Systems Contractor News - March 2023

Welcome to the March Issue of

SYSTEMS CHECK

All Signage Points to Growth

As we focus on digital signage in SCN this month, it’s a good time to take stock of the business. But before we dive into the numbers, it’s important to note that this technology has, or at least should have, its limits. Personally, I draw the line at public restrooms.

During my travels, I have found a digital signage survey in the doorways of restrooms at two New York airports (and I’m sure you can find them elsewhere). Once you’ve completed whatever tasks you deem necessary in the restroom, the airport folks would like your feedback about said restroom.

Rather than have someone hanging out by the doorway with a clipboard and a sunny disposition, which would be creepy, they’d like you to touch a smiley face or frowny face on what looks like a small, wall-mounted digital tablet that’s equipped with a camera, which might actually be more creepy.

The survey appliance does feature an anti-bacterial screen, so bully for taking that extra step. But I don’t want to interact with restroom digital signage, no matter how clean the facilities or how much you promise your screen doesn’t have germs. Yes, I’m a strong advocate of the Pro AV industry, but I’ve seen way too much in public restrooms.

As we widen our focus beyond the water closet, the general consensus is that the digital signage global market will remain a growth area for the Pro AV industry for some time. Appraisals vary between market research organizations, but some of the most recent estimates come from AVIXA’s 2022 Industry Outlook and Trends Analysis (IOTA), which assigned digital signage an estimated value of $34.2 billion this year. That number is expected to grow to $46.5 billion in 2027.

Sean Wargo, vice president of market intelligence for AVIXA, said digital signage’s estimated 6.3% growth is ahead of the AV industry’s 5.9% overall average. The strongest area for digital signage growth is venues and events. In fact, digital signage is not the only Pro AV product sector benefitting from that market. It’s largely a recovery story, Wargo explained, as people have returned to live events in full force.

While live events may be the rising star, two other markets will continue to drive digital signage: retail and hospitality. Both sectors are dependent on consumer spending, which could cause more expansion than expected in North America.

Wargo noted that early 2022 holiday results indicated a resurgence in brick-andmortar shopping. The trend was confirmed by the National Retail Federation (NRF): Retail sales cashed in at $936.3 billion over the November-December holiday season. While the number fell short of the NRF forecast, it was a 5.3% increase over 2021, with year-over-year gains in seven of nine retail categories.

AVIXA predicts 6.5% digital signage growth in retail, as stores work to make shopping more experiential.

“As retailers try to find ways to differentiate themselves,” Wargo noted, “that translates to a net positive for our industry.”

As travel increased, hospitality had a significant recovery in 2022, but Wargo said businesses were cautious about too much investment in improvements like digital signage. With travel continuing to be strong, he expects to see the market add more digital signage installs throughout 2023. Here’s hoping the vast majority of those projects do not involve the restroom.

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MARCH 2023 VOL. 30 NO. 3

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SNA Displays Upgrade Houston Office Lobby

Genelec Offers Virtual Showroom

To complement its growing global network of physical Experience Centers, Genelec has introduced its online Virtual Showroom, where visitors can explore a wide range of active loudspeaker systems and technologies in a set of realistic room settings. This allows customers across the Pro AV, studio, and home audio segments to instantly access Genelec information and resources in a unique and visually engaging interactive environment.

Hosted on the Genelec website, visitors to the Virtual Showroom can experience the latest in VR technology to navigate separate and distinct areas for AV installation, professional audio monitoring, and home audio that showcase both stereo and

immersive systems using a select range of key loudspeaker and subwoofer models. Visitors can then access detailed product information, video content, and other resources.

“In this fast-paced digital world, the Virtual Showroom has all the benefits of interactivity and instant 24/7 access, while our Experience Centers represent the gold standard in personal contact and critical listening opportunities,” explained Ken Kimura, business development director, Genelec. “Add to that the range of international exhibitions, roadshows, smaller regional events, and dealer demonstrations, and there are now more ways than ever for customers to experience everything that Genelec has to offer.”

AtlasIED Joins Security Industry Association

AtlasIED has joined the Security Industry Association (SIA), a trade association for global security solution providers. The company offers a range of mission-critical audio, public address, and mass communication solutions, which offer security integrators audio and visual alerting and announcement systems that easily integrate into a facility’s existing communications network and security systems.

SIA has more than 1,200 member companies representing thousands of security leaders and experts who shape the future of the security industry. Its mission is to catalyze success within the global security industry through information, insight, and influence. AtlasIED will showcase its solutions for the security

industry at ISC West 2023 in Las Vegas in late March.

“AtlasIED has long provided effective audio and mass communication solutions for critical situations and active lethal threats to help save lives as well as routine or daily announcements to keep individuals informed,” said Michael Peveler, vice president, sales, AtlasIED. “Joining SIA represents another critical step to deepen our collaboration within the security industry as we embrace growth through partnerships, expanded interoperability, and ease-of-installation for security integrators and distributors.”

Global architecture, design, and planning firm Gensler has added a dvLED wall to the lobby of its Houston office, coinciding with the company’s 50th anniversary in the Bayou City. SNA Displays manufactured the BRILLIANT Interior LED video display and provided installation services. The canvas of the 1.9mm pixel pitch video wall is more than 23 feet long, wrapping around a corner to provide a wider viewing experience within the lobby. The screen is powered by SNA Displays’ proprietary V3US02 processor and operates via Gensler’s content management system. The display system also includes a robust audio system with integrated speakers as well as cameras and LED strip lighting elements provided by Diversified.

CrimsonAV Adds LED Experts Group

Known for its Pro AV mounting solutions, CrimsonAV has added an extension of its team called the LED Experts Group. The group will assist integrators and AV designers with selecting the right dvLED for their projects.

The LED Experts Group offers a wide range of indoor/outdoor products suitable for applications of all sectors and sizes. It also offers design and application engineering, content creation, installation, and financial services, making it truly a one-stop shop.

“Our goal is to simplify the LED buying process and help bring projects in on time, under budget, and the proven results that will make an impression,” said Larry Drum, national sales manager for CrimsonAV. “And because we’ve done all the product research with our proprietary vetted partner approach, you can be confident that the options available will be a perfect fit for your project.”

Genelec's Virtual Showroom allows visitors to explore audio systems in realistic room settings.

Cameron University Refreshes Television Studio with FOR-A

As part of its commitment to providing a top-tier educational experience to its student body, Cameron University revamped the school’s television studio with a FOR-A production switcher, server, and graphics system. A public university in Lawnton, OK, Cameron prioritizes real-world experience, and the new system signifi-

cantly expands the school’s production capability and educational opportunities afforded its students North Carolina-based SCMS served as dealer and installer for the upgrade.

As part of its studio operation and television program creation classes, journalism and media production students now receive hands-on training on the new FOR-A HVS-490 production switcher, Odyssey Insight server, and ClassX graphics system. In addition to classes, students produce up to four television programs a week for broadcast on the campus television station, CU-TV, as well as content that streams on Cameron’s digital news platform, AggieCentral.com. North Carolina-based SMSC served as dealer and installer for the upgrade.

“This is an elegant solution heads and shoulders above our previous setup,” said Dr. Mattison Jenkins, professor, Department of Communication, English, and Foreign Languages, who runs the university’s journalism and media program. “We had zero issues getting up and running with it. It’s extremely intuitive, much easier to use than our last system, and we’re happy to report that our first live production went very smoothly. We were blown away with our ability to make changes on the fly. Students and faculty have already remarked on the improved look. But most of all, we’re thrilled with the

improved experience this offers our students.”

The upgrade created an extensive list of new video production capabilities at CU-TV. Among the highlights are an increased number of I/Os and DVE channels, NDI support, event and macro recall, web GUI interface, and network control. Other benefits Jenkins noted were the ability of the HVS-490 switcher’s web GUI to load VRAM (Video RAM) and stills from a PC directly to a still store with a mouse click and VDCP (Video Disk Control Protocol) of the Insight server for start/stop playlist control.

Among the new capabilities Jenkins is most excited about are the 10 NDI/streaming inputs in the ClassX system’s LiveBoard. In addition, the LBconnect app allows control from the HVS-490 panel.

“We can insert any NDI source for dynamic PiP DVE transitions and stream our field reporters using any of the major videoconferencing platforms,” he explained. “With that, we can produce a graphic look that rivals a network station—for all our programs. The difference in our studio before FOR-A and after is night and day.”

“Together, the HVS switcher, Insight server, and ClassX graphics offer an unbeatable solution, and we can’t wait to see what the Cameron University students produce,” said Satoshi Kanemura, president, FOR-A Americas.

Cameron University’s upgraded television studio features a new FOR-A switcher.

Building Pro AV Careers

Women with Key Roles at KMH Integration Share Their Experiences

Attend any Pro AV industry trade show, conference, or seminar and you’re likely to hear something about diversity, equity, and inclusion. At KMH Integration, DEI is more than a talking point. Kelly Rittenhouse and Kristin Medina are two women in the rare roles of holding key technology and business positions at a system integrator. Both came from Stony Brook University in New York, and were introduced to the AV world by career development programs through the school and recruitment efforts by KMH Integration owner Kevin Henneman. Now, Rittenhouse has advanced to director of operations for the Brooklyn-based integrator, while Medina is expanding her project coordinator role. They recently sat down to talk about their experiences and what the industry should be doing to make sure everyone in the room has a voice.

SCN: How did you choose a field that was focused on technology?

Kelly Rittenhouse: I majored in mathematics, with a minor in electrical engineering. I didn’t know what I wanted to do, but I felt like that was broad enough to lead me somewhere. Technology is so omnipresent now; it touches everything.

Kristin Medina: I also have my undergrad degree in applied mathematics. I knew I wanted to do something STEM-related, and I was also curious about computer science. As far as choosing the AV field, it all started with my on-campus job. I was an AV technician at the Wang and Student Activity Center for various campus events, and that type of work stuck with me. When I learned about this job at KMH, it seemed like the next logical step for me.

SCN: When you both graduated, KMH was your first job?

KR: Yes. I graduated in June 2016 and started here in July. My original title was project coordinator. I started putting together equipment lists, helping to manage the office, and supporting any role that needed help. Even as I’ve progressed here to a broader operations role, I still do a bit of everything.

KM: I started while I was still in school, working part-time here for about a year before I graduated. Then, I came on full time in May 2019, starting in the same position Kelly had, project coordinator.

SCN: Since you’ve both begun working in Pro AV, have you encountered any bias?

KR: Many people in this industry have worked together for decades, and they have their own

established relationships and a strong camaraderie, and that type of community can be hard to break into.

KM: When I started going to industry events, it was obvious these guys all have their own history together. But the only way to build my own history is to stick around.

SCN: How do you overcome that?

KM: By doing the job well and creating some recognition for myself. We have a really strong team [at KMH] that works hard to give us the opportunity to speak up. They’re great about including us in everything—not as women colleagues, but as colleagues who are just part of the team. And that’s how it should be.

People in the industry will naturally look toward the people they’ve built relationships with. However, just by being visible, they begin to recognize our names, see the quality of the work we do, and take us seriously.

SCN: Was it hard at first to be confident having your voice heard?

KM: When you first start at any job—as a woman or man—you’re probably not going to be the one running meetings at first, with customers and subcontractors. But then you begin to gain more confidence and speak up more. Everyone is here to do a job, and as long as you can show you know what you’re doing, that’s all people really care about.

SCN: Do you find that most people in this industry are supportive and want to help you grow and develop?

KR: Absolutely, yes. I’m sure there is still some bias present, whether conscious or not, but for the most part, everyone’s very welcoming.

SCN: Do you see the business changing with more women involved in different roles?

KR: There are plenty of women already in the industry— maybe more on the sales or manufacturing side, or in finance or accounting. In the systems integration world, I don’t see too many women techs or engineers.

SCN: What could be done industry-wide to help the next wave of employees find a career path?

KR: About two years ago, when Kevin [Henneman] and I started to look for new ways of finding talent, it was clear there was room for improvement. Job fairs and online recruitment sources are great, and people do respond if they see you are genuinely interested in helping them find a place in an exciting industry.

KM: What would help is if current working professionals put more effort into giving students more exposure to the types of careers available to them in different fields after they finish school. Stony Brook has a job site called “Handshake,” and I applied online to KMH.

Industry Leaders Launch Women in AV/IT

A group of industry leaders have gathered to form Women in AV/IT (WAVIT), a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting and empowering women in the AV and IT industries through education, representation, and inclusion.

“The idea came to us a few years ago during a virtual happy hour. We were discussing how women make up a fraction of the Pro AV industry and how we wanted to change that,” recalled Brandy Alvarado-Miranda, one of the group’s co-founders and CEO of BAM! Marketing & PR Agency. “So, we decided to do something about it. Our intention is to provide a space for all AV and IT professionals to band together to make this industry a safer and more inclusive space.”

WAVIT plans to provide resources for sexual harassment as well as mentorship opportunities, and will focus on creating more speaking and thought leadership opportunities for women. The organization’s leadership also has plans to work with STEM groups to recruit young women into the Pro AV and IT industries. The group was launched in January and has already acquired Women of Digital Signage, another nonprofit organization, which will continue as a sub-group of WAVIT.

