Systems Contractor News - January 2025

The ‘Old Days’ Really Weren't That Long Ago

Back in 2004, I contributed an essay to Constance Ledoux Book’s Digital Television: DTV and the Consumer, a book detailing the dawn of digital television. I wrote about discovering HDTV sets in my local Walmart Supercenter, declaring that HDTV had gone mainstream. Just seven years earlier, in 1997, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) had released its Fifth Report and Order, which outlined an aggressive strategy for broadcasters to transition to DTV.

While HDTV should have been the new normal, at least in my eyes, sales were still catching up. The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) estimated that one out of every four televisions sold in 2004 was an HDTV. That percentage sounds low today, but back then it was huge. The $1,600 average price tag for an HDTV set didn’t help sales, but the price had dropped from $2,400 in 2003, according to the Leichtman Research Group.

Another stumbling block: There wasn’t exactly an immediate windfall of HD programming. For example, NBC Nightly News was the first national evening news to broadcast in HD—in 2007—while The Simpsons didn’t air its first HD episode until 2009, its 20th season. The first Super Bowl broadcast in HD was in 2000 (Super Bowl XXXIV), but Olympics fans had to wait until Beijing in 2008 to experience the entire event in HD.

These days, you can still find new Full HD consumer sets, but choices are limited (and the displays are relatively small). Instead, 4K has taken over the consumer marketplace. Without even taking Black Friday pricing into account, you can get a 55-inch LG 4K smart TV for less than $350 at Walmart. Other brands are even less expensive for larger sets. There are premium models for premium prices, too, but in 2024, you don’t need to spend a fortune for 4K.

Maybe the speed of technological advancement is making us all lose a little perspective, but none of this is old. In a couple of years, the first talking picture, The Jazz Singer, will celebrate its centennial. Now that’s old—we’re talking black-andwhite film stock, as well as a record on a turntable connected to a projector to sync the video and audio.

But HDTV? WRAL-TV in Raleigh, NC, delivered the first U.S. public HDTV broadcast in 1996, while Hawaii’s KITV was the first U.S. station to begin commercial digital broadcasts in 1998. And it literally took until 2014 for the networks to make the complete transition to HD. Big Brother was the last holdout in primetime, due to its extensive camera (and related infrastructure) requirements.

Of course, by the time primetime was all HD, Netflix had launched streaming content in 4K. A few years later, the FCC approved NextGen TV (also known as ATSC 3.0), which opened the door to over-the-air 4K, interactive features, and much more. However, the transition to NextGen TV is voluntary, at least so far, so not every broadcaster has made the move.

Today, almost anyone with a halfway decent internet connection can stream tons of 4K content at home. Just a decade ago, it was House of Cards and a couple of nature documentaries. And a decade before that, there was only a handful of HD content, which you could only watch in high definition on a very expensive TV.

As we all welcome 2025, it’s interesting to think about what current Pro AV technologies will look downright antiquated in a decade. Will we laugh at how little AI was being used? Will HD be a distant memory? Heck, will we be in the middle of an 8K transition? Ten years is not that far down the road—but in terms of technology, what our industry relies on this year might just be considered ancient history.

As we all welcome 2025, it’s interesting to think about what current Pro AV technologies will look downright antiquated in a decade.

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NSCA Aspires to Inspire with Upcoming Conference

NSCA has set its 2025 Business & Leadership Conference (BLC) for Feb. 25-27 at the Ritz-Carlton Dallas Las Colinas in Irving, TX. The conference, which offers executive-level education and networking, brings the commercial integration industry together to share stories, learn from one another, and hear about new ways to cultivate business success.

“BLC has become the place where integrators come to find answers to their biggest business challenges, from managing better teams to improving margins,” said Tom LeBlanc, executive director, NSCA. “This year’s speakers will inspire you to accomplish more than you think you’re capable of while also driving your business toward sustainable growth. This happens by focusing on priorities and opportunities, not outliers and distractions.”

Beyond an extensive program of educational sessions, NSCA will also celebrate several individuals at BLC with the John Greene Mentorship Award, Per Haugen Lifetime Achievement Award, NSCA Education Foundation Founders Award, and more. BLC 2025 sponsors to date include ADI, Belden, Biamp, Bogen, Bose, BrightSign, Cleerline, Crestron, D-Tools, Legrand AV, Lencore, Liberty, Lightware, Niveo, Q-SYS, Rauland, Sharp, Shure, Solutions360, Sony, TD SYNNEX, West Penn Wire, Windy City Wire, and X-TEN.

New Diversified HQ Spotlights Workplace Tech

Officially opened in late October, Diversified’s new headquarters in Plano, TX, is designed to support the company’s growth in key markets and serve as a showcase for the technologies it designs and builds for clients worldwide.

For example, a large dvLED wall supported by uniform audio coverage greets guests as they enter the facility. The main conference room, optimized for Microsoft Teams, seats up to 10 and features dual cameras, ceiling-mounted microphones, and motorized blinds. Plus, an open area features a curved dvLED wall, ceiling-mounted camera and speakers, and multiple audio zones, so it’s adaptable for various use cases.

Residents and visitors of downtown Denver often stroll through the historic Civic Center Park, paying little attention to familiar landmarks like the courthouse or the golden-domed capitol building. However, on certain holiday weekends, as the sun sets, these monuments come to life, with projection mapping transforming them into massive canvases for breathtaking, illuminated 3D art. The Denver Civic Center Conservancy commissioned WAVEFORM.exp to create the exhibit, and the WAVEFORM.exp team chose Digital Projection projectors to bring the specially designed scenes to life. Three Digital Projection M-Vision 23000 projectors were utilized to maintain the brightness and depth of the 3D visual effects across the Civic Center Park’s Greek Theatre.

“This new headquarters is a working example of what we do best—integrating advanced technology into functional spaces,” said Eric Hutto, CEO of Diversified. “It’s designed to showcase how modern technology can adapt to the needs of any business, providing an interactive space for our clients to see the practical benefits of the solutions we deliver.”

The space will support Diversified’s executive leadership team and provide a functional workspace for both local teams and visiting associates. With a prime location offering easy access to Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport and the wider Dallas metroplex, the new HQ ensures easy accessibility for local and global clients and partners.

Jetbuilt Joins PSA as a Business Solutions Partner

Jetbuilt has joined PSA as a Business Solutions Partner. Through this alliance, PSA’s network of security and AV systems integrators gain access to Jetbuilt’s project management platform at special pricing, equipping PSA members with tools to streamline project workflows and increase efficiency.

“We receive multitudes of inquiries from technology and solutions providers and are selective about who we bring on,” explained Matt Barnette, president and CEO of the PSA Network, which serves more than 500 branch locations across the world and employs more than 13,500 industry professionals across North America. “Jetbuilt was specifically selected because it fills a need our members have.”

Jetbuilt’s platform is specifically designed to meet the unique needs of integrators by offering a suite of modules that streamline every aspect of project management, from proposals to delivery. “Our platform is designed to take the complexity out of project management, allowing integrators to focus on what they do best—providing exceptional security and AV solutions,” said Tom Peters, COO, Jetbuilt. “We are excited to join PSA’s Business Solutions Partner Program and provide its members with the tools to simplify their project workflows and elevate their business operations.”

Diversified's main conference room also serves as a showcase for conferencing technologies.

Diversified Helps Museum of Art + Light Immerse Visitors in Renoir's Travels, Artwork

By James Careless

What does it take to truly immerse viewers in the life and art of French painter Pierre-Auguste Renoir? Well, if you’re the Museum of Art + Light (MoA+L) in Manhattan, KS, in partnership with the global technology solutions provider Diversified, it takes 108 ceilingmounted Epson projectors spanning approximately 37,000 linear square feet to produce about 188 million pixels of animated imagery. And that imagery is managed by the largest-ever U.S. deployment of Modulo Pi media server systems and bolstered by Meyer Sound immersive audio technology.

Running through Aug. 31, “Renoir: A Luminous Evolution” guides visitors on an engaging journey through Renoir’s life and art. It features digital images of some of his beloved works, as well as family photos and films, to help tell the story. The purpose of the Renoir immersive exhibition, which covers the walls and floors of the museum’s Mezmereyz display space, is to transport the viewers through the life and times of Renoir—not just his art, but the world in which he lived.

“You’re seeing the story as if you are Renoir,” said Erin Dragotto, executive director, MoA+L. “This is why we have period film footage of Parisians moving in and around Paris, and why you travel with Renoir to Algiers and many other places through his paintings. What makes this exhibition different is that we’re not just putting oversized pictures on a wall. We’re telling an immersive story, one that gravitates you to the emotion and history of the time,

and to the painter himself.”

Physically, “Renoir: A Luminous Evolution” covers about 25% of the MoA+L’s total exhibit space. “You have the first room, which we call the Cove, that is very cathedralesque, 38 feet high and 3,500 square feet in area,” explained Sydney Bouhaniche, creative director, MoA+L. “It is styled like an old Parisian apartment with lots of Renoir’s art on display. Then you go through a corridor with light boxes on either side with historical information about Renoir and his painterly cohorts plotted on a timeline. Adjacent to that is another room fondly known to museum staff as the ‘Sears

Building,’ a retrofitted Sears and Roebuck appliance store. This space has over 18,000 square feet of projection area. This is where we start the storytelling beginning in Paris, to immerse the viewers in Renoir’s life and his world.”

Creating a seamless immersive AV world was not easy for Diversified’s AV design and installation team. “Unlike a corporate environment where equipment cabling and everything can be concealed, it’s a public venue,” said Peter Jankovich, project engineer, Diversified. “So, a lot of things had to be taken into consideration, especially because aesthetics were paramount to them. Addressing this required really meticulous cable management, plus extensive planning and coordination with the construction team that went on for a number of months. We had to utilize special custom pathways so that all this would kind of blend in seamlessly with the building’s architecture.”

Adding to the complications, “The ‘Sears Building’ plans we had for this space were from the 1950s and outdated,” Jankovich recalled. “This included an 8-inch discrepancy between the room’s dimensions and its actual wall locations, which forced us to adjust the projectors’ ceiling placements to ensure precisely focused images.”

Diversified managed to address these and other challenges in time for the exhibition’s opening on Nov. 8. Since then, the show has been well-received, welcoming more than 5,000 visitors. “The response has been amazing, actually,” said Dragotto. “So many people have said things like, ‘I can’t believe I’m in Manhattan, Kansas. I feel like I’m in Manhattan, New York.’”

The Renoir exhibit at MoA+L uses more than 100 projectors to immersive visitors in its Mezmereyz display space.

The exhibit's extensive imagery, including paintings as well as photos and film footage, is managed through Modulo Pi media server systems.

Christie, RGB Spectrum Components Support Lockheed Martin F-35 Flight Training

Pro AV is flying high with support for Lockheed Martin pilot training. RGB Spectrum’s Zio video-over-IP platform is playing an important role in the Modified Mission Rehearsal Trainer (MMRT) program, Lockheed Martin’s latest innovation in F-35 pilot training. Meanwhile, Christie will supply customized, low-latency MicroTiles LED display technology for the Amorphic Appearance Zero-Projector Environment (AMAZE) visual display system for the F-35 Lightning II program.

The MMRT—a smaller, more flexible training device—significantly expands wartime tactical training capabilities while reducing the physical footprint required for high-end simulation, helping to ensure pilots are prepared for the complexities of modern air combat. Recently, the MMRT was connected to Full Mission Simulators (FMS) for a successful cooperation test between the two systems. The exercise demonstrated enhanced tactical training capabilities and mission readiness.

From basic flying to multi-aircraft mission

planning to after-action reviews, the Zio platform supports every phase of the training process across the FMS and MMRT platforms. It is seamlessly integrated across the MMRT’s core components. In the pilot cockpits, it is used to stream high-resolution visuals and data, as well as avionics and target acquisition systems. Zio is also part of instructor stations, enabling real-time monitoring and interaction during training sessions, and debrief rooms, where it provides advanced playback and analytical tools, such as frame-by-frame analysis and variable-speed playback for detailed performance assessments.

AMAZE features a smaller footprint compared to projector-based training systems, a modular design for tailorable fields of view, and reduced system complexity. Each system includes more than 1,300 MicroTiles LED modules to create a highly immersive, 360-degree domed simulated environment for flight training. Christie’s MicroTiles LED technology delivers the performance, contrast, and black levels that are critical for simulating nighttime environments.

Described by Lockheed Martin as the next generation in immersive pilot training technology, AMAZE is designed to lead the training and simulation industry into a new era of lowmaintenance, high-fidelity trainers. AMAZE increases visual system performance, expanding the simulator training curriculum opportunities while decreasing the life cycle costs beyond traditional, projector-based systems.

RGB Spectrum’s Zio video-over-IP platform supports pilot training in the MMRT program.

Audio Manufacturers Revisit Supply Chain Issues

Arecent survey conducted by the Professional Audio Manufacturers Alliance (PAMA) of its member companies showed that about 86% of respondents were moderately to majorly affected by pandemic-born supply chain disruptions and the simultaneous interruptions in semiconductor fabrication. PAMA revisited the topic of supply chain issues with the survey to get an overview of lessons learned and whether any concerns still lingered.

None of the respondent companies claimed they were unaffected by the supply chain crisis, though 14% said they were barely affected. That said, supply chain issues and the shortfall in semiconductor availability had major or high impact on how 72% of the manufacturers source materials and components.

“We committed substantial resources to increase our inventory,” said Chris Regan, chief innovation officer and co-founder of RF Venue (and chair of PAMA’s board of directors). “Luckily, we did not experience the long-term stockouts that affected other manufacturers. We relentlessly marketed the fact that we had product in stock and gained a lot of

new business as a result when competitors could not ship their product.”

On average, respondents said that the way their company designs and develops products was only mildly affected by the supply chain disruptions, though the responses varied widely, with 57% saying there was little effect and 43% citing a moderate to high degree of impact. Also, more than half of respondents said the supply chain disruptions minimally affected or had no effect on their product shipping and distribution methodologies, but 43% said those methodologies were majorly or highly affected.

David Fuller, VP of engineering and product management—pro audio, QSC, noted that pro audio “took a backseat to the automotive industry with

regards to prioritization of IC supply.” Remaining post-crisis concerns relate to shipping times and rates for some respondents, whether by ocean, air, or land. Fuller specifically noted shipping time concerns “in the Red Sea and Panama Canal.”

According to Regan, the lessons learned during the pandemic are now entrenched in the industry’s best practices. For example, James Lamb, president, CEO, and co-founder of Point Source Audio, reported that pandemic-era issues are not lingering, though his company is “constantly checking for issues with raw materials.” Greg Beebe, EVP United States, Sennheiser, said the company has implemented “strategic purchasing and redesign” and remains vigilant over maintaining inventory.

AtlasIED Adds Ambiance to Feeding Northeast Florida

Feeding Northeast Florida (FNEFL) serves as the region’s largest, most efficient food bank, working with retail partners, manufacturers, and farms to rescue high-quality food and get it into the hands of those in need. Having outgrown its former location, the nonprofit purchased and renovated a new home in Northwest Jacksonville in July, which allowed it to greatly expand operations, increase storage space, and support the growing needs of the community. To elevate the ambiance throughout the building for staff and volunteers, the leadership team turned to background music served by AtlasIED’s Atmosphere audio platform.

