Systems Contractor News - May 2024

Maybe You Don’t Know What I Want

The folks at Martin recently shared some information about the final KISS concert at Madison Square Garden last December. Lighting designer and programmer Michael Cooper used lots of Martin gear on the band’s lighting rig, including MAC Ultra Performance (as follow spots), MAC Ultra Wash, and other fixtures. Based on the clips I’ve seen online, it was a fitting sendoff for one of the most successful musical acts of all time.

What more needs to be written about KISS that hasn’t been covered in the past 50 years? Well, here’s one nugget: KISS is one of my favorite bands. I’m sure this comes as something of a surprise for many of you, especially after a quick glance at my headshot. “Love Gun?” This guy?

Basically, I grew up with KISS as my rock ‘n’ roll superheroes. They were larger than life (even had a song with that title on KISS Alive II). Many albums had awesome cover art and included cool bonus items such as posters and temporary tattoos. The band members had even had secret identities like superheroes.

Despite commercial success (more Gold records than any other American band), the band always had and always will have its critics. But if someone sings the lyric “I wanna rock and roll all night,” you can rest assured someone else, even haters, will complete it with “and party every day.”

The band went through several lineup changes, released more compilation albums than many bands released with original content, and experimented with disco, pop, grunge, and the whole concept album concept. Through it all, here I am, decades later, a grateful fan who still listens to their music.

What can I say? I like KISS. So, if I were purchasing a jukebox, you know what band would be taking up plenty of auditory real estate. What I wouldn’t want is for the person selling me said jukebox telling me that I don’t want KISS songs.

Now, imagine that jukebox is actually a Pro AV installation. And KISS? Well, instead of a band, it’s a particular product or technology. Yes, integrators are the experts, but sometimes it’s easy to forget to actually listen to customers and consider their preferences.

Over the past few years, for example, a handful of videoconferencing platforms have been battling it out for market dominance. Maybe your company is known for Microsoft Teams integrations and you have the best elevator pitch in the business for adopting the platform. If there’s no particular brand loyalty at play, it might be an easy sell. But what if your customer is all Google all the time and it’s Google Meet or nothing?

It doesn’t have to be videoconferencing software, either. From switchers to microphones to displays and more, people familiar with Pro AV tend to develop preferences over time. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it— it’s not just a cliché, it’s a way to reduce your product search and find equipment you can trust.

Conversely, a bad experience or two can swear clients off brands, too. Cooper had good reason to choose Martin lighting fixtures for the KISS project— he is clearly a fan of these products and the results speak for themselves. That said, he also told me there are some lights out there that he won’t use again.

Whether it’s a rock band or a videoconferencing platform, people like what they like. When a company invests in an AV infrastructure, it tends to be a long-term relationship. Sometimes it’s simply a matter of familiarity. For some projects, as Cooper reminded me, it comes down to product availability. But more often than not, there are specific reasons for brand loyalty. Before you decide what your client needs, make sure they’ve had a chance to tell you want they want.

KISS officially ended its live performances at Madison Square Garden last December.

PHOTO COURTESY OF KISS

Nureva Founders Receive Meritorious Service Medals

Nureva foun ders Nancy Knowlton and David Martin have each been awarded a prestigious Meritorious Service Medal. As part of the Meritorious Service Decorations (Civil Division) were awarded to the couple for their exceptional contributions to improving educational opportunities for young people in Canada and abroad.

Knowlton and Martin were recognized at a ceremony on March 21.

Presented by Governor General Mary Simon, the

Diversified Gets Flexible with Talent Sourcing

Diversified has launched Flex Sourcing, which provides organizations with a flexible, efficient solution for sourcing production talent. The service supports a broad range of modern enterprise needs, from corporate events and live broadcasts to full-scale productions, by curating a skilled set of specialized resources including videographers, audio engineers, directors, producers, camera operators, and more.

By leveraging its deep expertise in AV and media, as well as partnerships with third-party vendors that excel in critical aspects of media production and live event management, Diversified makes it easy, fast, and low risk for organizations to assemble proficient teams to produce bigger events in a cost-effective manner while ensuring the job is done right. Flex Sourcing includes a comprehensive discovery process to provide customized solutions, plus the freedom to tailor production staff to exact needs, which optimizes resource allocation and cost effectiveness.

“Flex Sourcing empowers companies with the ability to quickly mobilize high-quality production teams with the exact expertise they need precisely when they need it,” said Mat Newfield, president and chief commercial officer at Diversified.

Meritorious Service Decorations recognize remarkable Canadians for their extraordinary accomplishments and contributions that bring honor to Canada. Encouraging excellence is at the core of every governor general’s mandate, and the Meritorious Service Decorations (Civil Division) are among the highest Canadian distinctions that can be awarded.

“Dave and I are honored to receive this distinction and be

Meyer Sound Acquires Audio Rhapsody

In March, Meyer Sound announced its acquisition of Audio Rhapsody, a startup founded by Jonathan Deans, who is known for his pioneering work in immersive sound. With the acquisition, Meyer Sound strengthens its position in theater sound solutions, using Deans’ expertise to develop software solutions to expand the company’s portfolio of integrated digital systems. The team will focus on developing the next generation of audio show control software for the NADIA platform.

Deans has had a relationship with Meyer since 1978, and the company even acquired Deans’ company, Level Control Systems, in 2005, which led to an expansion of Meyer’s digital solutions. “Jonathan is a recognized leader in the world of theater sound,” said John McMahon, SVP of Meyer Sound. “We’re excited to join forces with him and his team as we continue to build upon our successes and expand our investments in the sector.”

“Meyer Sound has been there throughout my career,” said Deans, who has assumed the role of senior specialist, theatrical production systems. “I founded Audio Rhapsody to build tools that remove the silos and barriers to creativity that are inherent in theatrical sound design systems and processes, and I’m so thrilled to complete that journey with a team of people who share the same passion.”

included in the company of so many distinguished Canadians who have made such important contributions to the country and the world,” said Knowlton. “It has been our absolute pleasure to play a part in serving the needs of educators globally over the past 30 years.”

Tech visionaries and married team Knowlton and Martin have a substantial track record in the Pro AV and IT arenas. Martin, Nureva’s CTO, is driven by a deep understanding of technology trends and how technology solutions can make life better in business. Knowlton, Nureva’s CEO and recent inductee into the SCN Hall of Fame, is regarded as a global expert on technology adoption in education. The couple founded SMART Technologies in 1987 and launched Nureva in 2014. Today, Nureva employs a team of 160 people and has more than 40 patents for its Microphone Mist technology.

Extron Opens

Las Vegas Facility

Extron has opened a new regional Training and Experience Center in Las Vegas. The facility will include an innovative training center along with an engaging product demonstration area, filled with the latest in Extron technologies deployed in a variety of environments.

“We are excited to open another Training and Experience Center in the U.S.,” said Casey Hall, Extron’s chief marketing officer. “This expansion is part of our commitment to meeting our customers’ needs and is another way we offer the highest level of personalized and accessible services. As we continue to grow, you can be assured that customer service and support remains our top priority, wherever you may be.”

Located within the Hughes Center, a premiere business park, the new facility offers convenient proximity to McCarran International Airport and is also close to the Las Vegas Convention Center and Las Vegas Strip. With its worldwide headquarters in Anaheim, CA, Extron has facilities strategically located in Silicon Valley, Dallas, Toronto, New York City, Raleigh, NC, and Washington, DC, as well as across Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and Australia.

Extron has opened a new Training and Experience Center in Las Vegas.

David Martin and Nancy Knowlton

Jonathan Deans

DN-300

The Ultimate AVoIP Platform

The Future of AV Distribution is Here

The award-winning DisplayNet® DN-300 delivers an unprecedented level of AVoIP performance, versatility and reliability; at a price point that defines a new industry benchmark for value. Based on the latest SDVoE technology, the DN-300 provides 4K/60 (4:4:4) video distribution with limitless scalability, zero-frame latency and zero image artifacts.

This single unit offers several unique features that provide system designers with exceptional versatility:

 Switchable Transmitter /  Receiver operation

 Dual (copper /  fiber) network interfaces

 Auxiliary H.264/5 video output streams

 Powerful network security features

 PoE+ support

 Silent, fanless operation

 Versatile KVM Routing

 Full-bandwidth USB 2.0 support

DisplayNet also provides software-defined MultiViewer and Advanced Video Wall engines that power a wide range of applications without the expense and complexity of ancillary products. A highly intuitive web-based UI and API greatly simplifies setup and installation, as well as integration into third-party control systems.

Contact us today to see how DisplayNet can move your next AV system into the future.

ZERO COMPROMISE – INFINITE POSSIBILITIES

Hendley Receives First John Greene Mentorship Award

Alesia Hendley, business development manager at Sennheiser, was presented with NSCA’s inaugural John Greene Mentorship Award at the 26th annual Business & Leadership Conference in late February in Irving, TX.

Hendley is an AV professional who found her passion for the industry at a young age as a sound engineer in her father’s church. Today, in addition to working for Sennheiser, she’s also one of the industry’s top influencers and content creators. As an industry leader, she focuses on paying it forward and

using her platform to amplify other voices.

“Learning that I won the first-ever John Greene Mentorship Award left me speechless,” Hendley said. “John always poured into me, especially early on in my career. He constantly cheered me on, shared his knowledge with me, and encouraged me in times when I wanted to quit. To know I’m playing a part in others’ lives the way John did for me is a true honor and a blessing.”

Greene, a well-known industry educator and mentor who died in 2021, was passionate about

Elara Las Vegas Hotel Upgrades Pylon Signage

The Elara by Hilton Grand Vacations, a 52-story resort hotel connected to the Las Vegas shopping center Miracle Mile, recently retrofitted its pylon display with EMPIRE Exterior LED video technology from SNA Displays. The overhaul, which yielded three times more digital canvas, went live in time for last November’s inaugural Las Vegas Grand Prix, which passed near the hotel.

Used both for on-premise messaging and Digital Out-of-Home (DOOH) advertising, the monolithshaped Elara pylon is dual-faced providing views to east and westbound traffic. Each side’s digital display

is more than 53 feet tall and 29 feet wide for a combined surface area of more than 3,000 square feet.

“With so much lighting and glamor on The Strip, it’s more important than ever for Las Vegas property owners to invest in high-quality LED for their large-format digital displays,” said Doug Fundator, director of sales for casinos and gaming SNA Displays. “It’s more cost-effective than ever to go bigger and bolder, and we’re seeing many clients substantially increase the size and impact of their messaging centers through these kinds of retrofits.”

helping others reach their full potential. NSCA created the award to honor his legacy. He not only dedicated his life to industry mentorship, but also served as a volunteer and co-captain for Special Olympics Pennsylvania and Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation.

WJLA Updates Studio with Brightline

Sinclair Broadcast Group recently collaborated with Brightline to revamp Studio A at WJLA, one of two Sinclair flagship stations (the other is WBFF in Baltimore) and the ABC affiliate serving the Washington, DC, market. Consisting of a full Brightline fixture package, the set is the new home for “7News,” “Good Morning Washington,” and “Fed Government Today.”

The two companies have renovated hundreds of stations in markets across the country. Getting TV stations on the air is always a race against the clock, and Sinclair and Brightline have forged a turnkey approach that results in a timely and seamless implementation of each project.

“Everything we learn from previous stations carries into the next,” explained Sam Cercone, managing partner, Brightline. “I’ve learned and enjoyed so much working with my colleagues at Sinclair. The latest evidence is our work at WJLA, of which we’re extremely proud.”

An overhauled pylon display at the Elara by Hilton Grand Vacations in Las Vegas is used for on-premise messaging and DOOH advertising.

Alesia Hendley

WJLA has overhauled its main studio with an updated set and Brightline lighting fixtures.

SSCN Announces 2024 Stellar Service Awards

o many awards programs in the Pro AV industry recognize new products and technologies. (At SCN, for example, we have our upcoming Installation Product Awards at InfoComm, as well as the Pro AV Best in Market, which we share with other Future B2B properties.) That’s why the SCN Stellar Service Awards are so special. They provide an opportunity to recognize excellent service and the manufacturers, distributors, and integrators that deliver it.

As in years past, we received thousands of votes from you, our readers, to determine the winners of the Stellar Service Awards. Thank you for your participation. We now proudly present your exceptional service providers.

Best Design Services/Tools

Platinum: Extron

Extron offers a wide selection of system design tools, including system builders, design guides, online calculators, and technical resources to help AV professionals design their ideal systems and select just the right products. In addition, Extron system design engineers are available to work with integrators to provide system design support and technical troubleshooting services to system integrators throughout the project lifecycle, from sales to system installation and commissioning.

Gold: Crestron Intelligent Video Room Designer

Silver: SoundTube EASE Audio Design

Best Value-Added Services

Platinum: Exertis Almo AV Outsourcing

Grow workforce, not overhead. It’s not enough to just sell boxes of hardware. As the first Pro AV distributor to offer value-added services well over a decade ago, AV Outsourcing from Exertis Almo helps reseller partners create a path to grow their current business model and recurring revenue without the need to add or maintain staff. Services include:

• Connectivity: Internet, bandwidth, voice services, and live TV programming with recurring commissions.

• Control Systems and DSP Programming: remote and onsite programming for any size job.

• Labor and Project Support: contracted skilled technicians nationwide for full service hourly projects, including site surveys and service calls.

• Engineering, Drafting, and Consulting: CAD designs and schematics for signal flows, bill of materials, room elevations, and conduit and riser runs with Revit, AutoCad, and Sketchup Pro programs.

Gold: Digital Projection Concierge Service & Support

Silver: The Farm AV FarmAssist

Best Online Training

Platinum: Q-SYS Online Training

Q-SYS Online Training strives to deliver a unique approach to learning, with trainers that are not only knowledgeable but also fun and engaging. Since its training videos are modular, participants can easily navigate to a previous course or skip a module to come back to it later. Whether it is a general introduction to the Q-SYS Ecosystem or how to build a control system in a hands-on Q-SYS environment, there are hundreds of video courses. Whether participating remotely or at Q-SYS training facilities, users can access resources to enhance their understanding and application of the QSYS Platform. Utilize real Q-SYS hardware simulations to apply learning in practical scenarios and get real-time feedback and guidance from the instructors. Classes are available in several languages and are free.

