Systems Contract News February 2026

SYSTEMS CHECK

Simplicity Rules the Videoconferencing Day

“Hey, everybody. Why am I here?”

On more than one occasion in my professional career, this is essentially how I have joined a videoconference. I get a reminder “ding” on my computer and learn that my name has been added to a list of folks discussing … well, I don’t what we’re discussing or why I’m a party to it.

Believe it or not, I’m not a curmudgeon (provided you hooligans get off my lawn). I’ve always said that a little bureaucracy goes a long way. Jumping through the occasional hoop that’s oversized and very low to the ground can help avoid waste, fraud, schedule conflicts, and an overflowing back burner.

One of those metaphoric hoops is meetings. I’m not against meetings. They are necessary and useful—but only when they are necessary and useful. Apparently, these days they need to be simpler, too.

Recently, I read about a disturbing trend identified by OWL Labs in its 9th Annual State of Hybrid Work report. They call it the “meeting tax.” Based on a survey of 2,000 U.S.-based, full-time workers, with data collected last summer by a third-party research agency, 77% of respondents reported they’ve lost meeting time due to technical difficulties.

OK, I’m not surprised that most people have had videoconferencing issues. I use Slack for internal meetings almost daily; I can’t remember a week where there wasn’t at least one incident when a camera or microphone misbehaved on one side of the conversation. When the videoconferencing platform fails to properly execute a meeting—well, let’s just say it’s a good thing my mic isn’t working.

The whole “I can’t hear you, can you hear me” dance is annoying, but we tend to get things resolved fairly quickly. However, respondents in the OWL Labs study said they lose more than six minutes on average when they try to start hybrid meetings, and 27% lose 10 minutes because of tech setup. Per meeting

Not discouraging enough? Also according to the report, 67% of respondents “admit they’ve abandoned attempts to get video technology working in a meeting space altogether,” and 21% said it “happens almost all of the time.”

Lest ye get too disheartened, the same survey found 45% of respondents think their employer’s hybrid meeting equipment is effective and they like it, while another 42% said it was fine and they deal with it. Only 2% said they don’t like it, though 9% complained it rarely or never works and 2% felt the equipment was outdated. You can’t please everyone, I guess.

“We’ve reached the point where simplicity beats features. If a system isn’t easy, it won’t get used.”

Holli Hulett, Boom Collaboration

Boom Collaboration recently offered their own take on current conferencing trends, based on input from its distributors, MSPs, resellers, and customers. And the magic word, which should not be a surprise to anyone in our industry, is simplicity.

“The videoconferencing market continues to evolve, but the priority is clearer than ever,” explained Holli Hulett, Boom’s co-founder. “We’ve reached the point where simplicity beats features. If a system isn’t easy, it won’t get used.”

If we take simplicity to its next logical step, we land on BYOD. Again, it should be no surprise that people want to use their own devices during a meeting or collaborative exercise. A subset of BYOD is BYOM, where folks use the videoconferencing software on their laptop to run the meeting while utilizing the fancy cameras, mics, speakers, and displays in the meeting space. According to Boom, BYOM is quickly moving to the primary workflow in many environments.

Yes, there are connectivity concerns when you bring in personal devices. And yes, there are network security concerns, even if employees are using company-owned equipment. I will also concede there are training concerns, because you still need to know how to connect to and properly use all the existing equipment in the meeting space.

Know what’s more concerning than all those things put together? Investing in a hybrid meeting setup that nobody uses because of technical difficulties.

CONTENT

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Senior Content Manager Wayne Cavadi

Contributors James Careless, David J. Danto, Carolyn Heinze, Max Johnson, Nigel Spratling Art Editors

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Clair Global Opens New HQ

Clair Global has officially opened its new, purpose-built global headquarters in Lititz, PA. The company has reimagined its workspace to optimize operational efficiency and enhance unity across its Events, Integration, and Product divisions, and has repurposed its previous site into a full-fledged factory for the Cohesion brand and other internal manufacturing needs.

The new Lititz headquarters has been constructed with sustainable design practices and harnesses solar energy through an integrated rooftop system. Plus, the entire facility has been carefully climate controlled using a geothermal energy system that offsets electrical energy consumption over the calendar year. To further support employee and visitor sustainability, Clair Global has added electric vehicle charging points.

HDR10+ Technologies Unveils Metadata Enhancement

HDR10+ Technologiesis moving forward with the licensing and certification of devices, content, and services that support HDR10+ ADVANCED dynamic metadata technology, the latest in a series of enhancements that are part of the rapidly expanding HDR10+ ecosystem.

HDR10+ dynamic metadata offers a number of benefits, including outstanding brightness and contrast, robust standardization, easy implementation, worldwide certification, and no licensing fees. The future-ready technology also works seamlessly with HDR10 standard metadata. HDR10+ ADVANCED provides a number of new features and benefits that can be enjoyed on compatible products, including enhanced overall brightness, intelligent motion smoothing, local tone mapping, advanced color control, and more.

“With our thoughtful new building design, our resources have been pulled together,” explained Ron Sadd, operations manager. “Operationally, our staff can work more efficiently and collaboratively, knowledge sharing in real time, which is a powerful asset for our teams.”

“Not only does the new headquarters allow us to better service our events and integration clients, but it has enabled the expansion of our internal manufacturing aptitude,” added Matt Clair, EVP business operations. “Beyond the Cohesion brand, we’re now better placed to design, build and supply equipment such as custom racks, cables, cases and any related hardware needs to our Clair affiliates around the globe.”

The new facility also supports Clair Global’s Road

Staff in Training (RIT) program, an audio technician training curriculum that educates on the skills required to deploy large-scale event sound systems, live production communications, and data services. New training areas include a full-scale grid that can install two arena-size PA systems simultaneously, as well as practical training spaces that allow up to three training sessions to take place concurrently. “We’ve really been able to scale up our training, which is essential to supporting the next generation of professionals in our industry,” said Dave Lester, director of education and safety.

AVIXA CEO Labuskes Announces Retirement

After leading a transformative era that began in 2012, David Labuskes, CEO of AVIXA, will retire at the end of the year.

Labuskes recognized and encouraged the evolution of the AV industry from one that offers products and systems toward an industry and profession that delivers integrated experiences that connect people to people and in so doing, transforms the world. During his tenure, the industry expanded to include experiential designers, content creators, IT companies, and users of AV solutions across a growing cross section of markets. This led to the rebrand of InfoComm International to AVIXA (the Audiovisual and Integrated Experience Association) in 2017.

“David not only helped redefine what our industry stands for, he also built an exceptional leadership team and a culture that is both value-driven and uniquely collaborative,” aid Tobias Lang, chair of the AVIXA board of directors and CEO of LANG AG. “The AVIXA Board has already begun the search for his successor, and we are confident that this exciting, attractive, and demanding role will be filled in a way that reflects the challenges and opportunities of a rapidly changing world.”

“With the development of HDR10+ ADVANCED dynamic metadata, content creators and entertainment enthusiasts can finally realize the ultimate video experience, no matter how demanding their needs,” explained Bill Mandel, co-manager of HDR10+ Technologies. “We’re confident this new technology will be embraced by consumers and professionals alike, across a variety of businesses and applications.”

Ensuring AVIXA represented the industry globally is key to Labuskes. Today, more than 50% of AVIXA’s revenue—from training, trade shows, certifications, and additional offerings—is generated outside of North America. The highest and most impactful rate of audience growth for the association is taking place outside of North America and reflects the transformation of AVIXA into a truly global community.

Labuskes championed diversity throughout the association’s many platforms to ensure an array of voices were represented. During his tenure, AVIXA’s Women’s Council and Diversity Council were established. With more than 1,100 members, the Women’s Council is the largest AVIXA council and draws hundreds of attendees year after year to its annual breakfast at InfoComm.

In addition, Labuskes led AVIXA through the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. This included navigating the cancellation of live events globally, supporting a critical part of the AVIXA community through a monumental disruption to their business models, as well as supporting the wider AV industry through the transformation demanded by remote and hybrid workplaces. Before joining AVIXA in 2012, Labuskes spent nearly 14 years with RTKL Associates (now Arcadis), where he established the firm’s Technology Design practice.

“I would have never predicted the level of personal growth and fulfillment that accompanied these many years at the helm of AVIXA,” said Labuskes. “The association now known as AVIXA was established in 1939, well before most of us were born. The responsibility and privilege inherent within the role I played for a tiny part of that timeline was one that could not have been fulfilled without the brilliance of the team of executives, industry volunteers, and dedicated AVIXA employees giving everything they have to deliver on our mission every day.”

David Labuskes

Clair Global’s new headquarters were constructed with sustainable design practices.

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Holosonics Helps Provide Immersive Experience for ‘Days of Punk’ Exhibit

By Wayne Cavadi

Michael Grecco has been taking photographs for a very long time. He began his career in the blizzard of 1978 as a stringer for the Associated Press, literally skiing into the office for an assignment. He had his first photo published in 1978 and never looked back.

Last October, he joined forces with the Huntsville Museum of Art in Huntsville, AL, for “Days of Punk,” an exhibit that blended more than 100 of his photos of punk rock icons alongside several video experiences. The memorable sounds of the aggressive music genre were brought to life by Holosonics Audio Spotlight AS-16iX speakers into an immersive experience taking visitors to a time and place when music was raw and revolutionary.

This isn’t simply a collection of photos Grecco collected over his professional career. Around the same time, he walked into the Rathskeller in Kenmore Square, the music club known as The Rat that was a player in launching the Boston punk scene, and everything changed. “Here you are in this community that you walk into of very accepting wild punkers and people who are into alternative music,” Grecco recalled. “Suddenly, I had this dual life: I was a photojournalist during the day, and I was a club kid at night.”

As a photojournalist, he was able to use his access to develop his photography skills, and while doing so, captured some of punk’s biggest names in their early years, including The Clash, Joan Jett, and Billy Idol. To truly do justice to an exhibit like this, it would take more than a few frames and mounts. “You have a show that’s based on music,” Grecco said. “We want it to be an experience, not just hanging the pictures on the wall that don’t say anything.”

There have been five shows since the “Days of Punk” tour began in Spain circa 2022. The exhibit has traveled to two European countries and three museums in the United States, with Huntsville its most recent stop. (The exhibit closed on Feb. 1.)

“’Days of Punk’ came to us through Terra Esplendida, a traveling exhibition company based in Portugal,” explained Natalie A. Mault Mead, chief

curator, Huntsville Museum of Art. “The concept immediately caught our attention because it had been several years since we featured a photography exhibition, and the punk movement played such a pivotal role in shaping American art and culture. Presenting Michael Grecco’s photographs here felt like the perfect opportunity to explore that era’s energy and its influence.”

Per Mead, the exhibit uses two Optoma projectors, with the short throw playing a moving video of Grecco’s photographs alongside punk music posters and a life-sized projected urinal to give the experience of listening to a concert at a venue with the bathroom door closed. The long throw shows clips of three punk bands in concert. There are also three standard monitors, two showing videos recorded by and about Michael Grecco and the latter shows the video response to “What is Punk?”