Robin Warren, director of marketing and communications at FNEFL, contacted Jeff Aldrich, account manager at Guitar Center Professional, to design the audio system. FNEFL identified two key areas where background music could be beneficial: the volunteer floor, where volunteers group food to prepare for distribution, and a pre-event space.

In addition, FNEFL identified a third space that will be used for events, support documentary screenings,

third-party rentals, fundraisers, and more. Guitar Center’s goal was to create a solution that balanced simplicity for everyday use with the capability to support various event needs. StageCulture, a Floridabased integrator, installed the AV system based on Guitar Center’s design.

“I had not worked with AtlasIED before this installation, but a co-worker highly recommended the company, so I decided to try out their products,” said Aldrich. “I really enjoyed working with AtlasIED and its Atmosphere platform. It was very easy to configure and use. For end users that are not high-tech, it was also easy to train them.”

For the three areas identified, AtlasIED’s Atmosphere AZMP8 eight-zone DSP was aptly suited to meet the organization’s needs. The heart of an Atmosphere audio control system, the AZMP8 includes a built-in, 1,200-watt amplifier to help consolidate products in an audio rack and streamline system integration. The AZMP products offer background music, paging, and sound masking capabilities all in one solution.

Regan said RF Venue is currently not experiencing any unordinary supply chain issues. “Because of the supply chain disruptions in the market, we proactively made the move to design, build, and test our products in the USA,” he explained. “It may not be an approach that works for all products, and in certain cases it is more expensive, but when you factor in the amount of cash that needs to be tied up for large overseas suppliers and add in the freight costs and time delay for delivery, being in control of production in-house becomes a very attractive option. I see other manufacturers doing the same and have a sense that there is a large ‘onshoring’ effort going on in the U.S. across many industries.”

Each area is equipped with an AtlasIED WTSDMIX31K wall mixer that allows staff to plug in a microphone, plus an Atmosphere A-BT audio input and C-ZSV zone, source, and volume wall controller, making it simple to control each area. Two-way SM63T all-weather loudspeakers provide coverage for the volunteer floor and pre-event space, while ALA15T column line array loudspeakers are installed in the event space to accommodate presentations from a projector and screen.

Approximately 100,000 pounds of food and resources leave the warehouse daily; each food item is sorted by hand and inspected for freshness and safety by volunteers. Background music plays a significant role in buoying spirits and keeping positive energy flowing while volunteers serve the organization. According to staff, the AV system is very effective and easy to use, allowing them to focus on serving others.

The AtlasIED Atmosphere platform delivers background music to the Feeding Northeast Florida facility.

From Left: Chris Regan, David Fuller, Greg Beebe, and James Lamb

ISE 2025 Provides Platform for Pro AV Collaboration and Progress

Integrated Systems Europe (ISE) returns to Fira de Barcelona Gran Via from Feb. 4-7, 2025, inviting attendees to open their eyes and ears to the sights and sounds of tomorrow. This year’s event offers inspiration and advancements for the Pro AV community, with opportunities to learn and discover from leading market brands. Registration is open, providing new or improved technologies, fresh ideas, and opportunities for professionals to restore connections across the audiovisual world.

ISE 2025 features seven dedicated Technology Zones across eight halls. These zones showcase technology and solution suppliers, making it easier for attendees to find and compare the solutions they are looking for and save time. Exhibitors like Microsoft, Crestron, Samsung, and Barco will showcase AV solutions, providing valuable insights into how integrated systems can enhance our everyday lives and the future.

“ISE 2025 will be our most ambitious, inspiring, and motivating edition to date,” explained Mike Blackman, managing director of Integrated Systems Events. “We’re looking forward to a host of new initiatives and features, an expanded and more easily accessible content program that digs deep into the most significant megatrends shaping our industry, as well as the unveiling of Hall 8.1 accessed via the conveniently located North Access point. ISE is the global destination to get your connection restored with the industry—through virtually impossible experiences, unrivaled networking opportunities, and state-of-the-art technology, as well as even more chances for career and personal development.”

The Opening Keynote will be presented by AI futurist Brian Solis, who will explore the potential of AI in Pro AV and systems integration. His keynote address is set to be an essential destination for attendees eager to discover why now is the time for business leaders to rethink their organizations for an AI-defined future.

Across the show floor at ISE 2025, visitors will discover an array of technologies. There’ll also be the opportunity to explore how this technology is applied in real-life projects throughout the city, with ISE’s impressive collection of Tech Tours as well as the continued sponsorship of the annual LLUM BCN Festival of Light and an iconic mapping on the façade of Casa Batlló.

ISE brings the global AV and systems integration community together with networking opportunities to connect with peers, industry leaders, and potential partners. From dedicated networking events to informal meetups, ISE is the place to make those invaluable connections that drive business forward.

There are several special events at ISE 2025 that require advance booking. The content program, curated by AVIXA, CEDIA, and ISE, offers a multitude of opportunities, including the Nine Summits, the European Latin American AV Forum, and CEDIA Workshops.

This year, ISE has shaken up the content program to give greater focus to the mega trends making an impact in the industry: retail, AI, audio, cybersecurity, and sustainability. These dedicated Track sessions complement the Summit program and will take place from Tuesday through to Thursday. The entire program provides a platform for Pro AV experts to stay ahead of industry trends and network with key players in the field. Plus, the new “Day Pass” provides visitors with access to all Summits and Track

sessions taking place that day.

Nestled in the heart of Congress Square, Innovation Park offers a unique opportunity for emerging businesses to present groundbreaking ideas and forge meaningful connections with key players in the industry. Featuring a dedicated Pitching Stage, curated by the renowned venture capital experts at Plug & Play, Innovation Park will host dynamic pitch sessions across all four days of the show. It’s a chance to engage with the future of innovation and explore collaboration opportunities that can shape the industry landscape.

ISE 2025 is more than just a tech show—it’s a platform for collaboration and progress. Whether looking to establish new partnerships, explore investment opportunities, or exchange ideas, ISE 2025 provides the ideal environment to connect. Attendees will be at the forefront of innovation, gaining access to tools, knowledge, and contacts that will drive business and personal growth. Don’t miss the opportunity to be part of this transformative experience. SCN readers can register for free at iseurope.org using the code “scnsystemnews.”

ISE returns to Fira de Barcelona Gran Via next month.

Epson Projectors Help Artists Push Museum’s Diorama Boundaries

Adiorama hall that has been closed for decades at the Natural History Museums of Los Angeles County has been restored and reopened for its 100th anniversary. When the museum invited contemporary artists to submit proposals for a new exhibit, “Reframing Dioramas: The Art of Preserving Wilderness,” two of the three displays chosen included video elements. Epson worked with the artists and exhibition teams, providing PowerLite laser projectors to help light up the immersive scenes that highlight the evolution of local habitats, landscapes, and species.

“Dioramas have a unique power to spark curiosity, inspire wonder and foster exploration and discovery,” said Amy Hood, director, communications, Natural History Museums of Los Angeles County. “We are overwhelmed by the talent that this diverse group of artists has brought to this exhibit and grateful to them for bringing in support from Epson, a large technology partner who is equally passionate about saving our planet and making an impact through art.”

Artist Lauren Schoth played a crucial role in bringing in Epson for this project. Born and raised in Los Angeles, Schoth grew to have an appreciation for the city’s historical landmarks and the forces that shaped its landscape. When learning of the museum’s request for proposals that focus on rehabilitation and local habitats, she thought of the Los Angeles River. Her contribution is “The Ever-Changing Flow: A Multimedia Diorama.”

“With a better understanding of how colonialism and urbanization continue to impact us all today, I wanted to use this opportunity to shine a light on the past, present, and future of this great city and how everyone in it is part of its significance,” said Schoth. “I wanted to generate dialogue around issues such as habitat loss, climate change, urbanization, and conservation by telling the story of the Los Angeles River.”

After experimenting in projection mapping at Penn State University, Schoth started following online communities with likeminded visionaries. This led her to Sean Mason, chief creative officer at A3 Visual, who oversees all projection installations.

Mason worked with Epson to identify the best solutions, ultimately using three PowerLite 805F ultra-short-throw projectors to take visitors through five scenes showcasing the evolution of the biome.

“The technical perspective of this project really drew me in and how it is changing the ways museums look at displays and dioramas,” noted Mason. “Traditionally, low tech has been used in dioramas

and I wanted to push the limits with this project. I had worked with Epson previously and knew with its extensive lineup of projectors, they’d be an ideal partner for this intricate display.”

“When asked to support this group of artists in their mission to raise awareness about California’s unique species and the effects of disrupted ecosystems, we didn’t hesitate to join,” said Chris Teguh, product manager, Epson America. “Projection has the ability to blend seamlessly into different environments and transform any surface into a dynamic storytelling canvas. With projection, the only limit is imagination, and we are proud to offer technology that empowers artists to tell their stories in impactful ways.”

After providing support to Schoth, she introduced the Epson team to artists Jason Chang (RFX1), Joel Fernando, and Yesenia Prieto, who needed projection for “Special Species—A Delicate Moment in Time.” A vibrant, multicolored mix of projection, changing lights and handcrafted, animated piñata alebrije (fantastical Mexican folk-art sculptures), the diorama takes viewers through a hypnotic journey that underscores the importance of environment, community preservation, and connectedness.

Fernando worked closely with Epson to identify the ideal projectors for this installation, which involved a tight, restricted space and a variety of challenging projection surfaces. The projectors also needed to be bright enough to combat light coming from several spotlights. Pairing PowerLite L630SU short-throw laser projectors with advanced blending and mapping, Fernando was able to fill an ultra-wide curved background while projecting onto static alebrije sculptures, turning an otherwise still diorama into an ever-evolving display that captures delicate moments in time.

“Our goal was to mix traditional art form with more cutting-edge technology to connect with a wider audience, especially the younger generations. We wanted to raise awareness around the consequences and ripple effect of human actions,” Fernando said. “Working with Epson far exceeded my expectations. These projectors provided the perfect balance of technical power and ease-of-use, allowing me to focus on the art rather than the technology.”

TSI Global Acquires Sound Products

TSI Global has acquired Sound Products, a Kansas City, KS-based company specializing in AV system integrations. The strategic acquisition enhances TSI Global’s ability to deliver innovative AV and security solutions to an expanded client base across the Midwest.

TSI Global is a member company of Miami Nation Enterprises (MNE), the economic arm of the federally recognized Miami Tribe of Oklahoma. The success and growth of MNE directly benefit the Miami Tribal community in various ways, including funding scholarships, providing benefits for elders, and supporting other services vital to the tribe’s wellbeing and future.

“The acquisition of Sound Products showcases MNE’s confidence in the TSI leadership team and their strategy to build the premier AV and security solutions company in the U.S.,” said Lance Theobald, CEO of MNE. “We welcome the Sound Products employees, customers, and partners to the MNE team.”

Since its launch in 1990, Sound Products has built a reputation for providing AV and security solutions, as well as integration services, for commercial clients across a variety of industries. With the acquisition, Robbin Reynolds, president and owner of Sound Products, announced her retirement. “I’m excited to be leaving Sound Products in the most capable hands and am especially pleased to have a seasoned and respected integrator taking Sound Products to the next level,” she said.

Two exhibits, including “Special Species—A Delicate Moment in Time,” are using Epson projectors to produce displays in a recently reopened diorama hall.

Pro AV Expansion Slows Again

By Peter Hansen

November delivered a second consecutive disappointing AV Sales Index (AVI-S). After the low result of 53.4 in October, the November AVI-S registered 52.1. On the glass-half-full side, this is still on the positive side of the no-net-change line of 50. Pro AV is still growing, but it’s inarguably slow by our industry’s long standards.

It is the lowest result since January 2021, when the world was pre-widespread vaccine and a winter COVID-19 wave was ascendant. That said, this month’s

result is much better than the January 2021 result—context matters! Right now, we’re having slow growth amidst a fundamentally healthy, full employment industry. Project load and capacity are in equilibrium. That’s a stark contrast to slow growth in a struggling, pandemic-hit industry like we had in January 2021.

Zooming in on detail from commenters, we see seasonal factors as a major trend. With the end of the year approaching, many companies are scrambling to spend budget while they have it. A newly elevated concern in this month’s comments were tariffs, with fears of new costs/barriers related to President-elect Trump’s election and promises. Stay tuned on tariffs, we have more to come.

AVIXA just released our latest “State of the Pro AV Industry” annual report, which is available free to all enterprise members. The headline takeaway is no surprise to those following the index this year: Growth has fallen short of expectations, but the industry retains reasonable overall health that offers more than a few opportunities for smart companies to boost revenue. The details matter, though, so check out the full report to see where the challenges are greater and where the grass is greener.

The AV Employment Index also dropped in November, sliding from a low but solid 55.8 in October to 52.9 this month. That is the lowest result since March 2021. Comments point to how this near-50 result is a product of steadiness, with a few respondents noting how past difficulties in hiring have finally been resolved, leading to flat payrolls.

Again, this is a strong contrast to early 2021, when the industry was very much unrecovered from the COVID-19 crash and in dire need of serious growth. So, while slow growth is disappointing, the industry remains in a good position for now.

A weakening economic context has been a primary cause of slowing Pro AV expansion, as covered here in the past. This month, the U.S. labor news was a bright spot, with 227,000 jobs added as well as upward revisions from the past two months totaling 56,000. A healthy economy is wind in our industry’s sails, so this was a positive indicator that helps strengthen expectations for coming months.

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. For more information about joining the AVIXA Insights Community, visit www.avixa.org/AVIP.

Peter Hansen is an economist at AVIXA.

Moving Up to Pro AV

Sonos Adapts Home Wireless Audio Solutions to Commercial Market

By Mark J. Pescatore

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

David Robb: I have been with Sonos for almost two years and am responsible for building out our global marketing to allow Sonos to not only provide more relevant assets and content to our trade partners, but also how we drive awareness with our integration partner’s clients, homeowners, and business owners.

SCN: For those who are not familiar with the brand, what types of products does Sonos offer, and what makes them unique?

DR: As the inventor of multi-room wireless audio in the home, Sonos helps the world listen better by giving people access to the content they love and allowing them to control it however and wherever they choose. Sonos products combine hardware, software, and services to ensure you always get the best sound experience, no matter where you listen. From all-inone speakers like Era 100 to home theater soundbars like our new Arc Ultra, our ambition is to bring music to every home—and beyond.

SCN: Why is Sonos expanding into the commercial market?

DR: As a consumer brand, we’ve seen tremendous success by building products that deliver immersive sound, an easy experience, thoughtful design, and access to all the content people know and love. We’ve also seen demand for these experiences beyond the home—there’s an incredible amount of organic growth for Sonos in commercial spaces, unveiling a massive opportunity for our brand to deliver custom sound solutions designed for businesses and tailored products for commercial and professional installers. That’s why we recently launched Sonos Pro, our flexible softwareas-a-service (SaaS) offering that makes it easy for businesses to deliver great sound across each of their locations, and Era 100 Pro, our first-ever solution optimized for professional installation in light commercial and residential projects.

