Welcome to February. January went out with a flurry of Pro AV news and the new month is coming at us with several big stories. In the words of LeBron James, this past Monday, there was not one, not two, but three Pro AV companies announcing acquisitions.

Audiotonix Acquires Three Audio Brands

The first sees Audiotonix acquiring DPA Microphones, Wisycom, and Austrian Audio. All three brands now join the growing Audiotonix brand portfolio of leading audio technology and solutions companies that includes Allen & Heath, Calrec, DiGiCo, DiGiGrid, Fourier Audio, Group One Limited, Harrison, JH Audio, KLANG:technologies, Slate Digital, Solid State Logic, sonible, and Sound Devices.

“With the development work we have been investing in with Sound Devices, it makes technological sense to add Wisycom to the team," explained James Gordon, CEO of Audiotonix. "The next logical step is to move closer to the performer with microphones, and DPA as a premium brand is the ultimate choice. Austrian Audio, with their decades of microphone and headset design experience, have immense potential and will help complement our existing and future portfolio. We always aim to work with brands that add value for our customers, and the future potential of this trio as part of Audiotonix is not hard to imagine."

Ricoh's Second Acquisition This Year

In its second acquisition in less than a month, SCN Top 50 systems integrator Ricoh was at it again. The company acquired ET Group, a Canadian workplace technology and collaboration integrator. This strategic acquisition by Ricoh Canada accelerates Ricoh’s expansion into high‑growth digital services, strengthens its position as a leading provider of end‑to‑end workplace experience solutions in Canada, and reinforces its global strategy to support an evolving workplace environment. If you missed it, get caught up with our coverage here.

VTG Rounds Out Busy Monday

Virtual Technologies Group also announced an acquisition, acquiring Whitlock Infrastructure Solutions, a software solutions and IT services firm specializing in IT operations management for enterprise organizations. The acquisition of Whitlock strengthens VTG’s commercial enterprise service capabilities and federal government services expertise. Check out our full story here.

People News

Ampetronic | Listen Technologies Names Mark Coombes VP of International Sales

Listen Technologies and Ampetronic have named Mark Coombes VP of international sales. Coombes is leading the brands’ international sales and business development efforts across Europe, Asia-Pacific, the Middle East, and Africa.

As a member of the Ampetronic | Listen Technologies executive management team, Coombes helps shape and execute the brands’ global expansion strategy. He also mentors and develops Ampetronic’s and Listen Technologies’ combined team of regional sales leaders. Coombes is an experienced sales leader in the Pro AV industry. He has a record of success achieving significant revenue growth and building high-performing teams and channel partnerships across several brands. During his career, he has lived in the Middle East, France, and the U.K. He brings unique cultural insight and an extensive network to his new role.

DMF Lighting Strengthens Marketing Leadership

DMF Lighting announced key marketing leadership updates designed to support continued portfolio expansion, channel engagement, and long-term growth across both indoor and outdoor lighting solutions.

As part of this strategic evolution, Stephen Roome has transitioned into the role of senior marketing manager, HK Luxury, DMF Lighting’s sister company focused on architectural outdoor and landscape lighting marketing manager, integrator channel, assuming responsibility for marketing strategy and execution supporting the company’s custom integration partners.

Roome has been with DMF Lighting since 2021, most recently serving as CI channel marketing manager. In that role, he played a central part in shaping DMF’s integrator-focused marketing efforts, including the launch of products, the expansion of DMF Luxury initiatives, oversight of DMF’s B2B strategy, and the development of content-driven programs designed to support integrators in the field.

In his new position, Roome is applying his expertise in B2B channel marketing and digital strategy to help accelerate HK Lighting’s growth in the exterior lighting market.

Lynn is focusing on programs, campaigns, and tools that align DMF’s product innovation with how integrators specify, sell, and deploy lighting solutions. Her responsibilities include driving data-informed marketing initiatives that support dealer engagement, demand generation, and long-term channel success.

Hewschott Transitions Daniel Lee to Group CEW 

Hewshott, a global AV, IT, theater, and acoustics consultancy firm, has completed a global transition with current UK managing director, Daniel Lee, acquiring Hewshott and becoming the new Group CEO. Under his ownership, Hewshott will continue its 24-year legacy of independence, ethical conduct, and exceptional client experience. Founder and outgoing Group CEO Peter Hunt will continue as MD of Hewshott Australia, while maintaining his industry association roles.

The leadership transition has been strategically planned to foster stability, continuity, and create new opportunities. Building on the foundations instilled by Hunt from day one, Lee plans to evolve and amplify the company’s global capability to be unified, visible, and influential, all while staying true to the same core principles that define the Hewshott way.

L-Acoustics Appoints Olivier Maynard as Executive Director of Strategic Market Development

L-Acoustics has appointed Olivier Maynard as executive director of strategic market development and significantly expanded the recently established division’s capabilities to accelerate growth across key vertical markets worldwide. The new Strategic Market Development division regroups three core disciplines—Business Development, Creative Engagement, and Market Intelligence—working in close coordination with regional sales teams to drive demand and strengthen L-Acoustics’ position in both established and emerging markets. Maynard is also spearheading commercial innovation, developing new business models from concept to implementation throughout the organization. Joining the company’s Executive Committee, he works alongside the leadership team to integrate market development and new business models into the company’s long-term vision to connect humans through the best shared sound experiences.

Maynard brings extensive experience in strategic market development and business model innovation. He spent over a decade at Boston Consulting Group leading projects in go-to-market strategy, sales, and digital transformation for industrial companies before joining Groupe Beneteau, a global leader in recreational boating, as Director of Digital, New Business Models, and Transformation. In that role, he led the company’s digital strategy and served as Deputy CEO of Services, developing innovative financing and service models. At L-Acoustics, he applies this expertise to professionalize the division’s approach to vertical markets while exploring new business model opportunities that keep L-Acoustics at the forefront of industry innovation.

tvONE Appoints Amit Singh as Regional Sales Manager for India and the Middle East

tvONE expanded Amit Singh’s role to regional sales manager for India and the Middle East. With more than a decade of experience in the audiovisual industry, Singh brings extensive expertise in AV project design, brand development, and distribution management to the role. In his expanded role, he is responsible for leading sales strategies, strengthening partner relationships, and promoting tvONE’s brands and solutions throughout India and the Middle East.

