different AV profiles.

"What made this clinic stand out was how much ground we had to cover, from public video walls and sound masking to MRI interfaces and executive conferencing," concluded Tom Bustillos, principal, AV Structural. "The Extron platform was able to handle all of that, making the install smoother, and the result stronger.

MultiDyne Video & Fiber Optic Systems is set to unveil its next-generation VersaFrame VF-9100 fiber transport platform on a global scale. The platform, first introduced at NAB Show 2026, brings a modernized infrastructure solution to broadcasters, production companies, systems integrators, and AV professionals. Building on its globally deployed VersaFrame platform, the VF-9100 delivers greater operational flexibility, expanded modularity, and native integration capabilities that simplify today's increasingly complex hybrid SDI/IP workflows.

[AV/IT Summit Offers Solutions to Today’s Integration Challenges]

"The VF-9100 is much more than an incremental update," said Jesse Foster, director of strategic accounts and products, MultiDyne. "We've modernized the platform to better support the way broadcasters and production professionals build facilities today, adding RESTful API integration while expanding the platform with new modular cards for audio, serial data and timing applications. Customers gain a more flexible infrastructure that is easier to deploy, manage and scale as their workflows evolve."

The VF-9100 introduces a redesigned hardware architecture, expanded processing capacity and native RESTful API support for seamless integration with modern network management and facility control systems. Engineers can now automate monitoring, configuration and diagnostics through a unified interface, making the platform an ideal fit for software-defined production environments and IP-based media infrastructures.

The platform also introduces an expanding family of modular I/O cards, including new modules for audio, serial data and combined genlock/timecode synchronization. Unlike previous multiplexed architectures, the VF-9100's flexible per-fiber connectivity allows engineers to configure individual signal paths without requiring multiplexing, simplifying installation while providing greater deployment flexibility across broadcast, production and professional AV environments.

Additional hardware enhancements include improved card guides for easier servicing, higher-capacity internal power supplies for future module expansion, and enhanced rack-mount options that simplify deployment in mobile production trucks, flypacks and fixed facilities. Like its predecessor, the VF-9100 continues to support high-density signal transport, carrying up to 18 signals over a single fiber—or 36 signals in dual fiber configurations—while maintaining compatibility across SDI and IP workflows.

Long behind us are the days when Pro AV equipment was its own entity. Its convergence with IT and existence on the network—not to mention increased dependence on audio and video for both internal and external messaging—makes it a key presence in almost every organization’s technology stack.

For AV integrators, this is good for business, but it also requires them to exercise responsibility. Like everything else tech, modern AV systems need to be as secure as possible.

Gabriel Gonzalez, audio visual SME at Mason Technologies, views cybersecurity design as something similar to building a secure brick-and-mortar facility. A design for a bunker, for example, could call for a steel box featuring no doors or windows. While this may render the structure safe, it’s also completely useless because no one can get in.

“The art of design is really in deciding where am I going to put a door? Where am I going to put a window? Who’s allowed to move through these access points? How do I secure these access points from the bad actors?” Gonzalez illustrated.

The same concept applies to Pro AV equipment, which is why it’s necessary to work closely with end users and IT departments to determine how this technology will be used and what the requirements are for access and visibility. With the prevalence of Bluetooth, cloud services, and Wi-Fi, this has gotten more complicated.

“[These services] are very useful, but if you’re going to have them enabled it should be for a clear reason,” Gonzalez said. “Have well-defined access control for all of these openings.”

If a service isn’t required, Gonzalez said it should be disabled. This includes empty switch ports and network protocols that are no longer in use. Plus, each device account should contain only the permissions that its user needs.

“When you’re designing these things, you have to coordinate with the client’s IT team in the beginning and be as detailed as possible,” Gonzalez said. “It can be really surprising how two different organizations might use the same equipment, so if it’s going to work well and feel right for them to use but still be secure, it’s got to be tailored to them like a good suit.”

Remediating Vulnerabilities

The first step in designing a secure AV system is simple, according to Daniel Schirripa, senior remote commissioning engineer, virtual, at Diversified. “Treat every AV device like a server on the network and treat every entry point as a possible attack vector,” he said.

However, that’s just the beginning.

Network segmentation is crucial for system security. AV traffic should be assigned to its own VLAN (virtual local area network) that is separate from the corporate and guest networks. Schirripa explained this prevents unauthorized individuals from spying on company meetings, for example, without ever being detected.

