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Cornhuskers Coverage Conversion

HuskerVision, the in-house production department for University of Nebraska Athletics, has been working in phases to streamline its operations since 2023. Most recently, it deployed an IP-based ST 2110 video infrastructure and opened a centralized production facility to connect three co-located control rooms to multiple venues on campus. Also in this issue, learn how Bally's Baton Rouge is using AVoIP to unify video distribution, audio control, and digital signage.

At Issue

Industry experts from Atlona, DVIGear, Just Add Power, and Matrox Video consider some of the challenges associated with adopting an AVoIP workflow.

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Read the June issue of Systems Contractor News.

I’ve been a remote worker since 2014, but oddly enough, it wasn’t until the pandemic that I felt more connected to my colleagues. Today, no matter where workers are located, it’s rare for a meeting not to be “face-to-face.” Connecting via a camera has made a positive and significant difference in helping me feel more connected to individuals and the team. Rather than bumping into someone in the hallway or lunchroom, I’ll have a quick huddle via Slack.

But it takes an overall company culture to embrace videoconferencing technologies and collaboration platforms to help ensure remote and hybrid workers are integrated into the workflow. More than the feeling of inclusion, this is important for workplace efficiency and productivity.

We asked AV/IT industry thought leaders to share their insights into the elements and culture of creating productive collaboration environments near and far. Some excerpts are below, and you can read the responses from all 45 respondents here.

TYLER TROUTMAN,
Strategic Market Development,
Shure

In modern workplace and education environments, collaboration extends beyond physical boundaries. Teams are not defined by a single office, campus, or time zone. Instead, we are experiencing hybrid, global collaboration daily. To keep people connected and engaged, organizations and educational institutions must prioritize spaces that foster meeting equity, ensuring every participant can contribute, whether they are in person or remote.

Meeting equity begins with clarity. This includes clear communication, clear visibility, and clear participation. Too often, poor audio leaves remote participants struggling to keep up, which directly impacts engagement and productivity. High-quality audio and intuitive conferencing tools are essential so that everyone in the room can hear and be heard without distraction.

Creating productive collaboration environments also means designing spaces that adapt to evolving working styles. Some teams thrive in open huddle areas, while others need structured, presentation-style rooms. The most effective collaboration culture acknowledges that no two meetings are alike, and provides reliable, scalable technology that works across spaces.

Ease of use is also critical, especially when it comes to those responsible for set up. Technology should empower people to focus on the conversation at hand. For IT leaders, this means access to solutions that are simple to deploy and manage, while delivering a consistent experience for those in the meeting. For end users, it means technology that fades into the background, so communication feels effortless.

When every voice in a room is heard, everyone in the room feels connected, and teams unlock stronger engagement and decision-making abilities. By integrating intuitive, high-quality audio solutions into adaptable spaces, organizations and higher education institutions can cultivate cultures of collaboration that thrive regardless of where people are joining a meeting from.

SKYLER BOWDEN,
Senior Marketing Manager,
Mersive

The traditional meeting setup feels outdated. The default one-presenter-at-the-front approach, where someone clicks through slides while the room half-listens, is familiar, but doesn’t invite participation. And let’s be honest—meetings often start with a scramble to get the AV working before anything productive happens.

This structure is familiar because it reflects how many of us were taught: lecture-style, passive, and linear. But effective collaboration demands more than just taking turns at the front of the room; it asks for space, both physical and psychological, for contribution.

Room layout plays a bigger role than we give it credit for. Can content be shared from anywhere? Can everyone see the display—not just those at the head of the table? Do the tools invite participation or require a technical specialist to operate?

Some organizations build rooms with fully equipped workstations with individual displays and audio setups for every contributor. In the right context, this is a powerful way to invite interaction. But for many IT and AV teams, that level of design and support isn’t realistic. Overengineered spaces become more burden than benefit when the goal is simply to work better together.

That’s why the best rooms often offer the simplest design—a blank creative slate. There is no dominant display, no obvious “front”—just intuitive, flexible tools that allow people to share content, brainstorm, and collaborate however they work best. These spaces don’t dictate how meetings should run; they invite people to create their own way of working.

That’s especially critical now. Asking employees to return to the office is no longer a default; it’s a request. If the workplace is going to compete with the flexibility of remote work, it has to offer more than just a desk and a whiteboard; it has to offer value.

F. JOSEPH POMPEI,
Founder and Chief Executive Officer,
Holosonics

Collaboration has become the defining skill of modern organizations. Whether people are huddled up in an open office, gathering in a conference room, or connecting virtually across time zones, success rests first with the participants—their insight, attentiveness, and capacity to work together. Optimizing this depends greatly on the environments and technologies that enable it, and building a culture that embraces real communication.

We often focus on access and connectivity, making sure everyone can log in, join, and participate. Yet, the quality of the environment itself—how it looks, feels, and, critically, how it sounds—determines whether collaboration truly works. Even with the best tools, it is difficult to share ideas when overlapping conversations compete for attention, voices blur, and important details are lost in background noise.

Productive collaboration requires clarity of purpose, communication of ideas, and sound. The way we design for listening determines how well people understand one another and stay engaged. When sound is clear and distractions are minimized, attention improves, creativity rises, and every participant has a chance to contribute meaningfully.

This is not just a technical consideration, but a cultural one. When an organization invests in environments where every participant can hear and be heard, it sends a powerful signal: that every voice matters. It is saying that collaboration is not simply about proximity or platform, but about presence, equity, and shared understanding.

As workplaces continue to evolve, one principle remains constant: Productivity starts with connection, and connection starts with clarity. The future of collaboration will belong to environments designed not only for access, but for understanding. When people can truly hear one another, everything else falls into place.

EMMA EAGLE,
Manager of Marketing,
Atlona

I’ve learned that creating productive collaboration environments, whether in person or spread across distances, starts with a foundation of trust, clarity, and respect. Teams work best when they know their voices are valued and when everyone has a clear understanding of goals and expectations. That sense of alignment allows people to focus less on logistics and more on contributing their best ideas.

Another key element is intentional communication. In today’s hybrid and global environments, it’s not enough to rely on casual touchpoints; structure matters. Setting regular check-ins, using the right tools, and encouraging both formal updates and informal conversations help keep connections strong. At the same time, flexibility is important; recognizing different work styles, time zones, and cultural perspectives makes collaboration more inclusive and resilient.

Finally, I believe the most successful collaboration comes from creating a culture of shared ownership. When individuals feel empowered to take initiative and understand how their work impacts the bigger picture, collaboration becomes less about assigning tasks and more about building something meaningful together. Near or far, it’s about creating an environment where people feel supported, accountable, and motivated to contribute—not just because it’s their role, but because they truly care about the outcome.

GEORGE BORDEN,
Senior Reseller Account Manager, Central Region,
Sharp Imaging and Information Company of America

Creating a culture of effective collaboration means ensuring that every participant—whether seated in the office or joining remotely—has an equal voice, clear visibility, and seamless access to shared resources. The foundation of this culture begins with software. Unified chat platforms replace isolated email exchanges with searchable, topic-driven conversations, creating an archive of organizational knowledge. When integrated with video conferencing, teams can shift from chat to face-to-face discussions instantly with high-definition video, AI-generated transcriptions, and virtual breakout rooms supporting deeper engagement.

Beyond communication, centralized file management ensures that projects move forward without version confusion. Cloud-based solutions like OneDrive or Google Drive enable real-time co-authoring of documents, spreadsheets, and presentations, while app integration brings business tools such as Salesforce directly into the collaboration platform. This single-pane approach streamlines workflows and reduces wasted time toggling between apps.

The physical workplace also continues to evolve for successful hybrid collaboration. Modern meeting rooms are designed for inclusivity, with intelligent audio and video systems that employ speaker tracking, noise suppression, and group framing to give remote participants the same presence as those in the room. Layouts such as Microsoft Teams and Front Row further bridge the gap, placing remote attendees at eye level and integrating chat, reactions, and shared content in one cohesive view.

Finally, interactive digital canvases, such as Sharp’s AQUOS BOARD, extend collaboration into the creative realm. These large-format displays allow dispersed teams to brainstorm, annotate, and ideate together as though standing side by side. Pairing this with one-touch meeting join solutions like Sharp’s Synappx eliminates technical barriers and ensures meetings start smoothly.

These advances result in a collaborative ecosystem that is inclusive, frictionless, and designed for how teams truly work—near and far.

GEORGE TRUONG,
Vice President of Operations,
Black Box

Modern AV collaboration platforms have evolved into mission-critical business infrastructure, requiring almost zero downtime. This evolution demands sophisticated service delivery that ensures consistent, reliable collaboration between end users and the integrator.

Collaboration environments build upon four pillars: user experience optimization, proactive monitoring support, and continuous improvement on efficiency and utilization. Service reliability extends beyond traditional uptime metrics to encompass experience quality indicators across all locations. This requires establishing global SLAs that account for regional variations while maintaining or exceeding standards on compliance. User experience optimization focuses on reducing friction in collaboration workflows, implementing one-touch join, automated room configurations, or an intuitive but simple interface that reduces support requirements.

The current demand emphasizes shifting from reactive service to preventive service models with proactive self-health. Operational capabilities that can identify degradation patterns before they impact users. This proactive stance requires cultivating analytical mindsets within operations teams, teaching them to analyze usage data and identify optimization opportunities. Organizations implementing "partnered solutions" services that provide full 24/7 remote and onsite support for customer ecosystems build user confidence while gathering insights into service improvement.

Scaling operational excellence requires establishing a culture to drive excellence that defines best practices and disseminates knowledge across the organization. Successful implementation of tiered support models that balance responsiveness with global consistency. The enabling factor for operational excellence is a sophisticated monitoring platform that provides real-time visibility into collaboration performance, enabling rapid response to issues while building historical data for trend analysis and capacity planning.

JOHN KRUSE,
Senior Field Solutions Architect,
ViewSonic

The most effective collaboration environments today are not defined by a single technology or meeting room; they are built at the intersection of space, tools, and culture. As organizations reimagine how people connect and create, successful collaboration strategies must focus on removing friction and enhancing human interaction, regardless of location.

Intentional design is the starting point. Physical environments should support a variety of work modes—from brainstorming sessions to hybrid meetings—and incorporate fundamentals like optimized acoustics, visibility, and comfort. Equally important is flexibility: Modular furniture, adaptable displays, and scalable AV systems allow spaces to evolve as teams, technologies, and workflows change.

Frictionless technology is another essential element. Solutions should integrate seamlessly across platforms, enabling intuitive, one-touch connectivity and interoperability with conferencing, control, and content systems. When technology disappears into the background, creativity and collaboration come to the forefront.

Beyond hardware, culture is the true driver of productive collaboration. Spaces and systems must support meeting equity, making remote participants feel as present and valued as those in the room. Features like AI-powered framing, spatial audio, transcription, and translation can level the playing field and ensure every voice is heard.

Looking ahead, collaboration environments will become increasingly intelligent and persistent. Cloud platforms, data analytics, and AI will not only support meetings but actively shape them—anticipating needs, connecting content, and extending collaboration beyond physical boundaries.

Ultimately, the future of collaboration isn’t about creating rooms; it’s about designing ecosystems that inspire creativity, foster connection, and empower teams to work together—anytime, anywhere.

OLIVER VAN CAMP,
Product Director, Meeting Experience,
Barco

In the rush to adopt the latest collaboration technologies, organizations often chase flashy features while overlooking the fundamentals that ensure long-term success. The most effective meeting room solutions prioritize three core elements: ease of use, trust, and smart technology.

Even the most advanced technology fails if employees struggle to use it. Collaboration tools must be intuitive, flexible, and consistent across meeting rooms and devices. When participants can connect, share content, and engage seamlessly, meetings start faster, adoption increases, and teams focus on collaboration—not on troubleshooting technology.

Collaboration technology frequently handles sensitive content, making trust a critical factor. Robust security, configurable access levels, and regular updates protect data and ensure compliance. In hybrid workplaces, teams depend on consistent performance across rooms and devices. Systems that fail or require troubleshooting disrupt meetings, erode confidence, and reduce productivity. Investing in reliable technology ensures meetings run smoothly, builds trust among users, and supports higher adoption rates.

And last, but not least, the role of intelligence in the meeting room cannot be denied. AI can enhance collaboration when applied thoughtfully. Features like automated transcription, intelligent facilitation, and real-time insights can add value when they complement existing workflows rather than creating complexity.

Technology should empower teams to work smarter, freeing them to focus on discussion, creativity, and decision-making rather than constantly adapting to new systems.

Successful technology adoption requires a clear strategy. Evaluate solutions based on usability, security, reliability, and scalability first—then consider advanced features. By focusing on the fundamentals, organizations can ensure that collaboration tools truly enhance productivity and engagement, both now and in the future.

TERRENCE BOYD,
Senior Strategy and Business Development Manager, Alliance and Technology Partnerships,
Sony Electronics

In today’s dynamic environments, collaboration is no longer confined to meeting rooms; it happens across campuses, hospitals, production floors, and retail spaces. The most productive environments connect people, content, and ideas with ease, no matter where they are.

At Sony, we believe collaboration thrives when technology works together—not in isolation. And we’re not alone; our customers and partners maintain that same philosophy. Sony’s Alliance and Technology Partner ecosystem plays a vital role in shaping environments where people create, communicate, and collaborate. Through alignment with leading partners across digital signage, AV control, unified communications and collaboration (UCC), remote management systems (RMS), and hardware and mounting solutions, we deliver seamless, end-to-end experiences that make teamwork effortless and inclusive, and remove barriers and guesswork for our customers.

Having an open ecosystem, as Sony does, gives customers the freedom to choose the technologies that best fit their needs, whether the goal is a hybrid meeting space, a digital signage network that informs and inspires, or a control system that simplifies complex workflows. Together with our partners, we integrate these solutions that enhance Sony’s core offerings and bring added value to every project because customers expect robust, turnkey options.

This collaborative approach ensures that every solution meets current requirements while remaining ready for the innovations ahead. By combining Sony’s strengths with the expertise of our partners, we create spaces that adapt to people rather than asking people to adapt to technology.

In a world that continues to change rapidly, success depends on partnership. Through collective innovation, Sony and its partners are delivering human-driven collaboration experiences that help people work smarter, connect more deeply, and achieve more together.

CHARLIE JONES, Global Partner Relations Manager,
Sennheiser

Building effective collaboration spaces relies on conferencing technology that reduces complexity to deliver a seamless user experience. Intelligent automation is driving this evolution, transforming meeting rooms into intuitive environments that enhance communication without distracting participants. The goal is a smart conference space where microphones, cameras, and control systems work together automatically to keep the focus on productivity.

To reduce complexity, IT and AV professionals can take advantage of the advancements in interoperability of audio, video, and conferencing platforms, as well as insights drawn from years of audio expertise and knowledge of meeting dynamics. For example, beamforming microphones have redefined sound quality by isolating voices from background noise, which is coupled with robust networks delivering low latency. The result makes it easier for both in-room and remote participants to follow conversations without disruption.

Building these rooms goes beyond simply deploying technology and relies on robust central management. Software and cloud platforms that tackle room planning and device management can allow for faster, more scalable deployments to meet today’s substantial workplace demands. These virtual room design tools that also monitor and manage the interoperability between AV protocols ensure consistent, high-quality user experiences across entire organizations with effective planning and reduced manual setup.

As AI and automation continue to advance, meeting environments will only become more intuitive and adaptive. While fully autonomous conference rooms are beyond the horizon for the moment, the innovations available today are already paving the way toward a future where technology supports collaboration seamlessly, freeing teams to concentrate fully on their work.

NANCY KNOWLTON,
Chief Executive Officer,
Nureva

There really are no secrets to productive collaboration; it all comes down to people, process and technology.

Productive collaboration—whether across the hall or across continents—starts with people. Valuing individuals and their experiences is foundational to any successful collaborative environment. When people feel respected and empowered, they bring their best selves to the table. That’s why the first step is to give them the tools and environments they need to create and collaborate. Comfortable spaces, intuitive platforms, and access to the right resources signal that their contributions matter.

Next comes the process. Collaboration doesn’t just happen; most often it needs to be taught, then nurtured and refined. Teams must learn how to work together effectively, understanding when group work accelerates outcomes and when individual effort sharpens focus. A well-designed process for collaboration clarifies direction, roles, and expectations, and it enables teams to work faster and better. Nobody is born knowing how to collaborate, so setting out some guidelines can be enabling, not restrictive. It helps people see how their work fits into the bigger picture and how they can contribute meaningfully to shared goals.

Technology is the final layer—the enabler that makes collaboration seamless and scalable. From cloud-based applications and unified communications platforms to high-quality audio systems and smart cameras, technology removes barriers and connects people in real time. But it’s not enough to simply deploy tools. Organizations must relentlessly research and observe: Is the combination of people, process, and technology delivering the results the business needs? Is it making teams more productive, more creative, and more aligned?

Ask. Observe. Refine. The most productive collaboration environments are those that evolve—driven by the needs of the people within them and the outcomes they’re working to achieve.

JOHN HENKEL,
Product Marketing Director,
NETGEAR Enterprise

The convergence of broadcast, unified communications, and AV infrastructure is accelerating rapidly. Creating productive collaboration environments starts with building unified IP ecosystems that don’t distinguish between near and far work; instead, they treat all collaboration as equal, regardless of location. This requires moving beyond traditional box shifting to a solution-led consultancy that embeds AV into broader digital transformation strategies.

The most effective collaboration cultures prioritize user experience over technology showcasing. Organizations succeeding in hybrid environments focus on broadcast-quality experiences as the new standard for enterprise communications—not just for special occasions. This means investing in scalable solutions that make remote participants feel as present as in-room colleagues, eliminating the second-class-citizen experience that plagues many hybrid setups.

From huddle spaces to large conference rooms, consistent, reliable technology across all collaboration points builds confidence and adoption. When teams trust that their tools will work seamlessly, whether they’re together or distributed, cultural resistance to hybrid work diminishes. This consistency requires robust networked solutions with centralized management, ensuring every space delivers professional-grade experiences.

The shift toward AI-driven AV, advanced lighting and sound, and immersive experiences is fundamentally about creating systems smart enough to adapt to how people naturally collaborate—not about adding layers of complexity. Organizations embracing this approach create environments where technology becomes invisible, allowing teams to focus on ideas rather than troubleshooting connectivity.

The bottom line: Productive collaboration cultures emerge when infrastructure supports authentic interaction regardless of physical location, when user experience trumps technical specifications, and when organizations commit to unified ecosystems rather than patchwork solutions.

PETRO SHIMONISHI,
Director of New Business Development,
Panasonic Projector and Display Americas

Today’s workplaces and classrooms are no longer defined by four walls. Collaboration must be seamless, whether participants are across campus or across the globe. To meet this demand, organizations need technologies that are both robust and flexible to empower instructors, students, and employees to connect in ways that are simple, reliable, and interactive.

Panasonic recently surveyed higher education IT leaders, which revealed that 83 percent of students regularly interact with projectors and 81 percent say these technologies positively impact learning. These findings highlight that when collaboration technologies are intuitive and dependable, they become essential to how people learn and work.

However, decision-makers also flagged a growing concern: As devices become more feature-rich, they risk becoming harder for faculty and employees to manage. This underscores the importance of technology that reduces complexity rather than adding to it. Solutions must be designed for plug-and-play simplicity, while delivering professional-grade performance.

That’s why Panasonic and Artome partnered to create the PT-VMZ-AVCART, an innovative, mobile AV solution that combines Artome’s flexible design with Panasonic’s advanced projection to transform any space into a collaboration hub. These solutions eliminate the need for permanent installations, instantly transforming any classroom, huddle space, or boardroom into a connected, collaborative environment. By combining Panasonic’s advanced projection with Artome’s flexible design, organizations gain scalable tools that adapt to their unique spaces and needs.

The culture of collaboration today depends on access, flexibility, and ease of use. Whether enabling a professor to engage hundreds of students or allowing hybrid teams to brainstorm across time zones, the goal is the same: Technologies should inspire interaction, not inhibit it. At Panasonic, we believe the most productive environments are built on tools that make connection effortless anywhere, anytime.

JOEL MULPETER,
Senior Director, Product Marketing,
Crestron

We often talk about building a culture of collaboration. As people have returned to the office as part of their hybrid schedules, it’s critical that we serve the needs of those who come into that space. Technology needs to be seamless—disappearing into the background but delivering the rich experiences they expect.

Take, for example, the rich experiences you have in Microsoft Teams at your desk—can you take that experience into a conference room? You don’t want to have a different platform when you walk into the meeting room; you want to use the familiar one you’ve used at your desk.

You also want things like the “eyes and ears” in that room to be intelligent and smart. You want cameras that react to workflows in the room, and not cameras that must constantly be told what to do. You want audio that hears what you have to say and can then feed that into remote connections and the accompanying AI tool. You need to be getting tangible benefits out of that tool: translation, transcription, actionable insights, and so on. And then, you want to leverage that platform—Teams, Zoom, or whatever you prefer.

Beyond those tools, it’s also important to find the right balance of other AI features. Edge AI is especially useful and efficient in presenter tracking, for example. You don’t need to send that processing to the cloud and bring it back again—just do it in the camera. Cloud AI is better for things such as translation and transcription, identifying people, and so on. Ultimately, the goal is to create spaces that truly drive the culture of collaboration.

JOSH ARNOLD,
Director, Collaboration Product Strategy,
Q-SYS

In today’s workplace, collaboration is not confined to AV systems; it’s about crafting holistic experiences that empower people and culture. The rise of the high-performance workplace reflects a shift from static office environments to dynamic destinations that foster connection and creativity. Forward-thinking organizations are reimagining their spaces to build culture, expand mentorship, and enhance well-being across both high-impact rooms and the spaces in between. This reflects a deeper understanding: Technology should not just connect people, but also inspire and bring them together.

This transformation is already happening at scale. According to a recent whitepaper developed by Frost and Sullivan in partnership with Q-SYS, 46 percent of IT and telecom leaders are modernizing office technology, while 50 percent are investing in new perks and experiences. With over 5.6 billion square feet of Class A space positioned for high-performance transformation and 9.1 billion square feet of U.S. office space ripe for reinvention, the workplace has become a critical lever for organizational productivity.

Second, simplicity in technology is paramount. The most powerful collaboration tools are those that disappear into the background, enabling fluid interaction without friction. When technology is standardized, intuitive, and accessible, hybrid equity thrives—enabling every participant, near or far, to contribute equally. When users don’t have to think about how to connect, they can focus on what matters most: sharing ideas, solving problems, and building relationships.

Finally, smart collaboration environments should enable a feedback loop for continuous improvement. Rich spatial and usage data help organizations optimize layouts, refine workflows, and adapt to evolving needs—turning workplaces from static assets into dynamic engines for growth.

In essence, high-performance workplaces center on people and experience. They eliminate friction, create hybrid equity, and drive measurable outcomes. By embracing intentional design, user-centric simplicity, and data-driven evolution, organizations can create environments where creativity and productivity thrives.

Do you have legacy AV equipment that is still earning its keep? Does your organization have a combination of hardware and software from different manufacturers, and does interoperability sometimes pose an issue? Is your AV/IT department full speed ahead with AV over IP, the cloud, and AI-enabled systems?

No matter which end of the AV or IT spectrum your systems reside, these 25 industry thought leaders share insights into the transition to IP, trends in The State of AV/IT today, and predictions for the next few years.

CATHERINE KOUTSARIS
Product Marketing Manager at Matrox Video

For many organizations, the biggest hesitation in modernizing AV systems is the belief that moving forward means ripping everything out and starting from scratch. In reality, most end users don’t need or want to replace entire systems. What’s more practical and sustainable is keeping the elements that still work well and bridging them with newer technologies. This approach reduces staff retraining and avoids waste. Teams can then evolve at their own pace.

That’s where interoperability comes in. Today’s AV/IT environments often resemble technology islands—ecosystems that work well independently but don’t always communicate with one another. End users may value their existing cameras or video walls, but when new requirements emerge, incompatibility becomes a real obstacle. AV gateway products are a great way to bridge between older systems and newer technology, allowing both to be used in the same installation.

Standards-based solutions provide the clearest path forward. Open standards like IPMX and SMPTE ST 2110 make it possible to mix equipment from multiple manufacturers and reduce the risk of vendor lock-in. In practice, this can mean running day-to-day conferencing over a corporate 1GbE network while seamlessly shifting to a 10GbE broadcast workflow for high-end production—all with the same underlying infrastructure. Organizations gain freedom from vendor lock-in and proprietary constraints.

The advice for end users is to focus on flexibility. Prioritize systems that integrate with what you already have and embrace open standards. This approach ensures that today’s investments remain relevant, while giving you the freedom to adopt new technologies and build AI-over-IP systems that can grow with you on your own terms.

RICHARD JONKER
Vice President Marketing and Business Development at NETGEAR Enterprise

The most successful organizations are shifting their mindset from, “What AV equipment do we need?” to, “How can we create experiences that drive business results?” This approach means your AV investments should solve specific business challenges rather than simply upgrade hardware.

The proof is in your meeting rooms. Setup time has dropped from seven frustrating minutes to under twenty seconds. This translates to improved productivity and employee satisfaction.

Behind the shifting mindset are four key technologies reshaping how you’ll interact with AV systems: AV over IP, cloud solutions, artificial intelligence, and extended reality (XR/AR). These represent fundamental changes, creating practical benefits for organizations willing to evolve.

AV over IP leads this transformation by using your IP network infrastructure instead of dedicated AV cabling. This means you get to benefit from all the advantages of the network world: easier scaling when adding endpoints like speakers, microphones, or displays; when you need remote troubleshooting by IT teams without the need for room visits; better integration with existing security tools; and the flexibility to reconfigure spaces as needs change.

As your AV systems become networked, artificial intelligence transforms infrastructure management through automated configuration and intelligent power optimization. However, connectivity introduces security vulnerabilities requiring proactive protection. Modern solutions now integrate AI-driven network simplification with built-in cybersecurity capabilities, creating inherently secure, intelligent systems that adapt to threats while simplifying operations.

At NETGEAR, we believe that organizations investing in these transitions today—and focusing on experiences that solve specific business challenges—are positioning themselves for significant advantages as the market evolves.

SAM SABET
Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer at Shure

The simple answer for any customer looking to invest in new AV technologies today, whether for upgrading or otherwise, is to consider a flexible, adaptable platform. Today’s AV world is characterized by rapid and constant changes. These changes are evident both in the environment—workspaces, collaboration modes, and the balance between RTO and remote work—and in features and technologies such as AI, feature deployment speed, and processing power.

When choosing a platform, it’s imperative to keep in mind the ease of adaptability to evolving changes. Consider the flexibility of configuration and provisioning, as well as the longevity of the platform. Shure’s ecosystem of MXA and collaboration solutions, supported by software infrastructure like ShureCloud and our advanced DSP and AI algorithms, provides a perfect platform. It can automatically adapt and grow with our end users’ needs.

EMMA EAGLE
Manager of Marketing at Hall Research

When it comes to evolving AV systems, whether you’re replacing legacy gear or updating something relatively new, the key is to plan for what’s next—not just what’s now. AV and IT are no longer separate worlds. Your AV strategy should be as scalable, secure, and manageable as the rest of your IT infrastructure.

Don’t get stuck on spec sheets. Instead, ask: Will this system grow with us? Can it integrate with cloud platforms? Is it simple enough that anyone can use it without frustration? Because at the end of the day, simplicity drives adoption, and adoption drives ROI.

The next few years will bring even more AV over IP, smarter automation through AI, tighter cybersecurity requirements, and an increased demand for sustainable solutions. Organizations that embrace these shifts will be in the best position to maximize both their technology and their people.

My advice? Evolve with intention. Choose solutions that are scalable, secure, and user-friendly. That’s how you future-proof your AV/IT investments.

MAX RITCHER
Co-Founder and Vice President of Marketing at Insta360

The AV/IT industry is at a turning point..

We’re moving from static, hardware-first setups to flexible, cloud-connected ecosystems that are easier to manage and adapt to how people really work. Three forces are driving this shift: the cloud, AI, and interoperability.

Cloud platforms now sit at the center of modern AV, making it possible for IT teams to monitor and update systems across campuses or offices from one place. This reduces complexity and takes the burden off on-site staff.

AI adds another layer, turning AV from something reactive into something proactive. We’ve seen this in the evolution of Insta360’s enterprise tools. We came from humble (yet ambitious!) origins with the Link AI webcam. This was our first entry into the industry, already sporting smart tracking. We’ve now moved onto the Connect video bar for larger rooms, and our latest release, Insta360 Wave. As an AI speakerphone, we’ve crafted something that is adaptive and resilient, designed to work together with our other products as a seamless experience.

But none of this potential can be unlocked without interoperability. Proprietary systems have long slowed progress by creating silos and forcing users into narrow ecosystems. That’s why open standards matter. By supporting initiatives like OpenAV Cloud and pushing for shared APIs, the industry can break down barriers, give organizations more choice, and ensure systems can grow together instead of being locked in.

The convergence of cloud, AI, and interoperability is shaping the future of AV. We’re beyond just releasing flashy tech for its own sake. We’re building smarter, more reliable systems that actually make work easier and more connected for everyone.

OLIVER VAN CAMP
Product Director, Meeting Experience at Barco ClickShare

Today’s meeting room technology must do more than connect devices; it needs to enable seamless, inclusive collaboration for all meeting room users. That’s why Barco ClickShare and Microsoft are re-imagining hybrid collaboration through smarter, more human-centric meeting experiences.

ClickShare provides a secure, scalable meeting room system that lets room participants conference, collaborate, and present with just one click, with no technical hassle, no cables, and no delays. Intuitive and easy to use, ClickShare ensures the meeting experience is consistent and seamless across any space—from huddle rooms to large boardrooms—and is designed around how people truly work.

In a Microsoft Teams environment, this experience becomes more intelligent and user-friendly. AI-powered features like speaker recognition, automatic camera framing, and smart content sharing create meetings that feel more natural and engaging, whether participants are in the room or remote.

AI is now doing even more to support the flow of work. Features like speaker attribution (knowing who’s speaking), facilitator agent (a virtual assistant capturing next steps and deadlines), and interpreter agent (allowing everyone to speak in their native language) benefit both in-room and remote participants. These tools help overcome proximity barriers, reduce administrative tasks, minimize miscommunication, and integrate smoothly into everyday workflows—even as they are still emerging.

ClickShare brings wireless collaboration solutions into the meeting room, empowering companies to run AI applications locally and in real time via the ClickShare Base Units. This unlocks smarter, faster interactions—from live speaker recognition and automatic camera framing to translation and real-time note-taking—enhancing every interaction to keep users productive, engaged, and focused. Together, ClickShare and Microsoft are redefining hybrid meetings: secure, smart, scalable, and made for people.

RYAN WALLENBERG
AIMS Member and Vice President of Engineering at Cobalt Digital

Whether AV systems are for rich experiences in venues or for managing signals on campuses like businesses or universities, they often involve equipment from different tech categories. For example, in many organizations it is not rare to see mixtures of two or all three of the following things: media processing equipment, signal extension and switching equipment, and IT department equipment.

There are many factors that have made it possible to accomplish any task that previously required hardwired cables to be achievable using packetized IP. The most challenging thing left to overcome while migrating from hardwired cables to IP is dealing with mixing different equipment types, equipment classes, and vendor solutions with interfaces such as HDMI.

The two most important things that have happened to address this final challenge is the emergence of open standards and specifications—such as SMPTE ST 2110, AES67, NMOS, and IPMX—and the emergence of IP-to-IP gateway converters of many types to help deal with conversions of media profiles within the media options of the standards and between different media and protocols including proprietary options.

End users looking to evolve legacy or even newer AV systems should consider IPMX-compliant solutions that offer smooth plug-and-play integration. An optimized hybrid infrastructure will leverage interoperability for high-quality audio, video, and data for SMPTE ST 2110 transport across common networks. Organizations should be able to add capabilities at their own pace while avoiding vendor lock-in and giving them the flexibility to build infrastructures that grow with them. Several vendors have always offered modular and standards-based technologies that adapt to real-world challenges, and they are now embracing IPMX integration.

SKYLER BOWDEN
Senior Marketing Manager at Mersive

In today’s hype-heavy tech climate, AI gets most of the headlines. Promises of 10x productivity and AI-driven transformation abound—but for AV/IT professionals managing real systems, real spaces, and real users, it’s essential to cut through the noise.

