System Contract News - June 2025

YOUR INSIDER BUSINESS RESOURCE FOR MORE THAN 30 YEARS

DINNER AND A SHOW Pro AV’s Appetizing Place in Today’s Restaurant Experience

AVNETWORK.COM

JUNE 2025

23 On Your Business

Steve Greenblatt helps you navigate the tough times.

24 InfoComm Preview

AVIXA’s Jenn Heinold shares details about the upcoming show.

34 Over the ‘Rainbow Effect’

23

24

34

George Walter celebrates the evolution of DLP technology.

BETTER DECISIONS, FASTERTM

Integrated Solutions for Command and Control Any data, any network, any display Video Wall Processors Desktop Multiviewers Visual Data Recorders KVM Enterprise Level AV-over-IP Don’t just sit there. Come see what’s new at InfoComm Booth #4132 or visit rgb.com.

YOUR INSIDER BUSINESS RESOURCE FOR MORE THAN 30 YEARS

DINNER AND A SHOW Pro AV’s Appetizing Place in Today’s Restaurant Experience

AVNETWORK.COM

JUNE 2025

23 On Your Business

Steve Greenblatt helps you navigate the tough times.

24 InfoComm Preview

AVIXA’s Jenn Heinold shares details about the upcoming show.

34 Over the ‘Rainbow Effect’

23

24

34

George Walter celebrates the evolution of DLP technology.

BETTER DECISIONS, FASTERTM

Integrated Solutions for Command and Control Any data, any network, any display Video Wall Processors Desktop Multiviewers Visual Data Recorders KVM Enterprise Level AV-over-IP Don’t just sit there. Come see what’s new at InfoComm Booth #4132 or visit rgb.com.

CONTENTS 28

Dinner and a Show Whether it’s fine dining or a

sports bar, Pro AV solutions are making sure patrons come back for seconds.

By James Careless

People 18 Executive Q&A MSolutions CEO Eliran Toren talks HDBaseT, USB-C, and KVM choices.

By Mark J. Pescatore

23 On Your Business leaner times.

By Steve Greenblatt

Business

32

30

Learn how to persevere when your business faces

Technology

Viewpoint

24 It's Time for InfoComm 2025

32 All the School Is a Stage

41 AVoIP and KVM in the Control Room

Pliant Technologies ensures clear communications

Today’s advanced solutions could reduce clutter and

Jenn Heinold, AVIXA’s new SVP of

across the campus of Plainfield High School.

improve performance.

expositions, Americas, expects plenty

By Wayne Cavadi

By David Isola

34 Over the ‘Rainbow Effect’

Departments 6 SYSTEMS CHECK 8 NEWS 20 NEWSMAKERS 38 NEW PRODUCTS

of convergence and AI talk at InfoComm 2025.

By Mark J. Pescatore

26 InfoComm 2025: AI, Tariffs, and Immersive Innovation Get insights about the upcoming

RGB laser technology is eliminating color separation artifacts from earlier DLP projectors.

By George Walter

36 Review: Two-for-One Recording

InfoComm 2025 event from some of the exhibitors.

Shure’s new MV7i microphone lets you plug in a second

By Wayne Cavadi

source—no mixer needed—but how does it work?

30 Historic Style, Modern Tech

By Mark J. Pescatore

The new Maury County Judicial Center remembers

37 Review: Think Outside the ‘Box’

history while relying on modern courtroom AV

The new Studio 4K from PTZOptics is changing the

technologies.

fixed camera conversation.

By Carolyn Heinze

By Chuck Gloman

37

Vol. 33 No. 6 June 2025 Systems Contractor News (ISSN 1078-4993) is published monthly by Future US, Inc., 130 West 42nd Street, 7th Floor, New York, NY 10036-8002. Periodical postage paid at New York, NY and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: send address changes to: SYSTEMS CONTRACTOR NEWS, P.O. Box 1051, Lowell, MA 01853.

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SCN // June 2025 // avnetwork.com

SYSTEMS CHECK

More AI Action and Frustration

MARK J. PESCATORE Content Director

I

n the summer of 2014, social media helped power the success of the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. People would dump cold water on their heads and challenge their friends to do the same. According to the ALS Association, the trend helped raise awareness

for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease) as well as more than $115 million for medical research, care, and advocacy.

EMAIL

mark.pescatore@futurenet.com

Recently, my teenager asked me to dump a bucket of cold water on her head while my wife shot a video of the activity. Turns out there’s a new USC Speak Your MIND Ice Bucket Challenge, which was launched in early spring by the Mental Illness Needs Discussion

FACEBOOK

facebook.com/ systemscontractor

(MIND) club at the University of South Carolina. The goal is to spread awareness of mental health and collect donations for Active Minds, a nonprofit organization with a mission to transform mental health norms.

Also in early spring, another viral trend invaded social media platforms. That’s because on March 25, OpenAI launched an advanced image generator for its GPT-4o

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

model for ChatGPT—and made it free to use. Suddenly, feeds were filled with custom AI action figures of various quality.

Since last year’s attempt to update my headshot via AI went amiss, I figured I’d try to repair my relationship with AI with a less serious exercise. Now, GenAI tools like ChatGPT operate based on the prompts (input) you provide. Provide a short burst of

X x.com/scnmag

inspiration (“use this photo to make a posable action figure”) and you’re likely to be uninspired by the results. The more detailed and specific the prompts, the better the finished product.

IMAGE PRODUCED BY BYLO.AI

My first attempt was created using Bylo.ai and my current headshot. The site was kind enough to provide a pretty detailed prompt to simplify the process. I added some specifics, including what accessories should be included in my blister pack, and pressed the magic button.

I did not insist on a photorealistic action IMAGE PRODUCED BY CHATGPT

figure. That’s really the only way I can explain the action figure that the AI provided (far left).

In real life, I’m the height of the average American male. My action figure is noticeably shorter. And stockier. Look, I know I need to lose a few pounds, but action figure Mark needs to actively research the keto diet. I’m not saying it looks like a hobbit in a blazer, but I’m not saying it doesn’t, either. And don’t get me started on the “reporler’s notebook.”

When I tried ChatGPT, I used a different headshot from the 2025 NAB Show (thanks to the Leadership Foundation and FUJIFILM), as

avnetwork.com JUNE 2025 VOL. 32 NO. 6 CONTENT

Content Director Mark J. Pescatore, Ph.D. mark.pescatore@futurenet.com Senior Content Manager Wayne Cavadi Contributors James Careless, Chuck Gloman, Steve Greenblatt, Carolyn Heinze, David Isola, George Walter, Sean Wargo Art Editors Rob Crossland, Sam Richwood Production Managers Nicole Schilling, Heather Tatrow A DV E R T I S I N G S A L E S

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well as a different prompt based on suggestions I found on the internet. What

Above: My Bylo.ai attempt at an action figure fell a bit short.

Right: ChatGPT’s action figure needs more prompts.

you’re seeing is the fourth attempt; I continued to add details to refine my action figure.

He’s also height challenged, even though my prompt included the term “average height and build,” so apparently ChatGPT needs more guidance with personal dimensions. The microphone and laptop went through changes in every version, and I have no idea why it decided to change my notebook into a “notebock” (it was correct in previous versions). While the packaging looks ready for an endcap display, the overall final result looks less like an action figure and more like a picture of an action figure.

I don’t mean to throw a bucket of cold water over this viral trend. Sure, there are always privacy concerns—and I think we’ll see some landmark AI copyright infringement lawsuits sooner rather than later—but turning myself into an action figure by typing a paragraph was fun. Of course, the trick is getting the result you want, and that can be frustrating, even with the best of prompts. Here’s hoping I’ll be taller for the next viral trend.

6

SCN // June 2025 // avnetwork.com

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NEWS

SAVI Controls, OliverIQ Merge

S

AVI Controls and OliverIQ have announced a strategic merger. The newly formed company will operate as SAVI iQ and will deliver

AI-driven, cloud-based automation and a support platform for commercial and residential markets.

SAVI iQ plans to bolster its product line with AI-powered cloud services for commercial projects from bars and restaurants to casinos and sports stadiums. ISPs and security partners can now extend services beyond residential subscribers to commercial customers.

The company delivers an AI-driven automation platform built to scale, with built-in, always-on remote management as a service,

PSNI Introduces Quality Assurance Certification

P

PSNI offered its inaugural QAC course earlier this year.

enabling partners to remotely control, monitor, update, and troubleshoot projects from anywhere.

This simplifies programming and installation while increasing profitability for integrators and service providers.

Key to this transformation is Ollie, an intelligent automation agent that recognizes

Tailored for professionals in technical field

patterns, optimizes performance, and proactively

Quality Assurance Certification (QAC). The

operations, system design, service management, and

resolves potential issues. By reducing support calls,

exclusive program is designed to empower its

installation, the QAC course delivers a two-day,

Ollie enables dealers and commercial integrators,

network of Certified Solution Providers (CSPs) with

interactive workshop format, concluding with a Q&A

Telcos and ISPs, builders, and security providers to

advanced quality assurance knowledge, ensuring

assessment. The inaugural QAC course took place

focus on delivering customer experiences while

standardized excellence across global AV projects.

March 31-April 1 in Atlanta, ahead of PSNI’s annual

minimizing costs.

SNI Global Alliance has launched a new

Developed in collaboration with a committee of

Supersummit.

“Our solution harnesses AI and intuitive voice

leaders from PSNI’s CSP companies worldwide, and

“This new certification is yet another way we are

controls, enabling our partners to scale operations

based on the AQAV (Association for Quality in Audio-

ensuring that every CSP in our network operates at the

and unlock recurring revenue opportunities,” said

Visual Technology) AV9000 standard, the QAC merges

highest level, delivering unparalleled service and

John Dorsey, president of SAVI iQ. “The cost of

quality principles with real-world business

expertise,” said Chris Miller, executive director of

commercial AV systems and system design have been

applications. By leveraging core concepts from the

PSNI. “A customer of one CSP is a customer of all, and

prohibitively high and overly complicated for

AV9000 quality documentation process, the

with this certification, our CSPs gain an edge that no

decades. Together we are providing clients with the

certification fosters a culture of continual

one else has: a globally unified approach to excellence

most advanced solutions and a recurring revenue

improvement and technological precision.

in AV service and support.”

service model that transforms their bottom line.”

AMX Products Receive JITC Certification HARMAN Professional Solutions was recently awarded

seamlessly integrate with other systems

the Joint Interoperability Testing Command (JITC)

used by the DOD. The certification process

certification and listing on the U.S. Department of

includes a thorough evaluation of a product’s

Defense Information Network (DoDIN) Approved

security features, performance, and

Products List (APL) for 19 products. The certified

interoperability.

products include AMX N2600 AVoIP encoders and

“Meeting and surpassing the stringent security

decoders, N4321D audio transceiver, UVC1-4K HDMI

demands of our most critical government,

to USB capture device, MUSE Automation Controllers,

military, and corporate customers has always

Varia Touch Panels, and CE I/O extenders.

been a core design priority. This commitment

JITC certification is a crucial requirement for

has positioned HARMAN as a leader in the AV

technology solutions used in U.S. government

industry for delivering highly secure AV solutions,”

facilities. The certification ensures that HARMAN

said Jamie Trader, VP, installed AVC, HARMAN

products meet strict security standards and can

Professional Solutions.

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SCN // June 2025 // avnetwork.com

An additional 19 HARMAN products recently received JITC certification.

NEWS process. “From pre-configured meeting room solutions delivered and installed in as a few as 10 days to the custom designs that require expertise only our solution architects can deliver, we simply have the bench strength to be that go-to expert. And we’ll provide the advice and counsel organizations need to understand the ecosystem each solution is designed to support,” he noted.

While the name and logo may have changed, the focus on customer demands has not. For example, the Velocity Logistics Center—opened last June in

Bold, Vibrant, and Confident: AVI Systems Rebrands as FORTÉ

By Wayne Cavadi

A

Dallas by AVI Systems—will continue to address the O recognizes our legacy brand colors with a modern

what organizations require. With the help of the

update. The new FORTÉ logo exemplifies who we are as

center, the company delivered more than 1,000

a company: bold, vibrant, and confident. We’ll never

preconfigured room solutions in its first year of

stop evolving to make sure our customers succeed.”

operation, and Stoebner anticipates quadrupling

With the shift, FORTÉ is moving its focus outside the

that number this year.

Pro AV integration box, with a more holistic view of the

“Demand will determine how we ramp our staff and

industry, removing the blinders that may pigeonhole an

resource capabilities. It’s something we monitor very

integrator from truly addressing what customers need.

closely,” he said of Velocity. “Whether a customer needs

The goal, said Stoebner, is to help organizations view

one meeting room solution or 1,000 rooms, we’ve

their entire AV and UCC estate as an ecosystem that

developed a delivery model for pre-configured, certified

functions at a high level.

solutions to meet their demand. We have a catalog of

“The innovative solutions we create are the confluence of people, spaces, and technology—

solutions and customers can bring us their room standards, which we’ll certify, deliver, and deploy.”

enhancing every employee touchpoint,” Stoebner

As Stoebner explained, leaders in the workplace

added. “We bring seamless collaboration to life, keeping

and IT want to take what could be complex and make it

the modern workplace, classroom, and government

simple. Technology should forge a path to success, not

agencies connected and helping people remain

hinder it. Now, FORTÉ, is partnering with

VI Systems is ready to usher in a new era.

productive. Every solution we deploy and manage

organizations to help them imagine and create

Announced at its annual Global Sales Sum-

functions flawlessly with existing IT infrastructure

solutions that drive real results.

mit on April 22 in Dallas with approximately

ensuring secure, reliable, and future-ready systems.”