Having the right music to bring the photos to life was pivotal in enhancing the experience. With two members of the Boston-based punk band Mission of Burma, Grecco created six soundscapes for the experience. The soundscapes support the many photographs around the exhibit, but also the video portion as well.

As Mead explained, Holosonics speakers were the choice to support everything in the exhibit. David Reyes, head of exhibition installation and design for the museum, and Samantha Tallichet, exhibitions assistant, did the temporary installation themselves. Holosonics worked collaboratively on the project, providing technical guidance and application expertise to ensure the Audio Spotlight system was implemented effectively within the exhibit design.

To really capture the experience, Grecco wanted to have music that is unique to each area, and not one song playing overhead. That is where the Audio Spotlight speakers come into play. Grecco was blown

away by the idea that sound, not just lights, could serve as a spotlight as well. “I use spotlights all the time, but I couldn’t imagine that you can do a sound version of that,” he said. “So, it was exciting.”

Cristofer Osden, technical sales and marketing manager, Holosonics, explained that the Audio Spotlight AS-16iX speakers provided a good balance of narrow coverage that was well aligned to a single listener per placement, as well as effective energy output for the intended audio content. “The AS-16iX was the ideal solution because the exhibit required multiple, distinct audio experiences within a shared gallery space, without sound bleeding between displays,” Osden added. “Each photographic moment in ‘Days of Punk’ had its own sonic identity, and traditional speakers simply wouldn’t allow that level of separation without headphones or isolated rooms.”

For Grecco, it wasn’t simply about the sound, but the visual experience as well. “I did a lot of research in figuring out how we were going to do this,” he said. “Traditional museums use those clear domes, and there’s a speaker in it, and the dome contains the sound. You stand in front of a monitor, and the sound comes down right above your head. But visually, that interrupts everything. Visually, you see that dangling down. I was looking for solutions that could ship easily, that had a relatively small form factor, and sounded good.”

The Audio Spotlight achieved all those goals, and Mead said “Days of Punk” quickly became one of the museum’s most popular exhibits. “Visitors consistently comment on how the sound design completes the experience,” she explained. “The focused, immersive audio transports guests into the time and place of the photographs, giving context to the visuals without distracting them from [the photos]. It helps create an atmosphere that feels authentic, energetic, and true to the spirit of the punk movement.”

The “Days of Punk” exhibit at the Huntsville Museum of Art relied on Holosonic speakers to create an immersive experience.

Holosonics Audio Spotlight speakers delivered music that was unique to each area of the exhibit.

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4 Tech Trends Offer Opportunities for Pro AV Integrators in Hospitality

By Wayne Cavadi

In November, Almo Pro AV announced the formation of its Hospitality Leadership Team. The division is led by Almo Pro AV’s newly appointed VP of hospitality (and SCN The Nine alum), Karen Castaño. Under her direction, the hospitality division is focused on expanding Almo’s market presence in the growing vertical.

Per Castaño, the timing is right for a dedicated hospitality team because the entire sector is experiencing a rapid technology transformation, perhaps faster than any other in recent memory. “AV, IT, AI, and cloud solutions are converging, and integrators need a partner who truly understands all the unique demands of this vertical,” she said, adding that they have seen a dramatic shift in guest expectations where personalization, automation, and seamless connectivity aren’t differentiators but expected norms.

“At the same time, hotels are investing more heavily in technology to navigate ongoing labor challenges and to stay competitive,” Castaño added. “This requires a partner who can offer deeper insight into property-level workflows, procurement patterns, and brand-specific requirements. That’s exactly why we’ve built a verticalized team devoted to hospitality.”

In her new role, Castaño guides the overall sales strategy for the hospitality division while also empowering the team. Working alongside Ashley Parrent, director of sales, and Greg Kokorda, director of furniture, fixtures and equipment (FF&E), she is focused on aligning Almo Pro AV’s

vision, strengthening the internal and external partnerships, and being strategic about where the company grows next.

“As someone who loves to travel, I know firsthand how meaningful it is when a space, a service, or a moment makes you feel cared for, and I’m energized by the opportunity to help create that through the technology our industry delivers,” she said. “I’ve spent almost nine years in the AV industry, and what keeps me inspired is the constant opportunity to learn, adapt, and build solutions that genuinely improve how people experience the world around them. Focusing on hospitality feels like a natural next step. It’s a vertical where my passion for service, my commitment to partnership, and my belief in the impact of thoughtful experiences all come together.”

So, as the vertical continues to evolve and expand, where can integrators capitalize? Castaño sat down with SCN and offered four current opportunities.

1) Smart Rooms & IoT-Enabled Guest Rooms: Hotels are accelerating their investment in smartroom features (IoT sensors for lighting, HVAC, occupancy, energy optimization). Integrators can deliver unified control platforms that bring together lighting, AV, window treatments, climate systems, and guest entertainment through a centralized control platform or mobile app. Retrofit demand is also rising, as many properties move to replace aging analog infrastructure with modern, networked systems.

2) AI-Driven and Personalized Guest Experiences: AI is rapidly reshaping hospitality through personalization,

predictive maintenance, and operational intelligence. For integrators, opportunities include adaptive lighting, audio, and ambience in public spaces, lobby or digital signage that adjusts content to guest profiles, and even in-room voice assistants tied directly to AV and environmental controls. Hotels are prioritizing immersive, high-impact experiences with dvLED projection and other AV equipment to differentiate their brand. Integrators who position themselves as “experience designers,” not just technical installers, will lead this wave.

3) Cloud-Managed AV and Remote Service Models: Cloud-managed AV is becoming essential for hotels with large footprints and multiple event spaces. Integrators can deliver platforms that allow centralized monitoring, troubleshooting, scheduling, and firmware updates for ballrooms and meeting rooms, lobby and public-area displays, and back-of-house AV systems. This remote-management approach significantly reduces on-site service costs and improves uptime. It also aligns with the push toward unified technology stacks, integrating AV with PMS, CRM, POS, and analytics engines for deeper operational insights.

4) Upsell Technology and New Revenue Streams: Hotels are expanding revenue beyond room booking and into day-use offerings, curated experiences, event packages, and premium guest engagement, for example. AV enables many of these initiatives, including interactive in-room and lobby displays, digital signage that promotes services or upgrades, and branded entertainment experiences. For integrators, this opens the door to designing solutions that directly contribute to the hotel’s overall growth.

LEA Brings Good Vibes to Gale Hotel Miami

Located in downtown Miami, Gale Hotel Miami is a 51-story architectural landmark offering an innovative blend of boutique hotel comfort, upscale condo living, and culinary haven. Four years in the making, Gale Hotel Miami hired Interlink Group to design the audio systems for the two restaurants on the first floor and the three restaurants on the 9th floor. Interlink, in turn, partnered with Designer Digital Systems to design the sound system, build the racks, and program the system.

With space for only one full-sized rack on the 9th floor and one in the mezzanine MDF room, and requirements to power many speakers at high SPL for parties, amplifier size and power were major considerations. Designer Digital Systems chose LEA

Professional amplifiers due to their size-to-power ratio (1 RU with 2,800 watts per amplifier), as well as the flexibility of full DSP for crossover and speaker tuning of all major brands. Eight CS704 amplifiers power the three restaurants on the 9th floor, while five CS704 amplifiers were installed in the mezzanine MDF room for the restaurants on the first floor.

“The project developer wanted great sound, reliability, and a fair price,” recalled Bruce J. Alaimo, owner of Designer Digital Systems. “They had a design from a different company that was much more expensive. I immediately thought of LEA amps for our new design. I planned on using a variety of speakers from major brands, and LEA had speaker tunings for all of them, which made it a lot easier.”

Karen Castaño

Gale Hotel Miami is using LEA amplifiers across five restaurants.

mini-golf course to life.

Puttshack Powers Immersive

Putt

Putt

Puttshack is a tech-infused mini-golf game powered by proprietary Trackball technology. Founded in London in 2018, Puttshack has expanded with locations across the U.K. and North America. Its venues are defined by their layered, theatrical lighting, from the soft ambience of the main bar to the color-rich accents that bring each minigolf course to life.

High-voltage infrastructure was simply the price of creating its high-impact atmosphere. But when Puttshack prepared to open its new 29,000-squarefoot Minneapolis venue last fall, it faced the challenge of delivering a high-energy, visually striking experience without the high-voltage overhead. Its lighting design was initially drawn up around a conventional 277-volt system, reflecting the approach used across other locations.

Working with the SAVI iQ team, Puttshack re-evaluated the original high-voltage specification against a low-voltage alternative built on SAVI QoraLux, a power-over-category (PoC) lighting platform that carries both power and control over standard Cat cable. What began as a lighting rethink quickly expanded into a full AVL integration, all centrally managed through the SAVI platform.

The system requires a nuanced, highly zoned environment that can shift seamlessly between everyday operation and special-event settings. The

result achieved the same dramatic visual impact the designers envisioned, while eliminating the conduit farms, panel rooms, and high-voltage coordination that had complicated previous builds and laying the foundation for a new generation of smarter and more profitable Puttshack venues.

“What makes SAVI QoraLux so powerful for designers is that it removes the old electrical constraints without sacrificing nuance,” said Derek Wilson, SAVI’s chief strategy officer. “You get micro-zone control, smooth dimming, and rich RGBWW rendering, all on low-voltage cabling. It’s a single, coherent ecosystem rather than a patchwork of panels, drivers, and third-party interfaces.”

During the design phase, the team modeled a direct comparison between a conventional 277-volt high-voltage scheme and a low-voltage SAVI QoraLux alternative of identical scale. The difference was measurable at every stage. The fixture package showed a 43% reduction, while installation costs saved 45%.

In operation, the model showed total draw dropping from 188,357 watts to 54,400 watts, a 71% improvement for lighting alone across the year. The entire load now runs on just eight standard 20-amp circuits, with all other power and control travelling over Cat back to the drivers and controllers neatly housed in the AV rack.

Previous Puttshack builds often wrestled with long panel lead times, conduit coordination across multiple trades, and ampacity upgrades that could ripple through the entire construction schedule. By shifting to low voltage, the Minneapolis team eliminated many

of those dependencies. The design replaced hundreds of outlets with simple Cat runs, reduced field labor, and simplified inspection.

While lighting led the project, the full advantage came from bringing audio, video, digital signage, and lighting under one unified control environment powered by SAVI. Integration is the backbone of the project, including the venue’s entire LG commercial display network powered by SAVI Canvas. Because SAVI Canvas runs natively on LG webOS displays, no external media players or control processors are required to deliver the desired content to each screen.

This direct integration eliminates latency, simplifies configuration, and enables real-time synchronization between video, lighting, and audio cues across the venue. For Puttshack staff, that translates to faster responsiveness, fewer points of failure, and a seamless, app-like control experience. With Minneapolis serving as a proof point, Puttshack is incorporating the same architecture into all new builds and evaluating selective retrofits for existing locations.

