AV SuperFriends

Join the AV SuperFriends LIVE on Dec 15 at 3p EST for a higher ed AV-themed Holiday Party! We will have live guests, a Santa's workshop photo exchange, and the official AVSFmas tree! It should be a great time of holiday cheer! https://avsf.live

Recorded November 17, 2023 Our news article this week is really more of an opinion piece by a friend of the show and all around good guy, Steve Greenblatt of Control Concepts. He opines that maybe, just maybe, contractors shouldn't be chasing only profit margins, but providing solutions that customers will really appreciate. Blasphemy! Then we're joined by Mike Pedersen from Iowa State University to talk about in-house integration. Mike shares his trials and tribulations of building an internal team from scratch and leading them to success. Mike's model at Iowa State is truly one to follow and he's a great resource on the process of standing up a team to tackle almost any AV integration project. Finally, is there a series of new devices that have solved the USB-C connection conundrum? Someone try these and let us know! Connect with Mike: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-pedersen-cts-d-cts-i-7477191/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/ped1971 Attend ETC 2024 at Iowa State: https://www.etcollaborative.org News article discussed: https://www.avnetwork.com/news/on-your-business-purpose-before-profit Alternate show titles: I don't pay attention too much to my business Bulbs strewn about Who cares about cable labels? Wired with a shovel It was just spaghetti land AV archaeology Trust me, I'm here now Widgets and gizmos and tchotchkes

Recorded November 10, 2023 We start with an article written by a commercial integrator about commercial integrators in Commercial Integrator. While the points the raise are valid (for some), it raises the question as to who is the intended audience. Then we're joined by Johanna Pierson from the Wentworth Institute of Technology to talk about how smaller schools do classroom AV, events, conference rooms, and everything in between (except printers). She shares her experiences with a small systems integrator who is a true partner with Johanna's team and how they've fostered a mutually beneficial relationship. Article discussed: https://www.commercialintegrator.com/blogs/experience-matters-hidden-costs-of-not-working-with-av-systems-integrators Connect with Johanna on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johanna-p-a6ab7816b/ Alternate show titles: Everyone loves printers I brought my bolt cutters Dragging the university into the modern era Warm analog video I don't take no for an answer if it's a stupid answer Flowers… and AV I'm not the budget I want them to go on with their lives

Recorded October 27, 2023 Happy Thanksgiving, y'all! If you recall, last year we accidentally set fire to Marc's house while trying to deep fry a turkey. This year we all went to Jamie's house where Larry volunteered to smoke the turkey overnight, which turned out great! While enjoying Thanksgiving dinner, we each shared our thoughts on some AV turkeys– that is, products or services that don't quite live up to their promises. Marc hates network switches, Larry thinks perhaps we're overusing ceiling microphone arrays, Justin is skeptical of too many devices based on Android that will become security concerns in the future, Chris likes the concept but hates the execution of wi-fi group microphone apps, and Jamie has given up on fiber-based extenders. PS: always get the full coverage for your rental car.

Recorded October 18, 2023 AI is all the rage, so we're going to discuss AI. We start with a discussion of Biamp's new AI-derived DSP processing and we're joined by Richard Mitchell of Biamp. We then expand the discussion to broader topics of AI-powered (or at least AI-branded) AV from cameras to microphones to control systems to digital signage. Finally, what about all these spaces that someone else did on the cheap an now we're asked to "fix" them? News: https://www.biamp.com/company/newsletters/2023/october-component Connect with Richard on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-mitchell-41972a8/ Alternate show titles: It's distracting because you can't see them I'm a little dubious Notch that shit out Get rid of the clap, not the clapping That's penicillin Physics reducer Bring back some of the BS Good, better, best, and raw Crowns or Crayons Go ahead and take a picture of my mug It's hard and you made it in a nice little package The AI Purge The Easy Button Don't engage!

