Systems Contract News October 2026 by publications

YOUR INSIDER BUSINESS RESOURCE FOR MORE THAN 30 YEARS

NAVIGATING THE SQUEEZE

Reduced RF Spectrum Resources Impact Pro AV Wireless Microphones AVNETWORK.COM

OCTOBER 2026

26 The Battery, Uninterrupted

Chris Bishop calculates how Li-ion changes your UPS math.

36 The Future Is Heard, Not Seen

Jens Pilz talks audio tech transforming corporate spaces.

42 Cameras On, People

Andie Mace says never showing your face sends the wrong signal.

9000

YOUR INSIDER BUSINESS RESOURCE FOR MORE THAN 30 YEARS

NAVIGATING THE SQUEEZE

Reduced RF Spectrum Resources Impact Pro AV Wireless Microphones AVNETWORK.COM

OCTOBER 2026

26 The Battery, Uninterrupted

Chris Bishop calculates how Li-ion changes your UPS math.

36 The Future Is Heard, Not Seen

Jens Pilz talks audio tech transforming corporate spaces.

42 Cameras On, People

Andie Mace says never showing your face sends the wrong signal.

CONTENTS

Navigating the Squeeze

Spectrum concerns continue to impact the state of wireless microphones in Pro AV. By James Careless

Business

The Integration Guide to NDI

24 Protecting the Voice

30 A Shared Language of Connectivity

Source separation is the next frontier in live and

Metadata is the quiet differentiator behind NDI’s next

installed audio.

chapter.

By Ryan John

By Roberto Musso

25 1 SOUND Helps Bring Experiential Exhibit to Life The Old South Meeting House never sounded so good.

26 The Battery, Uninterrupted Here’s why lithium-ion is changing the math on your UPS investment. By Chris Bishop

28 Fiscal Fitness Can Be Fun The new MoMoney museum turns financial literacy into an experiential Pro AV playground. By James Careless

Technology 34 Predicting the Invisible Audio mapping software provides a design superpower for acoustic engineers. By James Careless

36 The Future Is Heard, Not Seen New audio technologies are transforming corporate spaces. By Jens Pilz

38 Uncomplicated Videoconferencing Jabra keeps it simple with the PanaCast U30 videobar, but there are advanced capabilities if you want them. By Mark J. Pescatore

39 Audio Clarity for Content Creators Shure’s new MV88-USBC is an ideal replacement for your phone’s built-in mic—and then some. By Mark J. Pescatore

Viewpoint 42 Cameras On, People In today’s work environment, never showing your face is sending the wrong signal. By Andie Mace

Departments 4 SYSTEMS CHECK 6 NEWS

16 NEWSMAKERS 40 PRODUCTS

Vol. 33 No. 10 October 2026 Systems Contractor News (ISSN 1078-4993) is published monthly by Future B2B. 130 W. 42nd St, 7th Floor, NY NY 10036. Periodicals postage paid at New York, NY and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to PO Box 254 Lowell MA 01853. Subscribe online at www.MySCNews.com. Please allow 6-8 weeks for address changes to take effect. © Copyright 2026 by Future US, Inc. PRINTED IN U.S.A.

avnetwork.com // October 2026 // SCN

SYSTEMS CHECK avnetwork.com

MARK J. PESCATORE Content Director

mark.pescatore@futurenet.com

Failure Is Not an Option, Except When It Comes to Meeting Technology

he modern office is not the same as or equal to NASA Mission Control during the Apollo 13 mission in 1970. As much as we’d all like to think failure is not an option, the research says otherwise. And those failures come at a cost.

In late July, the Jabra Research Institute published “The Cost of Bad Meetings,”

which shared findings from a study of 2,671 knowledge workers from seven different FACEBOOK

facebook.com/ systemscontractor

countries. You can review the methodology to see how Jabra calculated the numbers, but the company estimated that bad meeting culture carries a price tag of more than $130 million per year for enterprise businesses. It’s not like those wasted dollars are monetized by tossing $20 in the company swear jar every time there’s a %$#@! meeting issue. No, these are hidden costs that you won’t

LINKEDIN linkedin.com/company/ systems-contractor-news

find on the books. They come from “wasted time, technology failures, and the downstream work that bad meetings generate.” Jabra calls this “meeting debt,” and the numbers aren’t good. Let’s check out some of the damning bullet points:

• Workers are averaging a full working day in meetings every week (only 7.7 hours

X x.com/scnmag

in the United States, a small win). The larger the company, the more time in

meetings. Workers consider almost 60% of time spent in meetings unnecessary.

• About 87% of workers dread meetings, and more than 90% of those workers

leave meetings without clear action items. And that lack of direction leads to— you guessed it—a follow-up meeting. Cue vicious cycle.

• Roughly half of remote workers feel excluded or talked over, with more women reporting worse experiences than men. Plus, remote workers who feel talked over are much more likely to dread meetings. Those are some pretty high corporate culture hurdles to clear. But technology isn’t without fault, either. Virtual collaboration may be the norm for today’s meetings, but respondents said three out of four meetings experience at least one tech failure. Hybrid meetings can be particularly problematic. “Meeting failure is not random,” Jabra declared. “It is patterned, predictable, and overwhelmingly concentrated in the same places, the same formats, and the same broken conditions, meeting after meeting, week after week.” Ouch, tell me how you really feel. What’s wrong? Mic problems are at the top of the list, no matter the size of the meeting room—and the larger the room, the more time is lost to tech failures. Jabra’s research concluded that 37% of meetings start late, and every meeting loses almost 11 minutes on average to technological failures. Video is abandoned in 30% of meetings, and 21% of meetings are moved during the actual meeting to another room. All those problems and the corresponding workarounds to get those meetings back on track are

OCTOBER 2026 VOL. 33 NO. 10 CONTENT

Content Director Mark J. Pescatore, Ph.D. mark.pescatore@futurenet.com Senior Content Manager Wayne Cavadi Contributors Chris Bishop, Erin Budnik, James Careless, Ryan John, Andie Mace, Roberto Musso, Jens Pilz Art Editors Rob Crossland, Sam Richwood Production Managers Nicole Schilling, Heather Tatrow A DV E R T I S I N G S A L E S

Managing Vice President of Sales, B2B Tech Adam Goldstein, adam.goldstein@futurenet.com, 212-378-0465 Sales John Casey, john.casey@futurenet.com, 845-678-3839 Janis Crowley, janis.crowley@futurenet.com, 845-414-6791 Debbie Rosenthal, debbie.rosenthal@futurenet.com, 212-378-0468 Zahra Majma, zahra.majma@futurenet.com, 845-678-3752 Andi Tureson, andi.tureson@futurenet.com, 646-544-0007 SUBSCRIBER CUSTOMER SERVICE

To subscribe, change your address, or check on your current account status, go to avnetwork.com and click on About Us, email futureplc@computerfulfillment. com, call 888-266-5828, or write P.O. Box 254, Lowell, MA 01853. LICENSING/REPRINTS/PERMISSIONS

SCN is available for licensing. Contact the Licensing team to discuss partnership opportunities. Head of Print Licensing Rachel Shaw licensing@futurenet.com M A N AG E M E N T

SVP, MD, B2B Amanda Dawrman-Allen VP, Global Head of Content, B2B Carmel King MD, Content, AV Anthony Savona VP, Global Head of Sales, Future B2B Dena Malouf Managing VP of Sales, B2B Tech Adam Goldstein VP, Global Head of Strategy & Ops, B2B Allison Markert VP, Product & Marketing, B2B Andrew Buchholz Head of Production US & UK Mark Constance Head of Design, B2B Nicole Cobban FUTURE US, INC.

130 West 42nd Street, 7th Floor New York, NY 10036

really only successful in creating more dread. Perhaps the most puzzling takeaway is that organizations just sort of accept it. The sky is blue, the trees are green, your meeting is going to start late, and there will be technical issues. Inefficiency is the norm, and because no one “owns” the conference room, the problems don’t seem to get fixed. Jabra calls it the “invisible broken room.” It’s a great term, though I wish it was a term that didn’t have to exist. AI isn’t leaving unscathed, either. The good news is that AI meeting tools had been tried by 75% of the respondents for tasks like post-meeting summaries, follow-up emails, live transcription, and auto action items. The bad news is that less than 33% use them regularly. What’s the disconnect? The top barrier is accuracy/trust (42%), with privacy/compliance not far behind (39%). Yes, companies of all sizes need to reevaluate meetings. What are they being used for? Could the meeting objectives be better met through an email, DM, or team chat? But correcting corporate communication patterns only takes you so far. When a meeting is necessary, we need to make sure the technology isn’t making the experience dreadful.

SCN // October 2026 // avnetwork.com

All contents ©2026 Future US, Inc. or published under licence. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be used, stored, transmitted or reproduced in any way without the prior written permission of the publisher. Future Publishing Limited (company number 2008885) is registered in England and Wales. Registered office: Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA. All information contained in this publication is for information only and is, as far as we are aware, correct at the time of going to press. Future cannot accept any responsibility for errors or inaccuracies in such information. You are advised to contact manufacturers and retailers directly with regard to the price of products/services referred to in this publication. Apps and websites mentioned in this publication are not under our control. We are not responsible for their contents or any other changes or updates to them. This magazine is fully independent and not affiliated in any way with the companies mentioned herein. If you submit material to us, you warrant that you own the material and/or have the necessary rights/ permissions to supply the material and you automatically grant Future and its licensees a licence to publish your submission in whole or in part in any/all issues and/or editions of publications, in any format published worldwide and on associated websites, social media channels and associated products. Any material you submit is sent at your own risk and, although every care is taken, neither Future nor its employees, agents, subcontractors or licensees shall be liable for loss or damage. We assume all unsolicited material is for publication unless otherwise stated, and reserve the right to edit, amend, adapt all submissions. Please Recycle. We are committed to only using magazine paper which is derived from responsibly managed, certified forestry and chlorine-free manufacture. The paper in this magazine was sourced and produced from sustainable managed forests, conforming to strict environmental and socioeconomic standards.

NEWS

Ben Sewell

LED Studio North America Rebrands as VOD Visual North America

n August, LED Studio North America rebranded to

seamless. The core North American team, ongoing

VOD Visual North America. Driven by accelerat-

projects, and established relationships remain

ing momentum across the continent, the tran-

unchanged, while outward-facing communications

sition formalized a deep operational partnership

and digital assets will gradually migrate to updated

with global LED display manufacturer VOD Visual to

branding, emails, and web channels.

significantly scale manufacturing, engineering, and localized support across the region. The expansion is anchored by 56,000 square feet

“We’re watching project scale and volume grow incredibly fast, and the reality is that design teams and integration partners just can’t afford to wait on

OWC Acquisition Expands Shared Storage Portfolio

of new infrastructure, featuring a primary operation

long-distance logistics or remote tech support,” said

facility and product showroom in Sacramento, CA, as

Ben Sewell, CEO of VOD Visual North America. “This

well as a dedicated secondary showroom in San

transition is all about closing that distance figuratively

Antonio, TX. The Sacramento hub will also house

and literally. By tightening our alignment with VOD

Last month, Other World Computing announced

advanced engineering resources and a dedicated

Visual and opening the new California facility and

the acquisition of OpenDrives, a company

domestic RMA repair and service center designed to

showrooms, we’re able to hand our partners next-

focused on software-defined video and rich

significantly reduce turnaround times and streamline

generation global products paired with the immediate,

media storage management solutions and data

post-sale support for North American clients.

local engineering depth they need to execute.”

services. OWC’s acquisition of LumaForge and

As VOD Visual North America, the company now

its Jellyfish product line in 2021 gave customers

operates as a true full-service LED solutions

a broader range of high-speed shared storage

provider—combining global manufacturing power

solutions purpose-built for professional video

with a deeply rooted, on-the-ground infrastructure to

workflows. The addition of OpenDrives’

serve as the region’s headquarters, sales arm, and

solutions expands OWC’s shared storage

integration partner. For existing customers and

portfolio reach into enterprise-scale data

integration partners, the transition will be entirely

management, hybrid cloud orchestration, and edge workflows.

D-Tools and Portal.io Merge

OpenDrives’ Atlas data storage and management platform has been used extensively by Hollywood studios, postproduction houses, and live broadcast networks

-Tools and Portal.io have merged, a move

Rather than force every customer into a single system,

since 2011. In April, the OpenDrives Edge hybrid

that unites two widely used software plat-

D-Tools and Portal.io will continue to support each

cloud-edge performance accelerator was

forms serving commercial, residential, and

platform while working with integrators to match the

announced, providing widely distributed teams

right software to their needs.

“local speed” data access without the high costs

security AV professionals. Together, the companies give integrators a portfolio of purpose-built products

G Paul Hess continues as CEO, while Kirk Chisholm,

and complexity involved with traditional hybrid

that scale with their business, from proposal through

founder and CEO of Portal.io, joins as chief product

cloud workflows. Plus, the Astraeus cloud-

enterprise deployment.

officer, with responsibility for product vision and

native data services platform, which was

For nearly three decades, D-Tools has been an

strategy across the portfolio. Josh Willits, Portal.io’s

released in beta mode for early adopters in late

anchor platform for the integration industry, building

COO, will serve as head of Portal.io, continuing to lead

2025, will have an updated release in 2027.

the breadth and scale integration businesses need to

the Portal business unit.

bring structure, accuracy, and control to their operations

“Putting our two teams together is a real chance to

“OWC has always been about removing the barriers between people and their creative

across sales, system design, engineering, project

shape where this industry goes and to build what dealers

work,” said Larry O’Connor, OWC’s founder and

management, and procurement. Portal.io has spent 15

have always wanted,” Chisholm said. “In a world of AI,

CEO. “Bringing OpenDrives into OWC allows us

years understanding how dealers sell and turning that

an integrator should be able to run their entire business

to take that mission further by connecting the

insight into an intuitive proposal and catalog experience.

on software that is powerful,

high-performance storage and workflow

The two companies have been partners for more

beautiful, and intuitive all at

solutions our customers rely on with powerful

than a decade, since Portal.io’s managed product

once. If you had to handpick

software-defined data management services,

catalog was first integrated into D-Tools SI. Bringing

two companies to deliver on

giving customers a more seamless way to

the organizations together reflects a recognition that

that, it would be D-Tools and

capture, create, collaborate, and access their

integrators are better served by one team investing in

Portal.io. That is the

content wherever their work takes them.”

the tools they depend on every day than by two teams

company I want to build, and it is

solving the same problems twice. The acquisition was

why I am excited to take on product

announced in August.

for the combined organization.”

For customers, there is no forced migration and no plans to end-of-life any product currently offered.

SCN // October 2026 // avnetwork.com

Kirk Chisholm

Connect

DO THE IMPOSSIBLE. Infinite Possibilities: now AI-Agent Ready

AI Technology Powering the Next Generation of AVoIP Distribution DisplayNet Signal Distribution has redefined the apex of AVoIP performance with a powerful AI-ready control interface that enables definition and deployment of complex AVoIP systems in minutes using natural-language instructions and with no prior knowledge of the underlying API. DisplayNet is the first AV-over-IP system to ship native Model Context Protocol (MCP) support, making it directly controllable by Claude, OpenAI Codex, Google Antigravity, or any MCPcompatible AI agent out of the box. The DN-300 Series, DisplayNet’s award-winning endpoints, deliver flawless 4K/60 (4:4:4) video distribution with limitless scalability, zero-frame latency and zero image artifacts. These features allow system designers to deploy highly versatile AV signal distribution systems with robust performance, scalability, versatility and reliability at a fraction of the cost of traditional AVoIP systems. Contact us today to see how DisplayNet can move your next AV system into the future.