Gold: Shure SAI Wireless Workbench (WWB) Tutorials

Silver: SynAudCon Online Audio Training

Best Sales Operation

Platinum: Shure

Delivering an excellent experience to customers has been at the heart of Shure’s mission for nearly 100 years. Key attributes of its sales process include communication, collaboration, planning, thought leadership, strategic advice, and commitment. The strong relationships built with partners allow Shure to deliver professional support at every stage of the buyer’s journey.

Gold: Extron

Silver: Sound Productions

Best Supporting Content

Platinum: Exertis Almo E4 Experience

The E4 Experience is well-established in the AV industry as a valuable, free, one-day traveling education, training, and product showcase for integrators, consultants, and end users. E4 stands for the four main pillars of the experience: Explore, Engage, Educate, and Expo. The E4 Experience brings together top educators, manufacturing partners, AVIXA CTS Renewal Unit certified training, technology firsts, and endless networking opportunities. It includes a “crown jewel” showroom packed with the newest AV gear in use, making it an ideal place for integrators to bring their local end users. Attendees can expect to learn the latest business and industry trends necessary to stay productive and gain valuable skills that can immediately be implemented. Thanks to Exertis Almo’s exhibiting partners, the E4 Experience is free to attendees and includes breakfast, lunch, and parking.

Gold: Biamp Cornerstone

Silver: BZBGEAR Technical Support Knowledge Base

Best Tech Support

Platinum: Prysm Service and Support Team

With a clientele of global enterprise companies relying on Prysm for multiple installations around the world, it is essential that Prysm’s support service matches the requirements and mindsets of these businesses. The company has a well-defined, four-stage program to ensure an informed service from true solution experts.

• Planning: understanding the client’s unique use cases and a site survey to evaluate the environment and identify other technologies in the ecosystem.

• Install and Commission: support team works in tandem with onsite engineers to configure software and hardware.

• Customer Success: tailored user adoption training ensures each client is able to maximize Prysm’s features for their specific requirements.

• Technical Support and Service: local specialists in the United States, Middle East, and across APAC ensure quick response times in local languages for the optimize support.

Gold: Sound Devices Service and Support Department

Silver: WyreStorm Tech Support

Best Website Dealer UX

Platinum: Extron Insider

The Extron Insider website offers a seamless user experience for AV professionals, streamlining access to the tools and up-to-date information they need for superior project outcomes. Its intuitive navigation and user-centric design facilitate easy access to product and training videos, certification programs, configuration tools, software, and more. Users benefit from the comprehensive, userfriendly platform for MSRP and—depending on account type—reseller pricing in local currency for use in bids, proposals, and project budgets.

Best Project Management Tools

Platinum: D-Tools System Integrator (SI) V21

The newly released D-Tools System Integrator (SI) V21 allows integrators to stay on top of project timelines and budgets with easy-to-use task tracking and collaboration tools that streamline workflows and effectively manage installations, service orders, and job costing. Moreover, SI V21 users can schedule and dispatch field technicians with D-Tools Mobile Install 2.0 to assign installation tasks and service orders, then monitor the timely completion of those tasks. Among the key features is a mobile view and in-app chat that keeps field technicians in constant contact with the office and projects on track. Plus, field technicians can use SI V21 to upsell clients with additional products or services with on-the-spot approvals. To assist SI users, D-Tools has a team of 15 individuals in its support and training departments.

Gold: XTEN-AV

Silver: Jetbuilt

AtlasIED Celebrates 90 Years of Sound Solutions

In 2024, AtlasIED is celebrating a rare milestone: 90 years in business. Atlas Sound has been providing audio and communication solutions to the world since 1934—and since the acquisition of Innovative Electronic Designs (IED) in 2011, the company manufactures a wide variety of commercial audio and communication technology solutions. Building on the legacy of prior owner Loyd Ivey, who passed away in Sep tember, AtlasIED’s current owner, John Ivey, remain steadfast in operating as a family-owned business.

“We couldn’t be more proud of our AtlasIED family for reaching 90 years as a global leader in audio and communications technology,” said John Ivey, president and CEO. “Arriving at this milestone

reinforces our commitment to neverending growth and innovation, maintaining relevance, and high-quality service to our customers.”

Today, the company focuses on application-based solutions with a wide and flexible range of installation and aesthetic options, including communications and audio platforms, as well as a broad array of loudspeakers for commercial applications. The company is well-positioned for future growth with recently announced enhancements to its Atmosphere audio control system platform, plus key strategic investments in threat detection technology and

premium and beam-steering loudspeakers.

In 1934, Atlas Sound made headlines by being the first company to combine the horn shape of the megaphone with electro-acoustics to create outdoor PA loudspeakers. Today, AtlasIED remains a versatile manufacturer with full-time manufacturing facilities in Phoenix and Ennis, TX. The Ennis facility boasts metalworking, molding machines, robotics, and automation, and houses the majority of the company’s inventory.

Since its inception, the company has helped customers improve end user experiences in some of the most visited venues in the world, such as New York’s LaGuardia Airport and Moynihan Train Hall, along with supporting world-famous talent ranging from Whitney Houston to the Beatles. “It’s an honor to be able to look back at AtlasIED’s heralded legacy, knowing that there is so much more ahead of us,” John Ivey added. “This year, we recognize our accomplishments that serve as a tribute to the people and technology who have made AtlasIED the global leader that it is today.”

An early ad from Atlas Sound (now AtlasIED)

Loyd Ivey

OceanXperience Takes Guests Under the Sea(s)

By Wayne Cavadi

New immersive experiences are popping up with regularity and captivating people of all ages and interests. The OceanXperience is one of those. Conceptualized in 2022—when exhibition producer Flying Fish and the ocean exploration organization OceanX partnered for innovative, underseas storytelling—it is a traveling exhibition based on a forthcoming television series produced by BBC Studios Natural History Unit and OceanX in association with Earthship Productions for National Geographic

OceanXperience premiered in June 2023 at the Arizona Science Center in Phoenix. Multimedia company Fivestone Studios was charged with bringing the exhibit to life at the center, and it certainly has quite a bit for every Pro AV lover. “The OceanXperience features a mix of projection mapping, traditional touch screens, holographic displays, and Microsoft HoloLens headsets,” explained Justin Eslinger, director of innovation, Fivestone Studios.

While OceanXperience is a fun and interactive journey, it is also meant to be an educational experience for those involved. Visitors (the “Xplorers”) are given an RFID wristband to track their progress on one of three missions. One takes visitors on a study of humpback whales and includes a bridge mapping table, tagging station, and computer station to analyze data. Another mission takes visitors to the Bahamian waters to study great hammerhead sharks, complete with a mission control mapping table and submersible station that includes a coral reef and shipwreck. The last mission studies a group of orcas, and guests get to pilot drones and interact with a hologram station. Don’t worry, casual Xplorers can take their time on a nonmission adventure as well.

“The goal was to have guests register their RFID bracelet and go on a guided mission throughout the

exhibit,” explained Eslinger. “Fivestone Studios created a local Node.js server to store and process data on each interactive so that guests’ choices and progress could be evaluated at the end of their experience.”

Of course, there were a few challenges along the way. When Xplorers “board” the Zodiac—a small open-air boat for tracking—the replica tagging poll and sensors beneath the projection surface mimic an actual tagging experience. Anna Clark, head of marketing for Flying Fish, described the task as “incredibly challenging and rarely achieved on a first attempt.”

That HoloLab was the result of another challenge. OceanX wanted everyone to experience the HoloLenses, but with an expected throughput of 250-300 visitors per hour, that was logistically impractical. Not only would it require a bevy of headsets, you’d also need to factor in extra time for Xplorers to grasp how to use them.

Thus, the HoloLab Experience was born. The 10-minute facilitated experience with viewing windows and simulated Ncam live feed allows Xplorers to interact. Plus, this allows OceanX to restrict the HoloLenses to a secure and single location, which makes it easier to monitor the hardware and support visitors.

Another challenge was somewhat architecturally imposed: How do you make visitors feel truly immersed? “Typically, we try to use fewer walls with a

traveling exhibition,” Clark explained. “To achieve the look and feel of being on the ship, it was essential to develop a wall system that provided different spaces and rooms that mimicked the ship’s walls. The wall system we developed is flexible and provides modularity for different gallery spaces.

“There is also the hangar door projection in the sub hangar, which features a 30-minute looping video of actual footage from the rear deck of OceanXplorer. The rear projection setup, with the video and audio, reinforces the notion that this state-of-the-art vessel is always active and operating.”

So, what are some of the Pro AV secrets behind this oceanic adventure?

“The photorealistic renderings, used for the HoloLens experience, mission debriefing projection wall, and the holographic displays, were brought to life using 3DS Max,” said Eslinger. “All of the interactives were created with Unity using in-house tools and assets from Unity’s Marketplace. These applications run on high-end Windows computers that are directly connected to the displays.”

For the whale tagging station, Unity’s Universal Render Pipeline (URP) and custom shaders were used to make performant photorealistic real-time graphics that responded to the user’s physical tagging pole. “This real-time rendered output was projection mapped to the exhibit’s walls to create a 3D look from where the user is standing,” Eslinger added.

Through Unity, Fivestone Studios was able to focus on the programming and user interfaces to truly enhance the user experience, one that has been positively received thus far. It also used Figma, a cloud-based collaborative design platform, that allowed its global team to contribute to design and execution.

As with any immersive exhibit, projection mapping plays a key role. The Tagging Station is powered by an Epson L635SU short-throw projector, an interactive projection microscope uses a Panasonic PT-VMZ71BU7, the sub hangar deploys a Panasonic PT-RCQ80LWU, and the mission debriefing uses a Panasonic PT-MZ780BU. Flying Fish also provided an oceanic soundscape throughout the exhibit.

“Overall, we are extremely pleased with the result of the exhibit," said Eslinger. "It was a fun challenge that we hope will inspire the next generation of scientists and explorers.”

OCEANX

OCEANX

The OceanXperience uses a mix of projection mapping and other Pro AV technologies for simulating activities such as tagging humpback whales.

Currently at the Arizona Science Center, the OceanXperience submarine swims with the fishes at the immersive adventure.

Last month, just in time to make a splash at the 2024 NAB Show in Las Vegas, NDI announced the release of NDI 6, a key update set to significantly impact content creation and broadcasting. With native HDR support and expanded WAN connectivity for hardware, NDI 6 addresses critical industry requirements while pushing the boundaries of visual quality and remote workflows.

Equipped with native HDR and 10+ bit color support, NDI 6 meets broadcast industry demands for professional-grade video streaming over IP and making broadcast-quality streaming widely available. The update provides higher contrast, which expands brightness headroom. Plus, it offers wide color gamut and minimal color banding, which ensures seamless transitions and gradients, as well as broad compatibility with support for PQ and HLG formats, expanding streaming to most HDR and non-HDR devices.

WAN connectivity is now embedded into cameras

NDI 6 Update Adds Native HDR Support, Improved Connectivity

through an NDI Bridge utility for hardware. This plug-and-play solution promises a significant impact on the flexibility of remote productions and setups, offering a seamless experience for anyone sending and receiving video, regardless of device, platform, or location. The new feature allows devices to send encrypted NDI streams over a WAN, facilitating secure, remote real-time collaboration between locations. NDI-enabled cameras with the Bridge utility can join remote networks without depending on additional software or tools.

“With its advanced bit depth and expanded color range, NDI 6 elevates the visual quality of our products to unprecedented levels, enhancing every aspect of the content creation process,” said Ulrich Voigt, global head of product management, Vizrt. “The new Bridge utility feature also opens doors to seamless connectivity, enabling our customers to effortlessly integrate NDI devices into their remote

networks and cloud-based workflows. This shift transforms NDI from a primarily local technology to a cornerstone of global networked broadcasting.”

Since Q4 2023, the core technology update has been under beta testing with product developers including Autodesk, Chyron, Kiloview, Lumens, Matrox, Panasonic, and Vizrt as part of the NDI Beta program. Results have led to the successful integration of NDI 6 into both existing and forthcoming products.

“The feedback from our customers and beta testers played a pivotal role in developing NDI 6. Many of our partners want to adopt NDI workflows more profoundly, and further improved image quality will enhance the usage of NDI,” explained Nick Mariette, director of product management, NDI. “Now, anyone seeking high-end quality can stream in HDR with the flexibility, efficiency, and interoperability NDI has always offered.”

Sennheiser Applauds New FCC Rules for WMAS Wireless Mic Technology

In February, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) adopted new rules permitting the operation of Wireless Multichannel Audio Systems (WMAS) in the United States. According to the FCC, “WMAS will enable more wireless microphones to operate in the spectrum available … which provides additional options when more microphones are needed. The rules will permit WMAS to operate on a licensed or unlicensed basis, while preserving the existing spectrum rights of others that share those frequencies.”

WMAS is an advanced microphone technology designed to meet the challenges of highly demanding live performance and studio applications. Compared to conventional wireless microphone systems, WMAS offers higher spectral efficiency—the ability to transmit more audio channels within a limited block of RF spectrum—as well as greater interference protection to other wireless services that share the same spectrum.

Sennheiser, which applauded the FCC’s new rules, started development of its WMAS more than 10 years ago. In August 2018, the company filed a Petition for Rulemaking with the FCC requesting a modification

in the bandwidth limit specified for wireless microphones. At that time, Sennheiser demonstrated a prototype system to the Commission’s Office of Engineering & Technology (OET).

Since then, the FCC monitored further developments of WMAS technology and concluded that it justified the requested rule change. “We especially thank OET, who carefully studied our claims and supporting evidence,” said Joe Ciaudelli, director of spectrum and innovation for Sennheiser. “WMAS will revolutionize the professional audio industry as well as fulfil the Commission’s goals of greater spectrum efficiency and sharing compatibility.”