A seasoned techno-commercial professional with a proven track record in the AV industry, over the past 10 years, Singh has successfully managed and developed business relationships, designed comprehensive AV solutions, and driven brand growth and market awareness. His background includes working with original equipment manufacturers Audio-Technica and Wyrestorm, where he gained deep insight into OEM strategy and channel development.

Partnerships and Company News

Introducing Diversified Digital

Diversified formally introduced Diversified Digital as ISE 2026 opened its doors—a dedicated Digital Experience practice built to design, deploy, and support enterprise-scale digital environments with holistic lifecycle management.

Diversified Digital brings together Diversified’s digital signage, immersive, and experiential AV capabilities, expanding its ability to help enterprise clients deliver experiences that are both engaging and operationally sound as digital experience networks become increasingly business-critical. While Diversified has delivered complex digital and immersive environments for decades, the launch of Diversified Digital represents a deliberate step forward formalizing a dedicated practice designed specifically for large-scale rollouts, governance, and lifecycle operations, regardless of whether the experience lives in a single flagship space or across hundreds or thousands of locations.

In a digital experience context, scale is not defined solely by the number of endpoints. For many organizations, scale also means the complexity, visibility, and performance expectations of a single environment—such as a stadium, museum, customer experience center, or public venue—where immersive and experiential AV must perform flawlessly under real-world pressure.

Diversified Digital is built to support both ends of that spectrum in high-impact, single-location immersive environments where reliability, content orchestration, and operational readiness matter as much as design, and large-scale enterprise rollouts where consistency, governance, and lifecycle management are critical across regions and business units.

Diversified Digital is technology-agnostic by design and built to support complex enterprise environments with predictable outcomes. Rather than focusing on isolated platforms or limited delivery models, the practice is structured to help clients manage digital experience as part of a broader, integrated enterprise ecosystem.

DTEN Names SFM Canadian Distributor

DTEN has appointed SFM as its Canadian distributor. This strategic partnership grants SFM distribution rights for DTEN's complete portfolio of collaborative communication solutions throughout Canada, opening significant new revenue opportunities for its Canadian channel partners.

The collaboration brings together SFM's extensive distribution network and industry expertise with DTEN's collaboration technology platform, providing Canadian audiovisual professionals, system integrators, and IT resellers with immediate access to one of the fastest-growing segments in enterprise technology. As organizations consolidate their hybrid work strategies, DTEN's purpose-built solutions address the demand for seamless, reliable collaboration tools.

HDBaseT Alliance To Mark 15 Years of Revolution

The HDBaseT Alliance is celebrating 15 years of HDBaseT technology and its enduring impact, which has continuously evolved to reshape how the industry designs, deploys, and experiences Professional AV. Attendees to ISE 2026 were invited to join the festivities in “An HDBaseT World.”

Since its founding by LG Electronics, Samsung Electronics, Sony Pictures Entertainment, and Valens Semiconductor, HDBaseT has delivered uncompressed, long-distance, plug-and-play connectivity over a single Category cable. HDBaseT boasts a world-wide ecosystem of manufacturers, certified installers and integrators operating across a variety of verticals including video conferencing, education, immersive experiences, home entertainment, live events, and digital signage.

At this year’s show, live demonstrations from Valens Semiconductor, the inventor of HDBaseT technology and co-founder of the HDBaseT Alliance, will showcase next-generation multi-media signal distribution solutions streamlining complex system architectures.

Neutrik Americas Appoints Sigma Component Design New Distributor

Neutrik Group Americas is growing its presence in Canada with the appointment of Sigma Component Design as its new manufacturer’s rep for the region. As an independent manufacturer’s representative serving the Canadian electronics industry, Sigma will represent the complete product portfolio of Neutrik Group brands and will provide sales support and customer service throughout the region.

Sigma Component Design is known for power, thermal, passive, and electromechanical components. From design to fulfilment, Sigma works with customers to provide complete design support from its world-class suppliers. Founded in 2002, Sigma has completed thousands of application designs and has a team of technical sales reps dedicated to serving the needs of the Canadian market.

NDI Expands Its Partnership with OBSBOT

NDI announced an expanded partnership with OBSBOT through a renewed licensing agreement that will see NDI integrated across OBSBOT’s entire product lineup as a native capability. NDI is now available free of charge on OBSBOT products, with no additional licensing required for end users. OBSBOT plans to significantly increase the number of products shipped with NDI built in, as more of its product line adopts native support.

OBSBOT’s products are widely used by creators, educators, and teams who want professional capabilities without enterprise-level complexity. Native NDI support allows those users to connect OBSBOT cameras directly into IP video workflows for streaming, remote production, and hybrid use, without adding extra hardware or licensing steps. This also highlights NDI’s interoperability, allowing OBSBOT cameras to work seamlessly with a wide range of software, switchers, and production platforms.

Pro AV Around the Globe

AudioControl has announced the appointment of Habitech as master distributor of the brand’s AV entertainment solutions in the United Kingdom. Habitech is currently the distributor for RTI in the U.K. Based in Hampshire, England, and founded in 2006, Habitech specializes in supplying a broad range of custom install products and services to technology integrators representing home entertainment, smart home control and lighting, networking, and more to end-users.

AVPro Global appointed Generation AV as its representation for the AVPro Edge and RTI brands in Asia. Founded in 2019 and based in Singapore, Generation AV offers decades of combined experience in the professional audio/video, control, and automation markets. In addition to strategic sales and business development, the Generation AV team delivers technical support and application engineering services to partners, integrators, and customers—assisting with product selection, system design, project support, and troubleshooting. Additionally, the company appointed LCAVI as their distributor of residential audio, video, and control solutions, representing the AudioControl, AVPro Edge, and RTI brands in France.