330 staff and nearly 300 partner attendees present,

Part of this new direction comes from listening to 50

“It’s important to understand that our new brand identity will carry our company well into the future,

the integrator announced a rebranding to the name

years of customer engagement. Despite all the success

no matter what happens in the AV or systems

FORTÉ.

stories, there is no denying that the needs and

integration industry,” Stoebner concluded. “While

expectations have evolved, especially in the post-COVID

communication and collaboration solutions and

integrator,” Jeff Stoebner, CEO, FORTÉ, told SCN. “In

workplace. Long-time customers are rethinking their

services are instrumental to our business today, we

recent years, we made a series of major investments to

spaces, everything from conference rooms to flex

know this will evolve. Artificial intelligence is certain

grow the business’s capabilities and expanded office

spaces, large training rooms, and multi-purpose areas

to continue playing a role in how people work and

locations to serve every major market in the U.S. We’ve

for all-hands meetings Stoebner observed.

interact. On top of this, the continued demand for

“We have become much more than an AV systems

also expanded our global deployment capabilities,

“Every space requires collaboration solutions and

efficient hybrid work solutions, customer experience

created robust managed services offering, developed

the right technologies to enable people to be

solutions, technologies in the retail space that engage

five innovative practices areas with deep industry

productive,” he said. “FORTÉ is positioned as a strategic

with audiences, smart building solutions—these are

expertise, and we’re able to deliver solutions with

partner in this transformation. We’re so much more

all pathways that will ultimately continue to drive our

unmatched speed with our Velocity solutions. Due to

than a technology systems integrator or vendor.”

business at FORTÉ, and we intend to be the go-to

our expanded capabilities, we’ve become a strategic

Prospective customers can expect the same from

expert when any organization starts to think about

partner, helping our customers transform their

FORTÉ, which Stoebner describes as uniquely

how to enhance their communication and

modern workplace.”

positioned to help them with technology early in the

collaboration capabilities.”

As Stoebner explained, the new name was the right fit. One meaning of FORTÉ, for example, is the greatest strength or area of expertise. “We feel it’s a perfect description of our unmatched expertise in designing, deploying, and supporting communication and collaboration solutions,” he said.

However, the word also carries another meaning: to play a particular note or passage in a musical score loudly, which also fits the new bold vision for the integrator. “We feel the new name and logo are bold,” Stoebner added. “We wanted a logo that also exudes confidence. The font choice with the accent mark on the E is easily identifiable. The color palette that surrounds

10

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“We feel it’s a perfect description of our unmatched expertise in designing, deploying, and supporting communication and collaboration solutions.”

Jeff Stoebner, FORTÉ

NEWS

LG Delivering Display Solutions Across Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Fenway Park

L

G Electronics and Mercedes-Benz Stadium,

oldest ballpark in Major League Baseball.

LED ribbon that provides a field-level backdrop for all

home of the Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta United,

As part of an ongoing stadium-wide display

have announced a multi-year partnership that

technology refresh ahead of the 2025 Club World Cup

Atlanta United Home matches.

includes the installation of hundreds of new LG dvLED

and 2026 FIFA World Cup, LG displays are now being

markets director, said the ribbon features a unique

and LCD displays throughout the venue. Meanwhile,

installed across multiple areas of Mercedes-Benz

technology over each display that helps protect the

LG has delivered a main LED videoboard and more for

Stadium, including concourse areas and clubs. The

screens from impact. It’s also portable, so it can be

Fenway Park, the home of the Boston Red Sox and the

standout addition came in February, a 98-screen pitch

stored between matches or used for other events

Tom Bingham, LG Electronics USA’s B2B vertical

where field level signage is required.

In late March, LG installed a 100x38-foot videoboard in centerfield at Fenway Park, as well as 11 digital signage screens that span a combined area of more than 9,000 square feet. The new displays were ready for the team’s home opener against the St. Louis Cardinals on April 4.

With a focus on redefining the fan experience, LG has established a strategic partnership with ANC, the agency managing stadium operations and advertising on behalf of Fenway Sports Group, the owner of the Boston Red Sox. Troup Parkinson, chief marketing and partnerships officer for the Boston Red Sox, said the A new 98-screen LED ribbon provides a field-level backdrop for soccer matches at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

collaboration will elevate the in-venue experience for fans.

Diversified Provides Future-Proof Control Room for Seattle Mariners

T

he Seattle Mariners have a newly upgraded

senior manager of

production control room at T-Mobile Park,

video operations for

courtesy of Diversified. The new setup

the Mariners. “As we

enables the Mariners to present games and players in

continue to innovate

dynamic new ways, giving fans more to cheer about

our game

and boosting the home field advantage.

presentation, these

“We take pride in delivering the best fan experience, not just in the Pacific Northwest or in baseball, but across all sports venues,” said Ben Mertens, VP of

A new control room is helping the Mariners deliver an enhanced fan experience at T-Mobile Park.

upgrades give us the ability to connect in new ways

room upgrade,” said Mertens. “This project is the

with our fans.”

latest milestone in a long legacy of collaboration to

The upgraded control room features an IP-based

bring the best atmosphere in baseball to T-Mobile

creative and content services for the Mariners.

system with a new router orchestration from Imagine

Park. We are very thankful for Diversified’s continued

“Working in partnership with Diversified, we built a

Communications, video switcher, cameras, graphics

support and role in making sure our control room has

control room that delivers today and sets us up to keep

machines, control panels, and Riedel intercoms.

the best tools available to do the job.”

innovating with new and exciting opportunities for fans

Improved resources and connectivity support

at T-Mobile Park in years to come.”

higher-res displays and high dynamic range color

was about amplifying the energy of T-Mobile Park,”

“This wasn’t just about upgrading technology—it

The new control room design prepares the

space, matching the Mariners’ creative ambitions.

said Lane Baird, account executive at Diversified. “The

Mariners for future upgrades while providing an

Expanded camera gear now allows for more dynamic

Mariners now have more powerful tools to tell their

improved production experience for control room

coverage, helping capture the energy of the game and

story, celebrate their players and connect with fans in

operators. “The new setup not only streamlines our

highlight fans across the ballpark and beyond.

real time. That kind of engagement fuels a game-

operations, it gives us room to grow as the fan experience keeps evolving,” explained Anny Patrick,

12

SCN // June 2025 // avnetwork.com

“Our relationship with Diversified spans more than a decade, beginning with our last major control

changing home field advantage, and we’re proud to help make that possible.”

NEWS

The Breslin Center now features a seamless center-hung videoboard along with a seamless ribbon display around the arena bowl.

T

Michigan State Revamps Visuals in Breslin Center he Jack Breslin Student Events Center, a multi-

the project’s ambitious technological advancements.

multiple projects, we’ve learned how to make it as

purpose arena at Michigan State University in

The Breslin Center project presented an added layer of

efficient as possible. The fact that it is over 700 feet

East Lansing, has been a hub of activity since

complexity due to the scale of the displays and the

with incredible resolution and pixel pitch only running

its opening in 1989. The arena underwent a renova-

requirement for compatibility with V3Pro, SNA

on 12 circuits is an incredible feat.”

tion last year that elevated its AV capabilities to new

Displays’ proprietary control software.

An additional secondary LCS 342 three-phase panel

heights, made possible by designer and MSU technol-

To address these challenges, LynTec delivered a

ogy consultant Anthony James Partners and the col-

customized solution. A LynTec LCP 342 main breaker

deployed to establish communication between LynTec’s

laboration between SNA Displays and LynTec.

panel provided centralized power control for the

power control software and V3Pro, which allows

system, while a separate LCS 342 panel was installed

operators to control power remotely from a single

at the Breslin Center. The renovation featured the

directly within the center-hung to enable localized

interface, eliminating the need to switch between

company’s first seamless center-hung videoboard.

control.

multiple platforms. The integration also extends to Ross

SNA Displays achieved two significant milestones

Four slightly convex 4mm BOLD Interior LED

In all, the center-hung is powered with 16 three-

and multiple XPC rack-mounted controllers were

DashBoard monitoring software, further enhancing

screens were joined to create a continuous

phase 20-amp and eight three-phase 30-amp circuits,

360-degree viewing experience. Unwrapped, the

while the ribbon is supported through 12 208V

display is 14 feet high and 104 feet wide. SNA Displays

single-phase circuits. The solution also includes a

the years, beginning with Lucas Oil Stadium, and it’s

also introduced a seamless ribbon display, a 4-foot-

manual switch panel, giving on-site technicians the

only grown stronger with each project,” Kile added.

high, 728-foot-long, 10mm LED installation that

ability to control specific zones, if needed.

“Their panels are reliable and intuitive, and their team

wraps around the entire arena bowl.

operational flexibility for broadcast applications.

“We’ve built a strong relationship with LynTec over

“Typically, ribbons of this pixel pitch and this

has worked closely with us to ensure our software

resolution have to use a lot more power and need a ton

solutions integrate seamlessly. For operators, this

overlooked role of power control. LynTec provided the

more circuits,” said David Kile, senior director of

means they can power displays on and off without

power management infrastructure required to support

solutions at SNA Displays. “Working with LynTec on

jumping between multiple systems.”

Behind the displays lies the essential yet often

avnetwork.com // June 2025 // SCN

13

NEWS

New Traffic Center Powered by RGB Spectrum

T

“Norman’s commitment to cutting-edge

Norman’s new traffic management center will embrace a console-based approach.

he city of Norman, OK, has selected RGB

technology ensures we can effectively monitor

Spectrum to deliver a video processing and

traffic patterns and enhance safety for all who live,

enterprise to public safety, security, and web

control system for its new traffic manage-

work, and travel through our city,” said David R.

administration—through a fully distributed

ment center. The innovative venue will replace the

Riesland, Norman’s city transportation engineer.

architecture. Each operator will have access to five

traditional front-of-room screen with personal

“This project has been over 15 years in the making,

dedicated Rack PCs located remotely in the IT room,

console-based video walls, setting a new standard

and it’s incredibly rewarding to see that long-time

allowing for quiet, clutter-free workstations and

for operational efficiency.

vision finally become reality. We’re excited to

centralized maintenance.

At the core of the deployment is RGB Spectrum’s Zio 4000 series video processor, XtendPoint KVM over IP, and RGB Rack PCs, enabling seamless,

partner with RGB Spectrum to implement a best-inclass solution that supports our mission.”

Using RGB Spectrum’s XtendPoint KVM over IP with multiview capability, operators control and

The new 2,300 square-foot facility will be

interact with any PC across any network from their

customized workflows to operators. Designed in

transformed from a shell space into a highly

consoles. The upper displays at each station serve as

partnership with global engineering and design firm

functional center, including three offices, an

personalized video walls, dynamically combining a

Stantec, the new system redefines what’s possible in

operations room, and an IT room. Within the

mix of sources. Each operator can mirror a common

compact, efficient traffic management

operations space, four operators oversee five

display layout or configure their own unique,

environments.

discrete networks—ranging from ATMS/ITS and

task-specific view.

CWA & IBEW AV Union Labor Available

Your #1 Trusted Partner for all your AV Outsource and Logistics needs Contact: 973-794-0088 | quotes@atlantisugs.com NY METRO 14

RALEIGH

SCN // June 2025 // avnetwork.com

TAMPA

ORLANDO

MIAMI

SAN FRANCISCO

NEWS

SMU’s upgraded EOC features display driven by a tvONE CALICO PRO video processor.

LightWerks Acquisition Expands CTI West Coast Operations

C

SMU Upgrades Emergency Operations Center with tvONE

County, San Diego, and the San Francisco Bay Area,

D

LED displays, all driven by a tvONE CALICO PRO video

Management involving SMU emergency responders

while bringing Boise, Idaho, and Montana into CTI’s

processor. The EOC is the hub for security for the

and local authority.

coverage for the first time. CTI serves customers

entire facility, including the university’s in-house

worldwide as a member of the PSNI Global Alliance

fire, police, security, ambulance, and cameras.

TI has acquired LightWerks of Carson, CA, a move that expands the company’s current operations in Los Angeles, Orange

and across the U.S., with locations from Michigan to Texas and New Jersey to California.

allas’s Southern Methodist University

EOC framework consistent with Department of

(SMU) has upgraded its Emergency Opera-

Homeland Security, National Incident Management

tions Center (EOC) with a series of fine pitch

System, and the Texas Division of Emergency

Three screens were installed by UberDisplays, in

The EOC will be run by SMU and its video staff on a day-to-day basis. “We worked closely with Scott Kehoe from tvONE to rig the system and provide

collaboration with AV technology partner Digital

training on site,” Rice added. “tvONE are always

Resources, which oversaw the project. “The creation

responsive and the training was complete in two

built an enviable reputation in some of the most

of a new EOC for SMU provided the opportunity to

days—it was amazing. One of the biggest successes of

difficult markets in the United States, dazzling clients

have all operating systems in one location, and the

the project is that using the CALICO PRO, all the

across a host of fields,” says John Laughlin, CEO of CTI.

video processing solution needed to be robust and

cameras from the entire campus can be shown on the

“The customer testimonials on LightWerks’ website

reliable, which is why we turned to tvONE and the

displays at any time, which is very impressive.”

describe a company that matches CTI’s premium on

new CALICO PRO,” said Andrew Rice, chief revenue

“The SMU EOC was a great project to work on, and

top-shelf service, relationships that last decades, and

officer, UberDisplays. “The installation required 20

it’s great to see the CALICO PRO’s features being used

the ability to listen and deliver what the client needs.

separate inputs, which we needed to replicate to three

for such an important center at the school,” said

I’m honored to bring the LightWerks team into CTI and

separate walls.”

Kehoe. “We designed the CALICO PRO from the ground

“Over the last 25 years, LightWerks has quietly

look forward to the

The crisis management function provides a

experience and

coordinated response to emergencies involving the

processing applications with new features for easier

relationships they bring to

use of resources from the university, federal level,

and faster installation of complex direct view LED

our West Coast operations.”

state level, or local authority. SMU has established the

walls. The results at the EOC are great.”