“Our organization is going to focus on filling in the gap—complementing industry resources and offering tools to create strong and focused initiatives,” added Gina Sansivero, co-founder of WAVIT and vice president of marketing and corporate communications at AtlasIED. “We want to be bold. We’re here to make ripples that create waves.”

An annual individual membership to WAVIT is $50. Founding memberships are available for $29 until April 30, 2023. The group is also open to partner alliances with other trade associations, organizations, and media companies that want to champion women in the workplace. For more information, visit womeninavit.org.

KR: Through my engineering program at Stony Brook, I had access to incredible mentorship opportunities. And that’s just one example. Schools will always welcome alums back to meet with students and share their experiences, so that’s an easy thing to do as a start. It’s sometimes hard to put that time aside when work gets busy, but you have to make it a priority. We could always be doing more, and it’s not only about promoting women. For example, look at many of the current leaders in our industry. When they retire, I don’t think there’s a proportional amount of younger people, like Kristin or me, who are ready to step up. Diversity and inclusion are broad topics and change doesn’t happen overnight.

MAXHUB Delivers Visual Impact at VFW Sports Center

As an ice hockey team in the North American Hockey League’s Central Division, the Bismarck Bobcats are the local sports heroes. Their arena, the VFW Sports Center, is also home to a multitude of recreation activities, including figure skating and public skating. To enhance the fan experience, ownership has installed a 220-inch MAXHUB Raptor Series diagonal integrated LED wall display.

“The arena is an NHL-sized ice sheet and multipurpose facility,” said Thom Brigl, owner of the Bismarck Bobcats. “The venue has a capacity of approximately 1,500 people, with seats on both sides of the ice rink. While there are certainly larger arenas, VFW Sports Arena’s size creates an intimate and, at times, crazy atmosphere. We wanted to dramatically improve the visual capabilities in this space and, after consulting with AVI Systems of Bismarck, ND, we decided the MAXHUB Raptor 220 Series display was an excellent choice.”

The MAXHUB display is located on an end wall behind the net, and is used to show replays, fan video shots, sponsor videos, and other interactive content using FANNEX interactive software. “Our 220-inch Raptor display is the perfect size for our arena,” said Brigl. “Because the only place to mount the display was on the end wall, we initially had concerns about whether people would be able to see it from 250 feet away—and would they be able to see it at a sharp angle from the stands right next to the screen. In a nutshell, it is perfect.”

With its 1920x1080 HD resolution, the MAXHUB Raptor 220-inch diagonal integrated LED wall display delivers color accuracy, exceptional depth, brightness, and contrast ratio. Its 3-in-1 design also includes the control unit, receiving unit, and power unit in one thin, lightweight chassis.

“In our arena, for both the players and fans, the

MAXHUB Raptor 220 has been a game changer. It allows us—via the use of a TriCaster, multi-angle cameras, and other online content media—to keep the ‘Barn’ rocking with fun, which is so important at today’s sporting events,” Brigl added. “This display is, without a doubt, the most impactful investment to provide the atmosphere desired by both organizations and fans.”

MAXHUB’s 220-inch LED display delivers engaging visuals at Bismarck Bobcats games.

Barco Flexible Operator Workspace Streamlines Heathrow Operations

Operators at London’s upgraded Heathrow Airport Operations Center (APOC) now benefit from Barco OpSpace to get a complete picture of the airport and streamline operations based on information coming from multiple stakeholders.

As one of the busiest airports in Europe, Heathrow welcomes tens of millions of passengers a year, flying to more than 200 destinations worldwide. More than 60,000 people working at 400 organizations make sure the airport operations run like clockwork. The central decision-making unit, where all these activities are coordinated, is Heathrow’s Airport Operations Center, established in 2014.

The APOC brings Heathrow together in a single room with all their important airport stakeholders, including airlines, NATS, Border Force, Metropolitan Police, and the Highways Agency. They make sure that every step of the passenger’s journey is managed and optimized.

APOC operators have a complete picture of Heathrow, and make proactive decisions based on a variety of information systems and data sources, including passenger traffic, gate allocation, road traffic, security cameras, weather information, baggage systems, IT and engineering systems, social media, and more. OpSpace securely brings together all information and systems required in front of the controller, while still maintaining network separation between the various departments and agencies involved.

Since the start of the centralized APOC in 2014,

operators had been using KVM switches to control and interact with data sources on the screen. This enabled them to control multiple sources coming from multiple networks with one keyboard and mouse. Since everything ran over the network, it was also possible to store PC hardware in separate server rooms, away from the operator desk.

However, the KVM system still had limitations. For example, it was not possible to show multiple sources on one monitor. Plus, switching from one source to another on the same screen still required operators to make a manual switch, which also

meant operators needed extra displays to show more applications.

“The strength of Barco OpSpace is that it can bring much more applications into the operator’s view that can be controlled with a single keyboard and mouse,” explained Michael Keane, business development director, Ajar Technology, the U.K.-based integrator for the project. “This way, we have been able to reduce the required number of monitors by 50%. APOC operators now have a much more ergonomic and user-friendly setup to work in.”

Heathrow operators now use Barco OpSpace in two connected locations—in the main APOC control room (with 35 operator seats) and in the backup facility. Distributed across the APOC’s different departments, more than 200 data and video sources are monitored daily.

Operators can now view multiple applications on a single screen and call any application into their front view with a single mouse click. Each operator has a unique profile and can build their own specific workspace layout, which they can replicate upon logging onto any network-connected workstation “Operators now have visibility to much more applications in an ergonomically friendly workspace,” added Keane.

Like the previous KVM-over-IP system, the OpSpace hardware can be conveniently placed in a separate server room or data center away from the actual control room. However, Barco OpSpace is also more efficient in other ways. Ajar Technologies reported the Barco OpSpace hardware took up 50% less room, consumed 50% less power, and required 50% less cooling compared to the previous system.

With Barco OpSpace, the APOC is ready for the future, too. In addition to the solution’s high reliability and uptime, the Heathrow team especially appreciated that Barco OpSpace is fully scalable. The system can easily be extended over the network to other locations while using the same functionality.

The Heathrow Airport Operations Center has replaced its KVM system with Barco OpSpace.

OpSpace has reduced the number of monitors for APOC operators, and its hardware is significantly more efficient than the previous system.

Epson Helps Shared Learning Experiences at Aquarium of the Pacific

As the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach, CA, welcomed students back for in-person learning, educators leaned on Epson technology to help enhance education and bring lessons into the spotlight. Leveraging multiple Epson document cameras throughout learning centers at the aquarium, education staff provide hands-on demonstrations to bring engaging lessons to students and visitors of all ages.

“We were so excited to revamp our education programs and bring students back into the aquarium after a few years of virtual programming,” said Alicia Archer, education manager, Aquarium of the Pacific. “The Epson document cameras were teaching tools our staff incorporated into virtual learning. Now that we have launched our in-person programming, these cameras continue to enhance our education programs. It’s been really fun to think through different activities involving this resource.”

One of the biggest benefits to leveraging document cameras in its education programs has been the ability to offer a shared learning experience to students. Rather than having to describe something, like a dissection, and then walk table to table to show students, a class can do it together step-by-step.

“We’ve been using the document cameras for our ‘Mysteries of the Deep’ class, where we use gel layers on the document camera to simulate going deeper in the ocean,” Archer explained. “This application with the camera has helped us show how the energy of wavelengths differs, and colors change to bring the visualization to life.”

To support a streamlined technology training program for educators, the aquarium is using the same presentation technology in several of its classrooms and learning centers. “While programs and lessons may differ, we are able to keep the tools the same, which really helps when we have new cohorts of educators—they don’t have to worry about learning a different system for every room they are working in,” continued Archer.

“We know education centers like the aquarium tapped into creative technology solutions like

document cameras in order to support and encourage learning throughout the pandemic,” said Nathan Cheng, product manager, Epson America. “It’s beneficial for students visiting the aquarium to get the experience of this education staff, and it’s exciting to hear how Epson technology solutions help to support engaging students in unique and interesting ways.”

Epson document cameras enhance the education programs at the Aquarium of the Pacific.

Christie Powers Projection Mapping at Iconic Church

Christie projection helped to elevate a spatial light art experience for charity at a 19th century church building in Waterloo, Liverpool, UK. For Black Hole–End of Time, projectors were used to map striking content from visual artist Rocco Helmchen onto the iconic interior of Old Christ Church, in conjunction with a unique soundtrack, lighting, lasers, and additional effects.

The performance was the brainchild of musician and lighting designer Paul Alty, with the projection

content created by Helmchen. Funds raised from ticket sales, a JustGiving page, and cash donations were donated to BackupTech, which supports professionals in the entertainment industry, as well as local charity Friends of Old Christ Church.

Following a successful 2021 event, the show aimed to deliver an even more engaging storytelling spectacle last November with the addition of projection. “There was a lot of appetite to do the show again, and I committed to doing projection mapping,

RF Venue Antenna Solve Wireless Issues in Temple

Forward thinking, community centered, and true to their Jewish faith, the Congregation

B’nai Israel, in Tustin, CA, loves music— services are usually accompanied by two acoustic guitars and vocalists. But the previous wireless microphone system had been working against them. With the receiver located in a metal rack some 40 feet from the stage and behind a solid, six-inchthick wall, dropouts were a regular occurrence. Not anymore.

In December, integration partner Mastermind Production Group, based in nearby Fullerton, upgraded the temple’s system by installing a new audio console and increasing the wireless channel count to six (from the previous four). But perhaps the most striking improvement was the addition of a Diversity Architectural Antenna from RF Venue.

“I’ve been using RF Venue’s Diversity Fin

antennas for years on touring and rentals, and they’ve always performed perfectly,” said Chad Griswold, CEO at Mastermind Production Group. “Congregation B’nai Israel needed that kind of performance, but they also required that it be very low profile, as invisible as possible, to maintain the temple’s aesthetic appearance, so going with the new Diversity Architectural Antenna was the perfect solution for them.”

The Diversity Architectural Antenna achieved all the desired goals, including its minimal visual impact. It was installed above eye level, and its paintable surface easily blends into the background. “They nearly didn’t even notice it when or where I installed it,” Griswold added.

And it certainly hit its performance marks. He said wireless users can range anywhere throughout the venue, which measures more than 100 feet from the stage to the back of the temple, without encountering

as I felt like that was the next step,” said Alty. “I felt that the church environment would really lend itself well to it, and it could be even more immersive. I was well aware of Christie and know what a strong reputation it has as a brand. It was important to get the brightness that I wanted to make that impact, and Christie was able to deliver that.”

The narrative of Black Hole–End of Time tells the tale of Jim, an amateur astronomer and astrophysicist who inadvertently opens a black hole, which begins to consume everything in the universe. Christie projectors, mounted on trusses provided by event production company Adlib, were used to power content along one side of the church’s interior, illuminating the sandstone columns.

Additional Christie projectors were used to cover the altar ceiling, church exit, and waiting area. The content, lighting, and lasers were synchronized to Alty’s original soundtrack. The 30-minute experience was available to view over three nights for guests making a charitable donation. All tickets sold out, so Alty added more show slots that sold out in just three days.

“It was satisfying to go ‘one better’ than the previous year, and to raise money for some excellent causes,” added Alty. “The addition of projection mapping content took it to the next level, and I received great feedback from visitors, not least from people already asking about another event. I was very pleased with the performance of the Christie projectors—I did an AB test with other projectors and there was no comparison in terms of brightness, clarity, and color reproduction. The Christie model was head and shoulders above the others.”

a dropout or other RF anomaly.

“The Diversity Architectural Antenna is rock solid, just like all of RF Venue’s antennas are,” said Griswold. “They’re reliable and functional, exactly what you want an antenna to be. The added benefit of the Diversity Architectural Antenna is that it does all that and you’d never even know it was there.”

Projection mapping was used to create an immersive storytelling experience at a 19th century church.

A new RF Venue antenna brings the low-profile, highquality wireless microphone performance required for Congregation B’nai Israel.

Concert Venue Celebrates 40th Anniversary with Audio Upgrade

Avariety of indie and alternative bands play at the popular, intimate Metro concert venue in Chicago. Its lineup has maintained a delicate balance between national headliners and local up-and-comers. With every musical movement that has swept across Chicago—and the country—Metro has booked the key players on all platforms. And now, every act sounds better than ever.

Chicago-based Ayre Productions, a turnkey, full event production and system integration solution company, recently upgraded Metro’s existing loudspeaker system to a d&b A-Series loudspeaker system. “The A-Series helped in a huge way, by being able to focus audio onto the main floor and help to create an even dispersion across it. Adding the balcony fills gave the balcony its own ‘little’ yet powerful presence, as it was never there before,” said John Wagner, co-owner, Ayre Productions.

“The system is remarkable, well designed, and setup for this unique room,” added Joe Shanahan, founder of Metro. “Both the main floor and the balcony now have the balance that we have been seeking for many years. The clean and clear sound combined with the d&b dynamics is what we expect to provide for the artists and for the patrons we welcome into our hall. I have listened to many d&b systems around the country, and I am thrilled with the result that Ayre and d&b have delivered to our venue.”