“Puttshack embraced an entirely new way of thinking about venue lighting,” said Byron Baird, general manager of SAVI Commercial. “They saw the opportunity not just to save money or streamline installation, but to build a smarter, more adaptive environment that connects lighting, audio, and video into one cohesive ecosystem. It’s a forward-looking approach that gives them flexibility today and a clear path for growth tomorrow, a model that’s already informing the design of future venues.”

Ricoh Acquires Presentation Products

In January, Ricoh announced its acquisition of Presentation Products (PPI), a New York-based AV integrator with advanced managed services capabilities. The acquisition expands Ricoh’s digital services portfolio in North America by building on the strengths of Cenero, the company’s managed services provider, and reinforces its global strategy to support an evolving workplace environment.

“Ricoh is investing in high-growth digital services that enable enterprises to build more connected, collaborative, and intelligent workplaces,” said Bob Lamendola, chief digital services and delivery officer, Ricoh North America. “PPI’s strong reputation, deep technical expertise, and established presence in New York City, the largest AV market in North America, will immediately increase our ability to deliver integrated workplace solutions at scale.”

Founded in 1994, PPI brings a team of 100 specialists in AV, engineering, design, and technology integration, serving enterprise clients across finance, legal, media, and other high-value sectors. PPI’s expertise fast-tracks Ricoh’s workplace experience strategy, offering a comprehensive portfolio of solutions that span AV, IT, collaboration platforms, and managed services.

Ricoh and PPI are committed to a seamless integration that maintains service continuity and exceptional client support. PPI employees will join Cenero in Ricoh’s growing digital services organization, gaining access to expanded career paths, training, and resources while maintaining the values that has made PPI a trusted partner to its clients for more than 30 years.

“Ricoh’s vision for a connected, intelligent

workplace aligns perfectly with the work our team has been doing for decades,” said Orin Knopp, founder and CEO, PPI. “By becoming part of Ricoh, we can bring even greater scale, resources, and innovation to our clients while preserving the culture, expertise, and relationships that define who we are.”

Puttshack’s venues are defined by layered, theatrical lighting, from the soft ambience of the main bar to the color-rich accents that bring each

Bob Lamendola (left) and Orin Knopp

By Erin Budnik

The AV Sales Index (AVI-S) for December was 56.5, slightly down from 57.2 in November. Specific industries like education and live events are experiencing an expected seasonal slowdown. That said, 2025’s AVI-S is 3.4 points higher than 2024.

Throughout the year, the Pro AV industry has contended with challenges such as supply chain disruptions and increased tariffs, which have influenced purchasing decisions and project timelines. Additionally, global economic uncertainties and fluctuating consumer confidence have created a complex business environment. Nevertheless, the industry’s focus on innovation and adaptation, such as integrating AI-driven

Despite Seasonal Trends, December Remains Stable

technologies and supporting hybrid work environments, continues to drive demand and sustain growth.

“December is a quieter time for us; we specialize in supporting the live events and themed attractions markets,” shared an AV provider in North America.

“Both are usually busy with holiday preparations and not looking to do major upgrades, just maintaining their current offerings. We tend to get busier first quarter as seasonal attractions are closed and more available for upgrades and ongoing maintenance.”

The AV Employment Index (AVI-E) decreased by 1.4 points to 55.4, which remains above the 2024 index of 51.6, indicating a stronger employment market compared to the previous year. The U.S. unemployment rate remained stable in December at 4.6%, consistent with November levels, suggesting a balanced job market. This stability reflects ongoing

demand for skilled AV professionals, although broader economic factors like inflation and geopolitical tensions continue to influence hiring trends.

The Pro-AV Business Index report is derived from a monthly survey of the AVIXA Insights Community, a research community of industry members that tracks business trends in commercial AV. The report comprises two diffusion indexes: the AV Sales Index (AVI-S) and the AV Employment Index (AVI-E). In each case, an index above 50 indicates an increase in sales or employment activity.

Visit www.avixa.org/AVindex to access the free monthly Pro-AV Business Index reports and learn more about the methodology. For more information about joining the AVIXA Insights Community, visit www.avixa.org/AVIP

Erin Budnik is the manager of market insight for AVIXA.

Making a Living in Line-of-Sight

RF Venue co-founder Chris Regan offers insights on wireless audio strategies and emerging technologies.

By Mark J. Pescatore

SCN: What prompted you and Bob Crowley to establish RF Venue in 2009?

Chris Regan: The industry was undergoing a massive shift. The FCC had recently vacated the 700 MHz band for wireless mics and later most of the 600 MHz band, forcing countless systems to be traded in or redesigned. Bob and I saw a clear opportunity to address the growing challenge of more wireless devices competing for less available spectrum. Our mission became eliminating wireless mic dropouts and interference—developing innovative antenna designs and system tools compatible with any brand to dramatically improve performance. That mission still drives us today.

SCN: Generally speaking, what venues are the most difficult for managing wireless audio?

CR: Generally, larger venues with high channel count systems are the most complex. These spaces typically experience higher RF noise levels during events, often compounded by temporary, third-party systems that must be accounted for. That said, the immediate spectrum environment is also a huge factor. For example, it is inherently harder to make wireless systems work reliably in a dense urban area like in broadcast facilities in Times Square versus in a more rural environment where the ambient noise levels and interference sources are far lower.

SCN: When it comes to wireless audio, how does the shape of an antenna influence its effectiveness?

CR: Antennas are transducers—they radiate and receive RF energy within a specific frequency range. The physical dimensions determine their performance: an LPDA (often called a paddle or “shark fin”) for the 470–608 MHz UHF band must be a certain size, while a VHF version must be much larger to match longer wavelengths. Conversely, antennas for higher frequencies like 5 GHz Wi-Fi can be quite small. This is one reason UHF remains ideal for wireless audio—it balances antenna size with excellent propagation characteristics.

SCN: How important is line-of-sight for antennas?

CR: Line-of-sight is critically important to performance! If there is no clear line-of-sight between your antennas and the stage, the signal level can be greatly reduced, often to the point of complete failure. A common mistake we see is wireless mic systems buried in an equipment rack, where their small, attached “whip” antennas have no hope of achieving line-ofsight. This is the primary reason to use remote antennas—to get them up high above the audience and maintain a clear, direct path to the transmitters on stage.

SCN: What are the main causes of dropouts?

CR: In an indoor environment, a wireless mic’s signal can drop out due to multipath reflections—RF signals bouncing off walls, stages, and equipment— as the mic’s angle, orientation, and location change. This is very common and notoriously difficult to troubleshoot. Many of RF Venue’s products, like the Diversity Fin Antenna and circularly polarized antennas such as the CP Beam, are specifically designed to overcome these dropout events. The other most common cause is from poor frequency coordination or improperly implemented antennas and RF system infrastructure, resulting in insufficient signal reaching the mic receiver. We see these issues across systems of all sizes and budgets.

SCN: What’s the response been for your new RF PA Extension Kit?

CR: The response has been fantastic. Live sound providers are constantly asked to deliver audio to remote zones—greenrooms, lobbies, or large outdoor areas like parades and graduations. Running cable to those spaces is time-consuming and messy. The RF PA Extension Kit eliminates that hassle with reliable wireless transmission and built-in delay for perfect

Chris Regan

Position: Co-Founder and Chief Innovation Officer Company: RF Venue

Overtime: When I’m not focused on RF Venue, I enjoy spending time outdoors hiking and skiing where I live in Vermont.

sync. It’s quickly becoming a must-have in the production audio toolkit.

SCN: How are new technologies like WMAS and DECT NR+ impacting wireless audio?

CR: WMAS (Wireless Multichannel Audio System) is an exciting advancement in wireless audio because it allows for a high channel count to operate in a very narrow spectrum range, along with advanced monitoring and bi-directional radio capabilities. Currently, Shure and Sennheiser are the two primary players shipping WMAS products. DECT NR+ operates in the 1.9 GHz band and was originally built for IoT applications like smart meters, but its mesh capabilities show real promise for future pro audio use cases.

SCN: You’re also very active with the Professional Audio Manufacturers Alliance. Why is PAMA so important for the Pro AV industry?

CR: I’ve been involved with PAMA for many years and recently had the honor of chairing the organization. PAMA is a fantastic group that meets regularly to discuss ongoing trends and organize speaking events to promote its mission of high-quality audio. One of the latest efforts is the Hearing Rocks campaign, which is centered around promoting hearing health and safe listening environments—a critically important issue that isn’t currently getting enough attention in the industry. PAMA is unique in that it can provide a unified voice for member companies on a range of technical and policy topics.

SCN: Speaking of the Pro AV industry, where is it headed in the next few years?

CR: It’s a very exciting time in our industry. We have the unstoppable momentum of audio over IP continuing to steam ahead, with cloud-based systems seeing wider adoption. Initiatives like OpenAV Cloud, which advocates for interoperability using common API-based design approaches, are definitely worth keeping an eye on. Then, of course, there are AI and AI agents, which are changing how people design and deploy all kinds of technology products. I fully anticipate the AV industry will adopt elements of this technology to make complex systems significantly easier to design, install, and maintain. It’s an exciting new set of tools to help drive the spirit of innovation that founded RF Venue.

Avidex on the Map

CEO Jeff Davis plans to provide services across the country and double the size of the organization.

By Mark J. Pescatore

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

Jeff Davis: I have been with Avidex a little over seven years. As CEO, my responsibilities are to provide the overall vision and direction for Avidex.

SCN: Avidex made a couple of acquisitions last year. What was the strategy behind the Visual Commands move?

JD: Visual Commands was a strategic move with an organization we had done business with for well over 10 years. They had historically provided programming support as well as being the architect of our managed service platform, Assure. The acquisition provides continued high-end networking support as well as ownership of the managed services platform that we

are using across the entirety of our customer platform.

SCN: How important is Avidex Assure and managed services in general to Avidex’s business model?

JD: Avidex Assure is critically important to the Avidex business model. It furthers our goal of providing best-in-class service to our customers as well as backend support to our technical teams. In today’s environment, customers are looking to use data insights provided by our systems to help drive many of their business initiatives, and the Assure platform helps to provide them with that data. From an Avidex

Jeff Davis Position: CEO Company: Avidex

Overtime: In my spare time, I enjoy playing golf and coaching my son’s T-ball team.

business perspective, the Assure platforms provides a recurring revenue stream while also helping to reduce truck rolls, reducing the expense of servicing our customers while improving overall customer satisfaction.

SCN: More recently, you acquired CCS New England. Why was that an important get for Avidex?

JD: The acquisition of CCS New England was extremely important to Avidex. It helped to enhance our geographical presence in the Northeast, while also building on our abilities to self-perform for our customers in New England. Reputationally, CCS New England is well known for having highquality standards and performing at a very high level for their marquee accounts. Their culture and values

along with their reputation made them an ideal fit for the Avidex family.

SCN: Considering these acquisitions, what are the short and long-term goals for your company?