LEA Professional announces its partnership with distributor Televic Conference France, which will help expand LEA Professional’s commercial reach throughout Europe by providing better access to French customers. Televic Conference France will represent LEA's extensive technology catalog. Through this partnership, Televic Conference France will offer LEA Professional’s Network Connect series of professional amplifiers and companion Dante Connect series featuring Dante and AES67 connectivity. The comany also announced a newfound partnership with Dubai-based distributor Pro Lab Trading. The partnership will bring LEA to customers in the Middle East Region. Pro Lab Trading is the region’s one-stop shop for professional audio, lighting, staging, rigging, and special effects equipment and supplies.

Legrand | AV expanded its global partnership with TD SYNNEX. This enhanced collaboration reinforces a joint go-to-market strategy for Legrand | AV’s portfolio of industry-leading brands, including Chief, C2G, Da-Lite, Middle Atlantic, Luxul, and Vaddio. As part of this expanded agreement, TD SYNNEX Maverick, TD SYNNEX’s specialist AV, UC, and digital signage division, will now offer the full Legrand | AV brand portfolio across its entire European footprint.

PureLink announced a new strategic partnership with AVer Information Europe. The cooperation establishes a structured cable and signal management certification program for AVer systems, designed to improve installation reliability in enterprise, education, and public-sector environments. Through this partnership, PureLink’s portfolio of solutions for video conferencing, workspace connectivity, and USB-C–based signal management will be aligned and validated for use with AVer cameras, video matrices, AV hubs and USB-based collaboration systems.

RTI appointed Aquila Data Singapore as their distributor for commercial solutions in Singapore. Aquila Data Group was founded in 2001 and is based in Jakarta, Indonesia, with offices in Singapore and Malaysia. The company specializes in distribution of Unified Communication (UC) and Audio Visual (AV) devices, providing solutions such as video conferencing, audiovideo (AV), and smart technology integration. Additionally, Stars AV is its new distributor for RTI residential and commercial solutions in Spain and Portugal. Stars AV already represents AVPro Global brands AudioControl and AVPro Edge in the territory.

Meeting equity. It is a term that is thrown around a lot in Pro AV, but it seems that we aren't all the way there just yet. At ISE 2026, attendees can explore new solutions that bridge the gap and get us much closer to an ideal hybrid workplace.

[SCN's ISE Insiders 2026]

Today, check out what you can see at the Humly, Shure, Jabra, PureLink, Opticis, and Adam Hall Group.

Adam Hall Integrated Systems to Present New AV Solutions

=Adam Hall Integrated Systems will be showcasing a wide range of new solutions and products from the areas of commercial audio, lighting, and control. The next major update of the LD Systems QUESTRA design and management platform to version 1.4 will take center stage.

With the update to QUESTRA 1.4, LD Systems is on track to making the software platform a one-stop solution for specialist planners and installation service providers. In the area of native hardware integration, QUESTRA 1.4 greatly expands the range of supported, network-compatible devices and enables the centralised integration of audio, video, and control components, including the new NMP 8/32 DSP audio matrices, the AMP 205 D Dante mini amplifier, video solutions such as the new MXAV 44 HDMI matrix and the SWAV 41 HDMI switcher as well as the new QTP10 10-inch touch display.

Humly to Present New Visitor Management Suite

Humly will debut Humly Visitor software, now shipping with a public debut at booth 2W300. Guests can step through simulations of Visitor Standard and Visitor Professional, both of which elevate the Humly Visitor feature set well beyond the original version’s simple check-in/check-out workflow. While designed for different service tiers, both solutions cover the entire visitor journey from walk-ins to fully prepared guests. Common benefits across the two options include smoother arrival experiences, improved host accountability and reduced reception workloads.

Visitor Standard updates the essential features of the original release such as basic check-in, host notification and badge printing tailored for small-to-medium sized offices. The key improvement is an overall smoother functionality that brings more control and professionalism to the workflow, while adding new flourishes to enliven the user experience. These include custom flows with more visitor details, recollection of repeat visitors, and more robust admin options for front-desk and IT staff.

Visitor Professional’s enterprise-level experience is the star performer, offering pre-registration, enhanced security and additional capabilities that eliminate bottlenecks at busy reception points. Ideal for large office and industrial buildings, manufacturing centers, and the expansive enterprise campus,

Jabra to Debut New Evolve3 Headset Series

Jabra will debut its recently introduced Evolve3 series in Barcelona, expanding its professional headset portfolio with two new models designed for today’s hybrid work professionals. This latest launch introduces a boomless mic design with comfort and portability, future-ready voice access for AI and real-time adaptive noise cancellation. It's engineered to be the first true cross-over headset, built to meet the needs of today’s hybrid professionals and designed for day-to-day personal use.

The Evolve3 85 (over-the-ear) and Evolve3 75 (on-the-ear) headsets offer professional-grade voice clarity and all-day comfort in a modern, contemporary, Danish design. Whether switching between meetings, concentrating on complex projects or using voice to activate GenAI tools, Evolve3 is built to match the pace and flexibility of modern work.

Unlike traditional professional headsets, Jabra Evolve3 85 and Jabra Evolve3 75 offer a minimalist design that fits the flexibility of modern work scenarios as well as the need for a clean, everyday look. This makes Evolve3 a true cross-over headset from professional use to leisure, setting a new standard for comfort and portability.

Opticis to Showcase Optical USB-C Cable with INOGENI

INOGENI and Opticis have partnered to provide a new solution for distance and performance in the boardroom. TOGGLE ROOMS will be showcased together at the INOGENI booth 2W640 and the Opticis booth 5A190. By pairing INOGENI TOGGLE ROOMS with the Opticis USC-CC32 Active Optical Cable, you can now achieve a professional USB-C connection up to 50 feet (15m) without compromising on speed, power, or video quality.

The TOGGLE ROOMS is the brain of your "Smart AV" setup, designed for reliable BYOD/BYOM. To bridge the gap in long boardrooms, the Opticis Active Optical Cable provides the high-speed "nerves" the system needs. It ensures that even the person at the far end of a U-shape table has full access to the room's tech.