Wagner said the ceilings at Metro are high, about 22 feet, and the main floor is open with a

balcony that wraps around it. “The room had previous installed treatment, which is decent. The ceiling is even treated,” he noted. “The new system fits perfectly onto truss towers, and the loudspeakers fade away. Compared to the old system, the A-Series clusters are a fraction of the size, yet twice the output.”

Variable splay angles allow arrays of up to four A-Series loudspeakers to adapt precisely to venue shapes in fine increments. Broad distribution is achieved by flying in either horizontal or vertical configurations with a minimal number of loudspeakers. Although the Metro system is flown horizontally, Wagner said several ideas were run through ArrayCalc to determine the best coverage for the space.

“The main FOH speaker setup is four ALi60s per side flown horizontally directly next to the stage, powered by three 40D amplifiers and three SLGSUB’s, powered by two D80 amps under the stage,” he said. “The balcony fills are two 24S point sources, flown above the main arrays, and a pair of 44S loudspeakers right in front of the center balcony lip.”

Positive feedback from both fans and artists has proven the new sound system has already made its audible mark on the venue’s stage. It has already been used during a handful of Metro’s special 40th anniversary celebrations this year, including intimate sets with Billy Strings, Green Day, Idles, and Yeah Yeah Yeahs. More special events are scheduled through July 2023.

JVC Powers Video for WVU Football

As a member of the Big 12 Conference, the West Virginia University Mountaineers football team always looks for new ways to keep its video production up to the high standards at which they play. When it came time for the team to upgrade its video equipment, the production team decided JVC Professional Video’s KY-PZ100 robotic PTZ cameras would be the best option for the stadium and indoor practice venue.

“Our students are volunteers, so they’re not trained camera operators,” explained Shawn Walker, director of video at WVU. “The JVC cameras come with a full auto option that allows us to just turn on the camera and be ready to go, which is super convenient. We found JVC to be an easier solution for the student operators, and it was the less expensive option as well, so we knew we wanted to stay with the brand when adding the PTZ cameras to the venues.”

In addition to the five legacy GY-HM620U camcorders the team continues to use, it now has six JVC KY-PZ100 PTZ cameras permanently installed throughout the stadium, practice field, and indoor practice venue. The content captured by these cameras is used for a variety of video applications, including scouting players, reviewing games and practices, and studying opponents. The team also uses the footage for video exchanges within the conference, and shares it with major sports channels, such as ESPN and FOX, for play-by-plays and more.

“In our conference, we have an open exchange where every school in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) has access to every other school’s film,” said Walker. “With this format, we’re able to download other teams’ game film and edit it with our software. This allows coaches to watch it, break it down, gather ideas, and scout teams or players. That footage from our end is all captured with the JVC cameras. Internally, we use the cameras for our own reviews of practices and games in addition to presenting for broadcasts when necessary.”

West Virginia University is using JVC PTZ cameras for capturing content for its football team.

ISE 2023 Trends Reflect Healthy Pro AV Industry

By Mark J. Pescatore

ISE 2023 is in the books—and based on my three days on the show floor in Barcelona (the show ran Jan. 31-Feb. 3), it seemed to be a massive success for the Integrated Systems Events folks, as well as exhibitors and attendees. Here are a handful of observations from the show, which was a joint venture between AVIXA and CEDIA.

It’s crowded over here.

Last year, the big news coming out of trade shows was, well, there were trade shows again. Whether it was ISE, NAB, or InfoComm (which had a smallerthan-usual show in late 2021), it was a celebration of being together and exploring the latest technologies outside of a Brady Bunch display configuration. Even sore feet were (almost) overlooked—after all, the industry was back to business as usual!

But that theme is so 2022.

At ISE 2023, it was all about exceeding expectations. According to Michael Blackman, managing director of ISE, this year’s show had more than 1,055 exhibitors. They did not break the record set in 2019, but it was an impressive jump from last year’s return. He also said Jan. 31 set the record for the most opening day visitors in the show's history. These stats bode well for attendance at InfoComm 2023 and other industry events.

Partnerships are in style.

There has been a gradual yet significant culture change in the Pro AV industry. In the not-too -distant past, partnerships between manufacturers were few and far between. At ISE 2023, companies like Nureva and Biamp proudly displayed their partners in their booths. Why the change? Joe Andrulis, executive vice president of corporate development for Biamp, explained that these partnerships have developed because customers want to buy solutions, not individual products—so the choice is to partner or lose business. “Companies are finally acting on that,” he added. “Not everybody’s got everything. There’s more [business] to win by working together.”

Meeting equity is a real challenge.

The rise of full-time and part-time remote workers is undeniable and likely permanent for many organizations, which means videoconferencing will continue to gain importance in the corporate world. The Pro AV industry, as a result, is becoming understandably obsessed with delivering solutions that promote meeting equity for in-person and remote meeting participants. Microsoft Teams demonstrations were in full force on the ISE 2023 show floor, and companies like Jabra and DTEN

touted new products specifically designed to address the challenges of the hybrid workforce. I hope you like videobars, speakerphones, ceiling microphones, 21:9 displays, and the acronym BYOD, because they are going to be front and center for a long time.

Pro AV is paying more than lip service to sustainability.

It’s easy to say you have sustainable business practices. However, many Pro AV companies are truly embracing sustainability—and they loudly and proudly shared their efforts on the ISE 2023 show floor. Samsung was arguably the most noticeable, with a large corner of its booth dedicated to telling its story. SAVe, a relatively new organization dedicated to sustainability in the Pro AV space, also had a presence at the show. Hopefully this is a trend that will continue.

Best badge system ever.

Finally, if you preregistered for ISE 2023 and downloaded the show app as directed, badge retrieval was a breeze. When you walked through the entry portal (which had plenty of queues), the first worker scanned your digital voucher and the second worker, stationed at a printer directly behind the first worker, handed you your badge and lanyard. ISE, I beseech you, never change this system. And send somebody to make it work for industry conventions in Las Vegas and Orlando.

Above: Like many other companies on the show floor, Biamp was proud to highlight its partners.

Companies like Samsung promoted their sustainability efforts at ISE 2023.

The new badge retrieval system was ingenious, leading to significantly more efficient entry to the show.

ISE 2023 exceeded expectations with attendance.

InfoComm, NSCA Partner on Education for Upcoming Show

InfoComm has partnered with the National Systems Contractors Association (NSCA), on education for InfoComm 2023, which takes place June 10-16 (exhibits 14-16) at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, FL.

“InfoComm is the must-attend Pro AV show in North America, with the education program being a huge draw for AV professionals,” said David Labuskes, CTS, CAE, RCDD, CEO of AVIXA, producer of InfoComm. “The show delivers a comprehensive program that features technical training, AV solutions-focused sessions, and CTS prep and certification renewal courses. We’re thrilled to partner with NSCA—their program will provide valuable insight on the business of Pro AV to the

finances to project management. On June 13, NSCA will present a half-day program that features a plenary session on how systems integrators can become a trusted advisor, rather than just another vendor, through technology lifecycle management practices. Attendees can then attend one of NSCA’s BizSkills courses: “Finance: Managing Cash and Targeting Profitable Projects” or “Project Management: 10 Steps to Preserving Profitability.”

“NSCA takes pride in providing integrators with reliable, industry-specific business education,” said Tom LeBlanc, executive director, NSCA.

training opportunities. The value that integrators offer their customers has never been higher—but strong business skills are essential to operating an integration company efficiently and properly. It’s tough out there. Integrators must win in the back office just like they win on the front lines with their solutions. We’re excited to work with AVIXA on this.”

“InfoComm is proud to partner with strong organizations to bring a wide-ranging educational program to the show,” added Rochelle Richardson, CEM, senior vice president of expositions and events, AVIXA. “Our education partners—the AV Users Group, Digital Signage Federation, and NSCA—ensure we are delivering the most comprehensive program possible. At InfoComm 2023, attendees will have an array of educational opportunities to choose from that will help elevate their professional skills.”

Registration for InfoComm 2023 is open. The show is sponsored by strategic partners Blackmagic Design

Let’s Get Technical

Extron CEO Taraci Brings CTO Experience to New Role

By Mark J. Pescatore

SCN: How long have you been with Extron, and what are your new responsibilities?

Brian Taraci: I’ve been with Extron since 1994, so this year I’ll celebrate my 29th anniversary. In addition to my new responsibilities as chief executive officer, I’ll continue as chief technology officer, providing the vision for our next generations of technology and working with the engineering departments to bring them to market.

SCN: At this stage of your career, do you prefer the technical or the executive side of the business?

BT: The technical and executive aspects of my career are intertwined to the point where I don’t think I could choose. I’ve been involved in almost all areas of our business, including sales, marketing, operations, and, of course, engineering. And while Extron is fundamentally a technology company, I’d say it’s rewarding to have the opportunity to lead both sides.

SCN: You’ve had a hand in developing a number of Extron’s technologies, but which particular product line makes you most proud?

BT: I led teams in the development of some major product lines such as our CrossPoint matrix switchers, XTP Systems, and NAV Pro AV over IP streaming technology. It would be impossible to pick a favorite. They are all industry leaders.

Some of our more recent accomplishments have been centered around our patented PURE3 codec. Our flexible and upgradable XTP platform is also one that we’re proud of. Our XTP matrix switchers offer a 50 Gbps backplane and were designed to handle the data rate demands of 8K video several years before 8K was commercially available.

SCN: What advice would you give organizations looking to improve meeting equity between in-person and remote participants?

BT: Extron has supported the needs of meeting rooms and participants since the inception of our very first product. We’ve developed technologies to enhance meetings and foster collaboration, learning a lot along the way. The past few years have seen us partner with some of the most prominent UC solution providers.

Listening to what’s most important for decision makers when selecting AV technology allows us to design products that meet the needs both users and administrators. On top of that, we provide system

design assistance and continue to be recognized for our award-winning customer support, ensuring project success.

SCN: How important is AV-over-IP to the Pro AV market?

BT: Our customers have responded extremely well to our NAV Pro AV over IP series of products, which continue to be deployed in a growing range of environments. That said, we still see many applications that are best suited for more traditional video distribution systems like our DTP, XTP, and FOX series products. Extron is committed to supporting a wide range of video distribution technologies as our industry continues to evolve. There’s no question that AV-over-IP is a key transport technology for our market, as it provides a high level of scalability and flexibility. Still, it requires some level of network expertise and additional customer infrastructure, potentially making for a more complex installation. In addition, it requires that AV professionals coordinate with, and obtain the cooperation of, the customer’s IT department.

Brian Taraci Position: CEO/CTO Company: Extron

BT: When it comes to supply chain issues, I’d say the logistical issues are severe, but they can also be an opportunity for us. We have the advantage of developing and designing our own intellectual property, enabling us to adapt and respond to changes in component availability in a more dynamic fashion. Our world-class support has helped keep customers apprised of our inventory and order status, as well as answer their questions along the way.

SCN: What short and long-term goals have you set for Extron?

BT: Extron’s success isn’t just about creating innovative products; it’s about being a leader in the industry. Working with the department leaders and the executive team, I’m focused on ensuring Extron advances our leadership position and that we continue to exceed customer expectations. We’re continuing to invest in R&D. Developing and leveraging our own intellectual property allows us to bring unique solutions to the market. This means our customers are better positioned to deliver the most effective solutions.

SCN: Where do you see the Pro AV industry heading?

Extron’s strength as a manufacturer is that we have the products and the expertise to ensure a successful system deployment, no matter what technology you choose. Our S3 support team now includes a fully staffed and dedicated team of network engineers. These are folks with extensive backgrounds and certifications in the IT world, and are available to help with any AV-over-IP application our customers may bring to us.

SCN: How have supply chain issues impacted Extron, and what is your outlook for the next 12 months?

BT: I see opportunities for boundless innovation. As an industry, and at Extron in particular, we need to continue developing the right products and providing the service and support our customers need to be successful. As new technologies arise, we need to provide solutions that meet the needs of an ever-changing world.

Extron grew up alongside the AV industry. We’ve seen the evolution of technologies that completely reshaped how people communicate. We’re proud of the leading role we play in developing technologies that drive the industry forward, and I’m very excited for the road ahead.

Listening to what’s most important for decision makers when selecting AV technology allows us to design products that meet the needs both users and administrators.

Now Hear This

PAMA Promotes Pro Audio Awareness, Provides Industry Education and Leadership

By Mark J. Pescatore

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

Chris Regan: RF Venue joined PAMA in 2018. I was selected by the PAMA directors as chair-elect in 2018, and took over from as chair in 2021. I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to host meetings and promote the industry on behalf of membership companies.

SCN: What is PAMA’s mission, and how does it work to accomplish it?

CR: Since its inception in 2003, PAMA has promoted awareness and appreciation of high-quality professional audio through market leadership, communication, and education. Today, PAMA harnesses the collective strength of the pro audio community to ensure the health and well-being of our industry.

One of the great things about being in PAMA is our ability to share and discuss common issues with our member companies. We are all currently going through similar issues, from supply chain disruptions to rapidly changing consumer demand. Being able to discuss these trends with peer companies has been a great resource. Additionally, we communicate and promote the benefits of professional audio hardware and software in high-quality audio, disseminate important information on trends in the industry, protect and grow the professional audio industry through outreach to students, and collaborate with trade associations and exhibitions.