The truth? AI will shape the future of collaboration—but it won’t fix broken workflows or magically modernize outdated AV infrastructure. Productivity gains only happen when technology is aligned with how people actually work, connect, and communicate. This is especially true in education, healthcare, and enterprise environments, where every decision has to balance performance, cost, security, and usability.

What’s often overlooked in the rush to optimize is a critical factor: the human experience. Meaningful technology doesn’t just improve business outcomes; it impacts how people feel about their work. When meetings are more efficient and tools actually support connection instead of complicating it, your teams regain focus, time, and energy. That’s where real value emerges: better engagement, clearer communication, and a healthier work-life balance.

The most exciting AI potential isn’t about replacing people; it’s about revealing insights. Meeting analytics can surface engagement trends, highlight contributor impact, and track follow-ups so no one flies blind. Instead of attributing all tasks to the in-room device, imagine a system that accurately reflects every participant’s input and commitments—remote or on-site.

So what’s the takeaway? Don’t get distracted by magic wands. Invest in technology that is secure, scalable, and user-friendly—solutions that create space for the innovation your teams are primed to deliver. Then, let AI help you fine-tune how your teams meet, share, and succeed—without forcing in one-size-fits-all tech that misses the mark on deeper challenges like process gaps. AI will naturally optimize efficiency, but not overnight and not without an intimate understanding of how your teams do their best work.

BLAKE ABIG
Director of National Sales at Full Compass Systems

In my role, I spend much of my time listening to colleges, universities, and corporations as they rethink how their AV systems support teaching and collaboration. One of the most common concerns I hear is that rooms feel inconsistent. A professor might walk into one classroom and everything works smoothly, then step into another and struggle to get the system started. The same frustration shows up in corporate offices. Consistency is one of the simplest ways to improve user confidence and adoption.

Another challenge customers raise is the pressure on lean support teams. Higher ed IT groups may be responsible for hundreds of classrooms, while corporate AV staff cover global meeting spaces. I often hear, “We can’t be everywhere at once.” This is where centralized, cloud-based monitoring really makes a difference. When teams can see issues in real time and push updates remotely, they spend less time firefighting and more time enabling productivity.

Clients are also curious about how artificial intelligence fits in. What I tell them is that AI works best when it disappears into the background. Cameras that automatically follow a presenter, microphones that remove noise, and live captions that improve accessibility all make the experience smoother without adding complexity.

Finally, one theme that comes up again and again is equity for remote participants. Whether it is a student joining from home or a colleague dialing in from another office, people expect to be seen and heard clearly. That is no longer optional; it is the baseline.

The most successful AV strategies I see are the ones that put people first. When systems are reliable, intuitive, and supportive of everyone in the room and beyond, the technology simply enables better outcomes.

MITCH RAUCH
U.S. Sales Director at Powersoft

As AV systems grow more complex and distributed, spanning corporate campuses, higher education institutions, and dynamic multi-use facilities, the role of the integrator is evolving just as quickly. Success in today’s audiovisual environments requires more than just great sound and video; it also depends on smooth, seamless integration with the broader IT infrastructure.

Legacy rack rooms and point-to-point signal paths are giving way to decentralized, IP-based infrastructures. AV-over-IP is no longer a trend—but the very foundation. In this environment, amplifiers are active, networked components capable of intelligent signal routing, system synchronization, and real-time control. As a result, integrators are becoming more involved in network design, such as IP addressing, VLANs, QoS, and switch configuration, which are as essential as gain structure and speaker coverage.

Cloud integration is accelerating the evolution of network-based devices. Remote monitoring and system management capabilities are quickly becoming indispensable. Whether diagnosing issues, pushing firmware updates, or fine-tuning performance from a distance, cloud connectivity empowers integrators to deliver faster, more efficient support, often before the client even notices a problem. The shift to cloud integration can save time, reduce site visits, and pave the way for recurring service models.

Through these advancements, our mission at Powersoft remains to deliver transparent, intelligible audio without distraction. We’ve embraced this evolution with platforms like Unica and Nota 142. Both Unica and Nota 142 are purpose built for decentralized, IT-friendly environments, and combine robust performance with smart design and native cloud connectivity. Unica and Nota 142 highlight our commitment to helping integrators meet today’s challenges while preparing for tomorrow’s demands by bridging the worlds of AV and IT with powerful, future-ready solutions.

JAKUB KOLACZ
Manager Product and Commercialization, Business Communication at Sennheiser

As AV systems become increasingly networked, end users are grappling with how to evolve their environments without creating disruption. Legacy software, fragmented device tools, and rising IT security expectations often slow progress—yet the demand for simpler, more scalable management is only growing.

Now is the time for end users to prepare for this new era of AV/IT convergence. The priority is ease of deployment and configuration. Complex setup processes not only consume valuable IT/AV resources but also increase the risk of errors. Solutions that enable devices to be onboarded quickly, with minimal dependencies, free teams to focus on higher-value tasks.

Next, interoperability and centralization are key. While many organizations still rely on a patchwork of vendor-specific tools, the future lies in platforms that embrace open standards and integration. By consolidating device management into a single, standardized platform, teams gain a clearer view of their systems and reduce friction across locations and departments.

Security remains non-negotiable. With AV fully part of the enterprise IT landscape, encryption, authentication, and role-based access are essential to protect both data and devices.

Finally, consider ongoing performance. Management shouldn’t stop at installation. Proactive monitoring, real-time alerts, and predictive maintenance help teams spot issues before they escalate, keeping collaboration spaces available and reliable.

IT and AV pros should consider feature-rich, cloud-based device management platforms offering them all of the above services and more, with room to scale as systems become even more complex in the future. Providing a centralized hub for devices ensures not only improved on-site or remote management, but also the ability to react quickly to any issues at the time they occur.

Looking ahead, the convergence of AV and IT will continue to accelerate. End users who prioritize simplicity, interoperability, and proactive management today will be best placed to evolve their systems tomorrow, without sacrificing security or reliability.

ART WEEKS
Project Manager at ZeeVee by Kramer

We’re at an inflection point where both integrators and end users are rethinking AV system design. The old rack-full-of-boxes model is giving way to multi-function components that combine switching, DSP, and control. The motivation isn’t just fewer devices; it’s lower total cost of ownership over the life of a system.

By consolidating functions, projects install faster, take up less rack space, draw less power, and reduce the number of potential failure points. That translates to fewer service calls, easier remote management, and reduced labor costs across the system lifecycle. Realistically, integrators can save thousands per room, per year, while giving clients a cleaner, more reliable experience. It also helps projects get approved faster because decision makers can see long-term savings rather than just the upfront price tag.

At the same time, high-performance environments—like large lecture halls or mission-critical control rooms—are pushing adoption of AVoIP. End users want ultra-low latency and the flexibility to scale on standard networks. Today, that often means choosing between 1Gb and 10Gb deployments, but we’re seeing more forward-thinking firms pre-install CAT-6a cabling even when starting at 1Gb. That future-proofs the space, making it easier and cheaper to upgrade when higher bandwidth is needed.

In short, the state of AV/IT today is about simplification without compromise, and the next few years will be defined by scalable networked video paired with systems designed to reduce complexity, cost, and risk.

JOHN KRUSE
Senior Field Solutions Architect at ViewSonic

The convergence of AV and IT is reshaping how organizations design and manage their technology ecosystems. For end users modernizing legacy systems—or even optimizing newer ones—the goal is no longer just to add AV, but to create connected, intelligent environments that align with enterprise IT strategies.

There are a number of important considerations that go into achieving this. First, interoperability is foundational. Proprietary silos, especially technology-based ones, are becoming less viable, so end users should prioritize solutions certified across major platforms—Teams, Zoom, Google Meet—and integrate these with control systems to ensure long-term flexibility.

The second consideration is keeping the cloud as your control layer. Cloud-enabled management is shifting from optional to essential. Remote monitoring, analytics, and centralized updates improve uptime, lower service costs, and scale across campuses and enterprises.

Third, consider that AI is moving mainstream. AI features are already raising user expectations—from camera framing and noise suppression to predictive diagnostics. The differentiator in the coming years will be how seamlessly these features enhance collaboration and reduce friction.

Fourth, remember that budgets are tight, so sustainability and ROI are under more scrutiny than ever. End users should look for solutions that extend product lifecycles through firmware updates, modular upgrades, and energy efficiency instead of requiring rip-and-replace strategies.

And finally, as AV lives fully on the network, alignment with corporate IT security standards is critical. Device-level protections and encrypted data handling must be built in—not bolted on.

The state of AV/IT today is one of acceleration—driven by interoperability, cloud-first management, and AI intelligence. End users who embrace openness, scalability, and sustainability will not only protect their investments but also position their organizations for smarter, more adaptable experiences in the years ahead.

PAUL HARRIS
CEO at Aurora Multimedia

For end-users looking to evolve their AV systems, I recommend attending industry trade shows like InfoComm, ISE, and NAB, among others, which provide a neutral platform to explore new technologies. Ignore the marketing, and what size booth, and who throws the best parties. Do not be a “zombie” tradeshow walker either. That is where you walk aimlessly and get sucked in by the pretty shows people put on, but miss what is right in front of you that can make a difference. Dealer and distributor local shows can work well, just understand the limitations and combine them with other research, as many of these shows will only show you what they sell and are aligned with, leaving out many other brands and new technologies.

If you really want to do what is right for your company, due diligence is everything. Talk directly with a variety of manufacturers and test the products yourself to see if they meet your requirements. Nothing is better than a good old-fashioned shootout between brands, especially if the end user is in control of it to make sure everything is on a proper playing field. All manufacturers are guilty of making their products sound as good as possible. That is simply marketing at its best or worst, for that matter.

Ask questions like what makes your technology better than the competition, what is your warranty, where is it made, what is the life span of the product, do you make the product (yeah, many companies just slap their name on OEM and pretend it is theirs, support, education, TAA compliant, and roadmap. Don’t fall into the AI trap where companies make it sound exciting from a buzzword. See that it really does what they say, regardless of the tag line. At the end of the day, you are solving a problem, and it does not matter what fancy wrapper it comes in; does it simply do what is advertised, and does it do it well?

ADAM SOWERS
Senior Manager, Business Development at Sony Electronics

As organizations evolve their AV systems, the integration of interoperability, cloud solutions, and AI is paramount. AV systems aren’t just about hardware anymore; now, it’s all about being open, smart, and working together seamlessly. Even the newest legacy systems must catch up with the demands of hybrid work, smarter buildings, and AI-powered experiences. How would this actually get done? By embracing interoperability.

For anyone choosing platforms, I’d recommend looking for those that support open architectures and APIs. This is because open systems make it much easier for all your devices and services to communicate with each other. Think of it this way: By choosing solutions that can grow and adapt, you’re making sure your tech keeps up with the times as best as possible and is set up to evolve as quickly as possible. If you haven’t yet, check out initiatives like OpenAV Cloud, of which Sony Electronics is a member, to help you stay ahead.

Additionally, we’re all aware of the impact AI is starting to have. For example, virtual assistants and service bots are not just for demos anymore. Tools like predictive maintenance and smart troubleshooting mean less downtime and happier users. Virtual attendants can automate routines, personalize rooms, and manage schedules with minimal fuss.

Over the next few years, the efforts to unite disparate systems to create holistic solutions will finally come together. To prepare for that, think about going for modular, cloud-native solutions that are ready for AI and can grow with your evolution path. And partner with brands—like Sony—that believe in interoperability and open standards.

NICOLE CORBIN
Vice President of Product at Utelogy Corporation

As AV and IT continue to converge, the future belongs to organizations that embrace interoperability, automation, and intelligent systems. From cloud control platforms to AI-driven workflows, the industry is moving into an era where your technology estate shouldn’t just be about how it’s managed, but about how it’s orchestrated (ideally remotely and automatically).

Legacy and even modern AV systems weren’t designed to support the kind of dynamic, scalable, and data-driven operations today’s enterprises demand, but that’s changing fast.

At Utelogy, we’re seeing end users evolve by connecting AI agents across their IT/AV environments to support services that manage device health, power scheduling, room utilization, and even energy-saving measures. But these agents need a toolkit to work—a platform that provides control, telemetry, configuration, and automation in real-time. That’s where the Utelogy Platform comes in, delivering innovations like Agentic AI on our MCP Server to solve these challenges.

Agentic AI brings a conversational interface to the heart of AV/UC operations. Issue a command like, “Restart all devices in Building B with recent alert history,” and the system not only executes it, but recommends how to turn that action into a self-healing event going forward. This is AI for productivity, not just novelty.

Our advice? Don’t be afraid to integrate. Whether you’re managing a few rooms or thousands of devices across campuses and continents, the right tools let you reduce manual effort, increase uptime, and make smarter decisions using the data you already have.

In the coming years, the winners won’t just be those who adopt the newest tech, but those who build agile, interoperable systems that allow humans and machines to work together. The future of AV/IT isn’t siloed; it’s smart, connected, and cloud-enabled.

JATAN SHAH
President at QSC

My advice to end users looking to evolve their AV systems is to focus on flexibility, scalability, and intelligence. Technology is moving quickly, and the most future-ready solutions are those that adapt as your needs change while simplifying day-to-day experiences.

One of the biggest shifts in the industry is the move toward full integration of AV, IT, and building systems. AV is no longer a standalone function; it’s becoming deeply embedded in the workplace and experiential design. This means organizations should seek out open platforms that can seamlessly integrate into broader ecosystems rather than locking into closed or siloed technologies.

Another important trend is the rise of AI and data-driven automation. Instead of just enabling meetings or presentations, AI is becoming the eyes and ears of the room, driving context-aware actions like presenter tracking, speaker detection, and intelligent room adjustments. This shift makes technology more intuitive, reduces friction for end users, and helps deliver consistent, high-quality experiences.

Scalability also plays a critical role. End users should think not only about solving today’s challenges, but also about whether their AV approach can expand across multiple spaces or campuses while continuing to deliver measurable outcomes. Collecting and analyzing data from connected systems will become essential for optimizing utilization, proving ROI, and informing future planning.

Ultimately, the future of AV/IT is about creating smarter, more connected environments that support collaboration and innovation. By prioritizing open, data-driven platforms, organizations can ensure they’re not just keeping up with change but actively shaping spaces that are efficient, adaptive, and human-centered.

KATHRYN TAUB
Senior Product Marketing Manager at Audinate

Over the past decade, AV over IP has become central to professional systems, with nearly every major manufacturer offering networked products. And yet, interoperability across brands remains uneven, and customers expect systems that are easy to deploy, adaptable, and capable of integrating devices from different vendors.

The main challenge is that many products are built on unique implementations that work within a single brand but don’t extend beyond it. Such closed systems may be reliable, but hinder specialized features, gradual upgrades, or integration with existing investments. Open standards offer a pathway toward compatibility, but progress is slow and adoption is uneven, usually limited to basic transport of media across the network. Licensable platform solutions have become a widely adopted alternative. Backed by dedicated engineering teams, they extend beyond basic transport to provide APIs, stronger security, monitoring, and cloud-based tools that work consistently across multiple manufacturers.

Interoperability is what ensures AV-over-IP systems meet expectations in practice. Reliable audio and video depend on devices working together without added latency or quality loss, regardless of brand. As networks grow from single rooms to campuses, interoperability allows them to scale without fragmentation or costly redesigns. Shared APIs and common control frameworks make management practical by giving integrators the visibility they need to simplify support. Security underscores the same point: A system is only as strong as its weakest device, and without network-wide encryption or access control, interoperability is incomplete. Systems must balance performance and flexibility so they can meet the distinct demands of any environment.

The future of AV over IP depends on interoperability. With common protocols, consistent testing, and manufacturer-agnostic design, the industry can build networks that scale and adapt with ease. Interoperability safeguards current investments while opening the door to the innovation and growth that will define the next generation of AV systems.

BRAD HINTZE
Executive Vice President of Global Marketing at Crestron

Ultimately, convergence is all about scale. While organizations grow and their services expand, every system has to evolve to support new demands. This doesn’t mean simply upgrading individual components; instead, it requires a strategic approach and selecting platforms that are built on scalable standards that can grow with an organization over time. This scalability isn’t enough on its own, though. The platforms must also offer flexibility to accommodate a diverse range of spaces and room configurations to address smaller huddle rooms and multifunctional boardrooms alike. When choosing solutions that balance both of these components, organizations can future-proof their environments while maintaining consistency and performance.

Just as important is the user experience, as the expectations of end users are rising rapidly.

Today’s employees walk into a room with a clear vision for how they want the space to operate. Basic connectivity and audiovisual capabilities are no longer sufficient. Organizations must enable people to use the room with an easy-to-use system that offers AI features such as transcription and notetaking—just like they have come to expect from their individual workspaces.

Success lies in selecting technologies that scale with your organization while enhancing the experience of every individual who interacts
with them.

KEITH YANKE
Vice President of Product & Solutions Marketing at Sharp Imaging
& Information Company of America

The AV/IT landscape is rapidly evolving, shaped by AI, cloud interoperability, and new display technology. For end-users upgrading legacy or newer AV systems, it’s important to consider scalability, security, and sustainability.

AI is transforming display intelligence. From content triggering based on audience behavior to predictive diagnostics and remote monitoring, AI makes systems smarter, more responsive, and easier to manage. Paired with cloud-based management, AV networks can be centrally controlled, ensuring updates are applied, standards upheld, and devices remain secure throughout their lifecycle.

As systems grow more interconnected, interoperability introduces both opportunity and risk—making security foundational. AV systems must be designed with lifecycle security in mind, including firmware and software support beyond deployment. With that, manufacturers will be expected to maintain robust protocols throughout a product’s life.

As display technologies evolve alongside AI and cloud, LED displays continue to gain momentum with chip-on-board (COB) and smaller pixel pitch options becoming more affordable. When paired with cloud-driven control, LED provides scalable, high-performance displays that integrate seamlessly into AV/IT ecosystems.

Immersive experiences—from simulation to projection mapping—are expanding as AI simplifies both content creation and the mapping process. Tasks that once required niche expertise now have easier learning curves, making immersive environments more accessible to broader markets and applications. Combined with cloud-based platforms, interoperable AV systems can deliver these experiences in ways that are seamless, adaptable, and scalable.

Sustainability has also become a decisive purchasing driver. Beyond efficient hardware, cloud interoperability supports smarter lifecycle management—optimizing usage, reducing waste, and extending product longevity. Combined with durable displays, this proves that performance and sustainability can align.

Looking ahead, AV/IT systems will be defined by their ability to adapt, connect, and contribute to intelligent, secure, and sustainable workplaces across industries.

EFFI GOLDSTEIN
President of the HDBaseT Alliance

Whether upgrading legacy installations or enhancing newer deployments, end users would be best served by adopting a strategy centered around proven, reliable standards.

Modern AV systems are expensive, and organizations need to be sure that today’s investment will support tomorrow’s requirements. Building on established protocols like HDBaseT helps teams avoid getting locked into a single vendor’s ecosystem, resulting in greater and faster access to equipment than when relying on one source. This flexibility is especially important when it comes to maintenance, replacement, and time-sensitive system expansion.

Another key factor that must be taken into consideration is maintaining full functionality of the interfaces being used. For example, USB-C has become ubiquitous in modern devices, but not all connectivity solutions support the same bandwidth, creating hidden bottlenecks. For example, when connecting a USB 3.0 camera, you don’t want it to be downgraded to USB 2.0 because a system’s connectivity infrastructure can’t handle the higher data rates. Quality standards ensure your investment performs at the level it was intended to.

An additional advantage of standards-based systems is their ability to support upgrades in stages rather than being forced into complete overhauls. HDBaseT’s backward compatibility means you can reuse existing components and upgrade others as needs evolve incrementally—all while staying within budget. This offers dual benefits: It’s more economically friendly for the organization, and it supports sustainability initiatives by extending equipment lifecycles.

PETRO SHIMONISHI
Director of New Business Development at Panasonic Projector and Display Americas

AV/IT convergence not only poses an opportunity to streamline workflows, but it also exposes the need for flexible, interoperable, and easy-to-use solutions. Delivering end-to-end workflow solutions is essential to empowering AV professionals to focus on what matters: creating shared experiences. Effective, efficient workflows allow users to deliver stronger results with fewer resources to maximize the value of AV systems.

We’ll continue to see more integrations between hardware and software providers to streamline workflows and give customers the ability to design, create, and manage applications with more ease than ever before. For instance, at Panasonic Projector and Display Americas, we recently partnered with XTEN-AV to develop an integration that allows AV professionals to specify the correct lens for their Panasonic projector. Corporate AV/IT teams can confidently create system designs, reducing guesswork and speeding installation of interchangeable lens projectors.

Another market trend we anticipate will continue is the evolution of simplicity in installations. Universities upgrading lecture halls or other spaces often require additional hardware to manage streaming, content sharing, and network integration. This can increase system complexity, which becomes challenging for tight spaces. Panasonic’s displays and projectors feature SDM card slots and our partnership with Matrox Video gives AV professionals the freedom to choose the AVoIP standard that best meets their needs, with a clean system design that’s flexible for the future.

The migration of AV system workflows to the cloud is accelerating. This transition will help power seamless, engaging content as siloed, proprietary systems inhibit integration and innovation. As a founding member of OpenAV Cloud, Panasonic aims to accelerate this transition by supporting OpenAPI standards and working with the association to create a cloud-to-cloud communication standard that drives easy, cross-platform collaboration.

JOE ANDRULIS
Executive Vice President of Corporate Development at Biamp

AI continues to transform the audiovisual landscape, integrating into both legacy and contemporary AV systems. For end users, this ongoing evolution represents an unprecedented opportunity to enhance meeting experiences while also simplifying system management and support.

Beyond traditional configuration and provisioning, AI is fundamentally reshaping how end users experience corporate meetings of all types, whether participants are in person, remote, or in a hybrid setting. The most remarkable aspect of this transformation is its invisibility. Participants benefit from sophisticated, AI-driven enhancements without ever sensing the technology working behind the scenes. This seamless integration is crucial for creating truly effective meeting environments that prioritize simplicity, speed, and unwavering reliability.

Modern conferencing solutions exemplify this invisible intelligence. All-in-one conferencing bars, for example, demonstrate how AI can elevate user experiences through intelligent features such as beamtracking technology, which actively monitors and intelligently mixes conversations to ensure remote participants feel fully engaged. Coupled with AI-powered noise reduction algorithms, these systems deliver crystal-clear voice reproduction that eliminates distractions and maintains professional communication standards.

Visual intelligence further enhances the experience through electronic pan-tilt-zoom cameras paired with auto-framing technology, ensuring all participants remain perfectly positioned regardless of their location or movement. This technology keeps everyone front and center, creating an inclusive environment where physical location becomes irrelevant to participation quality.

The impact of AI also extends into operational excellence, benefiting end users in other ways they may not realize. For technical support teams, AI provides unprecedented insights into system performance, enabling rapid problem identification and resolution. This enables support teams to implement predictive capabilities to address potential issues before they impact end users, transforming reactive support into proactive system optimization. This paradigm shift ensures that mundane technical issues are resolved automatically, while more complex challenges are anticipated and prevented, creating a seamless, uninterrupted meeting experience for all participants.

OMER BROOKSTEIN, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder at Xyte

For enterprise end users looking to evolve their AV systems, the most important step is ensuring a foundation that’s open and adaptable. Proprietary silos slow innovation and increase costs, while open APIs provide the flexibility to integrate best-in-class solutions and scale as needs change. That’s why OpenAV Cloud—an industry initiative focused on standardizing open, cloud-based APIs and fostering cross-platform collaboration—is so critical.

The value of choosing an OpenAV solution is clear: It delivers vendor-neutral flexibility, easier integrations and scalability, and faster support and troubleshooting—all while future-proofing AV/IT investments with the backing of industry leaders. With this foundation in place, enterprises can not only streamline today’s operations but also prepare for the intelligent automation that’s rapidly reshaping the industry.

The real opportunity today, however, lies in how AI will transform the way AV systems are supported, maintained, and experienced. AI-powered teammates are emerging as a force multiplier for IT and AV teams.

Autonomous issue resolution means that if a microphone drops mid-call, AI detects it and reboots or reroutes before users notice. With proactive scheduling and monitoring, AI forecasts failures from usage patterns and environmental data, then books service windows automatically. Context-aware support in hybrid meetings allows AI to adjust audio, cameras, and layouts to match participants and context. And finally, with self-service for end users, employees can resolve minor issues with AI-guided instructions, reducing IT workload.

AI in enterprise AV isn’t about replacing humans; it’s about augmenting teams with intelligent assistants that deliver resilience, efficiency, and better user experiences. Future-ready AV means building for both interoperability and intelligence—without one, the other cannot succeed. And with AI teammates stepping in to resolve issues, anticipate needs, and empower users, organizations that embrace this shift now will set the pace for the entire industry.

STEPHANE TREMBLAY
President of the SDVoE Alliance

Today, we’re recognizing that many integrators, IT managers, and end users are seeking solutions that deliver high-quality performance without requiring a complete rip and replace of existing infrastructure. As a result, AV over IP has emerged as a viable solution. By shifting AV distribution onto standard Ethernet networks, it enables organizations to harness the power of their current infrastructure while unlocking new levels of flexibility, scalability, and reliability. Unlike traditional systems that often depend on proprietary hardware and cabling, AV over IP integrates seamlessly into IT environments.

A key advantage of AV over IP, and particularly Software-Defined Video over Ethernet (SDVoE), is its ability to deliver high-performance video and audio with the reliability and interoperability that IT teams expect. With SDVoE technology, audiovisual functions become software-defined, meaning updates, enhancements, and even new features can be deployed through firmware rather than hardware replacement. A software-based approach offers significant future proofing, delaying obsolescence and protecting investments. In an era where supply chain disruptions and budget pressures remain real challenges, that flexibility matters.

Higher education, corporate facilities, houses of worship, and other verticals need standardized, interoperable solutions that scale to large spaces without compromising user experience. In higher education, for instance, AV over IP enables classrooms, lecture halls, and collaborative spaces to run on a consistent backbone, easing IT management and improving reliability.

Looking ahead, AV and IT continue to converge more closely. AV is no longer siloed, but treated as another service on the network, and is subject to the same demands for uptime, security, and scalability. Ethernet’s continued evolution, coupled with AV over IP’s flexibility, suggests that over the next few years, organizations will increasingly standardize on 10G Ethernet backbones. As a result, AV systems will become more reliable, interoperable, and adaptable to future needs, ensuring end users can keep pace with changing expectations without constant reinvestment.

AVT Question: Please share your insights into emerging trends and how AV/IT technologies are reshaping the higher education classroom and beyond.

Thought Leader: Steve Bogart, Business Development Manager of Education at Atlona

Higher education classrooms are evolving to be more flexible, interactive, and student-centered. Hybrid and HyFlex learning models allow students to choose between in-person and online participation, offering greater accessibility and convenience. Traditional lecture-based teaching is being replaced by active learning strategies such as flipped classrooms, collaborative problem solving, and project-based learning—all of which enhance engagement and knowledge retention. With that often comes the need to support more AV and USB sources in the room, including connectivity to 4K cameras, conferencing bars, microphones, speakers, and other peripherals.

Gamification and immersive learning tools such as virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) are transforming education by creating hands-on, interactive experiences, particularly in fields like medical training, engineering, and history. Learning analytics and predictive modeling help educators track student performance, offering insights that allow for personalized interventions and improved learning outcomes. Additionally, there is a growing focus on soft skills, interdisciplinary education, and micro credentials, enabling students to acquire industry-relevant expertise alongside their degrees.

To facilitate engagement, institutions are adopting learning management systems like Canvas and Blackboard, AI tutoring assistants, and collaborative tools such as Microsoft Teams and Zoom. Digital whiteboards, annotation tools, and polling platforms like Kahoot and Poll Everywhere encourage active participation. Immersive technologies, including VR headsets and AR applications, bring complex concepts to life through interactive simulations. Video switching solutions, such as hardware-based switchers and software platforms like OBS Studio and Atlona, enhance the hybrid learning experience by seamlessly managing multiple video sources, ensuring high-quality content delivery for both in-person and remote students. These advancements are collectively reshaping higher education, making learning more engaging, data-driven, and adaptable to modern students' needs.

The second half of 2025 started off with major acquisition news in the Pro AV world. It came at us pretty quickly, closing out June and starting up July with early fireworks. Let's get you caught up with what you may have missed.

3G Productions acquired Main Light’s 70,000-square-foot location in Nashville, taking over Main Light’s Antioch neighborhood building, its full inventory, and all seven employees, who have now joined the 3G team. The shop’s complement of lighting equipment includes brands like Robe, MA, Ayrton, Martin, Elation, Chauvet, Astera, and Tyler Truss, among others.

Via this acquisition, 3G is better positioned to support its established Southeastern client base with more gear and a centralized location. Having also recently added multiple account managers based in the Southeast, 3G will be able to service its East Coast client base out of a more geographically desirable location. Main Light still maintains ownership and operations of its three locations in Wilmington (DE), Teterboro (NJ), and headquarters in Las Vegas, all of which will continue to operate with a sole focus on dry-hire lighting rentals.

Audinate ended June with its acquisition of Iris Studios. Iris offers a control-first video production platform that enables users to seamlessly manage cameras remotely, providing features like AI-driven auto tracking, real-time color correction and cloud recording, all from a single, cloud-based interface. The Iris platform is brand-agnostic and is currently enabled on a wide range of PTZ cameras on the market. You can read our full coverage here.

Panduit, which acquired Atlona in 2019, shut down the company Hall Technologies acquired Atlona's product portfolio. It was announced July 1 via an email to its customers, which Cindy Davis covered here.

As always, there was more than acquisition news. Here's what else you may have missed.

People News

d&b audiotechnik Welcomes Jocelyne Bückner as VP of Marketing

d&b audiotechnik named Jocelyne Bückner as new VP of marketing. In her new role, Bückner leads the company’s global marketing strategy, driving brand growth and market expansion. She focuses on developing and executing a comprehensive marketing roadmap, ensuring alignment across all territories and supporting d&b’s continued growth and innovation.

Bückner brings extensive experience in all facets of marketing, including brand management, PR, digital, performance, and product marketing. Having worked at d&b audiotechnik from 2016 to 2023, she has a deep understanding of the company’s culture, values, and spirit. Bückner is highly experienced in leadership roles and has successfully mentored and developed teams in the past. Most recently, she led Holoplot’s global marketing team.

LYNX Technik Appoints New Executive Leadership Team

LYNX Technik appointed new executive leadership. Markus Motzko has been appointed chief Executive officer and Vincent Noyer will take on the role of chief technology officer, forming a new leadership team to guide the company forward. Founder and longtime CEO Winfried Deckelmann will transition out of daily operations and continue to support the company as a member of the Supervisory Board, where he will serve as Chairman.

Motzko brings extensive experience in production processes, manufacturing optimization, and technical leadership. Since joining LYNX Technik, he has led production and administration, focusing on operational efficiency and long-term growth. Prior to joining the company, Motzko held roles in the industrial and medical semiconductor sectors, managing product development, supply chain operations, and customer engagement.

Noyer, previously director of product marketing, assumes the CTO role with over two decades of experience in the broadcast and live sports industries. Before LYNX Technik, he held senior positions at Ross Video, where he helped drive the success of the PIERO Sports Graphics solution.

PlexusAV announces Jim Reinhardt as US Sales Manager

PlexusAV appointed Jim Reinhardt as U.S. sales manager. With extensive experience at companies including tvONE, WyreStorm, and Crestron, Reinhardt brings a deep understanding of both the technology and the needs of integrators and end users across the AV industry. This appointment continues PlexusAV's growth, presence, and impact in the U.S. market.

“I’m thrilled for the opportunity to join an early-stage technology company at a true inflection point of an industry that is demanding 100% interoperability and truly open standards," said Reinhardt. "The team, the product offering, and the vision at PlexusAV are all in place; now it’s about delivering value to businesses and organizations that demand flexibility, compatibility, adaptability, and reliability. I can’t wait to get started."

RISE Welcomes Arlen Schweiger as Director of Content

RISE Media Strategy appointed Arlen Schweiger as director of content. Schweiger brings nearly two decades of experience in the AV industry, with a comprehensive background that spans residential, commercial, and consumer sectors. His most recent role as editor-in-chief of CE Pro magazine, along with his previous editorial positions at Commercial Integrator, Security Sales & Integration, and Electronic House, have cemented his reputation as a content creator, known for his expertise, writing prowess, and deep industry knowledge.