Recorded October 12, 2023 It's our second annual Halloween Spooktacular! This year, we went all out with a fully-produced audio drama from an original script. Who knew we could do an AV-themed horror story? This was probably the most work we've ever put into a show and has been two months in the making. We had a blast making it and hope you enjoy it as much as we do. We're proud to present AV SuperFriends: The Haunted Hospital Written by Christopher Dechter Edited by Marc Cholewczynski Starring Marc Cholewczynski, Larry Darling, Christopher Dechter, Justin Rexing, and Jamie Rinehart

Recorded Sept 15, 2023 (Part 2 of 2) Rather than discuss whatever the topic is this month, we decided to challenge ourselves to collaboratively determine how capable of a basic classroom we can put together. Focusing on the capabilities, not the stuff, and given the scenario of a general purpose classroom, about 30 students, single display, and collaboration/hybrid capable, we hashed out just how we'd each approach the system with the ultimate goal of how low we can go. Or, more accurately, how low are we comfortable going and still considering it a fully supportable system. This discussion lasted almost an hour, so we split it into two episodes. Alternate show titles We all have those closets Sometimes I'm forced to do things I don't want to do There's way more money in Oregon than Kentucky, y'all The buttons are razored off The clocks on those things get funky Do you have a clapper? If you hear it in the room, you hear it in Zoom (but not well) Just focus on the V Monitored by Putin or something

Recorded Sept 15, 2023 (Part 1 of 2) Rather than discuss whatever the topic is this month, we decided to challenge ourselves to collaboratively determine how capable of a basic classroom we can put together. Focusing on the capabilities, not the stuff, and given the scenario of a general purpose classroom, about 30 students, single display, and collaboration/hybrid capable, we hashed out just how we'd each approach the system with the ultimate goal of how low we can go. Or, more accurately, how low are we comfortable going and still considering it a fully supportable system. This discussion lasted almost an hour, so we split it into two episodes. Alternate show titles We all have those closets Sometimes I'm forced to do things I don't want to do There's way more money in Oregon than Kentucky, y'all The buttons are razored off The clocks on those things get funky Do you have a clapper? If you hear it in the room, you hear it in Zoom (but not well) Just focus on the V Monitored by Putin or something

Recorded September 8, 2023 Instead of the news, we focus on a topic we've noticed a lot recently: that the AVIXA CTS is being pushed as an entry-level certification. It really isn't, nor should it be, but if it's getting that reputation, it devalues the certification for everyone. Next, student workers. They're a fantastic resource and we all have dozens of them running around and helping out, right? Wait, some of you don't have students in your department? You need to fix that, tout suite! It's great real world IT experience for them and great workforce augmentation for us! Finally, Jamie managed to finagle a new job without leaving his chair via a re-org. We all share our top tips and tricks that someone new to management needs to know. Reddit posts that bother us: https://www.reddit.com/r/CommercialAV/comments/1693dcj/why_arent_there_3rd_party_cts_resources/ https://www.reddit.com/r/CommercialAV/comments/14nvvke/currently_a_service_tech/ https://www.reddit.com/r/CommercialAV/comments/15luqwq/what_does_a_typical_day_for_a_first_year_av/ https://www.reddit.com/r/CommercialAV/comments/155o7oh/any_certs_helpful_for_someone_breaking_in/ Alternate show titles: Big D and Little d I've got my little d CTS-VR If you're a professional, keep up with your sh*t Sometimes, they are the presents Mixed bag of nuts If you don't trust them, then why did you hire them? Fake IT Students are People Put up or Shut up Time I don't have time to dig my own grave I don't need seven goalies Force it from below He got his little d at InfoComm

Recorded September 1, 2023 There's no news today, so we're going to read a letter from a listener who raises some questions about how we budget and plan long projects. They're not wrong, but also things are not quite cut and dry. Then, the joys and challenges of modern room systems. After fighting for so long to get away from h.323 codecs ruining everything, are we recreating the same problems? We do our best to avoid brand names because multiple AV SuperFriends are being told from leadership that these room systems are happening with or without them, so might as well get on board. The rest of us are hoping we can avoid them. Finally, we all share a few tales of the stuff we've broken. Marc destroys projectors, Chris destroys large LCDs, Jamie destroys codecs (hooray!), Larry destroys speakers, and Justin destroys his own health. Alternate show titles: North Carolino Used Carl Salesman Not OUR dashboard They cause my ass to burn all the time I've tried it; I don't like the taste of it We thought about it, we did it, and now I want to undo it I feel greasy You're like a toddler in a liquor store We do a lot of weird garbage I've smoked a lot of things Getting Blown Off on Ladders

Recorded August 18, 2023 Let's talk about the Student Experience. And that's really why we're all here, isn't it? We discuss what students are expecting from a university in 2023, advocating for students when no one else will, and crushing everything down to be delivered by Zoom or Teams. After all, we have one chance to get it right; are we cutting corners that puts that all at risk? After we're done complaining, we also discuss some good examples of technology-enabled spaces that put the student experience first– esports, maker spaces, informal learning spaces, and more. Alternate show titles: 80% is great as long as everybody gets it Students don't quantify experience They recognize when they don't like it A reason to be in the room This thing's a dog turd The adequate room The student experience is adequacy Removing stuff can improve a system Never do widget-fest We did not do academic harm Building community spaces