Metinteractive Upgrades UConn Basketball Facility

M

up, creating a solution for a wide range of video

etinteractive has furthered its relation-

room to two new large Daktronics LED

ship with the University of Connecticut

videoboards mounted at each short end of the

(UConn) at Storrs by upgrading AV systems

court, and integrated a Ferrofish Pulse16 MX

at the Gampel Pavilion basketball facility to deliver

AD/DA converter with the displays’ video

an improved fan experience. It’s the latest of several

content. The integrator also updated Gampel

projects Metinteractive has completed with UConn.

Pavilion’s existing broadcast system to enhance

“Gampel Pavilion is part of the continuing effort to

Upgrades to Grampel Pavilion include new videoboards at both ends of the court.

the university’s live production capabilities. The

standardize and connect facilities across all sports on

control room was outfitted with two large ElationLogic

the UConn Storrs campus,” explained Jeff Mele,

monitors, Ross Ultrix router and XPression graphics

Metinteractive’s chief commercial officer and project

system, Evertz DreamCatcher DC-ONE replay platform,

truly transformed the venue, and the improvements

executive for Gampel Pavilion. “Facilities that are

and a master clock for AV synchronization.

are already making a noticeable impact,” said David

fragmented often require more support and more

Plus, it tied Gampel Pavilion to the Rizza

majority of UConn’s on-site AV game support.

“The new graphics, lighting, and videoboards have

Benedict, director of athletics, UConn.

initial capital expenditures due to their individual,

Performance Center’s control room, enabling a second

“Metinteractive’s attention to detail and dedication to

complete systems. Although standardization and

basketball show to be produced there when Gampel

enhancing the experience for everyone who visits

connectivity add complexity, the long-term results

Pavilion’s control room cannot accommodate people

Gampel is evident in every aspect of the upgrade.

are lower costs and greater operational flexibility.”

shooting for in-house and major broadcast

We’re excited to see the positive effects these updates

simultaneously. Metinteractive also supplies the

will have on both fans and teams alike.”

Metinteractive installed fiber to connect the control

16

SCN // June 2025 // avnetwork.com

NEWS

The impact of federal layoffs and tariffs are expected to have broader effects in the coming months.

April Still Holds Strong

indicating sustained growth in the sector.

The AV Employment Index (AVI-E) bounced back in April to 55.5 from 53.5. The AVI-S and AVI-E

T

in North America.

“Clients are withholding commitments due to

continue to show modest growth of the industry.

economic transition and uncertainty. Tariff

The U.S. economy added 177,000 jobs in April,

concerns with price and supply is high,” commented

exceeding the expected 138,000, but the government

an AV Integrator in APAC.

revised previous months downward. March’s figure

By Sean Wargo

economy picture is clearer,” shared an AV integrator

The Pro AV Business Index report is derived from

was adjusted to 185,000, while February’s was

a monthly survey of the AVIXA Insights Community,

revised down even more sharply to just 85,000 new

a research community of industry members that

positions.

tracks business trends in commercial AV. The report

he tariff uncertainty continues to remain a

This suggests the labor market hasn’t been quite

comprises two diffusion indexes: the AV Sales Index

top concern within the Pro AV industry. Over

as robust as initially reported. Unemployment

(AVI-S) and the AV Employment Index (AVI-E). In

the past three months, the AV Sales Index

remains at 4.2%. The impact of federal layoffs and

each case, an index above 50 indicates an increase in

(AVI-S) has consistently shown expansion. March

tariffs are expected to have broader effects in the

sales or employment activity. For more information

saw the highest growth, with a slight moderation

coming months.

about joining the AVIXA Insights Community, visit

in April. Despite the small dip from March (60.9)

“We are not doing layoffs. Rather we are

to April (59.7), the overall trend remains positive,

choosing to delay replacement hires until the

www.avixa.org/AVIP. Sean Wargo is the VP of market insight for AVIXA.

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17 © 2025 DVIGear, Inc.

PEOPLE EXECUTIVE Q&A

HDBaseT & Beyond MSolutions CEO Toren Talks USB-C and the End of HDMI

Eliran Toren Position: CEO Company: MSolutions

By Mark J. Pescatore

GUI and provide installers immediate understanding of what actions, if any, are required.

Another important feature is that the MSTestPro is

displays from companies like Lenovo. As more USB-C

SCN: What made you decide to start MSolutions?

an all-inclusive solution to support the testing,

ports are added to displays, you’ll see HDMI

Eliran Toren: After five-and-a-half years at Valens, I

analysis, and certification of HDBaseT, HDMI, USB,

connectivity gradually fade from view over time.

felt ready to move into a new phase of my professional

and DC resistance, with modules specific to each that

career. My work at Valens required excessive travel,

attach to the tester. Our newly enhanced UCT module

SCN: Speaking of USB-C, I saw a new meeting room

and over that time I developed strong industry

is the AV industry’s only dedicated solution for

connectivity solution at your ISE 2025 booth. What

relationships. That included hundreds of installers

qualifying USB-C cables and interfaces, verifying wire

makes the MS-63DOC unique?

and dealers, and I learned their pain points. In the

mapping, USB version compliance, alternate mode

ET: It all comes down to simplicity. The MS-DOC63 is

process, I developed an abundance of ideas that would

support, data lane structure, and power delivery. This

at the core of our 1Connect meeting room ecosystem,

help them better address their needs and solve

is an important value-add with the increased presence

which more specifically is anchored through the

problems along the way. I started MSolutions to

of USB-C in meeting and learning spaces.

MS-63DOC Docking Extender Kit. That kit pairs host

coalesce these ideas around a vision that would bring

and device MS-DOC63 units for AV and USB transport.

affordable, problem-solving solutions to AV installers.

On the front end, a single USB-C cable connects the originating source, such as a presenter’s laptop, to the

SCN: How important has your previous experience

local MS-63DOC host device.

at Valens been to the development of MSolutions

The host unit acts as a docking station gateway,

product lines?

maintaining single-cable efficiency by moving all

ET: My time at Valens, where HDBaseT was invented,

signals (including control) to an MS-63DOC device

instilled a strong knowledge of the foundational

SCN: You test and manufacture cables—so what’s the

unit over Category cable. The device unit functions as a

elements within the infrastructure as well as the

secret to building a reliable professional cable?

robust docking extender and unlocks all connections

possibilities it enabled for in-room AV connectivity. I

ET: We supply a cable with every device we

to destinations on the back end. Those connections

understood what HDBaseT offered for the

manufacture. When we sell a USB extender, it’s

can include up to two displays (via HDMI), a USB or

convergence of uncompressed video, audio, data, and

important that we provide the installer with the

PTZ camera (via USB 3.2 or USB-C connections), and a

more over longer distances, and the value that brought

correct corresponding USB cable. The USB world is

digital or analog audio speaker output.

inside spaces such as meeting rooms, classrooms, and

very complex, with many different versions and

auditoriums, including a streamlined cabling

specifications. Buying an off-the-shelf USB cable can

seamlessly unifies AV and USB signals on the front end

infrastructure that reduced costs and clutter. That

be a gamble for compatibility as well as structural

while delivering unmatched flexibility and integration

started with the extenders.

integrity. We build all our cables to exacting

on the back end. At InfoComm, we will introduce the

specifications. There are no missing wires and no

MS-63DOC-P unit, which offers the same

shorts on the connectors.

functionality plus 60 watts of device charging.

ET: Beyond its foundational capabilities outlined

SCN: What bad habits should AV professionals avoid

SCN: MSolutions also has KVM solutions, so I have

above, the advances that come with HDBaseT 3.0 open

to help their cables last longer?

to ask: Are you Team Traditional KVM or Team KVM

up new technological opportunities for MSolutions.

ET: The testing needs to be thorough and needs to be

over IP?

We have more bandwidth to work with and that allows

done across the entire system. It amazes us to this

ET: We remain both proponents and suppliers of both.

us to be more creative on the product development

day how many systems go remarkably undertested.

Smaller meeting spaces, classrooms, and huddle

side. We have 18 Gbps versus the 10 Gbps ceiling of

Confirming the presence of an image will not tell the

rooms need point-to-point connections. That is all

HDBaseT 2.0 and AV over IP. And we do have an AV

entire story. If the image is on the edge of failure,

that is needed to do the job, because the spaces are

over IP product line that will continue to grow. For

something as simple as turning on the air

small and the technology requirements are minimal.

dedicated spaces, and especially those designed as

conditioner or lowering the shade can result in loss

KVM over IP can be useful for larger meeting spaces

collaborative environments, HDBaseT 3.0 has much

of image. Our modules attach directly to the cable,

with more IP networking needs, but its real value is for

more to offer for everyone through to the end user.

which makes it easy to test cable integrity at very

facilities with 50 or more meeting spaces. That’s a

precise points.

sound threshold for making that leap.

ET: The most important takeaway is that the

SCN: How important has USB-C become for the Pro

SCN: What’s next for MSolutions?

MSTestPro is the only test solution approved by the

AV industry?

ET: We are actively building out a business

HDBaseT organization. It is a handheld device that

ET: USB-C will fully dominate in the coming years.

infrastructure in North America that is anchored

gives installers direct access to important parameters

USB-C has the power to carry everything needed in an

through a distribution channel. Stirling

related to system performance. That includes the

AV environment over a single wire, with the added

Communications has been a strong partner for us in

presence and quality of AV signals moving through the

simplicity of a small connector. There is less ongoing

the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic. We are continuing

system, as well as the structural integrity of the cables

expense in comparison to HDMI. The latest signs of

to build our North American structure to include

that carry these signals. The results are displayed on a

USB-C domination is the inclusion of USB-C ports on

more dealers.

SCN: There are several distribution protocols out

The MS-DOC63 is instrumental as to how 1Connect

there, so why are you sold on HDBaseT?

SCN: What makes your TestPro products stand out?

18

SCN // June 2025 // avnetwork.com

PEOPLE NEWSMAKERS Farmingdale, NY-based

Northern California region.

the PA service market, and retailers who cater to DIY

GROUP ONE LIMITED, the

Smart has been with ASG for

hobbyists. In addition, Daigler is managing existing

U.S. distributor for several

eight years and joins the account

OEM relationships and pursuing new OEM partners

pro audio and lighting

management team. In his new

in the pro audio and high-end home theater

brands, has added PLUS

position, Smart brings his

markets. His audio industry career started at

experience as a broadcast

Westlake Audio as a mechanical assembler, then

engineer and operations

production manager, and he eventually moved to

Headquartered in Walnut Creek, CA, Plus Four

manager to find solutions that

HARMAN-owned Audax of America, where he

is under the direction of principal Joe

best meet client needs and

worked as a sales engineer.

Mathews, son of the late James “Jimmy”

budget. KC NAJARIAN is the

Mathews, who founded the firm more than 40

company’s new director of

CHRISTIE appointed HIDEAKI

years ago. Plus Four will facilitate sales and

strategic accounts, Southwest.

TAKIZAWA as the new CFO

support for the DiGiCo, Fourier Audio, KLANG,

With extensive experience

of Christie and its subsidiaries.

providing customer-focused

Takizawa aligns Christie’s

Rep Report

FOUR MARKETING to its independent manufacturer’s representative network.

John Smart

MC , Sound Devices, and XTA lines throughout

KC Najarian

Northern California, Nevada (outside of Las

solutions, Najarian will concentrate her efforts on

Vegas), Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana,

the broadcast and video production markets. She has

and Alaska.

worked for Quantum, Grass Valley, and Avid, along

Hideaki Takizawa

with her previous experience at systems integration

continued growth and innovation. He brings more

firms.

than 34 years of experience working at Ushio and a

2

NSI’s Network Infrastructure Division has appointed PHOENIX MARKETING GROUP as

financial strategy with its overall goals and manages internal controls and reporting to support

wealth of expertise in business management and

the company’s national sales representative

KATE GAZDIC has joined

finance. Before joining Christie, Takizawa served as

for its Platinum Tools, LYNN Electronics,

BECKTV as a senior procurement

general manager of Ushio Group’s Business

TechLogix Networx, and ENET lines in the AV

specialist. She oversees the

Management Division.

and security channels. PMG currently covers

procurement aspects of

45 states and focuses on lighting, shades,

BeckTV’s diverse portfolio,

DIRECTOUT appointed pro audio

which primarily involves

veteran VAINO GENNARO as

smart home automation, audio, and video solutions for residential and commercial

Kate Gazdic

projects related to sports and

the first point of contact for

projects in any environment.

live events. Gazdic’s experience includes roles at

North American customers.

Broadfield Distributing and multiple systems

With his extensive experience in

SFM, a Canadian distributor in customized

integrators, where she served as inside sales and

go-to-market solutions for global brands

procurement manager on large projects for the

within the audiovisual, pro retail, live

Milwaukee Brewers, Memphis Grizzlies, MLB, and

development, and customer

entertainment, and media production

the Carolina Panthers. As a purchasing agent at

relations, Gennaro plays a key

industries, has been appointment as the

Gepco International, she managed stadium, studio,

role in expanding DirectOut’s

exclusive Canadian distributor for BOSCH

and mobile truck projects from pricing to delivery for

market presence in the region.

COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS. This strategic

clients such as Texas A&M and Baylor University.

In this new role, he is

the pro audio industry and Vaino Gennaro

partnership grants SFM exclusive distribution

expertise in sales, business

instrumental in further

rights for Electro-Voice, Dynacord, RTS, and

BLACK BOX appointed JAI

Lorenzo Sassi

Bosch Conference, and Bosch Public Address

VENKAT as the company’s chief

innovative audio solutions across the country.

throughout Canada.

revenue officer in the Americas.

DirectOut also promoted LORENZO SASSI to head of

A member of the executive

global marketing and sales.

establishing DirectOut’s

leadership team, Venkat leads ACT ENTERTAINMENT has

Bob Bonniol

revenue strategy and execution,

JABRA has appointed

driving growth, bolstering

SANDRINE DESBARBIEUX-

appointed BOB BONNIOL as

Jai Venkat

director of innovation for video.

account management, and accelerating revenue

LLOYD as SVP of global

His credits range from

across all industry verticals and horizontal practices.

marketing. In her new role,

Broadway to mega-tours,

Venkat joins Black Box with more than three decades

Desbarbieux-Lloyd leads

theme parks to augmented

of experience leading sales, services, and

worlds, and he now takes the

transformation initiatives at global technology

marketing initiatives for Jabra’s Sandrine Desbarbieux-Lloyd

headsets and speakerphones, as

helm of ACT’s rapidly growing video and interactive

firms. Prior to joining Black Box, he held senior

technology areas. In this newly created role,

executive leadership roles at Allied Digital, Zones,

videoconferencing solutions.