In his new role, Schweiger will spearhead RISE's content strategy, overseeing the production of diverse content, including blogs, press releases, and case studies, as well as directing RISE’s search initiatives, including the new frontiers of Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) and Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) to the benefit of RISE clients. He will also focus on building and nurturing media relationships, expanding RISE's presence in international media as the company grows its global client base. Additionally, he will develop content distribution pathways to reach architects, designers, and builders for RISE’s integrator clients and design-forward brands.

Yamaha Appoints Sotaro Nishida to Executive Officer and SVP of Audio

Sotaro Nishida was appointed executive officer and SVP of audio at Yamaha Corporation of America (YCA). Nishida has been with Yamaha for over 20 years. In this newly created role, Nishida oversees both the Consumer Audio and Professional Audio departments, focusing on enhancing customer satisfaction while expanding the breadth and depth of innovative Yamaha audio solutions available to integrators, audio professionals, and consumers.

Before joining YCA, Nishida was the CEO of Yamaha Unified Communications (YUC). In 2024, YCA assumed sales, marketing, and support responsibilities for unified communications products in the U.S. Before joining YUC, he worked at Yamaha Europe’s headquarters in Hamburg, Germany, and handled assignments in Japan and Latin America. Throughout his time at the company, he has been involved with both the Pro Audio Division and the Music Entertainment Division.

Company News

Alfalite Obtains NCAGE and TAA Certifications

Alfalite has obtained both the NCAGE Code (NATO Commercial and Government Entity) and TAA (Trade Agreements Act) compliance certification, marking a major milestone in the company’s international growth strategy. These two certifications enable Alfalite to participate in defense and governmental procurement projects across NATO member states and the U.S. government, including contracts requiring strict compliance and traceability standards.

The certifications reinforce Alfalite’s presence in workspace, control room, and Security Operations Center (SOC) environments, where its LED displays are already deployed—often confidentially—in mission-critical facilities belonging to Ministries of Defense and Interior, military command centers, royal institutions, major telecom operators, and global news agencies. These trusted installations confirm the reliability and security performance of Alfalite’s technology in sensitive and highly regulated operational contexts.

Datapath VSN Processors and Graphics Products Now Compatible with Windows 11

Datapath is now offering its VSN video wall controllers with full Microsoft Windows 11 compatibility. Available now across the full suite of VSN controllers and graphics products, Datapath’s latest graphics driver provides improved performance, and more flexibility when specifying hardware for multi-source/multi-end point video wall applications. With the default operating system compatibility remaining as Windows 10, customers can now specify Windows 11 at no extra cost.

Along with reliability and speed, end users can benefit from the upgrade to Windows 11’s enhanced embedded security with Secure Boot and TPM 2.0 which, along with Datapath’s Transport Layer Security encryption, provides additional peace of mind for mission critical applications. As well as support for Windows 11, the new driver also supports improved performance, especially for displaying complex web and 3D applications in industries such as electronics, healthcare, automotive, aerospace, robotics, and manufacturing.

Dillinger Labs Names Empire PRO New Distributor

Dillinger Labs, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Eleven Engineering, has named Bell, CA-based Empire PRO its new distributor. Empire PRO is among the largest distributors of professional audio, video, and lighting equipment nationwide. The company provides its clients with a reliable, supportive, and efficient source of optimal full-system-solutions by distributing leading audio, video, and lighting brands, stocking deep inventory in-house, being centrally located in the heart of Los Angeles and delivering promptly.

LEA Professional Partners with AVA for Support in Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa

LEA Professional announced its partnership with Audio Visual Associates (AVA), a manufacturer’s representative based in Missouri. This partnership promises to bring LEA’s rich technology catalog to Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, and Southern Illinois customers.

AVA Reps brings decades of industry knowledge and has built a reputation for dedicated service and technical expertise across a wide range of professional and commercial AV projects. AVA creatively connects customer-focused manufacturers with value-added dealers to ensure end users receive superior products and quality service. This collaborative approach makes them an ideal partner for LEA Professional, which strives to always deliver innovative and reliable audio solutions.

This partnership will bring LEA Professional’s Network Connect series of professional amplifiers and companion Dante Connect series featuring Dante and AES67 connectivity to AVA’s customers. These series allow integrators to utilize cloud-based remote control, monitoring, notifications, and more from any internet-enabled device, allowing them to stay connected anywhere in the world.

Neutrik Celebrates 50th Anniversary

NEUTRIK recently celebrated reaching the milestone of the creation of the 2-billionth connector with a civic reception at Neutrik Group headquarters in Schaan, Liechtenstein. A guest list of 45 included invitees from national and local government and media, as well as from within the company and its partner networks. Welcoming speeches were given by Robert Büchel, Liechtenstein Minister of Economic Affairs and Markus Beck, Deputy Mayor of Schaan. Also present was Manfred Kaufmann, President of the Liechtenstein Parliament.

Since its inception in 1975, the NEUTRIK brand has been at the forefront of interconnect technology. From its XLR and speakON connectors to the powerCON power connectivity series, and the advancements inherent in opticalCON fiber optic and etherCON data solutions, NEUTRIK has engineered the means by which these technologies can be deployed in heavy-duty, professional production applications, including in outdoor extreme environments.

Marking its milestone half-century, and celebrating the brand’s accomplishments and vision for the future, a special limited edition 50th Anniversary product line has been issued to commemorate this historic occasion. This commences with the release of special anniversary edition male and female XLR connectors and a ¼-inch instrument plug. These feature a new conductive zinc-based coating, providing an aesthetic dark grey metallic finish with a laser-engraved NEUTRIK 50 YEARS anniversary commemorative logo.

Transformation Entertainment Group (TEG) has named Austin, TX-based ProVideo & Sound its new representatives for the Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Arkansas (TOLA) territory.

ProVideo & Sound is a premier manufacturer’s representative firm specializing in professional audio, video, and lighting solutions across Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Arkansas. They represent a portfolio of top-tier AV brands, connecting manufacturers with dealers, integrators, consultants, and end users through trusted relationships, technical expertise, and regional market knowledge. ProVideo & Sound’s team is dedicated to providing exceptional sales support, product training, and strategic insight to help its partners succeed in today’s fast-evolving AV landscape. With decades of experience in the TOLA region, ProVideo & Sound is a reliable extension of the brands it represents and a valued resource to its channel partners.

Shortly after the announcement of the acquisition of the Atlona portfolio from Panduit, Hall Technologies' CEO, Ken Eagle, sat down with AV Technology's Cindy Davis to discuss the details behind the acquisition, its implications for employees, the evolution of the two brands, and the company's roadmap through 2026.

View the full video interview below.

The following is an edited snapshot. View the video above to listen to the entirety of the interview.

Cindy Davis: What led to the Atlona portfolio becoming available from Panduit?

Ken Eagle: Panduit is a giant in IT infrastructure, and the AV business wasn't their core competency or where they wanted to focus. As you know, I used to work for Atlona, and I loved working there; I've missed it ever since. When this opportunity became available, it just seemed like a natural fit to work together with them again.

CD: We've already seen on LinkedIn that some of the folks from Atlona are looking for new opportunities. Did any of the Atlona staff come over with the acquisition?

KE: I wish we could keep all of them. They've all contributed to making the Atlona brand what it is today, and that's just truly amazing. But yes, a large portion of the staff is still here. Most of the faces you know, and love are likely still here, but there are definitely some talented individuals who did not join us as part of this transition.

And if you are looking for key employees, I can tell you that anyone from the Atlona team is worth your time and investment to consider. I had the chance to work with that whole team for 7 ½ years, and I know the talent that's there.

CD: Will you continue to use the Atlona brand in addition to the Hall Technologies brand?

KE: Yes, absolutely, we'll have both brands. Hall Research as a business entity. Under that umbrella, Hall Technologies, which we know today, has a medical and AV component that produces audiovisual products. Hall Technologies will move forward with a more focused approach in the medical vertical, and Atlona will become the Pro AV brand.

CD: Hall and Altona currently have some overlapping product lines. How will that transition take place?

KE: Hall Technologies has a wonderful set of AV products, and throughout the rest of this year, there will be no change to that product line. Customers will still purchase those through all the regular channels that they normally would. Over the course of the year, our engineering, sales, and business teams will look at the roadmaps from Hall Technologies in Atlona and figure out how to best combine them.

As we round the corner into 2026, you'll start to see a merger of the Hall AV products into the Atlona brand. Those will emerge throughout next year as the Atlona Pro AV brand. Hall AV products will primarily focus on the medical channel, including patient monitoring products, monitors, signal extension, and management solutions.

As you move into larger matrix products, extension products, and UCC-type products, you'll see all of these migrate into the Atlona portfolio.

CD: What would you most like your customers to know?

KE: I most want people to know that both brands are still here. Both teams are still here. All the sales channels, the reps, and distributors are still there. The products are in stock as you've seen them all year and are available. Don't be afraid to reach out, continue buying the brands that you love. Atlona has been around for years. People love this brand. It is still here, it's being supported, marketed, and demoed. There's a training tour going on this year. And the same thing with Hall. Don't stop engaging. Don't stop using the brand. Even if some of the products are converting to Atlona, you're going to have equal access to both of those as that happens. So don't stop. Engage and reach out to your usual avenues of contact and sales. They'll be here and available for you.

[Breaking News: Hall Technologies Acquires Atlona Product Portfolio from Panduit]

On July 1, 2025, the following email memo was sent to Hall Technologies' Pro AV customers announcing the acquisition of the Atlona product portfolio from Panduit.

Dear Pro AV Customer,

We’re excited to share a major milestone in our journey: Hall Technologies has officially completed the acquisition of substantially all of the assets of Atlona, a respected industry veteran and longtime competitor in the professional AV space.

This strategic move brings together two innovative leaders with a shared vision—to deliver cutting-edge AV solutions that are smarter, more flexible, and more accessible than ever before. Together, we will offer a more comprehensive product portfolio, enhanced service and support, and expanded global reach.

What This Means for You:

Access to a broader range of technologies from both trusted brands; enhanced customer support and technical resources; and continued innovation across education, corporate, medical, and government markets.

"The acquisition of Atlona is a bold and strategic step that strengthens our position as a global leader in the Pro AV industry. Atlona’s reputation for innovation, engineering excellence, and global reach perfectly complements Hall Technologies’ customer-first philosophy and technical expertise. Together, we’re building a powerhouse that will deliver even more value, flexibility, and forward-thinking solutions to our partners and customers around the world."

— Ken Eagle, CEO, Hall Technologies

"The acquisition of Atlona marks a pivotal moment for Hall Technologies and the AV industry at large. By bringing together two trusted and innovative brands, we’re not just expanding our portfolio—we’re creating a more powerful, unified force in Pro AV. This move allows us to better serve our partners with deeper expertise, broader solutions, and a renewed commitment to driving technology forward."

— Victor Baut, VP of Pro AV Sales & Marketing, North America, Atlona Inc.

As we move forward, our commitment to quality, reliability, and partnership remains stronger than ever. Whether you've worked with Hall Technologies, Atlona, or both—we're here to make your AV experience even better.

If you have any questions or would like to speak with your representative about how this impacts your current or future projects, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

Thank you for your continued trust and partnership.

If you have any questions or would like to speak with your representative about how this impacts your current or future projects, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

sales@halltechav.com

sales@atlona.com

Get your free copy of SCN's Integration Guide to AVoIP.

High Marks for AVoIP

John Abbott College recently created 13 new classrooms out of mobile home-sized modular units, and installed an IP network to provide them with AV over IP technologies. Now, the technology is providing flexibility in the classrooms that accommodates different teaching styles and classroom configurations.

At Issue

Experts from Atlona, Cleerline, DVIGear, Matrox Video, and NETGEAR discuss the most compelling reasons for adopting an AVoIP workflow.

Download the Integration Guide to AVoIP.

Read the June issue of Systems Contractor News.

There were people on the move and more partnerships made, but this week in Pro AV was once again highlighted by two acquisitions.

First, CTI, which has been busy since Feb. 2024 in the acquisition department, made yet another, this time acquiring LightWerks. This expands CTI’s current operations in Los Angeles, Orange County, San Diego, and the San Francisco Bay Area, while bringing Boise, Idaho, and Montana into CTI’s coverage for the first time. CTI serves customers worldwide as a member of the PSNI Global Alliance and across the US, with locations from Michigan to Texas and New Jersey to California. You can read our full coverage here.

Also, LiveU acquired Actus Digital, known for its compliance logging, quality assurance, and AI-driven media insight. This strategic acquisition will strengthen Actus Digital’s innovation roadmap and expand the long-term value delivered to customers worldwide.

Since 2005, Actus Digital has installed over 1,300 intelligent monitoring systems for broadcasters, regulators, governments, and intelligence agencies. The Actus Digital platform offers a blend of compliance logging, quality assurance and technical monitoring, content repurposing, and advanced AI-powered media analysis solutions.

What else did you miss? Sit back, we have you covered.

Tariff Talk

• Kramer announced that due to recent changes in U.S. import tariff regulations, it added a 15% tariff surcharge to all product lines sold in the U.S., including Kramer, ZeeVee, and Ashton Bentley. This surcharge will go into effect on May 9, 2025. Software and services are not impacted and will remain surcharge-free.
• Mimo, a manufacturer of small display and AV technology, announced its complete catalog of displays, tablets and AV solutions will be TAA compliant once remaining inventory is exhausted, thus making them exempt from tariffs. Based on the United States Trade Agreements Act (TAA) of 1979, TAA compliance refers to products or services that are either manufactured or "substantially transformed" in the United States or in a designated country that has a trade agreement with the U.S.

People News

Advanced Systems Group Names James Abee as Account Executive, Nashville Region

Advanced Systems Group has appointed James Abee as account executive, Nashville Region. Abee brings over 20 years of experience in broadcast production, live events, and business operations to his role leading business development in the region. Abee serves as ASG’s first full-time representative in the area, bringing the full range of ASG’s services and solutions to the local community.

Abee brings a deep production background in broadcast television, documentary, corporate, podcasting and live events, as well as post production, which will provide a solid foundation for his new position at ASG. His diverse production experience includes 25 years of editing and post production work. He’s been a Director, a Technical Director, and a Camera Operator; and held several titles, including Head of Post and Director of International Programming, at Current TV.

Atlona Promotes Paul Krizan to Leadership Position in Product Line Management

Atlona has promoted Paul Krizan to product line manager. He drives the innovation cycle for Atlona moving forward, leading the product management and hardware engineering teams as they bring the next generation of Altona’s AV products to life. He also maintains and evolves the existing portfolio of Atlona collaboration, connectivity, and control products worldwide.

Krizan joined Atlona as product manager, networked AV in 2020, where he was responsible for managing the complete product lifecycle for the company’s AV over IP solutions. His achievements include the development and launch of OmniStream 2.0, a free firmware upgrade that added 4K/60 4:4:4 video support, improved bitrate efficiency, integrated multiview processing and near-zero latency to existing OmniStream hardware. His experience in these and previous product management roles at AMX, Harman, and Signify prepare him for success in managing Atlona’s entire product portfolio, which he sees as ripe for development opportunities in several key areas.

Professional Wireless Systems (PWS) Expands New York Team

Professional Wireless Systems (PWS) is expanding its New York-based team. The company has hired Josh Lampf as B2B and business development lead and Chris Budin as 0perations coordinator.

In his role Lampf represents PWS at trade shows, networking events, and industry gatherings. He also collaborates with engineers to leverage technology and help PWS build strong client relationships, delivering solutions that enhance overall customer satisfaction.

Budin manages business logistics to ensure the company continues to run smoothly, overseeing various tasks such as monitoring projects and ensuring deadlines are met while working closely with employees and management. His new role relies heavily on his production and project management skills.

WAVIT Announces New Leadership 

Women in AV/IT (WAVIT) unveiled its new Board of Directors. With a renewed focus on mentorship, equity, and professional development, WAVIT’s leadership continues to evolve to meet the needs of today’s workforce while advancing representation for women across all corners of the AV/IT space.

Stepping into the role of president is Althea Ricketts, VP of corporate initiatives at Shure. With more than three decades of experience in the audio electronics industry and a proven track record in sustainability, DEI leadership, and global marketing and sales, Ricketts brings a wealth of strategic insight and a deep passion for mentorship and industry advancement.

Lex Evans, digital signage manager at the University of Southern California, has been appointed Vice President. A customer experience designer and board member of the Digital Signage Federation, Evans is also a co-creator of the WAVIT Podcast and a champion for accessible, inclusive technology experiences.

Joining the board is Nikki Ault, VP of clientservices at Coffman Media, who brings impressive credentials and fresh perspectives to WAVIT’s mission. With nearly 20 years of experience in client service leadership and customer experience strategy, Ault is a powerful advocate for women in client-facing tech roles.

Company News

AVer’s VB370A and CP10 G2 Achieve Zoom Certification

AVer's VB370A, a 4K dual-lens video conferencing bar, and CP10 G2 Controller, an intuitive touchscreen panel, have obtained Zoom Certification. Together, the VB370A and CP10 G2 offer an all-in-one conferencing solution, seamless Zoom Rooms functionality and an intuitive Android-powered interface in a plug-and-play design.

Designed to streamline hybrid collaboration, the VB370A combines AI-enhanced video, crystal-clear sound, and dual-screen support, making it an all-in-one conferencing solution for enterprises seeking elevated meeting experiences. The VB370A integrates an 18X zoom PTZ camera with a wide-angle fixed lens to deliver comprehensive coverage, from panoramic room views to pinpoint close-ups of participants. The VB370A's unparalleled flexibility ensures that every voice and expression is clearly captured, whether in a compact huddle space or a large conference room. With intelligent features like Smart Composition, Auto Framing and Voice Tracking, the VB370A automatically focuses on active speakers, enhancing engagement and reducing the need for manual camera adjustments. These AI-driven capabilities foster a more organic and efficient meeting experience, bridging the gap between remote and in-person collaboration.

Certified with Zoom, the VB370A and CP10 G2 empower users with Zoom Rooms functionality, allowing for more efficient meeting operations.

New AV Partnership Serves Up Total Hospitality Experience

A new partnership of AV technology leaders is debuting a fully integrated hospitality solution at the 2025 National Restaurant Association (NRA) Show. Designed to elevate guest engagement, increase revenue, and simplify control for operators, this collaborative offering brings together cutting-edge products from JukeVision (FlexBox), WyreStorm (Distribution), CrimsonAV (LED expertise), Symetrix (DSP), and Encompass Interactive (integration support).

Under the tagline “From Sip to Soundtrack — Your Ambiance, Amplified,” the solution delivers a complete ecosystem of audio, video, digital signage, control, and installation, built specifically for hospitality environments like sports bars, restaurants, hotels, casinos, and family entertainment venues.

UCLA Digital Spaces Collaborates with PlaceOS

UCLA Digital Spaces, the audiovisual design and support division of Digital and Technology Solutions responsible for shaping the future of campus environments, announced a multi-year strategic product development alliance with PlaceOS, a platform for smart workplace and campus automation. This collaboration aims to transform how students, faculty, and visitors interact with UCLA's physical spaces through intelligent, data-driven, and highly personalized experiences.

By leveraging PlaceOS’s innovative platform, UCLA Digital Spaces will integrate an innovative, dynamic suite of services across campus, leveraging a cloud-first strategy to automate audiovisual control and distribution, advanced room booking, wayfinding, environmental controls, space utilization analytics, streaming, learning tools, remote management and control, and event coordination. The result will be a seamless, adaptive, accessible, and sustainable campus environment that meets the evolving needs of its diverse community.

The first phase of the project will focus on deploying PlaceOS modules through an innovative pilot program scheduled to launch in Fall 2025. This initial deployment will introduce a robust suite of features, including cloud-first, app-based navigation tools; advanced audiovisual control and automation; intelligent room scheduling; interactive digital signage systems; comprehensive asset management; integrated AI enhancements; and a reimagined BruinCast cloud-streaming service. In addition, the pilot will implement intelligent lighting and climate control systems designed to improve sustainability, accessibility, and operational efficiency.

Subsequent phases will expand functionality to additional stakeholders across campus, incorporating real-time user feedback, space utilization data, and advanced analytics. This iterative approach will ensure that solutions evolve responsively, continuously optimizing the campus environment to meet the dynamic needs of students, faculty, staff, and visitors. Over time, the project aims to establish UCLA as a global model for intelligent campus design, where technology and human experience are seamlessly intertwined.

TEG and BASE Xperiential Announce Partnership

Transformation Entertainment Group (TEG), has partnered with Houston-based BASE Xperiential (BX). TEG is now BASE Xperiential’s exclusive provider for design support, equipment specification, equipment rental/lease/sale, and managed services which include installation support, tech support, maintenance, repair, and related AV production support services.

BX’s HoloTheater delivers a dynamic and immersive storytelling attraction using three-dimensional holographic technology, laser-projection, and video mapping to bring audiences up close and personal to content. HoloTheater debuted at the Houston Museum of Natural Science with its premiere film, Dinosaur Discoveries: A Holographic Adventure and has since partnered with MacGillivary Freeman Films on the production of its next holographic film coming soon, Ocean Giants. Following the success in Houston, BASE Xperiential will launch HoloTheater at the Museum of Discovery and Science in Fort Lauderdale, FL this summer and are collaborating with TEG to bring HoloTheater to a wide range of global venues.

Pro AV around the Globe

Riedel Communications opened new office in Hong Kong. This strategic expansion underscores Riedel's commitment to enhancing its presence in the Asia-Pacific region and providing superior support to its growing customer base. To mark the occasion, Riedel hosted an All-Asia Partner Conference in March at the new office. The event brought together regional partners to discuss market trends, product developments, and partnership strategies – fostering collaboration across the region, while providing hands-on access to Riedel’s latest solutions.

Bose Professional has partnered with AV Partner AS, a Midwich Group company, as their new sole-distributor in Norway, marking yet another milestone in the newly independent company’s global evolution. Founded in 2010, AV Partner AS is a specialized distributor of professional audio and video solutions based in Oslo, Norway.

NETGEAR opened a new software development center in Chennai, India. The new center builds on its recent acquisition of VAAG Systems, a Chennai-based cloud software company known for its expertise in AI-driven network troubleshooting. By welcoming their team and valuable IP into NETGEAR, it expands the NETGEAR's capabilities and scales the development of intuitive, high-performance solutions designed to address the real challenges facing businesses today and beyond.

Baseball. Partnerships. People Movers. It was yet another busy week in Pro AV. Get caught up on what you may have missed while away at NAB Show 2025.

[Winners Announced for Best of Show at the NAB Show 2025]

People News

Bob Bonniol Joins ACT Entertainment as Director of Innovation for Video 

ACT Entertainment has appointed of Bob Bonniol as director of innovation for video. A creative force whose credits range from Broadway to mega-tours, theme parks to augmented worlds, Bonniol now takes the helm of ACT’s rapidly growing video and interactive technology areas, bringing his signature mix of showbiz audacity, technological alchemy and immersive storytelling to a powerful new platform.

In this newly created role, Bonniol leads product development, uniting the capabilities of Green Hippo and tvONE under ACT’s innovation umbrella. He aims to expand ACT’s reach and help its clients create amazing new immersive experiences, digital placemaking and destination-scale entertainment, pushing the envelope of what’s possible with ACT’s video and interactivity lineup.

Black Box Appoints Jai Venkat as Chief Revenue Officer Americas

Black Box appointed Jai Venkat as the company’s chief revenue officer in the Americas. Venkat leads revenue strategy and execution, driving growth, bolstering account management, and accelerating revenue across all industry verticals and horizontal practices. He will report directly to Black Box CEO Sanjeev Verma and will be a member of the executive leadership team. His appointment is part of Black Box’s broader strategic investment in refining its go-to-market strategy and strengthening leadership across key industry sectors and service lines to drive growth.

Venkat joins Black Box with more than three decades of experience leading sales, services, and transformation initiatives at global technology firms. Prior to joining Black Box, he held senior executive leadership roles at Allied Digital, Zones, DXC Technology, HP Enterprise, Cognizant, Capgemini and Infosys.

PlexusAV Appoints Tommy Tran as Global Marketing Manager

PlexusAV appointed Tommy Tran as global marketing manager. “Tommy is a marketing leader with a background in startups, agencies, and high-growth industries," confirmed Steven Cogels, global director of business development at PlexusAV. "He has worked across banking, e-commerce, technology, law, agriculture, and education, giving him experience in different markets and business models. His expertise includes branding, content marketing, SEO, CRM optimization, and data analysis. We are genuinely excited to welcome him to our team. We are very confident that his skill and expertise will significantly enrich our marketing and drive us to new heights.”

Company News

Plus Four Marketing Joins Group One Limited Rep Network

Farmingdale, NY-based Group One Limited, the U.S. distributor for a number of pro audio and lighting industries brands, has added Plus Four Marketing to its independent manufacturer’s representative network.

Headquartered in Walnut Creek, CA, Plus Four Marketing is under the direction of principal Joe Mathews, son of the late James “Jimmy” Mathews who founded the firm more than 40 years ago. Plus Four has been retained by Group One to facilitate sales and support for the DiGiCo, Fourier Audio, KLANG, MC², Sound Devices, and XTA lines throughout Northern California, Nevada (outside of Las Vegas), Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, and Alaska.

LG Partners with Boston Red Sox

LG Electronics USA and the Boston Red Sox have announced a multi-year partnership, making LG the “Official TV Partner of the Boston Red Sox.”

This collaboration, brokered by ANC, leverages LG’s commercial and consumer display technologies to enhance the Fenway Park experience for fans. Building on their longstanding relationship with Fenway Sports Group, ANC, a sports and entertainment venue solutions and marketing agency, played a pivotal role in bringing this partnership to life.

Following ANC’s recent upgrades to Fenway Park’s entire digital display network utilizing LG dvLEDs, including the main videoboard in centerfield, this deal further strengthens LG’s presence through a premier sponsorship package with the team and new LG LED signage integrations. Read about the upgrades in detail here.

Neat Is Proud to Partner with Google Meet

Neat’s collaboration with Google Meet will bolster its diverse partner ecosystem and empower them with the flexibility to choose the right solution for video meeting needs.

Neat will integrate Google Meet's easy-to-use, enterprise-ready video communications service with its simple video devices for more natural, engaging, and productive video meetings.

By partnering with Google Meet, Neat can expand its software ecosystem and provide users with more meeting room choices. The ability to run "Meet-on-Neat" will enable users to host Google Meet sessions natively on their platform while offering teammates and clients the most seamless experience on several of portfolio devices, including Neat Bar Generation 2, Neat Bar Pro, Neat Board 50, and Neat Board Pro.

Vizrt Partners with Zoom

Vizrt is teaming up with Zoom to give content creators powerful new tools for hybrid live productions.

This collaboration introduces native Zoom integration to the TriCaster product line, helping content creators produce more engaging and professional-quality broadcasts. By simplifying the process of incorporating remote contributors into live broadcasts, it improves both viewer engagement and production efficiency, enhancing the overall experience for creators and audiences.

With Zoom functionality embedded in TriCaster’s remote contribution tools, users can achieve better efficiency, flexibility, and feed quality. This update comes at an important time, as many content creators are seeking alternatives ahead of the recently announced end of life of Skype.

Pro AV Around the Globe

Atlona partners with EAVS Groupe to expand distribution channel in France. Atlona has amplified its presence in France through a new strategic partnership with EAVS Groupe, a full-service AV distribution company with extensive experience serving the education and corporate verticals.

Atlona officially joins EAVS Groupe roster of more than 40 AV brands, strengthening its value proposition for resellers and integrators seeking more diverse options for collaboration, connectivity and control products. EAVS Groupe will emphasize how Atlona’s flexibility across networked and matrixed AV systems allows integrators to ensure the most effective technology solution for their education and corporate projects. That capability is supported through EAVS Groupe’s knowledgeable team of technical sales engineers, who add value by helping integrators specify tailored solutions for learning and meeting spaces.

AVT Question: Please share how technologies are helping to reshape the workplace and create user-friendly environments.

Thought Leader: Perry Sun, Product Marketing Manager at Atlona

In 2025, hybrid working should continue to be a general fixture of corporate cultures. However, it is expected that return to office will gain momentum as more companies firm up their policies mandating workers be on site. As a result, offices will be considerably more populated, with the potential need for more meeting spaces—along with the technology within that facilitates collaboration and productivity.

Workers returning to the office are going to expect—and demand—the convenience of simple content sharing and communication that they’ve enjoyed at their home offices. Meeting rooms must be equipped with AV systems that are effortless to operate for users. Additionally, systems have to be duplicated across many rooms, necessitating solutions that are cost effective to acquire and integrate.

User experience will continue to predominate in 2025, with a particular focus on USB-C connectivity and USB integration. For meeting participants, this simplifies to just a single USB-C cable connection to a laptop, which then triggers system readiness so a meeting can begin promptly. Many Atlona AV products make this possible through automatic input selection and display control, the latter of which was a groundbreaking feature first offered by Atlona in an AV switcher.

The more AV technology is implemented in workplaces, the greater the need for awareness about energy consumption—and, by extension, sustainability—will be. Atlona products can help minimize power usage in meeting rooms by automatically powering down a display when a user disconnects from the system. They can also be used with occupancy sensing to further enhance display control automation. And when occupancy sensing is integrated with a control system to regulate room functions such as lighting, additional energy savings can be realized.

Another week, and another Pro AV acquisition steals the headlines.

Over the past two decades, West Coast-based 3G Productions has steadily grown its live event production services and systems integration businesses. Bolstering the company’s strategic plans to diversify its client base and further develop into a national brand, 3G Productions announced last month that it purchased the assets of Switch Video, a provider of video rental services for the film/television, corporate/tradeshow, and live event and touring industries.

3G assumed ownership of Switch Video’s operations in both Castaic, CA and Atlanta, rebranding them as 3G Productions facilities. Switch’s leadership team—including industry veterans Alan Barber, Justin Edgerly, and Shawn Orm—will remain with 3G will be tasked with leading the business development of the company’s new vertical markets.

“We are excited to welcome Switch Video to the 3G family,” said Keith Conrad, CEO, 3G Productions. “Not only is their equipment inventory highly complementary to our own arsenal of production tools, but Switch’s talented team of industry experts fits very well into 3G’s culture as our ‘people first’ organization continues to expand. This acquisition represents a significant step forward in our commitment to grow into a national full-service production company with a deep and diversified client base.”

That wasn't all. Get caught up in last week's Pro AV people movers and partnerships.

Grass Valley Announces New Key Leadership Hires

Grass Valley appointed Jon Wilson as its new chief executive officer. Wilson, the company’s former president and chief operating officer, leads the next phase of growth with a primary focus on delivering successful customer outcomes, led by technology solutions that enable media companies to maximize the value of their content, reduce technology costs, and optimize operations.

Grass Valley is also reinforcing its leadership team with key strategic hires to accelerate customer success, product innovation, and regional expansion. At the forefront of these appointments is Claudio Szabas, who returns to Grass Valley as EVP, Customer Success. I this role, Szabas is responsible for designing and executing Grass Valley’s global customer success strategy. Working closely with the sales, product, and development teams, he ensures the seamless delivery of solutions and an exceptional customer experience, overseeing implementation, post-deployment support, and ongoing customer satisfaction management.

With over 20 years of experience in the Media, Broadcast, and Telecom industries, he brings a unique perspective, having worked extensively as both a customer and a vendor. In addition, Grass Valley announced two additional key hires to its team.

Chris Partington joins as product director, content and editing. Formerly head of product for media asset management solutions at NEP, he brings deep expertise in content and media asset workflows. In his new role, he drives the development strategy for Grass Valley’s industry-leading Framelight X media and production asset management system and EDIUS editing solution, leveraging AMPP to enhance efficiency, flexibility, and collaboration in live and post-production workflows.

Vincent Eade is appointed regional sales director for Northern Europe. Eade rejoins Grass Valley from EditShare, bringing a wealth of sales and leadership experience, including a prior tenure with the company. With more than 25 years of experience in the media technology industry and a proven track record of building high-performing teams, his deep regional expertise and strong customer relationships will be invaluable as Grass Valley continues to expand its footprint in Northern Europe.

Jabra Welcomes Sandrine Desbarbieux-Lloyd as SVP of Jabra Global Marketing

Jabra has appointed Sandrine Desbarbieux-Lloyd as SVP of global marketing. In her new role, Desbarbieux-Lloyd leads marketing initiatives for Jabra’s headsets and speakerphones, as well as software and AI-driven videoconferencing solutions.

Bringing a wealth of C-level marketing, digital transformation and AI expertise, Desbarbieux-Lloyd has previously held leadership roles at Meta, Tesco, Samsung and Avis. She steps into the role previously held by Calum MacDougall, who has accepted the role of president of the Enterprise division at GN, which holds the Jabra brand. His leadership will drive continued innovation and business growth across Jabra and the Enterprise division as a whole.