Recorded August 25, 2022 Did you know esports is dead? Neither did we, but here's an article about it and while it may not be filling stadiums, the reports of its death are greatly exaggerated. Then we're joined by Don Merritt from the University of Central Florida to discuss learning spaces without focusing on "the stuff." As technologists, it's tempting to talk about features without activities and Brand A vs Brand B, losing sight of the nature of what we're doing. After all, if the students and faculty don't care what model projector, display, DSP, or control surface is in learning spaces, should we? Finally, Dante AV is here. And there's just way too many flavors. Connect with our guest: Don Merritt, Director of Instructional Resources at University of Central Florida LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/donmerrittphd/ UCF Office of Instructional Resources - https://oir.ucf.edu Article discussed: https://sambarberie.substack.com/p/esports-is-unraveling Dante AV: https://www.audinate.com/products/manufacturer-products/dante-av-video More suggested links from Don Merritt: National Center of Education Statistics - https://nces.ed.gov/ FICM - 4.3.1 Space Use Codes: Definitions, Descriptions, and Limitations (ed.gov) This is the National Center for Education Statistics' page for space use codes - national definitions of classrooms, labs, etc. The UK Higher Education Learning Space Toolkit - UCISA Journal of Technology and Teacher Education - Learning & Technology Library (LearnTechLib) Journal of Learning Spaces (uncg.edu) SCUP Fellow Research Project Final Report Contents Designing Spaces to Serve Communities | Learning Spaces Collaboratory (pkallsc.org) Learning Environments Research | Home (springer.com) Equal Access: Universal Design of Physical Spaces | DO-IT (washington.edu) Research on Active Learning at Duke - Duke Learning Innovation Teaching in an Active Learning Classroom (ALC) | Center for Educational Innovation (umn.edu) Teaching my first gaming in education seminar | Bryan Alexander Alternate show titles: Students Learn Less It's not about the technology We are not supporting faculty as well as we should There is still value in the sage on the stage There's more on their plate than you think there is Keep it as simple as possible We're all not using the same definition We're in danger of using the local definitions Learning Campuses, not Learning Spaces Wifi in stairwells Watching them in their natural habitat Gravy on top of it all I was terrified the cornole league was going to fold We can make online hotdogs

Recorded August 4, 2023 In our spiciest episode yet, we tackle everything from hybrid meeting rooms to work from home, auto-framing cameras in giant board rooms, conference room envy, departmental arms races, policing conference room usage, and why NDI isn't the right solution for most scenarios… or is it? (No). Article: https://www.avinteractive.com/news/collaboration/what-do-you-really-need-to-make-hybrid-work-productive-02-08-2023/ Alternate show titles: Chairs are for winners Number One Growth Segment in my Portfolio I'm not installing conference rooms at their house Don't hear what I'm not saying For all the wrong reasons The Classic IT Trap Space Rich Korums Run and Gun and Get Things Done

Recorded July 21, 2023 We're joined by Marina Walton from Trinity University to talk Faculty Support covering everything from identifying champions, supporting innovative learning spaces (that everyone hates), engaging department chairs, hosting an IT Open House to put faces to names, adding a personal touch to IT support, and much more. We also discuss an article (and related study) about giving faculty more time to learn and adopt new technologies before deploying them campus wide. Connect with Marina on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marina-walton-m-a-ed-cts-884782173/ Article discussed: https://edscoop.com/faculty-edtech-review-time-survey/ Full report: https://www.wgulabs.org/posts/cin-faculty-survey-2022-faculty-as-edtech-innovators-moving-beyond-stereotypes-to-promote-institutional-change Alternate show titles: We just figured out how to use the other one It's the same thing, just a different name Biting off that hard bite first Find the complainers This has never worked Of course it works– watch! Does it turn on, show a picture; don't worry about it Just because it works, doesn't mean it's a success