Our student-focused events have become a core initiative. PAMA-hosted panel discussions for students studying pro audio feature member companies’ representatives who speak on hiring, internships, and career paths on the manufacturing side of the industry. There are a lot of brilliant young audio engineers that might not consider roles in manufacturing, so it’s PAMA’s job to educate them on what those roles look like and the best ways to pursue those opportunities. We also co-sponsor with Shure an annual scholarship for audio students in honor of the late Mark Brunner.

SCN: How is PAMA celebrating its 20th anniversary?

CR: We have updated our brand with a new PAMA logo featuring crisp lines and digital imagery evoking the excitement and potential of the future of professional audio. This year will also see the continuation of PAMA’s compelling series of monthly webinar events featuring leading voices sharing their perspectives on various industry issues, the separate series of studentfocused webinars, the naming of 2023 recipients of the Mark Brunner Professional Audio Scholarship, profiles

of audio professionals from PAMA member companies with insights from their unique and varied perspectives, and contribution by PAMA members to ongoing dialogs on critical industry issues.

SCN: Are there exclusive PAMA membership benefits?

CR: Depending on the level of participation, member benefits can include direct access to executives from pro audio companies around the globe, company inclusion on our job feed, invitations to on-site meetings hosted by a PAMA member company, and the opportunities to serve on the board of directors, participate on quarterly panels with pro audio students, and contribute to industry issue analysis and commentary. It is a wonderful group of people who are passionate about the industry, and I have developed great relationships that I wouldn’t have otherwise.

SCN: How many member companies does PAMA currently have, and what are you doing to grow membership?

CR: PAMA member companies include Audinate, Audio-Technica, Audix, Biamp, d&b audiotechnik, Harman, IEMITO (In-Ear Monitor International Trade Organization), QSC, RF Venue, Sennheiser, and Shure. We are supported by Jennifer Shockley, our independent executive director, who has been with us since December 2017. We meet once a month virtually and normally meet face-to-face at least once a year at member companies’ offices. We are welcoming new member companies to join PAMA’s ranks, as well as industry professionals interested in presenting to the group at our open events.

SCN: What types of activities does PAMA sponsor for its members?

CR: Our members are our greatest assets and resources for the industry. PAMA member companies realize that we can compete while still cooperating to the benefit of not only our members, but also the industry at large. Our board and membership meetings, online and in person, serve to facilitate open dialog that raises all boats.

PAMA’s online member meetings (open to the industry) feature guest speakers from the pro audio industry. We have had some amazing presentations and Q&A sessions with experienced executives from Sweetwater, ATK Audiotek, the Roadie Clinic, IdeaCloud, and Iron Mountain Entertainment Services, as well as leading economists and market researchers presenting valuable insight and industry forecasts. All our online issue-based and student-focused events are

Chris Regan

Position: Chair, Board of Directors

Company: Professional Audio Manufacturers Alliance

Overtime: I’m also the co-founder and president of RF Venue. In my spare time, I’m an avid skier, keyboard player, and entrepreneur.

archived for anyone to view at pamalliance.com/events. Members also worked together with industry trade organizations to address outdated language and terminology issues. The result was “PAMA Recommendations for Neutral Nomenclature in Pro Audio,” a document that was embraced by the industry and includes a list of suggested terms to replace current terminology.

SCN: PAMA conducts its own industry research— any data you’d like to share now that companies are moving past the pandemic?

CR: We’re seeing unprecedented growth in both live and installed sound. Venues are fully booked, artists are back on the road, seats are selling out, and installation projects are moving ahead at full steam. There are still lingering supply chain issues affecting many projects, but we’re seeing those bottlenecks starting to clear as we get further into 2023. One of the strongest growth areas in the industry is in audio for conferencing and streaming, where high-quality audio has become a critical element of voice intelligibility.

SCN: What are some of the biggest challenges facing the pro audio industry?

CR: For pro audio manufacturers, installers, live sound production companies, and end users alike, finding and retaining talent is proving to be the biggest challenge. Since the pandemic shutdown, many talented individuals left the field, and finding experienced replacements is difficult. There is also a lot of competition across industries for engineering talent of all kinds. This is why an important part of PAMA’s strategic plan is promoting the pro audio industry to students who may not otherwise consider the many opportunities available.

That said, the future is bright for PAMA and the entire pro audio industry. There are all kinds of new immersive technologies like extended reality (XR), Dolby Atmos, and other innovations that will continue to drive the industry forward.

Rep Report

Wireless intercom solutions provider PLIANT TECHNOLOGIES has appointed VISION2 WEST MARKETING as its manufacturer’s rep for Southern California. Vision2 West will represent Pliant’s entire suite of products, including its CrewCom and MicroCom intercom lines, along with its complete line of headsets and accessories.

RTI has appointed NEW ERA MARKETING as its official sales rep serving dealers in Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Arkansas. New Era Marketing will represent both RTI and the Blustream AV distribution brands throughout the region, building on the success it has achieved after representing the Blustream AV distribution line for RTI in the TOLA states since 2021.

VIDEO MOUNT PRODUCTS has named New York-based AEK MARKETING as its manufacturer’s rep for the Northeast United States, serving metropolitan New York City/Long Island/New Jersey, Upstate New York, and New England territories. AEK Marketing has more than 25 years of experience in the marketplace, dedicated to the ever-changing technology world and keeping customers educated.

ADVANCED SYSTEMS GROUP has added industry veteran GEORGE HAILE as a director of strategic accounts. He will lead business development across all ASG lines of business in Southern California and select global accounts, providing high-profile clients with complete solutions.

A 30-year broadcast industry veteran, Haile has held

Hall Technologies Hits Growth Spurt with New Hires

In a recent growth spurt, Hall Technologies added five new staff members. Its global team now includes Daniel Adams as technical support manager for the EMEA region, Brandon Gramse as senior electronics engineer along with Rey Aviles as support manager/applications engineer, Mario Becerra as an account manager for inside sales, and Victor Vasquez as a customer service technician.

Adams has worked as both an integrator and at a distributor/manufacturer level within the AV industry for more than 15 years. Gramse has been in

regional, national, and global sales roles in addition to managing sales teams and product lines. Haile has held high-level positions at Grass Valley, Sony Broadcast, Dolby Laboratories, and TVU Networks.

Digital signage veteran FRANK PISANO has joined BLUEFIN INTERNATIONAL as CEO. An experienced leader, he brings more than 20 years of client leadership, strategic sales, operations, and revenue performance to the Bluefin team. Based out of Atlanta, Pisano will advance the strategic positioning and differentiation of the company. Bluefin is known for its customizable solutions for signage and digital communications, and Pisano will prioritize ensuing the offering is more accessible to new markets/verticals, new channels, and offer a fresh take on partner strategy.

DAKTRONICS has promoted MICHELANGELO “MIC” SPICCIATI as regional sales leader in the Mid-Atlantic region for the high school, parks and recreation, commercial on premise, and out of home markets. The Mid-Atlantic region consists of Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. Spicciati joined Daktronics in 2006 with a role in technical services and sales. Two years later, he moved into a sales position, where he has been successful in bridging sales activity and providing consistent results across business units.

Underscoring its commitment to providing immersive solutions for the event technology industry, D&B has appointed AL MCKINNA as vice president of its new immersive business unit. He will be responsible for d&b’s global immersive strategy,

developing the business roadmap, establishing strategic partnerships, and driving future innovations. Based in London, McKinna spent the last two decades in leadership roles in both live sound and commercial audio, most recently as head of product at Focusrite’s Optimal Audio after spending 15 years at Avid in senior product management and sales roles.

Industry veteran LUCINDA FAUCHEUX has launched LAFAU CONSULTING, an independent consultancy that specializes in transforming tech businesses by helping them achieve their goals of driving lean, efficient, and reliable supply chains while optimizing workflows and driving down costs. She has more than 13 years of experience in supply chain management and procurement, and has occupied key roles within Diversified, Vega, and Netpractise. Her primary client base is systems integrators.

CHRISANNE RHODES has joined TRINNOV AUDIO as customer support manager, Americas. In this newly created role, Rhodes is responsible for establishing and maintaining client relationships and maintaining a high level of customer service for Trinnov’s high-end and cinema markets. She will work with Trinnov dealers, sales representatives, and end users on both a pre and post-sale basis. Most recently, she was the sales director of Endgame Marketing, where she represented Trinnov Audio in the TOLA (Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Arkansas) territory.

troubleshoot technical issues, and report the resolution back to management.

the AV industry for more than 25 years, most recently at GenComm, and will primarily lead an engineering team with developing, managing, and supporting UCC and AVoIP products. Aviles, who has previous experience in corporate AV and in the live events industry managing concerts and film festivals, will assist in organizing and executing QC/QA processes.

Born and raised in Dallas, Bacerra has more than 20 years of sales experience. Vasquez will be a key point of contact to respond to technical service requests,

“We love the tremendous growth opportunities our new staff members bring to Hall. The company’s trajectory has been on a steady rise for more than two years now, beginning with our rebrand in 2020,” said Hal Truax, vice president of sales and marketing. “The purpose of rebranding was to put a greater focus on the human-centric products and the global solutions Hall is developing. The culmination of our rebranding, GLI’s investment into Hall [in 2022], and the addition of new members to our team helps solidify Hall’s plans for product expansion.”

Frank Pisano

Mic Spicciati

Al McKinna

Lucinda Faucheux

Chrisanne Rhodes

George Haile

From left, Daniel Adams, Brandon Gramse, Rey Aviles, Mario Becerra, Victor Vasquez

By Douglas Kleeger

Watch Your Language

Have You Actually Read the Agreement You’re Signing?

While the need for subcontractors to supplement the staffing issues of the last few years (COVID-19, supply chain shortages, etc.) has become readily apparent, make no mistake, this is nothing new. Our industry, like many others, has its ups and downs—some seasonal, some based on spending patterns of various government entities—which cause serious fluctuations in income and the ability for many to make payroll.

I have seen and lived through the shortsightedness of way too many employers who cycle through such times by letting staff go. It usually starts with the installers and moves to the engineers. There are, of course, alternatives. Many companies opted these past years for mutual pay cuts rather than terminations (some voluntary, some mandatory) and, of course, reduced work hours. Kudos to them!

So many of us who felt undervalued and poorly treated have opted to sell our services as independents, hence, the phrase “independent contractor.” I have seen the entire gamut of types of these services, from individuals to companies with a staff of independents to large, regional companies with full-time employees (yes, even with benefits) used as part of their independent services.

Before You Start

Agreements, now called contracts, are the norm. Years ago, it was much simpler. As a small independent, I would purchase my equipment from various stores, and sometimes they would need some help on an installation. The agreement, $300 for the day, would be to install this equipment on Tuesday—and that was it.

I remember many times the client’s customer would ask me if I could get equipment and install it for them for less. This was New York, and it seemed everyone was looking for a deal (even if it was unscrupulous). My answer was always the same: no. In fact, I would never even consider it, unless the customer called the seller and asked them if it was OK for me to work directly for them. I don’t ever remember a customer making that call.

Today, depending on the size and shrewdness (can’t think of a better word I can put in print) of the company, they will likely ask you to sign something before you start. Ideally, the agreement(s) should be simple and balanced to reflect the interests of the integrator and subcontractor. Unfortunately, that is rarely the case.

Some of the agreements you may be asked to sign are:

• NDA: Non-Disclosure Agreement

• NCA: Non-Compete Agreement

• ICA: Independent Contractor Agreement

In addition, you may be asked to provide a Certificate of Insurance for liability, with the loss payee made out to the company that is hiring you. (That is a discussion for another day.)

Depending on the services you are going to perform, some companies will stress one over the other. For example, if you are working on site with the client as a project manager, they may be more concerned with an NDA, as you will be privy to how they do things, rather than an NCA.

Clause and Effect

NDAs that I have seen are often too many pages—and invade your privacy and intellectual property. For example, let’s say you are working on a project and come up with a great idea. Maybe you even get a patent for it. Most of these agreements have a clause that you are signing away 100% of your rights to that invention.

In my experience, most of these agreements are completely one-sided toward the company that hires you. Before you sign it, have a contract attorney

review it to fully understand what you are signing, as well as what your liability is if they want to take action against you.

NCAs are also common and may contain language that is not even legal in your state. For example, in California (last I checked), they are not even enforceable. While I understand that exposing a subcontractor to a client has risks, and maybe a company has been burned in the past, a year or two is typical for contact by you to their client. More than that is often unenforceable.

These agreements can also get extremely one-sided and excessive as far as penalties and costs if broken. Again, and I can’t stress this enough, get a contract attorney from the state you are in and have them look it over, so you fully understand what you are signing.

ICAs typically include details and provisions as to the nature of your employment, such as duration, what you will be doing, rate of pay, when you will be paid, and even what to wear and how to act while on the job. Once again, make sure you understand what you’re signing. There may be a clause (yes, I have seen this) where they do not pay you until they get paid—and if they do not get paid, you may have to wait 90 days or more to get paid. Let’s all say it together: contract attorney.