It’s also important to harden devices. “Unused services such as SSH, Telnet, and HTTP should be disabled and unnecessary ports closed,” Schirripa said. “Authentication and encryption matter, too—802.1X should be used for port security wherever possible, and control protocols should run over TLS/SSL or similarly secure protocols.” He also reminded AV pros to secure physical assets by locking down racks and system peripherals.

AV systems have several weak spots that designers and integrators need to address, the first of which is default credentials. “Most devices ship with login information that’s easily found through a quick web search or a glance at the manufacturer’s documentation,” Schirripa explained. This is why a unique login should be assigned to every device at the login stage without exception.

Outdated firmware is another problem. Schirripa observed that in some cases, it can be years before AV equipment is patched; remaining on top of manufacturer-recommended updates can go a long way in protecting systems. He added that control data should be encrypted to prevent man-in-the-middle attacks that could enable a malicious third party to take over a room.

“The fix on the integrator side is making automated firmware management and strict password policies a standard part of every commissioning checklist,” Schirripa said. “Where it makes sense, building in monitoring and early warning systems adds another layer of protection.”

Remote monitoring systems that provide alerts and notifications in real time can also expose the network to risk, noted Mike Stocklin, director of technology at Automation Arts and a member of the National Systems Contractors Association (NSCA) AI & Cybersecurity Committee. “Anything that goes on the network should be considered a cybersecurity threat," he warned, "[but] there are devices that are potentially more harmful, such as devices that talk consistently in and out of the network."

The Legal Stuff

If a client is breached, and there’s a chance AV technology had something to do with it, the integrator could potentially be found liable. Because of this, it’s wise to include a clause in the contract that limits liability.

Blair Dawson, member in the data privacy and cybersecurity practice at McDonald Hopkins, said liability could be defined as a month or two worth of fees, complimentary services for a specified period, or even a maximum monetary payout. “Starting with the contract is the best way to mitigate what that overall exposure could be if there was an incident,” Dawson said, “or if your client thinks that you’re part of an incident.”

The contract should also spell out who is responsible for what post deployment, according to Clay Swanson, risk management advisor at True North Companies, an insurance broker that works with the NSCA. “If it’s silent on who owns security for the devices after installation, then you’re going to have plaintiff’s attorneys who are going to argue that the integrator has that implied duty and is somehow negligent or responsible,” he said. Swanson added that cyber liability and technology errors and omissions insurance can provide integrators with some protection if they are, or could be, found responsible.

For firms that provide ongoing services, such as firmware or software updates and patching, Dawson counsels keeping a detailed record of when these tasks were completed, as this can be valuable if an integrator is faced with a lawsuit. “One example is an MSP that says, ‘I know I did patches on Tuesday because of Microsoft Patch Tuesday,’ but they don’t have the records,” Dawson illustrated. “Litigators and regulators don’t take too kindly [when you] make it up after the fact. Take that extra step to document things so you can prove that you’re doing everything that you can within reason to keep your environment secure.”

When a client opts out of following the AV integrator’s cybersecurity recommendations, Dawson suggests having them sign a waiver stating that they are aware of the risk of doing so and will hold themselves accountable in the event of a breach.

Responding to a Breach

The integrator’s role in incident response centers on containment and forensics, Schirripa explained. When a client is breached, the first task is to isolate the AV network. “Airgap the AV VLAN from the rest of the corporate network right away to stop anything from spreading,” Schirripa said.

Next, the integrator should examine the logs from the control processor and the DSP to learn where and when the system was accessed without authorization. “Then, perform a full credential reset for every password and certificate across all networked AV hardware,” Schirripa advised.

After ensuring things are back under control, it’s important to document where the attacker got into the system and what processes need to change. Armed with this information, AV integrators and their clients can improve their incident response protocols. “Understanding how an attack happened is the first step in making sure it doesn’t happen again, and ensuring every employee knows what to watch for can go a long way toward preventing the same situation from arising elsewhere,” Schirripa said.

Some technology providers are reticent to share information with clients that fall victim to a breach. Dawson said this is not good practice.

“One of the things that’s really important is to be as cooperative as possible with any investigation,” she said. In not being transparent with a client—and their insurance provider or third-party forensic investigator—the integrator may be increasing the client’s losses. “That’s not going to help with the relationship.”

While national and global enterprise clients tend to prioritize cybersecurity, there remains a significant number of organizations that need to practice stronger security hygiene, Stocklin observed.