Recorded July 28, 2023 We're joined by AV industry luminary, influencer, blogger, journalist, podcaster, and all around great person, Alesia Hendley, to talk InfoComm 2023, her journey through almost every vertical of the AV industry, and coming future trends. We also discuss an article on why there isn't a single, universal AVoIP standard and the growing influence of conference bars and all-in-one conferencing devices getting used in all the wrong spaces. Should pro audio companies really be getting into prosumer, IT-focused "room in a box" solutions? Alesia is on all the things: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alesiahendley/ Twitter: @thesmoothfactor Web: https://www.thesmoothfactor.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thesmoothfactor/ Article discussed: https://www.avinteractive.com/news/avoip-news/does-there-really-need-to-be-a-single-av-over-ip-standard-27-07-2023/ Alternate show titles: Come home and die I need a grown-up job Don't be afraid to pivot Audio is going to get better– whoop de doo Half of our industry doesn't get Twitter What if they're stalking me? To y'alls point Different levels of shitty Part of a complete, balanced breakfast You can stick that thing right up your keister The hootie-hoo comes up first on the Googling

Recorded July 14, 2023 We're joined by Steve Greenblatt and Brittany DiCesare from Control Concepts to talk programming, programming, and more programming. While most AV projects seem to involve a vague scope of work and set of drawings, leaving the dots to be connected by the programmer, Steve and Brittany suggest a more holistic approach wherein software and automation is considered from the beginning. We talk about manufacturer plug-ins and modules, hiring programmers vs. growing programmers, AI-powered easy buttons, and designing AV based on the quality of software support in the control software rather than the hardware capabilities. Control Concepts https://www.controlconcepts.net Steve Greenblatt, President LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevegreenblatt Twitter: @stevegreenblatt Ask the Programmer podcast: https://asktheprogrammer.podbean.com/ AV Nation A State of Control podcast: https://www.avnation.tv/series/a-state-of-control/ Brittany DiCesare, Client Success Manager LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brittdice Twitter: @brittdice Alternate show titles: Hipster AV Run what you brung Economical Tchotchke Versions Becoming relevant again… maybe Faster, Easier, Cheaper You've gotta control it somehow The Easy Button is killing programmers I experiment with all kinds of things Professional Configurator A lot of sorta-working stuff The Large Brain the Sky

Recorded June 13, 2023 We figured since five of the six AV SuperFriends were all in the same building, we'd record our On Topic episode for July. The topic is Showcase Spaces, but rather than review our own showcase spaces, we discuss the general process of developing a showcase space, what the end user clients want, and that's it's absolutely, completely possible to have a showcase space that is just terrible in every way and still serve its purpose. Alternate show titles: That's going to take an architect The finest of the fine stuff What's the wow factor But they look good

Recorded June 16, 2023 Marc visits the Userful booth at InfoComm 2023 Userful: https://www.userful.com/

Recorded June 16, 2023 Marc and Jamie visit the Liberty AV booth to talk about the Teleportivity AI demo. Liberty AV: https://secure.libertycable.com/ Teleportivity: https://teleportivity.com/

Recorded June 15, 2023 Jamie visits the Forward Thinking Designs booth at InfoComm 2023 Forward Thinking Designs: https://www.forwardthinkingdesigns.com/

Recorded June 15, 2023 Jamie and Marc visit the Visionary Solutions booth at InfoComm 2023 Visionary: https://visionary-av.com/

Recorded June 15, 2023 Justin sits down with Joe Cornwall to reflect on InfoComm 2023 Joe on Twitter: https://twitter.com/JoeCornwall Joe on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/josephcornwall/

Recorded June 15, 2023 Justin and Chris visit the Q-SYS booth at InfoComm 2023 Q-SYS: https://www.qsys.com

Recorded June 14, 2023 Marc visits the Stewart Audio booth at InfoComm 2023 Stewart Audio: https://stewartaudio.com/

Recorded June 14, 2023 Marc and Chris visit the Evertz booth at InfoComm 2023 Evertz: https://av.evertz.com/

Recorded June 16, 2023 For our final group recording at InfoComm 2023, we invaded the Biamp booth where we were joined by Shirley Imai, Richard Mitchel, and Michael Hooper to discuss how the week went, the most interesting things we saw at the show, and what InfoComm is like from a manufacturer's perspective (hint: they don't get to leave the booth). Alternate show titles: Michael Boltron What do you bring as a former higher ed person? Nothing I'm like Hawaii I like to do strange things

Recorded June 16, 2023 As we were setting up for our Day 3 preview, we noticed Frank Padikkala nearby and corralled him into our nonsense to talk about networking, IT as people, and the importance of diversity in everything we do. Alternate show titles: The Most Amazing Moderator I've ever had Get your sh*t off the network The Perfect Network (You're not going to) become a cybersecurity expert in 30 minutes People, Process, Technology Put it in a PowerPoint