Everything’s Negotiable

This is an area that is often incredibly out of balance and can be negotiated. Yes, negotiated. Often, I have sent agreements back, with all the objectionable clauses crossed out. Some were so bad, I just could not sign them in good conscience. Often, the company is hiring you because they often have an immediate need. Stand up for yourself, and do not be afraid to object to anything that makes you feel uncomfortable.

Another option is to have your own ICA that you have them sign. I do this often. It details the work I am going to do, how and when I get paid, what happens if there is an overage in the agreed amount of time, or if the client delays my ability to do the work, among other aspects. If you would like me to send you a copy, just send me an email.

One last thing to consider: Often, the person (maybe from HR) who sends you the agreement just sends them without reviewing them. More than once I have received a standard agreement saying I need $5 million in liability insurance for when I am on site. The problem, of course, is that I am working remotely—in a different state—on drawings. These agreements are supposed to be targeted for the type of services you provide, so make sure they are worded appropriately.

Doug Kleeger, CTS-D, DMC-E/S, XTP-E, KCD, is the founder of AudioVisual Consulting Services. Contact him with questions or comments at doug@avcs.us.

The Great Outdoors

Daktronics Helps Digital Signage Installs Stand Out in Very Different Environments

By James Careless

The curved LED ribbon at EVMS was designed to look like it was part of the initial building design.

DIGITAL SIGNAGE BUSINESS

From the visually cluttered Times Square in New York City to the busy campus of Eastern Virginia Medical School (EVMS) in Norfolk, VA, creating eye-catching outdoor digital signage that really commands attention can be a challenge. Yet Daktronics delivered effective—and very different—solutions for both locations.

In Times Square, Daktronics installed a 24x48foot LED digital billboard with 8mm pixel pitch for Heritage Outdoor Media on the Bow Tie Building at 1530 Broadway. In contrast, the company installed a curved LED ribbon marquee on the exterior of Waitzer Hall, an 11-story, glass enclosed building that opened in late 2020.

No Trouble with the Curve

At EVMS, Daktronics opted for a curved LED ribbon installed a few floors above street level on Waitzer Hall. The display, which was completed in Spring 2022, delivers school branding and messaging to passing pedestrians and motorists.

The 53-foot long, 8.5-foot high marquee features 10mm pixel spacing to provide high-resolution image clarity as it bends around the building’s flowing architecture. Working with Doug Martin, EVMS executive director of facilities, and his team, Daktronics quickly realized the natural curve and location higher in the building was a good fit for an LED ribbon. “This space allowed for Daktronics to develop a very dynamic and creative display that fits naturally into the original building design,” said Charley Bocklet, Daktronics regional sales manager.

The curved display also solved an unanticipated design problem. “The decision to add external digital signage came later in our planning and our construction process,” explained Dr. Vincent Rhodes, associate vice president and chief communications officer, EVMS. “As a result, we need an option that would work with the existing building design. A flat sign would have limited our placement options and looked like an afterthought. The EVMS digital marquee takes advantage of a curve in the architecture to provide significantly more messaging space, while looking like the signage was intended to be there from the beginning.”

Today, the digital marquee is used to display “good news about our school, community outreach, special events, awards earned, and public service announcements,” said Rhodes. “Our creative services and video production teams put the visuals together, and we update our content daily or weekly as needed.” Content is updated via Daktronics Venus Control Suite, which allows users to schedule content using cloud-based or hosted options for all levels of signage applications, as well as subdivide the sign into sections for multiple simultaneous messages.

EVMS chose Daktronics for the project based on a combination of quality and price. “Daktronics offered signage that accommodated the curved

surface of our building, with the robust features we wanted at a price that fit our budget,” Dr. Rhodes said. “We love being able to subdivide the signage. We love the flexibility the sign provides us, and it has quickly become one of our commonly used means of communicating with

our community.”

Almost a year after it was installed, the EVMS digital marquee has become one of the school’s “go-to communications tactics,” said Dr. Rhodes. “The screen grabs attention for our campus-based and community-benefit messages.”

DIGITAL SIGNAGE

As for the reaction of the EVMS community to this prominent and very visible marketing tool? Rhodes said it has been very well received. “Our faculty, staff, and students are thrilled to see the good news being shared, and many community members have commented on how attention grabbing the signage is,” he added. “We’ve even had requests from our campus partners and community nonprofits to add their messages to ours. It’s been a great way to build stronger partnerships and benefit our community.”

Big Apple Expectations

Just how big is signage—digital and otherwise—in Times Square? It’s so big that One Times Square, the wedge-shaped skyscraper also known as Times Tower, has been largely empty since 1995 and used primarily as a 25-story billboard.

It is in this incredibly sign-packed environment that Heritage Outdoor decided to add its Daktronics surface-mounted LED billboard—suitably named

“New York, New York”— on the Bowtie Building. Certainly, it’s a great place for an LED billboard. According to Heritage Outdoor Media, an average of 260,000 daily visitors walked by the site in March 2022. Plus, the Bowtie Building is at center stage of the annual New Year’s Eve celebrations within Times Square.

“We chose this project because we were introduced to the Torkian Group, who had the rights for the signing space and wanted a partner,” said James Manfredi, one of the managing partners and co-founders of Heritage Outdoor Media. “We thought this was a good opportunity because it allowed us to enter into the square. We also felt that the sign being positioned at street level would allow us to do interactive things with its messaging and drive revenue that way.”

According to Jeff Everson, Daktronics director of spectacular projects, the “New York, New York” LED billboard was custom-built for this site by the company’s plant in Sioux Falls, SD, based on the

Daktronics DXB urban signage line. “We’ve been doing projects in Times Square for well over three decades now, and we’ve seen pixel pitches starting in the 20-25mm range that was kind of the gold standard and progressing down 10mm pixels for higher density and better picture resolution,” he said. “So going down to 8mm is a real advance.”

Installing the “New York, New York” LED billboard wasn’t easy, because Times Square is such a high-traffic area. Minimizing disruption due to construction was a must, so the sign was raised into place by crane in two sections to speed up the installation. Daktronics and Heritage Outdoor Media also worked together to modify the sign’s cabinet to make it easy to establish connections while staying within the rules of Torkian Group’s lease.

“Normally a sign in Times Square is allowed to stand 8-10 feet off a wall,” said Manfredi. “But because of lease constraints, we couldn’t come out more than 3 feet off the wall. So, we had to really work with Daktronics to redesign their cabinets so that we could fit within the rules. It was a big challenge, but we figured it out together. They also made it possible to open the back of the sign’s cabinet, so that someone could reach their hand in to make the connections. Normally, you couldn’t do this.”

Since being installed in late December 2022, the “New York, New York” LED billboard has been holding its own in Times Square’s visual clutter. “We’ve had a great reaction,” Manfredi said. “People are surprised about the placement of the sign, and they think it’s a good quality location.”

“We love the flexibility the sign provides us, and it has quickly become one of our commonly used means of communicating with our community.”

Dr. Vincent Rhodes, EVMS

Heritage Outdoor Media’s digital billboard in Times Square required some creative installation solutions.

Times Square is loaded with digital signage trying to attract the attention of the hundreds of thousands of people walking through the area each month.

Campus Technology Tour

New ASU Thunderbird School of Global Management Features Planar Displays

Thunderbird School of Global Management at Arizona State University selected Planar as its display technology partner for its new global headquarters in downtown Phoenix. In celebration of Thunderbird’s 75th anniversary, the new five-story, 110,000-square-foot, high-tech facility features an impressive selection of display solutions, supporting the institution’s mission of being the most technological and digital leadership management business school in the world.

Displays appear throughout the new headquarters, including the Digital Global Forum, Global Decision Theater, Founders Ring, classrooms, meeting spaces, and more. The installation includes a variety of Planar LED, LCD, transparent OLED, and custom display solutions, providing Thunderbird with new ways to recruit, instruct, collaborate, and visualize data. Thunderbird’s new global headquarters featuring Planar’s extensive selection of display solutions were unveiled during a special global reunion event last spring.

“It’s an incredible privilege to power Thunderbird’s new global headquarters with Planar’s industry-leading display solutions,” said Adam Schmidt, executive vice president, Planar. “Thunderbird is a world-renowned institution with a reputation of

being at the forefront of innovation. In addition to elevating viewing and learning experiences, our extensive portfolio of groundbreaking visualization technologies is a perfect match for Thunderbird’s vanguard capabilities for global connectivity in its new high-tech facility. We’re thrilled to be making history with one of the most technologically sophisticated global management schools in the world.”

An assortment of curved LED displays serves as a

key attraction near the building’s ground-floor entrance before visitors are surrounded by an extensive range of LCD display technologies that support teaching and collaboration. In the front entrance, a 55-inch transparent OLED display serves as a virtual greeter to welcome guests, while Planar CarbonLight CLI Series LED video display—nearly 9 feet in diameter with a 1.9mm pixel pitch—forms the Founders Ring, featuring the names of the school’s

Thunderbird's Digital Global Forum features a custom LED sphere as well as a 360-degree LED video ribbon, 26-foot video wall, and 18-foot video wall.

Hundreds of 4K LCD displays are deployed in classrooms and meeting spaces throughout the facility.

DIGITAL SIGNAGE BUSINESS

ing display solutions with Thunderbird’s global enterprise management expertise and renowned leadership success development programs.

“Our vision is to not only reclaim our position as the most global leadership and management school in the world, but to also be the most digital and

technological,” said Sanjeev Khagram, director general and dean of Thunderbird. “That was our mantra for designing and building this fantastic new global headquarters, and it’s the long-term partnerships with collaborators like Planar that has brought it to life.”

founders and a canvas for branding, key messages, or welcoming guests.

Suspended from the ceiling, a custom 8.2-foot LED sphere with a 3mm pixel pitch hangs in the Digital Global Forum, a dynamic open rotunda used to host a variety of events and presentations. The area also features a 360-degree, 146-foot LED video ribbon of Planar CarbonLight CLI VX Series LED displays with a 2.6mm pixel pitch, which can support 12 videoconferencing or camera feeds. Below it, an 18-foot-wide LED video wall includes motion-responsive technology that controls content on the sphere. Plus, a second LED video wall (26x10 feet), installed directly below the LED ribbon, is used for presentations or live camera feeds.

Hundreds of additional Planar large-format 4K LCD displays, ranging from 55-98 inches, were deployed throughout the facility’s classrooms and learning spaces. For example, two Planar HB Series 75-inch touch screen displays were installed in the dean’s suite. One classroom includes nine multi-touch tables, each comprised of 55-inch ultra-narrow bezel optical touch LCD displays in a 3x1 configuration for nextgeneration collaboration. In the Global Decision Theater, a curved, 30-foot-wide, 1.5mm pixel pitch LED video wall provides a spectacular presentation and broadcast background. Even recreation got the high-tech treatment, with three Planar UltraRes X Series 100-inch touch 4K LCD displays installed in the Thunderbird Pub on the fifth floor.

In addition to helping Thunderbird become the most technologically sophisticated graduate school in the world, the new leading-edge facility and Planar’s innovative visualization technologies are instrumental in the school’s pursuit to lead the Fourth Industrial Revolution. The partnership merges Planar’s nearly 40-year history of designing, deploying, and support-

The Global Decision Theater is an immersive visualization room powered by Planar LED display technology.

Nine multi-touch tables drive collaboration in one classroom.

All Eyes on Cybersecurity Monitoring

VuWall Drives Video Wall Management for Khipu Networks

As a result of the changes in how organizations and people now work, the reliance on experienced, certified, and readily available technical and cybersecurity support is at an alltime high. It’s essential that all risks are continuously monitored to ensure network infrastructure is always available and always secure.

Khipu Networks is a cybersecurity company developed in response to the need for constant support and managed services that let customers focus on project delivery, rather than be consumed by the daily tasks of monitoring and managing unforeseeable problems and cyber breaches. The company provides many services, which are overseen from the company’s 24/7/365 staffed Network Operations Centre (NOC). To that end, the company required a video wall management solution that would allow the flexibility to visualize the entirety of its data and informational feeds as well as replace its existing visualization solution, which couldn’t match their current and future needs.

VuWall’s approach to video wall management in AV-over-IP environments, bridging AV, IT, and IP systems to seamlessly manage and control visual content throughout organizations, was exactly what Khipu needed.

Visualization LImitations

Khipu proactively monitors clients’ infrastructure and security postures to provide immediate identification of problems either before or as they occur— allowing quick alerting, action, and resolution. This means staff must have eyes on clients’ entire IT environments, which can include LAN, Wi-Fi, firewalls, RADIUS, WANs, UPS power supplies, IoT, servers, service/application, and more.

The existing solution was not flexible enough to give Khipu the insight to allow for rapid response, with equipment failures and nagging intermittent issues becoming the norm. For example, the content could not be changed dynamically and the user experience was clunky. The company replaced its exiting screens with six LG displays. To complete the solution, Khipu needed a single technology solution that would allow its integrator to easily build an IP-based video wall as well as provide staff with a

centralized video management platform with customizable views that could be changed as needed.