Live Media Group Names Ryan Hatch VP, Strategic Accounts

Live Media Group has named Ryan Hatch as VP, Strategic Accounts. In this role, Hatch focuses on client engagement, business development, and operational strategy.

Hatch brings more than two decades of expertise in revenue generation, strategic planning, and client engagement to his new role. He joins Live Media Group from NEP Group, where he worked as VP, Engineering and Operations, U.S. Broadcast Services. During this time, Hatch oversaw operations, engineering, scheduling, transportation, and facility management. He focused on managing project teams, technical specialists, and logistics while ensuring seamless scheduling and operations for mobile units and production facilities. Prior to his time at NEP, Hatch served as director of operations for Mobile TV Group and was responsible for coordinating mobile broadcast units and engineering staff for more than 4,200 sporting events in North America and Canada.

Nice Appoints Jeff Shaw as New Chief Product Officer 

Nice has appointed Jeff Shaw as its chief product officer (CPO). With over 20 years of experience in product management and marketing, Shaw brings a proven track record of driving innovation, developing products, and shaping innovative solutions.

Before stepping into this role, Shaw served as head of product management for luxury solutions in the Nice Home Management Systems business unit, where he played a pivotal role in advancing Nice’s smart home and building solutions. Prior to that, he led product management for Nice North America as VP of control products, overseeing the development of cutting-edge technologies that have redefined the smart home category and earned numerous industry accolades.

Shaw’s expertise spans across product management, marketing, and business development, with a focus on creating solutions that enhance everyday life. His leadership will be crucial as Nice continues to expand its global presence and reinforce its position as a leader in the smart home and building management industry.

VIOSO Welcomes Mark Wadsworth As CMO

VIOSO appointed Mark Wadsworth as chief marketing officer. The appointment is the latest in an extensive recruitment program, centered on growing the brand and focusing efforts on VIOSO’s three core pillars of software, servers, and services for system integrators. In the newly created role, Wadsworth is tasked with further developing the visibility and growth of the VIOSO brand and its strategic direction across global vertical markets.

Wadsworth will play a key role in identifying market opportunities for VIOSO’s extensive product line-up and launching some exciting new technology that is in development. He brings 13 years of AV experience to his new role, having previously worked for a leading display manufacturer as VP of global marketing.

Company News

swXtch.io and Diversified Enter into Strategic Business and Technology Partnerships

swXtch.io announced two key partnership agreements with Diversified at the start of NAB Show 2025. Diversified officially becomes a cloudSwXtch reseller, and will work closely with swXtch.io to raise visibility and brand recognition in North America. The agreement extends the partnership between swXtch.io and Diversified, who last year joined swXtch.io’s Federated Partner Program.

swXtch.io is also one of nine vendors to join Diversified’s Atlas Orchestrate, a “secure-by-design” infrastructure built to simplify and accelerate cloud deployments. The breakthrough platform will help media and entertainment businesses configure and establish cloud environments and software packages within minutes, removing the complexities that often stretch foundational phases over several weeks.

swXtch.io’s role in Diversified’s ecosystem is to provide an interoperable multicast solution in the cloud that helps businesses create one harmonious network across on-prem and cloud environments. swXtch.io’s cloudSwXtch intelligent media network serves as the core networking platform within the Atlas Orchestrate infrastructure, fueling the on-prem applications of partnering vendors as they move into and through the cloud.

Grass Valley and Ross Video Unite for Seamless Live Production Control

Grass Valley’s Maverik X Production Switcher, powered by AMPP OS (Agile Media Processing Platform), can now be directly controlled via Ross Video’s OverDrive. This collaboration enhances flexibility for broadcasters, enabling seamless interoperability between two production technologies for studio production.

By working closely together, Grass Valley and Ross Video have expanded OverDrive’s capabilities to include the Maverik X Production Switcher, reinforcing both companies’ commitment to open and adaptable production workflows. Ross Video continues to expand OverDrive’s compatibility with a wide range of third-party devices—enabling customers to utilize the production tools that work best for them.

LEA Professional Partners with GPA to Expand Global Reach

LEA Professional announced a new partnership with GPA, a global network of AV and technology service providers. This collaboration underscores LEA's commitment to achieving global reach and enhancing its presence by providing GPA's clients with access to LEA's extensive technology catalog, which includes intelligent IT solutions, DSP, and smart power management.

GPA brings together over 4,000 AV professionals from more than 50 countries, providing standardized, scalable, and consistent technology solutions for global organizations. Through this partnership, GPA’s integrators will have access to LEA Professional’s Network Connect series of amplifiers and the companion Dante Connect series, which feature Dante and AES67 connectivity. These series enable integrators to utilize cloud-based remote control, monitoring, notifications, and more from any internet-enabled device, allowing them to stay connected from anywhere in the world.

NSI’s Network Infrastructure Division Names Phoenix Marketing Group New Sales Representatives

NSI’s Network Infrastructure Division has appointed Phoenix Marketing Group as the company’s national sales representatives for its Platinum Tools, LYNN Electronics, TechLogix Networx, and ENET lines in the AV and security channels.

Phoenix Marketing Group is a luxury technology manufacturer’s representative in the nation. PMG currently covers 45 states with a team of uniquely talented individuals who believe technology should be perfectly blended within the environment, matching the client’s needs, being simple to design, install and operate. PMG focuses on lighting, shades, smart home automation, audio, and video solutions for residential and commercial projects in any environment.

PSNI Global Alliance Introduces Exclusive Quality Assurance Certification

PSNI Global Alliance is reinforcing its commitment to excellence in AV service and support with the launch of a new Quality Assurance Certification (QAC). This program is designed to empower its network of Certified Solution Providers (CSPs) with advanced quality assurance knowledge, ensuring standardized excellence across global AV projects.

Developed in collaboration with a committee of leaders from PSNI’s CSP companies worldwide and and based on AQAV (Association for Quality in Audio-Visual Technology) AV9000 standard, the QAC merges quality principles with real-world business applications. By leveraging core concepts from the AV9000 quality documentation process, the certification fosters a culture of continual improvement and technological precision.

Tailored for professionals in technical field operations, system design, service management, and installation, the QAC course delivers a two-day, interactive workshop format, concluding with a Q&A assessment. Participants will gain practical insights into Continual Improvement, Best Practices Implementation, Customer Satisfaction Optimization, and Compliance Mastery. The inaugural QAC course took place March 31–April 1 in Atlanta, ahead of PSNI’s annual Supersummit.

Utelogy and Poly Collaborate to Elevate Unified Technology Management

Utelogy now integrates with with Poly Lens, a cloud-based device management solution. This collaboration with long-standing Utelligence partner, HP|Poly, enhances the capabilities of Utelogy’s platform with advanced monitoring and control features supported by Poly Lens.

This partnership allows users of the Utelogy platform to leverage the Poly Lens API, enhancing operational functionalities across supported HP and Poly devices. Users can now access detailed information about call status, device models, serial numbers, room and device identification, firmware versions, and overall device health and usage. This comprehensive monitoring ensures systems are optimized for performance and helps in proactive maintenance on all Poly Lens supported devices, including video, phone, and personal collaboration devices.

The integration extends Utelogy's control over Poly devices, allowing remote OS updates, device reboots, and more direct management features through a single interface. These tools are crucial for maintaining the integrity and security of the AV systems, minimizing downtime, and ensuring continuous operational efficiency.

SAVI Controls and OliverIQ Announce Strategic Merger

SAVI Controls and OliverIQ have announced a strategic merger. The newly formed company will operate as SAVI iQ and will deliver an AI-driven, cloud-based automation and support platform for commercial and residential markets, engineered to accelerate growth for integrators and service providers.

Before the merger, SAVI Controls provided a simplified, easy-to-program, all-in-one solution that’s powerful enough to transform any commercial space into an extraordinary one. OliverIQ has developed an AI-powered intelligent home-as-a-service platform engineered for service providers. The newly unified company plans to bolster its product line with AI-powered cloud services for commercial projects from bars, restaurants, and casinos to massive sports stadiums. ISPs and security partners can now extend services beyond residential subscribers to commercial customers.

Key to this transformation is Ollie, an intelligent automation agent that recognizes patterns, optimizes performance, and proactively resolves potential issues. By reducing support calls, Ollie enables dealers and commercial integrators, Telcos and ISPs, builders, and security providers to focus on delivering exceptional customer experiences while minimizing costs.

Zynchro Collaborates with Sony Semiconductor Solutions

Zynchro System has collaborated with Sony Semiconductor Solutions as the first integration partner to develop and integrate Sony’s AITRIOS technology suite for the digital signage market.

[The SCN Digital Signage Issue Is Here. Download Yours Today!]

Zynchro pairs first-tier software development and customer support to deliver a successful digital signage system based on data and analytics. Its latest collaboration with Sony’s AITRIOS demonstrates a commitment to measure, manage, monetize, and control a digital signage investment, ultimately to increase profitability in retail environments.

Retailers today are in need of actionable data that enables smart business decisions. The most important metric in retail is centered around customer segmentation. Integrated with Sony’s AITRIOS, Zynchro customers will understand key audience metrics such as attributes, gaze measurement, proximity to the device, and the number of people in a given area during a certain period of time. These reports and analytics empower a retailer with first-party shopper data while making important decisions related to stocking products, refreshing end-caps and promoting brands.

Vislink joins Ericsson’s Partner Program

Vislink Technologies has joined Ericsson’s Enterprise Wireless Solutions Industry 4.0 Partner Program. Together, Vislink and Ericsson can now provide next-generation 5G and LTE network solutions for private cellular networks, delivering value by opening up new opportunities for broadcasters, media companies, and enterprise organizations to leverage secure, ultra-low latency video transmission over 5G.

Members of Ericsson’s Industry 4.0 Partner program are solution providers who offer technologies as a part of the enterprise cellular ecosystem. This program sets the standard for recognizing a partner’s investment in the tools and processes necessary to provide high return on investment for customers using cellular connectivity as the foundation of more complex operating environments. Together, Vislink and Ericsson can help customers optimize connectivity performance and coverage by providing them with seamless, secure, and ultra-low-latency video transmission over private 5G networks. This collaboration empowers broadcasters and enterprises to enhance live production workflows, extend coverage beyond traditional RF limits, and enable real-time video streaming in any environment.

Pro AV Around the Globe

• Atlona Amplifies Distribution Channel in Switzerland. The partnership provides Atlona with a full-service, go-to-market partner for corporate and AV event projects in Switzerland, with LANG-BARANDAY AG providing value-added technical services along with channel sales and business development support.
• Extron Opens New Training and Experience Center in Sydney, Australia. The facility, which is centrally located in North Sydney's Victoria Cross district, is aimed at offering hands-on training, live demonstrations and expert support to AV professionals.
• Genelec partners with Geovoice in Georgia. Geovoice is a professional audio distributor in the Caucasus region, with a partner-based approach built around trust and collaboration. Having developed a strong network of local relationships supported by an experienced, highly qualified team, Geovoice provides high levels of service tailored to the needs of the local market.

Atlona unveiled its USB extender for the high data rate USB 3.2 Gen 1 peripherals now available in the commercial AV market, while also delivering sophisticated integration tools for USB systems in learning and meeting spaces.

The Atlona AT-USB-EX350-KIT supports simultaneous extension of 5 Gbps USB 3.2 Gen 1 data and 480 Mbps USB 2.0 data up to 330 feet (100 meters). It allows customers to place high data rate USB components including laptops, computers, cameras, microphones, and speakers in different areas of the room, without having to worry about the distance limitations associated with traditional cabling.

[USB-C and AVoIP]

“The USB-EX350-KIT overcomes the limitations of traditional cabling by allowing 5 Gbps 3.2 Gen 1 data to travel up to 330’ between components,” said Paul Krizan, product line manager, Atlona. “In addition, the integrated network interface provides an unprecedented level of configuration, monitoring, and control capabilities not found in any other solution on the market.”

The USB-EX350-KIT includes two endpoints. The host endpoint provides a USB-C port for connection to laptops, computers, or other AV equipment that supports USB connectivity including many of Atlona’s Omega Series of switching, extension, and video processing products. The device endpoint includes three USB-A ports and one USB-C port for connection to 4K cameras, conferencing bars, microphones, speakers, and other peripherals. Bidirectional remote power allows the kit to be powered by the included power supply connected to either the host or device endpoint. The compact enclosures can be comfortably mounted inside furniture, behind a display, or above a projector.

[USB-C Conference Room Connectivity]

The USB-EX350-KIT also offers enhanced integration capabilities through the LAN connection on the host endpoint. Over the network, users can access advanced features including VBUS configuration for each device port, USB connection and power consumption monitoring to aid in system verification and troubleshooting, firmware updates, and IP to RS-232 translation for serial control of system devices.

AVT Question: Please share insights into your company's roadmap and what 2025 holds for customers.

Thought Leader: Paul Krizan, Product Line Manager from Atlona.

Atlona continues to offer a broad product line and range of solutions that meet a diverse set of requirements across varied AV verticals. The majority of new Atlona products brought to market in 2024 were developed with the busy education market in mind, and many included special features that were specifically added for use in learning environments. These features can be found today in our Omega CS31 Series of switchers, which we introduced to the education market at ISE 2024.

Atlona’s 2025 roadmap retains a priority focus on the education market. In the higher ed space, we have reached the point where most universities have addressed their hybrid learning needs. Many of the conversations we are having today are focused on agility inside the classroom, which includes updating and simplifying connectivity requirements. That problem is being solved through increased demand for and availability of USB-C transport, which reliably carries video, audio, and data over a single wired connection.

We continue to innovate for USB transport over longer distances, including the distribution and extension of USB 3.0 signals in a way that allows us to monitor and manage USB connectivity of peripherals over a point-to-point link. These innovations will be available early in the year, with new products set to debut at ISE 2025, including new USB-C switching solutions from our Omega Series and a new USB data extender kit that will also bring value to the corporate vertical.

Our USB data extender addresses the bandwidth challenges that come with long-distance USB data transmission. Additionally, we will introduce new remote management and control capabilities specific to the USB environment that will also deliver analytics for performance monitoring. In addition to our new point-to-point USB extension, as an early innovator of USB-over-IP transport, we will continue to evolve our solutions for adapting USB signals to the network.

Whether in person or remote, there is no denying that audio is the key component to positive hybrid experiences. In a world where employees and students alike need clear and intelligible audio, speakerphones offer a simple and quick setup to bring a conference anywhere and at any time.

[SCN Hybrid World: Right on Schedule]

Like many technologies in the post-pandemic world, speakerphones have evolved with enhancements over the past few years. SCN talked to manufacturers to find out what to look for when turning to speakerphones.

Plug-and-Play All Day

Portability. Bluetooth. USB-C. These are the terms thrown around with modern conferencing technology and what many people are looking for in their hybrid solutions. It should come as no surprise that it is no different for speakerphones.

In the "work from anywhere" world—as Josh Blalock, chief video evangelist at Jabra, calls it—portability and plug-and-play connectivity are table stakes for speakerphones. As Blalock explained, whether using a USB-C, USB-A, or Bluetooth connection, users want a frictionless meeting process from start to finish from an office huddle room or at their kitchen table. But, of course, it's always about the audio.

"High-quality audio is paramount," Blalock said. "Voice drop-offs, muffled audio, and background noise are not only frustrating, but also disruptive and can impact meeting productivity. Premium audio capabilities like full duplex audio help back-and-forth conversation in meetings sound and feel like they’re in person."

For Alan Nicholls, enterprise sales manager, MAXHUB, speakerphone features and capabilities are dictated by where the device is being set up. “For a dedicated conference room, portability and wireless are usually not necessary," Nicholls said. "For a traveling worker, the needs completely change. Portability, battery life, I/O, and Bluetooth will all be necessary. Something everyone needs is audio fidelity, voice pickup range, and noise cancelling."

[SCN Hybrid World: Out of Sight Sound]

In today's hybrid world, one in which multiple devices are daisy-chained and connected to an array of solutions, how much of a requirement is a charging dock for speakerphone setup? "Charging docks are popular in the conference speaker space, not so much in the portable speaker space," Nicholls said. "The USB-C port is used for both direct connectivity and charging. So, instead of a proprietary dock, you can use any USB-C cable to connect it to any device."

Conference Room Ready

With all-in-one solutions like videobars and highly advanced in-ceiling speaker and microphone systems, are speakerphones still an optimal choice for larger conference rooms? Joel Mulpeter, director, product marketing for Crestron, explained that Crestron Flex Pods were designed for this purpose. "For a larger space, a flexible, expandable system such as the Flex Pods solution is the ticket," he said. "It’s especially useful for mixed use rooms—conference rooms that need to double as training spaces, for example."

"Traditionally, speakerphones were a fixture of large conference rooms, but today we see them more and more in huddle rooms, collaboration spaces, and home offices," Blalock added. "As a portable, plug-and-play device, speakerphones have become a key addition to many hybrid workers’ work-from-home spaces. They’re also a perfect companion for business travelers that need high-quality audio while working from a hotel or other location outside of their normal day-to-day."

More AI and Beyond

AI is everywhere, and speakerphones are no exception. Blalock admits generative AI tools like Microsoft Copilot and Zoom AI Companion are at the core of every conversation when it comes to future enhancements in the conference room and beyond. "How well these AI tools receive and interpret input determines their success in driving productivity. The ability of speakerphones to accurately capture conversation in meetings is critical as even minor AI misunderstandings can impact AI-produced meeting transcripts and action items—and ultimately disrupt workflows and reduce productivity," he noted. "Maximizing high-quality audio in speakerphones will help to better harness the potential of AI companions in the year ahead."

[SCN Hybrid World: Room with a (Wide) View]

Expanding on that high-quality audio, Mulpeter added that in a world of AV-over-IP and audio-over-IP, future enhancements should always be aimed at creating spaces that are easily adaptable to the client’s wishes. "AV-over-IP and audio-over-IP is really the backbone of future integrations," he explained. "It’s expandable, it’s got the potential for broad interoperability, and we welcome a variety of third-party devices into our installations. Microphones are a great example. Our systems can handle a variety of applications, from speakerphone conversations to videoconferencing, all with very simple and intuitive controls."

Now that you know what features to look for, here are several speakerphones to consider for enhancing your conference room or hybrid meeting experience.

Atlona Captivate AT-CAP-SP100

The Atlona Captivate AT-CAP-SP100 speakerphone, which is USB and Bluetooth-ready, provides 360-degree coverage to capture voices within a radius of up to 16 feet. Its six-element microphone array focuses on audio pickup while suppressing background noises, allowing individual meeting participants to be heard clearly. Advanced acoustic echo cancellation and noise reduction further enhance voice intelligibility by eliminating unwanted sounds.

AVer FONE700

AVer’s FONE700 offers advanced audio technology with noise suppression, double-talk detection, and de-reverberation, ensuring clear, echo-free communication. Its full duplex system optimizes meeting experiences, while a single USB connection simplifies setup and reduces clutter. Equipped with three directional and 18 omnidirectional microphones, and supporting up to four speakerphones, it can capture voices within a 131-foot range. The FONE700 adapts to various room sizes and is certified for Microsoft Teams, Zoom, RingCentral, and Barco.

Biamp Speakerphone

The Biamp speakerphone is a combination of its TesiraFORTÉ X 400 DSP, Parlé TTM-X tabletop microphone, and Tesira HD-1 dialer hardware. The combination provides both telephony control and PoE with a dial pad from the Tesira HD-1 Dialer. The TesiraFORTÉ X 400 offers easy setup via Biamp Launch software, featuring AI-based automated startup and room tuning. The Parlé TTM-X mic is a low-profile 4.7-inch tabletop microphone with Beamtracking technology to focus on persons speaking anywhere in the room across four 90-degree audio zones for full 360-degree room coverage.

Boom Collaboration Boom GEMINI

The Boom GEMINI offers 48kHz wideband audio with a four-microphone, 26-foot, 360-degree omnidirectional range. The included expansion unit connects easily to extend the audio and microphone capacity for medium to large meeting spaces. The Boom GEMINI twin speakerphones are designed with enhanced features such as dynamic noise reduction, automatic echo cancellation, and USB plug-and-play capabilities.

ClearOne CHAT 150 BT

The ClearOne CHAT 150 BT was designed with simple USB and Bluetooth connections to personal computers, mobile devices, and desk phones. Its steerable microphone array with first-mic priority intelligently activates the microphone closest to the talker, reducing ambient noise interference. With features such as advanced noise cancellation, full duplex distributed echo cancellation, and automatic level control, the CHAT 150 BT offers intelligible, natural audio and is compatible with Microsoft Teams, Zoom, and Google Meet.

Crestron Flex Pods

Crestron Flex Pods are a tabletop wireless audio solution that provide flexibility in how users deploy Crestron microphone and speaker solutions across an organization. Crestron Flex Pods include built-in microphones, speaker, and audio controls that wirelessly connect to a UC room solution such as a Microsoft Teams Room. No matter where people are in the space, the solution Flex Pods can be moved to ensure optimal range and reach so everyone can hear, and be heard, clearly.

Jabra Speak2 75

The Jabra Speak2 75 is a personal pocketable device for the coffee-table-conferencing, dining-room-dialing, and hotel-hot-desking meeting rooms of today’s hybrid world. The next generation of Jabra’s Speak Series, the Speak2 75 includes a 65mm speaker, super-wideband audio, full duplex audio for the most natural conversations, and four beamforming microphones. It features an intuitive microphone quality indicator, as well as both USB-C and USB-A connectors on the same cable.

Logitech Logi Dock

Logitech’s Logi Dock is an all-in-one docking station with one-touch meeting controls and a built-in speakerphone to simplify the personal workspace and improve the video meeting experience while decluttering the desktop space by providing a single connection point for desktop devices. Logi Dock is built with enterprise-grade audio and includes features that enable users to leverage the noise-cancelling speakerphone. For private conversations, users can automatically switch audio to another headset or earbuds—and switch to music from Logi Dock’s speaker once the meeting concludes.

MAXHUB BM35

Designed for use in small to mid-size meeting spaces, the compact MAXHUB BM35 Bluetooth teleconference speakerphone features an eight-microphone array and 360-degree omnidirectional audio algorithms to capture voices up to 19 feet away—enabling meeting participants to be clearly heard, while reverberation suppression minimizes distractions. With automatic gain control, intelligent algorithms adjust the volume of participant voices dynamically, keeping fluctuating volumes to a minimum., Bluetooth provides the ability to Connect two BM35s via Bluetooth for larger groups.

MSolutons MS-SP10

The MS-SP10 is a USB smart conference speakerphone with an embedded architecture design for use in meeting spaces of all sizes. It adopts the combination mode of main microphone plus extension microphone, capturing audio nearly 33 feet away with 360-degree omnidirectional pickup. The MS-SP10 integrates a diverse set of AI audio algorithms to accommodate noise reduction, echo cancellation, reverberation suppression, and automatic gain. The MS-SP10’s high and low-frequency speaker design plays music rich in bass and treble, and delivers clear and natural voices.

Sennheiser TeamConnect Intelligent Speaker

Optimized for small Microsoft Teams rooms, the TeamConnect Intelligent Speaker’s intuitive design is intended to give teams a way to collaborate in hybrid meetings as if everyone is in one place. Intelligent solutions such as integrated voice recognition software and automatic meeting notes make an equitable meeting experience possible for remote and hard-of-hearing participants. The speaker offers an omnidirectional speaker and covers a 7.5-foot radius with seven integrated beamforming microphones.

Telycam SONO

Telycam’s SONO AI-enhanced wireless speakerphone is designed to improve the way participants experience audio during videoconferences in personal workspaces, as well as small and medium-sized rooms. SONO incorporates a 1.75-inch speaker and eight omnidirectional microphones, with its direction-of-arrival recognition algorithm adjusting pickup toward the current speaker. A pickup distance of 16 feet ensures that everyone in the room can be heard. Additionally, SONO’s AI-driven noise reduction algorithm continuously learns and adapts dynamically to filter out noise such as keyboards, chairs, air conditioning, and other environmental sounds while ensuring that voices remain natural and clear.

Yamaha YVC-330

The Yamaha YVC-330 speakerphone, with SoundCap technology, provides clear audio in open workspaces and remote meetings by creating a 3-foot “audio bubble” around the speaker. This feature blocks background noise, ensuring only voices within range are transmitted. With additional capabilities like far field noise reduction and human voice activity detection, the YVC-330 filters out irrelevant sounds for enhanced call clarity. Compact, USB-powered, and ready for instant use, it easily transforms any space into a professional meeting environment, making it ideal for flexible or remote work setups.

The new year has been quite busy in the world of Pro AV. Before we get to the people movers and new partnerships, let's get caught up on some big acquisitions you may have missed.

DPA Microphones Acquires Austrian Audio

DPA Microphones has acquired the majority share of Vienna-based Austrian Audio. Founded in 2017 by former AKG Vienna employees, Austrian Audio builds on that heritage to deliver high-quality audio products.

Leveraging over 350 years of combined engineering experience, the mission of the Austrian Audio team is to “Make Passion Heard.” This is accomplished by developing and producing innovative microphones, headphones and audio tools while maintaining a strong connection to the brand’s deep acoustical heritage.

Austrian Audio caught the attention of DPA Microphones with its fast-growing brand, highly skilled team of dedicated engineers and product portfolio that complements DPA’s offerings perfectly. DPA has several Miniature Microphone categories while Austrian Audio has a strong offering of Large Diaphragm Microphones. Both companies address the high end of the market, with DPA positioned at the very top and Austrian Audio offering a wider span in its product range. 

In other acquisition news:

• AVI Systems is starting the New Year with a new acquisition. It will acquire AVCON, a systems integration firm that designs, installs, and maintains AVL technologies for companies, houses of worship, and other organizations. The acquisition will close on Jan. 15 and will include transitioning all AVCON employees to AVI Systems. Read all the details here. 
• On New Year’s Day, Houston-based LD Systems celebrated its 50th anniversary and took a significant step toward securing its next 50 years, as it was acquired by the Clair Global Group. Get caught up with SCN's coverage here. 
• Systems integrator Xpect Solutions, which has been delivering IT and physical security solutions to federal agencies for more than 20 years, recently announced its acquisition of GovDefender, which is known for systems modernization as well as enterprise IT web, mobile, and application development. Here are the details. 

Now, onto the latest Pro AV news. 

People News

ACT Entertainment Marks Two Promotions

ACT Entertainment is marking two promotions and a retirement in the company’s technical service department. CTO Mario Collazo retires from the firm while Ryan Kanarek has been promoted to director of technical services and Dustin Barnes has been elevated to the role of software support manager.

Collazo retired after 29 years of service at ACT Entertainment; he joined ACT in 1996 and became CTO three years ago. One of the company’s longest tenured employees, Collazo leaves in place a roster of experienced technical personnel who ensure that ACT’s service and support will continue to be best in class.

Barnes, who joined ACT in August 2021 to bolster the team’s grandMA3 software support and has more recently become a zactrack product specialist, steps into the software support manager post previously held by Kanarek.

AVPro Global Appoints Loel Wheeler as VP of Sales for Murideo

AVPro Global has appointment of Loel Wheeler as VP of sales for Murideo, the company's test and measurement tools division. This strategic move aims to expand AVPro's global reach in high-performance electrical test equipment designed for professional use in the audio/video industry. In his new role, Wheeler reports directly to Mike Detmer, AVPro's COO, overseeing the worldwide expansion of Murideo products, including the latest innovative STIX Ecosystem of compact signal transmission and data reception verification devices.

Wheeler brings two decades of sales experience in video testing and audio/video connectivity to his new position, holding certifications such as CTS, ISF, ISF-C, HAA, and DSCE. His expertise in the field is expected to drive Murideo's growth and solidify its position as a leading provider of advanced testing tools for the audio/video calibration and installation markets. 

Jim Lien Joins BARNFIND-USA 

Jim Lien has joined BARNFIND-USA as its new leader, stepping into the role of VP  marketing and administration.
 
Lien brings a wealth of experience to this position. With over 40 years in the broadcast and audiovisual industries, his broad knowledge base spans video engineering, production, satellite transmission, system integration, and project management. Over the years, he has held roles in sales and marketing with  companies such as Grass Valley, Snell & Wilcox, Leitch, Christie Digital, Harmonic, and Toner Cable, to name a few.

Daktronics Welcomes George Muench to Sales Team

Daktronics welcomed George Muench to the Daktronics sales team to serve sign company partners, organizations, billboard owners, and schools within central Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, including Madison, Wausau, and Fox Valley. He will work with customers to understand their needs and provide the proper digital LED solutions and services for high schools, out of home and commercial on premise markets.

Muench has experience in both manufacturing and sales. He worked in sales at a construction supplies company, communicating with vendors and managing stock and supply. Previously, he has held several positions working in packaging and manufacturing. Most recently, he worked in Daktronics Sports Marketing, helping schools generate revenue through advertising on their video displays.

EMG/Gravity Media Appoints Narinder Ball as Technology Director

EMG / Gravity Media has appointed Narinder Ball as technology director. In her role, Narinder will be responsible for overseeing the company’s technology strategy, driving innovation, and leading its technical teams to deliver cutting-edge solutions that support EMG / Gravity Media's continued growth and success.

Narinder brings over 25 years of experience in the tech industry, having previously held various leadership positions at the BBC, where she was instrumental in leading the technical aspects across many of the most high-profile sporting events including Wimbledon, the FA Cup and the London Marathon to name a few. She also oversaw complex workflows for major events such as the Commonwealth and Olympic Games. 

Her deep expertise in remote production workflows, broadcast infrastructure, connectivity solutions and an appreciation of changing consumer trends along with a proven track record of leading high-performing teams will play a pivotal role in advancing EMG / Gravity Media's technological capabilities.

Marko Jovanović Joins the International Team at IAG

Wharfedale Pro welcomed Marko Jovanović to their International 'Application and Solutions' team. Based in China, Jovanović supports local customers while contributing to the team's global strength.

Jovanović has extensive experience as a live sound engineer, specializing in FOH and stage monitor mixing for events and festivals in Eastern Europe before continuing his career in China since 2015. His expertise in live sound engineering not only includes system design for large-scale events but also encompasses his role as Head of Dept for the world's largest immersive audio system in Shanghai. He also brings R&D experience, having developed professional audio and consumer devices like live PA systems and studio monitors.


Nureva Welcomes Rob Abbott and James Rempel

 Nureva recently made two promotions to key executive positions as part of its growth strategy to expand market presence and deliver greater value to customers worldwide.

Rob Abbott has been appointed EVP, products and strategy, moving from his previous role as VP, products, which he had held since 2016. In his new position, Abbott is focusing on driving Nureva’s top-line growth through strategic initiatives and increased engagement with end users. He is leveraging his extensive product leadership experience to help further align Nureva’s offerings with the evolving needs of customers in corporate and higher education environments globally, while envisioning innovative products that redefine collaboration with ease of use and simplicity in larger spaces. Rob will also continue overseeing technical support and training, reinforcing Nureva’s commitment to delivering exceptional customer experiences.

Additionally, James Rempel has been promoted to VP, products, after serving as Nureva’s director of products since 2018. James brings deep expertise in product management, positioning and pricing, along with significant experience in engaging analysts and promoting Nureva’s solutions to global audiences. In his new role, James takes on expanded responsibilities to drive product innovation, ensuring Nureva’s solutions remain well positioned to meet the growing demand for flexible, high-performance audio solutions.

SMPTE Names Sally-Ann D’Amato to Lead as Executive Director

SMPTE welcomed Sally-Ann D’Amato as executive director. D’Amato formally began this new role on Dec. 18, 2024, after acting as interim executive director since October.

D'Amato joined the SMPTE family in 2001, working as an administrative assistant. She was promoted to executive assistant in 2003, and again promoted to director of operations in 2005. In 2016, she became director of events and governance liaison. In this role, she was responsible for planning and executing events and was also responsible for working with the board on issues of Society governance and board activities. In October 2024, she became the interim executive director.

During her time at SMPTE, D’Amato helped enact the current bylaws and operations manuals. She also has been responsible for producing the Media Technology Summit since 2005, and even produced a virtual version of the event during the COVID-19 pandemic. She also produced the SMPTE centennial celebration in 2016 and incorporates her creativity by writing songs for and performing in many of the events she works on.