Recorded June 15, 2023 In our wrap show for Day 2 at InfoComm 2023, we're joined by very good friend of the show, Darryl Krall from Panasonic Connect to talk about trends such as Chat GPT, AI, AVoIP, and gathering data and analytics from all our stuff. Thanks to Panasonic Connect for letting us take over their booth for the waning hours of the day Alternate show titles: Has this system ever worked? It's like Ragu - It's in there Any fish you wish It's Zeros and Ones

Recorded June 15, 2023 We're back LIVE from the InfoComm show floor before the show floor is open with our thoughts on Day 1, trends we're seeing, products of interest, and noting that simply everything is on the network these days. Alternate show titles: Everybody's big to Jamie It's about switch protection Cool, but unnecessary Using AI as a brand to sell it

Recorded June 14, 2023 We're celebrating our 100th full episode! When we started our podcast adventure, it was simply a way to continue sharing ideas during COVID and we're all heartened to hear just how many people really enjoy our nonsense. For this very special episode, we were prepared to share our thoughts about Day 1 of InfoComm, but instead we invited a cadre of friends, listeners, supporters, and general well-wishers (and whoever was brave enough to wander over and pick up the mic) to join us for a few minutes and give their opinions. Special thanks to Frank Kolavo and his team at Computer Comforts for letting us park at their booth! Visit them at: https://www.computercomforts.com Featuring the voices of: Joe Way Tim Van Woeart Ken Williams Jim Wellings Ryan Gray Jimmie Singleton Frank Alaimo Ann Kelly BC Hatchett Natalie Gillespie Johanna Pierson Chris Hewitt Erin Maher-Moran Alternate show titles: Tim was double dutching over here People are seeing the value in free That's a BS marketing term The way most people use it is nonsense "but not in every room" No, there's no cookies And the funfetti variety I think we're going to need a bigger booth All problems become nails Hot desking And you used the word compute correctly

Recorded June 14, 2023 For the first time ever, all six AV SuperFriends are in the same room… like close enough to touch each other… and touch each other we did! We recorded on the show floor before the show floor opened and shared our thoughts on InfoComm 2023, our plans for the day, where you can find us, hosted sessions, network challenges, and the possibility of gaining knowledge by… eating brains? Alternate show titles: Hit the floor as hard as I can This is a product I want to see something out of this world Official Acquisitions Row Fake People

Recorded June 13, 2023 It's our first ever live recording with five of the six AV SuperFriends in the same room, so prepare for a show with an even more rambunctious atmosphere. We cover Apple's announcements of their new Goggles On Please Pro headset, Apple's overlooked announcement of FaceTime (and by extensions Zoom and Teams) coming to the Apple TV and thus to a conference room near you (we don't like it either, but it's going to happen), the AV SuperFriends thoughts on the first Higher Ed AV Awards, and our last set of predictions for InfoComm 2023. We'll be cranking these out every day this week, so get ready! Apple Vision Pro: https://www.apple.com/apple-vision-pro/ https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2023/06/apple-vision-pro-screen-concession-gadget/674375/ https://www.tomsguide.com/news/apple-vision-pro-virtual-keyboard-is-visually-stunning-heres-how-it-looks https://www.creativebloq.com/news/vision-pro-memes Apple TV FaceTime support: https://www.zdnet.com/article/you-can-now-facetime-from-your-apple-tv/ HEAV Awards: https://higheredav.com/higher-ed-av-awards/ Alternate show titles: Openly groping each other Apple Room The Best Adjunct If kids were willing to come play with me Googled the Igloo thing They can change it with money The widest aspect display possible There's no reason to have AI in this You shop for AV where you get your bananas

Recorded May 19, 2023 It's June and, for the pro AV world, that means InfoComm… and that also happens to be the topic of this month's episode. Our download numbers show that you're likely listening to this before you travel to Orlando, so this episode is all about what we're doing there all week long. Justin is teaching a 3-day course, Chris is leading a HETMA workshop, Larry is presenting a case study, and we're recording and publishing every day, so look for a glut of content. If you're listening to this episode after InfoComm 2023, you can score us on our predictions and plans. See you in Orlando, y'all!