Today, conventional wireless microphones are narrowband, limited to an RF bandwidth of 200 kHz. Each audio channel uses a dedicated, mono-directional transmitter-receiver pair tuned to a unique RF carrier. Each transmitter continuously outputs power, typically 50 mW, which raises the RF noise floor with each channel that’s added to the configuration. These multiple carriers are also prone to generating non-

harmonic distortion products, known as intermodulation (IM), which can interfere with wanted signals.

The benefits of WMAS technology are accomplished by multiplexing audio channels onto a wideband RF channel, which is 6 MHz for the United States (in the case of Sennheiser’s WMAS technology). In this space, portable bidirectional transceivers will be able to communicate with a base station at an extremely low power spectral density, which will provide superior protection to nearby operators of other wireless devices.

Since WMAS uses a single RF carrier, the possibility of IM products is eliminated. As a result, in-ear monitor channels will be able to use, in parallel, the same block of RF spectrum as wireless microphones, further enhancing spectral efficiency. “For years customers have been asking for a single pack that is both a transmitter and an in-ear monitor receiver,” Ciaudelli noted. “This will finally become possible with Sennheiser’s WMAS.”

PAMA: Immersive Audio on the Rise

No, immersive audio is not a fad.

In a recent survey of professional audio manufacturers conducted by the Professional Audio Manufacturers Alliance (PAMA), half the respondents said immersive audio now ranges from a significant to a solidly pervasive and permanent component of audio production workflows—and all respondents expect to reach that level of pervasiveness within five years.

PAMA asked its member companies to assess the impact of the burgeoning immersive audio movement on their product development and business. Two-thirds of participating companies reported significant current overall demand for products with immersive audio capabilities. Four out of five respondents expect products with immersive audio features to be a growth area in their company’s portfolio of products over the next five years, with one-third of all respondents seeing great potential for growth.

Current immersive audio product demand is cited as strongest in film, TV, and gaming, where established protocols are baked into delivery formats and devices. “Dolby Atmos is in a leadership position for immersive

formats for both music and film/TV,” said Chris Hansen, director of recording, Harman International. “Sony’s game console, as a delivery system, helps push their Sony 360 format.”

Gary Boss, marketing director for AudioTechnica, agreed that Atmos seemed to be getting the most traction—for now. “We feel people are just now figuring this out and what their workflow will be, so no real ‘standards’ are universal yet,” he noted. “We are working on microphone solutions that can be compatible with many different workflows.”

Immersive loudspeaker systems for live sound garnered responses across the range of low to high demand from those with applicable products, with the average just on the fair side of the scale. Demand for theater-specific immersive loudspeaker was rated slightly higher than for live sound loudspeakers in general.

“A lot of different tools are required to help promote and give confidence to customers that these systems will perform to their expectation or beyond the expectation of a traditional system,” said Marc Lopez, VP of marketing, Americas, at d&b audiotechnik. “Typically, hearing is believing.”

While only half the respondents cited studio products for immersive mixing as applicable to their product line, all respondents cited some demand for products offering immersive mixing capabilities for live sound—the only product category in the survey where all respondents found the category applicable to their product line. Those that cited good or better demand for immersive products for studio cited identical demand for live immersive mixing products, with little to low demand the average across all respondents.

There is “no real standard for live reinforcement” regarding immersive speaker configurations and protocols, explained David Fuller, QSC’s VP product development–pro audio.

“While FOH engineers for A-list artists are experimenting with their touring rigs, many installed venues can barely afford a stereo PA, let alone distributed PAs for immersive.”

Joe Ciaudelli

OSU Alumni Center Welcomes Visitors with Video Walls

The ConocoPhillips OSU Alumni Center in Stillwater, OK—home base to the Oklahoma State University Alumni Association—readily supports all types of activities from intimate gatherings to major corporate events. Recently, AVL Systems Design of Edmond, OK, deployed massive dual 60-foot displays in Legacy Hall, the entry area of the facility.

“At the OSU Alumni Center, AVL’s innovations play a pivotal role in enhancing the visitor experience, particularly for new students and campus guests,” said Marc Pierce, president of AVL Systems Design. “The grandeur of the 60-foot walls serves as a captivating canvas, enveloping patrons in the essence of the institution and instilling a profound sense of awe upon entry.”

The Legacy Hall displays were installed and initially placed into service in January. The system utilizes a combination of two 60x10-foot MAXHUB CM27 Series displays, dual 60x3-foot CM27 Series displays, six MAXHUB V6 View Pro Series panels, four CMA Series panels, and one Raptor Series display panel. The solution seamlessly integrates local computer feeds, wireless video and audio transmissions, and accommodates a myriad of other audio and video needs to meet the evolving needs of the facility.

“Our solution for this project involves a comprehensive array of features and functionalities tailored to enrich the visitor experience,” explained Pierce. “From curated historical narratives to real-time updates on campus events and live feeds from sporting events, the AV system serves as a dynamic conduit for information dissemination and engagement. This includes a diverse range of multimedia content such as movies, video clips, and immersive 360-degree panoramic footage from sporting events and daily campus activities.”

Pierce said the MAXHUB equipment required minimal setup and configuration straight out of the box. “With intuitive interfaces and streamlined operation, our team found it easy to navigate and utilize the full capabilities of the equipment,” he

added. “Moreover, the robust design of MAXHUB equipment ensures ease of maintenance, minimizing downtime while optimizing system reliability.”

With a project of this scope and complexity, capable and responsive support services are crucial to keep a project on schedule. “In my experience,

MAXHUB has demonstrated exemplary commitment to customer satisfaction through their responsive and capable technical support services,” Pierce said. “Their proactive approach to resolving issues and willingness to go above and beyond to ensure smooth operations have been instrumental in fostering a positive and productive partnership.”

Two massive 60-foot displays from MAXHUB line the entry way of the OSU Alumni Center.

AVI Systems Celebrates 50th Anniversary

Established as OMF Incorporated on April 1, 1974, AVI Systems is celebrating its 50th year of business. Joe Stoebner was there from the beginning, first as minority owner and then as sole owner in 1979. Since those early days, the company has evolved to become an industry leader and innovator that serves clients regionally, nationally, and globally.

First opening in Bismarck, ND, AVI has expanded throughout the United States and will open new locations in Phoenix and Washington, DC, in 2024. In 2018, AVI acquired Magenium Solutions, adding Microsoft solutions expertise to solve the growing business challenges of organizations and deliver advanced Microsoft Teams Room technology as well

ASG Expands with New London Office

Entering its next phase of growth, Advanced Systems Group is opening a new office in London this month. The move gives ASG, which is headquartered in Emeryville, CA, a greater European presence to better serve its international customers, as well as meet the increasing worldwide demand for managed services, production, and post-production facility expertise.

The office will be located at Aviation House in London’s Holborn area, a booming professional and creative hub. Tim Cuthbertson, an ASG global account executive with more than 30 years of integration and professional services experience, will relocate back to his native London to head the new operations as managing director.

According to Cuthbertson, the ASG London office was a “right time, right place” decision driven by shifting business and economic factors. “Organizations in our markets have had to reinvent their operations, first adapting to workforce changes caused by the pandemic and

as modern IT services.

In the audiovisual industry, AVI Systems is broadly known as the only company of its size dedicated to 100% employee ownership. The employee stock ownership plan was established in 1989, and the company transitioned to 100% employee ownership in 2009.

With a focus on innovation and customer service, AVI has earned a reputation as a trusted advisor for organizations that wish to enhance communication, elevate the modern workplace, and drive success. Today, AVI Systems serves and supports the AV/UC needs of multinational enterprises in 50 countries and 180 cities worldwide. As the company looks to the future, it

later dealing with issues like the actors and writers strikes, so there’s a lot of pent-up refitting and development that’s ramping up,” he explained. “With globally distributed workforces now a reality, having an international presence is an operational requirement. Technology doesn’t stop moving, and London is a significant production center, so expanding was the logical choice. Our U.K. presence will be there to serve the needs of these organizations.”

Advanced Systems Group U.K., a wholly owned subsidiary of ASG, is part of a phased approach to ramping up the company’s international presence. The U.K. team will focus on its current European clients including SNAP, Google, and Yahoo with even more comprehensive services, as well as ASG’s U.S.-based clients that have facilities in Britain.

“From the start, our goal was never to be the biggest integrator, but to be known for delivering the best service for our customers,” said Dave Van Hoy, president of ASG. “We have been operating internationally with a managed services and SI presence in London for more than a decade, and several of our global M&E and enterprise customers have long requested us to establish a greater presence outside of North America. It’s clear that this is the right time to formally expand our international business and open an office in London.”

Joe Stoebner

remains dedicated to its core values of integrity, curiosity, stewardship, elevation, and oneness.

“As we celebrate our 50th year in business, we are incredibly proud of the journey that has brought us here,” said Jeff Stoebner, CEO of AVI Systems. “From our roots in Bismarck to our expansion across the United States and around the world, AVI Systems has remained committed to delivering leading audiovisual and collaboration solutions that empower organizations to thrive in an everevolving digital landscape. This milestone is a testament to the dedication of our 1,100-plus employee owners, the support of our clients, and our unwavering commitment to innovation and excellence.”

Yamaha UC Closing Its Doors

Yamaha Corporation has decided to dissolve Yamaha Unified Communications, a U.S.-based subsidiary known for selling conferencing system equipment. According to Yamaha, changes in the market environment have prompted the company to liquidate its subsidiary.

The decision to liquidate Yamaha UC is expected to result in an increase in consolidated net profit of approximately $2.5 billion due to the application of tax effect accounting and other factors. Liquidation is scheduled for the end of June and will be completed upon the conclusion of necessary procedures in accordance with local laws and regulation.

Formerly Revolabs, Yamaha UC was established in 2005 and acquired by Yamaha in 2014. The company changed its name to Yamaha UC in 2018. Going forward, sales of conferencing system equipment in the United States will be handled by Yamaha Corporation of America.

Tim Cuthbertson

By Peter Hansen

Pro AV is back on track. February delivered surprising disappointment after a solid start to the year, with the AV Sales Index (AVI-S) falling from 60.7 in January down to 53.4. Now we’re all the way back and even beyond, with the March AVI-S at 61.8. Given the lack of clear causation, we suspected and certainly hoped for a quick rebound.

Commenters cited a number of factors affecting their business in the period, with uncertainty chief among them. In some ways, uncertainty was positive in that it’s reducing: Companies are settling into post-COVID work models, which is releasing funds.

In other ways, uncertainty was a negative, with fluctuating revenues straining businesses. One interesting comment identified supply problems as their top concern, but in a totally different way than it

March Bounces Back after Februrary Numbers Disappoint

has been for the past three years: They’re finally getting stuff in after long delays, and so much so that they’re running out of storage space!

Milestone alert: The U.S. employment report showed a heartening milestone in March: The Leisure and Hospitality sector has now recovered its prepandemic job levels. Given the rise of factors such as QR-code ordering, no-contact check-in, etc., recovering back to the 2020 level is a strong signal of how “back” this sector is.

The recovery and growth align with the restoration of a broad trend we’ve tracked for years as it relates to Pro AV: the rise of the experience economy. This story was very much disrupted by COVID-19, but our research shows it coming back. For example, AVIXA’s Industry Outlook and Trends Analysis (IOTA) report shows live events leading Pro AV revenue growth right now. We expect the experience economy to continue robust growth for the foreseeable future.

There’s good news on employment, too. The AVI-E (AV Employment Index) hadn’t suffered as dramatic a drop as the AVI-S, and it hasn’t recovered quite as strongly. But positive news here is welcome just the same. For the AVI-E, the course was 57.1, 53.8, then 56.6 for January, February, and now March.

In the wider economy, the U.S. employment report delivered more good news. Payrolls added 303,000 jobs, comfortably above expectations, and wages increased at an annual rate of 4.1%. These datapoints confirm a strong and healthy economy, which positions Pro AV for a solid year in 2024.

The Pro AV Business Index report is derived from a monthly survey of the AVIXA Insights Community, a research community of industry members that tracks business trends in commercial AV. For more information about joining the AVIXA Insights Community, visit www.avixa.org/AVIP.

Peter Hansen is an economist at AVIXA.

Connectivity to the Core

Key Digital’s Tsinberg Reflects on 25 Years of Key Digital and Plans for Continued Success

By Mark J. Pescatore

SCN: Before Key Digital, you created some rather significant technologies for the video industry. Which of your contributions would you say have been the most significant?

Mike Tsinberg: I think the three technologies of most significance are:

1. Proposal to broadcast TV digitally. This allowed HDTV compatibility—the HDTV digital RF signal could be added alongside standard analog TV broadcast of NTSC video.

2. Standardization on MPEG-2 compression for HDTV digital broadcasting. This allowed highquality HDTV video and sound to be broadcast within the standard 6 MHz bandwidth of RF spectrum allocated as guard channels to an analog TV station, and opened up the opportunity to deliver the identical digital MPEG-2 HDTV signal via many different physical real-time or storage mediums: cable, satellite, OTA, disk, tape, and the then fledgling internet networks. Previously, in the analog TV world, each of the medium distribution channels required its own signal formatting and modulation methods.

3. Working together with Toshiba and Warner Brothers to create the Emmy award-winning DVD format. This was another implementation of universal MPEG-2 compressed video, but in this case on a low-cost, high-quality, easily distributed consumer storage medium. DVD was the most successful physical consumer video and audio storage medium of all time, and it opened the door for streaming video content over the internet, the now dominant TV delivery technology.

SCN: How is Key Digital celebrating its 25th anniversary?

MT: We have noted the milestone with an anniversary logo and a refresh of our timeline of accomplishments. But honestly, day-to-day, we know the way that we can thrive for another 25 years is to continue to innovate and solve problems for our customers. It’s our passion and focus. We truly delight in brainstorming about how we can apply new technologies. We continue to refine our products and develop software tools for configuration and control. We have been releasing second and third-generation

versions of many of our foundational products such as our modular, scalable AV-over-IP systems, multiviewers, and extenders. We’ve just introduced a new wireless HDMI extender that leverages 5G technology and figured out a way to apply it as a wireless distribution amplifier. And there’s a hub coming for our wireless presentation gateway that is an all-in-one BYOD collaboration system.