SCN: In a market packed with speaker options, what is the greatest challenge you face entering the commercial space?

DR: One of the greatest challenges Sonos faces is adapting our residential heritage to meet the unique needs of commercial environments. Commercial clients prioritize robust scalability, seamless integration with existing systems, and reliable support for diverse use cases. Ensuring that our solutions

deliver the same intuitive user experience, premium sound quality, and consistent performance on a larger scale is essential for us to differentiate and build trust in this competitive market. Our new commercial audio solutions target key markets such as hospitality, retail, corporate offices, and other light commercial environments.

SCN: What are your initial products for the commercial market, and when will they be available?

DR: Sonos affirmed its position in the custom installation market with the introduction of the Era 100 Pro, our first-ever integrated solution for professional AV installers, at CEDIA Expo 2024. With the rich sound, elegant design, and versatile control that Sonos is known for, Era 100 Pro has been specifically designed to provide a complete, end-to-end solution for professional installation. Era 100 Pro uses PoE+ for a wired-first connection, and also includes an optional secondary safety attachment, should building codes require it.

The Era 100 Pro Surface Mount (sold separately) offers flexible orientation options and built-in theft deterrence, providing a complete audio solution that maximizes reliability, flexibility, and efficiency for professional installers and their clients. We also recently introduced Zones, a new software feature that makes configuring and controlling multiple speakers easier and more customizable for larger spaces.

Complementing this new commercial-focused speaker line is our SaaS platform, Sonos Pro. Introduced in 2023, this subscription-based offering includes a simple dashboard to remotely manage a system across multiple locations. It delivers commercially licensed music to those locations and provides personalized support and more. The service works seamlessly with a business’s existing Sonos hardware to fill any space with immersive sound.

SCN: How does the Sonos Pro dashboard help customers, and is it a required part of a Sonos installation?

DR: A recent study found that nearly 70% of respondents consider music to be “important” or “very important” for their business, with 86% indicating they’d be willing to invest in it. Sonos Pro meets this need by offering commercially licensed streaming stations that allow light commercial environments to set the perfect mood for any occasion. Whether it’s Experimental Electro or Flashback, businesses can effortlessly create the right vibe for any space or special event, enhancing the customer experience.

The Sonos Pro dashboard offers a web-based platform for business owners to remotely manage their

David Robb

Position: Global Director of Marketing, Professional Company: Sonos

Sonos system across multiple locations. With preset schedules to automate music playback, permissions settings to control access, and the ability to troubleshoot or reboot systems remotely, Sonos Pro helps businesses create a consistent and engaging atmosphere while maintaining operational efficiency. We recommend that businesses subscribe to Sonos Pro to access these significant features and benefits, but it’s not required.

SCN: Why should systems contractors choose Sonos solutions for upcoming products?

DR: Typical audio solutions for businesses require extensive research and often result in a patchwork of different products and tools across hardware, content, and control solutions. This presents a huge opportunity to address the needs of this audience by offering hardware, content, and control all from one brand, empowering businesses to seamlessly integrate music into their work environments. Whether commercial customers need a few compact speakers to outfit a flagship location or a mix of smart speakers and components for multiple locations, all Sonos products work together seamlessly, making it easy to expand a system, add new speakers, and adjust plans as a business grows. The Era 100 Pro features PoE+, which allows for faster and more reliable installations, while the Sonos Pro dashboard offers remote management and monitoring, reducing maintenance efforts for contractors.

SCN: What’s next for the Pro AV industry?

DR: The Pro AV industry is on the cusp of a transformative shift, driven by advancements in AI, immersive audio, and integrated smart technologies. At Sonos, we see the future of Pro AV leaning toward highly personalized, adaptive audio experiences that seamlessly integrate with digital workflows. There’s a growing demand for solutions that not only deliver premium audio quality but also offer robust, flexible control—whether in hospitality, corporate, or retail settings. With products like Era 100 Pro and Sonos Pro, we’re positioned to support this shift by delivering integrated hardware and software solutions that help businesses create the perfect audio experience across different use cases.

Vizrt Welcomes Nagarajan as CEO

n November, Vizrt announced Rohit Nagarajan as its new CEO, marking the next phase of the company’s global growth. His focus will be on scaling Vizrt’s international growth and enhancing its offering for customers, partners, and users.

Nagarajan joins Vizrt with more than two decades of experience in the technology industry. He has held pivotal roles across multiple geographies at SAP, SoftwareONE, and Salesforce. He has deep expertise across sales, marketing, and product innovation.

Michael Hallén, who sat as Vizrt’s CEO for the past eight years, agreed that the time was right for new leadership. Hallén oversaw the continued development of NDI as well as the acquisitions of NewTek and Flowics. According to Vizrt, he will continue to serve as chairman of NDI. “I’m proud of our achievements over the past eight years and look forward to seeing the company’s continued success under Rohit’s leadership,” Hallén said.

AVI-SPL Creates New ESG Role

Last month, AVI-SPL appointed company veteran Kelly Bousman to its newly created position of SVP of ESG and sustainability. Bousman shifts from directing AVI-SPL’s global marketing strategy to owning the company’s global environmental, social, and governance strategy and operationalization.

Bousman joined AVI-SPL in 1997 and has held various positions related to new business and market offerings. She steps into her new leadership role at a pivotal time in the company’s transformation, global expansion, and increasing global interest in corporate sustainability and ESG action. She is tasked with building connections across AVI-SPL’s stakeholders to create new value through sustainability and diversity practices.

“For over 25 years, Vizrt has been at the heart of media innovation, building strong relationships with incredible clients worldwide,” Nagarajan said. “With the media industry entering the era of cloud and AI-assisted production, I truly feel there’s never been a more exciting time to be part of this journey. The potential for us to grow and make an even bigger impact is immense.”

“We’re tuned into the voice of our global customers and global workforce, and we heard loud and clear the need for creating sustainability practices that could help them achieve their own sustainability goals,” said John Zettel, CEO. “From minimizing waste and carbon emissions to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace, we’re committed to shaping a future where everyone thrives.”

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Rohit Nagarajan

Kelly Bousman

PEOPLE NEWSMAKERS

EASTERN ACOUSTICS

Rep Report

WORKS (EAW) welcomed AUDIOPROS as its manufacturer’s representative to serve the Northeast territory. AudioPros currently represents EAW throughout New England and Western New York and has now expanded to Metro New York.

LEA PROFESSIONAL entered a partnership with Quebec-based AV distributor SFM. The partnership will bring LEA’s rich technology catalog to customers up north, enabling SFM to offer customers LEA Professional’s Network Connect series of professional amplifiers and companion Dante Connect series featuring Dante and AES67 connectivity. These series enable integrators to utilize cloud-based remote control, monitoring, notifications, and more from any internet-enabled device, allowing them to stay connected anywhere in the world.

MODULO PI has signed a distribution agreement with MAYCO. This collaboration will see MayCo distribute Modulo Pi’s range of media servers—including the Modulo Player and Modulo Kinetic—throughout the United States. The partnership allows the company to leverage MayCo’s industry expertise to expand its footprint and better serve customers across the United States.

The POWERHOUSE ALLIANCE welcomed CEP DISTRIBUTING as its newest distributor member. This addition brings the total number of PowerHouse Alliance locations to 71, collectively representing more than 900,000 square feet of warehouse space across the country. Based in Houston, the CEP Distributing team brings more than 20 years of channel expertise to the table and stocks a wide range of products in AV, control, lighting, and security. CEP Distributing will cover the Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Arkansas territory on behalf of the Alliance.

STARIN, a Midwich Group company and value-added distributor of unified communications and Pro AV products, announced a distribution relationship with BOSE PROFESSIONAL. With Starin’s continued focus on integrated audio, this partnership expands Starin’s offering to include Bose Professional audio solutions, including the innovative EdgeMax, DesignMax, and ShowMatch loudspeakers to high-performance amplifiers, configurable processors, and the ControlSpace ecosystem. Bose Professional resellers will now have access to Starin’s sales and technical services expertise and support.

ALARMAX has appointed JAY HEFFERNAN as VP of sales, East Coast. With more than 30 years of security business expertise and a proven leadership record, Heffernan will bolster AlarMax’s growth initiatives as the company continues to expand its portfolio and service offerings for customers nationwide. Heffernan began his career as a manufacturer’s representative, managing key territories in New England and upstate New York. In a later role, he was instrumental in driving the expansion of a security distributor’s Eastern U.S. presence, growing from three to 15 locations.

BROMPTON TECHNOLOGY

recently promoted SEBATIAN KANABAR to head of sales for APAC and LUKE HURFORD to the global role of sales channel manager. After more than a decade with Brompton, Hurford now draws on his considerable experience and relationship building skills to support and expand Brompton’s connections with its customers, as well as foster strategic collaboration opportunities. Kanabar is now tasked with deepening customer and distributor relationships while championing Brompton’s product offerings across the region. He also leads technical sales efforts, collaborating closely with customer-facing teams to support the broader sales strategy.

DMF LIGHTING has promoted MIKE LIBMAN to sales VP, custom integrators. Previously national sales director for the company, Libman now steps into this expanded role, tasked with leading the company’s custom integration sales efforts across North America. Libman’s career at DMF Lighting spans more than nine years, during which he has driven substantial growth across roles, from regional sales manager to national channel sales manager for the CEDIA space.

HITACHI KOKUSAI has added an industry veteran to its North American sales team with the appointment of BO REAMES as East Coast sales manager. His career began in live production and operations, working his way up from master control to management positions that soon put him in charge of broadcast operations for 24 cable networks. Reames shifted to the broadcast engineering side of the business in 2002, joining Backporch Broadcast as director of operations for 13 years. Prior to joining Hitachi, Reames spent 10 years in a leadership role with Joseph Electronics.

ICE CABLE SYSTEMS welcomed AMBERLY RHYNE as its new East Coast regional sales representative. With more than six years in commercial Pro AV sales, Rhyne brings her commercial experience to the CEDIA market and strengthens ICE’s customer-centric ethos for the Eastern United States. In her previous role as a regional sales manager for Herman ProAV (acquired in 2020 by ADI), Rhyne managed more than 50 accounts across five states, generating $7 million in annual sales and consistently surpassing her sales targets.

IHSE is transitioning its leadership team. MICHAEL SPATNY will succeed Dr. Enno Littman as CEO, who recently stepped down from his role. In addition, the company has also welcomed JUSTIN STARZDAS as video sales engineer in the United States. Spatny, who joined IHSE as head of sales and marketing in 2018 and was promoted to chief sales officer in 2019, has many years of senior management experience in the high-tech industry. With more than a decade of experience in the AV industry, including roles at Roland, Strazdas brings deep expertise in product support, training, and system design for broadcast and post-production environments.

JETBUILT has appointed DAVINDER SINGH RAI as director of business development for EMEA. Singh Rai joins Jetbuilt after a tenure at Pure AV, where he led major projects and drove business growth within the corporate and higher education sectors. Singh Rai previously held roles at AVI-SPL U.K., Kramer, and Pacific. In his new role, Singh Rai is responsible for driving business development initiatives and strengthening client relationships. He is working closely with clients to ensure they fully harness the power of Jetbuilt’s solutions to streamline project workflows and achieve greater operational efficiencies.

LEA PROFESSIONAL welcomed JEFF GORTON as sales director in EMEA. Gorton supports the sales of LEA’s technology catalog, featuring advancements in intelligent IT solutions, best in class DSP, and smart power management. Gorton has nearly 20 years of experience in Pro AV sales. At LEA, Gorton is focusing on enhancing sales in the EMEA region by leveraging his close relationship with LEA’s network of EMEA distributors.

Jay Heffernan

Amberly Rhyne

Sabatian Kanabar

Luke Hurford

Mike Libman

Bo Reames

Michael Spatny

Justin Starzdas

Davinder Singh Rai

Jeff Gorton

With more than 28 years in the semiconductor industry and 13 years in broadcast and Pro AV, DON SHAVER brings invaluable expertise to NDI as business development director. As former VP of video product lines at Semtech Corporation, Shaver led a cross-functional team responsible for generating significant revenue growth and expanded its Pro AV business under his leadership. As NDI continues its mission toward global expansion, his leadership and industry knowledge will prove invaluable to evolving industry needs.

PCD AUDIO & VIDEO has appointed HAL TRUAX as its new director of sales and marketing. With more than 30 years of experience in the Pro AV industry, Truax brings leadership, strategic vision, and deep industry knowledge to the role. He joins PCD at a pivotal moment, as the company continues to expand its reach across Northern California. His expertise will be invaluable as PCD continues to provide solutions to a diverse client base that ranges from performing arts centers to houses of worship.

QSC has promoted CHRISTOPHER JAYNES to CTO of Q-SYS and appointed JASON SHANGKUAN as chief digital officer. As CTO, Jaynes leads all aspects of R&D, overseeing software, hardware, mechanical, test, and systems engineering to ensure cohesive product outcomes for customers. He joined Q-SYS in 2023 as SVP of software technologies. Shangkuan brings more than a decade of experience at McKinsey & Company as a leader in its digital and AI practice. He led digital transformations for leading technology companies to deliver business growth. In his new role, he drives the company’s digital transformation efforts, modernize its data infrastructure, and unlock growth with AI.

QUAM NICHOLS welcomed TODD EDDY as VP of sales and marketing. In this role, Eddy is responsible for driving Quam’s sales and marketing initiatives, with a focus on building strong relationships with integrators, distributors, and consultants to expand the company’s reach within the commercial sound, emergency communication, and fire signaling sectors. Eddy brings a wealth of industry knowledge, with more than two decades of experience in selling to and managing large territories and teams in the integration and manufacturing space.

JASON BARDEN is the new regional sales director for the Central America, Caribbean, and Latin America (CALA/LATAM) market for RIEDEL COMMUNICATIONS. Barden brings an impressive track record of more than 20 years of experience in broadcast technology, with roles ranging from technical specialist to sales, as well as more than a decade focused on live production. Locally based in Mexico City, Barden is responsible for expanding Riedel’s presence in the region, developing key customer relationships, and driving sales of the company’s communications, networking, and live production solutions.

UNIGUEST has appointed SHAWN O’CONNELL to the role of EVP of sales Americas. He brings 20 years of experience in AV and technology, having previously been head of hospitality sales at Samsung for 12 years and a senior member of the PSAV team for more than eight years. O’Connell oversees teams focused on AV channel sales for all commercial markets including hospitality, healthcare, and senior living in the Americas.

MATHER AL-ALI joined VISILINK as VP of sales for Middle East and Africa Region. Mather is now responsible for driving sales across all Vislink solutions in the region, with a particular focus on growing the defense, military, and public safety business. He brings more than two decades of regional MEA experience in sales leadership, with a proven track record of growing revenue, profitability, and business transformation. Mather has previously held senior sales positions at multinational companies, including his most recent role as regional sales and managing director at Halo Maritime Defense Systems.