Recorded June 2, 2023 It's a veritable smorgasbord, a cornucopia, a plethora of topics! In our last show before InfoComm, we cover such diverse elements as fear, surprise, a ruthless efficien… wait. We discuss the announcement of a 16K (consumer) display that isn't 16K or for consumers. It's weird, but most importantly, it's not in 21:9 but instead in 16:9 (AKA the correct aspect ratio). Then, we delve into the challenges (and opportunities) with hiring qualified staff at our schools. Pay is too low to directly compete with the commercial AV industry, but work-life balance and the (generally) excellent benefits can offset that, partially. Marc talks about success hiring student workers as full timers, Chris warns about looking only at salary, Larry questions just how much the work-life balance is worth, Jamie came from an industry that somehow paid less than education, and Justin is working 14 jobs to afford his yacht. We wrap with coverage of scholarship opportunities by AVIXA, so for those of you with student workers, be sure they apply! Articles discussed: https://www.avinteractive.com/news/displays/world-first-110-16k-consumer-tv-unveiled-at-display-week-31-05-2023 https://er.educause.edu/articles/2023/5/pivoting-to-higher-ed-4-ways-to-successfully-recruit-tech-job-applicants https://go.avixa.org/webmail/888683/700837296/90dd14f350fbe5467659035de80fe48665ee767781cff5863c2db82a62f754ce Alternate Show Titles: Home digital signage Why did you make this product? I was very disappointed by the article Long Paws Even moving to higher ed was a raise San Fran-freakin-cisco The "me" in central Iowa Expose yourself to the industry Kickback or pushback

Recorded May 12, 2023 Well, it finally happened; a big school is going all in on VR in a big, general ed program. Goggles on, please. Arizona State is replacing their introductory biology lab classes with VR. Chris is not amused. Then, we review recent technologies to determine if they are just marketing or if these are real, long-term solutions. Marc doesn't like term "broadcast" anywhere near your PTZ cameras and Zoom events, Chris says USB-C is just marketing and a real thing, Justin reviews recent "automatic" setup utilities for DSPs and network switches, Jamie really has it in for MTRs, and Larry notes where Hyflex falls short. Finally, the AV SuperFriends are taking over #AVintheAM on Twitter. Look for that on May 21, 2023, so if you're listening to this after that date, that's why Twitter shut down forever on May 22. News: https://www.insidehighered.com/news/tech-innovation/digital-teaching-learning/2023/05/10/arizona-states-big-bet-virtual-reality Alternate Show Titles: River City Ransom Excel sheets in VR Chemy 101 Walmart-ify It It's trash, too I'm using air quotes you can't see Most of the time it works It's just a hose It doesn't care what you try to put through it The value of the easy button Difficult Mode You plug it in and it doesn't work Just drop it on your network and see what happens Giant displays of heads You can do it! Zeams Rooms Move it around your WAN Happy little trees

AV SuperFriends #AVintheAM - May 21, 2023

Recorded May 5, 2023 We start with a news story about making digital content accessible and that leads to a larger discussion of accessibility in AV. Look for that on a future show. Then we talk "selling" our campus clients on AV in order to deliver the experience they think they want; especially in conference rooms. Marc leverages the client's business case to convince them how to spend, Justin hates the word "sales," and the rest of us are simply trying to drive prices downward on standard spaces. Except Chris, who is the only one of the AVSF who actually budgets projects correctly including required specialized infrastructure, labor, and contingency pricing. It's an apples-to-oranges discussion, but Chris is correct and everyone else is wrong (because I write these descriptions). Finally, we stay on conference rooms and share our thoughts on BYOM and why it's not a thing. Yes, we get it, you can make it happen with all-in-wonder packages, commodity AV hardware, and wireless doodads, not to mention larger switching infrastructure (unless you're doing it via IP which requires none of that), but that all pales to a simple installed PC. News: https://www.edsurge.com/news/2023-05-03-digital-accessibility-is-a-bigger-education-issue-than-we-think-here-s-what-we-can-do-about-it Alternate show titles: Still cashing those checks It's just "effort" The Easiest Way to Say No He Called you for everything he shouldn't have clicked on And you realize it was nothing that was in the ticket What you just said IS sales Half-giraffes They wanted to look good Athletics is an Arms Race I charge only in nickels and dimes I don't know what sales is to you all All the shiny furniture What's an adapter? There's a lot of letters between I and O You can bring your laptop and it will probably work