“We [haven’t had] a lot of issues from the AV side of the world, but I think the potential is there and we need to be fully aware of that,” Stocklin said. “We need to focus on this, because the more and more we utilize things like AI, the more bad actors there are that can use that same technology to get into our systems.”

Cybersecurity for All

Based in Orlando, FL, Cyber Mettle is a nonprofit focused on developing cybersecurity talent and making cybersecurity services accessible to small to mid-sized businesses. Alyson Laderman, executive director and co-author (with Jason Dion) of AI Security Essentials: Strategies for Securing Artificial Intelligence Systems with the NIST AI Risk Management Framework, said the organization is responding to a key problem: When companies recruit talent, they mandate at least three years of on-the-job experience, making it extremely difficult for entry-level candidates to break into the industry.

"There is no way to get to mid or high level if we don’t train the entry level,” Laderman explained. “It’s just a matter of developing those pathways, guidelines, supervision, and willingness to actually invest in [new talent], but also in building your own business.”

This is increasingly important as AI is simultaneously the cybersecurity practitioner’s friend and enemy. New talent needs to know how to navigate this continually evolving landscape successfully. “The more we get into tech, the more we need to appreciate the human factor,” Laderman said. “How do we work with AI in a way that we understand what it can do, what it shouldn’t do, and what the problems could be in using it?”

Executive Summary

• Nature sound recordist Thomas Rex Beverly conducted expeditions in Hawaii and French Polynesia, developing a custom 3D-hydrophone array to capture high-definition, spatialized audio of humpback whales.
• Sennheiser played a critical role in the project: the HD 300 PROtect headphones ensured Beverly could safely monitor extreme acoustic soundscapes during long overnight sessions, while the MKH 8020 microphones captured ambient surface-level sounds to create an immersive blend of the underwater and above-water worlds.

Nature sound recordist Thomas Rex Beverly has spent years chasing the sounds of the natural world, from Patagonian mountain ranges to glaciers of Greenland to the ancient redwood canopies of California. Now he has gone further than ever before, plunging beneath the surface of the Pacific Ocean to capture the extraordinary songs of humpback whales. Armed with a trusted set of Sennheiser HD 300 PROtect headphones, his long-standing companions, MKH 8020 microphones, and a bespoke 3D hydrophone array, Beverly undertook two expeditions, first to Hawaii and then to French Polynesia, in pursuit of high-definition, spatialized recordings that no researcher had previously made.

Beverly has followed three core themes in his field recording expeditions; glaciers, weather and ancient trees, and has now added a fourth, whales. He found that while the existing recordings were interesting, he felt he could do more to really capture their other-worldly songs and the essence of their habitat, specifically with a more accurate recording of the vast spatial nature of the underwater world. His adventure began in Hawaii, where he recorded the unique underwater world of the wildlife around the Big Island, and ended in French Polynesia where, with the help of Sennheiser, he listened to the enticing songs of humpback whales.

Typically, existing recordings of whale song have been recorded for research purposes and are optimized by scientists for ultra-long recordings of up to six months. This makes the results factually accurate, but not of high enough resolution to be suitable for spatialised sound or high-definition listening. As a field recordist, Beverly strives for perfection. His sound libraries are used by sound designers for film, TV, video games, and museums, with his clients including Oscar, Emmy, and Golden Globe-winning sound designers and sound editors.

“I started recording whales in Hawaii during February 2025. This was my first whale project, and I did a huge amount of learning,” Beverly recalls. “I got some great recordings, but for my French Polynesia trip in October 2025, I was able to really improve on that experience, refining my techniques and immersive hydrophone arrays.”

Building a Robust Gear Pack

Capturing the unique and almost alien environments of the sea requires robust and reliable equipment. For his latest adventure, Beverly relied on the accuracy and safety of his Sennheiser HD 300 PROtect headphones, alongside a complex and completely bespoke 3D-recording hydrophone rig. The HD 300 PROtect are fitted with Sennheiser’s ActiveGard technology, which protects the wearer’s hearing from sudden sound bursts without interrupting the audio signal, an added safety feature that differs from traditional acoustic shock clipping circuitry. The headphones proved critical for long overnight sessions spent immersed in some of the ocean’s loudest and most dynamic soundscapes.

Beverly recounts, “I’m sitting in the dark, rocking gently on a catamaran off the coast of an island that looks like Jurassic Park. I’m in French Polynesia and the humpbacks have all gone quiet. They’re hiding to protect their calves from a pod of Orcas that have been hunting. It’s been eerily quiet for almost an hour. I start to hear a sound like distant machine guns firing constantly. Then I hear a whistle. I realize something magical is about to happen, so I start scanning the horizon.