XYTE has appointed RANDY KLEIN president of the company's board of directors. Klein, Crestron's former president and CEO, previously served on Xyte's advisory board. He brings decades of Pro AV industry experience and a proven track record in global enterprise and residential technology growth. Klein will bring his strategic vision and market expertise to drive the company's mission of establishing a unified industry standard for cloudbased collaboration.

AVPRO Global Holdings Makes Several Key Hires

AVPRO GLOBAL HOLDINGS has appointed JERRIE ANDERSON as VP, commercial sales, for the Americas. Anderson oversees business development initiatives in the Americas, including expanding the AVPro Edge MXnet AV-over-IP penetration into the commercial market segments of business and corporate, education, government and TAA, hospitality and retail, houses of worship, and medical. Anderson brings 20-plus years of experience developing and leading profitable initiatives in transformative technology, including previous stops at Crestron and Christie Digital Systems. The company also made several key appointments to its MXnet Systems Group (MXSG), a newly formed specialty design and development business unit dedicated to expanding the AVPro Edge brand’s MXnet AVoIP product portfolio. ANDY HERRON has joined the MXSG as a product manager, focusing on creating effective go-to-market strategies to sustain double-digit AV growth over the IP space. DEBY JIMENEZ has joined the MXSG as an AV sales engineer focusing on client engagement, delivering comprehensive presentations for Level 2 and Level 3 AV-over-IP systems to the AV consultant community, AV integration firms, and potential clients, showcasing the MXnet technical capabilities and value propositions.

With 15 years of experience in the AV and networking industry, Herron's background includes significant roles in product management at QSC and WyreStorm Technologies. Jimenez brings more than 20 years of experience in professional AV, IT, and networking technologies to her new role. As a seasoned AV systems engineer, she has a proven track record in designing, implementing, and maintaining complex AV systems, with expertise in IP networking.

Don Shaver

Christopher Jaynes

Hal Truax

Marther Al-Ali

Shawn O'Connell

Jason Shangkuan

Randy Klein

Todd Eddy

Jason Barden

PEOPLE ON YOUR BUSINESS

By Steve Greenblatt

Put Me In, Coach

There’s a Different Way for Business Owners to Learn

Just as it is common for both technical and nontechnical professionals to share that they just “fell into” the AV industry, owners of AV service provider firms share a familiar origin story. Many AV businesses were naively launched in response to an idea or opportunity without a formal plan or understanding of the demands and requirements of running a successful business.

The popular inception story of AV service provider businesses points to a reoccurring storyline in which the principal began as a freelancer or solopreneur relying on their technical expertise, unique skill set, and mastery of their craft to make themselves marketable. The driving force behind their venture often includes the desire to satisfy a client’s need, provide a higher-level product or service, or offer a more customized or personalized solution with an inclination for independence, appreciation, financial reward, and/or achievement. While most owners of these businesses can hang their hat on their knowledge and expertise in their trade, many start with limited business training and an absence of insight into the best practices of running a successful business.

Under Pressure

Running a business can seem easy as a sole proprietor, where all the actions and decisions are centered around the owner. Early success may often be a product of pent-up client demand, a unique opportunity, or a high volume of business resulting in competitive pricing. However, these fortunes can be short-lived and misleading.

As client demands and operational needs grow, they begin to exceed the capacity of the singular owner, triggering the need for expansion. When owners face this pressure to grow, they reach an inflection point where the needs of the business surpass their inherent or accumulated business knowledge, and they can benefit from a higher level of business acuity.

While some business owners are prepared to take

the next step in business growth, many are ill-equipped to tackle what lies ahead of them and, even worse, are unaware of what they don’t know. Unfortunately, it’s not until they misstep and are impacted by costly mistakes that they realize the need for additional business expertise and experience. Some will continue along the path of ignorance, relying on their instinct to respond to daily challenges, while others will seek enlightenment to address their shortcomings.

One valuable option that may not be on everyone’s radar but is growing in popularity is hiring a business coach. While mentors and trainers can provide highly regarded insight and support, coaches are hired to ensure business owners and leaders perform at their best and achieve desired results. Business coaches are typically small businesses themselves who specialize in helping fellow owners and leaders understand how to strengthen their skills and prepare themselves and their organizations for success.

Different Training Methods

Business coaching comes in many forms and formats, offering owners options to determine what works best for them and fits their needs. Some business coaches focus on consulting with organizational leaders to establish strategic plans and set annual and quarterly goals with periodic meetings to evaluate progress, results, and misses. Other types of coaches work one-on-one with business owners to be their advisors and guide them through navigating day-today activities and decision-making.

A third approach involves a more comprehensive blend of services where the business owner and leadership team are coached individually, focusing on their areas of responsibility. In addition, the entire leadership team is coached to ensure alignment, establish goals, monitor progress, and work cohesively to achieve results.

While the benefits of business coaching are indisputable for those who have found the right resources and are committed to doing the necessary work, working with a coach is not for everyone. First off, hiring a coach does not automatically lead to

The Pro AV industry puts a lot of emphasis on the value of technical training, certifications, and qualifications. The same should hold true for the importance of business knowledge, skills, and mastery.

results. Coaches are paid to coach the owner or leaders, not do the work for them. Business owners and leaders need to be “coachable,” meaning they are willing to listen and trust the guidance of their coach.

Since most business owners aren’t accustomed to answering to someone, having their decisions challenged, or being held accountable for completing tasks and producing results, they need to be ready to adjust their mindset and behaviors to benefit from coaching. Coaching will be an ineffective and unnecessary expense if these criteria are not satisfied.

The Right Fit

Finding the right coach that fits the needs of the owner, leaders, and organization is another critical factor in determining the effectiveness of business coaching. Even more important than other business relationships, owners and leaders need to feel confident and comfortable working closely with their business coach to share susceptible business details and be as vulnerable as necessary to reveal their weaknesses and call out their deficiencies.

In turn, the coach needs to mesh well with the personality and behavioral traits of the owner and leaders so they can communicate effectively, motivate successfully, and gain the confidence required to enlist the team’s belief. Like any clientprovider relationship, the provider must demonstrate value and return on the client’s investment, while the client must also do their part to commit to the provider’s success.

The Pro AV industry puts a lot of emphasis on the value of technical training, certifications, and qualifications. The same should hold true for the importance of business knowledge, skills, and mastery. While outwardly, clients evaluate AV service providers on their technical abilities and know-how, it is their business operations that they genuinely value. Whether it is enhanced customer service, project efficiency resulting in time and cost savings, accuracy and thoroughness in implementation, or consistency in service, businesses with a solid organizational infrastructure, as well as proven systems and processes, help them succeed and benefit their clients.

Committing to evolving business skills and knowledge is as essential as having a technically sound company. Understanding the importance of having a resource to help owners and leaders develop and strengthen their businesses is vital to the success of the organization, its members, and its clients. Whether through working with a business coach or other means, continually advancing business acumen is a requirement rather than an option for achieving long-term stability.

Steve Greenblatt, CTS, is the founder of Control Concepts, which provides specialized software and services for the Pro AV industry. Contact him at steveg@controlconcepts.net.

THE INTEGRATION GUIDE TO CONFERENCING AND COLLABORATION

Meeting Spaces of the Future

Immersive Spaces Bring Unique Advantages to Collaborative Process

By Carolyn Heinze

At InfoComm last year in Las Vegas, the Panasonic Connect booth featured an immersive meeting room demo that demonstrated the benefits of an enhanced collaboration experience.

We’re talking a conference table surrounded by wallto-wall, floor-to-ceiling projected content showing everything from scenic backgrounds to flowcharts and apps. It was the result of a partnership with U.K.-based immersive spaces developer Igloo Vision, which also partnered with Christie and Fuji to showcase immersive spaces in their booths at the show.

So, are these the meeting spaces of the future? No—according to Igloo Vision, these innovative areas are already the meeting spaces of today.

Streamlining Cooperation

Immersive collaboration spaces allow meeting participants to view and manipulate data in new ways, explained Kerry Head, CEO at Igloo Vision. She said the AECO (architecture, engineering, construction, and operations) disciplines are using the technology to streamline the collaborative process, most notably by leveraging the ability to view digital twins of construction sites and engineering projects—and make design modifications on the fly, in real time, while meeting.

These collaborative spaces can offer immersive experiences to both onsite meeting contributors and remote participants. “This is another really powerful tool, as you can see scale far beyond what a 2D render can provide, whilst also not compromising in-person meetings, which is a big advantage over using VR headsets,” she added. “We’ve seen this used by clients

to conduct things like virtual site visits, completely eliminating the need to travel and the associated cost, time, and carbon footprint that comes with that.”

Immersive collaboration space deployment involving Igloo Vision’s technology consists of three primary components. First, there is the Igloo Core Engine (ICE), a software platform that Head likened to an operating system. Next is the hardware, which must be chosen with care based on the specific use case requirements for pixel density, audio, and even the application of sensors and head-tracking capabilities.

Igloo Vision has partnered with several OEMs that produce systems suitable for these environments; it also offers the Igloo Media Player (IMP), a single solution for Igloo Vision spaces. “Previously, to run a space like this you would need a combination of bulky technologies, but with an IMP it’s all run from one sleek box,” she said. (The IMP is available in Pro and Lite versions, based on customer needs.)

Content formatting is the third core component of an immersive collaboration space rollout, an important consideration if meeting participants are to view materials as they should. “This can often be trickier than you might think, as many solutions suffer from distortion if they’re not programmed properly—and that programming to make sure it’s correct can be a very complex job,” Head explained. Igloo Vision’s True Perspective feature is designed to facilitate this process by enabling users to perform content formatting with the click of a button, she added.

Location, Location, Location

Igloo Vision executes projects directly for end clients, but also works with AV designers and integrators. Immersive collaboration spaces from Igloo Vision can be custom, prefabricated, or installed into an existing

facility that has been retrofitted for this purpose. Head said that prefabricated spaces—commonly in the form of a freestanding cube or cylinder that is mounted into an existing room—are the most popular among her company’s customers, but that clients can achieve immersive collaboration in spaces of all sizes and shapes.

In fact, she recalled a project for a well-known real estate firm where an old broom closet was converted into an immersive collaboration space. “On the opposite end of the spectrum, we’ve installed bespoke designs that are much, much larger,” Head noted. “It’s all down to the client’s preference, what they want to achieve, and what they have available, [and] we work with whatever that might be.”

One challenge in delivering a true immersive experience is when the space features glass walls or windows. Head argued the problem is easily resolved: “We’ve had clients in the past that required dualpurpose rooms, so it was both an immersive space and a conventional meeting room,” she said. “To achieve this, we install blinds over the windows that are color-graded in the specific tone we know is most effective for projection, and these can be extended or retracted based on the needs of the room at the time.”

That said, the best immersive collaboration experiences are those that are as distraction-free as possible, according to Joe Whitesides, CTS-D, director of experience technology (XTG) at AVI-SPL. “You need to pick places where there’s less stimuli—fewer windows or no windows,” he said.

For a space to be immersive, all aspects of the environment should be controlled, including acoustics. “You don’t want to be able to hear anything outside [of the space] that would distract you from the message [that’s being delivered in the space],” Whitesides said.

Many professional fields are using immersive spaces to streamline collaboration on projects.

THE INTEGRATION GUIDE TO CONFERENCING AND COLLABORATION

When immersive collaboration spaces incorporate videoconferencing capabilities, Whitesides warned they run the risk of compromised camera performance. “You’re not going to get great exposure in a dark environment,” he explained, “so [during a videoconference] you’re not going to look your best.”

Let Me Show You Something

Display technology is a primary element of an immersive collaboration environment, and whether to specify dvLED or projection depends, once again, on the use case. According to Whitesides, the problem with dvLED is the heat, which can render a space uncomfortable for long collaboration sessions. At the same time, ambient light issues could complicate the delivery of an optimum experience that’s projector driven. “But there’s a cool factor to that, where you’re in a kind of theatrical mode,” Whitesides conceded. “People change their behaviors in these theatrical modes.”

transform entire walls or conference tables into giant interactive tablets. In these spaces, Whitesides suggested the interactive walls need to be flat. When the space features curved displays, a table with interactive capabilities may be a better solution.

The need for interactivity is another factor to consider when designing these environments. When integrated with displays, sensor technology can

One of the challenges associated with selling immersive collaboration spaces is that it’s difficult to describe to clients the possibilities the technology has to offer. What’s more effective is when customers can experience these environments themselves. This is why tech developers and manufacturers are focusing on

building showrooms that clients may visit to gain insight into the options that exist.

“Having a place where you can take customers—either physically or virtually—to experience the room is really important because people don’t realize what can be done,” said Petro Shimonishi, director of new business development at Panasonic Connect.

For these deployments to be successful, Shimonishi underlined the need for good communication between all project stakeholders. “Communicate with your industrial designer or interior designer,” she advised, noting that a siloed approach to project execution will produce unnecessary obstacles. “Having good communication amongst the different disciplines that are doing the construction is extremely important.”

Shimonishi also encouraged AV designers and integrators to lean on their manufacturer partners for guidance and support when it comes to equipment selection, placement, and configuration. “You don’t need to do this on your own,” she said. “We’re here to help as people start easing into fully immersive spaces.”

Panasonic hosted an immersive collaboration meeting room demo using Igloo Vision technology at InfoComm.

At Issue

How close is the Pro AV industry to providing true meeting equity for hybrid workforces?

Garth Lobban Director of Marketing, Atlona

Meeting equity remains an essential goal for any business with a hybrid workforce. Corporate IT/AV teams need to work with integrators to ensure meeting spaces are equipped with cameras that can see all the participants in the room as well as audio gear that can capture the voices of those participants. Those signals need to be properly routed to the meeting platform for the participants on the other end of the conversation. The same is true with respect to the AV gear used by the remote workers. PTZ/ePTZ cameras for meeting rooms and linkable speakerphones are part of the AV solution. These peripherals must be connected to AV switchers with advanced USB capability that can switch these signals to the PC or laptop used to facilitate the meeting.

Troy Jensen Associate Director of Global Accounts, Shure

Building a productive collaboration environment requires a thoughtful combination of the right communication technologies and well-designed physical spaces. The responsibility of creating these spaces falls on Pro AV teams who need access to hardware, software, and accessories that work together to enable collaboration between remote and in-person employees. The technology must be user friendly, providing the installer with a method for quick configuration while ensuring meetings run without issues. While achieving true meeting equity remains a work in progress, meeting spaces equipped with easily deployable technology enable hybrid workforces to collaborate effectively and integrate into a shared work experience.

Steve Brauner Senior Product Manager, Professional Displays, Sharp Electronics

Sharp Electronics is actively advancing meeting equity for hybrid workforces by creating seamless and inclusive collaboration experiences by combining hardware, software, and cloud services. Notable products include SHARP AQUOSBOARD interactive display systems and SYNAPPX GO meeting room software, which integrate touch displays and Microsoft Teams functionalities to enhance productivity in hybrid meeting environments. These tools address challenges like inconsistent access to meeting resources and unequal participation opportunities for remote attendees.