To meet the demand for flexibility and modularity, project integrator Clear Visual Communications proposed VuWall, which delivers an innovative ecosystem of video wall controllers, encoders, and decoders—all managed by its interoperable TRx centralized management platform. TRx eliminates the complexity of traditional video wall control and signal distribution over IP with drag-and drop operations and without programming. Easy to use, the TRx platform enables distribution of any source to any type of display in professional and mission-critical applications, which proved to be an ideal solution for Khipu’s NOC. Plus, the platform simplifies the integration of third-party products.

ClearVC built the much-needed video wall for the NOC by stitching together two VuWall PAK 40 video wall nodes, increasing processing scalability and flexibility while adding a layer of redundancy. The compact PAK appliance is a networked, multi-decode node that can operate as a standalone device or used with other nodes to build an IP-based video wall that is infinitely scalable. It simplifies video wall deployments by reducing the number of connections and eliminating a single point of failure, while reducing project risk and offering improved reliability.

Whether the video wall deployment is large or small, all that’s required are PAK appliances. To increase the size of a video wall, the integrators can simply add a PAK. PAK features up to four HDp60 outputs or one 4Kp60 output, plus multiformat decoding up to 32 HD streams per device, including H.264, MPEG2, MPEG4, NDI, PNG, JPEG, and VNC/ remote desktops or virtualized browsers. Designed for multiroom visualization, situational awareness, control rooms, and corporate workspaces, PAK’s eco-friendly design boasts a compact form factor and low power consumption. PAK is small enough to be mounted behind monitors, saving rack space and reducing extended video cable runs.

Added Flexibility

The installation also included a VuStream 150 encoder appliance and VuWall Application Server, which are centrally configured and managed by TRx.

The VuStream 150 provides single stream encoding of H.264 and H.265 sources in HD and UHD. The VuWall Application Server is an appliance for streaming, sharing, controlling, and visualizing websites, dashboards, and applications across networks. The server simplifies video wall deployments by providing quick access to websites, dashboards, and applications from a centralized source—a must for the NOC. The NOC also benefited from VuWall’s ControlVu touch panel, which gives operators the freedom to change layouts and control devices with a simple touch.

Clear Visual Communication’s deployment of VuWall delivered the exact flexibility and ease of use the NOC needed, aligning with the missioncritical requirement of the cyber security service provider. In addition, the company didn’t have to make addition investments for an external control solution.

“Our video wall is critical to our Cyber Security Operations Center,” explained James Holland, U.K. technical manager at Khipu Cybersecurity. “We are extremely pleased with the performance and ease of use of VuWall’s PAK and TRx solution. Learning to operate and manage video wall content took minutes. The intuitive software and rich feature set will certainly improve response times and increase productivity in our control room. Knowing how easy it will be to increase the size of our video wall with PAK, as our demands change, is very reassuring. The fast and easy deployment was impressive, and we are confident that our integrator made the right choice with VuWall.”

“As one of the very first PAK customers, we are now confident that this technology is the future of video wall deployments,” added Rebecca McCartney, operations manager at ClearVC. “We were extremely impressed with the quick and easy installation of the system and the ease of system configuration, yielding to a low-risk deployment. The feedback from the end user’s cybersecurity control room operators has been extremely positive, especially with respect to performance and ease of use. We clearly made the right choice and look forward to many more control room and video wall projects with VuWall.”

VuWall’s TRx centralized management platform and PAK 40 nodes are helping Khipu Networks monitor visual content.

UW-Madison Adopts Cloud Signage System

Cloud-based software continues to centralize and simplify how higher education campuses manage digital signage, including at the University of Wisconsin, where Visix’s AxisTV Signage Suite has streamlined signage across multiple departments. Successful implementations across several locations at UW–Madison has now inspired a transition to the Visix platform throughout buildings managed by the Wisconsin Union.

The Memorial Union and Union South buildings serve as out-of-classroom learning environments as well as popular tourist destinations, conference and event centers, and dining locations. The versatility of AxisTV Signage Suite enables digital media solutions that nimbly meet the many needs of the buildings’ patrons.

Close collaboration with the Wisconsin Union team to implement the software also helped to establish best practices and standards in the use of

the digital signage system moving forward across multiple college campuses in Wisconsin.

Launched in Fall 2022, the Wisconsin Union digital signage network offers 15 channels of dynamic content on 41 screens across Memorial Union and Union South. The signage spans multiple floors and provides visitors with transportation schedules, building operations notices, theater, lecture, film, and music event info, and more.

Jason Powers, Wisconsin Union organizational strategist, and the UW-Madison information technology team worked closely with Visix to implement the software, determine the locations of displays and media players, and tailor the software’s workflows for 15 unique channels of information. The Visix team also developed multiple screen designs with data-mapping for custom XML, RSS, and event management feeds within the AxisTV Signage Suite software, ensuring that the right content consistently flows to the right screens.

Powers and his IT colleague, Scott Hubing, deployed the Axis TV Signage Suite software and installed hardware while following initial guidance from Visix, as well as valuable input from AVI Systems, a systems design and integration company that consulted on the Wisconsin Union project.

“The content is customized to our colors and brands throughout seven Memorial Union floors and four Union South floors,” Powers said. “Visix makes it very easy for our marketing department to update marketing content and designs, and to disseminate new information targeted for specific screens.”

The University of Wisconsin–Madison has transitioned its digital signage operations to the cloud with Visix AxisTV Signage Suite.

NAB Show Expects Big Gains in 2023

EVP Brown Expects More Attendees as Event Celebrates 100th Anniversary

By Mark J. Pescatore

The hardest part is over. After a COVID19-induced hiatus, NAB Show got back to business last year in Las Vegas. Now, as the organization celebrates the show’s 100th anniversary, the National Association of Broadcasters is hoping to build on that momentum in mid-April. In an exclusive interview, Chris Brown, executive vice president and managing director of NAB Global Connections and Events, shared his thoughts on last year’s return and what attendees can expect in 2023.

SCN: NAB Show’s 100th anniversary is quite the milestone. How will you celebrate at the show?

Chris Brown: As we commemorate 100 years since the first NAB Show in 1923, we are offering opportunities for attendees, exhibitors, and other stakeholders to share their memories, engage online and onsite, and connect via a range of networking opportunities.

We launched a website that provides an interactive journey through NAB’s history with a timeline detailing landmark achievements, moments in broadcasting and at NAB Show, along with image galleries, broadcasters’ stories, and a digital NAB Hall of Fame detailing radio and television legends inducted throughout the years.

We also kicked off “Share Your Story,” a community campaign, encouraging individuals to share special memories, serendipitous moments, or remarkable stories about broadcasting and NAB Show. Additionally, we are planning registration incentives, contests, special events and activations, and recognitions of exceptional past NAB Show participation.

Above all, we are focused on creating a vibrant marketplace as well as programs and services that deliver substantial direct value to our community. This centennial year more than ever, we are striving to create meaningful connections that educate, spur innovation, facilitate partnerships, and drive growth for the industry.

SCN: Last year’s NAB Show was about getting back together after a three-year hiatus. Looking back, how successful was the show?

CB: It was an incredibly successful event, far exceeding expectations on every dimension. The NAB Show community is highly passionate about what they do. This is their opportunity to come together to see, feel, touch, get inspired, and soak in the industry—and above all reconnect with old friends and make new ones.

NAB Show is where that all happens. And this dynamic led to nearly 55,000 industry executives coming together for the show in April. They represented every facet of the media and entertainment landscape— business, technical, and creative—and came from every part of the world, with over 25% from outside the U.S. What we witnessed was a euphoria at being able to

Chris Brown

Position: Executive Vice President and Managing Director, Global Connections and Events Company: National Association of Broadcasters/NAB Show

finally come together in person. With the memory of that experience, we are expecting the total attendance number to jump to 70,000 or more this year.

More and more, the show is bringing the right people together—those who are coming to do business and engage in true knowledge exchange, and those who are on a mission and serious about their participation. Last year, this made for one of the most productive shows in recent history, with a higher buyer-to-seller ratio than we have seen. The show’s nearly 1,000 exhibitors, including the leading technology product and service providers in the business, were especially pleased. The show received the highest satisfaction scores from these companies in its history.

By and large, trade shows are coming back strong as pandemic concerns subside and people get back to doing business in person. We are encouraged about what’s to come.

SCN: Like last year, the exhibit hall will open on a Sunday. What has been the reaction from attendees regarding the weekend start?

CB: Last year, we opened the show on Sunday for the first time, versus the traditional Monday opening, and we closed on Wednesday instead of Thursday. This was implemented to make participation easier for those involved in live and other studio production projects, as well as those who may find it difficult to get away during the week or want to minimize time away from work. The feedback we received on this new schedule was overwhelmingly positive, and we think it will continue to help boost attendance and maximize exhibitors’ time with customers.

SCN: How will NAB Show be organized this year?

CB: We will be carrying forward the organization we introduced in 2022, with all aspects of the show tied to a set of uniquely curated content pillars. The three core pillars, or destinations—Create, Connect, and Capitalize—reflect how the industry works and make it easier for every attendee to navigate the show and find what is most relevant to them. Both the show floor and the educational programs are organized around these themes.

A fourth area is Intelligent Content, which is all about data and the enormous influence it is having across the content creation and distribution chain. Programs and exhibitors tied to the Connect, Capitalize, and Intelligent Content pillars will be located in the West Building of the Las Vegas

NAB Show returned to Las Vegas last year, and show executives expect attendance to jump significantly in 2023.

Convention Center. Create will be featured in the North and Central Buildings.

SCN: Walking the show floor is always good exercise for systems integrators (in more ways than one), but what other attractions should be on their radar at this year’s show?

CB: Given the way the industry has evolved, systems integrators have had to extend their services to match advances in technology and the broadening needs of their customers. It is no longer just about connectivity, interoperability, and networking. The needs of media companies extend to the full range of production and content creation tools, and there is no event that covers that end of the content lifecycle more thoroughly than NAB Show. Virtually all the leading players and the newest technologies on this side of the business will be at the 2023 NAB Show.

Integrators will also benefit this year from the return of many of the leading AV display companies, including Roe Visual, LG, Vanguard Displays, and Planar. And there are special exhibits that focus on workflows that should be of interest to integrators. The best example of this is the IP Showcase, returning with education and demonstrations on the latest in IP integration.

Finally, an area of the show that deserves some focus is the Intelligent Content space in the West Hall. Advancements made around AI, machine learning, data science, and analytics will be featured here. These technologies help integrators learn how to design, prepare, and build smart, cost-efficient, and sustainable facilities for today and tomorrow.

SCN: Every NAB Show has its own buzz. What do you expect to be the hot topics on the show floor in 2023?

CB: There are some unique developments impacting the media and entertainment business. On the broadcast side, for example, NextGen TV in the U.S. (ATSC 3.0) is steadily advancing as there are more stations, more receivers, more viewers, and more new opportunities around better picture, sound, and interactivity to drive engagement. 5G production techniques, particularly around live events, is another growth area, and when combined with cloud workflows, it borders on revolutionary in terms of how broadcasters can source, produce, and publish their content.

And there is no doubt, streaming media—whether it be audio or video, ad supported or subscription, live or on-demand, via handheld remote or voice controlled—is an exciting and growing way broadcasters and media companies are reaching consumers.

On the production and post-production side, virtualization and remote production tools continue to drive new dynamics, as do advances in VFX technology via game engine technology and exciting tools like “volume” screens. Another growing trend is the way that tools, traditionally leveraged exclusively for high-end cinema production, are now finding adoption with content creators across broadcast,

enterprise, and more creative communities; this is a focus of our new CineCentral area on the show floor There is a lot of buzz around the Metaverse, Web3, AI, and data-driven personalization. New immersive content experiences are imminent, from pure AR/VR or mixed reality variations to the full-blown promise of

new digital worlds with users as the central character. And we certainly see data as a critical driver for the future. Understanding the power of data and how it can be put to use now and in the future is what the Intelligent Content area at NAB Show is all about.

Moving Day for KWTV

BeckTV Relocates Oklahoma City Station to New Downtown Facility

By Michael Silbergleid

After more than 60 years, Oklahoma City CBS affiliate KWTV and parent company Griffin Media decided it was time to move to a new home with more capabilities. To manage the move to downtown Oklahoma City, they called on designbuild systems integrator BeckTV.

“Working with BeckTV was a natural choice,” said Jack Mills, director of engineer for KWTV. “We’ve worked with them since the 1990s on multiple projects through the years. I appreciate working with them because of the quality of their work and expertise, from changing out a switcher to now having a new building.”

Discussions about moving to a new building started almost three years ago, with KWTV engineering and design work by BeckTV starting in 2021. “There are a million things going on when building a new TV station, so the relationship needs to be efficient and productive,” said Brenden Cline, senior engineer and director of engineering for BeckTV. “We

have meetings with Jack on design, technical requirements, space planning, and workflow. Giving us that information up front means we get that efficiency with Jack and with the manufacturers we’re dealing with. Seeing eye-to-eye on the technology and agreeing on how things should operate— that was exciting and the kind of projects that you want to do.”

What Do We Take?

Working with the architect and general contractor, BeckTV could verify the space fit and furniture design, pathways for cabling and AC, and low voltage requirements, while simultaneously building the equipment list and specifying equipment a year ahead of time. FX Design Group was responsible for set and lighting design, while Digital Video Group handled the monitor layout and set technology. Onsite integration work began in June 2022; after five months, one month was dedicated to rehearsals, commissioning, and shadowing master control

leading up to the cutover day.