JD: Short term, our goals are to continue to enhance the customer experience and provide a premium level of service to our customers. We lead with a “customer first” mentality and continue to find new and better ways to improve on that experience and make it easier for customers to do business with us. Longterm, our goals are continued expansion to fill out our U.S. coverage map. We have a five-year road map that more than doubles the size of our organization, which will benefit not only our customers but our employees as well.

SCN: Your EasyRooms have been around for a few years. What’s the reaction to this AV-as-a-Service business model been from your customers?

JD: Frankly, despite some interest in the market, the adoption of AV-as-a-Service has been low. This seems to be consistent across the systems integrator community. Because Avidex is part of ITOCHU Corporation’s global portfolio, we’re able to extend flexible, competitive IT equipment leasing options

Frankly, despite some interest in the market, the adoption of AV-as-a-Service has been low.

through our sister company, Missouri-based CSI Leasing, to help clients maximize their technology investments.

SCN: You are active in several vertical markets, but which ones have been the most successful recently?

JD: All of our verticals have seen significant growth recently, but the public sector—more specifically education—as well as enterprise have outpaced the others.

SCN: Are you seeing increased interest in AV projects designed to immerse or “wow” visitors?

JD: Very much so. Stadiums, arenas, and enterprise customers are keenly aware of the need for immersive experiences or “wow” factors to enhance the experience of their customers. They are well educated on technology and have visions of what

they want to accomplish and look to us to help bring their visions to life.

SCN: What are some of the biggest challenges facing systems integrators today?

JD: Finding and recruiting the right talent as well as actively cultivating the next generation of AV professionals continues to be a big challenge, not just for Avidex but across the Pro AV industry.

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

JD: I think as technology continues to evolve, you will see continued innovation around how technology is used to enhance the way people work, learn, and live. In healthcare, interactive technology is being used in physician training, surgery, and long-term patient care. In education, it is used to help facilitate distance learning as well as enhance the in-classroom experience.

PEOPLE NEWSMAKERS

ARLINGTON’S line in upstate New York will be represented by LACHUT ELECTRICAL SALES of North Syracuse, NY. Lachut Electrical Sales has been in business since 1980. The company will assume responsibility for sales and create demand for Arlington’s products in upstate New York, replacing Flynn-Reynolds, which resigned from the Arlington line.

DVDO has expanded its sales presence across the Western United States with the hiring of industry veteran Pete Fox as Western regional sales manager and the addition of three new manufacturers’ representative firms. To further enhance regional coverage and better support integrators and resellers, DVDO has also appointed three sales representative firms: MAXOM GROUP, Southern California and Southern Nevada; CB ELECTRONIC MARKETING, Rocky Mountains; and RELIABLE AV MARKETING, Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana and Arkansas.

MIDWICH announced a new U.S. distribution partnership with TURTLE AV, a manufacturer of Dante-enabled audio and video solutions, AV over IP platforms, USB extension products, and signal processing tools. Under the new agreement, Midwich will distribute Turtle AV’s full product collection. The addition of Turtle AV strengthens Midwich’s portfolio and provides integrators across the country with streamlined access to a rapidly expanding range of networkready AV technologies.

SALAMANDER DESIGNS has expanded NUTECH GROUP’S territories to now include New York Metro, Long Island, and Northern New Jersey to further support dealers with personalized support for Salamander products. As it has for over two decades, NuTech Group continues to represent Salamander in Eastern Pennsylvania, Southern New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC. With this expansion, Salamander Designs continues to strengthen its commitment to training, technical support, and service for its line of residential media cabinets, seating, and technology furniture solutions across the East Coast.

SGM LIGHTING and ACT ENTERTAINMENT announced a new partnership, under which ACT will serve as the exclusive distributor for SGM’s newly unveiled PALCO Family of entertainment and touring wash lights throughout the United States and Canada. This exclusive distribution arrangement with ACT applies solely to the PALCO family.

ALFALITE appointed MARIANO

ARAGÓN as America channel sales manager, a new position aimed at expanding the company’s presence in the United States through strategic partnerships with system integrators and technology providers in the broadcast, virtual production, government, and security sectors. With more than two decades of experience in international B2B sales and market development, Aragón leads Alfalite’s channel development strategy to position Alfalite as a trusted partner for studios, television networks, production companies, and corporate clients.

ADVANCED SYSTEMS

GROUP (ASG) appointed MACKY BEHESHTI as director of enterprise storage and systems. In this role, he focuses on the key areas of traditional IT facility integration,

enterprise software, workflow solutions, managed services, and cloud orchestration for as-service delivery models. Beheshti’s expertise plays a key role in expanding the company’s footprint into new verticals.

AV STUMPFL welcomed RICHARD BALDINGER as managing director of its U.S. subsidiary with offices in Atlanta and Santa Monica, CA. He brings more than 15 years of international leadership experience, with a strong track record of helping companies grow, scale, and succeed in the U.S. market. His professional background spans sales, marketing, service, and product management, giving him a comprehensive perspective on building customer-centric organizations. Most recently, Baldinger served as director of sales and marketing at Fronius USA.

AVIXA Announces 2026 Board of Directors

AVIXA has named its 2026 AVIXA Board of Directors and Leadership Search Committee. John Bailey, SVP, technology and innovation, AVI-SPL, has been elected as secretary-treasurer of the board by AVIXA membership. AVIXA members also elected to the board Loubna Imenchal, managing director, Middle East, Turkey, Central Asia, and Africa (MEA) at Axis Communications; and Cristiano Mazza, CTS, partner, Grupo Discabos.

The AVIXA Leadership Search Committee has appointed Ilya Bukshteyn, corporate VP for Microsoft Teams calling, devices, and premium

experiences; John Joseph, co-founder and managing director, Blue Rhine Industries; and Christine Schyvinck, president and CEO, Shure, to AVIXA’s board of directors.

Carolina Sosa, CFO of Integración AV, has been elected by AVIXA members to the Leadership Search Committee. In addition, Jatan Shah, chair of the AVIXA board of directors, has appointed Faye Bennett, founder and managing director of Faye Bennett Consultancy Services, and Christine Rogers, VP of XTG, AVI-SPL, to the Leadership Search Committee.

Mariano Aragón

Macky Beheshti

Richard Baldinger

FOLLOW-ME has appointed MENNO APPELHOF to the role of technical sales specialist. With 35 years of experience spanning lighting design, operations, and sales across the live entertainment industry, Appelhof plays a pivotal role in expanding FollowMe’s global distribution and sales partner network while supporting both partners, designers, and end users with technical expertise. His focus is on streamlining operations for partners, designers, and end users to ensure Follow-Me continues to deliver its performer tracking technology and support in the industry.

NEUTRIK AMERICAS has appointed STACY KASKON as director of key accounts and systems integration. In this newly defined role, Kaskon leads strategic partnerships and engagement initiatives with Neutrik Americas’ customers across the Americas, focusing on long-term collaboration, systems integration, and customized connectivity solutions

within the Pro AVL market. Kaskon joined Neutrik Americas in May 2011 and has since held several leadership positions in sales and business development.

ROBERT DAVIS has joined SHARP’S professional display business as VP of services and solutions. In his new role, he works across the professional display organization to drive Sharp’s commitment to deliver enhanced customer experience for end users and dealers. In addition, his leadership and experience are critical to scaling Sharp’s LED business. Davis brings an ability to align customer experience with long-term business value. His stewardship has supported innovation, operational efficiency, and recurring revenue growth across diverse industries.

SHURE has formed a new Strategic Alliances team dedicated to strengthening partnerships, expanding the company’s technology ecosystem, and driving transformation across global

markets. Leading the new Strategic Alliances organization is senior director BORIS SEIBERT, who joins Shure from Logitech. His new team will focus on building deep alliances with technology partners, driving ecosystem engagement, and enabling transformative partnerships that expand Shure’s reach, open new revenue streams, and accelerate customer adoption of next-generation solutions.

WISYCOM and DPA

MICROPHONES have appointed RENÉ MOERCH as group product director, wireless, a strategic leadership role that guides the combined wireless product roadmap for both companies. Moerch has spent more than a decade with DPA, including nine years in product management and four years dedicated to wireless development. Moerch plays a pivotal role in accelerating the delivery of next-generation RF technologies across both the Wisycom and DPA portfolios, and leads new product introduction efforts at Wisycom’s headquarters in Italy and DPA’s facilities in Denmark.

Boris Seibert

René Moerch

Menno Appelhof

Stacy Kaskon

Robert Davis

BUSINESS DIGITAL SIGNAGE

From

and employees.

A Core Component

Digital

signage has a growing role in communications and operations that’s leading to more opportunities for integrators.

By Carolyn Heinze

Those working in the digital signage space can attest that the technology has come a long way. In fact, one wonders whether we should still be calling it signage, given the role it plays in communications and operations today.

Joseph Mendonca, director of business development at AVI-SPL, observed that digital signage has moved beyond being a screen-based messaging medium, as an increasing number of organizations are leveraging the technology to provide intelligent, integrated digital experiences. “What was once a standalone communications tool now plays a critical role in workplace communications, operational awareness, employee and customer engagement, and data-driven decision-making,” he noted.

This is being driven by several developments, Mendonca noted, including AI and automation, cloud adoption, compliance and security requirements, and more sophisticated display and media player systems. He also highlighted the evolution of end-to-end content workflows.

“Modern platforms now integrate seamlessly with existing communications, workplace management, operations, and collaboration technologies, enabling organizations to deliver the right information to the right audience, at the right time, with minimal manual effort,” he said. In other words, for many companies, digital signage is a core component of their communications strategy, be it inward or outward facing.

Technology Boost

Innovation in LED, microLED, and ultra-highresolution display technologies are also changing the digital signage landscape. In particular, Mendonca said microLED is well-suited for environments with high ambient light—including corporate offices, stadiums, and transportation hubs—thanks to high brightness and contrast, energy efficiency, and longevity.

Companies are also taking advantage of 8K, glasses-free 3D, holographic displays, and transparent LED walls for immersive experiences. Flexible or rollable screens, ideal for curved surfaces, serve as standout architectural features.

Systems have also matured to the point where digital signage content is truly dynamic. “[There are] more and more interactive scenarios where content is both live and [coming in] from different types of sources so that you can really animate all the elements of the screen in an automatic or interactive way,” said Francesco Ziliani, CEO at SpinetiX.

These capabilities have led to the combination of live streaming with more traditional digital signage content. For example, a soccer match may be broadcast in real time with a ticker featuring statistics on the players. “Before, you were forced to choose between streaming [or displaying the stats],” Ziliani explained. “Now it’s hybrid.”

Amber Ward, marketing director at Carousel Digital Signage, noted that a growing number of companies are engaging more than one digital signage content creator for their strategic marketing and communications efforts. This has led platform providers like Carousel to support multiple

contributors across departments, people who are already accustomed to creating messages with industry standard software. “To make that possible, CMS providers are adding more integrations and familiar tools that simplify content creation and collaboration,” she said.