I see the first spinner jump. They really spin as their whole body flies out of the water. So neat. The dolphin pod was curious about why we are floating out in the open ocean with hydrophones and decided to check us out. The giant cube of 8 hydrophones captures them swimming in three dimensions. Some of their sounds are in the audible range, but I know there’s a wild world of ultrasonics happening at the moment. I could feel my headphones screaming to reproduce them and got this weird ear fatigue all of a sudden...but luckily the HD 300 PROtect headphones protected my hearing and let me enjoy the moment. It was a beautiful wildlife encounter that I’ll remember when I’m 80.”

Beverly discovered that the Arctic population of humpback whales spend their summers in Alaska, but when winter begins, they migrate to Hawaii. Their food sources are in Alaska, so the whole journey is spent fasting. They congregate to mate, rear their calves and, importantly for Beverly, sing.

“The Humpback soundscapes in French Polynesia are wildly different from the ones I recorded previously. In Hawaii, it’s a chorus of twenty to fifty whales singing at the same time. And in French Polynesia, it’s usually a solo humpback echoing to infinity.

I’m pretty sure the male humpbacks pick locations that are optimized for acoustic sound quality...like singing in an underwater canyon so their echoes sound better. At least that’s what I was imagining when lying on the deck of a sailboat in the dark in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, listening to the magical underwater soundscapes of these massive whales.”

“Not all environments benefit from a 3D recording, but the whales really do,” he expands. “They are spread around and often glide up and down, anywhere from 100- 500 meters in depth, so capturing that dynamic was important. The hydrophones were custom-built. We got some cool, very dense recordings in Hawaii. It’s something that very few people have done, so figuring it out was always going to be tricky, but we learnt a lot of lessons.”

The designer of the hydrophones Beverly uses is Jules Ryckebusch. He is a retired US Navy veteran with 20 years of experience as a submariner. He has a passion for recording and, while serving, he developed expertise on how the Navy uses hydrophones. After retiring from the Navy, he quickly got interested in all the sounds he could hear, and it made him want hydrophones of his own, leading him into custom design. He now shares those designs, as well as his audio expertise, widely on sites like Instructables.com, showing how these remarkable hydrophones can be made for the reasonable outlay of around $250 each. Beverly first used the Gladys hydrophone in 2019 and has had them as an essential part of his toolkit ever since.

“The speed of sound is different under water, it is roughly 4.5 times faster than in air, depending on the depth and temperature,” Beverly explains. “So, this affects the size of the array. On land, I would aim for about 40cm, minimum, for an omni array, but the minimum distance to achieve a stereo image under water is going to be about two meters.”

Building a Seven-meter Cube Beneath Mo’orea

For his work in French Polynesia, Beverly expanded the size of his array to seven meters cubed. Here, the whales are from a range of species, so the songs they sing occupy a huge frequency range. The real stars were the humpbacks, with their distinctive calls, but there were also fin whales, which make much deeper, more bass sounding calls and songs. In the upper ranges, high frequency clicks from dolphins and orca were also audible, with the presence of orca pods having a surprising effect on his recordings.

“Orcas hunt humpback whales,” Beverly explains. “A transient pod would move through the area we were recording in, chasing after the calves. When they were around, the humpback whales stopped singing and started hiding. It was interesting because the fin whales did not stop singing. That could be because they were farther away, but it could also be that they were just not bothered by the orcas.”

Beverly often recorded at night, when noise pollution from other vessels was limited. He found a willing local guide who was excited by his endeavors and owned a sailboat. The guide agreed to take him out, in return he got to listen to the remarkable songs too, something that his lifetime on the sea had not given him the opportunity to do before. His base was the beautiful island Mo’orea about 10 miles west of Tahiti.

With his experience from Hawaii, Beverly engineered a modified array system, with a central recording position. A stereo cable ran from here to each corner of the boat, with two hydrophones attached to each cable, the first at 25 meters, with the second seven meters below that. The result was a seven-meter cube, submerged 25 meters under water to reduce surface noise, with far less handling noise and much faster deployment than the Hawaii frame method.