Some of the decisions to be made were focused on what equipment to bring over from the existing facility, what would be purchased, and what might need to be borrowed during the transition. “We brought over our recent purchases, items that haven’t been depreciated yet,” said Mills.

For example, KWTV has three Grass Valley LDX 90 Worldcams still on the books. Those were brought to the new facility’s news set, with Mills getting loaner cameras for the original building’s news set during the transition. Also moved were KWTV’s Dejero bonded cellular field systems, Vizrt system, master control servers, and 800 kW diesel generator.

While some equipment made the trip, KWTV did replace a lot of gear, Mills explained, because it was time to do so, anyway. New equipment included Evertz routing with an integrated enterprise multiviewer and TDM audio router with integrated deembedding, Evertz master control switcher and

Jack Mills

The KWTV newsroom features a large Daktronics LED screen.

BECKTV

airpath, Clear-Com intercom with SIP for phone lines over IP, G&D KVM, Avid video production servers, Imagine Communications master control playout and automation systems, three Ross XY camera robotics, two Ross ACIDCams for the newsroom and greenscreen, two smaller Ross PTZ cameras for studio ceiling beauty shots, Image Video tally system, Sony XVS-7000 3 M/E production switcher and ELC automation systems, Calrec audio console, and custom BeckTV consoles.

The design of the news set, which is the same size as the set in the older facility, and the two-story open ceiling newsroom include a lot of LED screens. The newsroom features a large Daktronics LED screen that rotates art images and photos. The news studio has Philips LEDs on the anchor desk, LG LEDs behind the anchor desk, and Neoti LED panels for the wraparound weather desk.

IP plays an important role by interconnecting the two facilities, which are 10 miles apart. “We kept a portion of the old building,” Mills explained. “We were able to keep those IP addresses, which was very helpful, with four dark fibers between the buildings, one for satellite, one for STL, and two for a 10-gig IP pipe.”

Strategic Communications

One of the keys to a successful live cutover is communications involving hours of strategic planning, coordination, installation, testing, training, and

rehearsals. To ensure a smooth transition, BeckTV maintained a crew of two engineers and six technicians at the new site to install, commission, and support all new and repurposed systems.

The project team, led by project engineer Abel Sassehagen, systems engineer Christian Ramirez, and lead technician Travis Peterson, with management assistance from TJ Beardsmore, met with Griffin Media and KWTV on a weekly basis to review and discuss the project schedule, focusing on BeckTV and KWTV deliverables and goals. “We were using so much gear from the old facility that we had to move,” Cline said. “We had to deal with loaners, new equipment with the scheduling of manufacturers’ commissioning, how and when to transition. But with great communication, everyone knew the status of the station.”

A simple homeowner moving task would become invaluable for the transition: tagging the status of the original equipment. “We had separate giant lists for master control and production control equipment,” Cline explained, “with each piece and any dongles tagged as to when it would be removed from the rack and transported to the new building—specifically by week, day, hour, at cutover or after cutover.”

When the equipment arrived at the new building, the crew knew exactly where to start to stand up the gear. “Of course, getting integrated into the new system sometimes meant bypassing with

barrels,” noted Cline. “Master control was first, with GPIs triggering all sort of secondary events so that it could mirror the original master control. Then we would focus on production control. Once stood up, production control gets fairly vetted with all the rehearsals.”

Cutover in 3, 2, 1...

During the transition period on Nov. 12-13, KOTV, KWTV’s sister station in Tulsa, handled the Saturday night and Sunday morning newscasts. This gave Cline and his crew the opportunity to transport almost all of the rest of the gear, a big part of which was the weather system with its independent audio and storm trackers. Cutover was scheduled for the Sunday 10 p.m. newscast.

“We did it during the day and on-air, and it was really just switching a switch,” said Cline. “Since we were running in parallel and then switched to the new building, it was seamless to KWTV’s viewers— but we could also fall back if we needed to. That takes a lot of planning.” Additionally, KWTV’s new master control system is designed to be a master control hub to include KOTV in Tulsa.

“This was a fun project,” said Mills. “Of course, there were little fires, but all in all, a very enjoyable experience with BeckTV and all the other groups. It was interesting keeping everything running with all the contractors involved in the new building.”

Cline added that it’s “a little bit rare to work with people you worked with in the past and understand the process. Our product is delivering a good experience for the customer—typically the biggest project in their careers. We want them to feel comfortable and appreciate our people. But this one was special. I had a good time doing it.”

“We had to deal with loaners, new equipment with the scheduling of manufacturers’ commissioning, how and when to transition. But with great communication, everyone knew the status of the station.”

Brenden Cline, BeckTV

The KWTV news studio includes a mixture of existing equipment and gear purchased for the new facility.

Neoti LED panels were installed for the wraparound weather desk.

BECKTV

BECKTV

TECHNOLOGY MEDIA PLAYERS

Ready Player One

Media Players Drive Digital Signage Experience

By Wayne Cavadi

Immersive. Interactive. Intuitive. These are the buzzwords in today’s world of digital signage and massive displays. And they aren’t limited to Times Square or sports stadiums—even a grocery store or doctor’s office may be decked out in bright new displays.

That’s why having the right media player behind it all is more important than ever.

Landscape or Portrait?

Resolution and orientation are two important considerations for a digital signage install, and those decisions will impact your media player choice. “While the norm has been Full HD for many years, we’ve finally seen large-scale adoption of 4K,” said Joe Murray, technical operations manager and lead systems engineer at Visix. “The extra resolution has provided clients with the opportunity to showcase high-fidelity images and videos across their organization.”

“Any media player on the market today will accomplish a modest application of 720p video at 30 frames per second,” explained Jordan Feil, director of marketing, Navori Labs. “The story changes as the resolution escalates. What content will your organization publish today, and where does the roadmap lead a year or two in the future? These are some of the essential decisions when choosing the size of the media player and how much power it will consume.”

While 4K dominates the current Pro AV landscape, picking the right signage orientation is a bit trickier. “Depending on the application, both [landscape and portrait] orientations are useful,” said Ernie Wohlleben,

president of New York-based custom integrator Architechnology Designs. “Signage is often presented differently than video entertainment content.”

“Digital signage end users today do not want limitations,” Feil added. “They want flexibility, which means that media players need to support both orientations. The average end user will use a 75:25 ratio of landscape to portrait.”

Speaking of flexibility, how many displays a media player can support, much like the preferred orientation, is often a case-by-case basis. “While some of our lower-end players support a single display, our higher-end players can support up to 12 displays natively,” Murray said. “Some of our clients even combine our high-end players with video processors to power even more displays than that.”

“Attempting to process video on a 32-screen video wall with a low-power media device will result in failure,” Feil noted. “We recommend media players that can reliably power eight screens at once. Ultimately, it’s about how powerful the device is and how much the end user can spend.”

Get Connected

What about getting the content up and running? There are several ways to get customized content to the media player.

“The days of the tech manager walking from screen to screen with USB sticks and keys to manually transfer files are over,” Feil said. “All professional media players today receive their content via the internet, whether using Wi-Fi or a wired LAN connection. A stable and reliable internet connection is required to ensure that content reaches the device. Content is customized

before it is downloaded, which is why end users need a flexible and feature-rich CMS that is easy to use.”

“We offer players that support Ethernet or both Ethernet and Wi-Fi,” Murray said. “HDMI is still the reigning champ for display connectivity, although we’ve seen an uptick in the utilization of DisplayPort. Since most clients are familiar with HDMI, that tends to be the de facto choice.”

“HDMI remains the standard for audio and video,” Wohlleben agreed. “While wireless options do exist, hardwiring for data is the best practice.”

When it comes to installation, an integrator will need to consider several physical factors as well as the best options to mount the player. “If you plan on mounting a player directly behind a display, be sure to account for networking,” Murray offered. “If a player doesn’t have built-in Wi-Fi capabilities, you may need a network drop behind the display, so the player can connect to your local network and/or the Internet. Additionally, if the player contains an external power supply, be sure there’s room to mount it behind the display.”

“Ideally, they live in the headend, but can easily be tucked behind a display as needed,” Wohlleben added.

That doesn’t mean even the most experienced in the field don’t face challenges. “Navori Labs recently worked with an end user to source about 200 individual media players that were specified for Windows,” recalled Feil. “Licensing costs were higher than the customer preferred, so we pivoted to Android-based players. The lesson learned here is that suppliers, their partners, and end users should experiment with different operating systems and hardware configurations and find solutions that check all the boxes.”

What’s the right media player for your install? It depends on what you need today and what you may want tomorrow. Choosing the right media player for your application can be a challenge, but here are some media players from a range of manufactures to consider.

BrightSign HD5

The new 4K BrightSign HD5 is an affordable, versatile player offering the features and functionality needed for a broad range of digital signage projects. The standard model has Gigabit Ethernet, GPIO, and optional Wi-Fi and IR ports, while the extended I/O version adds USB and serial ports for added interactive functionality. The player is cased in a thin aluminum enclosure that dissipates heat, eliminating the need for a fan and helping the player operate silently.

Media players help deliver content to digital signage displays.

Muxlab Android DigiSign

Android DigiSign, which supports a wide variety of video formats and codecs, works with MuxLab’s DigiSign CMS software. The CMS makes the loading and management of content playing on MuxLab’s Android DigiSign media player (model 500799) streamlined and intuitive. The player supports up to 4K@60Hz (4:4:4) video streams, and offers two HDMI output ports to connect to two displays. Supported playlists and yearly scheduler functionalities simplify use. The player offers a wide range of features including multi-format video, image, and audio files, HTML5, widgets, and RSS feeds with the use of the DigiSign CMS.

Navori STIX 3700

StiX 3700 is a 4K Android media player, designed for reliable 24/7/365 digital signage use. The small form factor allows it to be easily hidden behind any display. It features sophisticated template rendering and seamless media transitions across all displays and screens, making for a fully plug-and-play experience for any type of screen. Navori provides total support for every screen size and orientation with easy maintenance.

MEDIA PLAYERS TECHNOLOGY

design enables the player to be used in the most demanding environments. The HMP400 comes with DSOS, the purpose-built operating system designed and developed by SpinetiX, and an Intel Atom processor. The player supports 4K/60 fps streams, allows for long-lasting 24/7 use, and is PoE+ capable (with a Wi-Fi version available).

Videotel Digital’s VP92

SSD) and high-performance graphics cards and HDMI outputs. Landscape and portrait output are supported. As with all Visix media players, the Element 4K has built-in security, including Windows Firewall, to ensure data is protected at all times.

Seneca Element

Seneca’s new version of the Element media player is powered by the AMD Ryzen processor, delivering more computing power options with devices that deliver high-quality performance in digital signage and IoT environments. The AMD processor provides integrators and end users with the Extended Display Identification (EDID) function, enabling the transmission of native resolution from the display to the media players. The Element media player comes in a compact form factor designed for easy integration behind displays, while simultaneously driving up to four combined displays.

SpinetiX HMP400

The SpinetiX HMP400 is the latest generation of SpinetiX HMP players. Designed for any digital signage scenario, its commercial grade, fanless

The new VP92 is a 4K/1080p industrial-grade digital signage media player that is network and Wi-Fi capable. Access content remotely with a free cloud software or play content locally with a USB or SD card. The VP92 comes with StudioPro or StudioWeb, which allows end users to design their screen with creative components.

ViewSonic NMP599-W

The ViewSonic NMP599-W is a highperformance, 4K Ultra HD media player that can be integrated with smart technologies such as sensors, cameras, modules, and readers. Advanced signage features include AlwaysOn AppLock to present unauthorized access and StrongCache for continued playback even when a network is not available. It supports touch for interactive wayfinding or self-service kiosk applications, while providing 4K video playback and access to content from the cloud.

Connectivity includes Gigabit Ethernet, 802.11 b/g/n wireless, HDMI 2.0, Micro USB, USB 2.0, and 3.5mm audio-out.

Visix Element 4K

Visix brings content to life at resolutions up to 3840x2160. The compact unit supports both wired and wireless networking with external Wi-Fi antennas. These players are powered by Intel processors, with plenty of built-in memory (256GB

The VITEC EP5+ End-Point digital media player displays IPTV video content or digital signage on a single display or up to four multi-display videowalls. It enables decoding of two 4K IP streams or video files, simultaneously, for eye-catching signage or PiP views. Integrated with VITEC’s EZ TV Platform, the EP5+ is controlled and operated from a central management interface for the day-to-day administration of content, schedules, and user access rights. Designed with maximum video performance, lowest playback latency, and highest reliability in mind, the EP5+ features 100% hardware-based video decoding and solid-state components packaged in a rugged enclosure with no moving parts.

dvLED Lights Up Fifth Avenue for Valley Bank

Valley Bank’s new Fifth Avenue flagship branch is now home to one of Manhattan’s biggest and brightest brand beacons. At the end of 2022, the bank debuted a massive new display wall featuring a curved surface and curated visuals. The large-scale signage reflects Valley’s vision to create a branch that stands out in the ultra-competitive New York banking market.