Managed Services

While small and mid-sized organizations often keep digital signage management in-house, many— especially those with large campuses, national firms with multiple locations, and global enterprises—opt to outsource to a third party. According to Mendonca, the main reason for this is the need to lighten the workload for AV and IT personnel.

“Managing platform operations, device fleets, content workflows, security, compliance, and ongoing support places significant strain on internal IT, AV, and communications teams,” he said, adding that his firm is witnessing increased demand for managed services from Fortune 500 and global organizations in financial services, government, healthcare, higher education, hospitality, and retail. “[These are markets] where digital signage is evolving from a point solution into a mission-critical component of the digital workplace and customer experience ecosystem.”

For Misty Chalk, VP of sales for the Americas at BrightSign, more clients are expecting their AV partners to provide managed services. In the client’s eyes, it renders AV integrators more accountable for the systems they deploy.

“I think that people are recognizing that if you have an unmanaged signage network, that’s not a strategy,” Chalk said. “Everything is now networked and connected, and people want someone that’s going to manage the entire fleet as well as everything else on their network.”

AI for Everything

Initially, organizations began experimenting with AI for digital signage content creation. According to Mendonca, companies these days have expanded their application of AI for automation, governance, and localization, as well as for the delivery of more personalized messaging. “Beyond content creation, AI is transforming how signage networks are operated and evolved, enabling intelligent workflows, policydriven governance, and continuous optimization with far less manual effort,” he said.

AI is also augmenting interactive displays with the adoption of kiosks that support conversational AI and virtual assistants, as well as smart wayfinding featuring real-time navigation and multi-language support. This, combined with AI-powered analytics, enables companies to be more strategic in communicating with their target audiences.

“These capabilities allow digital signage to adapt dynamically to users, locations, and context, delivering more meaningful and inclusive experiences,” Mendonca said. “Organizations gain the

airports to offices, digital signage is playing a critical role in communications for customers

ability to make data-informed decisions, communicate more intelligently, operate more efficiently, and continuously improve employee and customer experiences across the digital workplace.”

Still, according to Ward, AI has made digital communication more difficult to believe. “It’s becoming harder to tell what’s real, what’s generated, and what’s trustworthy,” she said.

Ward argued that organizations can position their digital signage messaging as more meaningful than the noise their audience receives from other outlets. “In corporate and education environments especially, signage networks have become trusted, curated channels, and a reliable source of information employees and students know they can count on,” she noted.

Keeping It Secure

Because a growing number of digital signage systems are cloud-based and deployed across multiple locations, they are exposed to the same risks as any other technology that sits on a network. While Mendonca acknowledged that today’s CMS platforms incorporate security protocols and standards such as encryption, ISO 27001, role-based access control, single sign-on (SSO), SOC 2 Type II, and zero trust

DIGITAL SIGNAGE BUSINESS

architectures, this isn’t enough to keep systems safe. “Integrators are no longer just deploying hardware—they serve as a critical bridge between AV, IT, and information security,” Mendonca said. “They must help organizations design, implement, and govern a secure digital signage architecture that aligns with corporate security policies, network segmentation strategies, identity management, device hardening, and long-term operational compliance.”

Jason Cremins, chief product officer at Navori Labs, advises AV integrators to consider these security best practices for their deployments:

• Adopt strict authentication and access control protocols.

• Apply HTTPS/TLS encryption for API calls, data transfers, and remote management.

• Don’t deploy any external APIs, apps, or widgets before vetting them for security compliance.

• Implement a rigorous schedule for firmware and software updates.

• Pay attention to the physical security of hardware, and avoid tampering by locking enclosures and protecting cables, especially in high-traffic areas.

• Segment the digital signage infrastructure from the main business network to reduce exposure to attacks.

• Set up centralized logs and real-time monitoring for threat detection.

“By prioritizing security at every stage of integration, AV integrators can deliver digital signage solutions that are effective and resilient against evolving threats, strengthening reliability, compliance, and customer trust,” Cremins said.

Best Practices

For a digital signage deployment to be successful, it’s necessary to start thinking of the future in the earliest planning stages of a project. When systems are designed for scale up front, the need for expensive reconfigurations down the road is significantly reduced. “Systems almost always grow to include more screens, more locations, more users, and more content,” Ward advised.

It’s also necessary for AV integrators to consider their relationship with the customer beyond deployment, Chalk emphasized. “They want somebody that’s going to be able to manage this all the way through and not just on day one,” she said. “We’re going to see a big shift in 2026 where it’s not going to be a single install anymore. Services are what’s going to matter, [and] that’s what people are going to start basing their decisions off of.”

By Nigel Spratling

ITech Means to an End

The tools change, but the goal of deliverable media remains.

f there’s one constant in this business, it’s change.

Over the course of my career in live production— across roles in engineering, product strategy, and executive leadership—I’ve worked through major shifts: from analog to digital, SD to HD, and from fixed hardware to programmable, hybrid, and cloudbased workflows.

What we do today bears little technical resemblance to what we relied on 50 years ago. And as technology advances, the workflows, infrastructure, and even roles within a production environment shift with it.

Undoubtedly, technology has changed tremendously over the years.  But for most, it’s still a means to an end: something that makes the show happen, while the focus stays on the final output. The end result, deliverable media, has always been the goal. It’s the technical and engineering teams that

concentrate on the means: figuring out how to turn creative vision into a finished product. What keeps shifting is how we get there. The tools, timelines, and teams keep evolving, but the need to deliver the best possible outcome within those constraints stays the same.

Defining Quality and Delivery

Not long ago, broadcast quality meant the best of the best, the gold standard for production value. That phrase once carried weight, signaling the highest level of technical excellence available. But today, it doesn’t mean what it used to. The standards have shifted and so have the tools.

High-quality production no longer depends on expensive, specialized gear. Mobile devices, for example, can now deliver images that rival or even exceed what traditional broadcast systems once could. Exceptional output no longer requires exceptional capital expense.

Expectations extend well beyond traditional broadcast environments. Today’s production ecosystems include houses of worship, corporate teams, and creators putting content directly online— and many of them expect the same quality and reliability that once applied only to broadcasters.

Delivery has shifted just as dramatically. Today’s systems must distribute hundreds (sometimes thousands) of channels, delivery paths, and transport streams. With limited bandwidth, compression becomes unavoidable. That’s not new; we were compressing signals in the analog era, too, just in different ways. What’s changed is the scale, and with it, the expectations. These choices have made production more complex and far less predictable than it once was.

New Complexities

There are now countless ways to capture, produce, and deliver content. Production and technical teams face an increasing number of tradeoffs—budget, delivery

method, platform requirements, content type, and shelf life.

The best approach depends entirely on what the content is, who it’s for, and how it will be delivered. Will it move through a traditional broadcast chain? Be streamed over the internet or an OTT platform? In many cases, the delivery path ends up dictating the production approach.

The sheer number of options creates its own challenges. With so many viable workflows, you can ask five experienced people how to tackle the same project and get five different answers. The choice itself becomes a source of friction.

And those choices have long-term implications. The conversation is no longer just about how to deliver a project today, it’s about how long the material needs to live. Will it be archived? Reused? If it’s heavily

BLUEPRINT FOR SUCCES S BUSINESS

FPGA technology. Once hardware became fieldprogrammable, engineers could evolve a switcher instead of rebuilding it. That shift changed the entire trajectory of production tools.

Before that, everything in a control room existed as a discrete function—graphics, playback, switching, rundown systems—and all were handled separately, often by different operators. In a large newsroom, 15-20 people might be running the show, and every piece of equipment had to be tied together manually. If the gear came from different vendors, there was no guarantee it would communicate properly. Often, it didn’t.

As systems became more integrated, those once separate functions began to merge. Switchers took on tasks that had previously lived elsewhere in the workflow. That meant fewer boxes, fewer handoffs, and in some cases, fewer people required to run the same show. It wasn’t necessarily a concerted effort to reduce staff, but because every additional touchpoint introduced the risk of error, consolidating functions

integrated than anything seen in the past.

Evolving Importance of Trade Shows

Trade shows have always been valuable and they still are—not just for spotting new gear, but for actually seeing how it works. You can read specification sheets all day long, but specs never tell you how a system behaves when someone has to operate it under pressure. During the SD-to-HD transition, for example, I helped build full working systems on the NAB show floor so people could see entire workflows end to end. Even now, with information everywhere online, that kind of hands-on evaluation still matters.

There’s also the human side. Being on the show floor gives you a sense of the people behind the products, how knowledgeable they are, how they approach support, and whether they truly understand your needs. That kind of relationship-building and trust is still important.

The industry will keep changing. What’s different

SPONSORED BY ADDER • G&D

KVM’s Network Strategy

Pro AV’s trusty remote control hardware solution is evolving into an intelligent IP backbone.

By James Carless

Originally, the KVM switch was originally created to improve the control of computers within data centers. They began as mechanical rotary switches that handled keyboard and video feeds, with mice being added in the 1990s after they became popular. Since then, KVM technology has evolved from analog to digital and added network connectivity, which has led to what is now called “KVM over IP.”

The space-saving and efficiency advantages offered by KVM switches explain their ongoing popularity. “KVM technology allows operators to control one or more computers from a separate location as if they were sitting directly in front of them,” explained Catherine Koutsaris, product marketing manager at Matrox Video. “KVMs are especially useful because they enable secure, high-performance remote access without compromising video quality, latency, or reliability. IP KVM systems transmit audio, video, and USB signals

over standard networks, allowing workstations to be centralized while operators work wherever it makes the most sense, improving flexibility, security, and operational efficiency.”

That said, the days of the KVM switch serving merely as a remote control system for servers are over. “KVM’s real value is that it decouples people from places and humans from hardware,” said Thomas Tang, president of Apantac. “Once broadcasters and others in AV start designing their workflows around this philosophy, KVM stops being infrastructure and starts becoming a strategy.”

An Invisible Backbone

The ability to deploy KVM over IP has unleashed this technology’s potential, supporting the strategic transformation that Tang has alluded to. His view is shared by AV integrators such as Michael Blankenship, solutions architect at FORTÉ.

“In modern broadcast environments, KVM has evolved into a critical control layer that allows broadcasters to centralize computers, support flexible and remote workflows, and maintain

frame-accurate control of high-performance systems without compromising reliability or security,” Blankenship told SCN. “Today’s KVM systems aren’t just keyboard and mouse switches. In broadcast and production, they function as workflow enablers, remote production backbones, space and infrastructure optimizers, and offer a security and resiliency layer.”

To prove his point, Blankenship noted that KVM allows studio and post-production computers to be removed from human-centric offices and relocated to secure server rooms. Doing so reduces noise and heat in the offices themselves, while maintaining real-time access to the equipment.

KVM is also being used in OB vans and live production trailers, allowing on-location operators to switch between multiple feeds and systems without latency. “For instance, Sky Germany uses G&D KVM for simultaneous live sports broadcasts, while Barco CTRL powers control rooms for utilities and media,” Blankenship offered.