Recorded April 14, 2023 Is it over yet? While the topic for this month's show wasn't clear, it was assumed to be about the approaching end of the school year. Instead, we opted to discuss technologies that we're just sick and tired of discussing. And, if you know us, you know we just love VR and the metaverse. And while we don't wish anyone ill will, we do enjoy our schadenfreude. News articles: https://www.wsj.com/articles/disney-eliminates-its-metaverse-division-as-part-of-companys-layoffs-plan-94b03650 https://futurism.com/the-byte/virtual-metaverse-real-estate-trouble https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2023-03-26/apple-reality-headset-details-pro-features-top-100-meeting-watch-like-start-lfpgdgdb https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/26/technology/apple-augmented-reality-dissent.html Alternate show titles: Curved-D Mass Deployment Everywhere All the Time I didn't mean to be intentional Would you say I have a plethora? It's swinging and we're just jamming stuff in there Smarthat Strap the thing to your ass

Recorded April 28, 2023 Instead of AV news, we return to the topic of digital canvases only a few days after our previous discussion. We're joined by Atkins Fleming who has a suggestion for a software platform that seems perfect for digital canvases and remote teaching and learning, but the company seems unaware of the education market. Then we hash out the support tools and skills necessary for modern AV systems. Jamie puts it best when he says, "bring your laptop." As AV becomes more and more IT, those with an IT background seem most comfortable supporting IP-based AV and many of those who grew up with analog AV are struggling. If nothing else, buy everyone a few managed network switches and get them comfortable with managing IPs and VLANs. Finally, Jamie covers the news from NAB. There were lots of announcements related to large, cloud-based delivery platforms, but perhaps the best news is the increasing support for SMPTE 2110 as a unified interoperable AVoIP standard. Fingers crossed! ON24: https://www.on24.com Alternate show titles: Don't Say WebEx Novelty Checkbook I don't know; talk to Marc about that one Our skillset made it easy for us Piece of Pizza The team is like "what the heck?" This is right up our wheelhouse Catered Zoom Rooms Stop Grabbing Your Toolbag and take your laptop Stop grabbing that too Judging success by the number of USB adapters That's the beauty about what we're doing and it's also terrible I have a couple that I pulled off Maybe sometimes Just click it and it goes Ready for me to blast across the WAN I'm on the fence; I keep flip flopping

Recorded April 27, 2023 We begin with a follow up to a news article we covered a few months ago regarding the University of Arkansas buying the University of Phoenix. Has the deal soured? Are there concerns of propriety and branding? Oh, my, yes! Next, we're joined by Raul Burriel from Oregon State University (and current President of NWMET) to talk about the NWMET 2023 conference at Carroll College in Helena, MT earlier this month and to give the first ever preview of NWMET 2024 in Corvallis, OR next year, hosted by our very own AV SuperFriend Marc! We can't spoil what's in store for next year's conference, but here's a hint: rain! Then we hash our options for digital canvas displays— that is single unbroken video displays with multiple content fields. Something like that anyway. Chris and Jamie talk about one they had at UMKC ten years ago, Larry discusses a variation he built a few years ago for a computer animation classroom, and Justin suggests manipulating content via software instead of hardware. Chris is going to install an ultrawide digital canvas display this summer, but not in the aspect ratio you're thinking. To heck with 21:9, here comes 32:9 displays! Northwest Managers of Educational Technology (NWMET) https://www.nwmet.org News Articles: https://edscoop.com/university-arkansas-trustees-vote-against-phoenix-acquisition/ https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2023/03/31/university-phoenix-arkansas-deal-draws-scrutiny/ Alternate show titles: It was largely Don's fault We bought this, now what? How do we use this thing now that we have it? I'm the only person looking at my screens Just a little wonky-ass The Content is IN the Computer Throw it out and replace it Give somebody the back-end Use this; don't call me

Recorded March 10, 2023 Who wants some riveting discussion of IT budgeting? Yeah, neither do we, but we make a heckuva effort to stay awake for this. Chris budgets projects with massive contingencies and with market pricing, Marc budgets by time, Larry is concerned about trying to make up all of last year's projects and complete this year's projects, Jamie borrows used gear from the rich to give to the poor, and Justin just wants to know "What can I buy today that will last until I no longer work here?" Alternate titles: WAGs and SWAGs Standard Deviation minus 7 Sound in the Ceiling Administrative Swirl Done Been Learnt