Bonniol leads product development, uniting the

DXC Technology, HP Enterprise, Cognizant,

Bringing a wealth of C-level

capabilities of Green Hippo and tvONE under ACT’s

Capgemini, and Infosys.

marketing, digital

innovation umbrella. He aims to expand ACT’s

well as software and AI-driven

transformation, and AI

reach and help its clients create new immersive

CELESTION has appointed MATT

experiences, digital placemaking, and destination-

DAIGLER as business

scale entertainment.

development executive. In his

Calum MacDougall

expertise, Desbarbieux-Lloyd has previously held leadership roles at Meta, Tesco, Samsung,

new role, Daigler works together

and Avis. She steps into the role previously held by

ADVANCED SYSTEMS GROUP recently named

with Celestion’s sales and

CALUM MACDOUGALL, who has accepted the role

broadcast engineer and veteran event operations

distribution partners in the U.S.

of president of the Enterprise division at GN, which

musical instrument category,

holds the Jabra brand.

manager JOHN SMART as account executive,

20

SCN // June 2025 // avnetwork.com

Matt Daigler

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ON YOUR BUSINESS PEOPLE

When the Going Gets Tough How to Persevere When Your Business Faces Changing Seasons

By Steve Greenblatt

A

ll businesses experience ups and downs. This

decisions, taking risks, and sometimes going against

seasons of transition (spring and fall) where growth or

the grain to pursue opportunities that others might

regression loom on the horizon. Navigating through

overlook (or doubt exist).

each season is inevitable and an inescapable part of

Some businesses start with a full head of steam,

business. Successfully managing this requires the

is the nature of business and the fundamen-

capitalizing on an innovative idea or addressing a

ability to identify the current season, determine how

tal science behind how the economy oper-

need with pent-up demand. Other businesses build

to adapt to it, and predict when the next season will

ates. It can be tempting to focus solely on the highs,

momentum with each successful outcome and

arrive and how to prepare for it.

positive results, and future opportunities. However,

gradually develop a loyal following that requires a

how owners and leaders manage adversity deter-

two-way commitment.

mines the resilience and longevity of the business.

While businesses seek relationships and loyalty

Decisions or Destiny?

It’s when the going gets tough, whether enduring a

Owning and running a business is not for the faint

from their clients for future opportunities, there is an

difficult season or navigating unfortunate

of heart. Small business owners invest their entire lives

equal responsibility that businesses have to take care

circumstances, that the commitment and perseverance

into their ventures, including, but not limited to, their

of their clients when they need them. This includes

of business owners and stakeholders are put to the test.

time, money, and mental focus. Those committed for

meeting tight deadlines, working on projects that may

As a defining aspect of their role, business owners

the long haul do what is necessary to protect and care

not be ideal, or prioritizing their clients’ needs when a

understand the importance of committing to do what it

for their teams, do right by their clients, and nurture

crisis arises. In each case, the business must serve its

takes to keep their business running.

and safeguard what they have built. For founders

clients, even if it means sacrificing its own interests to

especially, their businesses are like children they have

build trust and solidify a long-term relationship.

guided from infancy, making selfless sacrifices to

This means making difficult decisions regarding costs, personnel, or investments, taking on debt by bootstrapping with their personal funds or relying on

support their development for the benefit of the

Navigating the Natural Cycle

organization and all those it impacts.

Once the initial excitement and honeymoon phase

achieving more with less by balancing various roles

pass, businesses must confront the reality of daily

and working tirelessly to strengthen the business.

Betting on Success

family members or investors for support, and

operations, where challenges develop and surprises

Many business owners go so far as to forgo paychecks

For an owner, the day-to-day management of a

are commonplace. Whether it’s a project going awry, a

during slow periods when their priority is to keep their

business can be likened to being a professional sports

team member failing to meet expectations, a client

team employed, care for their clients, and meet their

gambler. With each day and every decision, business

needing priority support, or someone leaving for

financial commitments.

owners and leaders are betting on themselves and

another opportunity, transitioning from riding the

their team to deliver value for their investment. While

wave of success to facing adversity serves as a

and control over their own destiny, but the reality can

the best professional gamblers may win only 53% of

wake-up call that distinguishes between a business

be quite different. All businesses face daily struggles,

the time to be successful, businesses require a higher

that is sustainable long-term and one with only

and small business owners are just one bad decision

win rate to cover costs, reward their team, maintain

temporary achievements.

or challenging situation away from jeopardizing what

reserves, reinvest for future needs, and achieve

Every business experiences natural cycles during

profitability to see a return on their investment.

It may seem that business owners possess power

they have built. The mental strength of business

which it must navigate changes in costs, talent

owners is constantly tested as they navigate the

availability, funding accessibility, client needs and

uncertainty of the business landscape, always

accounts or other vehicles to build wealth, most small

spending, pricing fluctuations, and demand for

needing to think strategically, adapt to change, and

business owners have the majority of their assets tied

services. Similar to the seasons of the year, businesses

anticipate the unexpected.

up in their business. Therefore, the need for

follow a natural seasonal pattern.

While non-business owners may rely on financial

profitability impacts not only the business and its

It’s easy to become enchanted by the highs that

There are seasons of prosperity (summer) when a

being in business can provide. Whether the preferred

team members but also the personal well-being of the

business profits, replenishes reserves, and invests in

phrase is “crazy busy” or “slammed with work,” both

owners and their family’s future.

future infrastructure. There are also seasons of hardship

highlight undeniable success.

The AV industry offers ample opportunities for

(winter) when businesses struggle to cover costs and

It is important to understand that such

entrepreneurship. Whether as a sole proprietor or by

must therefore conserve and be cautious with

outcomes don’t come easily and should never be

building a team, skilled AV professionals who take the

spending, risk-taking, and investments in

taken for granted because they don’t last forever.

leap into self-employment leverage their confidence in

infrastructure or new growth areas. This is where

Business owners who recognize that the seasons

their knowledge and skill sets, along with their unique

reserves, credit lines, and established

will eventually change and possess the focus,

perspective on delivering services and solutions.

relationships are crucial for

fortitude, and foresight to prepare their

What many may not realize when establishing themselves is that achieving success in business involves more than being a skilled technical

maintaining stability and

businesses to adapt and persevere through unsettled

overcoming adversity.

times will once again have the opportunity to benefit

Between these

professional and producing quality work. Running a

highs and lows are

from a prosperous season.

Steve Greenblatt, CTS, is the founder of Control Concepts, Inc., which provides specialized software

knowledge, and abilities that may not come

and services for the Pro AV industry. Contact him at

includes self-belief, as well as making critical

steveg@controlconcepts.net.

GETT Y IM

intuitively to a highly technical expert. This

AGE S

business requires a distinct set of skills,

avnetwork.com // June 2025 // SCN

23

BUSINESS INFOCOMM PREVIEW

It’s Time for InfoComm 2025

Jenn Heinold Position: SVP, Expositions, Americas Company: AVIXA

AVIXA’s Heinold Expects Plenty of Convergence and AI Talk in Orlando SCN: There was a substantial residential systems

By Mark J. Pescatore

I

solutions that are both practical and inspirational. The

component to ISE, which took place earlier this

AVIXA TV Studio is designed to do just that, whether

year in Barcelona. There’s always some overlap, of

you’re considering launching a podcast, developing

course, but are you considering expanding

nfoComm 2025 is right around the corner. Educa-

marketing content, or delivering a global keynote from a

InfoComm to include a large residential presence?

tion sessions start June 7, with the exhibit hall

virtual stage. At the AVIXA TV Studio, we’ll showcase

JH: No, we are not expanding to residential at this

open June 11-13 at the Orange County Convention

everything from low-tech turnkey solutions to fully

time.

Center in Orlando, FL. SCN spoke with AVIXA’s Jenn

customizable setups with advanced features.

SCN: What is AVIXA doing to promote sustainability

Heinold, who joined the organization last fall as SVP, expositions, Americas, to get more details about the

SCN: What free educational opportunities will be

in Pro AV at InfoComm 2025?

upcoming industry event.

available at InfoComm 2025?

JH: InfoComm will showcase how the Pro AV

JH: Debuting at InfoComm 2025 is the Spotlight Stage

industry is addressing sustainability challenges,

SCN: How does InfoComm attendance in Orlando

(Booth 4327). This is a dedicated hub for exploring

including climate change, resource depletion, and

historically compare to the shows in Las Vegas, and

the fastest-growing solution areas in Pro AV,

e-waste. Attendees can discover eco-friendly

are you expecting increased attendees and/or

including broadcast AV, digital signage, and more.

products and solutions and explore sustainable

exhibitors in 2025?

This spot on the show floor will feature both a stage

practices in AV design and installation.

Jenn Heinold: Our attendance goal for InfoComm

and networking lounge, providing a forum for

2025 is 40,000, which will put us back to pre-

in-depth conversations and connections between

industrywide U.S.-based organization focused on

pandemic levels. When we are in Orlando, we see more

attendees and solution providers.

achieving the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals

end users from education, houses of worship, retail,

The Technology Innovation Stage (Booth 2461) is

We are partnering with SAVe, the first

(SDGs), to produce the SAVe Certification workshop.

hospitality, and enterprise. We’re expecting more than

the destination to learn about trend forecasts from

This full-day program covers important

900 exhibitors this year.

technology managers, manufacturers, and industry

information on current sustainability issues, and

leaders. The stage will also host product

includes a workshop session to identify ways

SCN: AI has certainly been the buzzword of record

announcements and demonstrations and inspiring

businesses can address sustainability goals, as well

for the past couple of InfoComm shows. Are tariffs

discussions on pushing the boundaries of innovation.

as a planning session to turn ideas into action.

going to be the big story at InfoComm 2025, and

AVIXA Xchange LIVE (Booth 4761) will return for

In addition, AVIXA’s Sustainability Advisory

what other buzzwords do you expect to hear in the

InfoComm 2025. This is an in-person activation of

Group will host an interactive session at the

aisles?

AVIXA Xchange, the unique virtual community for the

Technology Innovation Stage exploring the three Ps

JH: AI will be top of mind at InfoComm 2025 and

AV industry. This spot on the trade show floor will host

(people, planet, and profit). They’ll discuss the

beyond. AI is evolving so fast and impacts us all. On the

interactive sessions as well as mixers and meetups

connection between Pro AV solutions and

trade show floor, you’ll see AI-powered solutions that

Wednesday through Friday.

sustainable design.

enhance efficiency and improve user experiences. In addition, we have an education track focused on AI that will explore its impact on Pro AV solutions, from audio to digital signage. We’ll also discuss critical topics like emerging compliance and security concerns.

In addition, the intersection of AV, IT, and broadcast, especially in the workplace setting, will be a theme and a big content topic for us. Tarriff talk will be unavoidable, but this is why events are so valuable and important for our community. InfoComm will enable us all to come together as we navigate a lot of uncertainty.

SCN: AVIXA TV is coming back for a third year—why is this booth (and its content) important for the industry?

JH: The convergence between broadcast and AV is a growing opportunity for our industry. Studio technology is one of the top five areas of Pro AV investment for corporations, according to AVIXA’s quarterly Market Opportunity and Analysis Report. For many buyers, this space is newer, so it’s critical for them to see working

24

SCN // June 2025 // avnetwork.com

AVIXA TV will return for InfoComm 2025.

BUSINESS INFOCOMM PREVIEW

InfoComm 2025: AI, Tariffs, and Immersive Innovation

By Wayne Cavadi

I

influence product development through energy-

traditional AV distribution to network-based

efficient, modular, and future-ready hardware

solutions. Blackmagic Design is expanding its AV

designs. Edge processing will also be prominent, with

over IP offerings, focusing on SMPTE ST 2110

nfoComm 2025 is set to return to Orlando this

compact, fanless devices enabling real-time AV

standards to facilitate seamless integration of

month. As we have in the past, SCN turned to

workflows at the edge. Additionally, immersive

traditional SDI equipment into modern IP-based

several exhibitors and asked: What buzzwords do

experiences for museums, retail environments, and

infrastructures. Additionally, immersive video and

extended reality (XR) applications are expected to

immersive AV have emerged as compelling new

draw significant attention.

ways to engage audiences, going beyond traditional

you expect to be the talk of InfoComm 2025?