David Missall Insights Manager Consultants and Technical Application Engineer Manager, Sennheiser

While there certainly have been recent advancements in the AV industry to move closer to true meeting equity, there is still some work to be done. The most foundational element to creating an exceptional, equitable, and inclusive work or learning environment is audio. Simply put, when speech is intelligible, people can collaborate. For everyone in a room to participate in discussions with ease, meeting rooms require not only a voice lift system, but also a bi-directional solution that enables both assistive listening and the ability to talk back. These systems enhance audio clarity and enable seamless communication for in-room and remote participants by evenly distributing sound and integrating with video systems. At Sennheiser, we’re focused on creating these equitable work environments in hybrid setups. Ensuring that everyone can hear clearly is not only about inclusion; it’s about fostering community and connection.

Scott Norman Commercial Market Senior Director, Snap One

In many ways, the industry and our company are providing enhanced meeting equity for all hybrid workforces. Constantly improving technology and expanded connectivity has made this a reality. We’ve made a ton of progress since COVID-19, and we now live in a world where we can instantly jump on a video call with attendees worldwide, in offices, from home, and virtually anywhere. These are productive meetings where everyone has an equal seat at the virtual table and isn’t bound by travel or budgets. In some ways, remote attendees are even more empowered to express their views through the chat or emoji features that can be less comfortable in person, and they can choose which meeting space works best for them.

Sean Carolan Technical Sales, Holosonics

I believe that the industry is getting closer to creating equity for hybrid workforces. However, further improvement still needs to be made both visually and sonically. The visual aspects such as framing, lighting, color, and re-framing still need development. But not just those elements are important—audio is essential too, if not more so, and still requires improvement with limiting invasive noise such as stationary sounds (such as HVAC) and extraneous user-introduced sounds. Solving the equity hybrid problem is an all-encompassing mission; it depends on an organization’s willingness and an integrated approach to solving both the Pro AV technology and human aspects alike.

CONFERENCING AN D COLLABORATION

Sharp PN-LC652

Elevate your collaboration with the SHARP PN-LC652 AQUOS BOARD display, featuring 4K Ultra-HD resolution and an intuitive “Pen-onPaper” experience. With a single USB-C connector, setup is a breeze—just plug in and start working. Its built-in multimedia player and integrated controller enhance productivity, while three HDMI inputs ensure connectivity with multiple devices. Built-in speakers, easy scheduling, and flexible control options make this display ideal for any professional environment.

Snap One WattBox 150 Series

Remotely monitor and manage customer devices with the WattBox 150 Series IP Power Controller. This device can be added to the network via wired LAN or Wi-Fi, and can remotely reboot equipment on demand and automatically ping devices for proactive auto-reboots. This compact controller is ideal for many projects and can be discreetly installed behind displays and other tight locations.

Shure MXA902 + ANIUSB-MATRIX

Shure’s new MXA902 + ANIUSBMATRIX Audio Conferencing Kit is a pre-routed, ready-to-go package that includes the MXA902 ceiling array microphone with built-in loudspeaker paired with the ANIUSB-MATRIX audio network interface for seamless connectivity to popular conferencing platforms. The kit is certified for Microsoft Teams Rooms, Zoom Rooms, and works with Google Meet. The Audio Conferencing Kit is a complete, single-vendor, networked solution designed for small and medium-sized rooms that offers superior conferencing audio experiences.

Sennheiser TeamConnect Bars

Part of the TeamConnect Family, the TC Bars are feature-rich, all-in-one conferencing devices. Available in two models for different room sizes—TC Bar S and TeamConnect Bar M—they scale to the largest meeting rooms. The TC Bar S has four microphones and two speakers, while the Bar M has six microphones and four speakers. Both deliver trusted Sennheiser audio quality. With plug-and-play setup via USB and advanced beamforming technology, they ensure freedom of movement. A 4K Ultra HD camera with AI features enhances video quality. They also offer flexible setups, onboard Dante port, multiple mounting options, remote management, brand-agnostic integration, and advanced security.

Holosonics Audio Spotlight AS-24iX

Holosonics’ Audio Spotlight AS-24iX directional speakers create sound in a narrow beam precise enough for a single listener, eliminating unnecessary sound bleed or the need for headphones/headsets—even in open, shared spaces. Featuring a built-in amplifier/ processor and flexible IO, the product is compatible with any line-level audio feed, and also includes an output for daisy-chaining multiple speakers to extend the focused sound field for larger groups. The flagship AS-24iX model conveniently replaces a standard 2x2-foot ceiling tile without any additional hardware, making it an excellent choice for conference rooms and collaboration spaces.

Sony BRAVIA Professional BZ35L Series

Sony’s BRAVIA Professional BZ35L Series is a truly professional display that’s designed for flawless round-the-clock operation in retail, corporate, and educational environments. Add impact to digital signage and employee communications with bright, colorful, high-contrast 4K HDR images. Pro-friendly features simplify integration, ease operation, and provide seamless content sharing in today’s connected AV environments. Flexible customization options and 32 GB of storage make BRAVIA BZ35L the ideal LED display for

The AT-CAP-FC110 ePTZ camera is part of Atlona’s Captivate Series, developed for videoconferencing and hybrid meetings within small to medium-sized meeting, learning, and gathering spaces. The camera delivers high-quality imaging at resolutions up to 4K@30Hz, with a generous 110-degree-wide horizontal field of view for coverage of compact spaces such as huddle rooms. Along with electronic pan, tilt, and zoom capabilities, it offers auto-framing functionality based on detection of up to six participants.

BUSINESS

We are proud to welcome eight individuals into the SCN Hall of Fame ranks for 2025. It’s another diverse group of Pro AV standouts, from business leaders to industry champions to technological wizards. Each of them has left their unique fingerprints on our industry. We celebrate their success and thank them for improving the Pro AV landscape.

Gordon Dutch

By Jennifer Hoecker

Gordon Dutch’s Pro AV career has spanned three decades and counting. Now serving as CEO and co-founder of business consultancy Re-Sauce, he began his career installing high-end car audio and home cinema. In 1992, he started UK-based BBG, an AV distribution company, which he sold to Peerless-AV in 2009, where he remained as a co-owner for 12 years.

The seeds of Dutch’s impressive Pro AV career were planted as a child. “I grew up with the sound of rock ‘n’ roll in the house,” he recalled. This inspired not only a love of playing music, but it also developed in him a keen acoustical awareness that has proved to be a great career asset. As he explained, a strong understanding of acoustics is essential in creating high-quality AV experiences and environments.

In addition to music, sales and marketing have been his passion from the beginning. From big clients to installers, Dutch has always valued connecting with people. To him, sales is about “being

knowledgeable and enthusiastic—and loving what you do. This industry is built on relationships, and it still runs on multiple brands doing projects together.”

These days, what most excites Dutch in his current consulting work at Re-Sauce is the variety. “I really enjoy the mix of things we can do,” he said. “Sales strategy and sales introductions one day, organizing a product launch the next day, and organizing an event or a media buying campaign the next. They’re all things I’ve done before, but they’re always a bit different.”

Having spent his career identifying the “front curve” of industry trends, Dutch is keeping his eye on several emerging trends. For one thing, he is excited to see the expanded use of hologram technology. Holograms have been popping up in live production, such as the ABBA Voyage show in London, and he anticipates seeing them expanding more into the realm of advertising in coming years. In fact, in his early days with Re-Sauce, he worked on a project with Hypervsn (backed by Mark Cuban and Richard Branson) involving 3D holographic digital signage.

Dutch also expects the development of a standard for Pro AV similar to that used in production broadcast as the two industries continue to merge. “In broadcast

you’ve had a long-established open standard in 2110, which all the broadcast manufacturers use,” he noted. “And there’s a real push now on getting a standard for AV as well in IPMX. I think that is something that will continue to grow.”

Among other trends, Dutch anticipates a rise in experiential retail as businesses aim to draw customers back into retail spaces. He believes that will also carry over into the workplace, as experiential and immersive spaces will entice employees to return to the office.

Reflecting on his legacy in the field of Pro AV, Dutch looks to two major contributions. First, in his 12 years at Peerless-AV, he helped the company expand from a strong U.S.-based brand to a major global brand, even winning the prestigious Queens Award for Enterprise in 2020. Second, he hopes that as a mentor he has encouraged others to be the best they can be.

Outside of work, Dutch enjoys plenty of time with his family and continues to play music with his latest band, After Eve. His biggest struggle these days? “I’ve got to be honest, I’m really bad at being retired,” he noted. “I just love being active, whether work or play.”

BUSINESS

John Godbout

By Jennifer Guhl

John Godbout’s journey in the AV industry began with his ability to sell and led to him building one of North America’s largest AV integration companies. However, it wasn’t as simple as it sounds.

For the first 23 years of his career, Godbout worked at IBM, where he benefited from an excellent sales training program. He learned everything there was to know about sales and managing his own business due to his deep involvement with partner companies. When he finally moved on from IBM but continued to sell software for IBM computer systems, he found that people were more interested in what he used to project the computer image than the software. This made him think, “Maybe I’m selling the wrong product?”

Godbout connected with a friend who sold him some LCD panels. He quickly and repeatedly sold all of them, which started his company, CCS Presentation Systems (CCS). “I would sell products in the day, in the daylight,” he added. “And my wife

would do the invoicing and operations at night.”

He approached growing his business with a sales mindset. He even sourced paper once because a client needed $5,000 worth of it. “As a salesman, my first thought was, ‘Of course, we sell paper,’” he recalled. “That’s what entrepreneurs do: whatever it takes. And that’s what my wife, Beth, and I did.”

Founded in 1991, CCS expanded from its initial two-person operation to more than 350 employees, serving as a trusted resource for AV products and integration. Godbout said the business is successful each year and profits every month.

“I had a passion to create something for myself and my family,” explained Godbout. “I wanted to see if I could do it. I didn’t want to find myself at 55, working for a corporation, reflecting on my late 30s, and wondering, ‘What if?’ Instead, I chose to take the risk. I would rather be 55 and fail than never try at all.”

Running the business still involves challenges, but Godbout said the challenge is what makes it enjoyable. “I’m now 75, and people ask me when I will retire,” he offered. “My response is, why? Why would I retire? I wake up in the morning and feel excited to come to work.”

Christian Heil

By Mark J. Pescatore

If you’re going to dream, dream big.

When Christian Heil— who had earned his Ph.D. in theoretical physics and was working in research— saw Pink Floyd live, he decided he wanted to work with bands like them to improve the concert experience for audiences. In 1984, he channeled his love of live concerts, classical music, and Pink Floyd into an audio company. That company, which has since become known as L-Acoustics, is now celebrating its 40th anniversary.

Since the company’s early days, Heil was interested in how to optimize audio signals. When he was new to the industry, audio engineers were focused on the idea of sound as an electric signal from the mixing console to the amplifier to the speaker. With his background in physics, Heil was focused on the transmission of sound through the air. “That was the missing link of audio perception,” he recalled. Heil likens the behavior of sound waves to water ripples when throwing a handful of pebbles into a

body of water. “When they are not organized in the right way, they conflict with each other,” he explained. In contrast, if you enclose all those pebbles in one bag and drop it in the water, “then you see one big splash and the wave propagates from that.”

That was the basic thought behind the implementation of line array—Heil’s idea for designing loudspeakers that worked together. He presented the concept, Wavefront Sculpture Technology (WST), to the Audio Engineering Society (AES) in 1992. The technology was later incorporated into V-DOSC, a full-frequency line source array that became successful in France and later gained popularity across Europe and then the United States. “This is the innovation that we brought to the industry,” said Heil, who credits audio engineers as being the best ambassadors for L-Acoustics.

But the innovations didn’t stop there— L-Acoustics also introduced L-ISA immersive technology in 2015. The “hyperreal” sound system delivers an immersive experience for audiences. Heil had noticed that most sound systems were simple left-right setups, but only people located on the main axis between the left and right speakers (think center seats in the middle section) got the full experience.

Godbout has expanded the business and supports others who wish to start their own ventures through its partner program. This program helps individuals with initial financing while also offering guidance and access to manufacturing partnerships to help them build and grow their businesses under the CSS umbrella.

“We’re in 40 states, 27 locations, 27 brick-andmortar locations,” he said. “Our partners have 100% equity in their businesses.”

Godbout beams while discussing the company culture it has developed over the years. Many employees have been with the company for up to 20 years, and there is a strong history of investing in their development. “We take pride in the length of time that people stay with us because some organizations don’t have that,” he added.

CSS prides itself on being a home for those with a fire in their belly looking to take on the industry, and Godbout is proud to see that spirit he had when he founded the company thriving in others. “If you’re an entrepreneurial person wanting to build something on your own, this industry gives you the opportunity to do that,” he added. “If you work hard and are smart, you can create a lasting company like CCS.”

The problem, of course, is that most people at a concert are not aligned with that center sweet spot, so they only perceived the audio from one stack.

“With L-ISA, when you’re in the audience and perceive what you see on stage, what you see is what you hear,” Heil explained. “I had the ambition to reproduce what an orchestra conductor perceives— and the conductor perceives space.”

So, how do you make every seat in the house the best seat in the house? The L-ISA technology replaces the left-right stacks with multiple speakers, each with separate signals and audio processing to reproduce different performers and create a more immersive audio experience. L-ISA is being used successfully by a number of touring acts, including film composer Hans Zimmer, who used it in Resorts World Theatre in Las Vegas last September during his 2024 tour.

These days, Heil relies on two CEOs, Hervé Guillaume in Paris and Laurent Vaissié in Los Angeles, to run the day-to-day operations of L-Acoustics. But he remains involved in the company and is still very fond of both classical music and Pink Floyd. In fact, Pink Floyd lead guitarist David Gilmour is using L-Acoustics on his current tour, so big dreams really can come true.

By Wayne Cavadi

David Martin’s humble nature belies a lifetime of remarkable accomplishments. The man who has been honored by a prince and shaken the hands of several U.S. presidents is most known for a device called the SMART Board. It was this interactive whiteboard—created alongside his wife (and fellow SCN Hall of Famer) Nancy Knowlton— that revolutionized education as we know it.

An only child who was constantly outside and keeping himself busy, Martin realized at a young age he enjoyed building things and seeing how they worked, like the kayak he built at 14 and the dune buggy at 16. “It was all about exploring,” Martin said. “Reading was exploring all sorts of interesting possibilities. And I’ve learned subsequently that when you’re young, learning and reading and doing more reading becomes very important later in life. I think that curiosity led me to asking questions, which I’ve never stopped.”

Asking those questions led to the SMART Board. Working for one of Canada’s largest companies, Bell

David Martin Gordon Moore

By Jennifer Guhl

After becoming bored with the retail industry, where he had worked for 13 years, and needing more of a challenge, Gordon Moore’s redirection to the AV industry was more a stroke of luck than anything else. The feeling of needing a change pushed him to start a small computer business. However, he quickly saw the writing on the wall: This would soon become a commodity purchased at local retailers like Walmart, so it would not be the long-term path he wanted.

“I opened up the paper one Saturday morning, and there was an ad for a sales position at Lectrosonics,” Moore recalled. “I had no idea who they were or what they did, but it said it was about audio.”