SCN: What made you decide to establish Key Digital in 1999?

MT: After helping to create the very successful HDTV and DVD formats with CE giants Philips and Toshiba, the time felt right to build a team and apply my experience and ideas to opportunities and markets that were emerging in digital video connectivity for the commercial and consumer installation markets.

SCN: Your first product was a custom video distribution amplifier for Best Buy’s display televisions. How did those early days and projects set the stage for Key Digital’s longevity?

MT: That first product was actually analog, since HDTV sets in those days had analog video inputs. However, the wide aspect ratio and crisp, clear images of HDTV were the basis for what promised to be a rapidly expanding HDTV and digital video market. With our knowledge and experience with digital video, the team we built at Key Digital was wellpositioned to anticipate the needs of a developing market. As the market evolved, so did our products. We filled core needs but also provided solutions to connectivity and inter-device communication issues while providing bidirectional control along with signal distribution. We grew with the market through a commitment to meet customers where they live, recognize their needs, keep our solutions costeffective, and be a true partner in their success.

SCN: What are some of the unique tech challenges of today’s hybrid presentation spaces?

MT: COVID-19 changed the marketplace to where most any conference now consists of people present in the office as well as connected remotely via videoconference. The tech challenges include latency between interactive presenters, quality discrepancies between onsite and remote cameras and mics, enabling remote content sharing, and remote/local system control. COVID-19 also increased demand for physical

Mike Tsinberg

Position: Founder and CEO

Company: Key Digital

Overtime: I like to play chess, mostly online with many different players from around the world. Chess erases regional, ethnic, linguistic, cultural, political, and religious differences. I also like to spend focused time with our children, grandchildren, and friends.

distancing in the same room and hands-free products such as wireless gateways and wireless extenders. In general, customers are quickly getting used to clear 4K TV, which in turn opens commercial markets for 4K delivery via wired or wireless connectivity.

SCN: Currently, what are your busiest vertical markets, and what sort of solutions are you providing for them?

MT: Digital signage in retail stores and hospitality is a big market for us. Sports bars and restaurants are also keeping us busy. We have dedicated standalone processors for multiview and video wall applications, along with our AVoIP modular systems for matrixed signal delivery with integrated bidirectional device control and built-in processing for video walls, including mosaic video walls. Hybrid conference rooms are another large vertical, along with education, addressed with our Conference Room in a Box and Classroom in a Box solutions.

SCN: What new initiatives are we likely to see from your company?

MT: We’ll be expanding wireless gateway capabilities plus adding USB-C connectivity and switching for various scenarios. We will also continue to improve a very successful AVoIP lineup as the backbone of functionally and visually impressive installations. Since our R&D is all U.S. based, we are in close contact with our customers and eager to implement ideas from the field.

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

MT: First, digital signage will continue to grow as a market segment and become an integral and fluid part of any new building construction, be it government, commercial, or residential. Second, with the ever-increasing complexity of commercial AV systems, software control tools and their ease of implementation of use is becoming a key differentiator between brands. Along with the KD App and KDMS Pro, Key Digital has pioneered the unified control of lighting, security, electrical, HVAC, and other technologies with its iPad-based Compass Control Pro plug-and-play solution for complete system control, spanning products from 100-plus Compass Alliance Partner brands.

B-TECH has entered a new distribution agreement with Indiana-based STARIN, a Midwich Group company, which will distribute B-Tech products throughout the United States. Starin becomes the seventh Midwich Group company to distribute for B-Tech worldwide, following Sidev in France and Van Domburg Partners in the Netherlands, which both signed distribution agreements during 2023. Pre-existing agreements between B-Tech and Midwich include the Australian, APAC, Irish, and U.K. markets, where their working relationship spans a 15-year period.

AUDIOCONTROL has appointed two new independent sales rep firms for the Midwest region of the United States: SALES AND MARKETING for Michigan and AWA REPS covering Western Pennsylvania, West Virgina, Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, Minnesota, and both North and South Dakota. Sales and Marketing is based in Kalamazoo, MI, and has been bringing custom installation and high-performance audio solutions to dealers and integrators in Michigan for more than a decade. Founded in 2009 with a showroom in Elmhurst, IL, AWA Reps provide the products and services for security, AV, and contract hardware (access control solutions).

California, Nevada, and Idaho. With its knowledge of EAW’s entire suite of products and a dedicated focus to client relationships, Audio Source plans to grow EAW’s presence in their territory and beyond.

POWERSOFT has appointed AVL MEDIA GROUP, a division of Intellimix Corp, as its new distributor and service center for Canada. Established more than 25 years ago, AVL Media Group will focus on promoting Powersoft’s products and technologies, making its customers and potential partners aware of their features and benefits to significantly grow the Italian audio manufacturer’s footprint in Canada. Rep Report

EASTERN AUDIO WORKS (EAW) has partnered with AUDIO SOURCE as its new manufacturer’s representative. Based in Moses Lake, WA, Audio Source will serve the Pacific Northwest including Washington, Oregon, Alaska, Hawaii, Northern

Pro AV veteran RAINER

BRANDSTÄTTER has rejoined AV STUMPFL in the newly created role of product partnership manager. After transitioning into an IT consultant role during COVID-19, he returned to AV Stumpfl in September. In his new position, which he describes as a hybrid role that sits between the sales and technical teams, he is responsible for PIXERA’s technology partners and third-party integrations.

BLAZE AUDIO has appointed HAYDEN SHAMBURGER to the newly created position of director of strategic partnerships. In his new position, Shamburger will be tasked with introducing Blaze Audio and its products to more of the marketplace throughout North America and globally, while also helping strategic partners achieve growth. With more than 18 years of professional audio experience, Shamburger drove strategic partnerships for audio manufacturers Bose and Harman/JBL, and

PLIANT TECHNOLOGIES has recently expanded its network with several new dealers and manufacturer representatives in multiple regions throughout the United States. Included amongst the new dealers representing the Southeast region are THE DESIGN OASIS (FL), BLACK KEY PRODUCTIONS (FL), STRATA (GA), NEWTECH SYSTEMS (KY), AVANT COMMUNICATION & TECHNOLOGY (KY), CREATIVE SOUND AND LIGHTING (NC), and BRADFIELD STAGE LIGHTING (TN). The latest dealers handling the Midwest include SIMONI SYSTEMS (MI), SLS PRODUCTION SERVICES (MI), STRIV AV (NE), and MAJIC PRODUCTIONS (WI). PURETEK GROUP (NJ) is a new dealer for the Northeast, BOUNCE MULTIMEDIA (TX) will cover the Southwest region, and TVS PRO (UT) is the latest dealer in the West. Additionally, the brand’s latest manufacturer representatives include AUDIOPROS (Manchester, CT/Northeast) and NETWORK MARKETING (Minneapolis, Wisconsin, Dakotas, Kansas, and Missouri).

D&B AUDIOTECHNIK has appointed ROBB ALLAN, a longtime sound engineer and product designer, as principal product manager for d&b Soundscape. With a career in professional audio spanning touring, studio, and television, Allan brings extensive Pro AV expertise to his new role. His has worked with artists such as Radiohead and Coldplay, and was a key contributor to product development initiatives at Avid.

DRAPER has hired SAM NORD as Pro AV regional sales manager for the Western United States. Nord will be responsible for working with AV dealers and The Farm rep firm in Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming. Nord brings more than 25 years of experience with system integrators and manufacturers, serving most recently as VP of global sales for Listen Technologies.

JOCELYNE BÜCKNER was appointed HOLPLOT’s new head of marketing. Bückner brings more than 15 years of marketing experience gained in various senior positions, including her latest leadership role at d&b audiotechnik as director of brand and corporate communications. In her new role, Bückner will handle both the experience-focused initiatives and the more practical “nuts and bolts” marketing aspects of product launches.

spent more than 10 years with global integrator MOOD Media.

JAY BOUTON joins DAKTRONICS to focus on aviation business development, bringing more than 40 years of experience in aviation technology to the company.

CHRIS VAN LIEW returns to Daktronics—where he started his sales career—as the aviation sales manager. Both serve on the aviation sales team within the transportation market at Daktronics. DEREK DOROW, who has been with Daktronics since 2014 and brings experience in managing projects, also joins the team to provide pre-sales technical expertise for highly complex projects.

K-ARRAY USA has appointed JOANNA “JOJO” MIKUCKI as VP of business development, KSCAPE. She has more than 17 years of experience in the Pro AV industry. In her new role, Mikucki’s key responsibilities include driving brand awareness for KSCAPE among architects, interior designers, and AV consultants nationwide. She will also provide project assistance and design support, spearhead AIA training presentations in the New York Metro Area, and directly manage key customer projects. Also, K-array USA appointed JEREMY FORSYTHE as business development manager. Forsythe brings more than 10 years of experience in the professional audio industry. In his new role, Forsythe engages with key integrators and consultants to cultivate relationships. Plus, he spearheads special projects to enhance and promote the K-academy training programs and expand the company’s product demonstration capabilities.

Rainer Brandstätter

Hayden Shamburger

Jay Bouton

Chris Van Liew

Derek Dorow

Sam Nord

Joanna “Jojo” Mikucki

Jeremy Forsythe

Jocelyne Bückner

Robb Allan

GERHARD ZAWATZKI has been appointed head of international sales at KINDERMANN GMBH. Zawatzki has many years of experience in the Pro AV industry, having held management positions in sales and business development. In his new role, Gerhard Zawatzki and his team will be responsible for the strategic and operational expansion of international sales.

LED STUDIO has expanded its U.S. team.

KIRK

KESSLER joins LED Studio as director of sports and entertainment sales U.S., with a wealth of experience from a career spanning more than 25 years with Samsung. LED Studio also appointed JEN MCGEE as associate director of project development and named PJ PEDRONI director of

sales. These strategic appointments play an integral role in accelerating LED Studio’s U.S. growth.

MAXHUB has appointed DAVID HEEG to the position of enterprise sales manager, Midwest. In his new role, he manages the various sales representative firms within the territory to help develop and foster business. Heeg brings a wealth of industry experience, which includes time as regional sales manager for Crestron Electronics as well as time with Christie Digital Systems.

POWERSOFT appointed TAKIS TSONOPOULOS as business development manager for the MEA region. In his new role, Tsonopoulos is responsible for new and existing clients and working closely with high-level decision-makers in the region. Tsonopoulos brings more than 30 years of industry experience to his new role and joins Powersoft from HARMAN International, where he worked as an account

manager, overseeing professional audio distributor accounts for the south EMEA regions.

SOUND DEVICES has hired

BRYAN LEE as its new global sales team member. In this role, Lee will utilize his 20-plus years of experience in the Pro AV industry to continue support and growth.

Lee began his career in 2003 in pro audio retail sales with Hung Brothers Electrical Trading, the first Sound Devices distributor in Singapore. He has also worked with Sennheiser, where he was promoted in 2008 to Philippines country manager.

USSI GLOBAL has promoted AMANDA FLYNN to the new role of chief revenue officer. Among her new responsibilities, Flynn oversees USSI Global’s sales, marketing, customer success, and revenue operations. Flynn started with USSI Global in 2008 in business development and was promoted to director of business development and customer relations in 2018. In 2021, she was promoted again, this time to vice president of customer relations.

PowerZoneTM Connect

Introducing our brand-new PowerZone™️ Connect 8-channel 1U Class-D power amplifiers. Now globally available in 500 W and 1000 W configurations, they feature 10 input channels, flexible power distribution across their 8 output channels, a built-in full matrix DSP controller, hybrid power distribution in both Lo-Z and Hi-Z, and countless other benefits for your next project.

• Power sharing distribution in Lo-Z and Hi-Z

• 8 Euroblock balanced inputs

• 8 RCA phono unbalanced inputs

• 8 configurable loudspeaker outputs

• S/PDIF digital audio I/O

• Pascal UMAC™️ Class-D technology

• Configurable GPIO

• Built-in DSP configuration

Gerhard Zawatzki

David Heeg

Amanda Flynn

Takis Tsonopoulos

Bryan Lee

Kirk Kessler Jen McGee

PJ Pedroni

BUSINESS

The future of Pro AV begins with The Nine. Every year, SCN celebrates the accomplishments of a select group of younger professionals who are blazing new trails as business and sales leaders, training and tech support educators, and content creators—each of them helping to set the tone for the next generation of the industry.

Michael Coney

By Wayne Cavadi

Title: Graduate Experience Designer

Company: Arup

Location: Brooklyn, NY

Overtime: Coney will cook dinner to “disconnect” from Pro AV, but you’ll usually find him “going out and living in that excitement” of immersive experiences, artist meetups, and live coding events. Why You Need to Know Him: If there’s one thing Coney has learned over his years, it’s how to see what’s possible in an opportunity, assess the risks, and take full advantage in a positive, creative light.

Michael Coney is a man who keeps himself busy. Wearing many hats, he is currently the graduate experience designer for Arup, an engineering consultancy that uses “imagination, technology, and rigor to shape a better world.” However, he is also the creative technologist at his own MouseHole Studios. Perhaps his LinkedIn page sums up best who Coney is at heart: an experience designer and cyberpunk storyteller.

For Coney, this was always the way. “It wasn’t specifically AV, but I just love technology,” he said, reflecting on his youth. “I was always into video games, and I had a VHS camcorder that my parents would let me use. I was really involved in theater and music and lots of live performances and entertainment, so it was also what story are we trying to tell? Those things have been constant.”

Coney spent his undergraduate time at both SUNY Sullivan and SUNY Purchase where he studied, well, just about everything: communications, media studies, emerging media, new media, and programming. It was there MouseHole Studios was born.

“I only had a camera and a MacBook and so everything fit in a backpack,” Coney said. “It was like a full studio. And I would go to a site, film things for people, and then I could edit them right there. It kind of grew out of that.”

With a CTS and soon a master’s from NYU IDM, Coney has been with Arup for just about two years, where he is instrumental in things like high-level concept design. He’s also on the AV team, so he helps create designs for large-scale clients on aviation projects, healthcare, education, and museums, just to name a few. Plus, he’s done a lot of work on immersive experiences.