Company News

Atlona Partners with Midwest AV 

Atlona has announced Midwest AV as its latest manufacturer’s representative for the Midwest region including Nebraska, Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois, and Minnesota, effective immediately. Based in Illinois, Midwest AV will drive Atlona’s presence in the education and corporate verticals across the Midwest region by bringing Atlona’s collaboration, connectivity and control products to a broader spectrum of systems integrators and end users.

Midwest AV’s philosophy centers on cultivating meaningful, relationship-driven partnerships as an independent manufacturer’s representative firm. The company takes a proactive, front-and-center approach with its clients and partners, and its relationship with Atlona is no exception.

EAW Opens New HQ in Massachusetts

Eastern Acoustic Works has opened its new headquarters in Franklin, MA. The facility marks a significant milestone in the company’s legacy, reinforcing its commitment to serving the diverse needs of the live sound and installation markets.

Located just 45 minutes from Boston and 30 minutes from Providence, RI, the new 56,000-square-foot standalone building consolidates all EAW operations, advancing the company’s efficiency. The facility includes 32,000 square feet dedicated to production and warehousing, as well as 6,000 square feet of engineering lab space. There are also additional areas for offices and technical service and support, plus a 3,000-square-foot indoor training and demo space and an expansive outdoor demo space.

The enhanced engineering lab space builds on EAW’s legacy of precision testing. “The high ceiling in our acoustics lab, known historically as the ‘PIT lab,’ allows us to measure lower frequencies and provide greater resolution at all frequencies,” explained Geoff McKinnon, senior director of engineering at EAW. “On-site product development and testing strengthens our ability to deliver superior sounding solutions.”

EAW's indoor training and demo space supports classroom-style customer education and will host a video production studio to accommodate virtual training. Two expansive outdoor demo spaces, including a 175-foot throw area and a 300-foot throw area, are supported by 40-foot scaffold towers and rigging that can showcase loudspeaker systems in real-world conditions.

The modernized warehouse and production areas are equipped with advanced systems and infrastructure, enabling faster lead times for customizable products, including color options. “Streamlined logistics and improved production capabilities translate directly into exceeding customer expectations for quality and response times,” said TJ Smith, president of EAW. “The best part of the new headquarters is that the proximity of all departments fosters closer interaction and communication.”

LG Introduces 'LG Schools' Technology Program

LG Electronics USA is launching “LG Schools,” a new ambassador program offering commercial display technology for schools to test, learn, and deploy. Expanding on the LG program designed to meet the needs of educators seeking the best ways to use technology in their curriculum, the LG Schools program will showcase best practices in advancing learning, gather valuable feedback to enhance future solutions and develop demonstration sites for schools outside of the program to visit in order to experience the technology firsthand.

Designated LG Schools, working with LG, can decide which technology best suits their present and future requirements, whether that’s LG CreateBoard digital whiteboards, commercial-grade LED displays, or even LG UltraGear monitors in an eSports demo suite to drive engagement and encourage student attendance. Once individual requirements and implementation plans are finalized, and the product request has been approved by LG with follow-up training, the LG Schools program enables the release of the technology to be used and evaluated by the school.

Listen Technologies Partners with Image Marketing West

Listen Technologies has partnered with manufacturer representative firm Image Marketing West to bring Listen Technologies’ audio solutions to customers and end users in Northern California, Northern Nevada, the Pacific Northwest, Alaska, and Hawaii.

Image Marketing West will sell and recommend Listen Technologies’ full suite of audio solutions, including Ampetronic Hearing Loops, ListenIR, ListenRF, ListenTALK, and its audio over Wi-Fi-based assistive listening system, ListenWIFI. Image Marketing West will also sell Auri, an Auracast broadcast audio-based assistive listening system that Listen Technologies co-developed with Ampetronic. 

Introducing Need Technologies

Introducing Need Technologies, an audiovisual physical security and telecom system integration company founded by industry veteran Charles Freedman. The company has officially launched, as well as its website with a tagline that encapsulates its client-first approach, “We listen to what you want, and guide you to what you need.” Need Technologies aims to enhance how businesses and organizations connect with and leverage technology solutions with its people-first approach.

The culmination of over three decades of industry experience, Need Technologies is the embodiment of Freedman’s lifelong passion for leveraging technology to create meaningful connections. With a career spanning roles at global AV resellers and manufacturers, Freedman has honed a philosophy centered around trust, integrity, and inclusivity. His guiding principle, that tech should serve people, underscores the company’s mission to deliver solutions that prioritize people above all else.

Need Technologies offers a suite of services designed to provide seamless, frictionless experiences that enhance environments.

SC&T Achieves ISO 9001 Certification

SC&T has successfully obtained ISO 9001 certification. This accomplishment underscores our unwavering dedication to quality management and customer satisfaction. What is ISO 9001? ISO 9001 is an internationally recognized standard for Quality Management Systems (QMS), established by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). 

Achieving ISO 9001 certification signifies that SC&T's products and services meet internationally recognized quality standards. We remain dedicated to providing exceptional CCTV and ProAV transmission equipment and will persistently refine our processes to ensure every customer experiences the highest level of service.

Pro AV Around the Globe

• Visionary has partnered with Avitor, an importer and distributor of professional audiovisual products in Ireland. Under this partnership, Avitor will serve as the exclusive distributor of Visionary’s products throughout Ireland, bringing Visionary to a broader audience.

Get your free copy of SCN's Integration Guide to Conferencing and Collaboration.

Meeting Spaces of the Future

Immersive spaces are bringing unique advantages to the collaborative process. Learn about the technology that drives these spaces as well as how existing facilities can be adapted to accommodate these immersive workflows.

At Issue

Experts from Atlona, Holosonics, Sennheiser, Sharp, Shure, Snap One, and Sony debate how close the Pro AV industry is to providing true meeting equity for hybrid workflows.

Download the Integration Guide to Conferencing and Collaboration.

Read the January issue of Systems Contractor News.

The office space continues to evolve, and whether it is a full-time, back-to-office approach or a hybrid work environment, finding a conference room or space to work is a task that must not be difficult for employees. Simply put, the right scheduling solution—one that is easy to use and operates efficiently in real time—streamlines workplace management. Whether it is reserving conference rooms or booking individual desks, the right hardware and software are imperative to making office life easy on the workforce.

[SCN Hybrid World: Out of Sight Sound]

But with multiple approaches available, how do you choose the best one? “The answer lies in understanding the organization's size, scheduling needs, and the specific work environment,” said Joe Da Silva, VP of marketing for Extron.

System Decisions

The types of room and desk scheduling solutions available range from basic, manual systems to fully automated Pro AV setups with touchpanels, interactive wayfinding, and room availability sensors. “Smaller offices might get by with manual systems, but these tend to lack scalability and require more staff resources for day-to-day management,” Da Silva explained. “For larger, more dynamic workplaces, automated systems are ideal. These solutions provide real-time information about room and desk availability, integrate seamlessly with existing calendar systems, and reduce the burden on IT or AV staff.”

However, room size is not the only consideration—let's not forget about location. According to Jason Parson, Atlona's regional sales manager, Northwest, a hard surface is the common thread among most customer installations. It provides stronger support when people interact with the touchpanel, and it provides a better user experience when booking a space.

“If the specific purpose of the touchpanel is to display meeting room information and provide scheduling functions, these tend to go outside the meeting room adjacent to the door,” Parson said. “If the touchpanel’s purpose is for both AV control and room scheduling, these tend to be placed inside the room. That opens other possibilities beyond wall-mounted installations, including the use of a tabletop mount.”

Room and desk scheduling solutions are two basic parts: hardware, such as the touchpanel, and software. Many companies offer one or the other, but some, like Humly, offer both.

“Our goal is to save time for people and remove friction in the workplace to allow [employees] to spend more time working on their core business,” said Anders Karlsson, CEO, Humly. “The combination of the Humly platform and the Humly hardware gives advantages beyond access to all features and the tightest possible integration, but it also provides our customers with a single point of contact with a clear responsibility for the whole system.”

While touchpanels for room scheduling do just that—enable a person to reserve a space at the touch of a button—Humly has been adding newer features, like 3D floor plans, wayfinding, and even parking spaces. “Parking spaces started as a close collaboration project with one of our customers and it was a perfect fit for our vision,” Karlsson said. “Knowing you have a parking space waiting for you when you arrive is a huge time saver. Even when you want to book parking but realize they are already full, it saves you the time driving around looking for one–you can go looking for other options straight away.”

Installation Challenges

Installing the right touchpanel should be a breeze, right? Per Parson, touchpanel installation is a straightforward process, as long as the installer understands the proper mounting requirements for the environment.

That doesn’t mean, as with any installation, it doesn’t come without its challenges. “The biggest challenge is pulling the cable to the installation point,” Parson said. “It’s a very simple job for installers with low-voltage experience.” That's one reason Parson recommends network category cabling. “Wireless connectivity remains an option, but it creates more complexity, particularly in enterprise environments. It’s also proven to be far less reliable, so hardwired connections have become the preference by a very large margin.”

The environment of installation could also create some challenges. “Installing panels on glass walls, granite surfaces, or tight spaces requires careful consideration," Da Silva noted. "To overcome these challenges, Extron offers flexible and secure mounting options designed to fit almost any surface, including desks, glass walls, or mullions, without compromising on aesthetics. To ensure smooth installation and provisioning, integrators should focus on solutions that not only offer flexibility in mounting but also simplify network management.”

[Strategies and Solutions for Corporate Campus Displays]

PoE eliminates the need for additional power cables, which makes installation quicker and reduces cable clutter. "Centralizing control through a scheduling management system helps integrators efficiently deploy and manage multiple panels across a large space," Da Silva added.

For Your Consideration

Now that we understand the features, challenges, and use cases for a scheduling system, what are a few options for your next office install? As Parson observed, decisions are sometimes driven by architectural considerations, like glass-enclosed meeting spaces that require dual-stick glass mounts to securely affix the touchpanel. Atlona's Velocity AV touchpanels are adaptable to all these scenarios.

[A Matter of Touch]

"Velocity broke ground as the first IP-based control system upon its introduction in 2017, with room scheduling functionality added in 2019," he explained. "Velocity’s network architecture also brought the benefits of an openly programmable environment. That makes interfacing with common calendaring systems like G Suite and Office365 very simple."

"At Humly, we have an excellent team that loves building devices, but we don’t consider every problem a nail just because we got a hammer," Karlsson said. "The Humly [software] platform can help utilize the full potential of existing solutions, and if there are already several good options for sensors, kiosks, or interactive displays, we will integrate. We put a lot of effort into every piece of hardware we develop, and we only develop our own hardware, such as the Humly Room Display or the Humly Booking Device, because our custom hardware can solve customer needs in a more secure and more beautiful way."

Extron has a wide array of solutions including the TLS touchpanel series, which offers intuitive scheduling panels that incorporate sensor-based indicators and centralized wayfinding displays. Its TLS 300M is a new addition, designed specifically for managing desks and flexible workspaces. The touchpanel provides clear visual status indicators and integrates seamlessly with popular scheduling systems like Microsoft Exchange, Office 365, and Google Calendar.

Coordinating Communication

And then there's the Extron TLP Pro 520M TouchLink Pro touchpanel. Delta Galil is a designer and producer of textiles and clothing, with more than 10,000 employees in multiple geographical locations. When Delta Galil completed construction of its new headquarters in Caesarea, Israel—which houses the design center, R&D, and production divisions, along with the executive and corporate staff—the right AV technology was a must. That meant enhanced image quality on the videoconferencing and presentation systems and user-friendly operation, but also it required efficient room and resource management.

Delta Galil is using the Extron TLP Pro 520M TouchLink Pro touchpanel. With a 5-inch touchscreen, the touchpanel uses Room Agent software that transforms it into a standalone, full-featured room booking appliance. Customized with the company name and logo, employees see the name of the room, current availability, date and time, and a timeline showing open and reserved blocks for the rest of that day. With the simple touch of the Reserve button—or through Microsoft Outlook—a space is scheduled.

"Using the broad range of product solutions provided by Extron … we were able to select various solutions for video switching, digital audio, professional-grade touchpanels or simple button control, wireless connection, and advanced room scheduling," explained Sharon Shemer, technical director at Audio Visual Control Solutions (AVCS), which selected Extron for the Delta Galil installation. “The challenge was to create reliable, simple-to-use systems that provide a coherent experience for the user, regardless of the room they were using."

Like the modern hybrid workplace itself, touchpanels and the software behind them seemingly only continue to improve with further enhancements. For now and the foreseeable future, selecting the right room and desk scheduling solution really depends on the unique needs of each organization.

[Pro AV Welcomes Women Back to the Workforce]

"For a small office, a basic system might suffice, but for others, the ability to automate scheduling, integrate with existing calendars, and provide real-time updates is essential," said Da Silva. "With flexible installation options and the power of centralized management, [companies like] Extron provide a turnkey solution for integrators looking to future-proof their clients’ workspaces while ensuring ease of use for everyday users.”

There is a lot of talk about the need for professionals in every industry to embrace uncertainty. But while rapid change sweeps across the globe, those working in Pro AV can be sure of a few things: AI will continue to gain prevalence, hybrid is here to stay—no matter how many organizations attempt to force their employees back into the office—and there is still room for improvement in making these gatherings equitable. As 2024 comes to a close, SCN reached out to industry experts from equipment manufacturers and systems integrators to gain some insights on these trends (and a few others).

Real Talk on Real Estate

Good design produces spaces that accommodate how people collaborate, learn, and even shop. Julian Phillips, senior vice president of global workspace solutions and managing director of XTG at AVI-SPL, argues that AI’s ability to capture rich data can contribute to providing better, more valuable experiences for corporate employees, students, retailers, and consumers.

“We cannot design dumb spaces anymore,” Phillips said. “If we want to take advantage of everything AI can do to help us analyze this rich data, to get insights into it—to improve and unlock productivity—we have to have a reliable, constant, verifiable source of rich data. That means that everything we do in space and environment has to be captured, and we have to be able to use that data to great effect.”

Beyond traditional smart building analytics that focus on electricity usage and HVAC control, Phillips believes in AI’s capacity for delivering observational data. What is going on in the space? Where are people sitting? Are they moving around? How are they presenting? How are they collaborating? In other words, what are they doing?

For organizations to successfully optimize their real estate, they need to know how their current facilities are being used. This is where monitoring can play a valuable role, according to Simon Watson, global head of innovation at Kinly.

[Viewpoint: Evaluating the Office Space Identity Crisis]

“A lot of companies say, 'We’re going to split our office in half.' But what’s going to be the effect of that? Do you know how busy your office is at the moment?” he offered.

Phillips acknowledged that privacy laws and regulations limit how and what data organizations may gather, but he argued that shouldn’t be an excuse to continue doing things the old way. “If [people] do want to make use of this new era of technology, they have to start taking data seriously,” he said.

With monitoring, companies can gain better insight into how many people are in the office—and where they are on campus. That data can better inform decision-making on what the smaller, redesigned space should accommodate. “That’s where monitoring of the real estate comes in because you need tangible output to make those decisions," Watson added.

In Northern California, where the digital media, entertainment, and broadcast engineering firm Advanced Systems Group is headquartered, ASG president Dave Van Hoy has observed a focus on the reduction of corporate real estate. For example, technology companies in Silicon Valley are consolidating their campuses by moving into newer facilities and closing their old buildings, which has led to less demand for outfitting conferencing spaces.

“There is a very large amount of that going on right now, which means that if you look at the systems integrator business, it’s probably not a great sign,” Van Hoy said.

However, at the same time, Van Hoy said the corporate broadcast production business is solid. The lesson here is that AV companies that concentrate on diversifying their revenue stream are better positioned to accommodate market fluctuations.

“The diversification of your client base is always important, whether you make it through geographical diversity, whether you make it through line-of-business diversity,” Van Hoy said. “That is what 2025 is going to be about. We’re going to see some markets shift up, [and] some parts of the market shift down. It’s going to be about understanding what you’re good at and not good at, and where you can be to maximize the situation.”

Better Business and Audio

AI is also improving the audio experience for remote and hybrid meetings. No longer are participants bothered by the proverbial crackling chip bag or barking dog off in the distance. Tyler Troutman, strategic market development manager at Shure, noted that AI also helps strike the balance between achieving great sound while rolling out systems as fast as possible.

[Integrators and AI]

“We end up with a little bit of a competing narrative where we want to deploy more rooms with better quality audio at a quicker pace,” Troutman said. “That is where AI steps in and helps us out. It helps us deploy quicker with more repeatable, accurate results—and then deliver fantastic audio.”

It’s not enough for AV professionals to limit AI adoption to customer-facing applications. There are significant opportunities to take advantage of these tools to drive efficiency in AV design and integration firms themselves.

AVI-SPL is establishing an AI Center of Excellence that brings together business groups across the organization to determine the best internal use cases for AI. Phillips described it as a sandbox of sorts, a venue that encourages people to experiment with the technology. He said the goal isn’t to eliminate people, but to identify the repetitive tasks that AI could perform so the organization’s human talent can focus on more sophisticated, higher-level tasks.

“When we start turning AI internally on ourselves, we can start looking at ways that we can unlock efficiencies and cost reduction,” Phillips added. “It’s going to create a healthier industry that’s going to enable us to invest more in the kinds of things that we should be doing.”

For example, ASG is using AI to optimize statement of work (SOW) and contract generation. “Its ability to create much better templates, if your model is trained well, is insane,” explained Van Hoy. “The first thing people say is, 'This is going to get rid of people’s jobs.' I don’t believe that for a minute. I’ll tell you one thing that’s for sure, though: I still have the same number of people, but boy do they turn out better stuff using that tool.”

Opportunity to Improve

Advancements in camera technology have enabled AV designers and integrators to provide better collaborative experiences, acknowledged John Bailey, senior VP of technology and innovation at AVI-SPL. Now what needs to improve are the displays in these spaces.

“It’s still the panel of glass on the wall at the end of the room that everybody refers to,” he said. “It’s not working well for video and virtual presence.”

Instead, Bailey suggested the need to position more displays on multiple walls—or maybe even on the conference table itself. “There is a lot we can explore there," he noted, "and we need to be open-minded about different experiences."

Holli Hulett, co-founder and COO of Boom Collaboration, said that for meeting equity to be possible, at the bare minimum, organizations need high-quality AV systems. "Facilitating simple things like being able to make eye contact, read body language, hear the intonation of words along with all of the words—those are some of the first components that have to exist to even begin discussing equity,” she explained. “Are we there yet? I don’t think so. I think we’re getting better.”

Jeremy Caldera, EVP at AV design and integration firm Pearl Technology, argued that the term “meeting equity” means different things to different organizations. Some may be focused on creating the same experience for both on-site and remote meeting participants, while others may be concerned about delivering a good experience in multiple languages.

Plus, creating equitable meeting spaces—featuring multiple camera angles, high-quality audio, and production-style switching—is hard to do at scale. “I don’t know if that is going to happen,” Caldera admitted. “People are still watching their budgets.”

For Garth Lobban, director of marketing at Atlona, audio is becoming more important than video in meeting and learning spaces. For hybrid gatherings to be truly equitable, remote participants need to be able to hear what is being said on site, and in-person collaborators shouldn’t have trouble hearing colleagues who are contributing virtually. This requires quality audio systems and good acoustics.

“What are we doing to make it easier for the audio DSPs that are built into Google, Teams, and Zoom?” Lobban asked. “If [I’m] in a reverberant space where there are lots of echoes, now it’s got to try to get all those reflections off my voice. We can make those systems work [better] if we can make sure that the rooms are well-treated.”

[SCN Hybrid World: Out of Sight Sound]

A vast majority of meeting spaces feature a BYOD element, observed Fredrik Hornkvist, co-founder and CEO of Boom Collaboration. This is what has driven his organization to develop technology that enables users to take advantage of installed, in-room systems while using their own devices.

“We’re combining some of the hardware endpoints that have AI functionality with a bring your own device use case,” Hornkvist said. “We want to strike a balance [so] that you can have both—you can have the familiarity of using your own device and leverage that with AI-driven equipment, without having to lock down on a high-end AI solution that might be proprietary to one platform.”

Cloud Management Migration

Remote monitoring and management are nothing new, but its migration to the cloud has streamlined scalability. It facilitates the management of multiple sites and offers deeper control, observed Naurry Kwon, product manager at Planar. The result: IT organizations are more efficient. "Cloud monitoring solutions are bypassing the need for full IT teams to setup and maintain the network and application structure," Kwon said.

One issue with some monitoring systems is that they are device-specific: one platform monitors displays, another looks after cameras, etc. According to Kwon, technology developers are addressing this, and some integrators are creating tools that bring different systems under one umbrella. "What we’re seeing is more collaboration across different types of equipment or solutions where possible, with some platforms offering the capability to integrate with a range of AV devices,” he said.

[Making the Case for Managed Services]

At Pearl Technology, Caldera explained that while cloud monitoring reduces truck rolls—which in turn decreases the need to pull valuable talent off projects in progress to perform on-site troubleshooting—not all clients are willing to migrate systems to the cloud. His Fortune 100 customers are an example of this.

“[For these clients,] we put all of our systems on closed networks—they’re not allowed to touch the internet, so I can’t cloud monitor anything,” Caldera said. “It’s too much of a security risk, and these days that’s huge.”

With cybersecurity a primary focus for enterprise-level organizations, Caldera believes that an increasing number of clients will include stipulations in their master service agreements that require AV integrators to comply with recognized cybersecurity standards. Not only do these companies want to protect their data and that of their customers, their cybersecurity insurance policies require them to uphold a certain level of security hygiene. This is why Caldera urges his peers to keep security top-of-mind.

“I don’t want one of my pieces of AV gear to be responsible for the takedown of an entire Fortune 100 corporation,” he said. “You don’t want to be the responsible party. And it’s not just the Fortune 100s that are being targeted. It’s the church. It’s my kid’s school. There needs to be some major adoption [of security best practices] from the AV industry.”

Atlona has added several recently introduced products to its Omega Room Builder, a unique online resource to help integrators understand how various Omega products can work together in an AV system. The update brings especially strong value to the education vertical through the addition of several new Atlona Omega products developed with modern learning environments in mind. The updated Omega Room Builder experience also brings enhanced benefits for modern meeting spaces, including new recommendations for huddle room configurations.

[Top Integrators 2024: Conference Room AV]

“The Omega Room Builder has become a very popular resource to help our customers better understand which products can work together in a system,” said Perry Sun, product marketing manager, Atlona. “Our latest update includes a new, dedicated classroom that highlights our latest products and relevant system options for the growing education vertical. The Omega Room Builder remains a convenient starting point for further engagement with us, to help you create the ideal system that best meets the requirements of your customers.

The Omega Series is a premier AV line from Atlona featuring 30 products ideal for collaborative spaces. The Omega Room Builder’s intuitive user experience is designed to provide recommended Omega Series AV switchers, transmitters, and receivers, as well as Atlona cameras most suitable to the customer’s system design and/or integration project. The latest Omega products added to the online resource include the AT-OME-TX11-WP wallplate transmitter, AT-OME-MS42-HDBT matrix switcher, and AT-OME-CS31-SA HDMI and USB-C switcher family for the education market.

[Doing More with Meetings]

Upon visiting builder.atlona.com, visitors can choose from a gallery of six room environments that address design and integration options for classrooms, auditoriums, and meeting spaces. After selecting the appropriate room setting, users can choose from a series of system options to match the application’s requirement. The Omega Room Builder presents a downloadable BOM (bill of materials) upon completion, with the option to work with Atlona’s support team to fine-tune product selection and/or the overall system design.

Get your free copy of SCN's Integration Guide to Hybrid Workflows.

Keeping Up with Hybrid

New research from Vizrt and Biamp emphasizes the importance of quality AV solutions for today’s hybrid meeting environment. Integrators and manufacturers discuss employee engagement, hybrid worker equipment, and the road to meeting equity.

At Issue

Experts from Atlona and Sennheiser discuss the most important Pro AV elements required for an effective hybrid work environment.

Download the Integration Guide to Hybrid Workflows.

Read the November issue of Systems Contractor News.

Atlona has expanded its GAIN Series of audio products. The AT-GAIN-M50-LZ is a two-input mixer amplifier designed for low impedance education and commercial applications. In addition, the AT-GAIN-VOL is a volume control wallplate that seamlessly pairs with the GAIN-M50-LZ and represents a new twist on the GAIN family.

“The GAIN-M50-LZ is ideal for straight forward sound reinforcement in commercial and education applications” said Tommy Gay, product manager, Atlona. “It’s a great solution for when you need to mix a couple of audio sources and drive some low impedance speakers. For classrooms and other instructional spaces, it also provides ducking when the teacher speaks and mutes audio during public address announcements.”

The versatile amplifier delivers two channels of 25 watts each into 4 or 8 ohms, or a single channel of 50 watts. It features two unbalanced stereo audio inputs on RCA and 3.5 mm connections with independent level control for each. An unbalanced 3.5 mm output can pass the mixed signal to an assistive listening system or separate audio system.

[Subwoofers: Pick Your Spot]

The GAIN-M50-LZ’s low-profile enclosure is UL 2043 rated for installation in plenum airspaces, or it can be placed on the wall behind a display or under a table. It is also ENERGY STAR qualified, helping to reduce power consumption and energy costs.

[Multi-Axis Audio Optimization]

Additionally, the GAIN-VOL provides a convenient, easy-to-use manual interface for controlling GAIN-M50-LZ volume levels when a traditional AV control system is not being used in the room. The GAIN-VOL is housed in a US one-gang enclosure intended for wallplate openings and includes interchangeable black or white trim kits.

While video walls, flat panels, and projectors deliver eye-popping and engaging content in brilliant color and resolutions, they are merely the window dressing to what goes on behind the scenes.

A bevy of hardware and software solutions are needed to transmit and receive the video signal, switch sources, manage content in real-time and securely, and deliver audio to round out the user experience. Here are just a few; 22 to be specific!

22Miles’ Content Manager

22Miles’ Content Manager is an all-inclusive platform that enables efficient management of visual communications for projects of any size. It features over 1,000 customizable templates, AI-powered design suggestions, and fast editing tools, making it an ideal low-code, drag-and-drop solution for content management for systems integrators. With the industry’s most extensive library of enterprise software integrations and one-click widgets for interactive features like room reservation, 22Miles Content Manager is a future-proof solution that evolves with your business. The platform is compatible with most new and existing hardware, making it perfect for new deployments and retrofits. 

Atlona’s OmniStream 2.0

Atlona’s OmniStream 2.0 AV-over-IP firmware adds support for 4K60 video with 4:4:4 color sampling alongside better bitrate efficiency and integrated multiview processing. OmniStream 2.0 features the new VCx codec that delivers less than one frame of latency from encode to decode, enabling 4K60 4:4:4 streams with artifact-free presentation of computer-generated content and fast-motion video. Increases in coding efficiency enable additional HD streams over 1Gb Ethernet networks, multiple 4K streams over 10Gb switch-to-switch uplinks, and simultaneous 4K and HD over Gigabit Ethernet. OmniStream 2.0 also enables simultaneous display of multiple sources from OmniStream Pro encoders onto one screen.

Audio-Technica’s ATND1061

Audio-Technica’s ATND1061 Beamforming Ceiling Array Microphone has received major upgrades with its latest firmware update, including Video System Control Architecture (VISCA)-over-IP and Voice Lift technology. VISCA offers synchronized control of multiple video peripherals, improving interoperability and meeting equality. Using VISCA over IP, you can position the camera to match with the audio captured by the ATND1061. This creates a more natural experience in hybrid calls. The ATND1061 now includes Voice Lift, a technology that improves the communication environment in a space where voices don’t carry (i.e. larger rooms). Voice Lift makes a presenter’s words more intelligible.

BrightSign’s XT5 Digital Signage Players

BrightSign’s XT5 Digital Signage Players elevate and future proof digital signage activations to create captivating experiences for years to come. The XT245 delivers robust 3D motion graphics in 4K and vibrant HDR video, from Full HD to breathtaking 8K, all while being powered over Ethernet for highly efficient deployments. Meanwhile, the XT1145 enables live video playback via an HDMI input and expands engagement options with USB and serial connections. Brands can seamlessly blend broadcasts into signage, including live news and sports, to offer an engaging atmosphere. And finally, the XT2145 can control two screens simultaneously with dual HDMI outputs. This capability has become more critical as brands look for ways to engage consumers with more dynamic visual content. 

Carousel Digital Signage’s Carousel Daily

Carousel Digital Signage’s Carousel Daily is a new feature for Carousel Cloud that extends the reach of traditional digital signage content well beyond the facility walls, enabling seamless communications to thousands of devices. Leveraging Carousel Cloud’s existing content management, scheduling, and multi-platform tools, users can effortlessly push important organizational news and information directly to intended audiences. Bulletins are distributed as links or QR codes to iOS, Mac, AppleTV, and/or Android mobile devices, with external URLs that seamlessly guide viewers to essential destinations such as training completion, video viewing, company messages, and annual enrolment. Carousel Daily ensures the right messages publish on the right mobile devices, desktops, and displays.

Crestron’s AirMedia

Crestron’s AirMedia enables secure wireless collaboration in the modern digital workspace. Easy to deploy and manage, the solution can be used in conference rooms, huddle rooms, lounges, lobbies, or almost any space to establish a productive meeting environment. When integrated with the Appspace digital signage application or other web-based signage providers, AirMedia can display digital signage content when no presentation is being made or when the room is not occupied. This turns every screen into a content hub to display corporate branding, company news, or list the events slated for that day.

[25 AI-Enabled AV Products]

Datapath’s VSNMini 300 Video Wall Controller

Designed for college, sportsbook, and corporate environments, among others, Datapath’s VSNMini 300 Video Wall Controller can be used as either a personal video wall controller/workstation or as a standalone video wall controller. It boasts a slick form factor, with a modern aesthetic and the industrial-grade components that customers require. Ideal for small- to medium-sized applications, the VSNMini 300 supports the latest standards, including 12th Generation Intel Processors (i9, i7, i5) and NVMe (M.2) SSD storage for maximum performance. Graphics and capture capabilities are provided via three PCIe slots that can be configured as required with Datapath’s Image graphics, Vision capture, and ActiveSQX IP decode/encode cards.

DVIGear’s DN-300H 

DVIGear’s DN-300H DisplayNet SDVoE Transmitter/Receiver USB HID is the newest addition to the DisplayNet AVoIP family. Based on the latest SDVoE ASIC technology, the DN-300H supports USB HID device extension and routing with instant switching. It offers innovative software-defined KVM functionality, multi-screen KVM support, and advanced features including hotkey routing and system control. The DN-300H delivers unprecedented functionality and versatility in an ultra-compact, low-profile form. This unit provides switchable transmitter and receiver functionality with 10G copper and fiber network interfaces. A host of cutting-edge features and a low price point ensure high value for system integrators and their customers.

Green Hippo’s Hippotizer

Green Hippo’s Hippotizer Media Server Range provides real-time video playback, manipulation, and 3D mapping for video production in live event, AV, and broadcast applications. With reliable, purpose-built hardware, Hippotizer boasts industry-leading performance with multiple live capture, input, and output options. Hippotizer’s multi-user, network-based architecture and ZooKeeper interface seamlessly mix DMX, Timecode, Timeline, MIDI, OSC control, and API to build and add elements to any production. With Hippotizer’s complete set of intuitive pre-visualization and mapping tools, instant content updates or pixel-perfect video mapping are made easy. 

Haivision’s Command 360

Haivision’s Command 360 enables enterprise, defense, government, and public safety organizations to make real-time, critical decisions fast by centralizing multiple communication sources into a secure, intuitive video wall display that can span any size network and multiple locations. Command 360 can be set up and fully operational quickly, minimizing disruption to mission-critical environments. Upon setup, the next-generation solution—with its secure, browser-based user interface—delivers the advanced functionality needed to coordinate and manage an entire operation or command center. Key features include easy-to-use, intuitive control; enhanced security; multi-site and remote scalability; fast, easy deployment; and real-time visibility.

IHSE’s kvm-tec Scalable Pro Line

IHSE’s kvm-tec Scalable Pro Line supports up to 5K60 video over a 10G network switch. It uniquely features the ability to control and manage up to 16 computer sources on a single display via a single keyboard and mouse. By simply moving the mouse inside the gridded cell and clicking, the operator has full control of the source.

Jupiter Systems’ Zavus XP

Jupiter Systems’ Zavus XP (XP stands for Xtreme Pixels) represents the pinnacle for Jupiter display engineering, as it can handle all typical deployments, but excels in digital signage. Zavus is available in pixel pitches of 0.7mm, 0.9mm, and 1.2mm, and is truly built for the modern office. The key technology used for Zavus XP is flip-chip COB, providing an encapsulated pixel area with a smooth black resin coating that provides a cooler surface and delivers 30 percent improved energy efficiency over standard dvLED, superior grayscale, as well as unrivaled image depth and contrast. It is powered in collaboration with Megapixel VR processing for superior performance.