ZERO COMPROMISE – INFINITE POSSIBILITIES

NEWS

WAVIT Reinvents Mentorship with Wave of Influence Women in AV/IT (WAVIT) has unveiled its reimagined Wave of Influence Mentorship Program with a bold new vision for mentorship that empowers women across AV/IT to build meaningful connections and grow through every stage of their career. Unlike traditional mentorship programs that pair one mentor with one mentee for a predetermined period, the Wave of Influence embraces a fresh, member-driven approach. Participants have the freedom to connect with

FORTÉ Acquires Vega Global, Adds to International Footprint

multiple mentors, mentees, and peers based on

By Mark J. Pescatore

However, Stoebner expects it will likely take close to

different stages of professional development.

a year to change the name. During the transition, it

Recognizing this shift, WAVIT reimagined its

will be known as Vega Global, A FORTÉ Company.

mentorship program to create a more flexible,

Pro AV integrator that started in a small

Steven Medeiros, who currently leads Vega, will

personalized, and collaborative community

city in North Dakota back in 1974 has

remain with the company as CEO of FORTÉ Asia.

experience that better reflects today’s workforce.

their goals, interests, expertise, and career stage—creating flexible relationships that can last for a single conversation or continue for years. Careers are rarely linear, often requiring guidance from multiple perspectives throughout

expanded its global footprint in a big way.

Stoebner said FORTÉ specifically targeted Vega

FORTÉ, which recently announced plans to sepa-

because the company is “growing nicely in a market

who has all the answers. It’s about building a

rate from GPA at the end of the year, has acquired

that is growing nicely.” He said the APAC region will

community of people who encourage you,

Vega Global, a systems integrator with a significant

generate close to $200 million in Pro AV business this

challenge you, open doors, and help you discover

presence across the APAC region.

year, and Vega has been growing at a rate of 14% CAGR.

opportunities you may never have found on your

When it comes to multinational customers,

own,” said Brandy Alvarado-Miranda, founder of

Stoebner said the questions are less about the

WAVIT. “We understand that careers are built

FORTÉ acquired the international company in August through Chicago-based Baird Capital,

“Mentorship isn’t about finding one person

which acquired a majority stake in Vega

technology or even the price. Instead, it’s

through communities, not just connections. This

back in 2020. Terms of the acquisition

about coverage. “We’re working to

gives women the opportunity to build an entire

between the two private companies

build the answer for that type of

network of trusted advisors who can support them

were not disclosed. Jeff Stoebner,

customer, the global customer,”

through every stage of their professional journey.”

chairman and CEO of FORTÉ, told

he said.

The result of months of planning by WAVIT’s

SCN that while the company remains

While cloud-based solutions

committed to its local and regional

and AI are certainly impacting Pro

participants to build professional profiles

customers, this move “accelerates

AV deployments, Stoebner argued

highlighting their expertise, interests, and career

our ambition of being as close to our

most of the customer investment is

goals, as well as receive more meaningful mentor

still in hardware. “There’s a physical

and mentee recommendations, track mentorship

global customers as possible.” With the acquisition, FORTÉ now has team members in more than 20 countries and

Jeff Stoebner

offers AV solutions and managed services in

Outreach Committee, the new program enables

nature to what we do,” he explained.

goals and professional milestones, access

“There’s a lot of hardware … and that

mentorship best practices and educational

hardware requires technicians to integrate

resources, and develop multiple mentoring

more than 70 major markets. Based in Minneapolis,

and support. What’s been true for a long time is you

relationships that evolve throughout their careers.

FORTÉ is already established in Germany, Ireland,

have to have people, trucks, and tools as close to the

Mentors also remain fully in control of their

Mexico, Sweden, and the United Kingdom, in addition

customer as possible.”

to 42 office locations in the United States. Now, it adds

With the Vega acquisition, FORTÉ is building

participation, choosing their availability, session frequency, scheduling preferences, and level of

offices in Australia, Mainland China, Hong Kong,

a model where it can better manage the quality of

involvement, making it easier than ever for

India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Macau, Malaysia, New

its global delivery of services. Stoebner said the

experienced professionals to give back without

Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan,

company learned a lot from its partnership with GPA

feeling overwhelmed.

Thailand, United Arab Emirates, and Vietnam.

over the past six years—but now it’s focused on

Vega brings more than 750 employees to FORTÉ, growing the company’s workforce by roughly 50%. According to Stoebner, plans call for adding more

applying that knowledge and investing in its own infrastructure. “We want to enhance the customer experience

technicians to Vega operations in the near future.

end-to-end under the FORTÉ brand,” Stoebner

“I’m excited about growing a global brand,” he added.

added. “This acquisition is not the end of our

Eventually, Vega will adopt the FORTÉ brand.

SCN // October 2026 // avnetwork.com

journey, but it is another important milestone.”

NEWS The Lightning Society is using Sonos audio solutions in unique spaces across multiple floors.

Sonos Audio Sparks Connection at Lightning Society By Wayne Cavadi

problems, gets out of the way, and lets human experience take center stage.”

There were unique challenges inherent to the

Eight Era 100 Pro speakers make up a zoned system, distributed with PoE throughout the third floor, which features and reading room and a coffee bar. There is also a listening room that utilizes Era 300 speakers, in-ceiling speakers, subwoofers, and a Sonos Arc Ultra soundbar housed in a Leon Tonecase. The fourth floor is broken up into experience rooms, including a spatial audio listening room, conference room with ARC theater, audiophile

ocated in Soho’s cast-iron district, Lightning

project, one of which was the building itself. Being 100

listening space, and micro theater with a 100-inch

Society is a New York City-based community

years old meant architectural integrity was top of

screen and Sonos powering a massive width-matched

that, according to its website, is a “play-

mind. For OneButton, this challenge wasn’t too

soundbar. The top floor is an intimate members’

ground for the intellectually adventurous.” From live

different from other projects, as every building

space where Sonos Five wireless speakers are hidden

music to immersive events, the Society’s home on

presents its own challenges; this one happened to be

throughout the space at waist level, making music a

45 Howard Street is aimed at sparking connection,

dealing with century-old architecture.

character in the conversation between members.

curiosity, and wellness amongst its members. Audio

“[We] took advantage of the new Era 100 Pro PoE

Emmi said the scenic rooftop utilizes outdoor

plays a big role in bringing members together, and

solution to maintain signal integrity to every speaker

speakers mounted to a broad pergola, keeping

the new home of Lightning Society turned to Sonos

without having to resort to 70V transformers,” Emmi

members cozy by the fire pit and gardens.

to amplify that sound.

explained. “Further, this optimized wire pulls and

The project, which not only spans multiple floors

While there is still work to be completed in some

minimal power requirements, which is helpful given

of the more specialized spaces before Lightning

but a variety of spaces, commenced at the beginning of

we could only pull wire through specific channels

Society is fully open, all the user feedback has

the year with the ballroom; however, per Matt Emmi,

between historic pillars and beams.”

confirmed that Sonos and OneButton checked the

founder of OneButton, the technology design firm

According to Heckl, product selection was achieved

right boxes. “The early results have been

selected for the project, it is still a work in progress.

through a collaborative process that helped identify

overwhelmingly positive,” Heckl said. “The

“We are still finalizing the adaptive [circadian]

how the expansive venue would be used, as each space

Lightning Society is not yet in full-time regular use,

lighting scope, but the core audio scope is complete,”

accommodates a variety of uses within it. On top of that,

but the wide range of events that have taken place

he explained. “That said, there is now a desire for

the system would have operators with varying degrees

have gone extremely well.”

‘concert-quality’ sound, so we are looking at further

of audio expertise. With no complicated programming

incorporating subwoofers into the architecture. The

or end user training required, Sonos was an ideal

remainder of the floors, which are focused on

system choice.

members’ areas and activities, will come online over the next few months.” When it came to what audio solutions would be used,

Yet another challenge surrounding the architecture was that the hardware also had to fit each physical space. “In some cases, those decisions were driven by a

there was little question Sonos was the right fit. It was a

scarcity of electrical outlets, whereas in others,

shared vision that brought it all together. Per Emmi,

decisions were made to adhere to a strict aesthetic

Sonos was the only vendor that could elegantly provide

mandate,” Heckl said.

the breadth of experiences Lightning Society desired. “The Lightning Society, Sonos, and OneButton all

Per OneButton, the team took a residential approach with the Sonos Amp Multi—the new Sonos multi-

similarly consider people and connection first,”

channel amp—powering 16 invisible speakers in the

explained Luke Heckl, commercial sales manager,

second-floor ballroom. Amp Multi provides flexibility to

Americas at Sonos. “With that, there was an elevated

manage multiple speakers while simplifying the Sonos

focus on experience rather than purely focusing on the

audio ecosystem. The ballroom has already hosted a

technology or products, which we are all prone to do in

Sonos launch event, showcasing high-quality audio

this industry. At its core, the design always revolved

throughout the entire room while keeping the

around the user experience. Technology solves

loudspeakers hidden within the architecture.

SCN // October 2026 // avnetwork.com

The Lightning Society hosts a variety of events at its Lower Manhattan location.

NEWS

The recent 9/11 Memorial Museum AV upgrade included a complete end-to-end 4K production workflow.

9/11 Memorial Museum Turns to AVoIP for 25th Anniversary By Wayne Cavadi

original AV infrastructure was designed around traditional point-to-point architecture, using

Fernando Mora

When Mora and his team began to consider an

HDBaseT as the primary media transport technology.

upgrade to the core AV

ocated at the World Trade Center site in Lower

“When the museum was designed in the early 2010s,

infostructure in 2019, many of

Manhattan where the towers once stood, the

this was the correct approach at that time,” he told

the AVoIP standards were still similar to each other, so

National September 11 Memorial & Museum

SCN. “It continued to serve us well for many years.”

there was no need to quickly jump to an upgrade. The

(9/11 Memorial Museum) forms the centerpiece of the

The need to replace HDBaseT did not drive the

strategy, he explained, became deliberate, to “wait for

9/11 Memorial. As the 25th anniversary of the terror-

upgrade; rather, it was the realization that AVoIP

the technology and the market to mature, while

ist attacks neared, the museum underwent a massive

offered capabilities beyond basic video transport.

watching to see which platforms emerged as the

upgrade, primarily focused on strengthening the

“Ultimately, its distributed nature allowed us to build a

dominant players. HDBaseT was still performing very

backend infrastructure, improving system reliability,

master control room which became the orchestration

well for us, so the question became: What’s the rush?”

and creating a more stable technology platform.

layer for our entire venue,” he explained. “From this

Another factor that influenced the upgrade was

central location we can manage and monitor all

existing technology. The museum was already largely a

entrance pavilion and atrium providing the transition

The museum lies below the plaza, with the

aspects of our exhibitions systems, live production,

Crestron house, which, as Mora explained, made the

from the city to the historic site below. Above this area

digital signage, and UC meeting platforms utilizing live

evolution toward Crestron NVX a logical path. “All our

is the auditorium with nearby ramps leading visitors

CCTV cameras, custom Q-SYS dashboard UCIs, and

technicians are either programmers or DMC-E-NVX,”

down approximately 70 feet to the original foundation

Symphony monitoring software.”

he said. “It allowed us to move into AV over IP while

level of the World Trade Center complex. From there,

building upon technology, programming expertise, and

visitors enter exhibition galleries where the South and

support for this new infrastructure.”

North Towers once stood.

After the 20th anniversary, Mora and his team—

Within the South Tower footprint is the Memorial

lead technician and in-house programmer Kelman

Exhibition, a space dedicated to remembering the

Torres, technician Jermaine Morgan, and auditorium

nearly 3,000 people killed in the attacks of Sept. 11,

production technician Jose Rosa—embarked on the

2001, and Feb. 26, 1993. The North Tower footprint

five-year overhaul of the museum’s infrastructure, all

contains the Museum’s Historical Exhibition, which

while the museum remained open and operational.

presents the events of 9/11, organized into three

Wheels started rolling in 2023 with the modernization

primary sections that explore the chronological

of the museum’s DSP infrastructure.

timeline of the horrific events of the day, events

“We migrated from a CobraNet-based Layer 2

leading up to the attacks, and the heroic rescue and recovery efforts. According to Fernando Mora, VP of AV and multimedia for the 9/11 Memorial Museum, the

SCN // October 2026 // avnetwork.com

audio architecture to a Layer 3, IP-based Q-SYS Located below the plaza, the 9/11 Memorial Museum includes exhibits that explore the events of the day.

processing platform,” Mora explained. “During the planning and development phase, I decided to expand the scope of the project to include modernization of our

NEWS control system, incorporating Q-SYS Control as part of

expected,” Mora explained. “When the museum is

the overall deployment.”

closed, the opposite may be true. Many of our CPU-

The extensive upgrade also included a focus on AV

based exhibits are intentionally shut down overnight,

transport to AVoIP in the exhibition areas, auditorium,

so an effective monitoring platform needs to

digital signage, and four classrooms. For the

understand that an offline device at 2 a.m. may be

auditorium, Mora said they created a complete

perfectly normal, while that same condition at 10 a.m.

end-to-end 4K production workflow. They replaced

could require immediate attention.”

the existing Crestron DM system with an NVX AVoIP

As 2026 began, the upgrade engulfed the museum’s

infrastructure, and installed a Christie 4K laser

collaboration and education spaces. “We upgraded all

projector, Panasonic 4K production cameras, Vizrt

four classrooms to support Microsoft Teams Rooms

TriCaster TC2 Elite switcher with 4K monitoring, and

using the Q-SYS UC platform, while our six corporate

DiGiCo audio console. To support the new AVoIP

conference rooms were upgraded with Neat Bar Pro

environment, Mora’s team deployed a NETGEAR

systems,” Mora added. “Most recently, we began

M4300 switch and engaged NETGEAR Professional

replacing our legacy exhibit media players with Hive

Services to assist with its configuration.

Media’s Osmia 4K players, further modernizing the

According to Mora, AVI-SPL’s Symphony was selected for monitoring the museum’s infrastructure

The 9/11 Memorial Museum includes artifacts from the fallen buildings, including a segment of the radio and television antenna from the North Tower.

content delivery side of the infrastructure.” For the 25th anniversary, a new exhibit, In Their

What began in late 2023 has evolved into a roughly three-year, phased modernization of the museum’s AV

because the museum wanted to move beyond

Honor, will debut. While that has what Mora calls a

ecosystem. “Rather than approaching it as a single

traditional monitoring toward a platform that gives

modest AV footprint, a live national primetime broadcast

replacement project, we deliberately addressed the

meaningful, actionable information about the health

from Memorial Plaza featuring the Tribute in Light

infrastructure in layers—audio processing and control

of the museum’s AV systems and the context in which

installation will showcase how the new infrastructure

first, followed by AV over IP transport, collaboration

they are operating.

supports an event with a worldwide audience.

spaces, and finally media playback,” Mora concluded.