“A strong example is entertainment solution company PRG’s deployment of Matrox Extio 3 IP KVM extender for a large-scale entertainment event in Saudi Arabia,” Koutsaris added. “In this deployment, operators remotely accessed UHD 4K media servers over a 10 Gbps IP network, ensuring reliable control across long distances without sacrificing performance.”

Optimizing Workflows and Workspaces

Besides providing a critical control layer for broadcasters, video producers, and other content creators, KVM is solving other problems for them as well.

Case in point: “KVM technology is helping broadcast and production users transition from

From left, Catherine Koutsaris, Michael Blankenship, Neil Firth, and Thomas Tang

INTEGRATION GUIDE KVM

At Issue

How is KVM technology adjusting to higher resolutions and the need for real-time results?

NEIL FIRTH SENIOR PRODUCT MANAGER, ADDER TECHNOLOGY

As resolutions continue to increase to support more data-rich and visually complex workflows, KVM technology continues to evolve to enable secure, zero-latency access to high-resolution content across networks. The rise of remote access is a major driver, as users expect the same pixel-perfect quality and instant responsiveness whether operating locally or remotely. This places greater importance on choosing KVM manufacturers with proven expertise in moving high-resolution video with no compromise, ensuring performance, accuracy, and confidence are maintained wherever operators are located.

KARL JOHNSON DIRECTOR OF ENGINEERING, AMERICAS, G&D NORTH AMERICA

As control rooms transition to ultra-highresolution and ultra-wide displays, KVM technology must evolve to handle greater data volumes without sacrificing real-time performance or visual fidelity. G&D has focused on advancing its KVM capabilities to support UHD and 5K video with ultra-low latency, ensuring operators can work confidently with full-motion content and data-rich applications in real time. Paired with flexible multiview and capabilities, this approach allows multiple systems to be managed on fewer displays— reducing visual clutter, improving efficiency, and enabling scalable, future-ready operational environments for demanding, mission-critical use cases across broadcast, security, and industrial sectors.

traditional SDI environments to flexible, IP-based workflows,” said Neil Firth, senior product manager at Adder Technology. “As operations become more distributed and dynamic, our award-winning ADDERLink INFINITY IP KVM range enables centralized and remote access to critical systems with ultra-low latency and pixel-perfect image quality. These key features allow production teams to work more efficiently, scale with confidence, and stay focused on delivering high-quality content rather than managing complex technology.”

KVM products also solve several critical challenges, including distance, scalability, collaboration, and reliability, Koutsaris said. “KVMs also enable multi-user access, allowing teams to collaborate more efficiently, and support longdistance fiber connections for large venues,” she noted. “These capabilities reduce physical constraints, improve operational resilience, and help production teams maintain consistent performance in complex, high-pressure environments.”

By removing bulky hardware from operator desks, Blankenship said KVM resolves space and ergonomics issues. “It also helps maintain cybersecurity through network isolation while enabling operational control, and workflow efficiency through multi-view layouts, and quick switching that improves situational awareness,” he added.

Current Tech Trends

We have seen just how far KVM technology has come from its humble analog beginnings. So, what’s on the horizon? According to Koutsaris, the technology is evolving toward IP-first designs built on open standards, higher resolutions, and tighter integration with broadcast and Pro AV ecosystems.

“At Matrox Video, products like Avio 2 reflect this shift by supporting open standards such as IPMX, SMPTE ST 2110, and NMOS,” she added. “Advances in IP KVMs now support higher resolutions and lower latency, making KVMs suitable not just for control rooms but also for live events, hybrid production, and distributed workflows.”

“KVM is constantly evolving to meet the increasing requirements for flexible systems, remote access, and high-performance workflows where purely software-based solutions can fall short of critical industry applications,” Firth said. “Our ARDx next-gen KVM over IP technology goes beyond the standard keyboard, video, and mouse extension by offering secure scalable and out-of-band remote access with no distance limitation. These key advances are responding to the various requirements of operators, while remaining collaborative and sharing information without boundaries.”

Speaking as an AV architect, Blankenship has seen several advances in the KVM space. “They include Barco CTRL’s Zero Trust architecture and multiview scalability to hundreds of sources,” he offered. “Also

noteworthy is G&D’s ControlCenter-IP 2.0 with bluedec compression for pixel-perfect video and latency-free switching, and Thinklogical’s IA-accredited fiber-optic KVM matrix switches for multi-classification environments.”

For his part, Tang characterizes KVM over IP as the ever-evolving “dominant remote control paradigm” in AV that provides full remote access to systems over both LAN and WAN. “Unlike softwarebased remote tools, it enables true BIOS-level control, allowing systems to be accessed and managed even when the operating system is unavailable—a key capability supported by Apantac KVM solutions,” he explained. “This makes remote KVM especially valuable for broadcast operations with distributed teams, REMI workflows, and decentralized production hubs.”

Tang also noted that KVM technology has advanced significantly in video performance. “Modern KVM extenders now support higher resolutions and improved color fidelity over IP, while optimized compression and transport methods keep latency effectively imperceptible to operators,” he continued. “Apantac KVM systems operate over standard 1 Gb Ethernet, regardless of whether the signal is FHD or UHD, minimizing infrastructure costs while still delivering ultra-low latency of approximately 17 ms. This combination of high image quality and low latency is critical in live production environments, where signal fidelity and operator responsiveness directly impact on-air performance.”

A Virtual Future

As for the future of KVM? Expect greater advances to come, going even further beyond KVM’s initial function as a remote control system for computers.

“KVM has a significant role in emerging areas such as virtual production, where live action and real-time rendering engines converge,” said Firth. “As virtual production expands from its filmmaking origins into live broadcast environments, KVM can support increasingly complex, multi-system workflows by enabling flexible, centralized control. As this technology continues to evolve, KVM will adapt alongside it, helping production teams manage new tools and workflows while enhancing creative and operational efficiency.”

“KVM could solve potential issues in a variety of areas,” Blankenship added. “They include cloud and virtualization integration with virtual desktops and cloud workflows, AI-driven switching, and new markets for KVM such as healthcare, education, and esports for secure remote access.”

Ultimately, KVM is no longer about connecting a keyboard, monitor, and mouse to a remote computer; instead, it’s about connecting creative intent to technical execution, regardless of physical location. As the AV industry embraces the cloud, AI, and virtual production, KVM will be the silent yet essential bridge that allows this industry to create—and work—without boundaries.

G&D VisionXS 2.0

Adder ARDx SDK

The ARDx SDK is coming soon, empowering developers to integrate the power of ARDx directly into third-party applications and products. Complete with direct access to video frames and programmatic keyboard and mouse control, system integrators will be able to enhance workflows with endless opportunities for unique automation and responsive AI processing. This dynamic SDK includes pre-built functions, code samples, and libraries for effortless integration, enabling system integrators to confidently bring the power of ARDx

G&D’s VisionXS 2.0 series are matrix-ready KVM extenders designed for demanding professional control room environments. Using DisplayPort 1.1, they deliver pixel-perfect video up to 2,560x1,600@60Hz or 4,096x2,160@30Hz over dedicated CAT or fiber links. Keyboard, video, mouse, audio, and USB signals are extended with near-real-time performance, with bluedec compression ensuring lossless quality. Integrated with G&D workplace controllers, multiple systems can be monitored and controlled across one or more displays from a single interface.

ARDx SDK – Remote Access, Your Way

Introducing the ARDx™ SDK, empowering system integrators and developers with next generation KVM over IP. ARDx SDK puts the power of out-of-band remote access KVM directly into existing applications, ideal for the media and entertainment, industrial and medical sectors. Users will be able to integrate their own hardware and code with ARDx to build powerful and bespoke KVM solutions to drive video walls, personal workspaces and automated workflows.

Enquire today to find out more.

Up Close and Immersive

An exhibit at the Cleveland Museum of Art uses dvLED technology to showcase restored artwork from the Renaissance.

Anew exhibit at Ohio’s Cleveland Museum of Art is using innovative Pro AV technology to get a better look at a Renaissance masterpiece. “Pintoricchio Magnified: An Immersive Conservation Experience” puts the 15th and 16th century Italian painter’s “Virgin and Child” on display, using a video wall to let visitors explore the intricate details of the painting’s restoration as if under a microscope.

As visitors get closer to viewing the painting, the image on the video wall magnifies hidden details of the restoration. Triggered by people’s movement around the space, it offers an alternative to traditional museum touch-enabled applications.

Systems integrator Zenith Systems facilitated the project, which started with a lobby installation in March 2025, and progressed to a second installation for the temporary exhibit, which opened last August and runs through Aug. 23, 2026. Both installations are supported by Peerless-AV’s SEAMLESS Connect universal dvLED mounting system. The video wall in the Horrace Kelly Art Foundation Lobby uses the previous generation system, while the second video wall integrates the latest system that was launched at InfoComm 2025.

Installation Challenges

Previously, Zenith Systems had used a method involving Unistrut with shims to flatten irregular wall surfaces in preparation for video wall installations. While this approach was effective, it was time consuming, costly, and labor intensive—and it lacked the visual appeal necessary for a public-facing museum environment.

The team had experience with installing Peerless-AV mounts in the past, but never for dvLED displays. As the company’s universal mounting system was highly recommended, it was chosen for the initial installation in the Horrace Kelly Art Foundation Lobby.

This was more about solving a particular challenge; the video wall was to be installed on a hammered concrete wall, which required a high level of flexibility and adjustability.

Similarly, for the “Pintoricchio Magnified” exhibit, there were specific objectives that needed to be met.

The video wall was to be an integral part of the exhibition, working in parallel with the showcased “Virgin and Child” painting to expose minute layers of the painting on a large scale.

“We had a plan, but we weren’t crazy about it,” admitted Doug Fortney, CTO at Zenith Systems. “Then,

when we saw Peerless-AV’s new dvLED mount in action at InfoComm, it felt like the solution to our problem landed right in our lap. We’d finally found a solution that elegantly addressed both aesthetic and functional concerns while saving on labor and cost. We are so happy to have had the help of Peerless-AV to bring the museum’s conservation vision to life.”

The goal of the installation was to create a video wall so seamless that it looked like another piece of art in the gallery, with the technology playing its part in the background and going completely unnoticed. Plus, as a temporary exhibition, the video wall would need to have inherent flexibility, allowing for relocation to showcase different artifacts inside the museum in the future. Zenith Systems brought in Peerless-AV for the project, and the two teams worked closely to ensure the installation was executed to exact measurements with

The “Pintoricchio Magnified” exhibit features a 10x10 video wall that lets visitors view hidden details of the “Virgin and Child” restoration.

MUSEUM AV TECHNOLOGY

minimal disruption.

Peerless-AV’s SEAMLESS Connect Universal dvLED Mounting System delivers a perfectly flat mounting surface, even on uneven walls, eliminating one of the biggest challenges for installers and saving valuable time and on-site costs. This precision is especially crucial in a museum environment, where even minor pixel gaps from non-plumb walls could distort the artwork’s reproduction. The mount’s built-in adjustability was a major draw, allowing the video walls to be mounted cleanly without extensive prep work or wall modification.