Just Add Power’s MC-QX

Just Add Power’s MC-QX MaxColor 4K60 Tiling and Warping Transmitter combines Just Add Power’s award-winning MaxColor 4K60 features with its innovative tiling and warping technology. It allows 4K60 source devices to be displayed on a single screen instantly, along with Warp Engine’s source rotation capabilities. Users can watch four 4K60 video sources simultaneously in multiple formats, including single-screen, video wall, or tiled video. Further, installers can rotate any source in a Just Add Power system in 0.1-degree increments in real time with incredibly low latency. The rotated image can then be sent to an unlimited number of receivers in the network, allowing for the creation of massive artistic video walls.

Korbyt’s Experiential Signage

Korbyt’s Experiential Signage empowers businesses, universities, and corporate organizations to create truly immersive, interactive digital experiences with a near-endless array of third-party sensors and devices, including touch-interactive tablets, pressure sensors, mechanical and capacitive-sensing buttons, temperature sensors, lift and learn sensors, or even optical sensors. Experiential Signage is the newest addition to Korbyt’s cloud-based CMS that lets administrators engage employees, students, customers, and guests via various channels, including digital signage, desktop, email, and mobile devices. With more than 1 million endpoints, 300 cloud migrations, and more than 100 native integrations to date, Korbyt Anywhere is the most advanced platform to captivate audiences on any screen, anywhere. 

Matrox Video’s Mura DVW

Matrox Video’s Mura DVW, a high-performance IP-based 4K distributed video wall appliance, enables the combination of multiple units in various arrangements to easily create a fully synchronized video surface of any size. Mura DVW integrates advanced computing, networking, video decoding, and graphical processing capabilities to deliver seamless visual experiences with maximum security. Mura DVW video walls are flexible and scalable, enabling you to build fully distributed video walls with performance that improves as more appliances are added. Each Mura DVW appliance supports high-density and flexible decoding—up to one 8K60, four 4K60, eight 4K30, and sixteen 1080p60 streams—all in H.265 (HEVC) or H.264 (AVC).

Mersive’s Solstice Dynamic Digital Signage

A blank screen is wasted space. Mersive’s Solstice Dynamic Digital Signage feature makes it simple and easy to bring new life and functionality to all your screens and spaces. Maximize your display’s potential with engaging visuals between meetings, by serving up content from dynamic web pages or content from Google Slides, PowerPoint, AppSpace, Carousel, Tripleplay, and more. With vibrant digital signage on touchscreens, you can create a rich experience by allowing end users to perform a range of actions. Book rooms, submit IT tickets, play videos, display important information, and more, by simply tapping on the display—all within a customizable environment that matches your organization’s branding for a more connected experience.

Navori Labs’ StiX 3800 Media Player

Navori Labs’ StiX 3800 Media Player supports flawless 4K content playback at 60fps, ensuring your media is displayed with stunning clarity and detail. Ideal for various settings, from retail to corporate environments, the compact device is also equipped with AI-powered footfall tracking, providing valuable insights into audience metrics and engagement. Features like auto-activation allow for effortless installation, while PoE capabilities minimize connectivity requirements. The StiX 3800 also promotes sustainable practices by activating the display only when the audience is detected. This makes the StiX 3800 not only a powerful digital signage solution, but also an environmentally conscious choice.

Realmotion Engine

The Realmotion Engine by Realmotion is a versatile spatial computing software. Realmotion Engine can handle both dynamic, interactive elements in real time and linear video content. Integrated with commercial-grade sensors and content creation platforms, it offers unparalleled flexibility, performance, and reliability for projects of all scales. Realmotion Engine can be leveraged in various scenarios, including interactive digital experiences, projection mapping, digital art installations, broadcast, live event venues, and more. A key strength is its ability to integrate sensor data, media outputs, media playback, lighting management, and content management through one scalable software.

RGB Spectrum’s SuperView IPX

RGB Spectrum’s SuperView IPX is a state-of-the-art multiviewer that consolidates up to eight video images on a single screen, enhancing situational awareness and decision-making workflows. Supporting both HDMI and IP inputs, it allows users to seamlessly display local and remote video sources with complete flexibility. The SuperView IPX features 4K 60Hz input and output resolutions, customizable display layouts, and presets, along with H.264 and H.265 decoding. With an embedded architecture for enhanced security and control via a browser-based GUI, Telnet, and RS-232, it is the ideal solution for mission-critical 24/7 operations.

Ross Video’s XPression Tessera

Ross Video’s XPression Tessera is a multifaceted solution for managing and filling video displays in any studio or venue. The XPression Tessera Distributed Workflow system utilizes a simple region-mapping tool to allow users to slice up a graphic on a large canvas and distribute it across multiple channels or engines for pixel-accurate rendering. A single Take ID can be used to trigger the animation to play out in perfect synchronization across one channel or dozens of them. From simple studios to the largest live event stages, Ross Video can help you engage with viewers.

Vanco’s PAEXEARC

Vanco’s PAEXEARC Digital Audio Extender with eARC transmits HDMI eARC/ARC digital audio signals up to 328 feet and S/PDIF signals up to 656 feet over a single Cat5e/6 cable. It supports bi-directional PoC, allowing power supply from either end, and features simultaneous SPDIF and HDMI outputs for a customized audio solution. With CEC pass-through in eARC/ARC mode, it enables integrated control of multiple devices. Designed for reliable performance and compatibility with various audio systems, the PAEXEARC is ideal for enhancing audio distribution in meeting spaces and classrooms, ensuring high-quality sound and ease of control in large or complex setups.

Vizrt’s Viz Virtual Studio Go

In the age of hybrid working, learning, and connecting, it’s become a key challenge to capture and keep the audience's attention. The Viz Virtual Studio Go by Vizrt was designed to help drive engagement in any instance where video is shared, boosting communication, understanding, and connection. Software and hardware are pre-configured with fully designed and customizable AR graphics and an included virtual set scene. Engineered with award-winning virtual studio capabilities, powered by Viz Engine, and built on the connected workflows of NDI, storytellers are empowered with best-in-class technology to create engaging presentation experiences out of the box.

As we begin to shift our focus on the coming new year, Pro AV companies are still busy in the headlines. 

G&D North America, the U.S. subsidiary of KVM manufacturer Guntermann & Drunck GmbH (G&D), recently celebrated the opening of its new headquarters and ControlCenter-Xperience (CCX) in Houston. You can read our full coverage here.

Exertis Almo has entered into a distribution agreement with The Glimpse Group (Glimpse). Glimpse provides enterprise-focused augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) software and services, along with professional development training for professors, teachers, and IT directors. Check out the full story here.

Avocor is now part of an $8 billion company, or thereabouts. On Sept. 25, AUO Display Plus (ADP), a subsidiary of AUO Corporation (AUO) and a global provider of industrial and commercial displays, announced the acquisition of Avocor, an innovator in collaboration and communication solutions. Get all the details here.

What else did you miss? Sit back, relax... we got you covered. 

People News

K-array USA Welcomes Andrew DeCesare as New Account Manager for Corporate Accounts

K-array USA has appointed Andrew DeCesare as account manager for corporate accounts. With over two decades of experience in audiovisual integration sales, DeCesare brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the K-array team.

In his new role, DeCesare spearheads business development initiatives for KSCAPE focusing on corporate clients. His extensive background in both the corporate and entertainment sectors, coupled with his involvement in several large design projects, positions him to drive growth and expand K-array's presence in the U.S. market.

Company News

HP Strengthens Workforce Experience Platform with Acquisition of Vyopta

HP has acquired Vyopta, an Austin-based provider of collaboration management solutions, offering analytics and monitoring for large, unified communications and collaboration (UC) networks. Vyopta brings extensive expertise and infrastructure to turbocharge the development of HP’s Workforce Experience Platform and provide customers with more insights and capabilities.
 
The HP Workforce Experience Platform, launched earlier this year, is designed to improve the employee experience and simplify IT management by giving customers control over their digital ecosystem from a single pane of glass. Today’s news marks the next step in the Platform journey to create a more comprehensive workplace view for customers and set HP further apart from competitors.

This acquisition will accelerate HP’s existing platform strategy and expand its capabilities to include space and application management, offering customers:

• Enhanced Fleet Management with Vyopta as a core feature that provides multi-vendor monitoring, analytics, space utilization and occupancy tracking, and planning insights.
• End-to-End Insights based on telemetry captured from on premises and cloud collaboration technologies to deliver visibility across devices, applications, infrastructure, and networks and proactive troubleshooting, recommendations, and data-driven workplace decisions.
• AI-Powered Platform with accelerated Managed Collaboration Solutions integration and enriched datasets for employee experience management.
• Rebuilt SaaS Platform using a modern microservices architecture with improved integrations, scalability, and security

Blaze Audio Selects TCB Sales for RepresentationThroughout the United States West Region

Blaze Audio has selected TCB Sales to represent the company’s products throughout the Western United States regions of Northern California, Northern Nevada, and Hawaii. TCB Sales joined Blaze Audio in January 2024. Jill Levine, Blaze Audio’s western regional sales manager, will oversee the activities of TCB Sales.

TCB Sales is an independent sales representative firm based in Northern California. The company has been in business since 2017 and, factoring the experience of the staff, has 30-plus years of experience in selling and designing audio, video, power, sound masking, and infrastructure products. From professional audio to commercial buildings and residential installation, the company has the knowledge and access to the products that solve many integrated system requirements.

Starin Announces Partnership with Bose Professional

Starin, a Midwich Group company, and value-added distributor of unified communications and Pro AV products, announced a distribution relationship with Bose Professional. 

With Starin’s continued focus on integrated audio, this partnership expands Starin’s offering to include Bose Professional audio solutions, including the innovative EdgeMax, DesignMax, and ShowMatch loudspeakers to high-performance amplifiers, configurable processors, and the ControlSpace ecosystem. Bose Professional resellers will now have access to Starin’s sales and technical services expertise and support.

Neat Opens First US Experience Center and Office 

Neat opened the doors of its first U.S. experience center and office. Located at in San Jose, CA, this space will serve as both an employee workspace and an experience center for partners and customers to explore Neat’s product portfolio firsthand. The experience center is equipped with Neat and partner technologies, and includes large conference rooms, huddle spaces, open-seating theater, phone booths, an R&D lab, and hot desks.

San Jose, located in the heart of the Silicon Valley, is a natural fit for the video innovator’s first U.S. office. The office is located near local commercial hubs Santana Row and Westfield Valley Fair, making it ideal for hosting and entertaining guests. The office is the latest development in Neat’s expansion in the U.S. market. The company made several strategic US hires over the past two years, including CEO Janine Pelosi, CRO Todd Meister, head of marketing and communications Priscilla Barolo, and GM for Americas Rick Hill, as well as building a strong network of U.S. channel partners.

Pro AV Around the World

Though we focus on the North American market, make sure you check out some of the Pro AV stories across the globe. 

• Atlona Adds Five Countries to EET Group’s European Distribution Territory: Atlona is spreading its partnership with commercial AV distributor EET Group throughout continental Europe, bringing Atlona closer to customers in key growth markets. EET Group will absorb all product distribution responsibilities for France, Hungary, Romania, and Slovakia, and provide value-added services to the resellers that provide sales and integration services in each country. EET Group will also supplement distribution services throughout Denmark to provide added support in an increasingly busy AV market.
• HH Audio Announces New Distribution Partnership with Sound Factory for the GCC: HH Audio, part of the U.K. Headstock Group of companies, has appointed Sound Factory FZCO, based in the UAE, as an official HH distribution partner in the GCC including the Middle East, CIS, and parts of Northern Africa.

It was a busy week in Pro AV. Before we get to some of the news you missed, let's get caught up on the big stories.

• Aurora Multimedia appointed industry veteran Hal Truax as VP of sales and marketing. Truax is tasked with implementing and overseeing Aurora’s global initiatives, helping to evangelize Aurora’s range of innovative and disruptive products to integrators and distributors. You can read more about it right here.
• In the ever-evolving world of Pro AV acquisitions, Korbyt acquired NFS Technology. The move combines innovative digital signage and advanced workplace management capabilities to a global audience. You can get all the details here.
• In alliance news, Extron joined NSCA. Coinciding with this collaboration, Extron will also sponsor NSCA's upcoming XBO Experience, a conference designed by and for emerging talent in the system integration industry, scheduled for November 12-13 at Georgia Tech in Atlanta, GA. Here's a look at what this partnership means.

Now, on with the show.

[First Look: The Debut Episode of SCN Schematic, A Pro AV Podcast]

People News

Atlona’s Steve Bogart Names Co-Chair of ETC’s IDEA Committee

Atlona's EDU business development manager Steve Bogart has been appointed to the IDEA Committee, an initiative from the Educational Technology Collaborative (ETC) established to integrate inclusivity, diversity, equity and access into ETC programs, communications and activities.

Bogart will co-chair the committee with Sarah Hava Valley, the assistant director of online learning at Tulane University’s Freeman School of Business, for a two-year term effective immediately. Over that period, Bogart and Hava Valley will identify and execute the most pertinent tasks and projects required to promote and strengthen the organization’s mission. The two were recently selected to co-chair the IDEA Committee through a vote by the ETC Board following the completion of the previous committee’s two-year term.

In addition to its core mission outlined above, the IDEA Committee serves as an advisory to the ETC Board, committees and task forces as new values, practices and principles are considered. Their advisory efforts are aided through data collection and annual member surveys that help to identify challenges and confirm best steps forward.

Bogart, who joined Atlona in February 2023, brings years of AV in education expertise to the committee, especially as it relates to applying technologies for maximum effect within learning environments. Bogart’s vast experience on the manufacturing side of the business complements Hava Valley’s leadership and perspectives on the instructional and learning side, and his goals for the committee emphasize the desire to make AV and IT products more easily accessible to a broader user base.

Listen Technologies Promotes Kevin Jewkes to Chief of Staff

Listen Technologies has promoted Kevin Jewkes to chief of staff. In this new role, Jewkes serves as a trusted advisor to and proxy for Listen Technologies President and CEO Maile Keone.

As chief of staff, Jewkes will also oversee major projects, contribute to the development and execution of long-term strategic plans, and identify opportunities for growth. He will continue to support relationships with stakeholders, including board members, investors, and partners.

Jewkes joined Listen Technologies in 2013 and has held leadership positions in sales strategy and sales operations during his tenure with the company. Most recently, he was senior director of revenue operations, where he oversaw daily sales operations, streamlined processes, and enhanced efficiency to support the organization’s growth objectives. Previously, Jewkes held roles on the sales side of the business, including leading cross-functional teams, implementing best practices, and driving continuous improvement initiatives.

Company News

Exertis Almo Divulges Plans to "Evolve and Elevate"

Last week, Exertis Almo led a week of learning, connecting, celebrating and giving back as part of Exertis Almo’s “Evolve and Elevate” themed National Sales Meeting (NSM) in Baltimore, MD. The week, which included a keynote by motivational speaker Kevin Carroll, themed manufacturer product training, and backpack filling for Cradles to Crayons Philadelphia, culminated with a Gala at the American Visionary Arts Museum to announce the winners of its 2024 Manufacturer Excellence Awards.

The Gala, themed “An Evening Under the Cherry Blossoms,” was highlighted by the presentation of the Exertis Almo Manufacturer Excellence Awards. Winners include:

• Vendor Rep of the Year: Michael Venaski, Epson America
• Vendor of the Year/Top Gross Margin: Samsung Pro
• Vendor of the Year/Top Sales: Essentials: Legrand AV
• Vendor of the Year/Highest Growth Percentage YOY, Displays: MAXHUB
• Top Performer/Growth YOY Displays: LG Business Solutions (Hospitality and Pro AV)
• Top Performers-/Highest Growth YOY, Essentials: WyreStorm, SpinetiX, Peerless-AV, and NETGEAR

Glensound, ASK Sales & Representation Name Vision2 Marketing as Rep

Glensound and ASK Sales & Representation named Vision2 Marketing will now represent Glensound audio products throughout Southern California, Southern Nevada, Arizona, and Hawaii.

Since its founding in 2004, Vision2 Marketing has assembled a seasoned team of sales and support professionals with diverse backgrounds in production, integration, retail, and eCommerce. The company is committed to providing its dealers products from the premium brands in professional audio, video, lighting, and control, while providing the best customer service experience available. Their service and support philosophy has allowed the company to grow into one of the leading rep firms in the industry with representatives in Atlanta, Birmingham, Nashville, Charlotte, Raleigh, Dallas, Houston, South Florida, Southern California, Arizona, Las Vegas, and Honolulu.

Visionary Appoints SYMCO as New Representative Firm

Visionary is partnering with SYMCO, one of the oldest independent manufacturers' representative firms. SYMCO will now represent Visionary’s comprehensive portfolio in Metro New York/Northern New Jersey, Upstate New York, and New England.

Founded in 1972, SYMCO has built its reputation over the past five decades by developing and nurturing trusted relationships with consultants, integrators, and end users throughout its region. As one of the oldest rep firms in the country, SYMCO’s success is grounded in its commitment to excellence and deep industry connections.

SYMCO’s value stems from its expert team, consisting of 12 professionals with over 500 years of collective experience in the commercial AV industry, ensuring that clients receive unparalleled industry insight and support. Additionally, SYMCO’s representation of solutions enhances its ability to deliver top-tier products to the market.

There wasn't a ton of movement in the world of Pro AV last week; however, there was a major announcement covered right here on AV Network.

Panasonic Connect announced that it has reached an agreement on a strategic capital partnership with ORIX Corporation in regard to the company’s projector business and related operations. The two companies plan to establish a new company to operate the business aiming for continued growth. This decision was made today at the board of directors meeting of Panasonic Holdings Corporation concerning the following details. You can get the in-depth details of the move by clicking or tapping here.

Now, on with the show.

People News

NextLevel Acoustics Hires Industry Veteran Mike Budd as Head of Business Development

NextLevel Acoustics added industry veteran Mike Budd to represent the company as head of business development. With 30-plus years of experience, Budd brings a wealth of knowledge to the role, leveraging his previous positions as the director of international sales at Triad Speakers, director of speaker products at Control4, and as the senior director of manufacturing operations at Snap One.

“Deciding to work with the NextLevel ream was not difficult, since I have been involved in providing custom-built speaker products my entire career," said Budd. "It is easy to appreciate the engineering and manufacturing of a higher quality audio product that includes thoughtful aesthetic considerations demanded by today’s CEDIA integrators and their clients. I look forward to working with our current and future partners to enhance their businesses while growing the NextLevel brand."

Royer Labs Appoints Dave Bryce VP of Sales and Marketing

Royer Labs appointed Dave Bryce to the position of VP sales and marketing. Bryce started with Royer Labs on June 1st and is stationed at the company’s headquarters in Burbank, CA.

In his new role with Royer Labs, Bryce is responsible for a variety of functions including overseeing and expanding Royer’s global sales network, managing the company’s marketing team strategies and execution, and providing market insight and product evaluation to the company’s executive management and R&D teams. Further, he will be interacting with Royer’s many close endorsement clients (engineers, producers, musicians, etc.) to continue Royer’s promotional/educational outreach to the pro audio community.

Bryce’s industry-veteran background and experience make him well-suited for his new responsibilities with Royer Labs. Prior to joining Royer, he served more than a decade as director of sales and marketing for cloud microphones.

Company News

Registration Now Open for the Arizona Audio Video Expo

The AZ Audio Video Expo registration is now open and free for all to attend on August 20-21 at the Mesa Convention Center in Mesa, AZ. After its inaugural year in 2023, this show is back by popular demand and promises to be bigger and better for 2024.

Visitors will find over 60 manufacturer exhibits; seminars featuring industry topics and product categories; AVIXA credit workshops; and industry networking.

Pro AV Around the Globe

While AV Network focuses on its North American integrator and manufacturer news, there were some partnerships and news of note across seas.

• Atlona Amplifies Distribution Channel in Italy with ASIT: A value-added distributor familiar with Italy’s AV trends and diverse regional business cultures, ASIT’s recent establishment of a dedicated AV and IT integration business unit makes them an ideal fit to generate visibility for Atlona’s vast product line, including its networked AV and control solutions. 
• EcoVista Achieves Carbon-Neutral Business Milestone: With operations in the United States and EMEA, the company's sustainability journey began when it was founded in 2023, with a commitment to embed environmental responsibility at the core of its business. By partnering with Planet Mark, a sustainability certification organization, EcoVista has implemented robust carbon tracking and offsetting measures across its operations and client projects.
• Neoti and True Performance Global Alliance: True Performance, from Kassel, Germany, and Neoti announced the formation of a powerful strategic alliance aimed at expanding market share and spreading the word about new LED display technology. As an engineering and technological innovator located in Kassel, True Performance has been developing display technology utilized by major brands since 1992, originally as EKTA/EKTA Vision. Neoti, a has served clients in the LED space for the past 17 years, with particular success in mission-critical environments.
• PlexusAV Signs Distribution Agreement with ATEC Pro: PlexusAV, the professional AV division of Sencore, has signed a distribution agreement with Austrian distributor ATEC Pro. ATEC Pro was founded in 2007 and has continually expanded its market presence since that time. As of today, ATEC Pro represents 16 international manufacturers in Austria, including Allen & Heath, Meyer Sound, Blaze Audio, Barco, AnalogWay, PureLink and many more.

With corporations, schools, government agencies, and others utilizing an increasing amount of networked devices to manage, schedule, and distribute AV media and other commands, the need for an AV control panel to manage it all has never been greater. Today, touchpanel controllers allow users to leverage a smartphone, tablet, touchscreen, or handheld remotes for customizing and controlling all the available media resources—as well as lighting and shades, HVAC, and other elements—in various rooms across a facility.

[Where Are We with Hybrid?]

With full control and scheduling capability, the latest touchscreens help simplify the way in-house resources are used. Leveraging the latest generation of control panels saves valuable time and effort for users, and gives system integrators the ability to configure control systems in minutes. They can also quickly make system modifications when required—without the need for extensive programming.

A single, intuitive graphical point of control also enables more users to easily interact with the space and AV equipment. In short, touchpanels simplify operations for users of varying technical abilities while reducing IT support needs.

Mounting Options

“[Installing] a dedicated touchpanel means that reliable, local room control is always in place when you need it most,” said Justin Kennedy, product manager at Atlona. “You don't have to worry about dead batteries or device updates breaking the control functions. Users can be assured that there’s a platform in place to provide consistent control inside the room or scheduling outside the room without fear of losing connectivity.”

A touchpanel can be mounted on a conference room table with a built-in tilt mechanism so it’s visible to everyone in the room, or mounted on a wall or even glass for easy access. Atlona also offers a flush mount kit that works for its seven and 10-inch panels that can be fully recessed into the wall for a nice aesthetic look. A fourth option is to use a 75mm mount with a swivel arm, which brings even more flexibility to access the control features.

All of Atlona’s active panels, including the new Velocity AT-VTP-700VL, are built to a VESA 75mm standard. That means the table mount you purchase will work with all of its panels. The one-gang global wall mount simplifies installation. Because it's a standard mounting size, there is also the option to add a third-party mount, such as a podium swivel mount.

The Velocity AT-VTP-700VL features a HTML5-based user interface, which provides the freedom to use any browser. Remote control is enabled through QR codes for BYOD control. The company also offers a remote gateway service, which gives users the ability to remotely access the system through the cloud.

Determining the right-sized (and featured) panel for a specific application often comes down to functionality and budget. Generally, the smaller the panel, the lower the cost. The size of the panel can also be dictated by the complexity of the system and how many devices it is controlling.

Product Placement

Location is also an important consideration when installing control panels. When placed inside a room, there’s a clear benefit: bringing all the controls into one easy-to-use interface. Instead of having disparate panels and buttons controlling AV, HVAC, lighting, shading, etc., it’s all handled from one easy-to-use place.

“Outside the room, the benefits are threefold,” explained Joel Mulpeter, director of product marketing at Crestron. “We're projecting information to people about how the room's being used, both now and in the future, through status indicators and the like. Secondly, booking the room via a screen by the door offers another way to reserve the space beyond the platform on your computer. The third is the data and analytics we can gather from all that.”

[NFL Draft Ready: New York Giants, Crestron Partner for Immersive Football Hub]

Once the system integrator knows how particular rooms are being booked, he added, they can begin to understand what spaces are being reserved on an ad hoc basis versus planned bookings. Depending on the room type, this can help determine lots of information about available real estate and facilities and how they’re actually being used.

Crestron offers a variety of touchpanel sizes—from 4-inch to 10-inch models—and if a client desires an even larger panel, Crestron can provide a graphics engine for that. The company also provides panels that connect to the network with a single cable. For example, its TST-1080 wireless touchscreen supports voice commands for controlling functions, full-motion streaming video from cameras and other sources, intercom, and an internet browser.

“We really don't want proprietary cabling with touchpanels," Mulpeter said, "we just want them to be a network drop, powered from that network as well, and simple to install.”

UC Considerations

There’s also a need for integrated unified communications (UC) interfaces such as Microsoft Teams and Zoom during meetings. The trick is properly embedding controls into those interfaces so the user can easily flip to navigating input sources and other functions outside the UC platform.

[Extron Celebrates 40 Years of Service, Support, and Solutions]

Joe da Silva, VP of marketing for Extron, agrees that UC integration is now a very desirable feature for touchpanels, allowing seamless integration with popular communication platforms. He said this broadens the potential for touchpanel use in videoconferencing and connecting people across distances.

“Touchpanels allow presenters to focus on their tasks rather than fussing with complicated AV systems or fumbling with multiple remote controls,” he said, adding that Extron control panels are now used in just about any modern workspace. “They also provide an efficient and convenient way of creating a consistent AV control interface from room to room, which takes the guesswork out of using different systems throughout an enterprise or campus.”

The Extron TLP Pro 1230WTG provides a 12-inch, ultra-wide screen with a sleek, low-profile design that minimizes visual obstructions and improves collaboration engagement. The touchpanel also offers HDMI video preview from an HDCP-compliant HDMI port. In addition to the company’s range of TouchLink Pro touchpanels, they also offer an increasing array of LinkLicense options that allow customers to add multiple new functions to their touchpanels without the need for additional hardware.

Looking Ahead

At VuWall, Nick Mathis, director of business development USA, said current touchpanel trends include the increasing use of higher resolution, Full HD displays, as well as touchless interaction options, multitouch capabilities, and integration of intelligent features like embedded operating systems and IoT connectivity. “In many cases, touchpanels are not in the mind of end customers until they begin working with a system integrator who highlights its usefulness,” he noted.

VuWall’s newest product, the ControlVu-10-3, was redesigned to meet new market demands, specifically in secure and mission-critical command and control environments. The 10-inch PoE touchpanel offers a secure Linux operating system and no other wireless options (such as Wi-Fi or Bluetooth) and no camera—all features that are typically not allowed. ControlVu gives operators the freedom to control the system directly from the simple touch of a button, including third-party systems on a local network. They can also easily adjust the lights or reboot displays.

Moving forward, touchpanels will continue to evolve with customer needs. Users are looking for richer graphics, thinner bezels, quicker page flips, and brighter and wider-angled screens options, among other features.

Indeed, the future of touchpanels is poised for exciting advancements. With the continued AV/IT convergence, the reach of touchpanels continues to increase. As more devices can communicate across a network, touchpanels will have more power to reduce the time it takes for users to get their work done.

“We do anticipate continued integration with emerging technologies such as augmented reality and virtual reality, enhancing interactive experiences and opening new possibilities for applications in gaming, education, and simulation,” said Mathis. “Moreover, advancements in touch sensitivity and haptic feedback will further blur the line between physical and digital interaction, offering more immersive and tactile experiences. As technology evolves, touchpanels will continue to evolve, offering more intuitive and immersive ways to interact with the digital world.”

Atlona released a new version of the AT-OME-MS42, part of the Omega Series matrix switchers that helps customers simplify the connectivity infrastructure inside learning and meeting spaces. The new AT-OME-MS42-HDBT 4x2 matrix switcher introduces an HDBaseT input alongside local USB-C and two HDMI connections, building in a remote input option that removes the need for a separate HDMI signal extension solution. The product includes HDMI and HDBaseT outputs (one each) with selectable switching modes to simplify configuration and user operation for presentation requirements.

“The OME-MS42-HDBT represents a refresh of our very popular OME-MS42 multi-format matrix switcher that expands the integration possibilities for our customers,” said Thomas Gay, product manager, for Atlona. “The switcher retains important automation functions such as display control and auto-switching while enhancing BYOD capability and USB functionality, among other improvements. Integrators and end users are assured exceptional value through proven technologies that streamline connectivity and ensure consistent reliability.”

[5 Talking Points from InfoComm 2024]

The OME-MS42-HDBT supports HDBaseT extension for video up to 4K/60 4:2:0 over 330 feet (100 meters) of category cable alongside embedded audio, control, Ethernet and USB. All HDMI connections and the USB-C input support 4K HDR and 4K/60 4:4:4, with downscaling capabilities to support 1080p resolution out of the HDMI output. The switcher’s integrated USB extension addresses the challenge of connecting between USB devices at remote locations, accommodating up to four host PCs through USB 2.0 type B and USB-C ports, and remotely over HDBaseT. A built-in USB 2.0 hub provides connectivity for two peripheral devices such as a camera, microphone, speakerphone, or keyboard and mouse.

The OME-MS42-HDBT’s diverse connectivity options and problem-solving capabilities open the switcher to an array of use cases inside education and corporate environments. Installers can conceal the unit inside a lectern in learning spaces, allowing an instructor to send video from a laptop to a projector and confidence monitor. The remote input capability over HDBaseT cleanly accommodates a student presenter elsewhere in the room. Inside corporate businesses, the OME-MS42-HDBT acts as the centerpiece for delivering source content to meeting and conference room displays, with the HDBaseT input supporting laptop connections via wall or table access. Video conferencing applications in any AV environment benefit through the various USB interface options for local and remote USB devices, with the ability to switch AV and USB together between host PCs.

On June 11, the winners of SCN Installation Product Awards 2024 were revealed during a ceremony at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Winning products were recognized across 11 categories, including a new category, Most Innovative Camera.

"Every year, the SCN Installation Product Awards provide an opportunity to recognize innovation in the Pro AV industry," said Mark J. Pescatore, content director, Systems Contractor News. "It's always nice to see enthusiasm about new products from so many different categories. We should never take product development for granted, especially in an industry that is seemingly in a constant state of change. Congratulations to all our 2024 winners."

And the winners are:

Most Innovative App

Sony Electronics: Device Management Platform (DMP)

Most Innovative Audio Hardware

AtlasIED: Aimline Series ALX-D 

Blaze Audio: CBL528      

Shure: Microflex Advance MXA901 Conferencing Ceiling Array Microphone

Most Innovative AV Installation Accessory

BZBGEAR: BG-AVTPG-MINI-G2 | 8K HDMI 2.1 Test Pattern Generator 

Chief, a brand of Legrand | AV: Tempo Flat Panel In-Wall Mount System  

Vanco International: EVMX42MV 4K 4x2 HDMI Matrix with Multiview

Most Innovative Camera

BirdDog: X1 Ultra             

Crestron Electronics: Crestron 1 Beyond i-Series  

JVC Professional Video: KY-PZ540 CONNECTED CAM PTZ Camera

Most Innovative Collaboration Product

Atlona: AT-OME-CS31-SA        

Sennheiser: TeamConnect Ceiling Medium                 

WolfVision: Cynap Videobar            

Most Innovative Digital Signage Product

22Miles: AI Solutions    

BrightSign: XT5

ViewSonic: ViewSonic LDS135-153 Direct View LED Display Solution Kit 

Most Innovative Emerging Technology

Listen Technologies: ListenWIFI

Q-SYS: VisionSuite

Sony Electronics: ELF-SR2 Spatial Reality Display     

Most Innovative Sustainable Product Strategy

LED Studio: EDGE Series 

PPDS: Philips Signage 3650 Series EcoDesign QE-Line          

Most Innovative Videoconferencing Product

Samsung Electronics: Interactive Display WAD Series

Vaddio, a brand of Legrand | AV: Venture VideoBAR + TableMIC  

Most Innovative Video Display

Avocor: X Series

MAXHUB: Raptor LX Series/LX165V07 

Planar: DirectLight Pro Series 

Most Innovative Video Projection Solution

Epson America: EB-PQ2010B 10,000-Lumen 4K 3LCD Laser Projector

LG Business Solutions USA: ProBeam BU53RG Laser Projector

Optoma Technology: ZU607TST Short-Throw WUXGA Laser Projector  

Each nominated product was submitted by its respective manufacturer. Each of the nominated products were submitted by their respective manufacturers. Winners were chosen by industry professionals through a ballot accessed through avnetwork.com. Up to three winners were selected in each category, based on the number of entries. The nominated product must have first shipped between January 1, 2023, and May 10, 2024. Products that won in last year’s awards program were not eligible in any category this year.