Duncan Miller, Director of Global Marketing, Adder Technology

flat-screen video and stereo audio to create a heightened sense of presence and realism for the

Discussions around the impact of AI

Mark Donovan, Director of Commercial Applications, Audio-Technica

continue to be at the top of the list,

AVIXA’s emphasis on educational

more, immersive AV blends physical and digital

applications aligns closely with the

elements to support more realistic storytelling.

although time will tell how AI will add reliable value

end user. With applications in live performance, education, virtual tourism, training, museums, and

in AV workflows. However, when we talk to

trends we’ve been observing. Both higher education

customers at InfoComm, we continue to hear

and K–12 institutions have experienced sustained

conversations about security, remote access to

growth in recent years, even after the height of the

Ryan Prentice, President, Cleerline

virtualized environments, and multiviewer

COVID pandemic. The benefits of remote learning

AI supporting smart automation,

capabilities. This year, we know API and system

and touch-free operation extend well beyond

control, and content creation; security

integration into existing workflows will be a hot

health-related concerns, making these technologies

topic, and we’ll have some exciting API updates to

valuable long-term solutions. As a result,

cybersecurity for AV hardware/software; sourcing

demonstrate on our booth.

educational facilities are continuing to adopt and

shifts and alternatives due to tariff issues; and

invest in these approaches.

future proof. Looking forward, we know that

Thomas Tang, Founder and President, Apantac

and IT convergence enabling more

bandwidth demands will increase each year, and

Several key buzzwords are expected to

Paul Harris, CEO/CTO, Aurora Multimedia

shape the conversation across the show

AI seems to be the main buzzword, and

floor. AV over IP will be a central

Aurora will be showing a few solutions

fiber is a key component, ensuring that integrators can offer the newest solutions to clients.

driving discussions around interoperability, low

We already introduced the first-ever control system

Lisa Barlow Flournoy, Marketing Support Manager, DVIGear

latency, and efficient network-based distribution.

tool using AI, and we have even more to open

Tariffs. Current foreign trade policies

Hybrid work and remote collaboration will remain in

people’s eyes and change the AV industry forever.

theme, with formats such as IPMX, SDVoE, and NDI

taking advantage of this technology.

focus, emphasizing KVM over IP, BYOD integration,

will be the elephant in the room unless there is substantial effort taken to restabilize. It will

Bob Caniglia, Director of Sales Operations for the Americas, Blackmagic Design

be hard to ignore both short and long-term effects

audio mixing, auto-tracking, and video analytics—

AV over IP continues to gain

challenges may become grist to the mill, producing

are gaining traction, while sustainability continues to

momentum as the industry shifts from

creative solutions in all sectors of the AV industry.

and unified communications platforms, particularly for control rooms and command centers.

AI-driven AV technologies—including intelligent

26

SCN // June 2025 // avnetwork.com

that profound changes in global trade will have in our market. [Another is] innovation. Significant

INFOCOMM PREVIEW BUSINESS

Theresa Benson, VP of Marketing & Product Management, Mersive Technologies Expect to hear a lot about

Joyce Bente, President/CEO Americas, Riedel Communications

means simplicity at the point of installation. With

At InfoComm, expect to hear a lot

installation is key to expediting and improving the

about AI, but also key buzzwords like

overall customer experience.

our IntelliMix Room Kits, everything autoconfigures directly out of the box. This streamlined

interoperability, AI-driven “X,” and flexible. But we

efficiency, AV over IP, 5G, all-in-one solutions, and

know the real value lies behind the buzz—solutions

plug-and-play technologies. The focus will also be

that are intuitive to use, easy to manage, and built to

on smart devices, networked AV, low-latency,

evolve with customer needs.

cloud-based control, edge devices, and

Michael Wiener, CEO and Founder, Vanguard LED Displays

interoperability—all driving the future of seamless,

The potential terrible impact of tariffs

Taka Uchida, CEO, Panasonic Projector and Display Americas

scalable AV integration.

on our industry. Vanguard’s main focus at this year’s show will be discussing the tariff

Sean Bowman, AVP of Sales North America, Shure

situation. Should the tariff issue be miraculously

AI and cloud-based solutions are sure to be a key focus this year, as streamlining

We expect to have many conversations

Infinity controllers.

workflows remains top of mind for the industry.

resolved before the show, our main focus will be our

about how AI is shaping the future of

management capabilities, and seamless integration

buzzword; AI continues to be a transformative tool

will be at the center of this transformation. From a

Shure has been incorporating into our technology

Nick Mathis, Director of Business Development, North America, VuWall

visual experience perspective, the power of

for years, with the goal of maximizing collaborative

AI will certainly dominate

immersive and the impact of 4K visuals are sure to be

experiences. We hear from customers that they

top of mind. As organizations look to create engaging

want top-tier performance, reliability, and

origin” concerns like tariffs and trade compliance.

immersive experiences, they need those visuals to be

management for their facilities with less

We also expect to hear a lot about standardization—

high-quality and realistic. That’s where 4K

complexity. This brings us to another keyword for

especially as the industry pushes for more unified

projection technology becomes critical.

Shure this year—Zero Touch Provisioning—which

protocols across AV systems.

Automation, such as our cloud-based device

the AV industry. It’s not just a

conversations, alongside “country of

avnetwork.com // June 2025 // SCN

27

BUSINESS RESTAURANT AV

Blinders and their industrial designers selected fixtures that are appropriate for the space and ensured they were placed and angled correctly,” Meiner noted.

“This includes ceiling lights and wall sconces that have baffles to direct light and prevent it from spilling.

Additionally, windows are slightly tinted to filter outdoor lighting to create a darker ambiance, while the indoor lights are considered warm white light.”

Then there was the challenge of fitting the video wall into the restaurant itself. “Some of the challenges included fitting large-scale installation equipment within the space, such as getting an atrium lift inside the building, and the structure of the bar making it impossible to use ladders or scissor lifts,” said Meiner.

“Additionally, working with several types of teams at once in such a tight space and limited time frame presented its challenges, but through collaboration and constant communication, we ultimately made it

Blinders features a sportsbook-sized dvLED screen above its bar.

work to achieve the desired results.”

Dinner and a Show Tasty Pro AV Options Enhance the Dining Out Experience

The Blinders video wall and VOID sound system were installed and ready to go in time for March Madness earlier this year. “Everyone is extremely happy with the final result,” Meiner concluded.

“Peerless-AV’s close partnership with DCBolt throughout the installation allowed the teams to navigate tight timescales to deliver a result that lives

By James Careless

T

“To achieve this, Kush wanted to provide a high-

up to its promise of exhilarating, immersive 4K sports

definition viewing experience of a sportsbook,

action from the moment guests step inside.”

combined with the live energy of a sports lounge and here was a time when the term “restaurant AV” meant an analog TV set sitting on the bar

the luxurious detailing of a cocktail lounge.”

Of course, offering a gigantic video wall isn’t

That Sounds Italian Prati Italia is an upscale Italian restaurant in

and a reel-to-reel tape deck playing Muzak.

enough. To motivate sports fans to come back to

Jacksonville, FL, whose many rooms are also used for

No longer: In the 21st century, restaurant AV means

Blinders after watching the game here once, the

private events and conferences. The sound system at

taking video and audio to the next level and beyond,

viewing experience has to be as comfortable as

this restaurant was modern when it was installed in

because today’s tech-savvy patrons expect no less.

possible. “The Unilumin USlim2 displays are mounted

January 2013. But time and technology wait for no one,

at a 10-degree forward tilt, making this structure

which is why Prati Italia decided to upgrade its audio

The Big, Big, Big Picture

stand out as unique as it delivers the ultimate viewing

There are large displays in sports bars across the

experience for every guest, no matter where they are

United States, and then there’s the gigantic 4K display

seated,” Meiner said. “We implemented a SEAMLESS

in Blinders Sports Lounge in Charlotte, NC. This

Bespoke floor-to-wall mounting structure made of

5,500-square-foot sports bar/restaurant, which seats

steel, weighing 6,000 pounds.”

160 inside and 60 more on the 1,500-square-foot

The video wall is controlled by an iPad loaded with

patio, has installed an 850-square-foot 4K dvLED

the Creston Go app, so it can support custom software

video wall over its bar.

made by DCBolt. The lounge is also home to a nearly

Visible from all areas of the main room, the

50,000-watt VOID Acoustics sound system, also

10,000-pound display can show up to 24 different

installed by DCBolt, that feeds a row of 24-karat

feeds or any combination of fewer feeds at a larger

gold-plated speakers installed under the dvLED screen.

scale for sports, parties, movies, and esports

Total cost for the AV package: a cool $1.5 million.

tournaments. It’s no wonder that Blinders describes

Currently being billed as the largest dvLED video

the visual experience as immersive viewing: It’s like

wall of its kind on the East Coast, the installation

having a video billboard inside the sports bar.

required a great degree of care and forethought. “For a

“Kush Anandani, the owner of Blinders Sports

dvLED video wall of this scale, precision engineering is

Lounge, is an avid sports fan who wanted to create an

critical to account for factors such as total wall load,

incredible space in his hometown of Charlotte that

tight tolerances, and heat dissipation,” said Meiner.

mimicked the exceptional experiences he had watching

“To guarantee optimal performance for 24/7 operation,

sports at different Las Vegas spots,” explained Rob

we conducted thorough testing on samples in advance.”

Meiner, technical sales engineer for Peerless-AV,

Sunlight and indoor lighting had to be factored

which provided the mounting system for the video wall

into the mix as well. No problem: “Besides having the

in association with AV design firm DCBolt Productions.

angle of the video wall tilted forward 10 degrees,

28

SCN // June 2025 // avnetwork.com

Prati Italia recently upgraded its sound system for its interior and exterior dining areas.

RESTAURANT AV BUSINESS

remote volume control system.

The best part: “All of the audio zones can be controlled using a tablet computer,” said Gray. “So, not only is our new sound system more flexible and better sounding than ever before, but it is extremely easy to control from anywhere in the restaurant using a tablet.”

Lessons Learned Obviously, the AV installations at Blinders Sport A SoundTube DSM-16 manages the new sound system at Prati Italia.

system as its existing equipment started to fail.

Lounge and Prati Italia are very different. Still, some common lessons can be learned from them both. For

Prati Italia IT manager Jerry Gray chose a cost-

one thing, there are innovative restaurateurs who are

As it turned out, its best choice was to install a

saving hybrid approach for the upgrade, an approach

open to investing in the latest AV technology, which

SoundTube DSM-16 Dante system manager, which

that allowed the restaurant’s legacy Crown and Ashley

means there are opportunities worth exploring by

transported audio using Prati Italia’s existing network

amplifiers to be integrated with the DSM-16 and three

integrators and installers.

cables and outlets. This proved to be an ideal solution

SoundTube IPD-Hub 2 DSP amplifiers on a property-

for this location.

wide network. The DSM-16’s audio outputs, which can

AV equipment can make a real difference in making

“The old audio system had equipment in various

be assigned to different areas of the restaurant on a

restaurants more attractive to patrons. In a very

rooms with separate control panels,” explained Ken

zone basis, are sent to various SoundTube speakers.

obvious sense, the gigantic video wall at Blinders gives

Also, the advanced possibilities offered by modern

Hecht, VP of SoundTube Entertainment. “Integrating

The restaurant has 18 RS500i pendant speakers

sports fans a good reason to keep coming back. In a

it through the centralized Ethernet network enabled

and 23 CM62-BGM 6-inch in-ceiling speakers in the

more subtle way, the same can be said of Prati Italia’s

us to use existing Ethernet cables, which simplified

interior areas. Meanwhile, the outdoor deck has 10

audio system, which helps make the dining experience

the installation. By using PoE to power the new

SoundTube SM82 8-inch outdoor extreme weather

more enjoyable. Restaurant AV can be expensive and

amplifiers, we were able to centralize everything in

surface mount speakers, plus four amplifiers

eye-catching or affordable and enhancing—but either

one location and add new capabilities without the

designed for multi-room applications powering

way, it can be a competitive advantage that can help

expense and time required to run cabling.”

passive speakers, an audio extender box, and a

keep patrons coming back for seconds.

DVIGear_DP-2Xxxx-AOC_HPT-Ad_SCN_2025-06_09May2025.indd SCN378.bus.indd 29 DVIGear_DP-2Xxxx-AOC_HPT-Ad_SCN_2025-06_09May2025.indd 11

5/9/2025 PM 14/05/2025 15:27:303:24:33 5/9/2025 3:24:33 PM

BUSINESS COURTROOM AV

Historic Style, Modern Tech

By Carolyn Heinze

C

ompleted in Fall 2024, the Maury County Judicial Center in Columbia, TN, is a newly constructed, 58,000-square-foot facility

designed to accommodate a growing region while

New Maury County Judicial Center Embraces Benefits of Courtroom AV

modernizing court proceedings at the same time.

Nashville, TN-based architect Workshop oversaw planning and building design, while S&L Integrated, headquartered in Thomasville, GA, deployed the courtroom AV systems.

A two-story building, the new courthouse houses six courtrooms, three on each floor. Upstairs, one jury courtroom features a traditional layout, with the jury box to the side of the bench and attorney tables. The other two incorporate the Virginia Revival Model (VRM), which puts the jury in front of the judge’s bench. Four associated enclosed spaces are assigned to each courtroom, providing attorneys and their clients with somewhere to meet privately.

For architect Workshop, one design goal was to incorporate elements referencing Maury County’s historic courthouse building a few blocks away in Columbia’s downtown core. For example, the pews positioned throughout the public hallways were

Touchpanels are one of many Pro AV technologies installed at the new Maury County Judicial Center.

extracted from the historic building and refurbished for the Judicial Center. The thin film coverings on the

Court-Appointed Audio Capture Part of the AV package that S&L Integrated proposes to its courthouse clients includes a combination of Audix conferencing microphones, such as the MG18 and MG18HC gooseneck condenser mics mounted in the ATS1 tabletop base, as well as ADX60 boundary mics to capture speech from those who aren’t equipped with a dedicated microphone.

“From an audio perspective, the most important person in the room is the witness,” said Gage Helton, director of operations at S&L Integrated. “The second most important is the judge. Then, obviously, you need to be able to hear the jury. Many contractors that do general purpose installations don’t make things audible enough when they do courtrooms, or there’s feedback because they didn’t EQ the room. For this reason, we tend to use column array speakers, tune them, then the MG18 mics in most places. But for positions closer to the arrays, we’ll opt for the MG18HC, which is essentially the same

Mic choices and locations are important to courtroom audio.

mic with a hypercardioid pickup pattern.”

Witness and jury foreman mics are usually shock-mounted, with

we can just run our own cable and terminate, which makes the install so

prosecution and defense attorneys’ tables to capture sidebar discussions.

much cleaner,” he said.