PureLink to Present New Conference and USB-C Infrastructure Solutions

PureLink GmbH will showcase an expanded product portfolio for Pro AV and conference environments at booth 2Q600. The focus will be on new camera and BYOD systems, high-performance USB-C infrastructure solutions, as well as further developments in the field of collaboration hardware.

With the new VL-PTZ100 and VL-BYOD200, PureLink introduces a combined solution for modern conference and meeting environments. The VL-PTZ100 is a compact 4K PTZ camera featuring a dual-camera system that enables precise, AI-driven person and speaker detection. Automatic framing, speaker tracking and presenter tracking ensure that both active speakers and groups are dynamically captured; additionally, composite views combining group and speaker perspectives can be provided. The VL-BYOD200 enhances the camera with a powerful 4K60 multiview and BYOM switch. The device supports USB-C with DP Alt-Mode and 100W Power Delivery, rapid multiview switching, and integrated USB 3.X functions for shared peripherals at up to 5Gbps. An integrated Ethernet bridge with separate secure and utility LAN ports expands connectivity options. Together, the VL-PTZ100 and VL-BYOD200 form a tightly integrated unit for visually and technically demanding conference rooms.

With the VL-VB300-PRO, PureLink presents an enhanced all-in-one videobar for professional conference environments. The videobar is equipped with an 8-element MEMS microphone array and supports the connection of up to five additional expansion microphones (VL-MIC110). The integrated speaker system has been designed as a two 8W full-range configuration to improve speech intelligibility and provide greater headroom.

Shure to Showcase the Future of the AI-Powered Workplace

Shure heads to Barcelona as both sponsoring show partner and technology partner. As organizations embrace AI-driven tools, Shure is showcasing a complete portfolio of solutions that deliver exceptional video and audio performance, seamless deployment, and enterprise-ready security and scalability to enhance teams’ productivity. Visitors, partners, and industry friends can experience how Shure’s collaboration portfolio solves IT’s biggest challenges and empowers the modern AI-powered workplace at the main booth 3M300and the dedicated Innovation Lab.

Inspiring conversations around AI and key trends will happen at the Innovation Lab (located at CC4 Room 4.2), where the Shure team will be hosting product briefings to showcase the future of Shure technology. In addition to new technologies coming soon, Shure will showcase its latest portfolio including: IntelliMix Room Kits, IntelliMix Foundation System, Microflex Wireless neXt 2 and neXt 4 and 8, Microflex Loudspeaker Portfolio, and ShureCloud.

Shure will also be sponsoring the Education Technology Summit aiming to spark insightful discussions on the latest learning technologies and the Smart Spaces Megatrend session, exploring modern office technologies. As part of these sessions, Susy Liem, associate VP, product management, conferencing at Shure, will participate in a panel on Tuesday February 3^rd. More information on the sessions here.

There were some big moves in a few C-suites and among board members, as well as some expanded and new distribution partnerships. Buckle up, here is your weekly Pro AV rundown.

[Best in Market 2025: Nominations Open]

People News

Mark Towler Joins 22Miles as Product Marketing Director

22Miles has appointed Mark Towler as product marketing director. In this role, he will spearhead the company’s go-to-market strategy, channel enablement efforts, and accelerate growth across key Pro AV and digital signage markets. He is responsible for launching new initiatives that support partner growth, refining product narratives across categories, and driving adoption across transportation, hospitality, healthcare, retail, higher-education, and enterprise markets.

Towler brings a proven ability to translate complex technologies into compelling, actionable messaging for both partners and end users. With extensive experience in product marketing, channel development, and B2B storytelling, he will play a key role in strengthening the company’s presence in the AV industry.

PPDS Strengthen European Leadership Team

PPDS has appointed experienced indoor and outdoor dvLED integration specialist, Jeroen Feldman, to its European technical sales team. Assuming the role of solution manager dvLED, Feldman brings more than more than 19 years of knowledge and experience, specializing in indoor and outdoor installations for a broad range of settings including music festivals, football stadiums, shopping malls, boardrooms, large conference centers, and more.

Based at PPDS’ Amsterdam head office, and reporting to Jan Van Tieghem, director of technical sales support EMEA, Feldman will play an integral role in supporting and ensuring seamless installations of PPDS’ growing range of Philips LED solutions across Northern Europe.

Sonos Appoints Tom Conrad as Chief Executive Officer

The Sonos Board of Directors has appointed Tom Conrad as chief executive officer. Conrad, who has served as Interim CEO since January of this year, will remain on the Board of Directors.

Sonos has achieved notable progress under Conrad’s leadership as interim CEO. This includes setting a new standard for the quality of Sonos’ software and product experience, clearing the path for a robust new product pipeline, and launching innovative new software enhancements to flagship products Sonos Ace and Arc Ultra.

Wisycom Embarks on a New Chapter of Leadership

Wisycom SRL transitioned in its corporate management, appointing Davide Morsiani as chief executive officer (CEO) and Gerrit Buhe as chief technology officer (CTO), while Andrea Bulfon will continue as chief operating officer (COO) and Marika Stangherlin has been promoted to chief sales officer (CSO). These changes mark a natural step in a business development plan that began in 2022 to streamline operations and prepare Wisycom for future growth in an evolving global market.

Morsiani now leads as CEO, having worked with Wisycom since June 2023. With extensive experience across multiple operational roles in a variety of sectors, including manufacturing and supply-chain operations, Morsiani has the visionary leadership and organizational insight necessary to bring Wisycom to the next level.

As CTO, Buhe’s RF and wireless technology knowledge spans over three decades, including 20 years of professional audio research and product development. This background aligns perfectly with Wisycom’s identity as a highly professional partner in the pro audio industry and his capabilities will directly benefit the expansion of the brand’s product portfolio. Confirmed as COO in February 2021, Bulfon’s 35 years of expertise extends across printed circuit board production, electronic engineering and medical devices. Lastly, a dedicated sales professional, Wisycom’s new CSO, Stangherlin first joined the company in January 2017 and most recently served as the company’s global sales manager.

IABM Confirms New Members’ Board for 2025

IABM, the International Trade Association for Broadcast and Media Technology, has confirmed the appointment of its Members’ Board for 2025, following the conclusion of this year’s election.