“For example, when the museum is open, every

“On a personal level, Tribute in Light has always been

“That approach allowed us to modernize a large,

projector should be powered on, every media server

my favorite part of the commemoration,” Mora said.

operational facility while continuing to support the

should be in its appropriate run state, and the systems

“Seeing those two beams rise above the New York City

museum’s daily visitor experience and programming

supporting our exhibitions should be operating as

skyline is an incredibly powerful way to close the day.”

throughout the transition.”

avnetwork.com // October 2026 // SCN

NEWS From left, Noah Meicler, Marc Bertrand, and Skyler Meek

Great Expectations: Consumer Demand Is Driving Light Commercial Trend for Integrators

commercial installation. What changes is how we engineer and configure the solution for each specific application,” he added. Meek agreed that MicroLED is a “really natural” crossover product. “Whether it’s a luxury residence, sports bar, boardroom, nightclub, or hospitality space, the fundamental ask is becoming very similar: Give me a massive, beautiful image without forcing the room to compromise around the display.” However, the challenge is expertise. “Products like MicroLED can cross markets very easily,” Meek said, “but designing, specifying, installing, and supporting

By Mark J. Pescatore

between markets. In fact, many of the company’s

them correctly still requires specialized knowledge. I

residential dealers are brought into commercial projects

think manufacturers who can remove that complexity

by their homeowner clients.

for the integrator are going to play a big role in

s residential integrators gathered at CEDIA

“The video wall market really developed first in the

Expo last month in Denver, manufacturers

commercial world, so residential is just now seeing the

demonstrated solutions to help them expand

boom,” Meek explained. “What’s interesting is that the

residential space with the performance requirements of

their potential business opportunities into light com-

requirements are starting to converge, too. Residential

the commercial space, Meicler doesn’t want customers

mercial work.

clients want the scale, brightness, reliability, and

to have to choose. “A display can deliver incredible

performance that historically drove commercial video

visual impact without overpowering the room,” he

significant overlap between the residential and

wall adoption—but they expect it to be packaged in a

noted. “That’s one of the biggest advantages of dvLED.

commercial AV markets. “Technologies once reserved

way that belongs in a luxury home. Meanwhile,

We can create seamless displays in a wide range of sizes,

for large commercial environments are increasingly

commercial clients are increasingly concerned with

resolutions, and configurations that integrate naturally

finding their way into luxury homes, while residential

aesthetics, design, and creating an experience rather

into the architecture, rather than forcing the space to

expectations for exceptional design, simplicity, and

than simply putting a big display on a wall.”

accommodate a traditional display.”

Noah Meicler, president of DreamWall, is seeing

ease of use are influencing commercial projects as well,” he explained.

As to what’s driving the product overlap, Meek looks

accelerating the crossover.” As far as balancing the aesthetic needs of the

“This is a no-brainer for us,” Bertrand said,

to customer expectations. “A homeowner who has an

“because balancing the aesthetic needs of resi with

incredible AV experience at home expects the

the performance requirements of commercial is

Audio Design and Pro Audio Technology, has observed a

technology in their office to work just as seamlessly. And

exactly how Theory was conceived. You won’t find

consistent element of light commercial work through

a client who sees an enormous dvLED display in a

two sets of products in our catalog; every Theory

residential channels for decades. Light commercial

hospitality or entertainment environment starts asking,

speaker is specifically designed to address the needs

trends tend to be project-based, Bertrand said, so the

‘Why can’t I have that at home?’” he argued. “At the

of both segments.”

product areas follow the projects.

same time, integrators are looking for new categories

Marc Bertrand, chief strategy officer for Theory

“The growth is mainly driven by client

Meek said certainty is more important than either

where they can bring meaningful value and protect their

aesthetics or performance requirements. “None of the

relationships, customer referrals, and trust,” Bertrand

margins. That creates a natural opportunity for

things on a spec sheet matter if the wrong product

added. “There are some integrators and dealers in the CI

residential integrators to follow their existing clients

shows up, the wall isn’t designed or installed correctly,

channel that are strategically building their commercial

into commercial projects and vice versa.”

or there isn’t a real plan for commissioning, service, and

departments, which then propels them into more

For DreamWall, Meicler said the crossover

long-term support,” he argued. “That’s especially true

between markets is a natural fit. “The same core

with MicroLED, because there are so many places where

MicroLED technology can serve a home theater,

a project can go sideways before the wall ever turns on.

residential market, but Skyler Meek, chief marketing

outdoor entertainment area, corporate boardroom,

“So, for us, whether it’s residential or commercial, the

officer, said video walls are showing the most overlap

hospitality environment, retail space, or large-scale

goal is to remove as much uncertainty as possible.”

commercial opportunities.” Just Video Walls is still focused heavily on the

SCN // October 2026 // avnetwork.com

NEWS

almost five points to 56.4, with only 9.5% of respondents saying hiring new employees is a top challenge. U.S. employers added 162,000 jobs, the strongest monthly gain since March and far above economist expectations, and the unemployment rate remained at 4.1%, indicating a relatively stable labor market. “Everyone is busy. Can’t hire quickly enough,”

August Shows Modest Pro AV Growth Amid Tariffs, Costs, and Uneven Demand By Erin Budnik

growth of the industry. Demand for experiential environments, live

shared an AV provider in North America. “The backlog is shrinking, but the pipeline is getting full.” The Pro AV Business Index report is derived from a monthly survey of the AVIXA Insights Community, a research community of industry members that tracks business trends in commercial AV. The report comprises two diffusion indexes: the AV Sales Index (AVI-S) and the AV Employment Index (AVI-E). In each case, an index above 50 indicates an increase in sales or employment activity. Visit www.avixa.org/AVindex to access the free

events, broadcast-related AV, and customer

monthly Pro-AV Business Index reports and learn

he AV Sales Index (AVI-S) for August

experience technology remained key growth areas.

more about the methodology. For more information

increased almost 3 points to 55.6. While still

Integrators continued to find opportunities where

about joining the AVIXA Insights Community, visit

showing expansion growth, the AVI-S is down

organizations are investing to improve employee

www.avixa.org/AVIP.

and customer experience.

Erin Budnik is the manager of market insight for

one point compared to a year ago. Rising costs, inflation, and the political situation continue to stunt the

The August AV Employment Index (AVI-E) rose

AVIXA.

PEOPLE NEWSMAKERS BOSE PROFESSIONAL

ALMO PRO AV expanded its

market technology strategy,

welcomed Dublin-based

leadership team with two internal

helping clients anticipate market

PEATS WHOLESALE, a

promotions and one executive

shifts, strengthen technical

consumer technology and

appointment. The leadership

capabilities, and navigate an

AV distribution company,

advancements include JANE

increasingly connected

TRAN, VP of growth marketing,

to its growing network of distributors. For the

technology landscape. Mello and

LIZ WHEELER, director of

Rob Mello

will be able to visit the Peats Wholesale

business development, and

three main priorities: delivering consistent quality at

Experience Centre and listen to the full lineup

JAMES SALTER, VP of vendor

a global scale, creating long-term client value, and

of Bose Professional solutions. Alongside its

marketing. Tran leads Almo Pro

driving intelligent service operations.

extensive product portfolio, Peats provides

AV’s marketing strategy to help

end-to-end technical expertise, including

attract new customers while

KMH INTEGRATION is expanding

system design, product training, and after-

strengthening existing

its ability to serve media,

relationships. Wheeler leads a

broadcast, and IT organizations

team of business development

by adding KEITH HANADEL, an

CODA AUDIO USA continues its rapid expansion

managers and helps shape the

accomplished architect with

in the U.S. professional audio market with the

strategic direction of the

decades of industry experience.

appointment of five new rep firms.

company’s business development

Keith Hanadel

MULTIPOINT INTEGRATED TECHNOLOGIES

organization. Salter brings more

architectural design and team leadership to KMH’s

than 20 years of experience in the

total project management platform reinforces the

Pro AV and technology industries

company’s position as a systems integrator with the

first time in Ireland, integrators and end users

sales support across multiple sectors.

Jane Tran

Liz Wheeler

represent CODA in Texas, Louisiana,

the new practice will focus on

The addition of in-house

Oklahoma, Delaware, Washington DC,

James Salter

Maryland, Western Pennsylvania, and Virginia

to lead the company’s vendor marketing group,

planning, technology, design, engineering, and

Beach, while FREQUENCY SALES will take care

working closely with manufacturer partners to

execution expertise needed to bring projects of any

of Illinois and Wisconsin. UC TECHNOLOGY

strengthen strategic relationships.

scope from “concept to completion.”

PARTNERS will take the reins in Connecticut, Rhode Island, Vermont, Maine,

ANALOG WAY has added ANDY

M&W PRO AUDIO has appointed

Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Upstate

TOWERS as western regional

JAY SCHLABS as chief revenue

New York, with CALIBER SALES looking after

sales manager. Towers brings

officer. Schlabs brings more than

Florida. Completing the new lineup is

more than 15 years of business

two decades of leadership

BASSETT SALES CORPORATION, which will

development and global sales

experience in professional audio,

operate in Hawaii, Northern California, and

strategies experience to the

Northern Nevada.

Andy Towers

company, with vast experience in

global sales strategy, channel Jay Schlabs

development, and consumer

image processing and dvLED technology. Prior to

products as the company prepares for the launch of its

SFM was appointed the Canadian distributor

coming on board, he spent three years as sales-senior

first generation of products. Schlabs began his career in

for NEAT. The agreement enables SFM to bring

applications specialist at Christie Digital Systems.

professional audio as national sales manager at Mackie

Neat’s portfolio to market across Canada,

Earlier, Towers served in regional sales management

Designs. He later joined inMusic Brands as executive

providing resellers and system integrators

at Delta Electronics and Jupiter Systems, as well as an

director of sales. Most recently, Schlabs served as senior

with direct access to Neat’s video collaboration

account manager at AVDG.

director of e-commerce at PetSafe Brands.

solutions, which address the full spectrum of deployment environments—from personal

ATLASIED has appointed PIETER

NEAT has appointed SANDEEP

workspaces and intimate huddle rooms to

CLAES as director of sales-EMEA.

MEHRA as SVP and general

mid-size meeting rooms and large-scale

In this role, Claes assists with

manager of International. Mehra

conference facilities. SFM brings specialized

AtlasIED’s expansion in EMEA by

drives market expansion,

knowledge of the Canadian AV and UC

strengthening relationships with

commercial execution, and

landscape, an established national distribution

local customers, channel

strategic partner ecosystems

network, and long-standing relationships

Pieter Claes

across the AV and IT channel.

representatives across the region. He also collaborates

Africa, and the Asia-Pacific regions. A 20-year

with AtlasIED’s sales team, independent manufacturer

industry veteran across SaaS, video collaboration, and

representatives, and key channel partners to expand

enterprise technology, Mehra has scaled businesses

ADVANCED SYSTEMS GROUP

market opportunities and drive growth across

from early-stage startups to multi-billion-dollar

(ASG) appointed ERAN

strategically targeted verticals. Claes joins AtlasIED

global operations. He spent over a decade at Cisco in

BINYAMIN ZEITOUN as senior

with more than 15 years of experience in Pro AV sales

senior leadership roles spanning sales, engineering,

technical program manager after

and channel development.

and go-to-market.

partners, and sales

Sandeep Mehra

across Europe, the Middle East,

a 27-year career with Dalet Digital Media Systems. Zeitoun is

DIVERSIFIED appointed PETE

As John Rudolph prepares to step

tasked with leading a new ASG

EMMINGER as global CTO and

down after three decades of

business initiative focused on

ROB MELLO as VP-global

leadership at PCD, he named

enterprise media asset management and storage

managed services to lead the new

industry veteran HAL TRUAX as

systems, newsroom computer systems (NRCS), and

Global Managed Services

the company’s new president.

media infrastructure solutions for broadcasters and

Practice. Emminger is leading

Eran Binyamin Zeitoun

media organizations.

SCN // October 2026 // avnetwork.com

Pete Emminger

the company’s global go-to-

Founded in 1980 by Henry Hal Truax

Beaumont, Rudolph joined the

PEOPLE NEWSMAKERS

Flynn Kelly

company in 1999 and helped

WILL LUNDY has joined PLANAR

role, Peterson supports customers

transform PCD into a full-

as regional account manager for

across the region with workflow

service AV systems integrator.

Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama,

consultation, presales guidance,

Now, Truax assumes the role

Mississippi, and Louisiana.

onboarding, and product

after joining PCD as VP in early

Based in Nashville, he is

development insights. Peterson

2025. With more than 30 years of

responsible for driving sales and supporting reseller partners and

brings more than 34 years of

Pro AV experience, Truax brings

Will Lundy

a unique combination of

customers throughout the region. Lundy has built a

with a career defined by deep technical expertise and a

technical expertise and

strong foundation in technical expertise, customer

strong commitment to customer success. He has

customer-first leadership. PCD

support, and sales through prior roles at Planar as an

worked closely with broadcasters, production teams,

also added a pair of industry

installation technician and sales development

and technology partners to design workflows and guide

professionals to its growing

representative.

complex projects.

Kane Peterson

broadcast industry experience,

team. FLYNN KELLY has joined PRO AUDIO TECHNOLOGY and

RIEDEL COMMUNICATIONS is

RICK SHAFFER joined as design sales consultant

THEORY AUDIO DESIGN have

strengthening its leadership and

serving the Greater Sacramento and Northern

appointed growth-oriented

global go-to-market structure

California region.

leader RAFAEL A. NEVARES as

for 2027. Effective Jan. 1, LUTZ

president. Bringing more than 35

RATHMANN will become CEO of

Rick Shaffer

as senior design engineer, while

PEERLESS-AV has announced

Rob McKenna

years of executive experience to the dual role, he is focused on

Riedel Communications,

the expansion of its CI, retail,

Rafael A. Nevares

and ecommerce team with the

spearheading the next chapter of growth for both

for the product division and

appointment of ROB MCKENNA

companies, focusing on market-driven brand

managed technology division.

as national account manager

strategies, cross-functional team alignment, and

Also, ANTHONY ZUYDERHOFF

McKenna brings 37 years of

customer-centric scaling. He has held high-level

will take on the role of chief

consumer electronics industry

executive and BoD positions for several prestigious

commercial officer, leading the

Lutz Rathmann

assuming overall responsibility

experience to the role, with an extensive track record

premium audio brands, including AudioQuest, Audio

of building high-value retail and custom business

Research Corporation, MartinLogan, and Gold Peak’s

Anthony Zuyderhoff

throughout the CI channel at known organizations.

Kinergetics Holdings (Celestion and KEF).

Eveleens, current CEO of the product division, will

In his new role, McKenna is responsible for

company’s newly unified global go-to-market organization. Jan

retire at the end of 2026 following a long and

managing and expanding key account relationships

QUICKLINK welcomed KANE PETERSON to its North

across custom integration, retail, and eCommerce

American team as presales, customer success, and

channels.

product development engineer. In this newly expanded

successful broadcast industry career. USSI GLOBAL promoted ABED ZEIN to VP of revenue operations. He leads initiatives focused on

Original Syndicate Expands Leadership and Specialist Team

enhancing billing accuracy, delivering exceptional customer experiences, improving Abed Zein

operational efficiency, and

ORIGINAL SYNDICATE (OGS) has strengthened its

live touring, XR Studios, and the launch of Sphere,

developing scalable processes that support growth

leadership and specialist capabilities with the

Hernandez oversees the production systems that

strategy. A member of the USSI Global team since

appointment of three new team members. Joining

support the successful delivery of OGS projects.