Different Walls, Different Objectives

The video wall in the museum’s main lobby is 20 feet wide and more than 6 feet high, featuring Planar DirectLight Pro 1.5mm microLED panels. The space sees 80% of the museum’s total foot traffic, so it was critical that the installation be both functional and visually appealing. Configured with a specialized software package, the museum’s content department can deliver dynamic, regularly refreshed digital signage for visitors, including welcome messaging, timetables, and information on exhibits. Content can also be tailored for special events and functions outside of public opening hours.

The 10x10-foot video wall featured in the “Pintoricchio Magnified” exhibit also features Planar panels and is mounted on a specially designed black cladding/structure in a slim wall recess, which gives the appearance of a piece of art within the gallery. There are six cameras mounted to the gallery’s ceiling and positioned around the “Virgin and Child” painting inside its protective cabinet.

Installation of both video walls was smooth and efficient, taking place within a two-week time frame and working around gallery construction and fixing work. Once the space was dust-free, the meticulous mounting of each Planar cabinet could be completed with power and cabling.

“At Peerless-AV, we understand that no two museums are alike—each has its own structural environment, aesthetic vision, and operational needs,” explained Gina Schneider, regional sales manager, Peerless-AV. “Working closely with Zenith Systems, we learned about the museum’s goal to leverage technology to enhance the visitor experience while keeping the art as the true focal point. Early engagement between Peerless-AV and Zenith Systems was key to identifying the right solution from the outset rather than as an afterthought.”

Since completing the installations, the museum has seen significant operational benefits. Although the improvements are largely backend, they have had a meaningful impact on the museum’s team. The long-term video wall in the lobby has become an integral part of the visitor experience, while the video wall for the “Pintoricchio Magnified” exhibit is expected to be viewed by about 50% of museum visitors, offering a uniquely engaging way to display

digital art.

“Without the mount, we can see that the glamour of the ‘Pintoricchio’ exhibition wouldn’t be there,” said Jane Alexander, director of communications, Cleveland Museum of Art. “It’s wonderful to watch people’s reactions as they interact with this revered

painting, which has been so carefully restored. In the latest conservation treatment, original paint layers were revealed, allowing unparalleled access to the artwork’s original composition. And now visitors can see this in full, large-scale glory, but as if seeing under the microscope.”

Where Have All the Frequencies Gone?

Spectrum may be a shared public resource, but wireless mics keep having to do more with less.

By David J. Danto

Ican still remember the first time I clipped a lavalier microphone on someone for a TV broadcast. It was during my internship at AT&T Corporate Television in 1978, back when razor blades were still used for editing and the smell of hot glue meant progress.

The mic was a Sony ECM-50, a small, rugged piece of engineering that quickly became my favorite. It needed a quirky little “N” battery that you could only find in specialty stores, but it sounded beautiful.

A few months later, I met what felt like pure science fiction: my first professional wireless microphone system. It was a Sony UHF transmitter and receiver paired with that same ECM-50 element, and for the first time, I could capture sound without being chained to a cable. The audio was clear, the signal was stable, and there were no wires to trip over. It just worked.

For a long time, wireless microphones felt like magic. Today, they feel more like triage. The magic has been replaced by management. Behind every concert, broadcast, or corporate event, there’s now a quiet war being fought over invisible real estate: radio spectrum.

The Shrinking Airwaves

Wireless microphones used to have plenty of room to breathe. For decades, most systems operated comfortably within the UHF television range from 470-806 MHz. These frequencies offered the perfect balance of power, antenna size, and propagation. But that was before governments realized the commercial value of those airwaves.

The first big hit came in 2009, when the transition to digital television freed up the 700 MHz band. The Federal Communications Commission auctioned that space to mobile broadband carriers like AT&T and Verizon, shrinking the number of open TV channels available for wireless microphone use. A few years later, it happened again with the 600 MHz band, much of which went to T-Mobile. Each time, the usable spectrum for professional microphones shrank.

While those auctions raised billions of dollars for the U.S. Treasury, none of that windfall ever found its way back to the professional audio community that once depended on those frequencies. Wireless microphone users—from broadcasters to theaters to houses of worship—lost access to critical

portions of the spectrum without compensation or assistance to transition. The mobile carriers that won the auctions gained valuable assets, while production teams were left scrambling to replace equipment and redesign systems at their own expense. In effect, it was a one-sided trade: Culture and communication ceded ground so commerce could expand.

What had once been an open field is now a narrow alley. In most major cities, there may be only one or two available TV channels left for unlicensed wireless microphones. The rest belong to high-power mobile networks or other licensed users. As one engineer put it, “It’s like trying to park 50 trucks in a two-car garage.”

Problems and Solutions

I recently sat down with Mike Sinclair, a professional sound designer, to chat about problems and possible solutions. He’s worked on everything from live events to concerts to corporate audio and described it bluntly: “You can plan every cue, map every signal path, and test every channel, but if you don’t have enough frequencies to manage the production there’s very little you can do.”

Even when you do find enough open frequencies, it doesn’t mean it will stay quiet. Modern environments are packed with devices that share or spill into the same spectrum. Multiple digital services are now actively competing for what is ultimately the same limited bandwidth.

The problem isn’t just about congestion; it’s about unpredictability. What used to be simple “set and forget” gear now requires active management. Sound engineers who once mixed audio now find themselves either running RF scans, plotting frequency tables, and negotiating for airspace—or spending a boatload of additional cash buying wireless systems that will do

the investigating and hopping for you. Every production feels like a temporary truce with chaos.

The answer is often counterintuitive. You might think throwing more power and more money at the problem would make things easier, but in many cases, it doesn’t. As Sinclair told me, when multiple wireless systems have to coexist in tight spaces, very close together—like, for example, Broadway theaters—the solution is precision, not brute force. Engineers have to be surgical, using highly directional antennas and carefully tuned devices that keep their signals tightly contained to avoid interference.

Devices Fight Back

To survive in this new landscape, manufacturers have had to reinvent their technology. Early wireless microphones operated on fixed frequencies. Modern systems can tune across wide ranges, automatically scan for open spectrum, and adjust power output on the fly.

One possible approach could be treating each microphone as a separate radio signal, using one wide channel to transmit dozens of audio streams using time-division multiplexing. In simple terms, it sends tiny slices of each audio channel in rapid succession so that multiple mics can share a single piece of spectrum without stepping on each other. Sennheiser, one of the world’s leading innovators in professional wireless audio, has been at the forefront of developing new spectrum-efficient technologies, such as Wireless Multichannel Audio Systems (WMAS).

Joe Ciaudelli, the company’s director of spectrum and innovation, explained that WMAS technology “occupies a broader bandwidth but transmits multiple audio channels within that space using time-division multiplexing. This design dramatically increases spectral efficiency, enabling dozens of microphones to operate in a single TV channel.”

Solutions like this allow both microphones and in-ear monitors to operate in the same RF channel, dynamically allocating bandwidth based on priority. A lead performer can get full-fidelity, low-latency audio, while a backstage communication channel can tolerate higher latency and lower quality. For large productions, this means far more microphones can coexist peacefully in the same space.

For high-profile events, technology alone isn’t always enough. On-site professional frequency coordination can offer productions peace of mind by managing and accounting for each frequency.

Companies like Professional Wireless Systems (PWS) provide RF management and coordination for various events, including major productions like the Super Bowl Halftime Show. Jim Van Winkle, general manager at PWS, emphasizes that their competitive edge lies in on-site experience. He notes that an experienced RF coordinator is a “game-changer,” bringing invaluable knowledge for pre-planning and crucial troubleshooting if issues arise.

For smaller or budget-limited productions, advanced technology safeguards can still help avoid chaos. One such approach uses wireless transmit/ receive pairs that continually search for and stand by with clean backup channels. If interference or dropouts are detected on the main channel, the devices automatically switch to that backup while beginning a new search for the next available path.

Another company that has fully embraced the need for adaptability is Wisycom, a manufacturer long respected for its RF engineering in broadcast, live performance, and location sound. Its CEO, Davide Morsiani, said RF coordination has become “one of the biggest challenges in modern production—not because engineers lack skill, but because the spectrum itself is shrinking and unpredictable. Every location behaves differently, and even the same venue can change throughout the day. Our goal is to give users visibility and flexibility across the widest possible tuning range, so they can adapt instantly rather than rely on luck.”

And one final approach that should be mentioned, despite its quixotic nature, would be for the FCC to actually begin policing the use of approved frequencies, as it’s clear that everyone isn’t playing nicely in the sandbox.

Unified Voices

Technology alone isn’t enough. The professional audio industry has also learned that it needs a stronger and more unified voice in the policy arena. Shure led the formation of the Wireless Microphone Spectrum Alliance (WMSA), bringing together manufacturers, engineers, and end users to create a coordinated front at a time when spectrum access continues to shrink.

Shure has been deeply involved in the development of regulations in the United States and other countries, with spectral efficiency as the center point of its advocacy. According to Prakash Moorut, Shure’s global head of spectrum and regulatory affairs, WMSA now provides a platform for the industry to proactively educate policymakers about preserving wireless microphone access to spectrum, even as manufacturers innovate to use the remaining airwaves more efficiently.

The WMSA’s work is already gaining traction. With more than 200 members, it has begun drawing attention in Washington at a critical moment, as the United States prepares to co-host the 2026 FIFA World Cup and later welcome the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, two enormous global events that will rely on hundreds of wireless microphones for live performance,

TECH PERSPECTIVES TECHNOLOGY

broadcast, and ceremony production.

Its outreach spans the White House, National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), FCC, and Congress, reinforcing how essential wireless microphones are to live performance, broadcast, cultural storytelling, religious services, and civic engagement. As Sinclair put it, “We can innovate all we want, but without spectrum, we’re just building better paperweights.”

Sinclair also floated an idea that goes beyond better microphones and smarter antennas—fixing the imbalance at its source. Many parts of the radio spectrum are still occupied by legacy government systems that haven’t been modernized in decades. Instead of pleading for scraps of spectrum, the professional audio industry could partner with agencies to modernize their outdated communications equipment, offering better technology in exchange for access to cleaner airwaves.

He suggested manufacturers and private sector innovators could help by providing modern replacements for that aging infrastructure, freeing up underused bands for shared, coordinated access. “There are military and public safety systems out there still running gear designed in the 1970s,” Sinclair said. “They’re holding huge chunks of spectrum hostage because no one’s upgraded them.”

As Moorut noted, during the 600 MHz auction, broadcasters—one of the largest groups of professional wireless microphone users—received roughly half of the auction’s proceeds, around $10 billion. That scale of compensation underscores how valuable this spectrum is to the wider media ecosystem, why the wireless production community must be included when national spectrum decisions are made, and how meaningful funding already exists to support the kind of modernization Sinclair is calling for.