The Members’ Board for 2025 is as follows:

Continuing IABM Board Members:
Josh Arensberg–Verizon (Chair)
Andreas Hilmer–Lawo (Immediate Past Chair)
Jade Kurian–latakoo
David Phillips–Multicast
Peter Sykes–Sony
Saleha Williams–CEO, IABM
Lucinda Meek–CFOO, IABM
Newly Elected IABM Board Directors:
Steph Lone–AWS
Alison Pavitt–Blue Lucy
Oscar Teran–EVS
Adam Marshall–Grass Valley
Glodina Lostanlen–Imagine Communications
Hasan R. Sayed Hasan–MasterMedia
Ajey Anand–Norigin
Tom Wootton–Red Bee Media
Chris Lennon–Ross Video
Anna Lockwood–Telstra

Chairs of IABM Member Councils:
Paul Stechley–Applied Electronics
Thomas Gunkel–Skyline Communications
Sumit Suri–U-TO

SMPTE Announces 2025 Honorees

SMPTE will honor some of the industry’s top minds and organizations at its annual Awards Gala, Thursday, Oct. 16, at the conclusion of the 2025 SMPTE Media Technology Summit. The Gala will take place in the Pasadena Convention Center.

This year, 14 honors will be bestowed upon 31 individuals and organizations. The David Sarnoff Medal is being awarded to Darryl Jefferson of NBC Olympics and Sports in recognition of his visionary engineering leadership and transformative innovations in large-scale broadcast systems.

The Progress Medal award is bestowed upon founder of Animation Research, Sir Ian Taylor, in recognition of his decades-long leadership and technological innovation in animation and sports production. The Excellence in Education Medal recognizes Polly Hickling for her outstanding contributions to developing inclusive and accessible learning pathways in the dynamic field of media engineering.

SMPTE will honor Michelle Munson, co-founder and CEO of Aspera, with the Workflow Systems Medal. The Camera Origination and Imaging Medal will honor Dr. Peter Centen for pioneering innovations in image sensor technology that transformed electronic cinematography and broadcast imaging. The James A. Lindner Archival Technology Medal is awarded to Reto Kromer in recognition of his pioneering contributions to audiovisual preservation through practical, accessible, and forward-looking technologies.

The Natalie M. and Herbert T. Kalmus Award honors Scott Miller for his pivotal contributions to the invention, development, advocacy, and standardization of the Perceptual Quantizer (PQ) transfer function. The Samuel L. Warner Memorial Medal Award recipient is Ben Burtt in recognition of his transformative contributions to the art and science of motion picture sound. The Excellence in Standards Award recognizes Steve LLamb in recognition of his exemplary leadership and enduring contributions to the SMPTE Standards Community.

The Louis F. Wolf Jr. Memorial Scholarship recipient is Anthony Guarino from the Rochester Institute of Technology. Four individuals will be honored with the Citation for Outstanding Service to the Society: Zandra Clarke, Bill Hogan, Jim DeFilippis, and Ujwal Nirgudkar.

The Journal Award for the best paper originally published in the SMPTE Motion Imaging Journal during 2024 will be presented to Alejandro Arango, Simon Therriault, and Andriy Yamashev for their paper, “Enhancements to Media Transport in ICVFX Using SMPTE 2110,” by A. Arango, S. Therriault and A. Yamashev, published in the October 2024 issue of the Motion Imaging Journal–Volume 133, Issue 6.”

Thirteen new SMPTE Fellows will be recognized at this year’s Gala: John Abt, Francois Bourdua, Carolyn Giardina, Eric Gsell, Carys Hughes, Russell Trafford-Jones, Phillip Graham Layton, François Legrand, Nick Mitchell, Paritosh Saha, Florian Schleich, James Toten, and Ron Williams.

Company News

AtlasIED Announces Integration Partnership with Sittig Technologies’ PAXGuide Platform

AtlasIED announced a strategic integration partnership with Sittig Technologies, the developers of PAXGuide—a modular, intelligent software platform for managing automated airport announcements. Already in use at major airports worldwide, PAXGuide is designed to meet the evolving demands of modern aviation environments. It delivers multilingual, real-time, and fully automated passenger announcements, triggered by live operational data and tailored to meet the dynamic needs of airports.

Through this collaboration, PAXGuide now integrates seamlessly with AtlasIED’s GLOBALCOM systems. For airports currently operating GLOBALCOM or planning an installation, the integration allows for enhanced automation and intelligent public address functionality, without requiring changes to the existing infrastructure.

FOR-A America Partners with TecNec for U.S. Distribution

FOR-A America and TecNec Distributing have entered into a distribution partnership, making TecNec FOR-A America’s first-U.S.-based distributor. TecNec will carry FOR-A America’s systems for broadcast, professional video and the house of worship market, with a focus on the HVS-190 1 M/E video switcher series. TecNec, a subsidiary of Tower Products, is also well established as a premier reseller and distributor. The company has been a trusted reseller of FOR-A America for over 25 years.

HARMAN Expands U.K. Partnership with Live Technology

HARMAN Professional Solutions expanded its partnership with Live Technology, a Midwich Company. In addition to its current distribution responsibilities for HARMAN Professional’s audio brands (JBL Professional, BSS, Crown, Soundcraft, Lexicon, and dbx) Live Technology will now also oversee sales and support for the AMX video and control brand in the United Kingdom.

Based in Letchworth Garden City, Live Technology is well-positioned to deliver service and technical expertise to U.K. customers and integrators across the expanded HARMAN Professional Solutions portfolio. This strategic move reinforces HARMAN’s commitment to providing audio, video, and control solutions throughout Europe.

Boulevard Carroll Entertainment Group Opens Manhattan’s First L-Acoustics L-ISA Demo Space

L-Acoustics Certified Provider integrator and distributor Boulevard Carroll Entertainment Group has opened Manhattan’s first-ever L-Acoustics L-ISA demo space. Located at the company’s sixth-floor rehearsal suite at 625 West 55th Street, just blocks from Times Square and the city’s theater district, Boulevard Carroll’s new L-ISA-equipped Studio One is one of seven professional workspaces available, allowing engineers to experience L-ISA while they’re rehearsing in one of the other spaces or build an L-ISA show file during their rehearsal.