Helton noted that the ATS1 base’s physical button is easier for non-

While this may seem like a lot of microphones, there is a need to take all

technical operators to use, versus bases that incorporate either a touchscreen

courtroom participants into account. “One reason is, in many installs we

or capacitive button. “We’ve found that users can get confused by those—

send multitrack audio to the court reporter so they can produce the most

especially when you factor in the stress that comes with being in court—and

accurate transcript possible,” Helton said. “Another is that we like to have a

either fail to trigger them when it’s their turn to speak or accidentally turn

press feed plate for higher-profile cases, so reporters can just plug in and get

them on when it’s not,” he explained.

a clean audio mix. For larger courtrooms, we’ll also do a mix-minus through

The unit’s detachable cable also makes for smoother installs. “A lot of gooseneck bases for conferencing have an attached cable, so you need to

30

figure out how to dress it and route it in an unobtrusive way. With the ATS1,

everything else mounted on the ATS1 bases. The ADX60s are placed on

SCN // June 2025 // avnetwork.com

small speakers at various locations, so the participants can hear everyone else clearly but not have echo of themselves.”

COURTROOM AV BUSINESS

private conference room windows, featuring images

this promotes standardization across courthouses,

different—some may be modern while others are

depicting Maury County’s history, are another element.

which facilitates service and support for the AV

historic. But when we standardize the systems, a judge

integrator. Perhaps more importantly, it provides a

coming from County A to County C doesn’t have to

smoother user experience.

spend time learning a system that’s unfamiliar to him.

“Recognizing that they were moving from the historic courthouse was very important to them,” James Kennon, principal architect at architect Workshop,

“Within a circuit, there may be three judges and six

explained in a video produced by S&L Integrated. “We

He has a touchpanel that looks exactly like the one in

courts,” Mobley added. “The courtrooms may look

his home court.”

worked with the county archives to develop a series of photos that told the history of the county.”

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From a technological perspective, Maury County needed courtroom AV systems that could support digital evidence such as body and dashcam footage as well as surveillance videos, explained Stan Mobley, senior account executive for state, local, and corporate clients at S&L Integrated. This need is prevalent among the courthouses his firm works with in Georgia

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and Tennessee, as is the integration of reliable videoconferencing capabilities and user-friendly control.

To address this, S&L Integrated developed a courtroom AV package that can be tailored to meet specific client requirements. In general, it includes Crestron DM NVX AV over IP distribution, Q-SYS control, QSC ceiling speakers, Marshall POV cameras, LG displays, a combination of Audix microphones and Sennheiser wireless systems, and WolfVision

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staff. To achieve this, it’s necessary to understand how each judge runs his or her courtroom, explained Nathan Tomberlin, account executive at S&L Integrated. For example, do they want the ability to approve digital evidence before attorneys share it

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wirelessly to courtroom displays? If so, their touchpanel must be equipped with “preview” and “approve” commands.

“This is putting protections in place to follow the due process of how the judge wants to manage the court proceeding,” Tomberlin said. “It puts all of the power back on the judge.”

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140

“They don’t have to go through their software with their mouse to click on the microphone levels to get them right,” Tomberlin said. “Instead, we give them a touchpanel and they can make any adjustments right

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avnetwork.com // June 2025 // SCN

31

TECHNOLOGY AUDITORIUM AV

All the School Is a Stage Pliant Technologies Ensures Clear Communications Across Campus

By Wayne Cavadi

broadcast setup is in the esports arena.

“The Pliant system allows the school to coordinate

P

between the auditorium control booth and the broadcast lainfield High School, located in Plainfield,

setup in the esports arena,” Litvin explained. “This

NJ, recently underwent a major renovation on

allows for clear instructions among the entire

its campus. The project included the upgrade

production team and provides a cohesive, professional,

of the existing Plainfield High School auditorium to a

and incredibly memorable experience for the audience.”

professional-style performing arts center, its mini-

It was the collaboration between Plainfield High

theater converted to a black box theater, and two classrooms transformed into a new esports arena.

It was no easy task. One focus of the renovation

School, PureTek Group, and expert partners that got Plainfield High School recently renovated its auditorium, which is used for performances and as a viewing area for esports events.

was on making the auditorium the main viewing space for esports events. The problem? The performing arts center and theater were adjacent to each other;

the job done so successfully. “We maintained open and consistent communication, proactively solved issues before they became problems, and stayed focused on

non-negotiable.

Litvin and PureTek Group selected Pliant’s CrewCom

delivering a world-class result that reflects the values and vision of the Plainfield community,” Litvin said.

however, the esports arena was on the other side of the

2+2 Control Unit (CCU) for the auditorium control booth,

school. PureTek Group was brought on to make the

with three CrewCom 900MHz Radio Transceivers (RTs)

Let Them Play

vision and future of esports at the high school a reality.

located throughout the school to provide seamless

Plainfield Public Schools’ leadership wanted to give its

coverage. The system also includes seven CrewCom

students every advantage and to make their new

900MHz 2-Volume/2-Conference Radio Packs with

esports arena a must-see site for competitions. What

seven SmartBoom PRO single-ear headsets.

started as a small, summer initiative caught fire and

The Space Between Considering the magnitude of the project—three unique spaces that had to be interconnected despite

“The main benefit that we found with this system

required its own arena for competitions.

Viewing the competitions takes place in the

the space between—PureTek Group completed the

is that the radio packs can ‘roam’ or switch between

renovations quickly; it was only a year and a half from

different radio transceivers for optimal signal quality,

1,600-seat performing arts center. Per Litvin,

inception to the ribbon cutting on June 7, 2024.

while maintaining uninterrupted communication,”

spectators can watch on a new 35x14.8-foot Da-Lite

According to Dan Litvin, president, PureTek Group,

Litvin detailed. “This gives the user the ability to be

screen, which is supported by a Barco UDM-4K30

the primary challenges were threefold.

within any part of the larger coverage area and still

projector with R9862020 lens, as the event is

have connection.”

streamed in real time with immersive lighting in the

For one, Litvin and his team needed to create a cohesive and integrated system across three distinct

This was important for this project because the

auditorium reflecting the effects in the esports arena

yet interconnected venues, each of which incorporated

CrewCom system is used during performances to

to engage attendees. Live sounds of the audience are

innovative technologies tailored to its unique

coordinate between the control booth, backstage, and

captured and played over speakers in the esports

function. Ensuring these systems worked

sometimes the green room (either the black box

arena to keep players engaged with the attendees.

harmoniously required meticulous planning and a

theater or a repurposed classroom during events). Also,

Because the black box theater across campus

deep understanding of both the individual

during esports tournaments, while the auditorium is

serves as a green room for esports events, clear and

requirements of each space and how they could

used as a viewing area for the live gameplay, the main

concise communication between the production

complement one another.

That required forward-thinking, enhanced technologies leading to a second challenge—it had to be usable by the school staff and students operating the venues. “Designing high-performance systems is only part of the equation,” Litvin added. “Ensuring they are accessible, intuitive, and support a wide range of programming and curriculum needs was essential.”

Another major challenge was to future-proof the design, ensuring the venues remain visually inspiring, technologically advanced, and educationally relevant for years to come. “This meant not just using the best available technology but also designing with adaptability and evolution in mind,” Litvin said.

Of course, there was also the challenge of tying it all together and keeping the communications open from the control room to the spaced-out theaters and arena. With the auditorium and esports arena on different sides of the school, a reliable intercom system that ensured good range and coverage was

32

SCN // June 2025 // avnetwork.com

The esports arena serves as a homebase for practice for the Plainfield HS esports team.

AUDITORIUM AV TECHNOLOGY

game time,” Litvin explained. “The [theater] is also being used as a setting for drama education, theater tech practice, as well as a small intimate setting for student-run productions. It is also being utilized for professional education seminars for Plainfield Public Schools educators and administrators, while also providing a college lecture-hall style classroom setting to prepare students for university and provide an alternative setting for education.”

To accomplish the multifaceted happenings in the theater, it was equipped with a comprehensive unRAVL system including new rigging, AV, and lighting. The system is tied together via intuitive Pliant headsets are used during productions.

controls with presets for common applications,

teams is a must. “To achieve a collaborative

streamlined intuitive controls via touchpanel for the

positive results, right from the start. “During the

performance, communication is key, so reliable

rigging, AV, and lighting systems to maximize usage

ribbon cutting, the Pliant CrewCom intercom system

coverage from a distance is a necessity,” Litvin

of the space by students, educators, guests, and

was a lifesaver,” Litvin said. “We had clear

explained. “With CrewCom, production personnel at

renters with authorized system access. A 30,000-

communication between the esports broadcasting

the school are able to communicate clearly from the

lumen 4K laser projector brings the 35x14.8-foot

space, the main control booth in the auditorium, and

esports arena all the way to the backstage booth in the

projection screen to life. The screen is on a motorized

with students running production backstage. It

auditorium. The CrewCom system is used extensively

hoist system to be raised and lowered for usage. A

allowed students to take ownership as well as enabled

throughout the school and produces unified

line-array speaker system, including Electro-Voice

the smooth running of a complex event that included

performance, from standard backstage theatrical

and Dynacord units, flanks the stage, while fill

many back-to-back performances.”

production applications, to managing cameras,

speakers below and above the balcony ensure even and

lighting, and audio from room to room at a distance.”

high-quality sound distribution.

allowing usage of the space for multiple functions by a maximum number of users.

Plainfield High School and PureTek saw immediate

The arena itself—which is restricted to

The key to communications has been its ease of use, and that has shined through the early stages of

Additionally, the performing arts center contains

use. “Making sure that students are able to use the

competitors, coaches, and production teams—has 20

more than 1,640 feet of RGBW strip lighting by Acolyte

equipment and that the controls are streamlined

gaming stations that accommodate four teams of five

(with controls by Madrix) on 11 runs that cover the walls

enough for them is always a consideration in our

players, with additional stations that are home to

and ceiling. PureTek Group lighting designers outfitted

equipment selection,” Litvin concluded. “The

broadcast operators, two sets of shoutcasters, and a

Plainfield High School with control of 4-inch increments

feedback from Plainfield High School on the Pliant

replay operator. It is also used for esports practices

of the strips, with various presets. Also installed were

gear has been great.”

and hands-on STEM opportunities, making it much

three 4K PTZ cameras and

more than a gameday production center.

one portable handheld

As Litvin explained, Corsair/Origin gaming

camera to livestream

machines were selected for the stations, while 20

performances to the

PTZOptics Studio Pro cameras were chosen to capture

Plainfield Public School’s

players’ emotions and responses in real time. Two PTZ

YouTube channel.

cameras capture wide views of the arena, two

“Students and parents can

additional cameras capture shoutcaster teams, and a

receive recordings and

feed from the replay operator highlighting top plays in

share, in real time, with

real time are used to livestream on YouTube, Twitch,

relatives and friends from

and the auditorium. Productions are managed with a

near and afar,” Litvin said.

Vizrt TriCaster 2 Elite video production system.

Enhancing the Arts

Thinking Inside the Box

The auditorium was not a fresh build but a renovation,

According to Litvin, the

which certainly helped the timeline. According to

120-seat black box theater

Litvin, prior to the upgrade, the auditorium contained

was an underutilized,

outdated and broken technology, a difficult-to-use

existing space that wasn’t

control system, and an uninviting aesthetic. Litvin and

properly outfitted for

PureTek Group enhanced that with professional grade

performances. Now it is

technology, making the performing arts center not

serving multiple purposes.

only an exciting venue for cheering on the Plainfield

“As an esports green

esports team, but a wide range of theatrical

room, athletes will be able

performances for years to come.

to watch gameplay in the

As Litvin described, key to the upgrade were the unRAVL Controls by PureTek, which provide

black box theater while they await their scheduled

avnetwork.com // June 2025 // SCN

33

TECHNOLOGY PROJECTORS

Digital Projection’s new E-Vision RGB projectors use RGB pure laser technology that avoids the artifacts associated with DLP projectors with color wheels.

Over the ‘Rainbow Effect’ DLP Projection Technology Continues to Innovate Imaging

By George Walter

I

Crystal on Silicon (LCOS) projectors, which rely on

Over the past 25 years, DLP technology has

analog voltage modulation to control each pixel,

undergone continuous refinement. One of the early

DLP technology operates using binary digital light

challenges of DLP projection was the visibility of a

nitially co-developed between Texas Instruments

processing. Each micromirror on a DMD chip has

“dimple” in the center of each pixel, caused by the

and Digital Projection, Digital Light Processing

only two positions, on or off, a binary approach that

mechanical structure of the micromirrors. Through

(DLP) technology has been around for more than

provides several advantages.

design improvements, these dimples were

25 years. What started as a revolutionary technology designed to bring digital video to commercial movie theaters has evolved into one of the most widely adopted technologies across multiple applications.

Today, DLP is a dominant force in corporate, educational, and home theater markets, delivering highquality visuals with precision and brightness.

When DLP projectors were first introduced, they were based on a three-chip design. Each of the three chips was dedicated to one of the primary colors: red, green, and blue. These chips worked in conjunction, converging their outputs to produce a full-color image that was projected onto a screen using a high-powered lens system. This three-chip configuration was a game-changer in digital projection technology, delivering a new level of

minimized and eventually eliminated, resulting in

One key factor that sets DLP apart from other projection technologies is its truly “digital” nature.

• Uniform image reproduction. Because each

image quality and color accuracy.

Not long after the introduction of three-chip DLP

increased efficiency, greater brightness, and improved contrast ratios.

Another significant advancement has been in the pixel density of DLP chips. As demand for higher resolutions has increased, DLP technology has kept pace, evolving from SD to Full HD and now to 4K resolutions.

RGB pure Laser: The New Revolution Improvements in color wheel technology have further elevated DLP performance. Initially, color wheels consisted of only three segments: red, green, and blue. While effective, this setup caused a “rainbow effect,” characterized by a noticeable

micromirror functions in an identical manner,

separation of colors and artifacts in the projected

DLP ensures consistent brightness and uniform

image. To mitigate this issue and enhance color

color reproduction across the entire image. In

reproduction, manufacturers incorporated

projectors, single-chip DLP projectors emerged as a

contrast, LCD and LCOS projectors, which depend

additional colors such as cyan, magenta, and yellow

viable alternative. This advancement was possible

on varying voltage levels to control pixels, may

to the color wheel. This also resulted in brighter

due to the fast switching speed of DLP micromirrors.

suffer from slight voltage inconsistencies that

imaging.