In addition to its sheer size, this large outsidefacing dvLED screen captures views from two sides of the building, as well as the foot and vehicle traffic at the intersection of Fifth Avenue and 30th Street. The display features a curved PixelFLEX LED display and embraces a “staccato” surface layout, which provides a palette for the expression of the Valley brand in ways that are both spectacular and differentiated from the common flat-panel digital message boards typical of most bank branches across Manhattan.

“This extraordinary installation will elevate the Valley Bank brand and increase our visibility and awareness in New York City,” said Mark Beausoleil, executive vice president of Valley Bank. “As a

customer-focused bank, our mission is to support the communities we serve, and we want people who pass by our flagship NYC branch to connect with Valley.”

The bank’s brand partner, Adrenaline, managed the installation, content creation, and deployment of the display, which is a cornerstone of the branch’s digital communication ecosystem. “This flagship branch digital activation includes numerous high-profile elements for engaging customers inside the branch, as well as reaching new prospects outside,” said Jerry Reese, group account director at Adrenaline. “The visual centerpiece of the branch is the 70x6-foot, 420-square-foot LED wall with its eye-catching 90-degree curve, a truly unique configuration and display.”

Reese added that the pixelated configuration creates a visually arresting image, showcasing movement and motion in Valley’s signature palette to bring the brand to life.

With a 70x6-foot curved PixelFLEX dvLED display and curated visuals, Valley Bank shines digital signage bright on the New York City streets.

Inside or out, Valley Bank's display provides stunning content to elevate its brand.

TECHNOLOGY NEW PRODUCTS

Uniguest Caveman 3.3

The latest version of Uniguest’s Tripleplay digital signage, enterprise video, and IPTV software, Caveman 3.3 delivers several new features and integrations. Data visualization software integration allows organizations to report powerful business intelligence via dashboards, reports, and tiles directly in Tripleplay. A new API for third-party monitoring systems fetches real-time information on the status of Tripleplay signage hardware, opening the ability to utilize third-party systems for endpoint monitoring. Updated digital signage event triggers can now be used while working with Site Profiles, and new webcasting enhancements enable viewers to access live webcasts from mobile devices via the Tripleplay Mobile Media App. Additional features include UI and platform architecture enhancements to Reserva, Uniguest’s enterprise-class room booking system available via Tripleplay. Digital signage users can also take advantage of the new BrightSign browser plug-in.

Barix Annuncicom MP1400

The new Annuncicom audio-over-IP device was developed for networked intercom and paging applications with elevated security standards. Part of the company’s growing family of IPAC IP audio products, the Annuncicom MPI400 provides a versatile and future-proof hardware and software platform that meets modern IT security requirements, is compatible with Microsoft Teams, and is adaptable to individual customer needs across a variety of audio environments. It can serve as a robust IP intercom and paging end point or as a gateway between IP and legacy systems, microphone/speakers, or an amplifier. It is deployable within an InfomaCast or Syn-Apps architecture for emergency mass notification systems, and meets the latest requirements for secure Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) integration with VoIP telephone systems. It also supports the OPUS codec, offering higher quality audio for SIP voice transmission as well as background music streams.

Gator Cases G-Tour

The G-Tour Series offers road-ready cases for a variety of pro audio equipment and more. Gator Cases has now extended its G-Tour line with a standard 16 RU rack featuring convertible lid tables. The new version takes gigging convenience to the next level by adding foldout legs inside each lid, converting them into side tables for storing equipment and accessories. Built to the same standards as other models in the series, the racks are carefully designed to withstand all the typical rigors of event production. Plywood construction and heavy-duty, commercialgrade casters (two locking) ensure the movement of equipment in both a safe and timely manner.

scheduling panel, or AMX G5 control panel. Available in four screen sizes, Varia features integrated speakers, microphones, and front-facing HD camera. Plus, built-in NFC, proximity sensing, and ambient light sensing empower advanced environment integration. Varia touch panels are offered in two styles: Varia and Varia SL. Panels can be mounted to a wall, glass, VESA-mount, or tabletop (via an optional accessory). Varia SL is optimized for in-wall installations, utilizing standard single-gang electrical boxes. Two Varia “No-Comm” models exclude the camera, NFC, and microphone to meet the security requirements of facilities that do not allow these capabilities.

Extron MediaPort 300

LG Business Solutions CreateBoard

The new LG CreateBoard offers an up to 40-point multi-touch interactive display that enables live annotations of digital files, and provides tools for content creation, sharing, and management. The full LG CreateBoard line includes the new 55-inch model, which delivers all the CreateBoard’s powerful functions in a compact package for smaller rooms. Included LG CreateBoard Lab software enables school districts and educators to streamline workflows including content creation, document importing, lesson building, and more, all with pre-designed, subject-based templates available. To maximize in-class capabilities and flexibility to design interactive lessons, LG also provides a pre-installed wireless casting solution, LG CreateBoard Share, which allows any student device to connect to the CreateBoard natively without requiring software updates or installations. Educators can add document cameras, microphones, conferencing cameras, and other peripherals to expand the capabilities of each LG CreateBoard solution.

AMX Varia

The AMX Varia family of professional-grade touch panels are designed to adapt to the unique needs of any corporate, education, government, hospitality, or entertainment environment. Varia can be used as a frameless web kiosk, dedicated Zoom Rooms controller,

The MediaPort 300 4K HDMI-to-USB bridge expands Extron’s MediaPort product line, which integrates Pro AV systems with software codec conferencing applications. Supporting popular software communications platforms such as Microsoft Teams and Zoom, the MediaPort 300 brings 4K capabilities, bridging the gap between simple webcam-to-computer solutions and professional conferencing systems. For small meeting spaces with just a computer and display, it is ideal for enhancing audio and video quality by adding support for professional-grade equipment such as 4K videoconferencing PTZ cameras, boundary microphones, and sound reinforcement systems. In meeting and large conference rooms, it easily integrates a conferencing computer into a fully equipped AV system with video distribution and processing, control, microphones, and full sound reinforcement.

VuWall VuStream 550

The new VuStream 550 all-in-one SDVoE encoder/ decoder appliance is designed for distributing 4K60 video and audio over standard 10Gb IP network switches with no latency. Fully SDVoE compatible, the compact VuStream 550 can be configured as an encoder or decoder, allowing it to be used as a receiver or a transmitter, providing incredible flexibility in system design and workflows. It can be configured for copper or fiber cable infrastructures. An HDMI output functions as local monitor output in Transmitter Mode. It also features an SFP plug connection for fiber and offers bi-directional IR, RS-232, and Ethernet extension. Plus, the unit can be powered directly when connected through a 10Gb Ethernet switch that provides PoE

NEW PRODUCTS TECHNOLOGY

AtlasIED Atmosphere AZMP4 and AZMP8

Built on the foundation of the Atmosphere AZM series of audio processors, the new Atmosphere AZMP4 (4-zone) and AZMP8 (8-zone) add built-in amplification to help customers consolidate products in an audio rack and streamline system integration. The AZMP4 is powered by a single 600W 4-channel amplifier module, while the AZMP8 provides 1200W of total power. Any AZMP4 or AZMP8 individual channel can be software configured to provide different wattages. For example, if a restaurant has several zones but one zone has more speakers, an installer can use the AZMP to divide the power to better suit the specific zone. AtlasIED also announced the Atmosphere X-ZPS, an advanced multi-zone paging station accessory that is natively compatible with AtlasIED AZM and AZMP processors. Plus, the new Atmosphere 3.0 software update allows for continuous monitoring of system health and sound masking.

Hall Technologies Ranger

Ranger is a 4K multiview presentation switcher that can simplify collaborations for both the corporate and education sectors. It can be used as a standalone product or upgrade for any system with wireless casting, 4K, and USB-C connectivity. One of three inputs is Wi-Fi casting for AirPlay Miracast and mirroring, so it can work as a BYOD receiver. The other inputs support HDMI and USB-C with a maximum input timing of 4K@30Hz 4:4:4. It offers two simultaneous video processing channels, and the outputs can be combined into one video signal for sharing multiview layout on the display. Ranger is compatible with Apple and Android devices to wirelessly share videos, images, music, or other media.

TASCAM Sonicview

Whether in a control room, backstage, or FOH, TASCAM Soniciview recording mixers keep users in full control. The 16XP offers 16 physical input channels, while the 24XP provides 24 channels in a larger frame size. Both feature 100mm motorized faders and TASCAM’s Class 1 High-Definition Instrumentation Architecture (HDIA) microphone preamps. Internally, the architecture of the two models is the same, with 44 internal input channels (40 mono channels and two stereo channels), 22 flex output buses, and the L/R main bus with 31-band graphic EQ. Central to the mixer’s intuitive

Running from Fears in Pro AV

Leap Career Obstacles by Following the 4 Be's

By Rob Voorhees

Running: You either love it or hate it, and there is no in between. I happen to love it. No, I am not crazy; I just love how running challenges me each time.

There are some days when the course feels like it’s uphill. There are other days when, after the first few feet, you know it will be a challenge. And there are other days where everything lines up and you break your distance, time, or speed records.

Regardless if I am feeling strong, weak, wet, cold, hot, or tired, there is one thing I am not feeling: fear. I’m not afraid to fail when I run because every step, mile, or kilometer that I go is better than sitting on the sidelines.

I approach my career in the same manner and have found several similarities. I like to quote Jimmy Iovine who said, “Fear is a powerful thing; it can either push you forward or it can hold you back.” How many of us approach our work in this manner?

Do you find yourself in certain situations where you feel like you are sprinting to the proverbial finish line for first place, or do you feel as though you are running in quicksand, never quite able to accomplish the goal? I am here to tell you that you are not alone. In my short six years in Pro AV, I find myself constantly faced with new obstacles—but I have learned how to tackle with excitement rather than be pushed back, thanks to what I have termed the “4 Be’s.” Allow me to share.

Be Present

To be “in the moment” is something I think a lot of us struggle with in this digital age. How often do we tell our children to put down their devices and go outside? As adults, we tend to struggle with the same obstacle.

Whether I’m going for a run or prepping for a CTS exam, it’s imperative that I have a clear head so I can focus on what I’m doing in that moment. It is OK to shut off emails for an hour or two, or maybe disconnect from Zoom while studying. Whatever helps clear your head the most is the way to go. This is also a great way to help you uncover what works and what does not.

While studying for my CTS in 2019, I remember one particular Saturday where I found a quiet spot in my house, cracked open the exam guide for the first time, and began reading and highlighting. After about three pages, I stopped and said, “What am I doing?” Book learning has never been a fun option for me, and

I find I am invested and present when I am doing something hands-on or visually. While still referenc ing lessons in the book, I focused more on web-based learning, which helped me focus better and ultimately pass the exam.

Be Proactive

I have found that obstacles become less daunting when you are proactive as compared to reactive. For example, you find that your head spins every time AVoIP comes up in a discussion. You recognize that you are uncomfortable with the subject, and you lack confidence to provide a solution to your customers. Do you seek out the numerous online trainings/ certifications to better equip yourself, or do you ignore that you are not comfortable and try to get the answers from a colleague?

The key here is to be proactive and seek out the variety of tools/resources that are readily available. You will find that the more you step out of your comfort zone, the more “in comfort” you will be long term.

Be Willing

This comes in a number of different forms. Are you willing to learn? Are you willing to change? Are you willing to be coached/critiqued? The basis of this is to simply be willing. If you go into an opportunity kicking and screaming (metaphorically speaking), you are more likely to fail. If you have the willingness to learn and want to succeed, it’s only going to help you and push you toward the results you desire.

One of the best compliments I think someone can ever receive is being told you are “coachable.” That compliment carries a lot of weight, because you are essentially being told you are willing to listen as well as willing to correct/alter your approach—and willing to admit you are not always right. When you are willing to learn in Pro AV, you are telling your superiors, teammates, and customers that you are interested in going the extra mile to help them and better position yourself for the future. That is something that I find highly commendable.

Be Happy

This might seem like a trivial suggestion. When I think about any race I have ever done, however, there is one common theme: I have been happy to be in that place at that moment. You are at the starting line happy and eager to get going. Even as you encounter a hill or the dreaded muscle spasm, you find it easier to overcome because you know you are prepared and ready for what is thrown at you. Showing up to a race—or a client visit—in a pessimistic mood will certainly set you up for the same types of “pushback” that Jimmy Iovine talked about in his quote. A positive outlook provides the momentum to push you forward!

These “4 Be’s” have carried me through quite a lot of situations, both professionally and personally. Whether it’s earning a CTS, participating in an industry panel discussion, running two back-to-back races on the same day, or attempting to run uphill in 13-degree cold on a snow-covered road, all feats can be conquered with the right preparation and mindset.

My challenge for each of you is to finally seek out that one item that might be holding you back in some way, shape, or form—and break through the proverbial glass that might be stopping you from conquering. Overcoming our fears does not always need to relate to the dark or scary stories we heard as children. Sometimes, it is the most common of occurrences we experience in Pro AV that are preventing us from achieving greatness.

Rob Voorhees is a business development manager for Exertis Almo.

One of the best compliments I think someone can ever receive is being told you are “coachable.”

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