InfoComm 2024 heads back to the Las Vegas Convention Center this June 8-14. As we have in the past, SCN turned to several InfoComm 2024 exhibitors to talk trends, technology, inspiration, and an exclusive special sneak preview of what they’ll show in their booths.

Bookmark this page, as we will bring you updates as more InfoComm Impulses exclusive interviews come in before the show. You can find out what they had to say below. 

Opticis Bring USB-C and 4K and 8K Extenders to Vegas

"At InfoComm 2024, the need for high-definition 4K and 8K video transmission and new trends like USB Type-C are likely to be discussed a lot," said Dr. Hyun Kuk Shin, CEO, Opticis.

Read more here. 

Aurora Multimedia Talks Touchpanels and Tech

"I expect the Aurora patented “ReAX Room” to be the technology talk of Infocomm 2024 as it is the first major change in over 30 years in control system topology. We will show that a touch interface can be more than just a fancy overpriced remote control and can be used as a daily essential tool," said Paul Harris, CEO/CTO, Aurora Multimedia.

Read the whole interview here. 

Vanguard Talks Color Quality and Infinity Controller

"We think that color quality as opposed to being fixated on the smallest pixel pitch will be the technology stressed at InfoComm 2024, with color gamut, refresh rates and latency taking on great importance," said Michael Wiener, CEO and founder of Vanguard LED Displays. 

Read the whole Impulse here. 

Neoti Shines Bright with LED Displays

"Partnerships are critical right now, especially for smaller companies. I expect shared technology ecosystems to be front and center, and maybe even some partnerships none of us expected," said Camille Burch, marketing director, Neoti.

See what else she had to say about InfoComm here. 

Atlona Talks 21:9 Content and Education

"We are hearing a lot of talk about the 21:9 aspect ratio, which I humorously equate to bringing the Cinemascope format into the office. What’s most interesting about this is the ability to do different things with your screens and presentation layouts. With Microsoft Teams Front Row layout, there is the ability to support 21:9 content in the top middle portion of the screen. On one side there may be a list of those attending the meeting along with their comments, with their faces arranged across the bottom. There are many possibilities of spreading multiple project elements across a screen for collaboration. Our Omega Series of collaboration products align well with the opportunities that 21:9 presentation brings to learning and meeting spaces," said Garth Lobban, director of marketing, Atlona. 

Read the whole interview here. 

IHSE Discusses KVM and Its Display Management Systems

"This year we expect to see an increased interest in secure control room operations managed transparently between local workstations and remote workstation connections over an IP infrastructure. With today's increasing threats to computer and network systems, making systems resilient to attack is paramount. System integrators who design control rooms need to ensure the right products are used to support customer cybersecurity policies, including all subsystems and components, against the potential risk of attack and exploitation of vulnerabilities. Conversely, products must include a more open-source infrastructure that offers the ability to obtain, gather, process, and distribute information more effectively," said Dan Holland, marketing manager, IHSE USA. 

Read more here.

Snap One on RMM Solutions

"This year at the show we expect to see more remote monitoring and management solutions. As the industry continues to shift towards a service model, these RMM solutions are becoming increasingly critical," said Scott Normand, commercial market senior director at Snap One.

Read the whole interview here. 

Synthax and AOIP Solutions

"AI and further enhancements to AoIP, supply chain, [and the] future of audio networking formats," said Derek Badala, director of sales-The Americas, Synthax on what to expect at InfoComm 2024.

Read the full interview here. 

Matrox Video Talks AV-Over-IP and SMPTE ST 2110

"We anticipate that the spotlight will be on the advanced capabilities and applications of AV-over-IP technologies, particularly in the context of live events, control rooms, and other mission-critical environments. Driven by the need for high-performance, secure, and scalable video production and distribution products—and enabled by evolving standards and AVoIP technologies—the convergence of AV and IT will be a dominant theme this year," said Spiro Plagakis, VP of product management at Matrox Video. 

Read the full interview here. 

DVIGear Talks AVoIP and SDVoE Technologies

"We have partnered with the SDVoE product team for more than 10 years.  Only SDVoE offers such a broad range of possibilities without compromise on image quality or performance.  SDVoE offers our developers the freedom to innovate in software without the limitations normally found in hardware-only based products.  This means that we can respond to varying customer requests in days rather than months or years," said Steven Barlow, president, DVIGear.

See what else he had to say here. 

ACT Entertainment Talks Interoperability

"Given their impact on presentation events, technologies such as spatial audio, real-time position tracking, XR cameras and live video manipulation will continue to be major topics of discussion at InfoComm 2024. These technologies represent the cutting-edge of creating immersive and interactive environments, which are becoming increasingly significant in the AV industry," said Ryan Hindinger, ACT Entertainment market manager: concert touring and live experiences.

Read the full interview here. 

G&D Talks KVM and Security Enhancements

"We expect that discussions at InfoComm 2024 will focus primarily on the integration of artificial intelligence and machine learning into AV systems and control rooms. These technologies, which enable a more intuitive, automated, and personalized interaction with audiovisual devices, and promise to revolutionize the user experience. I am looking forward to interesting presentations and workshops demonstrating how AI technology can be integrated into AV solutions and how artificial intelligence will impact our working environment in the long term. Additionally, advancements in IP solutions, which offer greater flexibility, scalability, and efficiency in managing audio and video content across various networks, will continue to draw significant attention," said Jon Litt, managing director of G&D North America.

Read the full interview here. 

ENCO Talks AI and Virtual Production

"AI will be the dominant trend. Manufacturers in the AV space are applying AI in many different and creative ways. We see strong opportunity in the AV community for AI in the speech-to-text conversion realm, especially for live events and staging. That includes captioning as well as real-time, multi-lingual translations to engage a wider audience," said Ken Frommert, president, ENCO.

Want to know more? Click here. 

AtlasIED Talks AI, the Atmosphere, and Turning 90

"AI is becoming omnipresent in AV. For AtlasIED, we’re using AI in IntelliSee. IntelliSee overlays with existing video surveillance systems to continually monitor live camera feeds to detect accidents, threats, or other activities in real time. Once detected, instant alerts provide pre-determined stakeholders with the situational awareness and context needed to act quickly. We’re excited to bring the technology to InfoComm," said Matt Czyzewski, EVP, AtlasIED.

Read the full interview here. 

Shure Talks the MXW neXt 2 and Enhancing the User Experience

"We anticipate the buzz to center around enhancing the overall user experience by introducing intuitive and easily configurable hardware, accompanied by cloud-based systems that provide users with convenient access and management of multiple programs," said Sean Bowman, associate VP, North America at Shure.

Read the full article here. 

Hard to believe another InfoComm is just days away. InfoComm 2024 takes over the Las Vegas Convention Center this June 8-14. Keep up with SCN's preshow coverage with new products, events, and insights to expect on the show floor. And don't forget to bookmark the link below for all of SCN's InfoComm 2024 coverage. 

[Follow the ROAD TO INFOCOMM 2024 at AV Network] 

Atlona OmniStream and Velocity Solutions Power On-Booth Esports Experience

Atlona heads to InfoComm next month with a dynamic, in-booth esports demonstration that accentuates how ultra-fast switching, multiview processing, touchscreen control and more benefit a live gaming environment at Booth C7041. Powered by Atlona’s OmniStream AV-over-IP and Velocity control systems, the esports environment includes a third-party video wall, high-powered gaming PCs, and gaming furniture to provide visitors with a genuine esports experience.

Visitors will find an esports environment with four zones: a Coach’s Station, a Shoutcaster’s Station, Spectator Video Wall, and Gaming zone. One highlight of the esports environment is the 94x53-inch video wall supplied by Just Video Walls. The microLED video wall features a 1.2mm pixel pitch and 8000:1 contrast ratio that augments OmniStream’s multiview processing capabilities to produce a four-way split across the 108” diagonal video wall.

Another highlight of the Atlona esports environment is the Gaming zone equipped with two Esports Evolution Gaming Desks from Spectrum Industries and advanced gaming gear from Logitech G. While in the zone, guests are invited to participate in head-to-head matches of Epic Games’ Rocket League and post their high scores for a chance to win one of two Spectrum Industries’ Esports Xpressions Gaming Chairs.

In the Atlona esports environment, guests will see how OmniStream 2.0 delivers sub-frame latency from encoder to decoder to power real-time esports experiences, along with 4K/60 4:4:4 streams and ultra-fast switching. These benefits are made possible through its advanced VCx codec, which ensures artifact-free presentation of both computer-generated content and fast-motion video. VCx also offers sub-frame latency from encoder to decoder to power real-time esports experiences and other high-resolution video applications in esports, education, corporate and many other AV environments.

Lightware: Time to Double Down on USB-C Connectivity

Lightware will showcase its latest developments for the corporate, education and live event sectors during this year’s Infocomm at Booth C8056.

Visitors can see the AV manufacturer’s newest technologies in action, including the latest editions of the Taurus product family. After inventing USB host switching in 2020 with the Taurus UCX and introducing USB extension three years later with the Taurus TPX, Lightware is upping the ante again with the Taurus TPN, expanding USB capabilities into network environments. Beyond the Taurus TPN, Lightware will also showcase its new Taurus UCX Dual Screen feature along with other innovative connectivity solutions.

Infocomm 2024 will also witness the U.S. premiere of the new 1G AV-over-IP solution, Gemini GVN, capable of transmitting 4K@60Hz 4:4:4 image quality with USB device routing and fast-scaling, seamless host switching. Additionally, Lightware will showcase the latest edition of its widely acclaimed rental and staging solution, UBEX, which enables uncompressed 4K UHD@60Hz 4:4:4 signal extension with latency-free multistreaming over dual 10G Ethernet network, enhanced with USB capabilities.

Navori Labs to Unveil Next-Gen StiX 3800 AI Signage Player

Navori Labs will introduce the StiX 3800, an ultra-compact, AI-powered device that transforms digital signage into smart, interactive experiences at Booth W1957. The StiX 3800’s simple integration makes AI-driven content automation and advanced analytics accessible for all users, allowing businesses to boost viewer interactions and refine communication strategies through real-time audience metrics and actionable insights. 

The StiX 3800 uses computer vision technology to trigger AI-driven content and generate rich data beyond displays. The StiX 3800 comes equipped with advanced audience measurement capabilities that help users better understand their audience and how content performs. Users can tailor content on-the-fly to meet viewer preferences and behaviors, leveraging immediate feedback from footfall, dwell time, people, and vehicle analytics to make informed decisions.

Navori Labs has also emphasized performance in the StiX 3800 design, which accelerates processing speeds to 100 percent faster than its predecessor. The improved performance closes the gap between seamless content delivery and dynamic audience engagement, allowing businesses to support flawless 4K@60 content playback with stunning clarity and detail. 

The StiX 3800 also simplifies the activation process without technical intervention, requiring only a single network to carry high-resolution content and PoE. The latter accentuates the StiX 3800’s sustainability benefits, including long-duration performance (50,000 hours) and automatic screen activation upon detecting audiences. Ease of use is enhanced by the capability to deploy new content across multiple locations within minutes, ensuring messages stay timely and relevant.

ACT Entertainment Showcases PK Sound Robotic Line Source System

ACT Entertainment will present PK Sound’s new Robotic Line Source System at Booth C8034. Comprised of the T8 robotic line source element and T18 intelligent subwoofer, this sub-compact line source range is the industry’s first loudspeaker solution to offer robotic control. ACT/PK Sound will also demo the new system in InfoComm Demo Room N221.

Featuring PK’s patented multi-axis robotics, T8’s stunning output—with peak SPLs reaching 143.5 dB—is precisely controlled down to 400 Hz in both the vertical and horizontal planes. The result is an unparalleled degree of flexibility and precision in system dispersion for designers or operators in virtually any application. Used in tandem with the accompanying T18 intelligent subwoofer, PK Cell modular touring rack and PK .dynamics control software, the T8 system delivers PK Sound’s patented remote and real-time multi-axis robotic coverage control to a wider range of users and applications in the touring and rental, performance installation, theatrical, worship, nightlife and corporate event verticals.

Integrated inclinometers and network-based Auto-Array via .dynamics software enable each T8 module to recognize its position and angle within the system, enhancing the speed, safety and accuracy of any deployment. Robotic control, onboard DSP and network data are routed through the world’s first implementation of Neutrik’s DR Series of IP65-rated connectors for maximum stability.

Cinegy's Scalable Multiviewer Makes InfoComm Debut

Cinegy is bringing the latest version of its Cinegy Multiviewer to InfoComm for the first time at Booth W3734. A single Cinegy Multiviewer can monitor, analyze, and display hundreds of incoming feeds on one or multiple screens and offers the option to stream the output in a range of IP streaming formats. Supported input formats range from traditional SDI and DVB/ATSC transport streams to now common IP formats such as NDI, SRT, and SMPTE 2110. 

Cinegy’s constant efforts to optimize the performance of its multiviewer by focusing features a such as GPU acceleration capabilities helps reduce server CPU load and increases scalability.  This continues to increase efficiency, maximizes hardware performance while saving energy and protecting investment, making the whole solution more sustainable. 

The Cinegy Multiviewer is a widely used solution for professional NDI monitoring. NDI sources are not always broadcast standard signals. To address the challenges posed by non-standard NDI feeds and to deliver a smooth and efficient monitoring experience, Cinegy Multiviewer 24.2 now offers an NDI source tolerance mode to easily integrate these types of sources as well. 

InfoComm 2024 heads back to the Las Vegas Convention Center this June 8-14. As we have in the past, SCN turned to several InfoComm 2024 exhibitors to talk trends, technology, inspiration, and an exclusive special sneak preview of what they’ll show in their booths.

[Follow the ROAD TO INFOCOMM 2024 at AV Network] 

In today's addition to the InfoComm 2024 Impulses series, meet Garth Lobban, director of marketing, Atlona. 

SCN: What technology or industry trend do you expect to be the talk of InfoComm 2024?

Garth Lobban: We are hearing a lot of talk about the 21:9 aspect ratio, which I humorously equate to bringing the Cinemascope format into the office. What’s most interesting about this is the ability to do different things with your screens and presentation layouts. With Microsoft Teams Front Row layout, there is the ability to support 21:9 content in the top middle portion of the screen. On one side there may be a list of those attending the meeting along with their comments, with their faces arranged across the bottom. There are many possibilities of spreading multiple project elements across a screen for collaboration. Our Omega Series of collaboration products align well with the opportunities that 21:9 presentation brings to learning and meeting spaces.

SCN: What is your company’s main focus at the show this year?

GL: We have seen strong business activity in the education vertical over the past few years and serving our higher ed and K-12 customers has been a top priority for 2024. This will be reflected in our booth in several ways, including how we can handle complex AV systems inside classrooms and support the increasing variety of education applications taking shape, including esports. One of our demos will show how our new CS31 Series of compact matrix switchers can acknowledge incoming emergency messages and mute other systems in the room. We will also demonstrate our support for USB-C signals alongside HDMI signals in the classroom, as well remote inputs that better support collaboration.

SCN: How does InfoComm inspire you?

GL: It comes down to the opportunity to meet directly with the people who use our technology. InfoComm has become an increasingly end-user focused show. The dealers and integrators are sending fewer representatives these days to keep up with their volume of work. On the other hand, more end users are coming and that includes the decision makers and C-Level executives we want to reach in the education and corporate verticals.

These changing attendance trends have also inspired changes on how we staff the booth. We will bring sales engineers this year who can go through design options and discuss broader applications. We will also have our product managers on hand this year to listen to our customers and identify their needs. The inspiration comes from meeting people and the networking that happens in the process. All of our teams from sales to engineering are focused on listening and how we can better serve our customers.

SCN: How have “simple” keypad controllers evolved for classrooms and smaller meeting spaces?

GL: We’ve seen button-based panels evolve from fixed, hard button controllers to advanced, self-contained control systems that can eliminate the need for a separate control processor and panel-based system. Enhanced, modern classrooms and small meeting rooms need more than the manual-labeled controllers we used to offer.

Today we see the need to control up to 10 devices in the room including switchers and source devices to displays and audio via IP and RS-232. They also need to be intuitive to operate. The Atlona AT-VKP-8E features an e-paper display and eight buttons offering a clear presentation and easy device control as well as RGB LED indicators for those buttons and a 16-LED strip for a visual representation of the system’s audio level. Atlona also offers an advanced cloud-based set up application, Atlona Cloud, that includes an extensive library of Atlona and third-party device drivers plus a wealth of icons for each button.   

Atlona has added a 7-inch touch panel to its Velocity family of IP-enabled AV control system products. The AT-VTP-700VL is an ideal user interface for AV control or room scheduling in education and corporate applications.

Offering a similar look, feel, and mounting as Atlona’s popular 10-inch panels, the VTP-700VL can function as the primary AV control interface for corporate meeting spaces, classrooms, and more. It is also suitable as a room scheduling panel for lobbies and hallways. The bright, side-mounted LEDs of the panel provide a clear, visual representation of room status or add emphasis to control functions. 

The VTP-700VL’s sleek design features refined, contemporary styling with 1024×600 native resolution and a capacitive glass surface. Setup and response are fast and easy with upgraded processing and memory. Room scheduling and AV control GUIs automatically load from the Velocity hardware or software server gateway during system configuration. 

“The AT-VTP-700VL is a great touch panel option for both corporate and education applications,” said Justin Kennedy, product Manager, Atlona. “The 7-inch control surface, enhanced processing and memory, and side LED lighting are ideal for AV control or scheduling in meeting spaces and classrooms.”  

For installation flexibility, the VTP-700VL includes a dual-purpose glass and wall mount compatible with one-gang United States, U.K., and EU wall openings. In addition, its standard VESA 75 mounting pattern provides compatibility with third-party mounts.  

Additionally, several optional touchpanel mounting solutions are available. This includes the introduction of flush mount kits for the 7 and 10-inch Velocity touchpanels. The AT-VTP-FMK-7-BL and AT-VTP-FMK-10-BL allow touchpanels to be recessed into a wall so the panel face is virtually flush with the wall surface. For tabletop applications, the AT-VTP-VTM kit enables freestanding placement of 7 and 10-inch panels on a meeting table or lectern.

AVT Question: Please share your insight into trends that will play a role in hybrid workplace culture, space planning, and technologies in 2024.

Thought Leader: Perry Sun, Product Marketing Manager at Atlona

In 2024, many if not most businesses, enterprises, and organizations have settled on plans for their remote working and return-to-office (RTO) policies. We continue to see significant demand for AV systems supporting in-person and hybrid meeting applications, including team collaboration and video conferencing. Additionally, many companies are reviewing and revising their strategic planning for meeting spaces and workplace configurations, which are likely to result in evolving requirements for supportive AV technologies.

We have observed from our customer base that for the workplace, the most prominent AV technology demands continue to be USB integration, wireless casting, and scalable AV distribution. Support for USB-C is a must-have for the proliferation of modern laptops and mobile devices with native USB-C interfaces. Also essential is the ability to ensure that USB hubs, extensions, and peripherals operate together as a cohesive system with solid reliability. 

Many workers continue to want the ability to share wirelessly from their screens. We expect this to grow significantly into the future, as the Wi-Fi 7 standard eventually becomes well-established, with ample capability to support 4K and even 8K video transmissions.

Systems integrators and consultants have been steadily adopting AV over IP as the platform for AV signal distribution. End-user customers have always wanted the ability to share content anywhere without limitations, which necessitates the signal routing flexibility that only networked AV technology can deliver. Increased awareness and data network competency are making AV over IP the platform of choice in most new system designs.

Atlona offers a range of AV product solutions for USB-C, wireless casting, and networked AV distribution that are readily adaptable as workplace requirements evolve over time. They’re designed for simple connect-and-present user operation, with automation available through occupancy sensing, and user control available from our intuitive touch panels and our new keypad controller.

Join us, on Wednesday, April 24th at 2:00 PM Eastern for a roundtable discussion on UC&C Proliferation.

Whether a worldwide corporate enterprise, higher education, government, or health care facility, a truly unified communications and collaboration infrastructure, including endpoints, software, and platforms, is essential. Panelists discuss the AV/IT solutions and workflows for UC&C today and tomorrow.

This panel is designed for AV and IT decision-makers and those charged with integrating and ensuring system interoperability.

Register Here!

You'll Learn:

>> Why a high-quality audio experience is critical

>> Revamped ideas of unified communications and standardization

>> About provisioning, deployment, monitoring, and data gathering

Panelists:

Shaun Burnette, Director of Commercial Distribution, Atlona

John Mitton, CTO and Vice President of Audio Visual Group, Red Thread

Matt Morgan, Business Development Manager, Corporate, Ross Video

Dr. Holger Stoltze, Senior Director Technical Sales and Marketing, Yamaha

Moderated by:

Cindy Davis, Content Director, AV Technology

Register Now!

There were a lot of moves in the Pro AV world recently. Here are a few to get you caught up on all the newsmakers. 

One of the bigger stories you may have missed was named Takabumi Asahi new CEO of Christie. You can read SCN's coverage here. 

People News

d&b group Appoints Melanie Stegemann as VP of Brand and Corporate Communications

d&b group appointed Melanie Stegemann as its new VP of brand and corporate communications. With more than 15 years of experience in brand, public relations and marketing roles, she will play a key role in d&b’s management team, ensuring the group’s brand vision comes to life through engaging messaging and creative content across all channels, both internally and externally.

At d&b group, Stegemann will head up a diverse team of brand and communications experts and will focus on building a collaborative environment that drives company success. Her role will include a broad range of responsibilities, from brand positioning and communication leadership to content production, thought leadership activities and supporting the strategic decision-making process.

Before joining d&b, Stegemann spent nine years in various senior brand roles at Zumtobel Group, a leading international lighting business, including her most recent position as head of brand marketing Zumtobel. She has also served as Head of PR for Zumtobel Group’s technology brand Tridonic and as PR and marketing manager for Metro Group. 

AVPro Global Appoints New COO and VP, North American Residential Sales

AVPro Global has been busy of late. The company closed out March by appointing Mike “Sparky” Detmer as chief operating officer. Detmer will lead and scale AVPro’s growth and global business go-to-market teams, including sales, marketing, customer service, training, technical support, and new business acquisition and development. Detmer brings extensive management experience from benchmark audiovisual (AV) and specialty coatings organizations including Akzo Nobel, Harman International, and Nortek.

Detmer, who first joined AVPro Global as a consultant in 2023, is an industry veteran with over four decades of experience in the audio/video (AV) industry managing commercial results, working with, or providing consulting services for premium AV brands such as Definitive Technology, Elan, Infinity Systems, Niles Audio, Krell Industries, Polk Audio, Russound, SpeakerCraft, Stax, and Xantech. 

The company also appointed Chris Kane as VP of North American (NA) Residential Sales. Kane will report to Detmer and oversee NA business development initiatives including streamlining sales processes by unifying the AVPro brand portfolio under one experienced manager. Kane, a known and trusted manager in the NA residential market, brings a wealth of experience and insight to leverage AVPro’s growth initiatives while providing added value to its customers.

At AudioControl since 1992 after ten years in consumer electronics retail, Kane managed new business development with remarkable success, establishing strong relationships with customers across all related sales channels through extensive in-person and online presentations, dealer training seminars, and a consistent presence at critical tradeshows such as CEDIA (Custom Electronics Design and Installation Association). Kane is well-respected as a proficient manager of regional sales teams including independent manufacturer representatives.

Jetbuilt Expands Presence in APAC with New Director

Jetbuilt is expanding in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region with the appointment of Andy Tan, CTS, as director of APAC. In his new role, Tan will spearhead Jetbuilt’s growth initiatives and strategic partnerships across APAC, driving the company’s mission to revolutionize the AV industry with an end-to-end project management solution.

With decades of experience in the industry, Tan has worked with numerous leading organizations, such as AVIXA, EDGE (formerly USAV Group), InfoComm Asia and AVPro Global APAC. Notably, Tan dedicated twenty years to AVIXA, spearheading the expansion of the association’s footprint in Asia. He brings an unparalleled understanding of the market dynamics and strong relationships with key stakeholders to his new role. At Jetbuilt, Tan will focus on cultivating partnerships with AV integrators, distributors and manufacturers, leveraging Jetbuilt’s cutting-edge software solutions to streamline project workflows, increase efficiency and deliver exceptional results to clients. 

Visionary Appoints Bob Jacobs Technical Support Engineer

Visionary has appointed Robert (Bob) Jacobs, CTS, CTS-I, as technical support engineer. In his new role, Jacobs will play a pivotal part in expanding Visionary’s in-house customer service and technical support operations, ensuring integrators receive expert guidance and assistance throughout their projects. 

With an extensive background in AV design and engineering, Jacobs brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to further strengthen Visionary’s commitment to delivering exceptional customer service and technical support. Prior to joining Visionary, Jacobs served as an AV designer engineer for a prominent commercial integration company, where he gained invaluable experience working closely with Visionary’s cutting-edge technology. His deep understanding of audiovisual systems and his passion for customer service make him an ideal fit for his new role. Jacobs will support Visionary’s customers through technical support and troubleshooting, systems design and integration and technical training. 

Planar Welcomes John McDonald as New Regional Account Manager

Planar expanded its sales team by welcoming  27-year AV veteran John McDonald as regional account manager for the Metro Philly area. McDonald brings impressive sales and technical experience, including previous work with Planar as an integrator, and will now manage the company’s sales efforts in Pennsylvania, Southern New Jersey, Delaware, and West Virginia.

Prior to joining the company, McDonald collaborated closely with members of Planar’s Metro Philly and New York City team to deploy leading-edge video wall solutions into a number of notable projects. His dedication and experience on those projects are shining examples of his knowledge and skillset, and will directly aid him in working with dealers to grow Planar's footprint in the region.

McDonald will team with former Metro Philly regional account manager Michael O'Halloran, who was recently promoted to director of sales for Metro New York and Metro Pennsylvania, as well as sales development representative Nick Barber and application engineer Eric Kuhns.

Atlona Welcomes Dan Williams to Training and Technical Support Team

Atlona continues to ramp up its training program with the hiring of Dan Williams as regional technical specialist and trainer. Williams brings more than 20 years of AV systems design and technical engineering experience to the newly formed role, which will primarily focus on training Atlona partners in various forms. 

Williams' AV pedigree runs deep, taking on roles of increasing responsibility with AV brands over two decades. Most of these experiences found him in customer-facing roles that benefited from his technical knowledge, expertly guiding integrators, consultants and occasionally end users through the systems design journey. He also gained considerable sales engineering experience over the years, working closely with internal sales teams and their customers to develop and program solutions that properly addressed each customer’s needs.

Williams will work closely with the North American training team and provide training services online, in the field, and at Panduit’s headquarters in Tinley Park, Illinois. The Tinley Park Experience Center offers hands-on training of Atlona products and systems across their core areas of collaboration, connectivity and control. He will also support Atlona’s sales operation through his sales engineering expertise, but is most excited about applying his technical knowledge to Atlona’s evolving training initiatives.

RTI Names Ben Mahoney as Global Training Manager

RTI appointed Ben Mahoney as the company's new global training manager. In this new role, Mahoney will lead online and in-person training and education initiatives for RTI's commercial and residential market segments.

Mahoney brings 20 years of training and leadership experience to RTI, including roles at Control4 and ClearOne. Most recently he was director of education at Nice North America, leading development programs across all Nice business units. 

Ashly Welcomes Jay Blout, National Sales Manager-Retail

Ashly Audio has appointed Jay Blout as the new national sales manager-retail. Blout brings extensive experience and a proven track record in sales management within the audio industry, making him an invaluable addition to the Ashly Audio team.

With over 20 years of experience in sales leadership roles, Blout has consistently demonstrated his ability to drive growth and cultivate strong relationships with retail partners. His strategic vision and passion for delivering exceptional customer experiences align perfectly with Ashly Audio's commitment to excellence.

In his new role, Blout will be responsible for leading Ashly Audio's retail sales initiatives across the nation, leveraging his expertise to expand market presence and drive revenue growth. He will play a pivotal role in developing and executing sales strategies, nurturing partnerships, and ensuring that Ashly Audio continues to deliver cutting-edge audio solutions tailored to the needs of retail customers.

Lectrosonics Adds Two

Lectrosonics has appointed two new employees in Jamie Criswell as Northeast U.S. sales and market development representative and Ethan Dayton as technical services manager.

In his new role, Criswell will bring his market acumen, wireless knowledge, and sales experience with professional audio systems to Lectrosonics. He will be the sales and technical representative for all Lectrosonics customers in the region, including users, designers, and resellers, as well as acting as a marketing and development liaison. A musician and songwriter, he next did studio work where he became a recording and mastering engineer. This experience eventually brought him to a sales role with Alesis, followed by sales roles at Harman and Sennheiser where he worked in live sound and performance, for clients such as Broadway and Cirque du Soleil. 

Dayton will manage the Customer Service and Parts and Repair departments, overseeing 20 employees whose jobs range from customer service and technical support, shipping and receiving, and product repair. Dayton began his career as a part-time camera operator in Colorado where he learned broadcast engineering and quickly moved to technical services manager. Throughout his career Dayton has been a broadcast engineer for concert venues, television stations, and a wide range of sporting leagues including the NHL, NBA, and MLS. He has also worked as an operator and technician for events such as the Ultimate Fighting Championship and the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament. In 2022, Dayton made the transition into the film industry where he served as the camera service technician for Panavision’s Albuquerque branch.

Steen Tychsen Appointment Bolsters Genelec’s International Sales Team

Genelec has appointed industry stalwart Steen Tychsen to the position of international sales manager, with responsibility for Southeast Asia, Eastern Europe, and Canada. With over 25 years of professional audio experience in a succession of senior roles, Tychsen brings with him a deep knowledge of the industry, helping to further strengthen Genelec’s sales operation in these key global territories.

Tychsen’s previous high profile roles at both DPA and Neumann have given him extensive experience of overseeing sales and business development in both EMEA and the United States and demonstrate a strong track record of implementing strategies to maximize revenue and productivity, and proactively developing regional partners.

Straker Coniglio New AJA Asia Pacific General Manager 

AJA Video Systems has added media industry veteran Straker Coniglio  as Asia Pacific (APAC) general manager (GM). He brings more than three decades of experience to AJA, including a successful Emmy-Award winning career in production, followed by years of developing and executing comprehensive global sales strategies for prominent media and entertainment technology companies. Based in Bangkok, Thailand, Coniglio will work closely with AJA’s established APAC team, as well as its broad network of distributors and resellers, to expand AJA’s geographic and market footprint, and support customers across the region. 

Coniglio joins the AJA team from Vizrt, where, as GM of APAC, he implemented customer-centric strategies that drove new and repeat business. Prior, he spent time managing Vizrt’s entire product portfolio as head of global product management and leading the company’s MAM and Digital Publishing Business as VP of the division. He’s also held senior sales, product, and management positions at Harmonic, Belden, and Avid. A launchpad to his career in media and entertainment technology, he previously worked in production on projects broadcast on CNN, NBC, ESPN, and other major news outlets. 

CECOCECO Bolsters Leadership Team

CECOCECO, an innovator in the lighting and display industry, has appointed Danny Kim to the role of senior client engagement. Kim joins CECOCECO from PLANNET, where he was a technology architect and an industry visionary leader. With over two decades of experience in technology environments, particularly in audiovisual and business development, Kim has distinguished himself as a key player in the tech industry. His unique approach to developing audiovisual strategies, combined with his knack for understanding operational impacts, has made him an invaluable asset to clients. Notably, Kim played a critical role in expanding Riot Games, taking the company from less than 100 employees to nearly 2,000.

Nelson Petzold Announces Retirement From NSI Industries

Nelson Petzold, regional VP of sales of NSI Industries, is retiring after an 18-year career with the company. Based in Dallas/Fort Worth and a veteran of the electrical industry for more than four decades, Petzold joined the company in 2006 when NSI acquired TORK.