Instead of using separate chips for each color, single-chip DLP projectors sequentially displayed red, green, and blue images using a single digital

cause non-uniformity or blotchy images.

• Higher native contrast ratio. The ability of DLP

One of the most significant innovations in DLP projection was the ability to create 4K images using

mirrors to tilt at extreme angles results in

a 2K modulator. Initially, skeptics dismissed this as

micromirror device (DMD). This innovation made

deeper blacks and higher contrast ratios,

“faux-K” rather than true 4K. However, DLP’s

projectors significantly smaller, lighter, and more

making it an excellent choice for home theater

ability to rapidly switch micromirrors—at speeds of

cost-effective while maintaining high levels of

enthusiasts and professional applications

20 millionths of a second— allowed it to create four

brightness and efficiency.

requiring superior image quality.

distinct pixels from a single micromirror. This was

Faster response time. The rapid switching speed

achieved through an optical shifting technique

of DLP micromirrors minimizes motion blur,

known as a “wobulator.”

Unique Approach

•

When tested against traditional 4K projectors,

One key factor that sets DLP apart from other

making it particularly well-suited for fast-

projection technologies is its truly “digital” nature.

paced video content such as sports, gaming, and

text patterns and fine details confirmed that DLP

Unlike Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) and Liquid

action-packed movies.

was fully capable of resolving all pixels of a 4K

34

SCN // June 2025 // avnetwork.com

PROJECTORS TECHNOLOGY

image. This innovation made 4K projection more

systems for autonomous vehicles, and advanced

control continues to open new doors for innovation.

accessible and cost-effective, further solidifying

medical imaging.

As the demand for immersive and high-fidelity

DLP’s position in the market.

With so much potential for growth, the future of

visual experiences grows, DLP is well-positioned to

DLP technology looks brighter than ever. Whether in

remain at the forefront of the industry for years to

DLP projection is the introduction of RGB pure laser

projection systems or entirely new fields, its core

come.

technology in combination with single-chip DLP

principle of high-speed, high-precision light

George Walter is the VP of sales for Digital Projection.

As technology advances, the latest evolution in

projectors. Traditional lamp-based projectors require color wheels or phosphor-based light sources to generate colors. While effective, these methods introduced certain limitations, such as potential color separation artifacts and mechanical noise.

With RGB pure laser projection, individual red, green, and blue lasers are used as direct light sources.

As a result, RGB lasers produce more vivid, true-tolife colors, achieving nearly 100% of the Rec. 2020 color gamut—the widest color space available in consumer displays. Lasers have a much longer lifespan compared to traditional projection lamps, reducing maintenance costs and enhancing durability.

Without a spinning color wheel or high-wattage lamp, RGB laser projectors generate less heat and operate more quietly, making them ideal for home theaters and professional environments. And because RGB lasers don’t rely on color wheels, the risk of color separation artifacts is completely removed. That means no more rainbows.

Looking Forward Over the past 25 years, DLP technology has undergone remarkable advancements, making it one of the most versatile and widely adopted projection technologies available today. Looking ahead, we can expect even greater innovation. For example, as consumer demand for ultra-highresolution content grows, we may see even more refined implementations of 8K and beyond.

Potentially, DLP could be integrated with emerging display technologies like microLED to enhance brightness and contrast. AI-enhanced image processing, based on advanced machine learning algorithms, could be used to optimize real-time image enhancement, improving clarity, sharpness, and dynamic range. Beyond projection, DLP’s rapid-switching micromirrors are being adopted for other applications, including 3D printing, Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR)

Single-chip DLP projectors sequentially display red, green, and blue images using a single digital micromirror device (DMD).

avnetwork.com // June 2025 // SCN

35

TECHNOLOGY PRODUCT REVIEW

Two-for-One Recording Shure MV7i Microphone Supports Second Source for Simplified Interviews and More

By Mark J. Pescatore

1/4-inch input separately. I decided to match both mics, but you can choose what sounds best for your

A

project. t its core, the new Shure MV7i “smart”

Once you configure both inputs the way you want

microphone is a podcaster’s dream. It’s

them, the MV7i keeps those settings, even if you

based on the same form factor as the SM7B,

unplug the mic. So, when I connected the MV7i to a

an XLR mic that’s based on the SM7 that debuted in

second computer and specified it as an audio track in

the 1970s. Though it only weighs 1.25 pounds, this is

my Mixcraft DAW, that concert hall sound came

not a small mic; it’s more than 6 inches long and 3.5

through on both mics.

inches wide.

For my next test, I dug out my old Audio-Technica

The back panel of the mic has a USB-C port for

PRO 3H, a handheld mic I think I’ve owned since

simple connection to your laptop or phone. There’s also

parachute pants were a thing. The XLR mic plugged in

a 3.5mm headphone jack, so you can monitor your

without a problem. It still sounds just fine, by the way,

audio directly from the source. But the star of the show—and the reason I simply had to test this mic—is

The back panel of the MV7i has a USB-C port, 3.5mm headphone jack, and a combo XLR/1/4-inch input.

a combo XLR/1/4-inch input. It allows you to connect

but the on/off switch was useless—it was always on when plugged into the MV7i. Still, the MV7i played nice with my XLR mics, old and new.

another mic or a musical instrument, such as an electric

option, combining both sources into one mono signal.

guitar, and record both sources at once without a mixer.

Multi-track keeps both signals as separate mono

guitar. Don’t get excited— I know maybe five chords,

tracks, so you can separate them later for editing. And

but at least I could test the mic. It was easy enough to

the stereo setting records one stereo audio track,

insert my cable into the 1/4-inch jack, which is hidden

What’s in the box? The MV7i includes a yoke that allows

adding the mic input to both channels along with the

inside the XLR port.

you to angle your mic after it’s attached to a stand.

stereo audio from the 1/4-inch jack. That’s a good

There’s also a black windscreen that needs to be

choice for a music demo or maybe a voiceover with

and plugged them into the MV7i’s headphone jack,

removed if you flip your microphone orientation for use

some background music.

turned on the app, strummed a G, and there it was. No

DSP and Other Details

with a boom mic stand, as well as a 10-foot USB-C cable.

Then, just to be thorough, I pulled out my electric

I slipped on my beyerdynamic DT 770 headphones

There is a catch: The MV7i only supports mics or

mixer, no external converters, no amp, just a boy and

instruments with an XLR or 1/4-inch output; there’s

his guitar. Add a little reverb on the vocal and suddenly

cardioid pickup pattern, with a 50-16,000 Hz frequency

no USB-C input. I suppose that could be on the

I’m getting delusions of bright lights and

response and adjustable gain up to +36 dB. It offers up

product roadmap for the future, but for now, you’re

merchandising deals.

to 24-bit, 48 kHz sampling, as well as 16-bit, 44.1 kHz

limited to analog.

A few technical specs to share: The MV7i features a

sampling for iOS users. There’s also phantom power for mics that you plug into the MV7i.

The diecast aluminum mic body sports an LED

Plug In and Play

The MV7i is priced at $349, and Shure also offers a podcaster bundle that includes the no-frills MV7X (with XLR output) for $499. So, do I recommend it?

On its own, the MV7i is an outstanding USB

Well, if you just need a USB podcast microphone,

touchpanel that provides a little built-in branding

microphone. Use it and you’ll be the best sounding

Shure’s MV7+ offers the same look and performance

opportunity, too. You can customize the colors on the

participant in your next videoconference, or you can

as the MV7i for about 20% less. However, for

touchpanel through Shure’s MOTIV Mix Desktop app

output the audio directly to your DAW. You need one of

podcasters on the go, or even corporate podcasters

or MOTIV apps on your mobile device, so if you insist

the MOTIV apps to change the out-of-box settings

with limited space or technical know-how, it’s hard to

on putting your mic in the shot (don’t get me started),

and set your output mode, but you don’t need it to

think of a simpler wired setup with this level of quality.

the LED display can be tailored to match your

actually use the mic.

Seriously, two cables—one of which comes in the

company’s logo color. You can also adjust the LED

The multi-source audio magic happens in the

brightness and turn off the “pulsing” mode (for live

MV7i itself. To test it, I plugged in an Audio-Technica

metering) if you find it distracting. The touchpanel

AT2040, a hypercardioid dynamic mic that’s also

also serves as a mute button.

purpose-built for podcasting. I know it was supposed

folks have roots in (or still perform)

Several Shure DSP features are configured via the

box—and you’re creating broadcast-quality audio interviews.

Plus, it’s no secret that a lot of Pro AV

to work, but I was still amazed that I had two high-

music. For them, the MV7i is an easy way

various MOTIV apps. For example, the Auto Level Mode

quality mics from two different manufacturers

to record vocals with an instrument—

with SmartGate provides real-time mic gain

working in concert with only one USB cable

and the built-in features can improve

recalibration for consistent output and prevents

feeding my laptop. It also worked flawlessly

the quality of the finished product

overlapping dialogues during two-channel recording.

with my iPhone.

without fixing it in post. I get the

There’s also the adjustable reverb (good for music, not

Both mics sounded great, but the

so much for interviews), Digital Popper Stopper, and a

Shure’s extensive digital effects do not

double duty in a

real-time denoiser, which does an amazing job

automatically carry over to the second

lot of facilities.

removing ambient noise you didn’t realize was there

mic. At one point, the MV7i sounded like it

until you shut it off.

was deep in a concert hall, while the AT2040

I really like the audio output choices. Not planning on a lot of post? Mixdown is the down-and-dirty

36

SCN // June 2025 // avnetwork.com

feeling the MV7i will be pulling

sounded like it was, well, in my office. To fix this, go into a MOTIV app and adjust the XLR or

You can plug a guitar into the Shure MV7i and record your one-manband masterpiece using the MOTIV Mix app.

PRODUCT REVIEW TECHNOLOGY

balance and focus were perfect.

I immediately saw this camera as an overhead option in our 40x60-foot studio for an overhead wide shot for bumpers or credit rolls. Using the remote, you can zoom in or out to frame the exact shot you want. Of course, I would have liked some type of pan and/or tilt functionality, but this is a box camera, not a PTZ model.

In our studio, I mounted the camera in the upper right-hand corner of the room using the same mount that held our lesser-quality surveillance camera. The camera easily captured the entire room. So instead of relying just on three floor studio cameras, we now had a fourth camera that could show the studio audience as well as what was happening on our set. We used the

Think Outside the ‘Box’ New PTZOptics Studio 4K Indoor Camera Is a Compact Workhorse

By Chuck Gloman

W

hen you think versatility, you usually

The Studio 4K is less than 6 inches long and weighs about 1.5 pounds.

3G-SDI output from the back of the camera to connect it to our switcher.

The only things I didn’t test were the Ethernet

directional buttons for menu navigation), auto focus,

connectivity and the camera’s integration with the

and two custom presets.

PTZOptics Hive Studio online platform. We did use the HDMI port to connect the camera to one of our

Small Package, Big Features

monitors. Using the remote, our floor manager would

Press the menu button to display the on-screen menu

zoom in to a tighter shot of the studio audience, if

options of exposure, color, image, PTZ, noise

needed. A joystick option would make this process

reduction, setup, information, restore default, and

more streamlined—and as it turns out, PTZOptics

privacy mode. Exposure offers auto, manual, SAE,

offers a few joystick controllers that’ll do the trick.

AAE, and bright options. A built-in meter allows you

The PTZOptics Studio 4K is a great camera choice

to choose the areas on the screen where exposure will

to capture your static indoor wide shot in pristine 4K

be prioritized.

quality (though you can zoom, too). PTZOptics also

In the auto option, the exposure is automatically

offers the less expensive Studio Pro, which only offers

controlled and is extremely accurate. In the manual

Full HD resolution, but it might be all you need for your

setting, you have access over the shutter speed, iris

setup. Basically, either model is a set-it-and-forget-it

(which defaults at 1.8), and gain. In the SAE mode,

option for studios, churches, city hall, and more.

you have options of shutter, gain limit, and DRC

There’s virtually no setup, plus it’s compact and

access to various areas to check the exposure.

lightweight, delivers stellar images, and gives you

The color menu offers control over the white

total control of the recorded image.

don’t think about a box camera. But

balance, including various modes as well as

Chuck Gloman is an associate professor of the TV/

the new PTZOptics Studio 4K camera is

saturation and hue. The image portion of the menu

Film Department at DeSales University. Contact him

provides access to luminance, contrast, sharpness,

at chuck.gloman@desales.edu.

changing the fixed camera conversation.

The Studio 4K’s 1/2.8-inch, 8MP CMOS sensor

gamma, flip (horizontal and vertical), and more.

delivers 4K, Full HD, 1080i, and 720p via HDMI, as well

Under the PTZ menu, you can shut off the digital

as 1080p, 1080i, and 720p via SDI. It can livestream

zoom or restrict its use, set the zoom speed, freeze

H.264/H.265 video on a network or record the footage

the image, and toggle between displaying

to an external source. Supported protocols include NDI

information on the screen or not. The camera also

HX2, SRT, RTSP, HTTP, TCP/IP, and more.

offers 2D and 3D noise reduction at various levels.

Operating independently or with other cameras on

The Studio 4K ships with a remote control with

PTZOptic’s Hive Studio online platform, the camera

batteries, lens cap, AC adapter, and a USB-A to USB-C

provides a 72.5-degree angle of view and features a 12x

cable. The remote control is critical for the camera’s

optical zoom. (A 20x model is also available.) Other

operation, especially if you want to adjust many of the

features include a built-in tally light, so it's ready for

menus or sub menus. Once you have the parameters

multi-camera setups, and a built-in beamforming

you want, it’s probably easier just to preset it. You can

microphone. And the camera itself is less than 6 inches

also access the same functions on the side of the

long and weighs about 1.5 pounds.

camera—but depending on where it’s installed, the

Facing the camera, both the left side and bottom

remote is a much more convenient option.

sport wall mounting screws. The rear panel has a green LCD standby and red LED power light. There’s

Eye in the Sky

also a 12-volt DC input, 3.5mm I/O, USB service port,

When I first plugged in the Studio 4K, I was literally

RS485 control port, and SDI, HDMI, USB, and IP

stunned at the crisp image. It was superior to that from

outputs. The right side of the unit has soft buttons for

our $60,000 4K studio cameras (granted, they’ve been

menu access, zoom and focus (which double as

around for almost a decade). On startup, the color

Output options include SDI, HDMI, USB, and IP.

avnetwork.com // June 2025 // SCN

37

TECHNOLOGY PRODUCTS

functionality for fiber optic cable, and performs continuity testing and TDR for Category cable.