1995, Zein most recently served as senior director of

With more than a decade of broadcast

operations, digital signage solutions. Previously, he

the company are TYLER BAUM as business development manager, MICHAEL HERNANDEZ as

engineering experience supporting global sporting

has led major customer programs spanning satellite

head of production, and BRYAN “BEE”

events, major streaming platforms and

communications, digital signage deployments, and

WASHINGTON as technical operations center

international broadcasts, Washington plays a key

managed services.

operator. They join MONICA VANDEHEI, senior

role in monitoring, maintaining, and optimizing

technical producer, and CASSIDY PEARSALL,

technical systems for clients. Having managed

VIRTUAL TECHNOLOGIES GROUP

senior technical producer, as part of a broader

complex production environments across theater,

(VTG) has appointed KEVIN

expansion that reflects OGS’s continued

fashion, television, and feature film projects,

FARNHAM as CEO. Farnham

investment in technical expertise, production

Vandehei works closely with clients to align

oversees VTG’s strategic vision

excellence, and client support as the business

creative ambitions with practical technical

and works with the firm’s

enters its next phase of growth.

solutions from concept to implementation. And

executive team to lead its

with expertise across live events, virtual

Kevin Farnham

partnerships and helping organizations navigate

Baum is focusing on developing strategic

production, cinema technology and systems

Farnham has been a board member for VTG since 2024

long-term growth strategy.

increasingly complex communications technology

integration, Pearsall supports clients with

and has actively advised on key operational and value

projects, drawing on extensive experience across

workflow development, technical design, and

creation initiatives over the last two years. As CEO, he

LED volume environments, virtual production,

project delivery across a wide range of production

leverages his operational expertise to bring together

and business development. Having worked across

and education-focused environments.

the scale, breadth, and technical capabilities of VTG’s business offerings to reach prospective clients and help the firm achieve its next phase of growth.

SCN // October 2026 // avnetwork.com

BUSINESS WIRELESS MICROPHONES

Digital wireless mic platforms like the DPA N-Series support AES-256 encryption.

Navigating the Squeeze Spectrum concerns continue to impact the state of wireless microphones in Pro AV. By James Careless

More with Less

quality and agility of systems to cope with more

The most pressing trend affecting the state of

crowded RF environments is a frequent challenge that

wireless microphones today is the severe congestion

we must overcome.”

ot too long ago, Pro AV and broadcast equip-

within licensed frequency bands. The available real

ment occupied two separate worlds, defined

estate for wireless audio is disappearing, putting

spectrum has forced a shift from convenience to

by very different production goals and

immense pressure on systems integrators to deliver

intentional design. “Wireless systems can no longer be

reliable results.

deployed casually in professional environments; they

budgets. Today, those separate worlds are merging into one. This convergence is dramatically reshaping the

Jens Pilz, Sennheiser’s spectrum policy and

According to Donovan, this reduction in available

require planning, awareness, and a clear

standards manager, points to a frustrating disparity

understanding of RF tradeoffs,” he said. Donovan

expectations surrounding wireless microphone

between Pro AV and other technology sectors. “Other

noted the industry has been driven to greater adoption

deployments. Whether outfitting a corporate

wireless industries ask for new spectrum with each

of alternative frequency bands, recognizing there is no

boardroom, university lecture hall, or major league

generation of their technology,” he said. “The Pro AV

longer a single “best” solution.

sports stadium, end users now demand broadcast-tier

industry is forced to stick to the same spectrum

reliability from all of their wireless mics.

resources—or lose spectrum while other industries

Pushing Limits and Technological Shifts

Mark Donovan, director of commercial

gain it, like Digital Dividend 1 and 2 in Europe [when

Is there a hard limit to the number of wireless

applications at Audio-Technica U.S., noted that

broadcast TV moved from analog to digital, freeing up

microphones that can be operated in the same space?

wireless microphones have transitioned from being

spectrum] or 600 MHz in the U.S. [the same].”

No one knows for sure.

event-driven tools to becoming core infrastructure in

Consequently, as governments globally reallocate

“There’s no universal number,” admitted Ben

installed AV systems. “Corporate, education, and

valuable RF spectrum, often to support mobile data,

Escobedo, Shure’s account executive for professional

government environments now expect wireless audio

wireless microphone operators are being squeezed

audio. “The limit is determined by available spectrum,

to perform with the same consistency as networked

into smaller frequency bands. This reallocation makes

system efficiency, regulatory rules, and RF conditions

systems,” he said.

finding clear frequencies incredibly difficult, said René

in the specific location. Ten channels might be easy in

Moerch, group director of wireless for DPA

one room and impossible in another due to outside RF

audio via wireless is becoming exponentially more

Microphones and Wisycom. “The ability to find usable

interference.”

difficult. As the demand for wireless connectivity in

spectrum, what I often describe as ‘parking spots,’ is

Pro AV spaces skyrockets, the spectrum it uses is

becoming one of the most critical challenges in Pro AV

Pro AV operators is to employ a mix of prudent signal

becoming more crowded. Navigating this increasingly

today,” he explained.

coordination, system choices, and disciplined

Unfortunately, delivering pristine, uninterrupted

congested RF environment requires a deep

Integrators are facing the same spectrum squeeze.

Lacking access to such a number, the best choice for

deployments that don’t use more wireless microphones

understanding of new transmission technologies,

“We [have to] find more channels in less space, both

than necessary. “That’s why planning and testing

rigorous security protocols, spectrum policy, and

physically and in bandwidth loading,” said Jason

matter more than channel count on a spec sheet,”

strict deployment best practices.

Jacquemain, design engineer for American Sound’s

Escobedo told SCN. “Performing an RF site survey is

Venue and Entertainment Division. “Refining the

essential to ensuring one can deliver the channel count

SCN // October 2026 // avnetwork.com

BUSINESS WIRELESS MICROPHONES

Wisycom solutions are often used in digital hybrid platforms that prioritize RF robustness over encryption.

and performance that the user expects.” To maximize channel counts within these tight constraints, manufacturers are focusing heavily on RF efficiency and RF agility. RF efficiency refers to how many channels can be packed into a single channel (typically 6 MHz in the U.S.). RF agility refers to wideband tuning, which allows wireless systems to scan a massive range of frequencies to avoid interference and congested areas. Thanks to digital’s better spectral efficiency and advanced security features, the wireless microphone industry’s move from analog to digital has made room for more channels. Plus, manufacturers are introducing novel transmission standards to bypass UHF congestion entirely. For example, Sennheiser is championing both WMAS and DECT NR+. Short for wireless multichannel audio systems, WMAS is a wideband, bidirectional

wireless systems often provide AES-256 encryption to ensure secure transmission.” In this heightened security realm, users must

Assess your real needs first. “A great starting point is a quick reality check on true channel count needs,” Jacquemain advised. Check the spectrum. Never rely on guesswork when

approach that allows wireless microphones and in-ear

understand the distinction between fully digital

monitors (IEMs) to operate within the same section of

systems and digital hybrid systems. While fully digital

deploying wireless microphones. “Knowing what

RF spectrum. DECT NR+ uses the 1.9 GHz range—a

platforms support AES-256 encryption, digital hybrid

spectrum is available where you’re working is critical,

band largely exclusive to DECT technologies—to

platforms prioritize absolute RF robustness and

including avoiding DTV stations,” Escobedo said. Using

support bidirectional communication adapted for

long-range resilience over encryption.

software tools like Shure’s Wireless Workbench or

higher audio fidelity. Pilz views WMAS and DECT NR+ as being

As a result, “digital hybrid technology does not support encryption,” Moerch explained. “For that

built-in system scanners can help find the most useful frequencies. Place antennas properly. Maintaining strict

complementary to each other, rather than competitive

reason, Wisycom solutions are typically deployed in

technologies. “In the core Pro AV world, these are more

applications where RF performance and audio quality

line-of-sight between the transmitter and the receiver

like tools in a toolbox, and for the right application, you

are the top priorities, while environments requiring

antennas is crucial, because human bodies and structural

need to select the right tool,” he explained. “You

encrypted transmission, such as corporate or

obstacles absorb RF energy. “Proper antenna spacing is

shouldn’t buy a product based on technology—you

government use, are better suited to fully digital

also important for true diversity performance, which is

should buy the product based on your use case.”

systems with built-in encryption, like the DPA

typically around half a wavelength [approximately 20

N-Series.”

inches in UHF ranges],” Moerch added.

“Manufacturers are addressing RF complexity by both adding capability and reducing user burden,”

“Manufacturers are addressing RF complexity by

Be smart about transmission power. Higher

added Donovan. “On one hand, systems are becoming

both adding capability and reducing user burden,”

transmit power does not automatically equal better

more sophisticated, with improved tuning control and

Donovan observed. “On one hand, systems are

performance—it often just raises the noise floor. “In

coordination tools. On the other, they are becoming

becoming more sophisticated, with improved tuning

many cases we are finding it is preferred to use lower

more automated, with features that simplify setup and

control and coordination tools. On the other, they are

output power but have a more robust antenna receiving

ongoing operation.”

becoming more automated, with features that

system,” Escobedo said. “Keeping the output power low

simplify setup and ongoing operation.”

may allow one to multiplex [reuse] the same frequency

Securing the Signal

elsewhere in the deployment.”

Because Pro AV and broadcast applications are

Interference and Disruption

converging into unified, IP-centric environments, AV

Even the most advanced, heavily encrypted wireless

where microphone mobility is not necessary, it makes

systems now routinely reside on corporate IT

technology will fail if deployed without paying attention

sense to use wires rather than going wireless. “A mentor

networks. This shift has raised security demands for

to today’s congested RF spectrum. “It seems most

of mine often pointed out that setting up a wireless

wireless audio applications.

designers are having to truly relearn the best practices as

microphone involves deploying four cables: power, two

a result of said overcrowding, limits, and security

antenna cables, and an audio cable,” said Escobedo.

concerns,” said Jacquemain.

“Sometimes a simple XLR cable to a wired mic can

“Unencrypted wireless audio is no longer acceptable in many cases for both security and privacy reasons,” said Escobedo. “Whether it’s a major

To ensure consistent and reliable service, end users

financial institution hosting a town hall in NYC or a

and integrators need to adhere to strict deployment

pop star about to perform at a halftime show, digital

strategies.

Know when not to use wireless. In those situations

suffice for the intended application.” Despite all this, it’s still possible to use wireless microphones successfully through the use of planning, spectrum checking before going live, and leveraging innovative technologies like WMAS and DECT NR+. Just plugging in a wireless microphone system and hoping it works—especially if it’s part of a system that’s old and outdated—is a risky choice in today’s congested RF spectrum. Ultimately, as Donovan said, “The most reliable systems are those designed with realism in mind, anticipating challenges rather than reacting to

From left, Ben Escobedo, Jens Pilz, Mark Donovan, René Moerch, and Jason Jacquemain

SCN // October 2026 // avnetwork.com

failures.”

BUSINESS VOCAL ENHANCEMENT TECHNOLOGY

Protecting the Voice Source separation is the next frontier in live and installed audio. By Ryan John

Machine learning source separation identifies the voice within the signal and reduces the non-voice content while the voice is active.

clean up several open microphones at once. Four vocal mics in front of a live drum kit each carry some bleed, and collectively that bleed reshapes the mix.

he most important input in any room is usu-

Remove it from all four and the result is a markedly

ally the hardest one to protect. A pastor steps

cleaner mix with the tonal character of the voices

onto a platform while the band is still playing.

intact, but more importantly, notably higher

A presenter closes a session over a musical tag. A

intelligibility. That transparency precision and clarity

vocalist works the front of a stage, a few feet from a

is the property installers should test for first.

loudspeaker that is already running hot.

For show-critical and install work, the platform

In every one of those moments, the microphone is

question is as important as the audio. Source

doing exactly what we asked it to do, and exactly what

Intelligence runs as a licensed application on a

we wish it wouldn’t: Capture the person and

dedicated, closed audio processor rather than on a

everything around them. Stage bleed, PA spill, room

general purpose computer exposed to the internet,

reflections, crowd noise, the scrape of a headset

automatic updates, and software conflicts.

against a collar. The engineer needs more level. The

For an integrator that has to warranty uptime,

room says no.

that distinction is a practical maintenance and

For most of my career as a front-of-house

reliability decision. It also means the same processing

engineer, the answer to that problem was a collection

can be deployed across mono, stereo, distributed, or

of compromises. EQ notching to pull down the

immersive configurations. It’s not tied to any one

frequencies most likely to ring. Gating and expansion

room geometry.

to shut the microphone when no one was talking. Careful mic selection, disciplined stage volume, and a

What It Is Not

whole lot of fader-riding.

Latency is the other gating spec. Machine learning

Each of those tools works a little bit, and each of

inference has historically traded latency for quality,

them costs something, usually a piece of the voice you

which is acceptable in a studio and disqualifying on a

were trying to protect in the first place. Our

live stage, where the tolerance is measured in

technology, Source Intelligence, changes that, because we approached the problem differently.

the show evolves.

single-digit milliseconds before performers perceive

This is not the same thing as feedback

a disconnect. Total input-to-output latency for

suppression, and it is worth keeping the terms

Source Intelligence, including conversion and

straight for spec purposes. Feedback tools target the

processing, is under 8.5 ms. We treated that figure as

To understand why this is different, it helps to look at

ring. Source separation targets the entire field of

a fixed ceiling: Every improvement to the model had

how conventional noise control actually behaves. The

unwanted sound around the voice: bleed, spill,

to stay under it before we would ship it.

majority of voice noise reduction tools in live sound

ambience, handling noise, and reflections. The

Here is the honest part. We spent more than 18

are built around a threshold. When the signal sits

reduction in feedback risk is a consequence of a

months testing this in the field, including on major

above the threshold, it passes; when it falls below, it

cleaner source, not the mechanism itself.

touring productions for Harry Styles, Bruno Mars,

The Threshold Problem

is reduced. That logic works cleanly when the only thing in

What ‘Cleaner’ Buys an Integrator

The Weeknd, and Rosalía, before we called it a product. Even so, Source Intelligence works

front of the microphone is the speaker or singer. It

The number people latch onto with Source

alongside good system design, sound mic technique,

breaks down the moment the environment gets loud,

Intelligence is 40 dB … of non-voice content removed

appropriate stage volume, trained operators, and

because crowd wash or a drum kit next to a singer

from a speech or vocal microphone. I would gently

acoustic judgment, rather than standing in for any

crosses the same threshold the voice does. When the

steer integrators away from fixating on that figure,

of them.

voice is open, the noise rides through with it. An

because the ceiling is rarely the point.

engineer ends up chasing the threshold all night: one

In a real room, the win is often a handful of extra

It is not a rescue for a room that was never tuned. It is a new kind of margin in the moments where

setting for the quiet verse, another for the loud

decibels of gain before feedback on a spoken word

margin has always been hardest to find: when

chorus, another for the moment the room erupts.

channel—the difference between a presenter sitting

someone needs to be heard clearly while the room

comfortably in the system and an operator feeling

around them refuses to be quiet.

That is the limitation Source Intelligence is built to address. Rather than deciding whether to open or close a channel, machine learning source separation

like the mic is living on the edge.

For most events, the voice carries the message—

At North Point Community Church in Atlanta, the

the information, the emotion, sometimes the entire

identifies the voice within the signal and reduces

team described needing only a little more margin on

reason the room is full. Source separation, whatever

what is not voice—and it keeps reducing the non-

the speech bus, and finding that the extra dB or two

badge it wears, is finally giving us a way to protect

voice content while the voice is active. That is the

was exactly what closed the gap. Modest on paper,

that source without trading away the thing that

meaningful distinction. The drums next to the vocal

decisive in the room.

makes it worth protecting.

mic stay suppressed even as the singer is singing.