Featuring a design based on input from L-Acoustics technicians and utilizing Soundvision design software, Studio One has a complete 7.1.10 immersive sound system in place. The space, built out and equipped by Boulevard Carroll’s own AJ Nittoli, Daryl Moore, Jake Hertzog, and Joe Smith, is ideal for sound designers, audio mixers, and other technicians who are rapidly making L-ISA the premier immersive sound platform for the theater market.

PureLink Ends Partnership with EU Distributor PureLink GMBH

PureLink today announced it has ended its longtime partnership with its EU distributor, PureLink GMBH, and has begun carving out new distribution channels, via new sales and logistics partners, products, and services. PureLink had represented the ultra-high-end, professional series of products in PureLink GMBH’s lineup. PureLink now intends to fully leverage that pedigree to reach a greater audience throughout Europe.

Quince Imaging Joins the Stage Precision Service Partner Program

Quince Imaging has joined the Stage Precision Service Partner Program as an Authorized Service Partner (ASP). This partnership is a testament to Quince Imaging’s expertise and proven use of Stage Precision’s SP software for delivering large‑scale projection mapping and immersive visual experiences.

The Stage Precision Service Partner Program was created in 2023 to elevate standards across live‑event, virtual‑production, and AV sectors, while expanding SP’s reach into new creative markets. To qualify as an ASP, partners must operate a publicly accessible studio, volume or R&D facility, with Stage Precision integrated into their workflows, have team members who have completed an in‑person SP training, and they must have delivered at least one project where SP tools played a core role in the project workflow.

Learning and Shared Insights

Amadeus Acoustics announces consultant seminar

Amadeus Acoustics invites consultants, acousticians, system designers, and AV professionals to join the company in Vienna for a two-day seminar exploring the future of active acoustics and immersive audio.

Taking place on December 1-2, 2025, the seminar offers an opportunity to engage directly with the Amadeus team, experience our technologies in action, and connect with peers from across the industry. With live demonstrations, expert talks, hands-on workshops, and exclusive venue visits, the program is designed to inspire, inform, and foster collaboration.

Aurora, NETGEAR Partner for Two-Day Live Class for Designing

Join Aurora and NETGEAR for a two-day live class that dives into the intricacies of designing AV over IP systems using multiple switches and Dante audio technology. This comprehensive workshop is ideal for AV professionals, system integrators, and IT specialists who are eager to elevate their expertise and stay ahead in the rapidly evolving world of audiovisual technology.

The dates are August 19th and 20th, 2025, 8:30 a.m. ET-5:30 p.m. ET. Attendees will learn from industry leaders, including Chuck Espinoza, global director of education at Aurora Multimedia, and Alex Pendelton, senior system engineer from the PRO AV Design Team at NETGEAR. With extensive credentials and experience, they will guide you through the complexities of AV over IP design.

In keeping up with the immersive trend, PureLink is launching PureSpace, its new solution designed to transform any environment into a dynamic experience. Attendees at PureLink's grand opening of its new PureSpace Experience Center on November 7 will be among the first to interact with its technology in action.

 “We’re thrilled to launch PureSpace, a groundbreaking solution that has the potential to redefine how we experience and interact with environments,” said Keith Frey, director of product Development at PureLink. “The PureSpace Experience Center offers a hands-on opportunity to see this technology in action, allowing guests to immerse themselves in environments that respond, engage, and transform in real time.”

[How PureLink EXPERIENCE Lab Enhanced Its Hybrid Workplace Experience]

PureSpace is engineered to turn spaces into multi-sensory, interactive environments. Whether in high-tech labs, museums, theme parks, resorts, training centers, or beyond, PureSpace harnesses advanced technology to captivate and engage audiences. The solution's versatility makes it ideal for various applications across corporate, educational, healthcare, military, government, hospitality, entertainment, and retail sectors.

Some of the benefits of PureSpace include:

• Immersive Engagement: Elevate any space into a sensory-rich environment that leaves a lasting impact on visitors.
• Practical Application: PureSpace is designed to support hands-on learning and real-world training across diverse sectors.
• Limitless Adaptability: From classrooms to simulation environments, PureSpace can be tailored to fit the specific needs of any industry.

[Just In Time for Halloween: Check Out the Spookily, Immersive Dark Matter Experience]

The PureSpace Experience Center is an interactive and immersive lab where attendees can experience PureLink’s entire suite of solutions firsthand. This exclusive showcase will demonstrate the transformative power of PureSpace, combining technology and environment to create impactful experiences.

Returning to Integrated Systems Europe in Barcelona, PureLink is joined by three strong partners showcasing complementary product ranges. PureLink puts the focus on the two major topics of 8K and USB to address the current market demands. 

 [Projection Mapping to Light Up Barcelona for ISE 2022] 

On display will be 8K capable HDMI and DisplayPort cables with AOC technology as well as splitters, switchers, and eARC extractors for 8K. PureLink’s USB range at ISE includes active USB3.2 cables and switcher sets for conferencing and educational environments. Next to the 8K range and USB products, PureLink also plans to take along its "Daily Heroes" like the 4K HDMI HDBaseT KVM Extender Set PT-HDBT-1002.

[PureLink is the New Master Distributor for Just Add Power and SurgeX]

PureLink will be accompanied by a leading brand for power protection and conditioning solutions with SurgeX. Its product headliner is the multi-functional Squid power management system, a space-saving 230V / 24V / 5V unit for collaborative flex environments, home offices, and other tight-spaced AV environments that combines surge protection technology with remote analytics and power management. In addition, SurgeX unveils their latest innovations for a solid power foundation in AV and IT system installations at ISE 2022.

Just Add Power will put its award-winning series MaxColorTM 4K60 on display, providing a scalable 4K 60Hz 12bit 4:4:4 distribution platform over existing network infrastructures with integrated seamless switching, 4K scaling and all the image manipulation options that the brand is known for. Another highlight will be Just Add Power’s new Advanced Matrix Programmer (AMP) software, the 2GΩ/3G ST1 Sound Transceiver, as well as the Warp Engine transmitter/receiver to create artistic video walls.