Among the next big things Coney sees in the Pro AV industry is what he called the “gamification and

more of these structured immersive scenes on a very small scale.” He also feels we’re a lot closer to generative AI content in parks and venues like museums and science centers. However, what he really sees as the next step in the evolution of Pro AV is wearables.

“[I did a] project called Net Vibes, which is a wearable that I developed last year. It allows a user to feel, to sense Wi-Fi with their body,” he said. “It essentially gives you a sixth sense, so you can feel the Wi-Fi networks around you in the same way that you would hear or smell something. While it may not be a very useful sense to have, the idea is to speculate on what’s possible with these systems, with this technology, and where can we take it beyond that.”

What advice does he have for the next generation of Pro AV? “Formal education, either through college or through certifications, I think those are essential,” Coney said. “But on the other side, you’re developing your own sense of self. One of my favorite questions to ask people, whether I’m at a party or at a conference, is what’s exciting for you right now? Everyone always says, ‘follow your dreams’ or ‘do what you love,’ but they don’t really say how to do that. So, I find that question of what is exciting for you helps because everyone knows what they’re excited about.”

BUSINESS

Nicole Corbin

By Mark J. Pescatore

Title: VP of Business Operations

Company: Utelogy

Location: Central Massachusetts

Overtime: Newly engaged, she’s planning a wedding for next spring. She also loves nature photography and has a black belt in Krav Maga. Why You Need to Know Her: Utelogy’s human Swiss Army Knife has a background in UX design, but now she’s tasked with launching new initiatives and optimizing day-to-day operations at Utelogy.

Nicole Corbin’s career could have gone in a very different direction. She attended a vocational technical high school, where she initially thought she would pursue graphic design. She quickly realized that working with printing presses was not her calling, so she moved to the business technology program. There, she was tasked with some light web development as well as presentation design. “I found designing on a computer very interesting,” she recalled.

That’s when she gravitated toward building websites that looked nice and were useful, and pursued a degree at Boston University that would allow her to learn both design and development. Corbin graduated early and began her career as a front-end web developer for a major healthcare company, where she worked closely with product teams on several sites.

After a couple of acquisitions, her job responsibilities shifted to building ads and revenue-generating content. That’s when Corbin decided it was time for a new opportunity—and a smaller company. She found the right fit at Utelogy. The California-based company offers intelligent monitoring software that helps organizations manage their AV assets.

Corbin started her Pro AV career in June 2019 as the director of product and user experience at Utelogy. A few days later, with no AV background whatsoever, she was at InfoComm. It was admittedly “very different” from her consumerfacing healthcare work. “I got a really good sense of what we were doing in the industry and who the other players were,” she said. “It was a great experience for me.”

Since that first InfoComm, internal changes in Utelogy have pushed Corbin to grow professionally. “That was to my benefit, taking on a lot of different responsibilities along the way,” she said.

Today, as VP of business operations, she runs Utelligence, the company’s strategic alliance partner program. Working with companies like Barco, Lightware, Logitech, Neat, and Sennheiser, to name a few, Corbin manages everything from marketing efforts to security certifications. Security is an important part of the Utelogy solution, as most of its major customers have strict information security processes for data protection. She’s also involved with “the business” part of the business, including internal processes and procedures.

Pro AV peaked her interest quickly—and after five years, Cobin said she’s still learning about the industry. She has watched first-hand how much has changed in such a short time, and her new knowledge lets her revisit the difficulties of trying to setup and join a corporate HQ videoconference a decade ago through new eyes. “It just feels so funny looking back at that,” she said. “Compared to now, when everything is just so easy, and everyone is trying to streamline the home experience into the work experience.”

One day, Corbin will likely run her own business. In the meantime, she’s been learning as much as possible about every aspect of Utelogy’s business, which is great experience for her and much appreciated by the company. “I’m very fortunate that the people I work for know those are my goals and they are helping me get there,” she said.

Title: Co-Founder

Company: XTEN-AV

Location: New York, NY

Sahil Dhingra

By Jennifer Guhl

Overtime: When he is focused on something other than advancing tech innovator XTEN-AV, he loves hiking, working out, playing and watching basketball and soccer, and spending quality time with his daughter.

Why You Need to Know Him: Dhingra’s resilient spirit is not easily shaken, allowing him to focus on efforts to grow XTEN-AV exponentially within the next five years, pulling from his previous experience in Silicon Valley. His unique ability to

maintain control over his emotions, regardless of the situation, allows him to focus on the task at hand with determination and clarity.

Unlike many in the Pro AV industry with robust hardware or sales backgrounds, Sahil Dhingra brings a unique perspective from his time in Silicon Valley. With a rich history at HP, Cisco, and Apple, his focus on innovation, software, technology, and startups has shaped his approach.

“Growing up in this dynamic environment profoundly influenced my perspective on the future,” he said. “It instilled in me a forwardthinking mindset that has proven invaluable in the growth of my company.”

Fellow XTEN-AV co-founder (and SCN Nine member) Vibhav Singh introduced Dhingra to the world of AV, and his extensive industry experience paved the way for them to start the company. The transition has been welcome change. “Despite being a big industry, it still feels like a small family. I absolutely love this about the AV industry,” Dhingra said.

As part of his role, Dhingra has been entrusted with establishing standardized protocols for design and documentation. Leveraging the standards set forth by AVIXA, he is leading the way in ensuring consistency and quality across the industry.

“We’ve been incredibly fortunate to assemble a team of exceptionally talented individuals at XTEN-AV,” he said. “The dedication and expertise displayed by each member of our team have been pivotal to both the success of our company and my personal achievements. Their unwavering commitment to excellence in their respective roles has been the cornerstone of our success story.”

Dhingra’s pride extends beyond starting XTEN-AV. He is thrilled to be part of a company revolutionizing the AV industry, and his excitement about the growth plans for XTEN-AV and its customers is infectious. For Dhingra, the customer’s needs are paramount to their success, and he is committed to ensuring those needs are met. As he declared, “Go above and beyond to make your customers happy—money will follow!”

“Despite being a big industry, it still feels like a small family. I absolutely love this about the AV industry.”

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BUSINESS

Sheon Harvey

By Wayne Cavadi

Title: Regional Sales Manager

Company: AVer USA

Location: San Jose, CA

Overtime: In her own words, Harvey “lives to eat,” so she is a foodie. One of the things she is learning to eat is fire—that’s right, she’s spins fire for fun. Why You Need to Know Her: The former San Jose State psychology member is focused on enhancing the lives of everyone around her, whether it’s through technology or teamwork.

Meet Sheon Harvey, Pro AV therapist. That may not be her official title, but after seven years with AVer USA, she’s realized that throughout all her success—and there is a lot—her true passion is helping others, whether it be clients or colleagues.

Harvey’s story technically starts in Yokohama, Japan, where she grew up, but really began when her family moved out to the San Francisco Bay Area. “I went to San Jose State and I was very gung-ho about my studies,” Harvey said. “I was a research assistant and on my way to get my Ph.D. because I wanted to be a marriage and family therapist. But I

Title: CEO

Company: Humly

Anders Karlsson

By Wayne Cavadi

Location: Stockholm, Sweden

Overtime: When he’s not solving the next problem for the hybrid workplace, you’ll find him on the slopes downhill skiing (or mountain biking when it’s warm), occasionally fitting in a video game.

Why You Need to Know Him: With Humly’s innovations, you don’t need to think about how the technology works—Karlsson’s team focuses on the human side of technology.

Anders Karlsson is doing big things for the hybrid world. Under his lead in its almost four-year journey, Humly has kept an ear to the ground and a foot on the pedal to bring people some of the solutions they need most in the evolving workplace.

While Karlsson has always been into technology—whether it was computers or cell

realized that with my psychology degree, I wasn’t able to find a job that was going to sustain me out here in the Bay Area.”

That’s not to say technology was a foreign concept to her. Her dad built computers, so she was tech savvy from a very young age. And from all those years studying to be a therapist, she knew she wanted to help others. That’s when she saw the listing for AVer and submitted her resume. Harvey admitted she probably was not the most qualified candidate, so when she didn’t hear back it wasn’t all that surprising.

But that didn’t stop her. “I printed out my resume and went and knocked on their door,” she recalled. “It was the director of human resources who answered the door, and he was on his lunch break. He was so impressed that I went out of my way and drove all the way there and pretty much demanded an interview that he said, ‘All right, this girl has guts. Let me give her a chance.’”

AVer took the chance—and did it ever pay off. Though she started as a sales and marketing specialist, she wore many hats, and quickly became a member of the newly created videoconferencing team. In 2016, that team had three people on it and made $2 million. Within three years, the team more than tripled in size and revenue jumped to $20 million.

“It was really amazing to be part of that substantial growth in our little videoconferencing department,” Harvey said. “Just seeing with

phones—a leader in Pro AV wasn’t what he necessarily aspired to become. “I started off as an entrepreneur,” Karlsson said. “As soon as I was 18 and could legally start a company in Sweden, I did that.”

After a few startups and trying it out, he turned to Pro AV, right? Wrong. “I’m actually trained in the legal profession—I started off on the road to become a lawyer. I guess I was inspired by the TV shows,” Karlsson recollected with a laugh.

Initially, he set out to be a defense lawyer or prosecutor, but quickly turned to intellectual property law—and learned it wasn’t like the TV shows. “It’s very interesting questions some of the times, but it’s also just a lot of meticulous checking of agreements and a lot of repetitive work,” Karlsson said. “That did not really suit me well with my profile.”

Luckily, especially for Humly, Karlsson made the choice to cut ties with the legal profession. “I think it was a little bit by accident at first,” he recalled. “I was approached by an IT company looking for a CTO, and they knew about my experience in running a couple of businesses. I went into that and that grew. I ended up in a situation where I had to make a choice: What do I think is most interesting?”

amazing teamwork, you can move mountains. I was able to move into an account executive position and started growing our team and then eventually became a regional sales manager.”

Keep in mind, AVer and Harvey’s videoconferencing team were ahead of the curve, and when COVID hit? “Oh, my goodness,” Harvey recollected. “I mean, we couldn’t even keep up with the inquiries and how many people wanted cameras. It was insane.”

But for Harvey, success is only enjoyable when it’s a shared experience. “I don’t feel like I’m winning unless everyone on my team is winning,” Harvey said. “I realized this is the industry that I want to be in because I want to be around like-minded people that want to help each other out and also really learn from one another. I have an amazing team of people that are so brilliant. I’m always learning new things within this industry.”

So, after seven years climbing the ladder and achieving the unthinkable, what advice does Harvey have for the next generation of AV professionals? “Knowledge is power,” Harvey said. “It sounds super corny, but it really is. The technology within our industry—it's always changing. You've got to be ahead of the curve—knowing what's coming out, what's hot—just so we can tailor our solutions to what people are wanting these days.”

There she goes, looking out for other people once again.

Spoiler alert: It wasn’t law.

Though Humly started in 2020—just months before the COVID-19 pandemic struck—its roots can be traced back almost 15 years prior. Karlsson had an IT consulting business on the side even while practicing law, so technology was always part of the plan. Around 2007, he and his team began working on room scheduling software that led to screensharing technology, which they licensed to third-party vendors. Roughly a decade later, he realized all those components should be one platform, and the idea of Humly was born.

Of course, a global pandemic is certainly going to hinder getting your name out there. “Our whole four-to-six-month plan was out the window,” Karlsson said. “We had a really hard time talking to anyone. People were concerned with their own things. The benefit, of course, is it became a top-of-mind issue at the C-level of many organizations because when we planned this out, we were pushing a hybrid way of working.”

What advice does Karlsson impart on the future wave of Pro AV? “With all that is going on with AI today, it’s going to be more important than ever to focus on the creativity side and actually provide solutions to end customers that focus on the experience,” he offered.

Gus Marcondes

By Jennifer Guhl

Title: Global Training Manager

Company: NETGEAR

Location: Southampton, England

Overtime: Growing up in Brazil, Marcondes formed a singing trio with his father and older brother and performed around their hometown. He is currently the lead singer and songwriter of the “Tuto Tribe,” a collective of musicians worldwide specializing in music blending samba, rock, and reggae styles. The group has performed at prominent European festivals, including the U.K.’s historic Isle of Wight Festival and Italy’s San Remo Festival.

Why You Need to Know Him: Marcondes stands out with his unique approach to technical training. Drawing from his artistic background, he infuses his sessions with musical metaphors and anecdotes, making complex technical concepts more engaging and

accessible. He strongly believes in the concept of “edutainment,” where entertainment serves as a conduit for delivering complex technical concepts.

After graduating with a degree in AV engineering in the mid-2000s, Gus Marcondes spent a decade behind mixing desks and vision mixers for studios like TV Globo and live events like Rock in Rio and the Rio Carnival. He then relocated to Europe in 2013 to complete his master’s degree. During that time, he gained experience working with various AV manufacturers—including RANE Pro, ALTO, DENON Pro, and Audinate—until landing with NETGEAR, working on AV-over-IP protocols and Wi-Fi applications requiring networking infrastructure.

This led to his current focus: increasing awareness about NETGEAR Academy and helping to position it as a premier platform for AV and IT professionals to gain accreditation and product knowledge. Marcondes champions a customer-centric approach and finds joy in streamlining AVoIP processes to make them more accessible. “Witnessing the overwhelming interest in

our training sessions underscores the industry’s hunger for knowledge and innovation,” he said.

For his own education, Marcondes feels fearlessness and adaptability have been essential in his development as an AV professional, and evolving industry trends and technologies constantly inspire him. “I firmly believe that effective teaching stems from firsthand experience, trial, and mastery,” he said.

The AV industry is about community, and he enjoys the camaraderie found within it. “As I navigate trade shows and events, I encounter former colleagues, students, and friends, reaffirming the enduring bonds within our vibrant community,” Marcondes added.

For those getting started in the industry, Marcondes recommends embracing feedback as well as acknowledging the beneficial value of constructive criticism and how it can help you advance in your career. “Express gratitude for the time and effort invested by mentors and managers in nurturing your professional development,” he said. “It could be the missing piece in taking that next step.”

“I firmly believe that effective teaching stems from firsthand experience, trial, and mastery.”