Nelson one of NSI’s greatest ambassadors, and during his time with the company, he worked tirelessly to increase sales and promote the value of working with his colleagues. His ability to build trust with and support his customers as they grew their own businesses is unmatched, and he felt an enormous amount of pride seeing them succeed. NSI will miss his leadership and knowledge as well as the advice he has given the sales and internal teams over the years.

Company News

ASG Expands with New London Office

Entering its next phase of growth, Advanced Systems Group is opening a new office in London in May. The move gives ASG, which is headquartered in Emeryville, CA, a greater European presence to better serve its international customers, as well as meet the increasing worldwide demand for managed services, production, and post-production facility expertise.

The office will be located at Aviation House in London's Holborn area, a booming professional and creative hub. Tim Cuthbertson, an ASG global account executive with more than 30 years of integration and professional services experience, will relocate back to his native London to head the new operations as managing director.

According to Cuthbertson, the ASG London office was a “right time, right place” decision driven by shifting business and economic factors. “Organizations in our markets have had to reinvent their operations, first adapting to workforce changes caused by the pandemic and later dealing with issues like the actors and writers strikes, so there’s a lot of pent-up refitting and development that’s ramping up,” he explained. “With globally distributed workforces now a reality, having an international presence is an operational requirement. Technology doesn't stop moving, and London is a significant production center, so expanding was the logical choice. Our U.K. presence will be there to serve the needs of these organizations.”

Advanced Systems Group U.K., a wholly owned subsidiary of ASG, is part of a phased approach to ramping up the company's international presence. The U.K. team will focus on its current European clients including SNAP, Google, and Yahoo with even more comprehensive services, as well as ASG’s U.S.-based clients that have facilities in Britain.

“From the start, our goal was never to be the biggest integrator, but to be known for delivering the best service for our customers,” said Dave Van Hoy, president of ASG. “We have been operating internationally with a managed services and SI presence in London for more than a decade, and several of our global M&E and enterprise customers have long requested us to establish a greater presence outside of North America. It’s clear that this is the right time to formally expand our international business and open an office in London.”

New Partnerships

1 SOUND opened distribution in Taiwan by partnering with Seapower Technology. Its team of engineers have training experiences from experts around the world, allowing Seapower to offer strong engineering technical support using audio design and test equipment, including TEF, SMARTT, and EASE. Seapower Technology collaborates with distributors worldwide to deliver innovative solutions and technical training projects, ensuring top-notch service delivery for their market in Taiwan.

The Adam Hall Group is further expanding its international sales network. With OHM Distribution, the event technology provider headquartered in Neu-Anspach, Hesse, the company has gained an experienced sales partner in Mexico. OHM Distribution is a distributor for AV installations and is now the exclusive distributor for the Adam Hall Group brand Cameo's lighting technology solutions.

Atlona will broaden its APAC presence with the addition of Aquila Data Indonesia to its regional channel partner network. Aquila Data Indonesia becomes the distribution partner for the expansive APAC country, which touches Southeast Asia and the Oceania region. In addition to country-wide sales efforts, the company will elevate Atlona’s brand recognition through dealer network expansion, post-sales support, training and education, and other value-added services. Based in Jakarta, Aquila Data Indonesia specializes in the distribution of high-end AV and UC systems, with an emphasis on convergence with IP networks. 

AudioControl has appointed Staub Electronics as their key distributor for the Canadian custom installation and home theater markets. Staub’s head office is in Richmond, B.C., with a second facility in Mississauga, Ontario. Staub Electronics was founded in 1981 and is a distributor of name brand consumer electronics products from over 50 industry-leading manufacturers. Staub Electronics has become known for their dedication to customer service, supplying premium solutions to specialty retailers and custom integrators across Canada for over 40 years.

Humly has entered its first national United States distribution relationship with BTX Technologies, part of ADI Global Distribution.  In addition to extending availability of Humly Workplace Solutions across the United States, BTX will support Humly through a comprehensive range of business and technical services, including pre- and post-sales level 1 support. BTX’s broad reach and experience representing strong brands in the United States will raise Humly’s visibility and brand recognition in a market poised for growth.

Legrand | AV has named Bell & McCoy Integrated Solutions as its new representative firm for Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Arkansas, serving dealers and distributors in the CI channel. Bell & McCoy Integrated Solutions will represent a comprehensive portfolio of Legrand | AV brands, including Chief, Da-Lite, Luxul, Middle Atlantic, SANUS, and Vaddio.

MAXHUB appointed Audio Source for sales representation throughout the Pacific Northwest region. Headquartered in Moses Lake, WA, the company will represent MAXHUB throughout Oregon, Washington, Alaska, Idaho, and Montana. Audio Source represents several manufacturers of professional audio, video, lighting, and control products. Founded on the premise of delivering 'factory' sales results to the manufacturers they represent; the company maintains solid customer relationships in all channels of business throughout their territory. Audio Source is comprised of Richard Gibson (president), Dave Raneses (VP), James Graham (business development manager), Paul Folkestad (business development manager), and Debbie Gibson (co-owner, executive office administrator and marketing).

PK Sound, the robotic line array company, has added Vancouver-based live sound specialists Gearforce to the PK Alliance following the company’s investment in a PK Sound T10 robotic line source system. As an Alliance member, Gearforce can augment its T10 system with exclusive access to the large-format Trinity Black robotic array elements from the Alliance’s global dry-hire inventory. ACT Entertainment is the exclusive distributor of PK Sound in North America.

SoundTube Entertainment has added five new manufacturers’ representatives to its sales organization.

• DirectLink Marketing: Headquartered in downtown Salt Lake City, Dave Larsen and his team have built strong relationships over decades throughout the Rocky Mountain region.
• Excellence Marketing: Established in 1988, Excellence Marketing is renowned throughout the Upper Midwest for its unmatched Industry expertise, longstanding relationships, and unwavering commitment to customer service and support.
• Audio Source: Covering the Pacific Northwest including Alaska, Audio Source is committed to fostering true partnerships, providing design and technical support and outstanding customer service.
• AV Sales: Serving Michigan under the leadership of Andy Combs, IAV Sales (Innovative Audio Video) has also been a true partner with his customers and has provided comprehensive support and expertise to pro AV integrators for over 30 years.
• Frequency Sales: Specializing in the Illinois and Wisconsin markets, Frequency Sales has a passion for audio technology and 14 years of building meaningful relationships with customers based on trust and mutual success.

Sponsored Content

AV Technology recently sat down with Steve Bogart, business development for Education in North America at Atlona, to discuss classroom technology trends and how the company addresses those needs. Atlona has a presence in and serves the similar but different AV technology needs of K-12 and those of higher education.

K-12 Trend

Classroom AV and PA systems around the school are often not integrated. "The core of the K-12 classroom is the interactive display, but there is a separate audio system for emergency notifications," Bogart said. This kind of integration is an area of focus at Atlona. "For instance, it's a problem if the program audio in a classroom is playing while a separate system announces a critical message. If the audio for that video program doesn't mute, the message could be missed. We have developed a system where we monitor the paging system to mute in-room audio to ensure critical messages are heard." This integrates the emergency notification system into the AV system.

Bogart noted that technologies in K-12 classrooms tend to run as disparate systems. "There could be an emergency notification system and a lock system, but there hasn't been any real integration of those into classroom audio technologies." 

Higher Ed Trend

During the past decade, there has been a growing trend for AV departments to take on more programming of AV systems. "There has been a push where institutions are becoming more self-reliant," Bogart said. "They can't call an integrator and do a truck roll to send a technician out to make minor changes. The Atlona Velocity AV control system is meant to be edited in real-time and much easier to develop a program than traditional systems." This doesn't replace the relationship with an integrator. "Integrators will often provide installation services, but we're finding a lot of institutions have staff that are doing some of the installations of smaller systems," Bogart added. "If it's a whole new building, usually there's a consultant, drawings involved, and much more integrator involvement. We have no intention of ever selling directly or having a direct agreement with an end user." 

Making It Easy—for Everyone

During the past few years, teachers and instructors learned to embrace classroom technologies, but ease of use became a rallying cry. "We're finding institutions are becoming less brand-loyal and more technology-specific," Bogart said. What is most important is that the interface is familiar from room to room. "An instructor doesn't know what glass they're touching, and they don't care, they just want to know that they can hit the "system on" button, and it will turn on.

Atlona recently started shipping its new VKP-8E Velocity 8 button keypad controller. Do we need another keypad on the market, you say? Yes! Bogart shared, "The big difference with this keypad that I hadn't seen in the industry is the unique flexibility during provisioning. An integrator can set it up and invite the end user to the configuration. Maybe they just have view rights, or maybe they have full admin rights. Then, once the project is done, they can transfer ownership over." 

The VKP-8E Velocity 8-button keypad controller is a cloud-based solution but doesn't have to be deployed in the cloud. "If the institution doesn't want to leave it cloud-based, you can just put it in local mode, and it runs locally," Bogart said. The cloud gives it a lot of flexibility and a lot of power either as a standalone control system or integrated into a full Velocity system."

Atlona Supports

In support of its channel integrators, Bogart said, "We offer free training certification for integrators and end users on Atlona products."

Bogart has quickly become a highly regarded thought leader in the ed tech world and recently began a series of EdTech Talks. Check out the first one, Multicast for the AV Professional in Education.

Check out Atlona's Education Technology VIP Program, built to serve AV and IT professionals in the K-12 and higher education communities. The qualification process is easy; just complete the online form.

What about support when you need an extra hand? "An end user can call into our support line just like an integrator can," said Bogart. The hours are Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. PST, and weekend appointments are available.

Atlona, a Panduit company, is a leading manufacturer of AV distribution, AV over IP, collaboration, and control solutions. Our core brand vision is to improve technology for the sharing of ideas, through innovative AV products used every day in a wide variety of commercial and educational applications. Atlona prioritizes quality, user experience, simplicity, and management in every product we develop. More information about Atlona is available at atlona.com

As the first quarter of 2024 ends, the year is off to a great start. Companies are settling into hybrid workplace models, higher education institutions are continuing to deploy networked AV throughout the campus, and for the most part, supply chain issues are in the rearview mirror.

To understand upcoming trends, I look to the responses to my question regarding company roadmaps and philosophies. Artificial intelligence, sustainability, strategic alliances, cloud, immersive environments, ease of use, and improving the user experience are common threads from the responses of 40 AV/IT thought leaders. 

Manufacturers introduced new products and solutions at Integrated Systems Europe in February and are finetuning offerings that will be announced at InfoComm in June.

During the past couple of years, the most significant trend that emerged was out of necessity; end users embraced the need for high-quality audio, and the deployment of these solutions continues.

Set aside any thoughts of nefarious intent you might have about AI and look no further than the AV/IT industry to see the immense benefits already being implemented in audio and video collaboration products.

AI has entered our audiovisual products over the last few years, leading to better detection of meaningful audio versus non-meaningful audio, detection of speakers in audio and video, and delivery of a good meeting experience to remote participants. “The use of AI will increase in our products, delivering even more meaningful experiences to the remote participant at the far end,” said Holger Stoltze, director of Product Management at Yamaha UC. “It is important to note that these improvements can be introduced through firmware upgrades of existing products—not a ‘fork-lift’ upgrade of existing infrastructure.” 

When it comes to keeping the ship running smoothly, sustainability might not be what keeps you up at night, but fortunately, manufacturers are taking our future seriously. “Minimizing the environmental impact of our products will be an integral feature of our roadmap, including less energy wastage, even more recycling, and further steps to minimize our logistics’ environmental impact,” said Bjorn Krylander, chief executive officer and managing director at Datapath.

Mark Bonifacio, director of Business Management of Professional Display Solutions at Sony Electronics, added, “Building on our Road to Zero global environmental plan, we’ve implemented sustainable practices, large and small, across our entire product lifecycle.”

Creating alliances is one of the ways companies are helping to ensure the overall experience is seamless. “At Sennheiser, we want to be the easiest technology partner for our customers to work with, regardless of their setup,” said Charlie Jones, global alliance and partnership manager, Business Communication at Sennheiser.

History tells us that if something is not easy to use, it won’t be used, and the technology investment will have a negative ROI. Ultimately, a positive user experience will be the measure of success.

Susy Liem, associate vice president of conferencing product management at Shure, said, “Having the right AV equipment and solutions in place helps improve the employee experience, productivity, and decision-making—all key to a business’s success.”

“Nureva’s 2024 roadmap is focused on delivering large-room audio solutions that support the much-needed quality of experience—with maximum adaptability and flexibility but without complexity,” said Nancy Knowlton, Nureva's chief executive officer.

Amber Ward, director of marketing at Carousel Digital Signage, added, “As we move forward into 2024, we’re looking at one guiding principle: helping our customers break through the noise so they can get the most out of their signage system.”

“Working with our entire ecosystem of customers and partners, we’re going head-on into the new year to help elevate experiences and spaces so that they reach their fullest potential,” said Ryan Carson, vice president and general manager of Professional Imaging and Visual Systems at Panasonic Connect North America.

Read the full interviews of these thought leaders and more by clicking on the company names in the box to the right.

AVT Question: Please share insight into your company's roadmap for 2024.

Thought Leader: Megan Zeller, Senior Director of Business Development at Peerless-AV

Peerless-AV prides itself on keeping innovation, progression, and forward-thinking at the forefront of our goals. We continue to look for new, different, and better ways to deliver new solutions to our customers, enhancing the overall user experience.

As we enter 2024, our focus remains steadfast on delivering top-notch structural systems for dvLED video walls, hybrid work solutions, and more. With a dedication to innovation, Peerless-AV solutions carry OEM certifications; we offer continued education for our sales representatives; and more to ensure that from beginning to end, Peerless-AV is a valued partner to our customers. Grounded in quality manufacturing, perpetual innovation, and unwavering customer service, these core values empower everyone at Peerless-AV to defy conventions and unlock new possibilities.

Atlona recently introduced an alternative to touch panels for AV control in smaller spaces and less complex applications. Now available in two wall mount form factors, the AT-VKP-8E provides IP-based system control in environments where a simple and straightforward keypad interface is preferred, such as standard classrooms and small meeting spaces.

The VPK-8E features eight buttons that can be configured to control display on/off, source selection, audio volume levels, and other system functions. For enhanced customization, it includes a 2.7-inch high-contrast electronic paper (e-paper) display. Users can associate custom text and icons with specific buttons, as well as dynamically navigate between different display layouts. RGB LEDs for each button and a multistep level indicator can be used to indicate system status. The PoE LAN connection provides power to the controller and the ability to control devices over Ethernet. An RS-232 port is included for serial control for legacy devices. 

The VKP-8E is set up using the new Atlona Cloud online configuration and management platform. Atlona Cloud provides an intuitive interface for defining the e-paper label/icon and LED color for each button as well as macros for controlling room technology added from an extensive database of Atlona and third-party drivers. For users who prefer not to start from scratch, pre-configured templates are available for Atlona’s most popular switchers.

The American University of Cairo’s sprawling campus spans 260 acres, with a diverse community of nearly 7,000 students from 70 countries working toward a liberal arts education. As part of AUC’s mission to provide state-of-the-art facilities for advanced research, innovative teaching, and lifelong learning, the in-house AV and IT teams came together to address a common challenge in the higher education community: how to effectively bring the physical and the remote together.

“We call it dual delivery,” said Amir Gamal, associate director for IT Academic Support Services. “Like most universities, we wanted to develop a permanent model where the instructor can teach classes to students both on and off-campus, and bridge the physical and remote divide.”

It was a big job to undertake with such a small team on campus, who would ultimately be responsible for systems design, equipment procurement and overseeing all AV and IT integration phases across 135 dual-delivery classrooms. “The existing technology footprint varied across many of these spaces, though most contained a projector and display screens along with standard computers and IT infrastructure,” Gamal said. “What we lacked was a consistent backend infrastructure to connect and control all these technologies, including switchers and extenders that could also help us better reach remote learners.”

Gamal and his colleague, Abdallah Kassam Hussein, who serves as officer of classrooms, first identified some defining characteristics for potential technology choices. The equipment needed to be easy to use for both student and instructor, including simple interaction with AV equipment through a control interface. They also favored durable equipment that wouldn’t require substantial maintenance, given the spread of equipment over all 135 learning spaces. The equipment would also need to be fully 1080p HD-capable to ensure consistent quality of instruction and support for high-resolution images.

Finally, they wanted equipment that could support several room functions in one device. When it came to extenders, that meant a solution that could send both HDMI and USB signals over one Cat 6 cable. While there were several vendors under consideration, they set their sights on Atlona for several reasons. “There was no question their HDBaseT extenders, like others, had the bandwidth to handle HDMI and USB extension,” Hussein said. “When you start adding up the number of spaces we needed extenders for, the monetary investment quickly escalates. Atlona had the best price point of any vendor we seriously evaluated, and they were proven to work with our existing Logitech cameras and Epson projectors.”

The price point is an important part of the strategy behind Atlona’s Omega AT-OME-EX-KIT-LT, an HDBaseT extender kit that was designed precisely to provide a value-priced configuration optimized for smaller learning and meeting spaces with shorter extension requirements. The AT-OME-EX-KIT-LT, which features a transmitter and receiver, extends 1080p/60 HDMI and USB signals up to 230 feet (70 meters). Its USB 2.0 interfacing and extension capabilities enable interoperability with Zoom for remote learners who participate via the platform.

The university hired an external firm to run new Cat 6 cabling through all the learning spaces, while the in-house team, Academic and Campus Technology Support Services (ACTSS), installed the extenders. “We used this cable to transfer images and connect our Logitech cameras in the back of the classroom to the podium,” Hussein said. “Images are transferred from a classroom PC to a Samsung HD LED display—each classroom has one display—and we receive the output from the camera via USB, which is transferred to the computer. The result is absolute reliability for HDMI and USB transport, improved camera output resolution, and uniformity across all spaces for easier troubleshooting when required.”

Advanced Room Requirements

While equipping learning spaces with extenders was essential to equalizing in-person and remote learning experiences, the ACTSS team came away with some additional technology upgrades upon evaluating Atlona’s broader product line. That included two 4K HDR matrix switchers and a Velocity control system for two specific learning spaces.

“The Visual Arts program prepares students for careers in graphic design, animation, film and more, and the instructors have specialized content to show their students that benefits from higher resolution image presentation,” Gamal said. “We added two of Atlona’s 4×4 HDMI matrix switchers to podiums inside two learning spaces that use higher quality content during instruction, as well as a Velocity system to control the switchers plus all AV source and destination equipment.”

The ACTSS team selected Atlona’s AT-HDR-H2H-44MA switcher, which is ideal for full-motion, highly detailed presentations of 4K graphics. Separately, the AUC’s IT team purchased two Velocity AT-VGW-HW-3 hardware server gateways, each of which can support AV control for up to three rooms. The Velocity gateways, the final systems to go online as of press time, will replace the legacy control system.

“Velocity will exist on a separate virtual network and will not connect directly to our main network, and we understand that Velocity will be mainly used for AV control in meeting rooms,” Hussein said. “However, the same IT network team will make most of our AV technologies accessible on the Wi-Fi network so that students and instructors can see them and control them on their devices.”

“We have come a long way with the technology upgrades of this project, and the new and improved services they enable within our dual-delivery classroom,” Gamal said. “It wasn’t long ago that our learning spaces were all VGA. Now we have full 1080p HD capability in all classrooms plus some 4K, and a fully interoperable infrastructure for modern hybrid learning models.”

[On Higher Ed Tech: Atlona]

AVT Question: Please share insight into your company's roadmap for 2024.

Thought Leader: Tim Bigoness, Chief Marketing Officer and vice President of Sales at D-Tools

D-Tools manufacturing roadmap for 2024 is as clear as it’s ever been. For 25 years, we devoted our product development time and resources to the evolution of our core business management software platforms, providing custom integrators a valuable tool that helps them operate their businesses more efficiently and prosper in a highly competitive tech market. Our knowledge of and appreciation for the products and services our integration partners provide commercial and residential customers runs deep, and our software solutions are a direct reflection of this understanding. With every new feature refined or added to our award-winning on-premise System Integrator and off-premise Cloud software platforms, integrators experience greater business efficiency and profitability. Workflow is streamlined, processes standardized, organization of data and schedules simplified, and communication with all stakeholders improved.

Due to the dynamic nature of software and the fast progression of the tech industry, our software platforms will continue to advance in 2024. The aim and focus of D-Tools has always been on enabling greater success for our integrator partners, and we’ll stay laser-focused on this primary initiative for 2024. Through closer collaboration with our integrator customers and intensive data analysis, we will gain even better insights into the market and the needs of integrators to further fine-tune and expand our software solutions. With each step, we will deliver meaningful benefits to our loyal integration partners through software that is easy to implement and for everyone in the company to use. When an integration business can tackle projects with efficiency, confidence and professionalism, everyone involved in a project stands to gain—employees, adjacent trades, and end users alike.

AVT Question: Please share insight into your company's roadmap for 2024.

Thought Leader: Omer Brookstein, Chief Executive Officer at Xyte

The landscape of device and hardware manufacturing is shifting profoundly due to hardware commoditization and evolving customer preferences. In response to these changes, manufacturers have been compelled to reassess their business strategies. Original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) are pivoting towards offering integrated business solutions that encompass hardware, software, and services. 

As 2024 unfolds, Xyte Device Cloud, a comprehensive servitization platform, is poised for significant growth following a successful $30 million investment round. 

The investment will propel Xyte on its mission to support connected device manufacturers across diverse industries. With a focus on advancing capabilities and reach, the funding will fuel the company's success trajectory and expedite its expansion, particularly in North America and Europe. 

For the AV industry, Xyte is an AV-as-a-Service (AVaaS) enabler, allowing manufacturers to provide remote support and remote device management capabilities to their channel partners and customers. Yet AVaaS is a concept that encompasses much more—a direct engagement of OEMs with their customer base. This brings with it the option to tap into additional revenue streams beyond the initial sales, with the ability to provide additional functionalities on demand without requiring new hardware, eliminating the need to replace products, and allowing faster time to market for new features.

Throughout 2024 Xyte is set to unveil a series of enhancements. At ISE, Xyte introduced Xyte Connect, which empowers OEMs and their industry partners to share data via the cloud. Xyte Connect fosters collaboration on various fronts, including device configuration, setup, support, updates, and comprehensive monitoring and management. By facilitating this shared ecosystem, Xyte aims to enhance efficiency and collaboration across AV and other industries, enabling manufacturers and their partners to optimize and lengthen the life cycle of connected devices. 

With AVaaS, OEMs are able to extract more value from their products, fostering customer loyalty and a competitive edge in the dynamic AV market.

AVT Question: Please share insight into your company's roadmap for 2024.

Thought Leader: Kevin Morrison, Chief Executive Officer at Utelogy

As the global leader in the management, monitoring, and automated control in the modern workplace, Utelogy made a significant appearance at ISE 2024. The Utelogy platform enables customers to proactively manage their meeting space technology and helps to deliver meeting equity. 

The past year has been pivotal for Utelogy, with substantial enhancements to the platform driven by the growth of its global customer base. At ISE 2024, Utelogy announced a major architectural upgrade, introducing new features that promise to elevate platform usability and value. Strengthening the Utelligence program, Utelogy is raising the bar in security and compatibility, working alongside industry manufacturers to showcase exciting product integrations. Highlights include collaborations with MTR Cloud, Zoom Cloud, Logitech CollabOS, Poly Lens, NEAT Pulse, Yealink, and others.

A standout was Utelogy's integration with ServiceNow, which brings a new level of efficiency to alert management by seamlessly automating workflows and incident creation within ServiceNow's ITSM suite, backed by rich data from Utelogy.

Looking ahead, Utelogy's vision encompasses reshaping the AV/UC, IoT, and smart workspace management landscape. The forthcoming iteration of Utelogy will introduce digital twin technology, sustainability efforts, intelligent alerting, enhanced automation, self-healing features, and API expansions, all supported by a cloud-centric architecture and an improved user experience.

Utelogy's strategy is grounded in smart, software-only solutions, leveraging advanced analytics, IoT, and AI to streamline energy and resource management. This approach not only slashes total ownership costs but also delivers valuable analytics and insights.

Global growth and the crafting of connected environments demand bespoke solutions and relentless industry collaboration attuned to our customers' operational efficiencies. By delivering intelligent solutions that enhance user experiences through advanced insights and analytics, Utelogy is catering to the demands of a technologically interconnected global workspace. Utelogy's commitment to innovation ensures it remains the vanguard, meeting the ever-changing needs of AV and IT professionals with intuitive, cost-effective management tools.

AVT Question: Please share insight into your company's roadmap for 2024.

Thought Leader: George Walter, Senior Executive at Digital Projection

For Digital Projection, 2024 will be a year of getting back to the business of providing premium imaging solutions that help our customers overcome common design and installation challenges for quicker, faster deployment in residential and commercial environments and with greater customer satisfaction. 

We continue to receive glowing reports from our dealers about how our team worked with them to streamline the design, configuration, calibration, and installation of our projectors and LED displays and exceeded customer expectations with superior imaging performance. At Digital Projection, our strategy rests on providing our dealers with a great experience with our team, our products, and our company. After all, when our dealers are successful, we are successful. The new year is certainly looking bright.

After three years of proactively addressing the many business challenges and supply chain issues plaguing the AV industry, we’ve fully rebounded, are stronger than ever, and foresee a very exciting and promising year for Digital Projection. Our outlook is bright, showcased by many innovative product introductions and stronger than ever concierge-level service and support for our dealers and customers. We’ve added a host of new features and enhanced color gamut and brightness to our line of projectors and have made steady improvements to the resolution, color performance, and contrast of our growing family of LED displays, all while simplifying installation for a growing range of emerging applications—even those requiring curved displays! 

AVT Question: Please share insight into your company's roadmap for 2024.

Thought Leader: Bob Michaels, Chief Executive Officer at ZeeVee

Security remains a paramount concern, and we channel substantial resources into fortifying our systems. Our latest innovation, the ZyPer Management Platform 3.x, is a testament to our commitment to robust security measures. This software-based solution simplifies the implementation of safeguards across networks, user accounts, and graphical user interface applications. Notably, our dedication to security is heightened for clients engaged in government, enterprise, healthcare, and similar sectors where sensitive data is integral. 

As part of our comprehensive security architecture, we adhere to IT-level security standards, ensuring end-to-end video encryption and employing 802.1x authentication protocols. This multifaceted approach underscores our proactive stance on safeguarding against evolving cybersecurity threats and ensuring the integrity of our clients' critical projects and sensitive information.

Focusing on software-based solutions will enable us to add features, functions, and capabilities to our products that simplify the installation and operation of AVoIP-driven systems. We’re very aware that there are many AV system end users that still lean towards HDBaseT because they fear AVoIP is difficult to learn and implement. Intuitive management and control will go a long way to continuing the steady conversion of the industry to network-based AV signal distribution. Post-installation, users can confidently expect long-term performance with ongoing robust enhancements via firmware updates.

It has long been our mantra and corporate responsibility to provide the industry with detailed AVoIP education. Since the pandemic, we’ve offered our series of zero-cost, Certified Solution Partner Training courses that award attendees AVIXA CTS credits. Attendance at these twice-a-month sessions remains strong, and we’re adding three new courses that will dive deeper into best practices for successful AVoIP system implementations.

Lastly, our support for RF modulation persists, catering to applications like sports content delivery in HD, especially in settings like bars and restaurants. RF also remains a preferred and cost-effective solution for retail and health clubs.

AVT Question: Please share insight into your company's roadmap for 2024.

Thought Leader: Kohei Hattori, General Manager, Live Production Business Department at Roland

Demand for high-quality audio and visual production for online and in-person events has been increasing. Roland is firmly committed to meeting the expectations of mobile and installation-based customers with new product releases, timely updates for our current lineup, and adding more value to the investments our customers make with confidence.

As we begin the new year, we are introducing several unique functions for our flagship Roland switchers, the V-160HD and V-600UHD. These updates are in response to direct feedback from our customers and the market worldwide. 

It is also worth highlighting that our Roland video products continue incorporating advanced audio functions made possible by more than 50 years of Roland’s electronic musical instrument expertise. Professional quality audio functions like ours are highly appreciated in the streaming market as it continues to expand and evolve. 

Our products also allow system integrators to offer affordable solutions with unique technological integrations and intuitive user interfaces. 

The teams at Roland look forward to listening to and acting on customer feedback. It allows Roland to make businesses successful, and we become loyal business partners in the process.

AVT Question: Please share insight into your company's roadmap for 2024.

Thought Leader: Tomer Mann, Chief Revenue Officer at 22Miles

As we embark on the new year, 22Miles is celebrating a significant leap in our commitment to revolutionizing digital experiences. Our latest Content Manager update, version 7.5, brings new features to our customers to better manage enterprise space management, collaboration, and user experience across their hardware ecosystems. 

As part of this release, our AI tools—AI Command, AI Assistant, and AI Backoffice—harness the cutting-edge capabilities of large language models (LLMs) to deliver incredibly responsive user experiences. Using GPT or a propriety on-premises model, 22Miles creates custom AI interfaces suitable for enterprise use cases. These tools empower clients to integrate personalized, accurate, secure content and service tools into their digital signage walls, kiosks, websites, or mobile applications. 

Our platform updates include several new employee engagement features, including a Microsoft Outlook plug-in to make space management and room booking easier and more visually accessible for global users. We’ve also debuted the Microsoft Teams App, which integrates collaboration within Teams channels and chats directly with the system’s other functionality: space booking, concierge kiosk services, dynamic digital signage, emergency alerts, and push notifications. Customers will also enjoy new scheduling capabilities for over 250 players within Web Manager and new wayfinding templates to support workplace efficiency. 

Our product roadmap for 2024 reflects our ongoing commitment to delivering a robust, user-friendly CMS that has garnered client trust and loyalty for over a decade. With continuous evolution at our core and ongoing improvements at the forefront of our innovation strategy, our portfolio guarantees that customers will enjoy consistency and efficiency in the new year and beyond. Eager to deliver unparalleled consistency, efficiency, and ROI across digital ecosystems in 2024, we invite new and existing clients to harness the power of our CMS and our AI-driven solutions to craft engaging, unified, and secure experiences.

AVT Question: Please share insight into your company's roadmap for 2024.

Thought Leader: Robert Detwiler, Senior Director of Product Management and Training at Planar

In 2024, our customers can expect to see our selection of fine pixel pitch front-of-room display products expand. This includes support for outdoor use, and as MicroLED manufacturing efficiency and volume increase, we see an opportunity to incorporate MicroLED into more of our products. 

As with any year, we remain focused on assessing new and evolving technology trends to best address our customers’ needs and offer mature, repeatable products that are easy to integrate and are more readily available. This is true of all-in-one models, which are on the rise and enable quick deployment and ease of use for customers who have limited to no training. We’re excited to stay on top of this demand and further our support in this space.

We’re still seeing new virtual production (VP) applications emerge every day. This spans production and multimedia studios, universities, and an increasing number of corporate settings. We’re evolving our product portfolio as needs arise, and we continue to foster industry events and hands-on learning experiences to help those who may be implementing the technology in a new way or for the very first time. Last year, we launched the Planar Studios Virtual Production Workshop, offering the AV and IT communities a week-long series aimed at helping design, deploy, and support VP and extended reality (XR) projects. VP and XR were once new concepts for us, but today we know the technology holds tremendous opportunity for revolutionizing the production of lifelike content and we want to help make this accessible for all.

Outside of VP and XR, we’re closely following cybersecurity for networked devices, and exploring more connected devices that can help AV and IT professionals maintain their technology over large deployments.

AVT Question: Please share insight into your company's roadmap for 2024.

Thought Leader: John Henkel, Director of Marketing at NETGEAR Business

Last year, NETGEAR released the new PR460X professional router and the first wave of a completely new set of network switches, the M4350 series. For 2024, we will continue to target the AV market with products that are easier to use and at a great value.

We have just released two models of the new M4350 series that support the SMPTE ST 2110 broadcast standard, and this changes the equation. Now instead of a very expensive switch that you have to spend a lot of time configuring, you can get an M4350 switch and have the NETGEAR AV OS set up the switch with a certified profile in seconds. Additionally, our NETGEAR Engage Controller will continue to evolve and offer more and more functionality to anyone setting up an AV network—for a single switch or multiple switches. 

Our focus on making it easier for people to transition to AV over IP will continue with the use of our worldwide team of AV network specialists who can help design your network, choose the right products, and troubleshoot any issues that may arise. Our pro WiFi access points will be growing as well, with exciting new product releases taking advantage of the latest wireless standards. 

Bottom line: more of the same goodness we shared in 2023.