[Just Add Power Roadmap 2022]

HDANYWHERE will be spotlighting their new and uniquely stackable MHUB S, its solution for bigger projects of up to 48 displays (or more even). With features like downscaling, long-range and compatibility with both their own uControl system and advanced drivers for leading control brands, MHUB S promises to deliver better image quality, less installation time, and lower cost than competing technologies. HDANYWHERE will also be introducing Zone Processors and revealing the next stage in the evolution of uControl for the very first time.

All teams will be available together at one booth throughout the ISE 2022 at Fira Barcelona, Gran Via, from May 10 to 13, 2022.

PureLink is now the master distributor for two strong U.S. specialists: Just Add Power for AV over IP and SurgeX for power management. 

PureLink PLUS is the name of the new concept in which the Westphalian Pro AV manufacturer combines coordinated products for the market and thus also intends to secure investments for its customers in the long term. 

[Just Add Power Launches Remote Installation Training Program]

As master distributor of the two transatlantic pioneers, PureLink has the opportunity to offer technically complementary products and solutions as a complete package to its own Pro AV portfolio in EMEA. From now on, the two new partners and the extended customer base can benefit from PureLink's logistics, support, and market access services. 

"The AV over IP and power management segments are not our speciality, which is why we are entering into strategic collaborations with technology leaders SurgeX and Just Add Power," said Ronni Guggenheim, chief growth officer at PureLink. "With the solutions of these two market leaders, we complement our offering in an ideal way. We look forward to  building and expanding our market presence together with our two new partners." 

A staple product in AV deployments across facilities and campuses, the mighty digital signage player has seen a flurry of innovation in recent years. In addition to boosted performance to handle today’s demanding video formats and resolutions, the latest breed of devices boast features to make tech managers’ lives easier, too.

The following is a collection of the latest models from leading manufacturers.

Related: The Technology Manager's Guide to the New Era of Digital Signage

BrightSign XT Series

BrightSign’s XT media players are designed for enterprise applications demanding high performance and state-of-the-art technology. With a 4K video engine, BrightSign’s fastest HTML and graphics engine, and the company’s most powerful CPU, BrightSign XT is well suited for leading-edge digital signage installations involving H.264 and H.265 decoding, Dolby Vision and HDR10 media profiles, and 1080p and 4K playback including Mosaic Mode. 

BrightSign’s XT media players are powered by a hardware-accelerated HTML5 rendering engine that enables playback of multiple modular HTML5 assets including Javascript, CSS animations, WebGL, and even swipe/gesture interactivity. All BrightSign XT models feature gigabit Ethernet, dual 4K video decoding, 4K full resolution graphics, PoE+, and HDMI In for Live TV playback. BrightSign’s XT media players deliver near-zero downtime with high performance at a competitive price.

Elo Backpack

The Elo Backpack is engineered to transform standard digital signage into an interactive experience. The Android compute engine enables users to run audio and video content, interactive HTML webpages, and/or Android-based apps. It features the flexibility and functionality of Google Play Services, enabling apps to take advantage of the latest Google-powered features. The Elo Backpack also features EloView, Elo’s Android MDM, streamlining the deployment and management process. With integrated Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and expansive I/O options, Backpack helps facilitate the creation of unique interactive signage solutions.

Built on Elo’s Unified Architecture, users can scale across sizes and form factors from 7 to 65 inches, creating a consistent, cost-effective deployment optimized for commercial use. 

Enplug Digital Signage Player

Enplug’s High-Performance Digital Signage Player is designed to drive content to any digital signage endpoint within the Enplug ecosystem. The player is tested against top industry standards for reliability, broad compatibility, and 4K support. Enplug users can connect the player to any HD display in portrait or landscape orientation to deliver content with 1080p and 4K video playback at 60 frames per second. 

Content is updated via Wi-Fi or Ethernet and stored locally on the device for uninterrupted operation, even if the internet is temporarily disconnected. Once the internet connection is restored, the player automatically re-connects and updates any content.

Kramer VIA GO²

VIA GO² gives iOS, Android, Chromebook, PC, and Mac users wireless connectivity with 4K advanced presentation capabilities. The product features content streaming with mirrored images and video playback and includes iOS, Windows, and Android mirroring. VIA GO² is compact (7x7cm) and flexible to install with both built-in Wi-Fi and LAN connectivity and includes 1024-bit encryption for secure use on the internal network. VIA GO², when it isn’t actively presenting, acts as an interactive display signage tool. Its small form factor makes it easy to conceal behind the display for a sleek profile.

MuxLab 4K Digital Signage Player

MuxLab’s DigiSign Plus CMS Software and 4K Digital Signage Player are engineered with robust features and user-friendly operation. MuxLab DigiSign Plus CMS works with its 4K Digital Signage Player Plus (model 500789) and allows users to create, arrange, manage, and schedule video, images, audio, and HTML content from a variety of sources, including content streaming via an H.264/H.265 codec over a local Ethernet network, the internet, via internal memory and external USB 3.0 memory devices.

The system supports numerous widgets including RSS and Instagram feeds, text tickers, clocks, stocks, exchanges, weather info, and maps. The system supports multiview layouts, including picture-in-picture (PIP) and the ability to create a schedule of up to 1 year or more of content in advance. The user can then publish the signage content and schedule to the 4K Digital Signage Players distributed throughout a network and displayed on the connected TVs.

PureLink MPX100 II

PureLink’s MPX100 II Wireless Digital Signage solution includes the MPX Content Management Suite, offering comprehensive digital signage program creation including on-demand touchscreen programming and a full range of scheduling tools. Complete diagnostics and metrics are available from any player throughout an MPX system where users can create anywhere from one to hundreds of players spanning different states, and manage them all from one location. It also enables the creation of many different access roles to allow content creators, administrators, and others access the system anywhere, anytime.