The second benefit matters more for installed

There is no threshold to set and nothing to chase as

systems than people expect: what happens when you

SCN // October 2026 // avnetwork.com

Ryan John is the director of product management for L-Acoustics.

IMMERSIVE AUDIO BUSINESS

1 SOUND Helps Bring Experiential Exhibit to Life

nside Boston’s historic Old South Meeting House, visitors can step directly into the debates, defiance, and upheaval that helped ignite the Ameri-

can Revolution through Ruckus!, an experiential exhibit from Revolutionary Spaces. Combining dynamic multichannel experiential sound, lighting, and projected animations throughout the historic space, the experience places visitors at the center of the story, surrounding them with the voices and actions of the people who helped shape a pivotal moment in American history. The exhibi-

tion opened on July 2 to coincide with the 250th year of U.S independence. With so many visual and storytelling elements working simultaneously, the audio system needed to provide clear, consistent coverage throughout the historic building without competing with the architecture. Electrosonic worked with 1 SOUND to develop a system that could deliver presence and intimacy throughout the audience seating while remaining visually discreet within the space. Working within a historic building presented unique considerations for loudspeaker placement and mounting. The system needed to provide wide coverage and sufficient throw while preserving the visual character of Old South Meeting House. Electrosonic utilized 1 SOUND Tower cardioid line array columns to address these requirements. The main system uses Tower LCC84 loudspeakers, with Tower LCC44 loudspeakers providing side fills. Flush-mounted Level L35 loudspeakers are deployed as surround fills throughout the room and toward the back, while C4 loudspeakers provide additional coverage for the balcony. Plus, SUB28 subwoofers are positioned at the front left and right of the space. “Solving sound for a space like ours—a space that needs to maintain its architectural and historical integrity, and that is not designed for modern sound— is a tall order,” said Matthew Wilding, senior director of interpretation and future projects, Revolutionary Spaces. “1 SOUND worked with us to craft a state-of-theart, multi-channel system that sounds absolutely incredible and is practically invisible. With our old system, there were parts of the building where you’d struggle to hear someone speaking clearly because of the reverberation. Now, every seat is a good seat, whether it’s for our new immersive show, a forum, a theater production, or a concert.”

avnetwork.com // October 2026 // SCN

RLMG

The Old South Meeting House installed a new sound system to support the new Ruckus! exhibition.

BUSINESS POWER SUPPLIES

The Battery, Uninterrupted Here’s why lithium-ion is changing the math on your UPS investment. By Chris Bishop

LynTec’s new TAA-compliant SLi Series of UPS uses Li-ion battery technology.

or as long as most integrators have been building racks, the battery inside the uninterruptible power supply (UPS) has been an

afterthought. It is lead-acid, it works, and everyone knows the deal: Buy it, budget for a replacement in a few years, and move on. That formula has defined battery backups in the Pro AV industry for more than four decades. As battery technology has evolved over the past decade, it is worth asking whether the current model still holds up. Lead-acid endures for a simple reason: It’s cheap, well understood, and reliable in the short term. The battery chemistry is not new or unique to our industry,

layered surge, over-voltage and under-voltage

About Those Safety Concerns …

protection.

Any honest conversation about Li-ion also has to

However, none of that comes for free. A Li-ion

address safety, since the technology’s occasional and

as it’s the same technology sitting under the hood of

UPS typically costs 30-100% more upfront than a

highly publicized fires on commercial aircraft have

most non-EV cars, and it was already mature and

comparable lead-acid unit, depending on the model.

made headlines. Those incidents are real, but they are

mass-produced long before anyone was specifying a

That math changes when companies account for the

also rare relative to the volume of Li-ion devices in

UPS for a rack room. It’s that maturity that kept costs

full ownership period, as a lead-acid UPS lasts 3-5

circulation, and they tend to trace back to specific,

low and supply chains simple, which made lead-acid

years before it needs a new battery, a service call, and

identifiable conditions rather than an inherent flaw in

the default choice as AV racks became standard in

often a truck roll.

the chemistry itself.

houses of worship, corporate environments, broadcast

Heat is a common thread, with Li-ion cells able to

facilities, and beyond. The tradeoff is degradation. Lead-acid batteries wear down internally over time, especially under heavy use, and that decline is not a matter of if but when. Most lead-acid UPS batteries last 3-5 years before they need to be swapped, depending on use, which is why so many integrators build maintenance agreements or service contracts into their proposals. It

generate heat during charging and under heavy

The price gap is now moving in Li-ion’s favor.

is a known cost, factored in from day one, and it has rarely been a source of real complaint.

current draw. When that heat has nowhere to dissipate, such as inside a tightly sealed phone or a damaged or poorly manufactured cell, the risk of thermal runaway increases. Consumer devices, with their compact enclosures and limited airflow, are a very different environment than a professionally engineered UPS designed with built-in thermal management and

Once you add up the cost of that replacement

protection circuitry. The takeaway for integrators is

Lead-acid is not a bad product. It simply has a

battery, plus labor, plus the inevitable service visit, a

to specify UPS products from manufacturers who

finite, fairly short shelf life, and everyone in the supply

lead-acid system can end up costing close to what a

engineer for that risk directly, rather than treating a

chain has learned to plan around it.

Li-ion unit would have cost from the start—without

rack-mounted battery backup the same way you

the decade-plus of runway. That equation matters

would a phone in a pocket.

Core Advantages and Costs

most for integrators working outside a tight service

Adoption in Pro AV is still relatively young. Li-ion

That brings us to lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries,

radius, where sending a technician out for a routine

UPS options are not yet common among AV-specific

which have had a significant impact on the

battery swap is genuinely expensive, and for end users

manufacturers, and outside of general IT-focused

manufacture and deployment of UPS solutions in Pro

who care about total cost of ownership.

brands, they remain a fairly small slice of the available

AV. With Li-ion batteries, the core advantage is

The price gap is now moving in Li-ion’s favor. The

product landscape. Where they exist, the resistance we

increased lifespan. A Li-ion UPS battery will last

technology is roughly 10-15 years into meaningful

hear from integrators almost always comes down to

roughly three times longer than a lead-acid battery

commercial adoption, and as manufacturing scales

one thing: price. Once that is understood in the context

UPS, typically rated for 10-15 years.

across industries from consumer electronics to

of total lifespan and reduced maintenance, most of

automotive to IT infrastructure, production costs

that hesitation fades, particularly among integrators

They charge faster and hold more capacity in a

continue to decline. That trend should narrow the

and end users who value long-term reliability over the

smaller, lighter footprint, as evidenced by the

upfront gap with lead-acid over time.

lowest possible sticker price.

Li-ion cells offer other gains in speed and space.

technology that’s been the primary power source for

That said, lead-acid is not going away. It remains

Lead-acid is not obsolete and will not disappear

cell phones before it ever showed up in a rack. On top of

the more economical entry point for budget-

anytime soon. But Li-ion has changed what a premium

that, quality double-conversion Li-ion UPS units

constrained projects. For example, for small houses of

UPS can offer—and as production costs continue to

deliver true sine wave output with tight voltage

worship with a few hundred dollars to spend rather

fall, expect the two technologies to keep competing for

regulation, along with features like SNMP network

than a few thousand, lead-acid will likely remain the

space in the rack for years to come.

monitoring, remote emergency shutdown, and

practical choice for years to come.

Chris Bishop is the national sales director for LynTec.

SCN // October 2026 // avnetwork.com

BUSINESS MUSEUM AV

Pro AV technologies have helped the Museum of Money turn learning into an interactive gaming experience.

Fiscal Fitness Can Be Fun The new MoMoney museum turns financial literacy into an experiential Pro AV playground. By James Careless

he new Museum of Money’s goal is to make financial literacy fun. To this end, this Dallas-

learning objective—and then finding the clearest way

analog audio and soundscapes. BrightSign video

based museum, nicknamed “MoMoney,” is

to make that idea physical. “Instead of asking guests

players were widely deployed to manage and run

using AV to turn learning into an interactive gaming

to simply read about financial concepts, we wanted

content across MoMoney’s various displays. High-

experience for guests of all ages.

them to experience those concepts directly,” Eslinger

performance Origin PCs, equipped with high-end

told SCN. “The goal was to make financial literacy feel

NVIDIA RTX GPUs, were used to provide the local

less like a lesson and more like an adventure.”

processing power needed for complex 3D graphics and

Early on, MoMoney co-founders Houss El Marabti and Subhi Gharbieh recognized that helping guests build financial literacy required a spectacular,

Installing experiential AV in a downtown Dallas

on-site AI workflows.

nontraditional approach. This is why MoMoney uses

venue came with its share of unique hurdles.

large-scale interactive AV exhibits that use

According to Cindy Ospina, director of project

Take a Tour

storytelling to guide visitors along the entire

management, Electrosonic, space constraints were a

The true magic of MoMoney lies in its six distinct

evolutionary path of money—from physical minting

primary challenge during the integration phase. Her

interactive installations, each purposefully designed

to modern blockchain technology.

team had to fit highly complex, interactive exhibits

to teach an abstract financial lesson using a playable,

within the predefined physical limits of the building’s

highly visual environment.

Gamifying Financial Education To bring this unconventional vision to life, MoMoney

architecture, which was not exceptionally large. Additionally, because MoMoney is in a busy public

Market Shuffle: This exhibit drops visitors into a fictional town to teach the actual value of currency by

assembled a team of AV and design professionals. Lead

space, absolute reliability and ADA compliance were

forcing them to barter for goods. Designed to recreate

design firm Luci brought in Fivestone Studios to

paramount. This is why MoMoney was equipped with

the frustration and inefficiency of trading without

develop the digital interactive experiences. The team

AV hardware that could be powered on at 8 a.m. and run

money, the installation prompts guests to ask

worked alongside Ravenswood Studio, which built the

flawlessly without intervention until the end of the day.

themselves, “How many roller skates is a birthday cake

physical environments, and Electrosonic, which

“Our goal was to deliver a modern engaging visitor

worth? How do I get change for trading a tube television

served as the primary technology integrator.

experience... making sure that it would function reliably

for slap bracelets?”

“Working very closely with Luci’s project leads,

in a super high traffic environment,” said Ospina.

The exhibit features a 32-inch touchscreen paired

our team focused on making financial concepts feel

Another significant challenge was MoMoney’s

with a custom-printed physical overlay, giving guests

intuitive and fun,” said Traylor Woodall, Fivestone’s

diverse audience. The AV exhibits needed to cater to

the illusion of sitting at a three-dimensional desk filled

executive creative director. “We wanted visitors to feel

everyone from young children to sophisticated adults.

with phones, rolodexes, and notes. Behind the scenes,

the ideas, knowing that when people learn through

To achieve this, Electrosonic worked closely with

Fivestone built a branching trade logic system in Unity,

experiences, the lessons stay with them.”

Fivestone, Luci, and subject matter experts to ensure

using escalating music, audio cues, and difficulty

the AV technology balanced interactive fun with

modes to increase tension as guests wildly race against

genuine, accessible educational content for all ages.

a countdown clock.

Justin Eslinger, Fivestone’s director of creative technology and innovation, said the team designed each interactive AV exhibit by starting with a specific

Creating an AV environment where guests could

Hoard of Gold: This exhibit uses motion capture and

seamlessly explore and shape outcomes required a

projection mapping so that “guests can see themselves

large, cohesive technology stack. At the heart of their

swimming through a vault of treasure, turning wealth

digital experiences was the Unity real-time engine.

into a full-body spectacle,” Eslinger said. Technically

Choosing Unity allowed Fivestone to deliver rapid

speaking, this exhibit uses an Orbbec Femto Mega depth

iteration, cinematic-quality animation, and highly

sensor camera combined with NVIDIA Background

responsive interactions between the digital software

Removal and Microsoft’s Azure Kinect Body Tracking

and the physical hardware.

SDK, while Christie and Epson projectors map the

Electrosonic provided a robust custom solution for the museum’s AV infrastructure. For system-wide The Financial Tellers attraction delivers financial advice on various topics.

SCN // October 2026 // avnetwork.com

resulting interactive visual effects onto a large display. Financial Tellers: Reimagining the classic Zoltar

show control and audio processing, the integration

fortuneteller robotic machine, this exhibit delivers

team installed QSC hardware, including a remote-

financial advice using life-sized 60-inch Samsung 4K

controlled QSC core, Dante controllers, and a mix of

displays. Guests speak into a mounted microphone. A

QSC and Powersoft amplifiers to drive the museum’s

custom machine learning system identifies the topic

MUSEUM AV BUSINESS

and triggers one of more than 200 scripted responses. According to Eslinger, the design team had to combine

aesthetic,” Eslinger explained. Design Your Own Currency: In this exhibit, visitors

“natural voice input, machine learning topic detection,

can edit their own faces into custom currency. To do

AI-assisted animation, synchronized audio, and DMX

this, Eslinger said Fivestone and Electrosonic

lighting to make the interaction feel alive.”

combined “a touchscreen kiosk, live camera capture,

NYSE Photo Opportunity: This New York Stock

local AI portrait rendering, web application

Exchange installation distills the dizzying complexity

infrastructure, email delivery, and a Unity-driven

of the stock market into a simple choice between a bull

projection wall so guests can create, receive, and

and a bear. Guests trigger the experience by pressing a

celebrate their own custom bill.”

button to ring the iconic NYSE bell. “The exhibit uses a

The touchscreen kiosk interface is powered by

Christie and Epson projectors, along with body tracking and background removal technologies, let visitors see themselves in a vault of treasure.

large-format display, animated bull and bear

React and Electron, with Supabase securely managing

characters, and randomized outcomes to make market

guest sessions and Resend handling direct email

risk feel immediate and playful,” said Eslinger. The

delivery. A local AI rendering pipeline transforms the

resulting interaction is displayed on a massive 110-inch

guest’s portrait into a stylized engraving in a mere

significantly more time actively interacting with the

LG display featuring exaggerated, high-energy

three seconds, bypassing cloud latency. The

exhibits rather than just glancing at traditional

character animations inspired by 1980s anime.

completed designs are then displayed on a large

museum placards or printed graphics. Plus, the

projection wall using a Christie projector and Christie

varied exhibits are successfully engaging young

Twist mapping software.

children and adults with their intuitive, responsive,

Interest Invaders: This exhibit leans on 8-bit Atari 2600 graphics to teach the notoriously difficult concept of compound interest. Guests use oversized physical

and clever designs.

arcade controls and manually spin a large physical

Delivering the Payoff

wheel—seamlessly integrated using Phidgets USB hubs

The MoMoney museum proves that interactive AV

tracking cameras, projection mapping, immersive

and sensors—to make long-term investment choices.

technology can teach complex ideas in an effective

LED displays, custom physical overlays, and dynamic

“Interest Invaders turns compound interest into a retro

and entertaining manner. According to the museum’s

audio, the MoMoney AV system has made learning fun

arcade game, using oversized physical controls and a

co-founders, these innovative approaches are

and engaging. As Woodall said, this approach has

6-foot-wide Nanolumens LED display with a

already “paying off wonderfully.”

turned complexity into “something fluid, cohesive,

deliberately chunky pixel pitch to reinforce the 8-bit

Ospina added that visitors are spending

The bottom line: By seamlessly blending motion

and deeply engaging.”

avnetwork.com // October 2026 // SCN

THE INTEGRATION GUIDE TO

NDI

With NDI, the camera’s tracking data and more move as metadata over the same IP connection that's carrying video.