When Moore was in college, he was known as an audio savant, so he thought, why not? Seeing that ad in the paper led to a 35-year career with Lectrosonics, known for wireless microphone and audio processing for mission-critical applications. He served as president from 2015 until his retirement in 2024, but fondly remembers where he started with them:

Canada, Martin was charged with doing statistical analysis and network simulation, but also looking into the voice network for data and extending the existing networks. At that time, fax was an important part of the equation, but collaborating with others via fax was a cumbersome experience. After some tinkering and exploring, he realized you could do an interactive fax in real time—you could communicate to that person and see things marked up as it happened via display technology.

Thus, in 1987, the origins of the SMART Board were born. But it wasn’t easy getting people to buy in right away. “When you’re ahead of your time, it becomes difficult to explain to other people why this is so important,” Martin explained.

While pitching the SMART Board, Martin and Knowlton quickly realized that while it was nice as an enterprise solution, it fit best in the K-12 classroom. SMART Technologies, their company behind the SMART Board, sold more than 80% of its transformational solution to schools. As Martin noted, “SMART Technologies became not a vendor to the school systems, but a partner in education.”

For their contributions to education, Martin received the Office to the Order of the British Empire

from Prince William, and he and Knowlton received the Meritorious Service Medal from Canada. But listening to him talk about the honors, those awards seem secondary: Martin gushes about the almost 2,000 employees at SMART Technologies that joined them to push a new technology into new markets.

Of course, that is not where their story ends. The two founded Nureva in 2014, and the products using their Microphone Mist technology are transforming audio conferencing in the workplace and classrooms in the new hybrid world.

What sets Martin apart is that he wasn’t alone— he got to change the world side by side with his wife through almost 39 years of marriage. “If you’re going to build a significant company, you need more than one person,” Martin said. “Nancy has often been described as the smartest person in the room, and that’s for good reason. She comes to the table with an array of business credentials and experience that are hard to match.”

Together, they are arguably the best—and most likeable—power couple in Pro AV lore. “I think we’ve had an impact,” Martin said. “We did change the world. Not many people can take that away from their experience and their business career.”

cold-calling people and getting reactions like “Who is Lectrosonics?”

“We were pretty unknown in the business at that time,” he said. “We had a lot of groundwork to lay in those early years.”

Eventually, Lectrosonics was picked up by a few major TV stations in Chicago, including WGN, and things really took off. “We were selling maybe five or 10 wireless channels a week at that time—and within a year, we were selling 250 a month,” he added. “We grew like crazy in the 80s and 90s.”

One of the company’s biggest moments of growth came from a surprising endorsement from acting legend Angela Lansbury after she fell in love with its wireless microphones on a commercial shoot. She then insisted that her prime-time series, Murder, She Wrote, switch to Lectrosonics, which contributed to their growth. “That was an influencer before the word existed,” he said.

When asked what career moment he is most proud of, Moore pivoted to his time as an educator. In 1991, he attended InfoComm and was taken aback by the quality and level of instruction in the various seminars he attended. He ran into Fred Dixon, who was in charge of the education committee at the time,

and was open with him about his disappointment surrounding the sessions.

His co-worker, who was attending with him, said that Moore could do a better job, and two weeks later, he got a call to start teaching with AVIXA. He would later become the chairman of the Professional Education and Training Committee (PETC) and was awarded the Fred Dixon Lifetime Achievement Award for Education in 2019. He loved that his work in education allowed him to interact with so many different people within the industry, and he said he was fortunate that Lectrosonics allowed him to take such a significant role in that space.

Even though he is retired, Moore currently serves as board chairman for Lectrosonics and, apart from that, helps his local church with its AV and technology needs, keeping him engaged in the industry. But as he reflects on his career, he can’t stress enough the importance of education, encouraging everyone to pursue their CTS certifications through AVIXA and not to be afraid to get involved.

“Don’t just sit back and wait for the boss to say, ‘I need somebody to troubleshoot this.’ Learn how to troubleshoot things and become the troubleshooter,” he added.

BUSINESS

Kirsten Nelson

By Wayne Cavadi

It seemed that Kirsten Nelson was destined for great things in the world of Pro AV.

A journalism student and daughter of an electrical engineer saw her worlds collide in her first job out of college— assistant editor of Systems Contractor News Nelson’s earliest influence came from her father, an electrical engineer with a passion for sound. “I grew up in a household where not only was I exposed to a bunch of audio technology, but curiosity about technology in general,” Nelson said.

At Boston University, Nelson met a bunch of computer scientists who moonlighted as DJs, and her love for music (and the technology behind it) grew. After connecting with David McGee (now content manager, AVTech Group, Future B2B) via an internship, Nelson interviewed with SCN—and the rest, as they say, is history. Nelson embarked on a career at SCN that spanned nearly two decades. It didn’t take her long to show she was the right

hire. She helped launch SCN sister publication Residential Systems, and shortly after that, was named editor of SCN. Growing up around technology, she knew what questions to ask and what people wanted to know, forging industry relationships that continue today.

“That’s what really got me going, because the best people are in this industry,” Nelson said. “A lot of the people I met my first year on the job I still know right now, 26 years later. These are people who are still huge influences on my life. So, I think they could see that I wasn’t just doing the job—I was there because I loved the people.”

It was those relationships with people that led to some very creative ideas. She launched the Executive Q&As that are still conducted today and created SCN’s The Nine. She also launched the prestigious SCN Top 50 Systems Integrators list—and this Hall of Fame.

“To suddenly be honored in the Hall of Fame is actually truly amazing because I know that the first people I chose, I had a very deep affection for and a very deep appreciation for,” Nelson said. “I knew that they had done so much. And I kept telling

Edgar Shane

By Mark J. Pescatore

Too often writers lean on that tired literary crutch declaring their subject was ahead of their time. But in the case of Edgar Shane, general manager of engineering for JVC Professional Video, a division of JVCKENWOOD USA, it is undeniable. After all, he spearheaded the development of a JVC camera that would forever change the way video could be transported. The only problem was that his digital transportation highway was, well, still under construction.

The product was the GY-DV300, affectionately called Streamcorder. Launched in early 2002, it was a 1-chip HD handheld camera that recorded footage on mini-DV tape. But its groundbreaking feature was that it could simultaneously stream video to the internet. Encoders already existed, but Shane had the idea of moving broadcast-quality video over an IP network directly from the camera. He worked with JVC’s R&D team in Japan to create the unique functionality. Back then, outside of “sneakernet” methods of sharing videotapes, transmitting video footage was very

expensive; satellite or microwave transmission was realistically only available to broadcasters because of the cost-prohibitive price tag. Shane said Streamcorder was a hit when it was released almost 23 years ago, but its streaming capabilities suffered from a slow and sometimes intermittent internet, even with a direct connection. “The infrastructure wasn’t ready,” he said. “But for us, Streamcorder was a game changer.”

From there, JVC integrated LAN/IP connectivity into its camera lineup (as did much of the competition). A decade later, when internet speeds and reliability were much improved, the company found great success with another camera Shane helped develop, the GY-HM650 ProHD handheld mobile news camera, which featured Wi-Fi and LTE connectivity.

When it comes to designing the next generation of cameras, there are two parts of the process. Shane said his thought process “always starts with talking with our customers.” He develops professional products for specific purposes, so it only makes sense to learn what potential users want and need.

The second part is maximizing image quality with better sensors, as well as features like HDR and bit depth. Imagery is an important component for Shane, a lifelong photographer. “I was always obsessed with imaging and photography,” he said. “Video was a

people, ‘You’re in the Hall of Fame, not just because you’ve been doing this a long time. You’re in it because you’re currently influencing the industry in a very meaningful way, and we want to honor you.’”

Nelson officially left her full-time role at SCN in 2014 but remained on as an editor-at-large until 2017. She became a freelancer that worked with AVIXA—helping to launch Center Stage with Rachel Bradshaw—as well as other AV manufacturers and integration firms. She eventually began hosting her own events, such as her creative technology event series in New York City, which keeps her busy when she’s not hanging out with other writers and techies.

After a lifetime in Pro AV, Nelson knows the one thing that has kept her connected to technology from the very start. “I would say most wholeheartedly the people in this industry are its best attribute,” she said. “The sooner you can get involved in any event where you get to meet people, please participate in it. You will find inspiration, you will find mentorship, and you’ll hear great stories that will help you with your own projects. The connections I fostered at small events and large trade shows have been the most valuable, most fulfilling parts of my career.”

natural continuation of photography for me. When I realized those still images could move, that made me even more excited.”

Shane, who quickly worked up the ranks from his starting position as a product manager, has helped direct JVC Professional Video product development since 1998. These days, he’s known for his prolific hosting of online webinars demonstrating JVC’s cameras and KM-IP line of production switchers powered by vMix.

While there will always be traditional camera operators, Shane is convinced professional production will ultimately live in remotely controlled cameras. He also warned Pro AV professionals not to ignore AI. “It’s all an ongoing process, whether we like it or not,” he offered.

In the late 1980s, his master’s degree project involved creating an interface to digitize still images, so it’s no surprise that between film and digital, Shane is firmly planted in the digital camp. “Part of me is a photographer, the other part is an electrical engineer,” he explained.

Shane still loves to shoot. These days, when he’s not developing JVC’s next camcorder, he likes to travel and explore his new passion: underwater photography. Digital photography, of course.

By Anthony Savona

Southtown Audio

Video, located in

Upstate New York near Buffalo, celebrated two major milestones in 2024—its 40th year in business and its 10th year under ownership by Heather Sidorowicz. Though she has owned the firm for a decade, her time with the company goes much further than that. Southtown was started as a hi-fi store by Sidorowicz’s father and, after years in the residential space, has become one of Western New York’s biggest commercial AV companies.

Heather Sidorowicz

Despite having AV in her blood, running an AV integration shop was not necessarily a fait acompli for Sidorowicz. “I was a theater major,” she confessed. “While that doesn’t always seem like a direct connection, I think that I still deliver pieces of entertainment to people. I think there is a thread between being an actress on stage and doing a training for 25 people and making sure that they’re able to

connect the best way that they can.

“I think it should be a college prerequisite to take some basic acting courses because you learn about things such as reading body language. If I’m on a sales call, I can tell if the other person is not receptive to what I am saying. So, there are these crazy connections with acting that let you see the world a little bit differently.”

Shortly after college, after a brief stint in marketing, Sidorowicz got bit by the AV bug and joined SAV. “I was at a surround sound demo at a home show at the time that used a violent film even though there were children there,” she recalled. “That’s when I knew that my approach would be different. I’ve had the chance to rewrite the rules and reshape the industry, seeing opportunities where others might have stuck to convention. This approach has been instrumental in driving our company’s remarkable growth and success.”

Over the years, at Sidorowicz’s urging, Southtown got more and more into commercial integration. She knew she wanted to go all in, and to do just that, she purchased the company outright.

“In 1901, Buffalo was the second richest city in the

country. It was a big steel-industry town, but it did not go so well,” explained Sidorowicz. “Between early 2010 to 2014, it was starting to finally experience its renaissance. I knew that there was business out there and I knew that our approach would work for it. At that time, AV commercial companies were very much like electricians where, if it worked, you didn’t see them again. Being a relationship-centric and peopleoriented company, we went in there with our approach, and I underestimated how much it was needed— because I bought the company in 2014 and by 2015 we doubled in size.”

And that company growth has not stopped—since purchasing SAV in 2014, Sidorowicz took what was a $600,000 company and led it to surpass $4 million in 2024, establishing it as the largest locally owned AV company in the area.

So, what’s next for SAV? The company is in the early phases of expansion and has purchased additional property. “We also have some large projects on the horizon, including a stadium, that we’re going to be part of,” Sidorowicz noted. “That’s going to be huge and that will take us into 2026.”

BUSINESS WORSHIP AUDIO

Bigger Space, Bigger Sound

Rose Hill Church Invests in High-Tech Audio Transformation

By Jennifer Guhl

When Rose Hill Church in Baton Rouge, LA, relocated to a new venue to accommodate its growing congregation, it went from a 200-seat sanctuary to an existing 46,000-square-foot space a few miles away, more than four times its previous location.

Unfortunately, the church, which was founded in 1882 and incorporated in 1953, unknowingly inherited several building issues. It had to invest in considerable upgrades, including the electrical and plumbing systems. At the same time, the church was looking for ways to integrate and invest in a comprehensive audio system that could support its services while elevating musical performances, including concerts from outside artists that the

church was known to host.

Rick Camp, owner of Las Vegasbased RC1 Productions and Designs, was brought on as the lead audio consultant after a chance meeting with Eric Johnson, the church’s technical director. Camp was working on a new recording studio at Southern University, also based in Baton Rouge, and Johnson was working in their music department. Months later, they reconnected at the NAMM Show, where Johnson was looking at different technology for the new sanctuary.

“He was putting together a PA system for the new sanctuary. We started our relationship right there at NAMM, and I began introducing him to Solid State Logic and other manufacturers,” Camp recalled.

An accomplished musician turned audio engineer—who has toured with artists like The Commodores, Beyoncé, and Madonna—Camp has

designed numerous sound systems for major sports venues and houses of worship nationwide. After conducting a thorough site survey of the new venue, Camp flagged some of the existing infrastructure issues, including the problems with electricity and a recently built stage that lacked the proper support. This led to the sound system being integrated simultaneously as they addressed the existing issues within the building.

To fix the electrical problems, Camp brought in Mike Manley, who he knew from his touring days. Manley was now a master electrician and had wired Camp’s entire studio back in Las Vegas. “He basically rewired the whole church for AV,” Camp explained.

Concert-Ready System

Once the various infrastructure issues were addressed, the audio upgrade could begin. A significant part of the upgrade was integrating a new sound reinforcement system, which included a pair of SSL Live L200 Plus mixing consoles, three SB 32.24 SuperAnalogue Dante stage boxes, and a pair of Blacklight II Bridges that expand the Dante capability from 64 channels to 256 channels. Positioned at the front of the house and monitor positions, the two L200 Plus 38-fader consoles have access to 96 inputs over Dante from the three stage boxes.

“They’re using almost 96 channels, and we’re running everything over Dante,” Camp added. “A typical service includes a six or seven-piece praise band, as many as 10 praise singers, and a small choir. The Blacklight II Bridges not only expand the I/O on the console, but also facilitates the scale of their Dante-based audio network—and with SSL Live, it’s all routable directly from the console.” The consoles have dynamic Dante patching, so the user never has to use the Dante Controller app. Everything can be done directly through the console.

A K-array Mugello-KH3P I speaker system was integrated, implementing four cabinets each on the house’s left and right sides. Six K-array Kayman-KY52 front fill speakers, and six Thunder-KS5 I subwoofers were built into the stage to better conform to its half-moon shape. The K-array speaker system features beam-steering technology, which helps enhance intelligibility in highly reverberant spaces like houses of worship.

Pastor Danny Donaldson, the church’s pastor for more than 20 years, was instrumental in selecting the K-array system. The church was known to host

Above: Phillip Washington (left), Rick Camp, and Issac Davis show off one of the new SSL Live L200 Plus mixing consoles at Rose Hill Church.