Samsung S-Box

Samsung’s SNOW-JMU S-Box for indoor, direct-view LED displays, such as Samsung’s The Wall, allows businesses of all sizes to deliver visual content with a fast processor and enhanced image quality. Additionally equipped with Samsung’s MagicINFO software for content management, the S-Box offers memory and connectivity options, making it well suited for usability across a variety of industries including education, corporate, healthcare, retail, dining, and more. Further, users can update and manage the content remotely, allowing for the connected displays to showcase up-to-the-minute content. For organizations and businesses looking to manage content in highly sensitive environments, the S-Box is fully supported by Tizen 4.0, Samsung’s secure, custom operating system.

Shuttle DH470

Shuttle’s new DH470 is designed to provide high performance from a tiny footprint. Featuring a compact and rugged design with low-temp operation, the digital signage player offers up to 10 cores for multitasking and smooth video. At 43mm in height, the DH470 has enough room to add a 2.5-inch hard drive as well as dual M.2 expansion cards and support up to 64GB of DDR4 memory. Input/output options include up to eight USB and two serial ports as well as built-in HDMI 2.0a and DisplayPort ports, with two RS-232 interfaces as well as an SDXC card reader. The platform also supports integrated UHD graphics and PCIe controllers, and its industrial capacitors meet demanding environmental conditions, operable in 32–122 degrees F (0–50 degrees C) temperatures.

SpinetiX HMP400

Designed for digital signage, the SpinetiX solution featuring the new HMP400 player combines commercial-grade hardware with a purpose-built operating system for operation in a variety of applications. Together with the preinstalled DSOS by SpinetiX operating system, the player supports three modes of use on top of the built-in SpinetiX ARYA cloud-based service. These modes enable users to deliver interactive, data-driven digital signage content that integrates with third-party technology like sensors, cameras, smart buildings, queue management systems, and more.

Engineered in Switzerland and made in Germany, the HMP400’s powerful hardware is capable of reliably delivering 4K60 video in 24/7 operation for a decade. It features an Intel Atom processor, passive heat dissipation, and Power over Ethernet (PoE). A Wi-Fi version is also available.

ViewSonic NMP520-W

The ViewSonic NMP520-W network media player is engineered to deliver reliable 4K multimedia playback and messaging to large-format displays. Equipped with the latest Rockchip RK3368 Octa Core Cortex-A53 64-bit SoC chipset, the NMP520-W offers high-performance functionality in a small package. The compact profile and VESA-compatible design make it well suited for out-of-site installation behind digital signage displays, while the industrial casing make it durable for commercial environments. 

With 16GB of built-in memory, the NMP520-W can store and playback hours of high-definition content, and because it is based on an Android 8.1 operating system, it is compatible with standard digital signage industry software. The NMP520-W comes with connectivity options including HDMI 2.0, USB 2.0, wired Gigabit and wireless LAN, Bluetooth, audio out, and an SD card reader. 

Visix Nano

The Visix Nano is purpose-built to provide reliable 1080p playback for digital signs in the smallest package available, measuring just 2.75 inches square. The Nano is Visix’s smallest player yet, and is designed to fit anywhere, including ceilings and other tight spaces where compact footprint is a requirement. The player is well suited for less video-intensive applications that still demand highly reliable performance from a compact, economical digital signage player.

The Nano player integrates features including 64GB eMMC storage, 4GB LPDDR4 memory, and support for wired and wireless networking. It is powered by the Intel Apollo Lake Celeron N3350 Processor, and comes with a Kensington security port.

VITEC EZ TV EP5+

VITEC’s IPTV and Digital Signage Platform, called EZ TV, manages IP video content across any network to enhance communication for military, enterprise, and sports venues. Designed to scale to meet the requirements of any size deployment, it is managed from a centralized server, and the Digital Signage module is robust enough to support the most advanced signage workflows.

The EZ TV platform uses hardware-based endpoints to deliver IP video in HD or 4K, and will work on mobile devices and PC browsers connected on the network. The new EZ TV EP5+ player is a 4K enabled, multi-display device that can send four HDMI signals for a single image to span any 4x screen configuration. This single-device solution is engineered to replace the need for a video wall processor or multiple discreet devices, enabling small-scale video wall deployments that reduce both cost and complexity.

The What: PureLink has announced the VIP-NET-0802PP-1G Media Hub, a new generation Cat/Fiber switch purpose-designed for AV-over-IP applications. 

The What Else: Enhancing performance and simplifying the management of IP video matrix switching systems, the VIP-NET-0802-1G features Jumbo Frames and IGMP v1/v2/v3 Snooping. The eight RJ45 ports and two flexible RJ45/SFP ports provided by VIP-NET-0802PP-1G makes a great fit for applications that do not require high port counts provided in our 24 and 48 port models.

Related: The Technology Manager's Guide to the State of AV Over IP 

The Bottom Line: The VIP-NET-0802PP-1G provides a rugged, high-quality solution with PoE+ for many markets, such as houses of worship, huddle rooms, and small businesses.

The What: PureLink has launched Media Axis—a wholly proprietary 21st century Ultra HD signal distribution system. Media Axis is the industry’s first large-scale signal management solution to support Ultra HD/4K60 4:4:4 via both native and IP architectures interchangeably, according to the company.

The What Else: Media Axis offers fully modular and scalable systems with frame sizes from 20x20 to 216x216, utilizing its unique Omni-Flex design featuring hot-swappable I/O cards, MCU, AirLift cooling units, and power supplies.

"Media Axis takes Ultra HD signal distribution to the next level, merging native and IP architectures, while delivering HDMI 2.0, HDBaseT, Fiber, 12G-SDI, and IP all together on a single purebred platform," said Howard Schilling, director of sales at PureLink. "In the midst of the video-over-IP revolution that has created as much confusion as anything else, Media Axis delivers on the clear path the industry has been waiting for—a new breed of Ultra HD signal distribution that truly changes the game.”

The Bottom Line: Together with full-featured 4K/60 4:4:4 media processing and auto-scaling powered by the company’s proprietary Motore 2.0 processor, Media Axis delivers an adaptable, forward-thinking solution designed to meet the needs of any application and infrastructure.