SPONSORED BY JB&A • MAGEWELL • SONY

A Shared Language of Connectivity Metadata is the quiet differentiator behind NDI’s next chapter. By Roberto Musso

different cables, protocols, and vendors, each

deploying PTP, a serious engineering lift for many

requiring its own integration work. NDI collapses

facilities. We’re now developing synchronization

that complexity into a single stream. A device

approaches that rely on metadata already present in

sk most people in the industry to describe

doesn’t need a separate tally system, control

the NDI stream, without changing NDI’s core

NDI and they’ll tell you it’s a way to move

network, and captioning path bolted onto the video.

architecture. Early testing shows this can deliver the

video over IP. That’s true, but it’s an

It just needs NDI because the metadata is already

sync accuracy multi-camera productions need, using

incomplete picture, and increasingly it’s the wrong

synchronized with the frame it describes.

infrastructure that’s already in place, the kind of

starting point for understanding where the stan-

It’s easy to stop the conversation at

thing that only happens when a technology is built

dard is headed.

interoperability, and it’s not wrong to start there.

around connectivity rather than format.

NDI was never designed to be just a format for

Shared metadata standards mean a camera from one

Consider a live multi-camera shoot with PTZ

encoding pixels. It was designed to be a connectivity

manufacturer can be tracked by a graphics system

cameras, a graphics system, and a lighting rig, all

technology, one where the video and audio are only

from another, and a switcher can display tally and

from different manufacturers. Without shared

part of what moves across the wire. The other part,

audio levels from sources it has never talked to

metadata, integrating that room means custom

the part that’s becoming more important every year,

before. That alone has real value.

drivers and a systems integrator stitching together

is metadata.

But interoperability is the floor, not the ceiling.

separate control networks. With NDI, the camera’s

The deeper reason metadata matters to NDI is that it

tracking data, lighting cues, and graphics system’s

problems in modern production—control,

turns every connection into a two-way relationship

requests all move as metadata over the same IP

synchronization, discovery at scale—aren’t solved by

instead of a one-way pipe.

connections already carrying video, shrinking that

That shift in emphasis isn’t cosmetic. The hardest

better compression or higher bit rates. They’re solved

Traditional SDI is unidirectional: Video goes from

integration work from custom engineering to

by giving devices a shared language to describe

source to destination, full stop. NDI’s bidirectional

themselves and talk to one another. Metadata is that

metadata exchange lets a receiver talk back to a

language, and it explains why NDI has spread so quickly

sender in real time, over the same connection,

Building the Standard Together

across broadcast, corporate AV, and live events.

without additional infrastructure. A production

This distinction, connectivity versus format, is one

switcher can request a specific frame rate, a graphics

worth sitting with, because it changes how you

engine can pull tracking data for pixel-accurate

should evaluate NDI in the first place. A format is

At its simplest, metadata is data about data. In an

registration, and a control room can send a command

something you encode into and decode out of. It has a

NDI stream, it’s the information traveling alongside

that changes a source’s behavior, all through

spec—and once your stream complies with that spec,

the video and audio, describing what that content is,

metadata already flowing on the connection.

the job is largely done. A connectivity technology is

Why Metadata Is a Differentiator

configuration.

This is also where NDI is solving problems that

judged differently, not just by what it carries, but by

mean a caption, tally light state, PTZ camera

used to require separate protocols. Precise multi-

what it enables between the devices on either end of

position, time code, lighting cue, or control

camera synchronization has traditionally meant

the connection.

where it came from, and what it can do. That might

command sent from a receiver back to a source. NDI carries all of this as structured XML, embedded directly in the same real-time connection as the video itself. That matters more than it might seem. In most legacy broadcast infrastructure, metadata and control data live on separate systems entirely,

SCN // October 2026 // avnetwork.com

The deeper reason metadata matters to NDI is that it turns every connection into a twoway relationship instead of a one-way pipe.

INTEGRATION GUIDE NDI NDI carries video and audio, but the real value is the live, bidirectional relationship it establishes between devices, cameras, switchers, graphics systems, lighting rigs, audio consoles, and cloud services that can discover each other, exchange capabilities, and control one another without custom integration for every pair of vendors. Metadata is the mechanism that makes that relationship possible. Take it out of the picture, and NDI collapses back into “just another way to move video,” which undersells what it actually does in a modern production environment. Because metadata is central to where NDI is going, we didn’t want its evolution to happen behind closed doors. That’s the thinking behind the Metadata Lab, an open initiative that lets any developer, brand, or individual in the NDI ecosystem submit a metadata proposal for review. Our technical team works directly with the submitter to test and refine it. Once it’s proven, it gets published as an official NDI metadata standard in our documentation.

NDI's real value is the live, bidirectional relationship it establishes between devices, cameras, switchers, and more.

This has already produced results. In collaboration with ecosystem partners, we’ve

audio gear, cameras, and control software. The

actually work together, and it’s the reason NDI

standardized new metadata elements covering

standard gets stronger because it’s shaped by the

functions less like a format sitting on a wire and

broadcast captioning and triggering, MIDI for audio

people using it, not just the people writing the spec.

more like a living connection between every device in

control, and DMX for lighting, alongside camera

The trajectory here is clear. As more devices need

a production.

tracking metadata already used by graphics vendors.

to talk to each other rather than simply push signal

For integrators and manufacturers evaluating

Each represents a workflow that previously required

downstream, metadata will carry more of the weight,

where to invest next, that distinction should inform

a separate, proprietary integration and now works

not less. Control, synchronization, automation, and

the roadmap. Building against NDI’s video transport

natively over NDI, because the metadata describing it

context are all metadata problems at their core, and

alone captures only part of the value. Building

has been standardized and published for the whole

they’re only going to become more central to how

against its metadata, engaging with the Metadata

ecosystem to build against.

live production, corporate AV, and broadcast

Lab, and designing for bidirectional exchange is

workflows operate.

where the real differentiation happens. The

Roadmap Moving Forward

That’s why when people ask what makes NDI

companies that treat metadata as core

That’s the model going forward. Instead of trying to

different, my answer increasingly starts with

infrastructure, not an afterthought, are the ones who

anticipate every use case a growing ecosystem might

metadata rather than compression or bandwidth.

will define what connected production looks like

need, the Metadata Lab lets the use cases come to us,

The video and audio get a workflow into the room.

over the next several years.

from the people actually building lighting systems,

The metadata is what lets everything in that room

Roberto Musso is the technical director for NDI.

At Issue

How can NDI improve Pro AV workflows in non-production applications?

Nick Ma CEO AND CTO, MAGEWELL NDI provides the benefits of easy scalability,

Roberto Musso

Ken Kobayashi

flexibility, and cost efficiency that integrators and

TECHNICAL DIRECTOR, NDI

BUSINESS MANAGER, REMOTE CAMERAS/

customers expect from AV over IP distribution

NDI transforms Pro AV workflows by making

EDGE AI/BEAMFORMING MIC,

technologies, and does it all with lower network

video, audio, metadata, and control available across

PROFESSIONAL DISPLAY SOLUTIONS,

configuration and infrastructure requirements

standard IP networks. In corporate, education,

SONY ELECTRONICS

than many alternatives. From a workflow

healthcare, government, and live event environments,

Sony is proud to offer NDI compatibility as a standard

perspective, multiple endpoints can access the

teams can connect rooms, displays, cameras, and

offering on all of our latest PTZ cameras—including the

same NDI streams simultaneously on the

collaboration platforms without dedicated point-to-

SRG-A40/A12 and BRC-AM7 models—to align with the

network, significantly simplifying AV distribution

point cabling. This enables flexible routing, centralized

needs of our integrators and end users, as well as offer

across multiple rooms or buildings compared to

management, remote operation, and faster room

them flexibility and a streamlined, one cable solution

point-to-point delivery. Importantly, the

reconfiguration while reducing infrastructure costs.

for deployment. Taking advantage of existing IP

ecosystem of NDI-enabled products spans

Because NDI works with a broad ecosystem of software

infrastructures and promoting ease of configuration

everything from videoconferencing to open

and devices, organizations can scale gradually and

with other NDI-based devices, it seamlessly enables

captioning (supporting customers’ accessibility

avoid vendor lock-in. The result is a more agile,

multi-camera switching and resource sharing that

initiatives) and includes robust solutions like our

interoperable, and future-ready AV environment that

enables operators to maximize resources and output

Pro Convert devices, which bridge NDI with

supports better experiences for audiences, operators,

engaging, professional content, and presentations

traditional AV signals and screens for seamless

and IT teams alike across every connected space.

with ease and minimal latency.

integration.

SCN // October 2026 // avnetwork.com

NDI INTEGRATION GUIDE

JB&A NDI Certified Products NDI is a connectivity technology for sharing high-quality, low-latency video, audio, metadata, and control across standard networks. Built for flexibility, it enables equipment like Bolin cameras, Vizrt TriCasters, and MMG Axis to discover and communicate seamlessly with displays, production systems, and software applications. From enterprise communications and education to

Magewell Pro Convert IP to AIO 4K

healthcare, worship, sports, and live events, NDI

Magewell’s new Pro Convert IP to AIO 4K decoder

helps organizations design scalable workflows,

Sony 4K PTZ Cameras

converts IP sources up to 4K at 60 fps for output

simplify integration, and make content available

Sony’s latest 4K PTZ cameras, including the SRG-

over HDMI and 12G-SDI to displays, projectors, and

wherever it is needed—without the complexity and

A40/A12 and BRC-AM7, incorporate powerful,

traditional AV equipment. In addition to NDI High

cost of traditional baseband systems or cabling.

AI-enabled automation supporting advanced

Bandwidth and NDI HX3, it flexibly decodes formats

camera tracking, framing, and focus, along with

and protocols including NDI HX3, SRT, RTMP, HLS,

smooth, quiet pan, tilt, and zoom movement with

RIST, Zixi, and more. Other key features include an

robust protocol support, including NDI, and

integrated four-input multiviewer, 10-bit HDR

impressive optical zoom capabilities for maximizing

support, and an enhanced web interface for

an operator’s efficiency. Recent enhancements

configuration and previews.

enable Ball Sports (Basketball) Mode, optical image stabilization, real-time overlay capabilities, and more powerful facial recognition for registered individuals.

avnetwork.com // October 2026 // SCN

TECHNOLOGY AUDIO MAPPING

The recently upgraded audio system at Cincinnati's Aronoff Center for the Arts was modeled using Meyer Sound's MAPP 3D audio prediction tool.

Predicting the Invisible Audio mapping software provides a design superpower for acoustic engineers. By James Careless

the sound waves they are trying to control.

than visual clues such as ripples on a T-shirt while

a comprehensive 3D acoustic simulation and

or decades, the practice of designing and

standing near a subwoofer,” noted Rudd Lance, d&b

mechanical analysis tool.

deploying professional sound systems was

audiotechnik’s advanced systems specialist for

By using audio mapping and predictive data,

largely an exercise in experience and some-

“Sound is subjective and mostly invisible other

a system is expected to perform before any equipment is deployed.” HARMAN produces JBL Venue Synthesis,

immersive systems, whose ArrayCalc software

integrators no longer have to ask clients to simply

times luck. It was common to hang the loudspeakers

handles precise SPL and localization mapping.

trust their expertise.

where you thought they would work best, then plug

“Without being able to predict what a system is going

“Decisions stop being about how many speakers

them in, and see how well the sound actually trav-

to do, the result would be days of putting loudspeakers

do we think we need and start being about what do we

eled. Since expectations have a way of not living up to

in place only to measure them and change the

need to achieve our design goals for this event,” John

reality, this approach resulted in a lot of extra work

deployment time and time again.”

said. “It also allows integrators and consultants to

for sound designers and installers alike. Today, thanks to audio mapping software, this

The fundamental beauty of audio mapping

defend their design to a client with data instead of

software is that it makes sound waves visible, at least

opinion, which changes the whole buying

grueling task is a thing of the past. Audio mapping

on a computer screen. Not only does this approach

conversation. Nobody wants to over-spec a system

software is a predictive 3D simulation tool that lets you

save time and frustration, but it also saves money

just to be safe, and nobody wants a callback because a

test out loudspeaker placements and performance

because deployments can be completed more quickly

section came in six dB hot or cold.”

without actually having to move them.

and effectively.

Being able to provide this form of visual proof to a

Instead, you position specific speakers in a virtual

“Rather than relying on assumptions or extensive

space and test their performance using the software’s

on-site adjustments, designers can model a venue in

traditional spec sheets. Andy Davies, Meyer Sound’s

mapping capabilities. The result: By the time it comes to

3D, place loudspeakers, evaluate coverage, and verify

senior director of product management—the team

physically install the speakers, the best locations and

mechanical configurations in a virtual environment,”

behind the MAPP 3D high-resolution audio prediction

performance targets have already been determined.

client is a significant improvement over using

said George Georgallis, product management for

tool—emphasized this point. “The data in MAPP 3D

That being said, these tools do not replace the

performance audio, HARMAN Professional Solutions.

provides far more information than any datasheet ever

seasoned acoustic engineer; rather, they give these

“This gives designers a detailed understanding of how

could,” he said, “providing a visual representation of

professionals a superpower—the ability to see the

the output of a loudspeaker, helping users understand

invisible behavior of a room.

which products are the right functional fit for any

“At its core, it’s predictive modeling for sound,” explained Ryan John, director of product

given application.”

management, software, for L-Acoustics, which offers

Virtual Limits

the Soundvision 3D simulation and sound system

Audio mapping software is not a magic wand, and it

design platform. “Instead of guessing how a room will

operates on a strict “garbage in, garbage out”

behave, or finding problems on load-in day,

principle. In plain language, a digital map cannot fix

Soundvision allows you to see hot spots, gaps, and

poor input data, nor can it entirely replace the critical

delay issues on screen and fix them before anyone

listening skills of an experienced engineer.

touches a cable.”

Trading Guesswork for Data

“A simulation is only as good as the accuracy of the model you build, and the assumptions in the room acoustics—reflections, absorption, HVAC

When a lighting engineer sets up lights, they can put

noise, and audience attenuation—are genuinely hard

them in place, turn them on, and see where the light

to capture with precision, especially in complex or

actually goes. But this isn’t true for sound engineers. They can put the speakers in place, but they can’t see

SCN // October 2026 // avnetwork.com

HARMAN’s JBL Venue Synthesis provides 3D acoustic simulation and mechanical analysis.

AUDIO MAPPING TECHNOLOGY

unusual architecture,” John cautioned. “I always tell

collaborative, interconnected, and increasingly

people to treat the map as your design foundation,

intelligent. The goal is to get architects, consultants,

not your final QC.”

and clients “into the same 3D data in real time, so

transformed how sound systems are conceived and

Also, no matter how good the audio mapping

decisions happen faster and with everyone aligned,”

delivered. In an industry where time is money and

software may be, the physical environment has the

said John. He added that machine learning will soon

precision is paramount, turning guesswork into a

last word in this discussion. “While the software

sharpen these tools by analyzing real-world

guaranteed result is the ultimate payoff.

measurement data over time. In the end, audio mapping has fundamentally

provides an excellent representation of direct sound, room acoustics and environmental conditions can still influence the final system performance,” Georgallis told SCN. “Ultimately, room acoustics and tuning the system on site remain essential parts of achieving the best possible performance.” One area where audio mapping software is an absolute must is immersive environments. Trying to execute these installations by ear alone is practically impossible. “Considering the cost of equipment and the amount of time required to complete a proper installation, I believe it is imperative that audio mapping be employed when designing any immersive audio space,” said Lance. Conversely, budget-sized installations in schools and municipal buildings also benefit significantly from audio mapping. Because these projects don’t have the funds to absorb costly errors, integrators have to get the design right the first time. “These projects may not always involve large-scale systems, but acoustic modeling can still help designers make better decisions, avoid unnecessary costs, and deliver a more consistent listening experience,” Georgallis added.