Rose Hill Church has an extensive new audio system anchored by a pair of SSL mixing consoles.

acclaimed gospel artists from across the country, and Donaldson advocated for a high-tech venue to better support these endeavors. The setup also includes eight ISP Technologies Pro Wedge 212 stage monitors, along with a 12-channel Shure PSM 1000 in-ear system.

DirectOut’s PRODIGY.MP audio processor was selected for the speaker system management, including tuning, delaying, and processing. “The system signal flow goes from the FOH console to the Prodigy via Dante, and is routed to the various system amplifiers and other components via Dante, MADI, or analog outputs,” said Camp. “So, anywhere from analog to Dante to MADI, we can flip those different formats.”

When it came to microphones, Shure Nexadyne microphones were selected for vocal performance, along with BETA series microphones to amplify the drums. CBI completed the cabling, including analog sub snakes and mic cabling. A trench had to be dug, starting at FOH and going backstage to the AV closet, to lay all the network and analog cables.

Better Mixing and Streaming

A structural engineer was brought in to fabricate steel beams between the wooden joints on either side of the room so the speakers could be hung, which Camp flagged during his initial inspection. This was the only way to ensure the speakers were hung in the correct location, and it took place before the installation process began. Two bass traps, one along the back wall and another behind the stage, were also built to help manage the venue’s acoustics.

Even though this was a considerable upgrade when paired with all the building maintenance issues that had to be addressed, the project came together rather quickly. “We didn’t start until January,” Camp said. “And it was all done and ready for the first service at Easter.” Once that was completed, Camp turned his attention to training the staff to take full advantage of the capabilities of their new sound system.

Rose Hill Church is fortunate to have a technical team comprised of Johnson and FOH and monitor engineers Phillip Washington and Issac Davis. “It was a little bit of a learning curve going from the old console to a pair of SSLs,” said Camp. “But I got them up to speed with everything pretty quickly. They understand the topology, how to find and route things, and all of that. It’s great that all SSL Live consoles offer the exact same operator experience. Now they’ve learned the L200s, they can operate any SSL Live console—and easily take their show files anywhere with compatibility mode.”

WORSHIP AUDIO BUSINESS

According to Camp, the reaction from the church’s staff has been glowing, particularly about the difference the new technology makes when compared to what they used in the past. “I tell everybody they went from an old Volkswagen to a brand-new Ferrari.”

The system has also bolstered their streaming efforts, allowing them to move away from their previous process of doing a post-production mix and sending it out a week later. “In the new location, it started with them just recording, and then they were still doing the post-production mix,” said Camp. “But now, they’re mixing live to stream via Logic.”

A pair of SSL consoles have access to 96 inputs over Dante.

What a Workout

Fitness Centers Rely on Immersive Pro AV Solutions to Keep Customers Coming Back

By James Careless

Getting in shape: It’s one of those New Year’s resolutions that never goes out of style. For fitness club brands such as RSG Group’s JOHN REED and OHM Fitness, high-end Pro AV is bringing the beat to their heart-pounding workouts— keeping customers engaged and coming back for more.

“In our company, we believe that music is a really essential part of every workout,” said Tom Breu, RSG Group’s director of music programming and AV integration. “It gives you energy. It gets you fired up.”

At the same time, the audio equipment that does the job—in the case of JOHN REED Dallas, a suite of Bose Professional EdgeMax loudspeakers—has to be visually discreet. “This equipment needs to be completely integrated into the overall aesthetics, blending into the design concept in a really unobtrusive manner,” explained Shawn Watts, Bose Professional’s senior product manager.

Case in point: “A spin room basically hosts adrenaline pumping events, one after the other,” Watts offered. “They’re playing loud electronic music and it is really driving the workout, building up your

heartbeat and increasing the intensity of the experience. That kind of total immersion doesn’t really happen if you have a really thin sound or spotty sound with holes in it. This is why EdgeMax loudspeakers are really ideal for these high-intensity environments, where the sound level needs to be high while the sightlines need to be left open. People being driven to their limits don’t want to look at speakers, but they still want a lot of bass and a lot of output.”

Different Design Philosophies

Not surprisingly, different fitness brands have different design philosophies with respect to using Pro AV in their clubs. RSG Group uses club-wide audio in its JOHN REED Dallas location to create a unified immersive experience for its members.

“I think immersive audio makes our fitness club stand out and that’s why we enhance it even more with live music programming,” said Breu. “We have live DJ classes almost every day in the club, where there’s an interaction between the instructor and the DJ. This is the kind of standout programming that leads members to think, ‘Wow, this is really different than my old gym was!’”

“Even though it’s a really large space where exercise is the main activity, the owners wanted high-quality audio and bass impact with no dead spots,” noted Watts. “This is why systems are designed to allow 100 dBA, support background music and intelligible microphone sound-reinforcement. The attention to design at JOHN REED Dallas was really a driving factor in all the equipment choices, with hidden subwoofers and speakers color-aligned for that space. Using EdgeMax also kept sightlines free to see all the artwork placed throughout the business.”

Although it feeds video messaging to its monitorequipped workout equipment, RSG Group does not like to install large video displays in its JOHN REED clubs. “One reason we don’t like to install large video displays is due to our desire to build communities among our members. We don’t want people to just walk on a treadmill and look at the screen. We want them to be more present,” Breu said. “The other reason is technological: Nowadays, if someone wants to watch the news at the gym, they will do so on their own phone or tablet. So, we don’t need to have screens—and besides, they would detract from our design while distracting people.”

In contrast, OHM Fitness Clubs are all about leveraging technology as much as possible. For example, club members wear high-tech neoprene “emPower” suits during their 25-minute fitness classes. The suits are equipped with electrode pads that deliver electrostimulation to large areas of the wearers’ bodies during exercise.

To maximize the energy and immersiveness of workouts, OHM combines high-end audio using Pioneer PRO AUDIO CM-S58T 8-inch surface-mount and Pioneer DJ 15-inch XPRS1152ST subwoofers powered by LEA Professional Connect Series CS354 amplifiers. Audio output and room lighting are synchronized with the video feeds being displayed to create a fully immersive workout experience. As the workout progresses, the lighting color is changed to match the pace and mood of the experience. The music gets more intense as the workout reaches peak energy, then calms down as the session winds down.

More Than a Gym

OHM turned to Arizona-based integrator Holocron

At JOHN REED Dallas, the audio equipment blends into the overall aesthetics.

Bose Professional EdgeMax loudspeakers deliver immersive audio in various workout spaces throughout JOHN REED Dallas.

and owner Randy Stearman to design and install the audio and lighting for all 11 OHM locations (more are on the way). Whenever a new location has been planned, Stearman works with OHM and the franchisee to specify and site map lighting fixtures, speaker placement, wiring and power requirements, and amp and rack locations for the new space.

“The owners of OHM Fitness have a vision,” Stearman said. “It’s not just a fitness center but it is a whole experience. So, everything is unique, right down to the audio.”

Typically, Stearman installs the CM-S58Ts in each corner of a workout space, with two in the center of the room, two in the back and the front of the fitness area, and two in the lobby. “Pioneer was always our top choice because it’s such a quality product,” Stearman added. “Aesthetically, the speakers look solid. Sound-wise, Pioneer blows other brands away—even more expensive lines—because of the full frequency response. You have your highest mids and lows. Pioneer builds quality speakers.”

Although RSG group and OHM have different approaches to the use of Pro AV in their fitness clubs, they agree that it provides real value in creating immersive experiences for their members. The value of immersion cannot be overestimated; in both instances, the fitness clubs are creating communities where their members can make friends in chic, fashionable spaces. The allure of such communities is

Follow the Leader

The best Pro AV system in the world can’t deliver if members can’t hear their instructor clearly during classes. This is why quality microphone headsets like the lightweight Shure SM31FH fitness headset condenser microphone are needed on the job. The SM31FH features moisture-repelling construction and a windscreen to minimize popping and other breath-related noises.

When connected to Shure’s GLX-D+ dual band digital wireless system, fitness centers with the SM31FH fitness headset will benefit from clear, high-quality audio. According to Shure, GLX-D+ systems come with everything you need

that the clubs become hangouts for their customers, which encourages their emotional (and financial) commitment to these venues. That’s good for New Year’s resolutions and the bottom line.

“I think that there’s more of a growing expectation of precision audio in public spaces,” said Watts.

“People are getting used to better sound everywhere. They’re hearing better sound at movie theaters, in retail stores, and at their bars and breweries. So, I’d say precision audio with focused, intelligible sound is going to be the new expectation, and fitness clubs are no exception to this new rule.”

Shure SM31FH

By Chris Wildfoerster

Sharing Info Efficiently

How to Leverage Networked Audio Solutions for Better Communication

In today’s fast-paced world, mass communication plays a vital role in mitigating risk by conveying important messages to large audiences, ensuring that everyone is informed and up to date. And one of the most effective ways to communicate to large groups of people is through the deployment of networked audio solutions.

For example, a school public address system is used to inform students about important events, bell schedules, announcements, and emergency situations. Healthcare institutions take a multimodal approach toward mass communication for conveying vital information to patients, staff, and visitors. In retail, mass communication is leveraged to promote products, services, and events, while the critical infrastructure sector uses it to ensure public safety and security.

It can be difficult and expensive to try and integrate legacy systems into modern mass communications solutions, as many modern devices are network based. Communicating messages to facility occupants, visitors, first responders, and other appropriate parties using audio, video, SMS messaging, displays, strobes, access control, intercoms, and more is best achieved using networkbased solutions.

Speakers and Software

Network speakers are a crucial component of mass communication because they enable the dissemination of audio messages to a large audience using existing network infrastructure. Whether you’re looking for ways to enhance safety, improve operations, or create a more inviting environment, audio is a valuable tool that you can leverage. Network speakers can be easily installed in various locations while being configured and controlled remotely through software, making them ideal for use on large campuses, such as schools and universities, as well as in public spaces, such as shopping malls and airports.

Let’s look at a retail use case. By deploying speakers throughout a store, retailers can share relevant deals with shoppers in specific departments (or zones) throughout the store, which can enhance the customer shopping experience and help increase sales. Those same speakers can also be used to page specific employees without announcing it to the whole store. Plus, speakers can be used as part of a security solution to monitor restricted areas.

Audio management software also plays a vital role in mass communication, as it enables the management and control of modern network

speakers, as well as the creation and dissemination of audio messages. Whether you have five speakers or 500, leveraging audio management software provides you with a range of features to improve your security and operational posture, including zone management, content management, scheduling, and prioritization. These features let users create and manage messages, as well as schedule them for playback at specific times and locations.

Network-based audio systems can be more expensive from a component perspective, but that cost is quickly offset by the capabilities network audio offers over legacy systems. Those can include built-in IOs to trigger other devices, scheduled or event triggered messages stored directly in the speaker, health monitoring to ensure the speakers are working, programmable LEDs to notify speaker status, microphones for hands-free communications, and built-in DSP to ensure high audio quality.

Deployment Benefits

Audio is a proactive tool that can be used to protect people and property through notifications, instructions, and deterrence, while also complementing other systems such as surveillance. Network speakers and software offer a range of benefits.

Flexibility: Whether a school campus, healthcare facility, retail store, or power plant, speakers and audio management software can be used to improve business operations and security.

Scalability: Business needs change, so devices based on open architecture such as network speakers offer the ability to expand and integrate systems. Many modern open platform network speakers are PoE-enabled and available with preinstalled software, which makes them easy to install and ideal for use on campuses and in public spaces, where needs can change from year to year.

Cost-effectiveness: Speakers and software can reduce costs associated with traditional mass communication methods, such as public address systems, since they can be integrated into other network-based systems, such as cameras and VMS, as part of a broader security solution.

Ease of use: Intuitive software makes it easy to schedule, create, and manage audio messages for playback at specific times and locations. More importantly, messages tailored toward specific events such as active threats, health emergencies, chemical spills, and weather alerts, can be activated to be repeated until the event is resolved.

Reliability: Network speakers and software can help ensure that important messages are conveyed to a large audience, even in emergency situations. What’s

more, since the system is on the network, remote system health monitoring can ensure that your system is working properly.

Build Your Best System

Based on these benefits, how do you choose the best audio solution to meet your mass communication needs? First, identify the specific needs of your organization. Are you looking to share regular announcements, improve security, or streamline operations? Determine your needs and then work with your integrator to determine how speakers and software can be used to enhance messaging. The Partner Alliance for Safer Schools (PASS) provides guidelines to provide a coordinated approach to security practices for industries with a focus on K-12 schools.

You also need to choose the right speakers and software. From horns to ceiling or cabinet models, there are different types of speakers available on the market. What you’re trying to accomplish will determine the best device. Select speakers and software that meet your specific needs and offer the features and functionality required for effective mass communication.

After selecting the right speakers and software, they need to be installed and configured within your space. Remember, your audio hardware and software will most likely be integrated with other systems— such as cameras, video management systems, access control, strobes, or displays—and will need to be tested and evaluated to ensure that everything operates smoothly together. Be sure to make any necessary adjustments for optimal operations.

Finally, provide training and support. A system is only as good as the people using it, so make sure your staff can use the system effectively.

Chris Wildfoerster is the business development manager for audio solutions for Axis Communications.

In classrooms, the right audio is imperative in keeping students aware of important announcements.

(Slightly) Bigger Is Better

New Roland V-80HD Makes Switching and Streaming Easy

By Chuck Gloman

We’ve had the Roland V-60HD as our university’s TV studio video switcher for many years, so I was excited to try the new V-80HD direct streaming video switcher, which Roland announced in June. With a slightly larger footprint (almost 16 inches wide, 10 inches deep, and about 4 inches high), this compact switcher does everything we have come to expect from Roland and much more.

Your Pick of Sources

On the top of the right side of the switcher is the integrated 4.3-inch LCD monitor with buttons to let you choose multiview, two input views, and program. You’ll also find controls for menu adjustments, output fade, and more. You can select between mix and wipe for the fader bar, plus there are cut and auto transition buttons. Below the front panel is where you’ll find the headphone input and volume, plus USB host input and an SDXC card input for storing information.

A switcher is only as good as its I/O. The eight video inputs on the V-80HD offer a mix of HDMI, 3G-SDI, and SRT—so you can use studio cameras, ENGs, even PTZs—while its outputs add USB 3.0 and LAN to the mix. It also supports up to 28 channels of audio and has built-in streaming (SRT, RTMP, and RTMPS protocols). If you’re crunched for time, audio and video actions can be pre-programed. And with Mac or Windows based systems, the software allows remote operation.

The V-80HD supports a wide variety of formats and frame rates, including 4K60. If you’re mixing HD with 4K sources, two of the HDMI inputs will downscale to HD, and frame rate converters within the SDI inputs will simplify your productions by having your sources match.

Output sources are plentiful—HDMI, LAN, SDI, and USB-C. The USB output can send video and sound to a phone, computer, or UVC platform. Or use the LAN output for RTMP. If your production requires effects, you can utilize the downstream keyer (DSK), as well as two picture-in-picture windows and split screen. Got a Windows-based system? Graphics and titles can be generated using free templates with the companion Graphics Presenter software and shared with the switcher via an HDMI cable.