Engineering Creativity Under Constraint

Despite the challenges, the show always goes on. Engineers have adapted by developing meticulous coordination strategies that resemble air traffic control. Frequencies are planned weeks in advance, with backup sets preprogrammed and tested. Large events can involve dozens of engineers managing hundreds of transmitters and receivers, all synchronized to avoid collisions.

Sinclair recalled a recent broadcast where every spare frequency was spoken for. “We had to label each transmitter like it was a boarding pass,” he said. “One mistake and someone’s mic would vanish midsentence.” Some productions have even started reverting to wired microphones for reliability, not as a nostalgic choice but as a practical one.

It’s a strange twist: The technology that once symbolized freedom now represents a kind of scarcity. Yet within those constraints, creativity thrives. It forces precision, collaboration, and a renewed respect for the craft of live sound.

If history is any guide, the demand for wireless bandwidth will only grow. Each new generation of mobile networks (5G, 6G, and beyond) will hunger for more spectrum. Without deliberate protection for professional audio, the remaining white spaces could vanish entirely.

Spectrum is a shared public resource. Every wireless signal, from a singer’s microphone to a teenager’s smartphone, travels through the same air. What’s at stake isn’t just bandwidth, it’s the ability to express and connect through live sound.

The professional audio community has always been inventive, finding ways to make art work under constraint. But the next chapter will depend on collaboration—engineers pushing technology forward, manufacturers sharing innovation, and policymakers ensuring that culture has a place in the spectrum. The future of wireless audio won’t be about finding empty space. It will be about learning how to share it wisely.

David J. Danto is the principal analyst with TalkingPointz and director of emerging technology for the IMCCA.

TECHNOLOGY NEW PRODUCTS

Watchfire TouchConnect

Watchfire has unveiled TouchConnect, a scoreboard controller designed to streamline game-day operations with a faster, smarter, and more intuitive scoring experience. Developed alongside coaches and athletic administrators, TouchConnect replaces traditional

keypads and coded interfaces with a modern touchscreen experience that mirrors how sports are actually run. The handheld console is built to reduce errors and keep scoring simple in every environment. Anyone who understands how a sport is scored can operate the scorer confidently, without needing a

manual. Key features include sport-specific layouts, fast and fluid editing, and seamless integration with Watchfire fixed-digit and video scoreboards, clocks, and game displays. TouchConnect also supports the volunteer-driven reality of school and community sports. By enabling scoring from anywhere in the venue, the controller makes it easier for parents, teachers, and community members to help without feeling tied to the scorer’s table.

D-Tools Interconnect Diagrams

Built directly into D-Tools Cloud, Interconnect Diagrams replace disconnected spreadsheets and CAD drawings with an interactive, always-synced canvas that shows how devices connect in a project—by system, phase, or location. Each connection is automatically linked to the project’s bill of materials (BOM), ensuring every team member, from sales to installation, is working from the same up-to-date data. With quotes and device connections synchronized, teams can collaborate more effectively, reduce costly errors, and gain confidence that projects are delivered in a manner that aligns with the original design intent. Unlike traditional tools, Interconnect Diagrams require no extra setup or third-party software. Teams can start immediately utilizing D-Tools Cloud’s embedded Product Library; connections are made by simply selecting devices within a quote.

Clear-Com HelixNet

Clear-Com‘s new four-channel HelixNet beltpack is the next generation of its widely used two-channel model. The expanded channel count meets the evolving demands of live productions and broadcast environments. It allows users to communicate across four distinct channels simultaneously, providing greater flexibility for multi-team coordination in complex production setups. While fully compatible with the recent updates to Arcadia Central Station, it maintains backward compatible two-channel functionality on legacy HMS stations and earlier Arcadia versions, ensuring smooth integration for existing users. The current HelixNet product family delivers intuitive, networked partyline intercom solutions built on Clear-Com’s heritage of analog systems.

loudspeaker system delivers room-filling, highfidelity audio from a sleek, modern design, and is perfectly suited for open-ceiling environments such as retail stores, restaurants, fitness studios, and similar design-conscious spaces. At the heart of Luna is Bose Professional’s proprietary Ring Array configuration, which combines eight precisely positioned 2-inch mid-high drivers and an integrated 8-inch woofer to create a smooth, articulate listening experience that fills the coverage area without hot spots or dead zones. The design achieves clarity and balance down to 40 Hz, which eliminates the need for external subwoofers, even in open-ceiling spaces. With a maximum SPL of 111 dB and consistent 140-degree coverage, Luna delivers powerful, immersive sound that requires fewer speakers to cover large areas, preserving both aesthetics and budget.

Datapath Aligo Workstation

The Aligo Workstation interface is designed to give operators real-time control of sources using Aligo, Datapath’s AVoIP and KVM platform. Part of an update to the Aetria ecosystem, it delivers a flexible, scalable, and future-ready solution for modern control rooms. Operating via a dedicated on-screen menu, Aligo Workstation combines real-time responsiveness with intuitive multi-screen KVM control—and offers customers more options when creating their control room solutions. With built-in OneControl technology, users can seamlessly switch keyboard and mouse focus across multiple screens simply by moving the cursor, eliminating the need for hotkeys, toggles, or additional hardware. It offers support for HD, 4K, ultra-wide and super ultra-wide monitors, offering greater display flexibility. Multi-source layouts can be saved, recalled, and assigned to keyboard shortcuts for ultra-fast switching. Layouts can also be pushed to other workstations within the Aetria ecosystem.

Sharp A and V Series

Sharp has refreshed its professional projector portfolio with the A series models XP-A824U, XP-A104U, XP-A155U, XP-A175U, and the V series models XP-V731U and XP-V801U. Designed with WUXGA native resolution and 4K input support, the laser projectors deliver exceptional brightness to overcome ambient light and help ensure clear, vivid images in well-lit spaces. With flexible installation options, including optional long and short-throw lenses, the projectors adapt easily to diverse environments from classrooms to corporate venues. The A Series features Sharp’s proprietary video processing and scaling chip paired with a dual blue laser system. Unique to the A Series is its IP5X-rated sealed LCD cooling system, which prevents dust from entering the optical path. The V Series units are compatible with legacy NEC lenses, allowing users to leverage existing optics for substantial cost savings.

Embracing the Workforce Evolution

It’s time to reframe the way Pro AV hires and develops its talent.

By Max Johnson

Technology doesn’t stand still, and neither should the leaders behind the companies that deliver it. To stay relevant and aligned with the pace of innovation, Pro AV integrators must evolve in every aspect of business, including the workforce. Your people power every success. Without them, there is no growth or relevance.

What does a workforce evolution look like? For starters, it involves attracting, retaining, and continuing to develop new talent. This evolution is becoming even more important as the founders and veterans who built their integration businesses—and this industry—begin to take a well-deserved step back.

A Different Kind of Hire

Progress in this area starts by rethinking what makes a “good hire.” Talent expectations have changed dramatically in recent years. The hallmark of a promising technician or installer position used to center around hands-on technical skills. Can they wire panels? Pull cable? Troubleshoot AV systems on the fly?

While those skills remain essential, they now share the stage with other critical competencies like:

• digital fluency and the ability to learn new tools and platforms;

• data literacy and an understanding of how to interpret and act on information from connected systems;

• an understanding of IP connectivity and how networks underpin today’s technology;

• awareness of how to apply cybersecurity principles; and

• strong collaboration and communication skills to ensure seamless delivery.

Hiring strategies are changing, too. Traditional recruiting efforts, such as job boards and employee referrals, are being supplemented with proactive programs that meet emerging professionals where they are. This allows integrators to tap a larger labor pool and build a more sustainable talent pipeline. These more modern approaches include forming partnerships with community colleges and technical schools, building out internship programs with the help of NSCA’s Ignite to expose students to the industry early, setting up mentorship programs that turn

curiosity into career growth, and collaborating with workforce development programs and initiatives, to align talent development with real world industry needs.

Break Out of the Bubble

Despite its growing impact on the built environment and how humans live, learn, and connect, the work of Pro AV integrators still operates largely out of sight. When systems perform, they fade into the background— they don’t draw attention.

But this invisibility also means that the people who don’t work in commercial integration are unaware that it even exists. This disconnect creates one of our biggest workforce challenges: bringing new faces into the industry.

Only after you’re inside this “industry bubble” do you come to understand the creativity the work demands and the career possibilities that come with it. That’s why it’s critical to continue to raise awareness about careers in Pro AV. This requires reframing the industry as an engine for modern collaboration, safety, and experiences.

From secure campuses and hybrid work environments to immersive entertainment spaces and world-class stadiums, integrators enable people to safely connect and communicate every day. The narrative we put out into the world should reflect this broad scope. When it does, it helps young professionals see the industry as a place where career growth mirrors the pace of innovation … and a place where they can make a real and lasting difference.

Communication Over Compensation?

Attracting people to the industry is one hurdle. Once you’ve brought them in and built your team, you have other challenges to face: keeping them and helping them refine their skills.

Retention today hinges less on compensation (while it’s still a factor, of course) and more on communication and transparency. Compensation may draw new hires in, but clarity and connection are what keep them engaged and loyal.

Here’s a good example of how communication strengthens retention: When leadership spots potential in an employee, that employee should know they’ve been identified and have a clear understanding of the path being mapped out for them. Otherwise, you’re assigning new responsibilities or expanding roles without explaining why. This can create burnout and frustration.

When you let employees know how their growth fits into the company’s bigger picture, you’re helping them connect the dots between their effort today and their next opportunity tomorrow. It’s clear how their extra work will transform into visible progress that pays off.

Leaders for a New Era

Being transparent about future plans can not only help workers feel secure in their roles, but also help guide a strong succession plan. Without a strategy, transitioning tenured leaders out of the workplace can jeopardize everything they’ve worked so hard to build.

Building a succession plan doesn’t mean finding an extract replica of the leaders who are stepping down. While that may have been common practice in the past, it’s not the goal today. As you plan for the next generation of leadership, the goal should be to prepare successors who are ready to adapt and lead in a more complex and connected market.

Remember, leadership in this era doesn’t always come with a certain title. The most influential people inside an organization aren’t always manager or director-level staff members. They’re people driven by initiative, not hierarchy, which means they’re busy:

• solving problems quietly;

• bringing others along with them by sharing what they’ve learned;

• stepping up (unprompted) to take ownership of challenges;

• looking for inefficiencies and proposing new solutions; and

• trying new ways to work smarter and move the business forward.

NSCA is also developing resources to address this leadership gap through initiatives like its Excellence in Business Operations (XBO) Experience. This annual event equips high-potential talent with the business, financial, communication, and strategic decisionmaking skills they need to lead with confidence.

Workforce development should be your growth strategy. A strong workforce enhances the customer experience, reduces turnover costs, and positions your company to adapt in a volatile market.

As you plan for tomorrow, be sure you’re investing in and developing people who have the courage and curiosity to help you build what’s next.

Max Johnson is NSCA's senior marketing and channel manager.