The Next Frontier Since the science of audio mapping is already well established, the future of this software is less about tweaking basic algorithms and more about improving workflow efficiency, supporting smart automation, and working in collaborative cloud environments. Additionally, software developers are focusing on making these tools more accessible to a wider range of stakeholders. Davies noted that Meyer Sound is launching APERTURE, an add-on visualization tool “aimed at giving system designers enhanced tools to share designs, enabling presentation options and graphic resources from a simple, online tool.” L-Acoustics has offered a similar capability for the past year through Soundvision Connect, a browserbased companion that lets architects, consultants, and clients step into the same 3D model and SPL data without opening the software themselves. Manufacturers are also using automation to strip away the most tedious, repetitive technical tasks. “As sound systems become more sophisticated, processes such as delay optimization for full-range systems and Electronic Design Synthesis [EDS] for large subwoofer arrays can become both time-consuming and technically challenging,” explained Georgallis. “By automating these calculations, Venue Synthesis allows engineers to spend less time on repetitive optimization tasks and more time evaluating and refining the overall system design.” Ultimately, the future of Pro AV design is

avnetwork.com // October 2026 // SCN

TECHNOLOGY CORPORATE AUDIO

The Future Is Heard, Not Seen New audio technologies are transforming corporate spaces. By Jens Pilz

speaking and creates a tight acoustic “beam” around them in real time. For the presenter on stage, this is liberating. They are granted the ability to pace, turn their head, gesture naturally, and interact with the audience exactly as they would in a small living room, unencumbered by gear. This fosters a far more authentic and engaging performance. But perhaps the most dramatic impact of contactless audio is felt in the audience. In a hybrid

Contactless Audio

town hall, remote participants often feel

The first major development reshaping our spaces is

disconnected because they can’t hear the in-room

the advent of “contactless audio.” The concept is

audience asking questions. With intelligent ceiling

f you have ever attended a corporate town hall or

exactly what it sounds like: capturing pristine,

arrays, when an audience member stands up to ask a

a large-scale hybrid meeting, you likely know the

broadcast-quality audio without requiring the user

question, a beam instantly locks onto them. The

familiar, awkward dance of the microphone. A

to interact with a physical

presenter fumbles to clip a lavalier onto their jacket,

audio is captured cleanly and

microphone at all.

or a handheld mic is clumsily tossed around the

Instead of relying on

audience for Q&A, accompanied by awful handling

goosenecks on podiums or

noise and feedback screeches. Let’s not forget the

clip-on transmitters, modern

dreaded phrase, “Is this on?”

corporate spaces are

For decades, professional audio has been defined by

integrating sophisticated

the physical tether between the speaker and the

microphone arrays directly

hardware. But working for an audio company and as an

into the architecture—

expert for wireless spectrum, I can tell you that we are

disguised in ceilings, mounted

in the midst of a profound paradigm shift. The future of

on walls, or hidden within

audio in hybrid meeting spaces, corporate auditoriums,

light fixtures. These aren’t

and boardrooms is becoming entirely invisible.

your standard microphones.

The days of the “AV guy” running down the aisle to fix a squawking microphone are ending.

We are seeing massive, parallel developments in

They house dozens of tiny

how we capture human voices and how we transport

audio capsules that rely on

that data through the airwaves and across networks.

advanced digital signal

The ultimate goal? To make the technology disappear

processing and beamforming technology.

entirely, leaving only natural, effortless communication.

automatically, eliminating the agonizing wait for a runner to bring them a handheld mic. It democratizes the conversation, making hybrid meetings feel truly equitable.

Wireless Spectrum Evolution While ceiling arrays handle the architecture, presenters who need absolute zero-latency, high-fidelity mobility still rely on wireless systems. Here, we run into a major challenge: The

airwaves are shrinking. Over the last decades, the UHF

Think of beamforming as an invisible, highly

radio frequencies we traditionally used for wireless

focused flashlight for sound. Rather than listening

microphones have been aggressively auctioned off to

to the whole room (which captures unwanted echo

telecom companies for cellular broadband. As a spectrum expert, I can assure you that

and HVAC noise), the

navigating this crowded airspace in a dense

microphone array actively

corporate environment is a monumental task. The

seeks out the person

solution isn’t just better antennas, It’s

WMAS systems like Spectera allow the use of more microphones using less RF spectrum—without dropouts or interference.

SCN // October 2026 // avnetwork.com

CORPORATE AUDIO TECHNOLOGY

fundamentally rewriting the standardized

The days of the “AV guy” running down the aisle

technology of wireless transport.

the friction from corporate communication. In the

to fix a squawking microphone are ending. We are

modern auditorium, the technology fades into the

entering an era of elegant, invisible technology.

background, allowing the message, and the people

Systems). This regulatory schema and technological

Through the marriage of contactless beamforming,

sharing it, to finally take center stage.

approach is an absolute game changer. Historically,

highly efficient wireless spectrum management, and

Jens Pilz is the spectrum and innovation manager

wireless microphones operated on narrowband

network-based audio transport, we are removing

for Sennheiser.

Enter WMAS (Wireless Multichannel Audio

transmission—one mic, one specific slice of spectrum. WMAS shifts this to a wideband approach, allowing users to multiplex dozens of audio channels onto a single, wider block of spectrum. It is incredibly spectrally efficient, meaning we can operate far more microphones in a much smaller sliver of the RF spectrum without interference or dropouts. Concurrently, we are seeing the rise of DECT NR+. Operating in the dedicated 1.9 GHz band, this standard is essentially a non-cellular 5G technology. It creates self-healing, mesh-like wireless networks with ultra-low latency and massive reliability. For professional audio, implementing DECT NR+ means devices can communicate flawlessly without stepping on the toes of the company’s Wi-Fi or cellular networks. Both technologies overcome the limitations of traditional narrowband solutions. In-band control enables remote device management and real-time monitoring—crucial features in corporate environments. These standardized wireless interfaces ensure next-generation audio is bulletproof, no matter how congested local airspaces become. Furthermore, expanding spectrum allocation for WMAS and DECT NR+ remains a vital, ongoing international discussion.

Network Convergence Once the audio is captured, it needs to go somewhere. This brings us to the crucial role of audio over IP (AoIP). Routing audio used to mean pulling miles of heavy analog copper cables. Today, audio simply rides on the company’s existing IT infrastructure via standard Ethernet cables using protocols like Dante, AES67, Ravenna, or ST 2110. Standardizing the interface for audio transport has seamlessly bridged the gap between AV and IT. Audio is now simply network data, easily routed from the town hall stage to overflow rooms, into the broadcast mixer, and out to a Zoom call with a click. Herein lies the beautiful paradox of the modern corporate audio landscape: an intense need for standardized underlying technology, driven by customer demand for completely customized solutions. Corporate clients want spaces that perfectly cater to their specific workflows, like an auditorium that transforms into an immersive training center at the push of a button. By relying on highly standardized, interoperable backbones—like AoIP protocols and regulated WMAS schemas—AV architects can mix and match sensors, processors, and speakers to build highly bespoke spaces.

avnetwork.com // October 2026 // SCN

TECHNOLOGY PRODUCT REVIEWS

Modes of Conversation With no network cable on hand, I created a QR shortcut for my network password on my phone, held it in front of the U30’s camera, and quickly got on the network and gained access to Jabra’s Web Console. From there, it was a matter of using Chrome on my iPhone to name the unit, update the password (yep, The Jabra PanaCast U30 includes an adjustable mounting bracket, but also works with an optional table stand (pictured) if your not ready to commit to drilling holes.

cybersecurity matters in my house, too), and, as is the norm in today’s tech world, update the firmware. I really appreciate the “onboarding wallpaper” included with the U30. That QR code trick wasn’t my idea—there were on-screen instructions explaining how to get my U30 connected to the network. Brilliant. Web Console provides more than firmware updates. From here, you can adjust various image characteristics and select between camera modes.

Uncomplicated Videoconferencing Jabra keeps it simple with the PanaCast U30 videobar, but there are advanced capabilities if you want them.

Besides Intelligent Zoom, there is Virtual Director, which dynamically follows the conversation and focuses on the speaker. Intelligent Zoom will follow the conversation, but the U30 is initially set to move (very) slowly. You have the option to reset the transition speed to immediate, which forgoes the on-screen camera move for a cut to the new angle. Certainly the slow mode is less jarring, but it takes way too long to follow a moving speaker or lock on to the new one. I’m not a fan of jump cuts, but I’ll take the immediate setting. I’d really like to see an upgrade that provides

By Mark J. Pescatore

I didn’t bother to do any setup the first time I

more zoom options.

used the U30. Taking Jabra at its word, I literally

If your meetings regularly include a couple of

plugged in the unit and connected a USB-C cable

Chatty Cathies or a fair amount of debate, you might

t’s clear the Jabra PanaCast U30 videobar wants

from my laptop to the videobar. And yes, it worked.

be better served with the simple, static Panoramic

to keep things simple for BYOD videoconferenc-

The U30 features a 4K camera, one speaker, and six

View mode. You can choose between a normal and

ing workflows. Designed for huddle rooms or

microphones, which are used to help the system’s

“max wide” view, but Jabra correctly warns you that

other small rooms, it wants you to plug in one cable

video-follow-audio camera modes (more on those

you will see serious fisheye distortion with the wider

and get your meeting started. Nice and clean—but it

later). Other meeting participants could see and hear

angle. If you want a more advanced visual, Dynamic

might not be as bare bones as you think.

me clearly, though I was told I sounded a bit hollow.

Composition boxes up to four speakers in separate

Of course, it’s Jabra, so I heard them just fine. The

tiles along with a wide view of the entire room. Just

The unit itself is well built and about as unobtrusive an addition to your huddle room as it

video call sounded clear and so did the music I played

can be. Just under 21 inches long, it’s among the

after the meeting. The U30 also offers noise

smallest videobars on the market, weighs a little over

suppression, and it works. I know this because

3 pounds, and includes an adjustable mounting

I banged my Yukon stainless steel tumbler

Generally speaking, I have a problem

bracket. Jabra was kind enough to include a sturdy

repeatedly on the table and the other call

with AI’s interpretation of headroom, as it

table stand (available as an accessory), so I didn’t

participants couldn’t hear it. No one

tends to provide way too much for my taste.

have to drill any holes to conduct my review, but

complained about the sound of me typing

The U30 can suffer from the same problem.

there’s a positioning guide included in the packing

notes throughout the meeting, either.

Another app, Jabra Direct (available only for

materials to simplify your install.

The U30’s camera was set to Intelligent

remember that you’ve got one camera doing the work of several, so keep your resolution expectations in check.

your computer), lets you customize your

All your connections are on the back, and there’s

Zoom right out of the box, so when it

even a cable compartment cover to keep your install

determined I was alone in the room,

tidy. The U30 also includes a small, black, removable

the system’s AI decided a

rubber lens cap that will likely get lost within the

medium shot of me was better

With most review products, I try

first week. An integrated privacy shutter would be a

than a wide shot of the room.

to make them work without

welcome upgrade.

Good call, but that meant I

reading the directions. If I

My desk is positioned less than 4 feet from my

had absolutely no

office wall, which means there are no distractions

control over the

behind me when I’m in video meetings or recording

camera. So, after

webinars. However, that’s not a great setup for

that first

reviewing a videobar, so I turned the spare room into

meeting, it was

a temporary huddle room. I placed my desk chair a

time for a proper

little less than 5 feet in front of the U30.

setup.

SCN // October 2026 // avnetwork.com

shot and save a couple of presets.

The Magic Cable

get frustrated, then it’s time to open the user

Small but mighty: The Jabra Panacast U30 packs a lot of features into a relatively compact videobar.

The MV88-USBC connects directly to your phone’s USB-C port.

manual. The funny thing with this review is that I could have saved myself some frustration by unboxing the cable that came with the unit. I used my own USB-C cable to connect the videobar to my laptop. And it worked … kind of. I had also connected the U30 to my large-screen display via HDMI, but I wasn’t getting a picture. Turns out I needed to connect my laptop to the U30 with a USB-C 3.2 Gen 1 cable, such as the one Jabra provided. Once I

Audio Clarity for Content Creators Shure’s new MV88-USBC is an ideal replacement for your phone’s built-in mic—and then some.

did that, everything was fine. Yes, that’s your reminder that all cables, even all USB-C cables, are not created equal. With the proper cable in place, I decided to give

By Mark J. Pescatore

the camera modes a real test. Unfortunately, I stumbled with a software conflict right out of the

other adjustments within these modes as well, such as gain (up to 36dB), auto level (I used that instead with no complaints), high pass filter, and more. If you find

speakers and Dynamic Composition was just a mess.

talent is not an option. For example, maybe you have

Audio On Location

Turns out I had Google Meet’s “framing” turned on,

to “walk and talk” with that busy executive, or per-

I had the opportunity to test the MV88 at InfoComm

so I was always in the center of the screen. Shut that

haps you happened upon a sidewalk performer and

2026. There were two “creator pods” outside the

off and it worked just fine.

want to capture some footage. Your only option is

Central Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center, so I

to point your phone and shoot, but you’d rather not

claimed one for myself about 30 minutes before the

rely on your phone’s built-in mic.

show floor opened. It was a somewhat noisy area, as

gate. I started with Google Meet—the static panoramic view had no issues, but the Virtual Director could not differentiate between two

The U30 is in certification with Microsoft Teams, so I tried another meeting. Dynamic Composition framed both people in separate tiles, along with a

here are plenty of wired and wireless lava-

exactly what you like, you can save a preset or just lock

lier microphone options on the market, but

the settings.

sometimes properly micing your on-screen

Scenarios like these and plenty more create an

other people were already gathering for the show and

wide view of the huddle room. It’s really a nice effect.

extensive menu of use cases for Shure’s new MV88-

background music was playing. I stowed my glasses

It really comes down to this: The Jabra PanaCast

USBC stereo microphone, which is clearly targeting

(ring lights really don’t like the bespectacled

U30 is as simple or as advanced as you want it to

the content creator market. The compact mic is about

standing so close) and shot a short SCN promo, which

be—within reason, considering its significantly

1 inch long and attached to a hinge that allows 90

I later posted on LinkedIn.

lower price point ($755 on Jabra’s website and $899

degrees of movement. The hinge is connected to a

elsewhere) than other Jabra videobars. If it’s just

rectangle base with an integrated USB-C connector,

microphone. At close range, it did an acceptable job,

your huddle room, you can select an advanced

so it plugs directly into the port on the bottom of

though the background noise (particularly the music)

camera mode for a more dynamic presentation.

your phone. (The previous MV88+ model requires a

was much louder than I’d like. Once past that

If you have to share that huddle room among

cable.) A small green LED on the base serves as the

“control” version, I tried the MV88 in stereo (60

power indicator.

degrees) and cardioid. For me, the cardioid setting

several groups that may or may not be technologically inclined (or you’re trying to

First, I’m not here to knock the iPhone’s built-in

delivered the best results, delivering the most natural

standardize multiple huddle rooms), you might just

Moving and Shaking

want to stick with the panoramic view and avoid the

Once I connected the mic, I immediately started

noise. That said, the high end was noticeably crisp in

max wide setting, if possible. Either way, my advice

shaking the setup like a maraca. However, the USB-C

those close quarters.

would be to set it and forget it. Remember, the goal of

connector created a secure fit, so I have no reports of

the U30 is to make BYOD videoconferencing simple

flying microphones. The MV88 actually fit more

colleague held my phone while I walked about 12 feet

for small rooms and small groups. If that’s your goal

tightly on my Galaxy A14 phone than my iPhone.

away and started talking. The audio was clear, sure,

as well, the U30 is a solid videobar choice.