BUSINESS

Eric Martin

By Jennifer Guhl

Title: Director of Training and Development

Company: Just Add Power

Location: Seminole, FL

Overtime: Martin is committed to staying active. He attends CrossFit regularly and plays soccer at least once a week. He can also be found playing his favorite video games late at night.

Why You Need to Know Him: With a master’s in education, Martin is deeply invested in facilitating learning and understanding. As the director of training and development with Just Add Power, he is determined to bridge the gap between development and deployment.

Eric Martin’s path to the AV industry is a unique one, rooted in his passion for video games. His early experiences of figuring out the components needed to connect his gaming systems to his TV sparked his interest in computer hardware and building his own PCs. This knowledge became a valuable asset when he transitioned into teaching, allowing him to

Vibhav Singh

By Jennifer Guhl

Title: Co-Founder and CEO

Company: XTEN-AV

Location: Washington, DC

Overtime: One of his biggest passions is cricket— playing and watching—and the rest of his time is spent obsessed with his one-year-old daughter. He also credits working out for helping him develop some of his best ideas.

Why You Need to Know Him: With more than 15 years of experience in Pro AV, Singh is dedicated to bringing about meaningful change within the industry. He helps individuals adopt innovative technology that makes processes more straightforward and efficient. “Being at the forefront of innovation is very exciting and encouraging!” he said.

When working in sales for manufacturers like Harman, Biamp, and Music Tribe, Vibhav Singh noticed a significant gap in the market for software solutions designed to streamline AV designs and

effectively teach science and computer programming.

His skills in AV, computer networking, and pedagogy were a perfect fit When Just Add Power needed a trainer to bridge the gap between legacy HDMI matrices and AV-over-IP. His role is to identify areas where integrators could benefit from additional knowledge, making installations easier and more efficient.

“My job is to spot where the integrator needs to know or learn more so the installation is easy without wearing a programming hat,” Martin explained.

Just Add Power is constantly innovating, and so is Martin, who is expanding his knowledge to easily translate highly technical subjects into accessible

“It’s gratifying to think we’re helping propel the next generation of AV installers into the future.”

sales. “Everything was done out of folders on paper,” he recalled.

This simple observation gave birth to XTEN-AV, a design and proposal software that incorporates innovative technologies to transform how AV professionals work. Singh’s AV sales background has allowed him to identify this pain point and others, and inspires him to deliver industry solutions that guide the industry away from legacy methods. “My ample experience in sales and ardent interest in technology is what I call my USP [Unique Selling Proposition],” he added.

Singh takes pride in how XTEN-AV has revolutionized the AV industry, inspiring professionals to leave behind the pen-and-paper ways of diagramming, calculation, and documentation for more modern technology. “I have had feedback on how XTEN-AV has helped people increase their productivity, efficiency, and revenues by 10 times.”

terms that others can understand. He is never afraid to ask questions, which stems from his early education days.

“That comes from my days as a teacher when I dealt with teenagers who were afraid to ask something for fear of sounding stupid to their peers,” he said. “If I don’t understand it, how could anyone else possibly understand it?”

Martin takes pride in Just Add Power’s innovative technical support programs, in-person and remotely. For him, the job doesn’t end when the device works; the entire system must function seamlessly. He is also passionate about investing in the future of the AV industry by developing education programs for Just Add Power to take into local Florida schools. “It’s gratifying to think we’re helping propel the next generation of AV installers into the future,” he offered.

With the industry constantly changing, Martin believes you have to be willing to modify and improve your resources continually. “Coming from a science background, you learn that there are a thousand ways to fail or for something not to work, but it’s all about finding that one success,” he said. “There’s a eureka moment where everything comes together at once. Usually, a gradual evolution—a small tweak, adjustment, or modification—goes into the product, training, or installation, but it amounts to a huge difference in the end.”

He credits this success to the company’s focus on profoundly understanding its users and prioritizing their feedback to deliver solutions that exceed expectations. “Embracing change and not fearing it is the biggest lesson I have learned through my AV sales days and now as an entrepreneur,” Singh explained. “The industry is constantly evolving, and being open to new ideas is a great way to stay ahead of the competition.”

Singh’s vision is to inspire AV designers, integrators, and sales professionals to break free from conventional methods and discover innovative solutions that streamline and enhance overall operations. “My dream is to create AV design and sales processes that leverage the technology that the AV industry revolves around,” he explained, “take these technologies beyond hardware, and create sophisticated and reliable software solutions.”

“The industry is constantly evolving, and being open to new ideas is a great way to stay ahead of the competition.”

Rob Voorhees

By Mark J. Pescatore

Title: Business Development Manager II - Technical Specialist

Company: Exertis Almo

Location: New Jersey

Overtime: He married his high school sweetheart, loves spending time with his two daughters, and is ready to talk fantasy football when you are.

Why You Need to Know Him: From designing audio projects to closing telecommunication deals, Rob Voorhees is constantly pushing himself to improve.

His official title is business development manager, but Rob Voorhees wears several hats at Exertis Almo. He represents the HARMAN vendor relationship as part of the audio team and is also a member of the professional services teams. That includes everything from finding the desired components for customers to designing complete

audio systems from scratch. He also manages partnerships with more than 300 internet service providers for bandwidth and telephony contracts for customers.

Early in his professional life, it’s probably fair to say that Voorhees was Pro AV adjacent. He has always loved music (he has an eclectic collection) and began his career selling cassette tapes at Sam Goody. Through later roles at Best Buy and Sears, he learned more about consumer audio and video technologies.

Eventually, Voorhees transitioned to the telecommunications industry. “I was looking for an outside sales position that still blended with the retail world,” he recalled. That career shift wound up as a 15-year stint with DirecTV, which had him working with those same electronics stores and introduced him to the world of distribution. In 2017, he made the jump to Exertis Almo.

Beyond the day-to-day, Voorhees is also a media mogul in training. Not only has he contributed to SCN and other industry publications, but he launched his own podcast, “Mind Your Business,” in February on the Exertis Almo YouTube Channel. Through the series, Voorhees and his guests discuss various business development topics.

It was during the first week of his time at Exertis

Almo when a colleague told him about contributing his voice to industry media. Voorhees scoffed at the idea at the time—but during the pandemic, he found his niche. Rather than taking deep dives into technology (which he is certainly capable of doing), he wanted to provide more personal advice to his audiences through real-world experiences. “I realized that not everything has to be super-technical,” he explained. “Now I get my biggest joy out of helping others through my own experiences.”

An avid runner, Voorhees has learned to keep his eyes on the road ahead, both personally and professionally. He is determined to be “always improving, never stale.” He subscribes to two business philosophies, which he admits are clichés but work for him.

The first is time management. In the past few years, he has changed his lifestyle to include early morning workout and email sessions, as well as an early bedtime. “It allows me to stay on top of my tasks for that day,” Voorhees explained. “It doesn’t work for everybody, but it’s part of my recipe for success.”

His other guiding principle? Always be learning. “Technology in this space is constantly evolving and changing,” Voorhees said, “and I don’t ever want to be left behind.”

BUSINESS LABOR ISSUES

By Dan Smith

I8Tips for Industry Newcomers

Here’s How You Can Build A Rewarding Career in Pro AV

t’s beginning to look a lot like … InfoComm. In fact, it’s right around the corner. And as in years past, the 2024 show presents the perfect opportunity for industry newcomers to immerse themselves in the wonderful world of Pro AV.

According to an AVIXA data recap, a whopping 37% of attendees at InfoComm 2023 were there for the first time. This means that of the nearly 30,000 verified attendees, well over 14,000 newcomers registered to engage at the largest technology exhibition and conference in North America focused on the Pro AV industry.

The overall future of Pro AV is bright—and I mean with more than just LED! Based on AVIXA forecasts, the Pro AV industry is expected to add nearly $100 billion in revenue over the next five years, reaching $402 billion by 2028.

Newcomers are the future of the Pro AV industry. They aren’t just recent college graduates looking for their first jobs. They are also professionals with established careers in adjacent industries, such as architecture or music. Or they are finding their way to Pro AV through emerging trends like drones, XR solutions, or AI.

Traditionally a male-dominated industry, more women are also entering AV, though there’s more work to be done in this area. AVIXA research shows that in 2023, women made up 15% of attendees at both Integrated Systems Europe (ISE) and InfoComm, which is a slight increase over previous years.

One thing is for sure: AV newcomers realize the opportunities available in this industry. They want to be part of creating AV experiences that enhance our world. This works out—because Pro AV needs newcomers, too. Their diverse pathways bring creativity and expertise in areas where industry veterans are not well-versed. The result is new ways of conducting business and fresh ideas that drive ideas, productivity, and profitability.

So, what does an AV newcomer need to know as they dive in? With these tips, AV newcomers are well on their way to an exciting and evolving career that will undoubtedly help shape the future of the Pro AV industry.

Go to Industry Events

Not only is the world of Pro AV immersive, it’s critical for newcomers to immerse themselves in all the

industry has to offer. Aim to attend national-level shows like InfoComm, where there are endless opportunities to see the technology in action and to experience the launch of groundbreaking products. Tradeshows provide a golden opportunity to talk to experts, take courses, socialize, and network.

Don’t have the time or resources to break away for a major tradeshow? Luckily, the AV industry realizes this common challenge. Traveling single-day events and conferences that come to local areas, as well as AV showrooms stationed throughout the nation, are available throughout the year. Thanks to technology, there are many online ways to immerse as well.

Get Involved

Pick an area where you want to get involved, learn more and meet people, and then look for local or online ways to connect, either through industry associations, trade magazines, or company connections. For example, maybe you are a woman in the industry and want to connect with other women. A quick Google search will usually yield multiple resources to get started.

Keep Learning

It’s up to us to make learning a career-long, lifelong requirement. Whether it’s the fundamentals or something entirely new, there’s always something to explore. Take advantage of growth opportunities through AVIXA’s CTS certification or other industry designations, webinars, educational sessions, podcasts, and more.

Don’t Forget Services

Make sure that services are part of every project, be it labor and installation, digital signage, or drafting and engineering. According to NSCA, more than 14% of sales revenue in 2023 was derived from non-recurring sources, such as contracted maintenance agreements (monitoring), managed services, and other recurring fees. Developing or outsourcing services are crucial for revenue and profit, especially as hardware margins compress.

Embrace DEI

Diversity, equity, and inclusion warrants its own article (and there are many available on the subject), but suffice it to say that the Pro AV industry is

realizing the importance of respecting and embracing differences, conveying respect, and promoting equality. Our technology also helps us create a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive workforce—from simple lighting to ADA-compliant listening devices, these tools help level the playing field and allow employees to do and be their best.

Attract and Retain Talent

Whether you are building a business, team, or department, finding employees is a challenge today. This will require some creativity and flexibility to stay competitive so you can continue attracting and keeping the right talent. Consider competitive options, such as performance bonuses during slower times, flexible work schedules, and hybrid work environments. With an aging population, don’t overlook retired/semiretired people who can offer part-time assistance.

Establish Good Credit

This is a foundational piece of advice as cash flow, inventory for pending projects, and billing times after installation can tie up a lot of money for an extended period of time. If you are purchasing products, make sure you establish your credit at the outset to keep your projects moving forward.

Find a Mentor/Be a Mentor

Once you immerse, you’ll naturally find an industry expert(s) you’ll want to lean on for direction and information. Don’t forget, one day, you’ll be an AV veteran. One of your responsibilities as a future Pro AV expert will be to pay it forward for the next generation. It’s imperative to help newcomers find their way and keep our industry growing.

Dan Smith is the executive vice president for Exertis Almo.

NUTHAWUT SOMSUK GETTY IMAGES

By Matt Czyzewski

NSteering Your Future

Build a Career of Intent, Not Happenstance, with Planning and a Willingness to Grow

avigating a career is often like taking a rafting trip down a river—full of twists and turns, paddling hard to stay in the current, moments of terror or excitement, and maybe even a few times when you find yourself going backward. It’s best to start the trip with a plan, knowing that you’ll have to adapt (possibly several times) based on where you’re at in the river versus where you want to be.

Make a Plan

At the start of your career, it might be hard to tell which lane you want to be in—engineering, management, sales, marketing, etc.—until you get some experience. And that’s OK. Some people may be happy as individual contributors, while others may want to pursue a management path.

Even after choosing a lane, you may recognize it’s not a good fit for your goals and interests. Allow some time to figure out what motivates you professionally and makes you happy/satisfied.

You should also be realistic with yourself regarding how long you want to stay with your current company or a particular industry. Are your interests strong enough to keep you satisfied for your entire career, or do you think you may want to pivot to an entirely new job or industry at some point?

I’ve been in product development/engineering and executive management for over 40 years in the AV industry, and it has been fun, challenging, and even frustrating at times. But I also know several people who have left one industry for another or one job function for another and have been extremely happy in their new role or company. Knowing your interest level may influence longer-term career choices.

Next, determine if there is a path to your goal with your current employer, but don’t be discouraged if there isn’t. This may tell you what your next move may need to be.

Talk to your manager about your career aspirations, present your plan, explain how you intend to fill any gaps in your skillset, and ask for their feedback on identifying your gaps. Assessing your skills and understanding what changes you need

to make—be it moving to a different company, continuing your education, more job experience, technical training, or a combination thereof—is key to achieving your career goals.

Hopefully, your manager will be receptive to the plan and offer guidance and encouragement on how to proceed. If they’re not, that may also be another indicator to seek success at a different company.

Unfortunately, Mike Tyson was right when he said, “Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth.” Everyone’s career path is unique and needs frequent reassessment. Unanticipated changes at your current company, such as layoffs or office closures, may temporarily disrupt your long-term goals.

Realistically, we probably all know someone who has been laid off at least once, so your career may need to take a back seat to the reality of getting a job and reacquiring financial stability. Reassessing your career plan after getting established at your new company to see if it’s still the right way forward is a good idea.

Continue Your Education

Regardless of your current education level, there’s always more to learn. Many companies offer tuition reimbursement programs, allowing you to take classes at reduced cost or even for free if you meet specific criteria. Several education resources within the industry—AVIXA, NSCA, SynAudCon, and more—also deal with various topics to further our collective industry knowledge. Professional accreditation programs can go a long way toward establishing bona fides in your chosen field.