The top of the Roland V-80HD features four audio input level pots, two auxes, and a main with peak and left and right level LEDs. Directly below are eight assignable pads, downstream keyer (DSK) with level, gain, source, preview, and program. And below that are picture-in-picture and key control, with both keys offering horizontal and vertical positioning knobs, plus source, preview, and

The back of the V-80HD houses the 24-volt DC input, power button, left and right XLR audio outputs, left and right RCA for a third and fourth channel, USB-C (computer or cell phone) and LAN (direct) streaming outputs, three HDMI outputs, four HDMI input scalers (two are 4K scalers with thru ports). Rounding out the ports are RS-232 and tally/GPIO outputs, two CTL/EXP ports, four SDI inputs, and two SDI outputs.

Ready for Action

The Roland V-80HD is so user friendly even the most non-technical person can easily hook it up and have it running in little time. Having an older version of a Roland switcher made our hookup even easier. We have three Hitachi 1080p cameras connected via SDI and a UHD 4K PTZ camera attached via a downscaling HDMI.

Each of our four usable inputs are attached to a 20-inch LED monitor, and the preview and program

have their own 55-inch LED monitors. The V-80HD can display all monitor information on one screen, but I chose to keep it the way our control room had operated in the past.

The V-80HD does far more than our V-60HD ever did. After attaching all the SDI and HDMI cables, I powered up the system. The pretty light show lasted a few moments before it settled into its ready mode.

One of our senior TV/film majors instinctively set up a preset where several of the live camera images animated to their positions. I asked him how he knew how to set up this mildly complicated maneuver. He replied, “My summer job was live streaming using a switcher.” It wasn’t a Roland, but with almost no trial and error, he had it set up.

After seeing his ease with the Roland V-80HD and feeling as if I should have taken a refresher course in Switchers 101, I took the reins and set up a DSK. I must admit it felt great showing my student how to do something he had no clue how to do.

As I had mentioned, switchers have come a long way in their ease of setup and operation. The Roland V-80HD moves to the head of the class; it is just extremely easy to learn and operate. The V-80HD also does so much that it opens the door for more creativity in a studio environment. I really liked the built-in monitor. Having the program image—or all your sources—right in front of you on the switcher is easier than looking at all the multitude of monitors throughout the studio.

Initially, I thought a bigger switcher wouldn’t be any improvement. I was wrong. The Roland V-80HD is a powerful yet reasonably priced switcher for a TV studio. It has plenty of features and inputs without the steep learning curve of other, more expensive choices. The best quote from a student: “You can teach a course on how this switcher will make live productions less complicated and how this switcher will make our TV shows more exciting.”

Chuck Gloman is an associate professor of the TV/ Film Department at DeSales University. Contact him at chuck.gloman@desales.edu.

The eight-input Roland V-80HD switcher was designed for live events and studio productions.

The built-in LCD display allows for multiview or other single source monitoring.

TECHNOLOGY PRODUCTS

The G103-D-4 Dante-enabled dual stereo headphone amplifier seamlessly merges the company’s audio fidelity with the flexibility and scalability of Dante audio networking, making it an ideal solution for professional audio monitoring in various applications. It incorporates Audinate’s Dante Ultimo 4 connectivity, enabling four channels of digital audio input via a standard Ethernet connection. This integration ensures effortless incorporation into existing Dante networks, streamlining workflows and minimizing cable clutter. At the heart of the G103-D-4 lies a high-quality D/A converter operating at 24-bit/192kHz resolution for excellent audio reproduction, with an impressive signal-to-noise ratio of 105dB and a total harmonic distortion (THD) of 0.01%. The G103-D-4 offers flexible power supply options, and users can fine-tune the output to perfectly match the impedance and sensitivity of their headphones. The amplifier also features both 1/4-inch and 3.5mm headphone jacks to accommodate various headphone connections.

and remote video sources via LAN/WAN connectivity. The IPX Flyaway Kit includes RGB Spectrum’s Zio video-over-IP platform, offering local display for situational awareness and an advanced network for transmitting a common operating picture to remote monitors, video walls, and even mobile devices. Users can view up to eight video signals simultaneously from internal computer resources and network H.264/H.265 decodes. Included hardware includes eight internal antennas, rugged MIL-SPEC computer, Ethernet switch, and a built-in 19-inch sunlight readable monitor.

MAXHUB SL22MC

With an intuitive design geared toward making presentations easier—combined with active capacitive touch technology and built-in computer running an Intel 12th generation processor—the SL22MC smart lectern offers a seamless and responsive user experience with wireless control of most any type of presentation. The podium’s 21.5-inch interactive touchscreen and capacitive pen allow presenters to annotate important points without having to use a mouse. The SL22MC podium also features pre-installed whiteboarding and collaboration software, along with wireless sharing that enables a laptop to be easily integrated into a presentation. Plus, its integrated wheels make it easy to position the podium in the best on-stage location. Presenters can also electronically adjust the podium’s surface to the optimum height, and its fully laminated outer surface makes the SL22MC able to withstand being moved in and out of storage.

RGB Spectrum IPX Flyaway Kit

A complete, miniaturized mobile control room, the IPX Flyaway Kit provides a comprehensive suite of display and communication capabilities in a rugged, deployable enclosure. It is designed for command-and-control applications, combining real-time, low-latency video processing, multi-signal encoding/decoding, built-in

enhanced by 16 onboard Waves Signature Preamps, featuring fully discrete analog circuits, low noise floor, and the ability to switch between pure transparent preamp sound and rich harmonic enhancement. The console’s software and hardware architectures are designed for maximum intuitiveness; it boasts a 21.5-inch multi-touch screen, 17 100mm faders, and a Quick-Access UI for speedy control of all important mixer functions. The console also allows customization of user-defined actions and views, via

Quam UL24 Series

The UL24 Series merges a paging speaker and a fire signalling speaker into one unit. Built as a 2x2-foot lay-in ceiling tile replacement, it is designed to save ceiling space and streamline installations, which can provide substantial labor savings. The UL24 Series combines a mass notification speaker that connects to a fire panel and an emergency communication system (ECS) with a typical paging speaker that connects to an amplifier, call system, or school paging system. Equipped with two drivers and two different transformers, the UL24 Series maintains acoustic efficiency comparable to having separate speakers for each function. Plus, it includes a line supervision capacitor and four seismic tie-off points to comply with local codes. With a powder-coated, perforated steel baffle and a lightweight speaker assembly, it is ideal for the education, healthcare, and commercial industrial market segments.

Waves Audio eMotion LV1 Classic

With 64 stereo channels and 44 stereo buses, the new Waves eMotion LV1 Classic is a compact, hardware mixing desk. It’s powered by a double-precision 32-bit floating point mix engine, operating at 44.1–96 kHz sample rates, ensuring clarity and headroom, and features 16 built-in Waves processors. The console’s pristine audio is further

Panasonic Connect AK-UCX100

Designed for easy operation as part of the Panasonic studio camera family, the AK-UCX100 streamlines on-site workflows, supporting everything from simple studio applications to IP-based live production in 4K and HD. Content creators can choose the best operation with or without a camera control unit (CCU). It supports a full range of production format options and offers extensive I/O. Its new imager offers high sensitivity and dynamic range, easily adapting to both a darkened auditorium and venues with dazzling lighting effects. Its colorimetry has also been optimized to account for challenges with LED lighting and large display walls, while the camera’s HD low-pass filter helps manage the effect of moiré in LED walls.

DPA Microphones 2061

The new 2061 miniature omnidirectional microphone is designed for voice capture for event venues, houses of worship, live theater, and broadcast. Borrowing several design elements from other DPA lavs, the 2061 features a completely new 5mm capsule construction that targets superior performance in the 50-16,000 Hz frequency range, with 128 dB peak SPL. With an omnidirectional pickup pattern, the pre-polarized condenser mic has a flat frequency curve with a soft 3 dB boost at 8–16 kHz. It’s not pre-tailored to compensate for any specific position in which a lavalier is commonly placed, which allows a sound engineer to capture authentic sound from any arrangement. It also features a robust mechanical construction for long-lasting performance, including a 4.5-foot Kevlar reinforced cable and IP57 certification, and is available in multiple colors, so it can blend in with any talent or outfit.

Peerless-AV SA752PU/SA761PU/SA771PU

Peerless-AV has launched three redesigned SmartMount articulating wall mounts. The new models, SA752PU (43-65-plus inch displays), SA761PU (43-75-plus inch displays), and SA771PU (50-90-plus inch displays), offer enhanced versatility, simplified installation, and the ability to accommodate larger displays. Key design improvements include a high-quality steel construction for exceptional strength and long-term use, as well as longer arms for a wider viewing range for displays larger than 65 inches. Each model allows for 90-degree pivoting for precise display positioning and easy 5-degree postinstallation leveling. Cast aluminum arms with brass brushings ensure mounts can support heavier displays without compromising stability and security. The redesigned models also feature enhanced flexibility with upgraded adapter brackets and more versatile VESA placement. Complete with a durable powdercoated finish, the redesigned mounts are scratch and chip resistant, ensuring a sleek finish even with frequent adjustments.

Miri Technologies X510

The Miri X510 dual-cellular bonding router allows users to combine multiple wired and wireless internet connections into a single, highly resilient link that delivers exceptional performance, even in remote locations with poor network coverage. It bonds up to seven internet links to bolster reliability and maximize performance for a variety of use cases, from live event streaming at remote venues to reinforcing business continuity for enterprises and remote workers. Miri worked closely with Magewell on the development of the X510 to ensure the router would meet the requirements of AV professionals. Integrating channel bonding technology from partner Speedify, the compact Miri X510 can combine Wi-Fi, Gigabit Ethernet, satellite, and mobile data connections to enable faster speeds and robust reliability. The router is not limited to delivering video and audio, and is not tied to any particular codec or streaming protocol.

Make Room for ‘Digital Electricity’

Class 4 Systems Establish New Era for Pro AV Power Distribution

By Joseph Cornwall

In 2003, a Harvard professor studying symbols and their meanings was drawn into an international conspiracy involving the Holy Grail and a secret society known as the Priory of Sion. Thus began a race against time to uncover the truth and prevent a catastrophe. Dan Brown’s novel The Da Vinci Code ultimately went on to become both a best-selling book and a blockbuster movie.

That same year witnessed the beginning of another race—for power. The IEEE introduced the 802.3af standard, more commonly known as power over Ethernet (PoE). This standard defined the delivery method, voltage levels, and consumption limits of electrical power flowing through a LAN. PoE allowed up to 15.4 watts of electricity to be delivered to network nodes over structured wiring and changed the way we think about power.

The PoE Revolution

PoE enabled the deployment of devices in locations without readily available power sources and expanded network infrastructure design. While the initial 15.4 watts provided by PoE was sufficient for access points and nodes, the increasing demand for higher-powered devices like IP cameras, structural speakers, and videoconferencing systems necessitated a higher power capacity. To meet these needs, PoE standards have evolved to deliver up to 100 watts of power today, enabling the use of a wider range of devices in various industries, including residential, commercial, and industrial settings.

PoE is a Limited Power Source (LPS) listed to UL 62368-1 and qualifies for Class 2 wiring methods per NFPA70 (NEC) Article 725. It is specifically designed to provide power over the LAN, making it ideal for devices located within 328 feet (100 meters) from the main power source and requiring less than 90 watts at the node. PoE is ubiquitous because it is both easy to install and safe from dangerous shocks.

The National Electrical Code (NEC) and the Canadian Electrical Code (CEC) offer comprehensive guidelines and regulations for the safe installation and operation of electrical wiring and equipment. These codes are a set of standards designed to protect people and property from electrical hazards. They provide guidelines for the safe installation, inspection, and maintenance of electrical wiring and equipment. They are rarely changed, and

when they are it’s because something better, safer, and well-tested has come along.

FMPS: The New Standard

In October 2023, for the first time in 46 years, the NEC defined a new class of power in its code book and the CEC is currently in the process of adopting the same. Class 4 power systems are described in article 726A of the NEC. Class 4 systems are referred to as Fault Managed Power Systems (FMPS). Unlike PoE, Class 4 circuits are not power limited and can deliver hundreds or even thousands of watts of power! Even more amazing is that these FMPS solutions deliver all this power over ordinary copper, operating within the rules of the low-voltage realm, at distances that dwarf previous limitations.

FMPS proactively monitor and protect networks from power-related issues by detecting faults, isolating problems, and ensuring reliable power delivery. By limiting the fault energy, these solutions mitigate the risk of shock or fire—and allow the installation of Class 4 circuits by low-voltage professionals.

Of great interest to the AV integrator, NEC Article 726 allows for the installation of Class 4 circuits without conduit in most situations. Without conduit, Class 4 circuits can be installed faster and at lower expense while allowing better move/add/change capability for power distribution infrastructure.

Further, Class 4 systems may also be installed alongside PoE and Ethernet, which means Class 4 cables can be run in the same raceway as Class 3 circuits. The flexibility of Class 4 to install power delivery alongside communications greatly simplifies installations by converging power and data to the same pathway.

FMPS operate with two key components: the transmitter and the receiver. The transmitter takes power in from an AC outlet, for example, and converts it into a series of pulses that are sent to the receiver. The receiver takes the Class 4 pulses and converts them to a form of electricity the load device requires.

The pulses may be thought of as “on-off” pairs or

even “1s and 0s.” This binary operation prompted Voltserver, one of the major manufacturers of Class 4 FMPS solutions, to call their technology “Digital Electricity.” Other manufacturers operating in this new space include Panduit, Belden, and DES, with more joining the market every day.

Expanding Design Possibilities

Because FMPS are not power limited, they can deliver serious amounts of electricity. More than half a kilowatt can be delivered over 2-pair 18 AWG wire at distances beyond 1,000 feet using the Voltserver solution. Solutions boasting up to 2 kW of power are making their way to the market now. The freedom to disconnect from traditional AC power infrastructure opens serious opportunities for creative AV solution design.

Here’s an example: Imagine running a hybrid optical/copper cable for a large AV installation. A single cable pull across the expanse of a large ballroom or multi-use space could deliver 10 GbE data, power the remote Optical Network Terminal (ONT), power a media player, and power a large venue three-chip digital projector simultaneously from that single link. And this can be done without leveraging another trade and while using thinner, lower cost, lower weight cabling.

Digital Electricity and similar technologies are powerful new tools for the AV integration industry. Just like moving from analog waveforms in copper coax to digital pulses across structured wiring freed the AV industry from brute-force distribution designs and allowed for elegant networked solutions, so too will the move from the analog power grid to the new world of FMPS allow for more efficient, higher-performing, and more unique AV installations. This emerging technology will allow us to realize design opportunities previously impossible to implement. The future of AV is getting very interesting, indeed.

Technology evangelist Joseph D. Cornwall has been part of the AVIXA faculty since 2010, and was named a member of the SCN Hall of Fame in 2024. Contact him at AV_Educator@outlook.com.

FMPS proactively monitor and protect networks from power-related issues by detecting faults, isolating problems, and ensuring reliable power delivery.