Among other tests, it measures optical fiber and connector attenuation (and faults), and displays

Magewell USB Capture SDI 4K Pro The new USB Capture SDI 4K Pro is a small, plug-and-

loss distribution among the fiber length. Multiple adapters for fiber optic cables are included, and an RJ45 remote allows for copper cable testing.

play device that enables PCs to capture SDI signals up to 4K resolution at 60fps via standard USB 3.2. It’s

MIPRO MM-58

the newest in a line of USB Capture products. Able

Designed for professional stage

Building on the success of the Pinnacle console with

to capture SDI signals up to 4,096x2,160 (including

performances, speeches, and various

power-actuated adjustable height options, Winsted has

3,840x2,160) at 60fps with 4:2:2 chroma fidelity via

live events, the MM-58 cardioid vocal

expanded its Pinnacle Technology Furniture collection.

the USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 interface, the USB Capture SDI

microphone features the MU-581D

Featuring a sliding worksurface, the Pinnacle console

4K Pro provides seamless video capture with minimal

capsule, offering an outstanding high-

enables uninterrupted cable management and

CPU usage and no external power source. The unit

frequency response that enhances

serviceability without disrupting operator workflow

can accept many different video formats up to 12G or

vocal brightness, ensuring every word

in mission-critical environments. The expanded

frame rates up to 240fps. Along with video, the device

and note is delivered with clarity and

collection—including technology cabinets, drawers,

can capture two channels of embedded audio or analog

precision. The optimized frequency

credenzas, peninsulas, and conference tables—is

audio via a 3.5mm line in interface. Embedded audio

response and high dynamic range

engineered for flexibility, security, and seamless

can also be extracted and output via the 3.5mm line

accurately capture rich vocal details,

technology integration to optimize workspace

out interface.

preserving the natural tonal quality

Winsted Pinnacle Collection

efficiency and productivity. The technology cabinets

of the speaker or singer. MIPRO’s

offer flexible mounting options and enhanced

patented composite anti-shock

equipment storage, the drawers and credenzas offer

suspension system significantly improves shock

secure storage and removable back panels, and the

absorption, effectively isolating handling noise and

conference tables offer built-in cable management

ensuring a clean and distortion-free sound output.

and connectivity solutions. Pinnacle’s three-tier cable

Built for longevity, the MM-58 features a precision-

management system ensures a clutter-free workspace,

crafted metal body for durability, and its high-

with dedicated routing pathways and full-width mesh

rigidity, multi-layer metal mesh structure effectively

trays for efficient and organized cabling. The collection

Riedel DSP-1216HL

suppresses feedback. Plus, the integrated metal mesh

is available in a range of sizes and configurations,

A compact, ergonomic desktop intercom panel, the

pop filter significantly reduces breath and wind noise

including custom solutions.

DSP-1216HL offers a space-saving, multifunctional

while being easy to detach and clean, maintaining

interface for professionals in live event production,

optimal performance over extended use without

sports venues, theaters, broadcast, and more. At

aging-related degradation.

launch, the DSP-1216HL supports all three 1200 Series SmartPanel Apps. It features 16 hybrid lever keys for intuitive talk-mute and talk-listen workflows, along with high-resolution, full-color multitouch displays and customizable LED rings for clear signalization.

The DSP-1216HL includes extensive connectivity options and a clear focus on open IP standards.

The panel’s 2.1 speaker system not only enhances

QuickLink StudioEdge

intercom workflows with intelligibility in headset-free

With StudioEdge, production teams can seamlessly

Telycam’s first professional box camera, the Vision+

scenarios, but also enables users to confidently use

introduce remote guests from every major

4KZ, provides a cost-effective solution for live

it as an audio monitoring solution. The space-saving

videoconferencing platform—including Zoom,

production and Pro AV applications that require 4K

footprint and VESA mounting option make it even

Microsoft Teams, and QuickLink’s built-in StudioCall

video quality but don’t need PTZ control. The Vision+

more versatile, allowing users to create a floating

technology—into productions, optimized with AI

4KZ captures 4K60 video via its 1/1.8-inch, 9MP

setup to maximize space and flexibility.

technology. StudioEdge allows users to create real-

Telycam Vision+ 4KZ

CMOS sensor and offers 20x optical zoom. It can also

time group conversations, panel discussions, and

simultaneously crop an additional 1080p output from

Platinum Tools PT-OTDR-100

live interviews, as it can manage any combination

the 4K image, with auto-framing keeping important

The new PT-OTDR-100 mini OTDR tester provides

of remote guests from around the world, with direct

subjects automatically in view. A unique integrated

a OTDR testing solution that is simple to set up and

communication and chat support for guidance.

side control panel with color screen displays key

use. Its integrated 5.5-inch OLED touchscreen makes

The system offers a browser-based, remote-control

camera parameters and image attributes, while the

it easy to view cable tests, and the unit can save and

interface via QuickLink’s cloud platform from any

control panel’s five buttons allow users to adjust

export OTDR tests

global location. StudioEdge supports four channels

settings directly on the camera. The box camera can

as SOR or PDF files.

of broadcast-quality discrete audio and video from

also be remotely managed via an intuitive, browser-

The PT-OTDR-100

remote guests. It can be seamlessly integrated into the

based web interface and standard control protocols.

performs OTDR

production suite via IP and hardware I/O, and it supports

HDMI and USB output interfaces are complemented

tests, OPM, VFL,

direct, off-air communication between operator and

by support for NDI HX3, SRT, RTSP, RTMP, and more.

and laser source

remote guest(s) for complete control over the production.

38

SCN // June 2025 // avnetwork.com

PRODUCTS TECHNOLOGY

Sennheiser Profile Wireless Profile Wireless is a 2-channel, 2.4 GHz all-in-one microphone system that can be used as a clip-on, handheld, or tabletop mic. The charging

Extron MGP 641 xi

bar (pictured) stores and

Using Extron’s Vector 4K scaling engine, the MGP

charges the key components

641 xi can scale and present up to four 5K sources

of the system and doubles as

on a single screen, including ultra-wide displays. In

a handheld or desktop mic.

FOR-A MixBoard

addition to four HDMI inputs that support data rates

It securely holds a 2-channel

Powered by ClassX, the FOR-A MixBoard is a fully

up to 18 Gbps, the HDCP 2.3-compliant processor

mini-receiver with an OLED

software-based switcher that enables users to create

includes an HDMI background input for presenting

touch display, two pre-paired

complex compositions with unlimited layers via an

live, non-scaled content behind the source windows

clip-on microphones that automatically connect to

intuitive GUI. The switcher supports various input

at resolutions up to 5K. The MGP 641 xi 5K SDI model

the receiver, magnetic clips for attaching the mics

types including SDI, NDI, and SRT, making it a

supports 12G-SDI sources along with HDMI. An

to delicate clothing, and adaptors for connecting

versatile solution for hybrid production setups. The

HDMI output accommodates a local display, while

the receiver to mobile phones or a camera cold shoe

basic model supports eight inputs and two outputs,

the DTP3 output can drive a remote display up to 330

mount. Each clip-on microphone has 16 GB memory

while the advanced model features 16 inputs and

feet (100 meters) away with identical content. Users

for 24-bit internal recording; additional recording

four independent outputs. Advanced DVE capabilities

can also annotate over live content with an optional

modes protect against weak signals and clipping.

enable complex transitions and effects, while

LinkLicense. With a rack-mountable form factor

All Profile Wireless components include mounting

customizable shaders offer unique visual effects

and variety of presentation and transition effects,

threads for table stands and other accessories. With

and color correction options. A built-in multiviewer

it’s an ideal signal processing solution for corporate

its built-in gyro-sensor, the Profile Wireless receiver

allows operators to create custom layouts, while the

boardrooms, public auditoriums, or mission-critical

display automatically rotates by 180 degrees to

SoundFlex audio mixing feature within MixBoard

situation rooms.

remain legible.

supports up to eight audio input tracks.

CONNECTORS & ADAPTORS

FIBER CABLES

FLYPACKS & ROAD CASES

100 95

INSTALLATION PRODUCTS 75

25 5

To Advertise in the SCN CLASSIFIEDS, Contact Zahra Majma at

0

zahra.majma@futurenet.com

Screw Term Adapter for SCN revised Tuesday, March 11, 2025 11:14:06 AM

FURNITURE

MODULAR FLOOR BOXES

VIEWPOINT

AVoIP and KVM in the Control Room Advanced Solutions Could Reduce Clutter While Improving Performance

technology components in the control room, such as systems control and video wall processing, under a single KVM solution. This is particularly true in the control room solutions market that may have multiple distributed systems, multi-monitor setups, and video wall connectivity.

When developing a KVM solution for command and control, designers

By David Isola

T

workstations are now being moved into a server room

must build in real-time responsiveness to support

away from the operators’ desk and being replaced by a

high-resolution multi-displays. Fully scalable KVM

single desktop receiver that handles many (if not all)

systems are core to the future demands of a control

oday’s control room environments are

operator tasks. This also protects valuable computer

room.

increasingly complex—and integrators,

hardware and software assets, keeps physical

contractors, and consultants are expected to

computers free of dust and debris, and guards them

redundancy and failover alternatives. The control

against hacker threats.

room system needs to easily integrate with legacy

offer design and deployment of solutions comprising a wide range of sources, data, devices, and tasks

Plus, a reliable 24/7 environment requires

hardware, offer user-friendly interfaces, and consider

while ensuring both efficiency and reliability. To do

Centralized Monitoring Demands

so, AV over IP (AVoIP) partnered with IP-based KVM

The command and control room solutions market will

situational awareness. Most importantly, command

technologies is becoming a go-to combination for

continue to be driven by the increasing demand for

and control centers must be carefully designed with

optimizing control rooms.

centralized monitoring systems across various

ergonomics in mind to reduce human error incidents.

AVoIP and KVM technologies have historically

industries. Advanced IP KVM solutions now have

ergonomics to optimize operator efficiency and

been deployed as separate systems, each with its own

features that consolidate access to multiple systems,

Evolution and AI

infrastructure and management requirements. Today,

applications, and data sources into a single interface,

In essence, as control room operations evolve,

control room systems that integrate KVM and AVoIP

whereas legacy systems rely on direct hardware

organizations working with advanced IP-based KVM

into a single solution not only boost efficiency but also

connections requiring many additional devices.

technology will have the ability to easily scale up

simplify management.

To differentiate their offerings, integrators are

With centralized monitoring, control room

connectivity, add systems and AV sources, and

operators can now access the same systems in

extend the scope of monitoring and control to

now not only recommending, implementing, and

different locations for real-time collaboration and

address changing requirements and stay flexible. It

integrating innovative solutions, but they are also

quickly hand off tasks without having to physically

is incumbent on Pro AV designers and integrators to

accompanying customers with their expanding and

relocate. This also allows multiple operators to

consider critical elements including bandwidth

future control room needs, offering support for their

monitor different aspects from a centralized interface.

requirements, monitor specifications, video

technology roadmaps/upgrades. This can include a

For example, many clinical lab customers are

resolutions, users and sources, cabling, and unique

full range of post-implementation services, from

seeing significant improvements in the ability to

offering basic service contracts to full-service support

monitor and collect data. KVM innovations have

or new technology upgrades. In doing so, service and

improved real-time data collection from analyzers

will fit into the picture. There is a lot of talk around the

solutions providers are becoming integral to their

and other pre-analytical instruments. The importance

integration of AI with KVM, but at this point it seems to

clients’ control room build and operations.

here is that KVM systems can centralize outpatient

just be investigative in nature. However, there is a world

blood sampling and the integration of the various 24/7

of possibilities around AI through analytics, automation

Clean Up This Mess

or specialized connection requirements.

The interesting aspect in KVM technology is how AI

laboratory units giving both patient research and

around decision making, and potentially remote

KVM over IP together with AVoIP technologies allow

scientific research easy facilitation using the same

monitoring capabilities.

control room operators to deploy and smoothly switch

infrastructure—all with a workable, uniform, and

between physical and virtual systems, monitor the

standardized solution.

systems across several desktop displays, and work

We will continue to see the combination of various

From system log data to video screen data, mouse, and keyboard interactions, there are tons of data flowing through an IP KVM matrix system. It’s feasible

more collaboratively by sharing ultra-high-resolution

that AI can aggregate real-time data from the multiple

visuals on a video wall. Additionally, these technologies

sources connected to the matrix.

allow operators to streamline control room operations

Potentially, AI could analyze network traffic data

Integrating video wall management features within KVM systems enables more flexible display control minus the complexity and costs. And, when they are equipped to monitor and manage multiple

to identify latency in connected video streams, GETTY IMAGES

and reduce response times in critical situations.

monitor data packet flows in networks, and further optimize routing efficiency in control room solutions.

From there, AI could not only analyze the data, but detect anomalies, trigger alerts through automation,

sources efficiently, operators can focus on critical

and even predict system failures based on switching

tasks and collaborate more effectively with colleagues,

delays, network usage, or hardware performance

boosting control room efficiency and responsiveness.

We’re already seeing movement around replacing legacy hardware to reduce clutter. IP

trends. AI is shaping the future in ways we are only beginning to understand, and this is especially true in KVM.

KVM can replace many devices and “clean up”

David Isola is the director of global product

the area around the operators. Loud and clunky

marketing for Black Box.

avnetwork.com // June 2025 // SCN

41