I also encourage people to look outside the industry, such as at executive courses from universities or professional seminars, to continue their education. Outside organizations and interfacing with peers in other industries help you gain a different perspective, diversify your thinking, and give exposure to how other companies function.

Look into professional organizations you can join that will also help you gain knowledge, perspective, and skills, such as Vistage, Rotary, IEEE, and AES, to name a few. Get involved with boards or committees in professional or charitable organizations. Those are another excellent opportunity to interface with people both inside and outside the industry.

Lastly, don’t overlook the value of soft skills.

Regardless of your current role or future aspirations, developing your soft skills can immediately benefit you and the people you work with. Everyone can be better at communicating, conflict resolution, effective time management, and life in general.

Don’t be afraid to take refresher classes because best practices evolve. Certainly, basic principles like “treat others with respect” never go out of style, but there are many nuances to interpersonal skills and relationships that need to be practiced regularly.

Seek Out Feedback

Just because you think you may be “killing it” doesn’t mean others feel the same way. Check in with your manager and peers regularly, asking, “How am I doing?” or “What could I do better?” And prepare yourself for some frank feedback.

If you’re managing your career effectively, you should never be surprised at the feedback on your annual review. How others perceive you can be, at times, wildly different from how you perceive yourself. Talk to friends at work and in your personal life to see what changes they have noticed. If they haven’t noticed any change, you may need to practice those skills more.

If you’re interested in management positions, consider seeking out professional coaching. Skills like motivating others, giving praise, and sharing constructive criticism do not always come naturally to everyone. Even if it comes naturally, getting some outside perspective or affirmation of our perceived abilities is not a bad idea.

Reading or listening to books on subjects that help you progress is also important. Podcasts can also help improve skills, and following respected leaders inside and outside the AV industry on social media can lead to valuable suggestions or reading recommendations.

It takes a lot of time and intention for people to get where they want to be, myself included. Even if you reach your goal, keep going with your continuing education. There are always newer, better, faster ways to do things. Take time to enjoy the trip, though, and celebrate the wins.

It’s your future, so never be shy about taking the helm.

Matt Czyzewski is the executive vice president at AtlasIED.

Outside organizations and interfacing with peers in other industries help you gain a different perspective, diversify your thinking, and give exposure to how other companies function.

By Tom Fitzgerald

INetwork-Enabled Efficiencies

Is It Time to Implement KVM-over-IP in Command and Control Environments?

n modern command and control environments, where staff are tasked with monitoring and managing increasing numbers of sources and systems, optimized visualization and efficient communication are critical contributors to real-time decision making. With the right technology and solutions, organizations can address these requirements effectively, realizing valuable efficiencies that translate to greater productivity, more effective collaboration, and enhanced responsiveness.

AV-over-IP technology has emerged as a principal enabler of efficiency in command and control because it allows organizations to extend, distribute, and control ultra-high-resolution video and audio over IP to a virtually unlimited number of screens across their existing local area networks (LANs). At the same time, robust IP-based KVM (keyboard, video, mouse) systems enable staff to access remote systems—from one to more than a dozen—with flexibility.

With just one keyboard, mouse, and monitor setup, individual users can access multiple systems simultaneously and switch instantly between them. Switching between systems occurs in the background,

without manual switching commands or the technical know-how they require, so users can stay focused on their work.

Simplifying management of both IT-based and traditional AV systems, KVM-over-IP systems make it easier for organizations to scale up connectivity and connect to new sources as needed. With virtually every new system and source connecting over IP, organizations can quickly extend their remote access and monitoring capabilities. Because the IP network supporting signal extension is built for reliability and security, administrators and users enjoy minimal downtime, as well as confidence that data transferred over the KVM network is protected from unauthorized access.

When collaboration among control room operators is a must, organizations can realize greater efficiency by facilitating fast, easy sharing of important systems on a common display. If a single team member can instantly share a problematic source with the larger group, the full team can work together more effectively to identify and resolve any issues. Real-time sharing and review of information on a shared video wall can be essential to timely group coordination and response.

When the KVM system supports this capability, delivering the appropriate signal directly to a video wall without the need for additional encoders or decoders, the organization can enable more rapid team problem-solving without incurring added costs, adding complexity, or increasing administrative requirements. Initial integration of the system remains straightforward, as do day-to-day operation and maintenance.

While KVM-enabled touchscreen and keyboard/mouse-based control significantly reduces desktop clutter, making for a more comfortable workspace, the freedom to arrange

various systems—physical, virtual, and cloudbased—as individual windows across multiple monitors allows for customization according to each user’s preferences. When the KVM system offers this capability, users can consolidate and monitor numerous systems as if on a personalized video wall. This model eliminates the physical strain of turning to face different displays while supporting greater responsiveness. Operators can more rapidly assess information and take necessary action.

Because organizations often can deploy KVMover-IP technology on the same IT network that supports their data payloads, they can take advantage of IP-based signal switching and extension without significantly increasing the time and money they spend on infrastructure and network management. Establishing this control room connectivity infrastructure, organizations can enable convenient remote access, support 4K over IP, and leverage high-end display solutions to bring greater efficiency to critical operations.

With the right KVM-over-IP technologies, organizations can introduce game-changing efficiencies across their control room operations. From flexible, reliable access to remote systems to collaborative review of a key source on a shared video wall, the benefits of modern IP-based signal distribution and visualization combine to support more productive teams and individuals. This connectivity infrastructure delivers the tools and capabilities they need to monitor critical processes more responsively and collaborate with team members in supporting smooth operations.

Tom Fitzgerald is the KVM product manager for Black Box.

GETTY IMAGES/TETRA IMAGES

Command and control environments can benefit from KVM-over-IP technologies.

TECHNOLOGY AUDIO SYSTEMS

Cry Havoc in Huntsville

EAW ADAPTive Audio System Modernizes Von Braun Center

By Wayne Cavadi

Located in downtown Huntsville, AL, the Von Braun Center is a true multipurpose facility. There are two music venues—the 1,300-capacity Mars Music Hall and the 2,000-seat Mark C. Smith Concert Hall—and the 10,000seat Propst Arena, which is home to the Southern Professional Hockey League’s Huntsville Havoc. As recently as March 14, the Huntsville faithful continue to pack the arena, leading to the team’s 14th-straight sellout.

Clearly, the right sound to get these sellout crowds going is essential. With a dying audio system in place, a renovation project was approved and awarded to Verta Technologies— which has been working with the Von Braun Center for almost five years on other upgrades around the campus—to bring the Von Braun Center up to date. While it is a multiphase project, the audio portion was completed just in time for hockey season—in under four months, mind you—with an Eastern Audio Works (EAW) ADAPTive audio system pumping up the volume and gameday experience for Havoc fans.

Buzzer Beater

Simply put, it was time for a new sound system. As Christian Tuttle, principal CEO at Verta Technologies, put it, the Von Braun Center received a “full return on their investment” out of the previous sound system. Upon inspection, it had been past its prime for quite some time—so long, in fact, the original manufacturer didn’t even support it any longer. Clusters were failing and the low end was gone.

It would be no easy task for Verta Technologies. Hockey season was looming as its team got to work in July. That left less than four months to not only tear out the existing equipment but install the EAW ADAPTive audio system.

“The schedule was tight, especially considering we received the purchase order just two months before starting,” explained Tuttle. “Every aspect was expedited; manufacturing dispatched trucks upon receiving them, EAW sent us speakers in batches of 20, maintaining a constant flow for this project. We are genuinely grateful for their dedication. The deadline was challenging as we had to decommission and uninstall an entire arena audio system before installing the new equipment.”

Rather impressively, Verta Technologies finished most of the construction in September, and

completed the final handoff and training by midOctober, right in time for the hockey opener. EAW certainly played a role in that turnaround as well.

“[One of several] challenges for this project was delivery,” said TJ Smith, president, EAW. “With our production and warehousing in Massachusetts, we were able to deliver the entire system within 60 days of receiving the order.”

The entire system consisted of 58 EAW Anya V2 modules, 12 EAW Otto subwoofers, eight EAW QX500 three-way speakers, and a primary and secondary Dante network backed by a slew of NETGEAR switches, which was all supported by a Q-SYS system for DSP and control.

The architecture of the Propst Arena at the Von Braun Center presented unique challenges for the audio system install.

Multiple EAW Anya V2 modules are part of the Danteenabled audio system for the 10,000-seat arena.

Structurally Challenged

The time crunch wasn’t the only challenge. The architecture, especially in the roof, was not one the Verta team had ever dealt with before.

“Von Braun Center and Verta needed a system that could get over the crowd noise [+105dB] while covering evenly from behind the glass to the top of each section,” Smith explained. “To make this even more challenging, they had limited trim height due to a relatively low ceiling. EAW ADAPTive technology met these challenges exceptionally well. We were able to achieve the spec with arrays of two to four modules keeping the loudspeakers out of sightlines.”

“The arena roof structure presented the most challenging obstacle we’ve ever encountered,” Tuttle acknowledged. “Its hub-and-spoke style I-Beam design, with a central mast and nine spokes extending to the outer walls, created a nonsymmetrical decagon. It posed unique difficulties. “Our rigging team performed exceptionally well. Despite the complexity of the building, we maintained precision within 3 inches of the XYZ axis for every point. Their expertise was crucial, considering the building’s age, dating back to the 1970s.”

While the rigging crew played a large part in installing what Tuttle called “a wonderful design which ended with a wonderful outcome,” the unique plan of attack deserves equal credit as well. “To expedite the project, we adopted an unconventional approach,” he recalled. “Rather than assembling a dedicated arena team, I used mine and a few others’ background in crane operation and heavy equipment moving. This allowed us to use a crane inside the arena for all picks and transfers, significantly reducing the rigging team’s size to three or four members.

“Surprisingly, we completed the demolition of the entire existing audio system, including 70 speakers and around 18 arrays, within two days. The permanent installation of the 12 new arrays and four subarrays from high steel was accomplished in three days using the same crane transfer method.”

End Game

While it was tricky to install the EAW ADAPTive system in the arena, the installation actually encompassed the entire Von Braun Center campus, including the music and concert halls, which makes it one of the largest permanent EAW ADAPTive installations in the world. Being a truly multipurpose facility, it was essential to have a flexible solution.

“The EAW ADAPTive system, as implied by its name, offers high adaptability to various event styles and coverage patterns without requiring a whole team of people to physically move anything,” Tuttle explained. “By being able to deploy a new resolution file, you’re able to change coverage or mute or unmute zones or change the system, which can be

done by a single person and is part of the beauty of this system.”

Verta Technologies has been hard at work modernizing the Von Braun Center, and per Tuttle, there is more coming. The next phase plans to see video walls and campus-wide digital signage. That

said, the new sound system has been well received.

“It’s always satisfying when the naysayers leave with a smile on their face,” said Doug Collingsworth, design engineer and production manager at the Von Braun Center. “The decision to go with EAW was an excellent one. The system sounds great.”

A Better Way to Connect

Cottonwood Creek Church Upgrades Production with Panasonic KAIROS

By Jennifer Guhl

With its congregation expanding rapidly over its 30 years of service, Cottonwood Creek Church, located in Allen, TX, was looking for a more comprehensive approach to connecting with its worshipers, guaranteeing the same experience for both in-person and remote engagement.

“Our Blackmagic switchers were great, but they do what they do and nothing else. We were looking for something next-generation,” said Will Chapman, online minister for Cottonwood Creek Church.

While attending InfoComm, the church was introduced to Panasonic’s KAIROS ST 2110 live production platform. After Panasonic demoed the platform in January 2023, the church quickly committed to Panasonic Connect’s ecosystem of products.

And we mean committed.

Cottonwood Creek Church has more than a dozen Panasonic PTZ cameras (a mix of HD and 4K models) and multiple PTZ controllers, plus two studio cameras, a 4K camcorder, CCUs and remote operation panels,

switcher, and more. Within the integration, two Panasonic KAIROS servers were installed to support iMac and broadcast feeds, and a third was recently installed to support a new youth building currently under construction.

“It’s an incredible piece of technology,” added Chapman. “At the same time, we can create macros and stuff on the system so that an everyday volunteer can walk up to the control panel and make massive changes with a simple button push. That’s powerful for us, so we don’t necessarily have to have staff or trained volunteers to operate the system.”

Less Complicated Process

The church said it only uses about 12% of the platform’s capabilities, which have probably tripled its prior capabilities before the transition. For example, when hosting their most recent Christmas concerts, the church was able to produce a split-screen layout that

allowed them to showcase a karaoke game, something they had been able to program earlier that afternoon. The platform allowed the church to switch between screens easily and with no latency, expanding its content capabilities during the concerts.

“Before, that would have been a much more complicated process,” said Dave Evans, executive production director for Cottonwood Creek Church. “We probably could have done it, but I’m not sure we could have. But with the KAIROS system, we could do it within 10 minutes of realizing we wanted to do that.”

KAIROS has also allowed the church to approach broadcasting differently. It provides its engineers and directors with the tools for quality and creative broadcasting capabilities, including value-added features when broadcasting through its website. Plus, it can broadcast directly through Facebook and YouTube, increasing its awareness and introducing its services to potential new audiences.

This change in quality has not gone unnoticed—and the church has noticed that tech support emails and complaints have virtually disappeared from its congregation. “Now, all I’m hearing from people is that they’re hearing the message, seeing what’s going on in the room, and

Cottonwood Creek Church has adopted the Panasonic KAIROS ST 2110 live production platform.

From Left: Will Chapman, Dave Evans, Peyton Thomas, Brycen Welborn

connecting with it in a way that we haven’t had before,” said Chapman.

Church members were introduced to the platform during the demo last year, and its ability to address an issue that cropped up in real time became a strong selling point for the church. They realized they needed to create high-quality, in-house overflow rooms for a sold-out conference, with many people still looking to purchase tickets and participate in some fashion. They set up two new LED screens within the rooms to accommodate additional attendees—and using a high-quality NDI stream from KAIROS, they delivered a wow factor that blew attendees away, providing seamless content integration from the conference in the main room.