Monitoring at Depth with the Sennheiser HD 300 PRO

“The whole setup was much easier with me sitting in the middle of the boat,” Beverly continues. “I’d got the HD 300 PROtect’s SPL limiting enabled, so I was much happier about listening for long periods of time with the volume cranked up. It is a limiter rather than a cut-out, so it just gave me peace of mind. There was a moment when I was listening to the sounds of the coral reef, half asleep, when a male humpback started singing loudly to the left of the sailboat. This came suddenly out of a quiet, subtle soundscape. I had the volume cranked way up, so I might have damaged my hearing without the limiters on the HD 300 PROtect.

Another dramatic sound came from snapping shrimp: powerful miniature creatures that use a high-pressure burst of water to stun prey and communicate. Despite their tiny size, their sounds are as loud as a dolphin’s and dominate the reef soundscape.

Overnight, Beverly also heard sharks and rays stalking their prey. As he moved into deeper water, these sounds faded into the background, like cicadas fading on summer evenings on land. Left in the foreground were the mournful, echoing calls of the humpback.

Nicknaming the producers of these calls “the subwoofer whales”, the calls of the humpback can go as low as 20 Hertz. At these frequencies Beverly was feeling more than hearing the sounds, but his headphones were able to reproduce enough of the sound for him to truly experience these vocalizations.

“I had no idea how far away the whales were, because the sounds travel so far,” he says. “They could be fin whales, humpbacks, or even blue whales, whose sounds are more like a low-frequency pulse. These sounds create amazing layers, going down to around 20-80 Hertz, with singing in every layer, added to by the background noise of the reef with shrimp clicks and animals that live in the coral. In the middle ground areas, you get these cool reflections from the underwater canyons. I really wouldn’t have been able to enjoy all these sounds as fully without the limiter on my headphones. During the night, I would be lying on the deck of the boat at night, maybe sipping rum, and if I didn’t have that added protection, I wouldn’t be as comfortable. The limiter on the HD 300 PROtects is a useful feature for people recording in the field.”

Sennheiser MKH 8020 Bridges Two Worlds

Beverly also experimented with layering in above-water sounds. In his experience, there was a real juxtaposition between the calm, still nighttime air and the cacophony of sound just below the waves. The stillness was occasionally broken by the emergence of humpback whales, slapping their flukes and playing as they came up for air.

For these moments, Beverly turned to his Sennheiser MKH 8000 Series microphones, specifically the MKH 8020, the same omnidirectional RF condensers that have accompanied him on every expedition, from the ice of Patagonia to the canopy of California’s redwoods. Their exceptionally low self-noise, flat frequency response, and ability to handle extreme conditions make them as well-suited to the salt air of the Pacific at midnight as they are to a howling Andean gale. Blending the airborne world with the alien sounds of the underwater realm gave back a sense of reality, and it was these shifts in perception that pleased Beverly.

“Under water, you have the snapping shrimp, which make an almost electric popping sort of sound,” he says. “When it starts raining on the surface of the water, you have this underwater rain sound that’s mixed with the electrical crackling, and it starts sounding like a sci-fi rain. If I mix that with the sounds captured by the 8020s and switch between the two, it gives a shift that I find really interesting. Moving from the heard world above water, to the unheard world below.”

The stereo MKH 8018, on the other hand, was used as a spot microphone, adding effects like the wind in the sails or any moving sound sources.

Other Worldly

For Beverly, this trip was more than capturing audio, it was an experiment in understanding an alien soundscape that few get to hear. His recording sessions were done from a large sailboat and he wasn’t allow to get in the water while recording. However, French Polynesia is one of the few places in the world where you can snorkel with humpback whales. You just have to charter a special boat that is permitted to do guided whale swims. So, after recording these majestic creatures from a safe distance, Beverly packed away his hydrophones and came face to face with the humpbacks during a guided swimming session. During this unique experience, he made eye contact with a humpback calf and it left a lasting impression. He discovered more about nature during his time in French Polynesia than he could have imagined.

“I think one of the main reasons I like whales so much is that you don’t have a reference for them,” he concludes. “If I go from Texas to Tanzania, I hear birdsong – it may sound very different, but they still sound like birds! You have a reference because there are birds where you live. Underwater sounds are very foreign to me. It’s just another planet down there. The whales make all sorts of crazy sounds and I’m excited to share more of them.”

As he reflects on this latest chapter, Beverly is already thinking about what comes next. His MKH 8000 Series microphones, battered by glacial winds and ocean spray across years of expeditions, remain as indispensable as ever. That is proof, if any were needed, that great field recording begins with microphones that can be trusted in the harshest and most unpredictable environments.

If you’d like to read a full technical article about hydro arrays, please read Beverly’s blog post on 3D Immersive Hydrophone Arrays.