That said, there are no magnets or clips to keep the

but it sounded like I was about 12 feet away. However,

unit in place, so try not to treat your setup like a

at about 6 feet, the audio was significantly better. Did

percussion rattle.

it sound like I was wearing a lav? Of course not—let’s

Jabra's "onboarding wallpaper" is a big help with initial setup.

The MV88 includes a custom carry case that bears a striking resemblance to an oversized mesh windscreen. Speaking of windscreens, the MV88’s

sound for my voice while minimizing background

I did another test in a quiet upstairs hallway. A

not expect miracles from a 1-inch mic that’s priced at $159. The test that surprised me the most was the mono

windscreen is the size of a golf ball, but it protects the

bi-directional mode. A colleague and I had a

mic equally from all sides, which is important because

conversation about 4 feet away from each other, with

of the various pickup patterns it offers.

the mic between us. The pickup was great, even when

A stereo pickup allows you adjust the pattern in 15-degree increments from a tight, shotgun-esque 60

she moved around a bit. The MV88-USBC is not going to replace your

degrees to a wide open 135 degrees. The mono

wireless lavs or your handheld—and it’s not designed

cardioid, mono bidirectional, and raw mid-side

to. Instead, it’s going to be your go-to mic when your

settings don’t allow for pickup pattern adjustments,

phone’s built-in mic won’t cut it and when other

though there are plenty of other ways to make changes

mics aren’t convenient. It’s well built and compact

through Shure’s MOTIV Audio or MOTIV Video apps.

enough to take up permanent residence in your

For example, you can select processing modes for speech, singing, acoustic, band, and flat. There are

production bag, but it’s so versatile that you may have a hard time putting it away.

avnetwork.com // October 2026 // SCN

TECHNOLOGY NEW PRODUCTS

RGB Spectrum MediaWall X Unlike traditional video wall solutions that rely on centralized, monolithic hardware, RGB Spectrum’s new MediaWall X distributed video wall processor utilizes a distributed, serverless architecture with multiple I/O endpoints to form a synchronized system.

D-Tools Cloud Release #100

Nanonlumens NanoBanner

The result is a highly scalable platform that reduces

The milestone release of the company’s platform for

NanoBanner is a 72-inch diagonal portrait LED display

complexity while enabling expanded video wall

the technology integration industry delivers 66

engineered as a plug-and-play digital signage

capabilities as operational requirements evolve.

improvements (many from customer requests),

solution. It combines a familiar portrait form factor

MediaWall X combines video decoding, graphics

spanning payments, sales reporting, inventory, and

with integrated mobility, wireless content

processing, and networking in a system comprising

project drawings. For example, Accelerated ACH

management, and durable construction. NanoBanner

ultra-compact endpoints that can be installed near

Deposits is a new, next-day funding option in D-Tools

is a mobile LED display designed to deliver digital

video sources and displays, reducing rack space

Payments. Once enabled and a client’s ACH payment is

content to applications that have traditionally relied

requirements and simplifying system design. The

verified, funds arrive in one business day instead of

on static pull-up banners. Featuring a built-in rolling

system utilizes MediaWall X decoder/display devices

four. Release #100 also sharpens invoicing clarity:

base, NanoBanner plugs into a standard electrical

and Zio 5000 and 2100 Series signal source encoders,

Paid invoices now show clients their own payment-

outlet and supports content delivery through Wi-Fi,

plus third-party H.264 and H.265 video sources.

method details, and invoice summaries have been

LAN, and USB, allowing organizations to update

Designed for demanding visualization applications,

redesigned to clearly break out totals, payments, fees,

messaging without replacing printed materials. Up to

MediaWall X supports video walls with up to 64 4K60

refunds, and balance due. Hybrid Inventory gives

five displays can be positioned side by side to create a

displays, with video content distributed across display

integrators accurate tracking without overmanaging

seamless mobile LED canvas. Designed for public-

endpoints to create a seamless viewing experience.

low-value stock, letting them mix Units tracking

facing environments, NanoBanner features standard

(individual asset records) and Pools tracking (quantity

Glue-On-Board (GOB) protection to improve

only) at the individual product level. Plus, Hybrid

durability in high-traffic locations. Available in 1.5mm

Inventory builds on Inventory Asset Management

and 1.9mm, NanoBanner delivers up to 800 nits of

(IAM), the per-unit tracking solution D-Tools Cloud

brightness for clear visibility across a range of indoor

launched earlier this year.

lighting conditions.

MSolutions MS-RSE-G The MS-RSE-G provides AV professionals with an ultra-compact, versatile solution for managing IP and legacy serial devices across enterprise, education, and commercial AV environments. The device gives installers the freedom to place and conceal devices almost anywhere in a building to monitor and control RS-232-connected equipment, including extenders,

Visionary E5000

motorized shades, and other legacy systems. The device also acts as a bridge between IP and UART (RS-232),

The latest addition to the company’s 5 Series,

supporting secure data translation between IP and serial

Theory Professional PLC/DLC Series

Visionary’s E5000 is a compact, cost-effective

communication protocols. The MS-RSE-G connects to

With an entirely new series based on Powersoft’s

AV-over-IP encoder that’s purpose-built for projects

any IP network and provides continuous monitoring of

patented amplification and signal processing

that prioritize streamlined functionality and value.

connected devices through secure encrypted SSH over IP

technologies and a new addition to its DLC series,

Designed for AV-over-IP installations that require

connections. Its triple-interface support (RS-232,

Theory is providing five new loudspeaker controllers

essential encoding capabilities without the overhead

USB-A, and IP) offers exceptional versatility for mixed

for higher power and more complex installations. The

of advanced features, the E5000 features a simplified

AV environments spread across large buildings,

8-channel DLC-1500.8d delivers 6000W in a 2 RU

I/O configuration that includes a single HDMI input,

campuses, and enterprise facilities. A future hardware

chassis. The brand-new PLC series, comprised of two

one PoE Ethernet port, and RS-232 control. It is

revision will add PoE capability, allowing the unit to

8-channel and two 4-channel models (all 1 RU),

especially well-suited for education, corporate,

receive power directly from the network.

leverages Powersoft’s patented Class-D amplification

government, hospitality, digital signage and large

topologies, SmartRail energy-management power

venue deployments, where scalable AV distribution

supplies, Power Factor Correction, and advanced DSP

and audio interoperability are critical, but more

architecture to bring Theory’s premium sound into

advanced encoder I/O options are unnecessary. By

complex professional, large venue, live sound, and

delivering the core performance capabilities of

residential applications. Key features of Theory’s PLC

Visionary’s E5100 encoder, including native AES67

loudspeaker Controller platform include proprietary

audio support, the E5000 empowers integrators and

presets, native Dante and AES67 audio over IP

enterprise AV teams to deploy high-performance

networking, all-channel power sharing, three

video distribution across modern IP networks while

configurable 1 Gb network ports with one PoE, and

optimizing project budgets.

easy swap USB key amplifier restore.

SCN // October 2026 // avnetwork.com

NEW PRODUCTS TECHNOLOGY

Pliant Technologies CrewCom Flex

StarTech.com 4-Port Thunderbolt 5 Hub

DPA Microphones 6388 CORE+

CrewCom Flex is a frameless matrix intercom system

The new 4-Port Thunderbolt 5 Hub combines

The new 6388 CORE+ headset microphone is a high-

and a complete matrix IP-based intercom solution

Thunderbolt 5 performance with integrated multi-

performance, supercardioid headset designed for

that converges wired, wireless, and virtual voice

system collaboration capabilities that help reduce

demanding live environments. Among the key technical

communication on a standards-based AES67/ST 2110

desktop complexity and streamline workstation

advantages of the 6388 CORE+ is its physically

backbone—all without the limitations of traditional

deployments. The included Thunderbolt Share

asymmetrical design and the shifted acoustical axis of

matrix hardware frames. It seamlessly unites Pliant’s

software allows two PCs to share a keyboard, mouse,

the microphone capsule. Together with the tightly

CrewCom wireless intercom system with powerful

and display through a single Thunderbolt connection

controlled proximity effect, it’s significantly less

new wired panels, desktop panels, wired belt packs,

without requiring a dedicated KVM switch. Users can

sensitive to exact placement and ensures consistent,

and browser or app-based virtual intercom panels that

also transfer files directly between systems. The hub

high-quality sound, even if the headset is repositioned

can be deployed in cloud-native or local

delivers up to 80 Gbps of bi-directional throughput,

during a performance. The 6388 CORE+ offers

infrastructures. Designed for demanding productions

with bandwidth boosting up to 120 Gbps for display-

enhanced feedback rejection and eliminates the usual

and critical communication environments, CrewCom

intensive applications. Plus, it provides up to 140W

trade-offs between sound quality and isolation. It’s

Flex delivers a complete communications ecosystem

laptop charging and supports multiple 8K or 6K

ideal for environments needing clear voice isolation,

built for hybrid, remote, distributed, and highly

displays. Three downstream Thunderbolt 5 ports and a

including houses of worship, live performance,

scalable workflows. At the core of the CrewCom Flex

dedicated USB-A 10 Gbps port support high-speed

broadcast and sports, and corporate events. Unlike

platform is the new CrewCom Flex Main Panel

storage, multiple displays, and modern peripherals

traditional directional headset microphones, the 6388

(CKP-16) and Desktop Panel (CDP-16), designed to

through a single connection. Built for enterprise and

CORE+ features switchable boom placement (left or

combine the familiarity of traditional hardware with

professional installations, the rugged aluminum

right). Its IP58 certification offers resistance to dust

the flexibility and advantages of frameless distributed

chassis includes VESA mounting support and a K-slot

and humidity, while its modular connection options are

IP communications.

security lock.

compatible with major wireless systems.

COMPONENT PARTS

CONNECTORS & ADAPTORS

FIBER CABLES

FLYPACKS & ROAD CASES

MODULAR FLOOR BOXES & CUTOMIZED PANELS

To Advertise in the SCN CLASSIFIEDS, Contact Zahra Majma zahra.majma@futurenet.com

avnetwork.com // October 2026 // SCN

VIEWPOINT

Cameras On, People In today’s work environment, never showing your face is sending the wrong signal. By Andie Mace

to look around while someone is talking but still hear

After all, they’ve been in the same situation. We can’t

what they are saying. However, that doesn’t mean the

all be 100% present 100% of the time, especially in the

speaker doesn’t interpret that behavior as lack of

chronically online digital age.

efore I deliver this hot take, I need to state

interest or attention. Likewise, you may be truly

my qualifications. I grew up at the end of the

paying attention, but turning your camera off sends a

Chronically Camera-Off

millennial generation and the beginning of

different signal.

Here is the difference between what I just described

Gen Z. In other words, I’m a cusper. My childhood took place during the nascence of the

Here is my one big important caveat: I’m not

and someone who is chronically camera-off with no

making a case that you should always have your

explanation. What I just described provides clarity and

chronically online, social media age, though I spent a

camera on. I have joined plenty of meetings from the

a reason, and allows for the expectation that someone

good chunk of my formative years with a Razr flip

car or while I was on a walk. I’ve even turned my

might not be fully present but is doing their best.

phone. Accessing the internet cost my parents their life

camera off to eat lunch when my previous meetings

savings for half the time I was on their phone plan, and

went over time. Having the ability to join a meeting

like someone saying, “Hey, I’m waiting to get some

my only early computer access was the giant brick in

remotely and be audio only has truly made such a

important news via email, so I may be checking my

my parents closet that was shared by the whole family.

difference for work-life balance and flexibility.

phone a bit while we are talking.” That context makes

I got to experience a period of social norms that

But here’s the thing—in those situations, I provide

To bring this back to the face-to-face example: it’s

all the difference. Suddenly, it’s not that they don’t care

have existed for centuries (face-to-face interactions)

some level of context to the other people I am talking

about what you’re saying, they just have something else

as well as new social norms in the digital age. In other

to, and they understand that I’ll do my best to give

going on that’s taking up some of their headspace.

words, I’m not a boomer trying to lecture anybody on

them the attention I can. Ultimately, I have another

When you are chronically camera-off with no

how good the glory days were before technology

task that may cause some distraction. And that is OK.

explanation, it leaves your visual absence open to

existed. But as a 30-year-old, I think I’m qualified to argue that if you are never, ever turning your camera on in meetings, people might not be taking you seriously.

A Brick Wall Let’s explore this in terms we can all understand— because we do still have face-to-face interactions in our life to some degree. When you are talking to someone face-to-face, there are certain visual cues that you look for to interpret if they are really listening and how interested they are. If I was talking to someone and they started looking around or (even

interpretation. Do they care? Are they actually paying

You may be truly paying attention, but turning your camera off sends a different signal.

worse) looking at their phone, I would assume they

attention? Am I just talking to myself? Do this enough and our social human nature prompts people to start believing that maybe this is just a person who doesn’t really care about the work. It’s the bitter truth about us as social beings—we draw conclusions based on the signals around us, whether or not they are true. So, what should you take away from this? In my opinion, it is OK to turn your camera off sometimes and join a meeting with audio only. Give a little context as to why, if you can; if not, maybe just don’t make a habit of it.

probably aren’t really paying attention.

If you are someone who is chronically camera-

Personally, that’s not someone I

off, I’d challenge you to ask yourself why. I’ve heard

want to continue a conversation

some people say that it’s the

with—and probably not someone I

principle—I shouldn’t have to turn it

want to have future conversations

on if I don’t want to. I just don’t buy

with, either. It doesn’t feel great to feel like

that as a good reason. I don’t have to

you are talking to a brick wall. The reason we

be a kind person, but I choose to be because

talk to each other is to connect, get feedback, and relate

it allows me to form better connections with

to one another. I am not just talking to hear

people, which is literally in Maslow’s

myself speak (most of the time, anyway).

hierarchy of needs.

Having your camera off in a meeting is

Maybe you have a valid reason for your

the digital age equivalent to signaling to

health or personal situation, and I’m not

somebody that you aren’t really

trying to shame that. But if

paying attention. It’s a social

you have the luxury of doing so, turn that camera on in your

in, one foot out.” When your

next meeting and start building

camera is off during a meeting,

better connections with your

that tells me you are barely

clients and coworkers.

Now, maybe you are paying attention, but we’re talking social cues here. Some people are able

SCN // October 2026 // avnetwork.com

GETTY IMAG

paying attention.

cue that says, “I’ve got one foot

Previously recognized as a member of SCN’s The Nine, Andie Mace is a senior product marketing manager for Vivint.

9000