“Since fully transitioning to KAIROS, when we say we’re doing an overflow room, we’re able to deliver that high-quality type of experience where it’s even better than what you would have at home, even though it’s not in the main room,” added Chapman.

New Production Heights

KAIROS has also allowed them to deliver a level of professionalism for critical functions, including a recent remembrance service for a mass shooting that impacted their community. Local, state, and national media members were in attendance. The platform allowed the church to broadcast the service seamlessly, which would have been difficult with its previous configuration and allowed the focus to stay on those grieving and praying for their injured or lost loved ones.

Plus, the new platform has expanded the church’s rental business, allowing them to support everything from a Christian band shooting their music video onsite to conferences, taking advantage of the platform’s support of multiple rooms. This puts rental clients at ease because of the technology at their fingertips and the professionalism of the church’s technicians and operators. “What’s so cool is that when people come in and see what we have, they leave all their gear in the truck,” said Compton.

Panasonic highlighted the versatility of the KAIROS platform, which allows churches to deliver high-quality content through an intuitive, familiar interface. The platform’s simple controls, which can be set to enable various functions with a single button, make it easy to operate efficiently without a steep learning curve for staff, volunteers, or contract technicians. “It’s a lot simpler of a system to use but has much more power and flexibility behind it,” said Peyton Thomas, solutions engineer with Panasonic Connect North America.

The church viewed its technological transition as a strong partnership with Panasonic, and when any issues come up, they are immediately addressed. For example, during the installation process, when one of the servers was not receiving video correctly, Panasonic responded immediately, sending someone to the church the next day to find a solution. “If they don’t answer the phone right away, it’s an email, or

they’ll call me back as soon as they can, and that’s everyone we’ve worked with at Panasonic,” said Brycen Welborn, AVL systems director with Cottonwood Creek Church.

With the other 88% of the platform’s capabilities yet to be unlocked, the church is excited to explore

how it can expand its offerings, including being able to broadcast remotely from various locations and establishing a studio segment during their broadcasts. “Honestly, it inspires our creativity to think of ways to connect with our people better,” added Chapman.

TECHNOLOGY NEW PRODUCTS

RGB Spectrum Zio Recording System

Available in both commercial and ruggedized versions, the new Zio Recording System features support for third-party IP signal sources as well as Zio-generated streams. It supports camera, computer, and other signals up to 3840x2160, as well as third-party playback applications like VLC. Designed for scalability and versatility, the Zio Recording System is available in 1 RU and 2 RU configurations, depending on storage requirements, and is fully compatible with the entire Zio product family, including encoders and decoders, multiviewers, and video walls. Users can choose H.264 or H.265 video compression, allowing optimal video quality or bandwidth efficiency based on specific needs. It can simultaneously record and playback up to 30 IP streams. With a FIFO architecture for efficient recording and the ability to export video segments for external playback, users have comprehensive control over recorded content.

Origin Acoustics Origin PRO Amplifiers

Derived from the success of Origin Acoustics’ residential architectural loudspeakers, Origin PRO has taken the same feature-rich product ethos toward the commercial installation market. A complete line of high-performance Origin PRO speakers is available in three versatile form factors (in-ceiling, surface mount, and pendants) in three sizes (5, 6, and 8-inch), as well as an 8-inch subwoofer for in-ceiling and pendant options. Its new line of full-matrix DSP-enabled amplifiers, which allow for 2 and 4-channel options with power output ranging from 60-750W per channel, power both low-impedance and 70v/100v speakers. Origin PRO Amplifiers will be available in 2 RU and compact, 1 RU half-rack versions. Origin PRO amplifiers with Dante are designed for large-scale projects where low-latency and system-wide synchronization are imperative. An intuitive web app is built into all Origin PRO amplifiers for easy system setup and customization.

DPA Microphones AIR1

Intended for quick mounting on round, omnidirectional headset or lavalier microphones between 0.1-0.23 inches, the AIR1 universal miniature fur windscreen has a patent-pending design that delivers highly efficient and consistent wind protection. Its newly designed acoustic fur is 30% shorter than other wind protection accessories, reducing its visual impact. Uniform wind protection is achieved through the fixed size of the air cavity surrounding the microphone capsule, which provides complete and consistent acoustical transparency. Sturdy handles at the windscreen opening ensure swift and effortless mounting and perfect placement on the microphone. The handles also minimize handling of the fur, so the AIR1 will maintain its shape significantly longer than traditional windscreens. Two sizing options are also available to fit most professional miniature microphones, and six color options complement most apparel.

Barco UniSee II

The new generation of the Barco UniSee LCD video wall platform significantly boosts the viewing experience while refining the ergonomic aspects. The color gamut has been significantly increased by applying quantum dot technology. Plus, the video wall’s contrast is increased to HDR levels by implementing a mini-LED backlight unit that allows more refined and accurate local dimming. Sense X, which automatically matches the brightness and colors in real time, has been extended to also match the contrast, creating a balanced single canvas for both static and dynamic content. Advanced polarizer technology delivers a constant performance, whatever the viewing angle. The real use power consumption of Barco UniSee II is 20% lower compared to the previous generation, and uptime is maximized due to the high reliability of the platform (with redundancy options for critical components).

JVC Professional Video KY-PZ540/KY-PZ540N

The company’s first PTZ cameras to incorporate 40x zoom, the KY-PZ540 and KY-PZ540N (with integrated NDI HX3 capabilities) incorporate JVC’s 4K imager. The cameras also include JVC’s Variable Scan Mapping technology, which dynamically scans the 4K sensor to produce a seamless and lossless image transition up to 40x in Full HD. Other features include AI-enabled advanced SMART auto-tracking operation and NDI supported IP-based remote operation capabilities. JVC

has also expanded its auto-tracking to include five new advanced features: Standard, Area, Stage, Wide Area, and Fine Adjustment modes. Plus, the cameras include presets for exposure, color, and image, and allow direct connection to Zoom, Google Meet, and other videoconferencing platforms (USB UVC). Available in black or white, the KY-PZ540 and KY-PZ540N are ideal for large event spaces and instances when the need to zoom in from a distance is essential.

Crestron Control App for Zoom Rooms Software

Before, running Zoom Rooms videoconferencing and the rest of a space’s devices often required two different control interfaces, one for the collaboration software and one for everything else (lighting, climate, and even AV solutions needed for a hybrid meeting). Now, Crestron Control App for Zoom Rooms Software allows everything to be efficiently and securely controlled via a single user interface. It also provides users with flexibility. Systems can be easily scaled and applications added based on customer needs. Plus, dealers can design and manage custom user interfaces. The value-add app is available for download in the Zoom App Marketplace, and there is no additional cost to enable it for spaces. Crestron 3-Series or 4-Series control systems processors, hardware processors, and Crestron VC-4 Virtual Control solutions are enabled to support Crestron Control App for Zoom Rooms Software installations.

Quam Nichols DSB Series

A new product series aimed at eliminating sagging ceiling tiles, Quam’s new DSB Series—or Device Support Bridges—are universal mounting devices. These load-bearing bridges eliminate tile sag caused by the weight of the installation on a suspended tile ceiling, and offer the ability to mount strobes, indicator lights, cameras, Wi-Fi routers, and smoke detectors onto the tile grid. The DSB Series reduces installation time and eliminates the need for stocking different mounting devices to match various project configurations. It incorporates single-gang and 4 square mounting configurations and can be used with an adjacent ceiling tile with a single (DSB1) or double (DSB2 and DSB3) integrated T-bar offsets. Ideal for classrooms, offices, and hospitals, the DSB Series is made of rust-resistant metal and comes with a white powder coat finish.

Extron ConferenceShare

ConferenceShare shares video and audio captured by in-room USB devices with Windows or macOS laptops during Teams or Zoom meetings. With ConferenceShare enabled on their laptop, users gain access to USB devices connected to the ShareLink Pro Wired and Wireless Presentation System, simplifying the process of incorporating in-room resources in remote meetings. ConferenceShare works in conjunction with ShareLink Pro software and ShareLink Pro 1100 and ShareLink Pro 500 units to not only share content from a user’s local computer, laptop, or mobile device to the room display, but also share video and audio from a local USB camera or microphone with remote participants using Teams or Zoom. It also supports integration with Microsoft 365 Calendar to streamline UC meeting connections.

FIBER CABLES

Atlona AT-OME-CS31-SA

The new AT-OME-CS31-SA (three HDMI inputs) and AT-OME-CS31-SA-HDBT (one HDBaseT input and two HDMI inputs) 3x1 switchers both consolidate AV switching, USB routing, audio mixing, amplification, and control into a lowprofile enclosure. Ideally suited for learning and meeting spaces, the new units primarily share the same feature set, with key variances in AV switching and USB capabilities to meet specific requirements. Audio capabilities include audio ducking, an on-board mixer for combining three line inputs, de-embedded HDMI, and USB audio as well as 2x25 watt amplifier and line level outputs. Both models support switching between two host devices and include a four-port hub for connecting cameras, speakerphones, interactive displays, or other peripherals. The remote input of the OME-CS31-SA-HDBT supports extension of HDMI, Ethernet, power, control, and USB 2.0 data up to 330 feet.

FLYPACKS & ROAD CASES

FURNITURE

VMP ERTCFAN1

Video Mount Products has announced the ERTCFAN1 1 RU temperature controlled cooling fan kit. It is ideal for applications where inconsistent room temperatures are a constant. Designed to turn on and off automatically at a user-specified temperature, the ERTCFAN1 can help provide peace of mind for sensitive equipment. Housed in a black chassis with a static-resistant, powder coat finish, the ERTCFAN1 provides a maximum combined air flow of 150 CFM. The fans are wired to a common plug. Other features include a 53-inch power cord and a lighted on/off rocker switch.

MODULAR FLOOR BOXES

Office Space Identity Crisis

Can the Current Technology Transformation Help Deliver Critical Insights for Businesses?

By Nyere Hollingsworth

The office space isn’t dead, but it is going through an identity crisis—and we will likely spend the next two years witnessing its complete metamorphosis. While I have yet to see predictions of economic calamity coming from the market analysts and economists that track the commercial real estate sector, it is clear that the status quo will continue to adapt as we figure out what to do with all of this empty space.

While many companies have implemented in-office mandates, I have heard of very few that that are requiring an in-person presence for five days per week. My anecdotal survey of industry peers suggests that we are all hovering around a 30-40% peak office census relative to employees assigned to a given space.

Earning the Commute

With office vacancy rates hitting record highs, according to Moody’s analysis, it is clear that companies are scaling back their office footprints and reevaluating current and planned investments in physical space to cope with the changing work styles and habits that are in demand among knowledge workers. As a result, corporate real estate professionals that manage these spaces for companies large and small are still struggling to make the office make sense, because the appetite to invest remains low given the scope of change required to transform these spaces to suit the modern workforce.

One thing that we can likely all agree on is that the space that we built five years ago no longer fits the needs of the organization that we are now. In years prior, this might have meant some new paint, carpet, and furnishings to spruce up a dated office space. But today this space needs much more in order to draw employees back in and earn the commute.

The drawback to the office revolves around collaboration and connecting with your colleagues. While free coffee and food are great, I haven’t heard of many colleagues willing to sit in traffic to enjoy a coffee while sitting on video calls all day.

What I have heard quite consistently is that they are coming to the office to be around other team members and foster those human connections that are crucial for emotional connection to the meaningful work we all pursue. To that end, it is important that we create welcoming and inviting spaces that support the psychosocial ties to a team, department, and broader organization that are really hard to develop.

Simultaneously, that need for connectedness to your colleagues still needs to account for those that

can’t be in the office with you on that day. Solving that part of the equation tends to fall on the shoulders of technologists who need to expand the reach of wireless networks, enable local egress of internet connectivity, and update collaboration spaces.

These activities are all necessary to fit out the space that we need, but a true accounting of value added to the organization for these investments remains elusive. As a result, many organizations are still in a wait-and-see posture. After all, if it doesn’t appear to be overtly broken at the moment, why fix it?

Coming Soon: True Insights

Many organizations lack the data collection and analysis tools that would guide that decision calculus, and that is where investments today would yield the most benefit in the near future. A former CIO with whom I worked would inevitably ask “Where is the data?” in every meeting that required a decision from him. There are many of us that are unable to provide that data at present because we don’t have the tools to collect it. The good news is that we are also in the middle of a transformation in technology that is enabling tools that we have today to give us the information we need to demonstrate a return on investment in office space transformation.

There is promising technology coming from all areas of the Pro AV landscape that will leverage artificial intelligence to provide all sorts of insights into how our space is really being used and what we need to do to make it better for our colleagues. I’m excited about the promise of people counting, voice and facial recognition, and integration with productivity platforms.

However, I’m excited not just because these technologies will enable more immersive and frictionless collaboration experiences from the workspace, but rather these technologies will give us

meaningful insight into our respective work habits and productivity. From there, we can be a lot smarter about how we invest in our respective organizations and really start to define what the office space needs to be.

For example, video systems that count people actually in the room can tell us what our peak usage hours really are without having to comb through room booking data in the hopes that people actually showed up to those meetings. Also, when similar insights into environmental conditions are paired with machine learning and predictive analysis, we can make recommendations to our colleagues about which parts of the building may be best suited to host that meeting based on the size of party, length of meeting, or other data pulled from the meeting invite. As this loop of data feeds itself, we are able to make better space planning decisions—but also make better real-time usage decisions that better approximate the curated experiences that we have created for ourselves at home.

This metamorphosis of the physical office space will require proper planning among corporate real estate, IT, and human resources professionals to truly influence overall workplace design. Convergence of the physical and virtual workplace is the future— there is no going back to the days of physical presence for the sake of physical presence.

We have a responsibility to continue to merge our datasets to provide that complete picture of current and predicted work habits so we can justify the transition that we all know is necessary. The office space is still trying to work through its identity crisis. We need to leverage all the tools available to help us decide what the next phase ultimately will be. Nyere Hollingsworth is the senior manager for collaboration and productivity technology at Grainger.