Recorded March 29, 2023 Ever wanted a 360 camera paired with a camera bar below a display? Me neither, but here's a news story (well, product announcement) from our favorite inappropriate UCC solution. Then we hash out the various options for BIG displays (and we all agree that anything over 85" falls into the category of big displays). Does projection still win the day? Are we still building LCD video walls? What about LED video walls? As prices continue to come down, have our perspectives on display technologies changed? Finally, digital signage— the "almost AV" we love to hate. Jamie wants to hand off content to students and run ads everywhere, Chris would just be happy if the cabling was cleaned up, Marc is fighting the uphill battle to standardize on a common content platform, Larry already has a standard signage platform that not everyone uses, and Justin is proud of the system WKU has in place. Article discussed: https://www.avinteractive.com/news/products/owl-labs-first-with-front-of-room-and-360-camera-pairing-27-03-2023/ Alternate Titles: No risk it, no biscuit Where do you not want to see this well? A dollar a lumen The poking stick

Recorded March 24, 2023 We're joined by Paul Ziele to talk networking… and we get waaaay into it. We're talking Mariana Trench, Kola Borehole, Hollow Earth. Record deepness… and we really only scratched the surface. We'll have Paul back to continue this talk. Paul shares his frustrations with AV people not knowing networking, Network people not knowing AV, and no one willing to budge more than a few wiggles to make it all work. We also share a listener email about appropriate applications of 21:9 and we're all (mostly) onboard! See, we're not entirely anti-ultrawide aspect ratios… Article discussed: Dirty Hands and IPMX https://www.avnetwork.com/news/dirty-hands-and-ipmx Paul Ziele's Deep Dive series https://www.avnetwork.com/news/zielie-deep-dive-series-introduction Alternate episode titles: It works until it doesn't Automagically No one could mess that up A lot of things breakdown when you leave a single subnet It's a secret because the manufacturer doesn't know the answer Dumber products or smarter integrators Call me when nobody buys it I hate security There is almost no device in AV that has good enough security Don't put that button in; people will use it They'll change 15 settings at once Put on your big boy pants The Layer 2-3 boundary If a limit isn't given, then it's unlimited Forbidden VLAN

Recorded February 10, 2023 It's the coldest part of winter, so let's talk Spring Cleaning! Remember to fully submerse your touch panels in bleach before re… oh, not that kind of spring cleaning. We're joined by Joe Way to talk through our plans for Spring Clinging— that is, what we should be thinking about replacing, what we are holding on to, and what things we should be getting rid of entirely. We all have rooms full of old gear that should go… or should it? On an unrelated note, we also want to hear from you on 21:9, so head over to Twitter to share your opinion. Article mentioned by Larry: https://www.ravepubs.com/why-mtr-with-front-row-looks-so-bad/

Recorded February 24, 2023 This is the audio recording of our live session at the HETMA 2023 Conference. We proclaimed that AV is dead and simply part of the larger IT umbrella… or is it! We were joined by Ryan Gray of Yavapai College who wrote in a few weeks earlier suggesting a new approach to the continuing AV/IT convergence, so we put him on the panel. Thanks to HETMA for the opportunity to share with the community and for all those who asked live questions. HETMA: https://www.hetma.org

Recorded Feb 3, 2023 We cover all the news from ISE… *cough* The state of Arkansas is buying Phoenix… or something. We hash out what it might mean for the future of higher education when traditional universities buy online for-profit schools. Then, training. What training are we working on? What about our staff? Are we focused on technical skills or wider professional development? And where does the AVIXA CTS belong? Finally, we get a mailbag question on wireless sharing appliances. While we all like the concept of wireless sharing, we don't like the dedicated appliances. Free advice to manufacturers: stop adding "collaborative" features to these little boxes. Articles discussed: https://www.highereddive.com/news/university-phoenix-acquisition-arkansas-system-for-profit/641378/ https://www.highereddive.com/news/hilbert-college-acquire-for-profit-valley-college/641247/ Alternate show titles: 21x9 will never happen They had to put their name on a stadium Perceived value Oh, boy, our program sucks Walmart.edu That might be on my short list, too A programmer who doesn't like to type or do math Registered Communication Dudes and Dudettes Screw this screw and pull this cable Pooh-poohing signal flow Boop! Hit the button A mound of swag

Recorded January 11, 2023 This month's topic is BYOD and why that's a terrible idea all around. Wait, it's not? Well, you'll have to convince me. We discuss BYOD for conferencing vs. BYOD for presentation only, BYOD for meetings, BYOD for student devices, wired vs wireless connections, why all wireless sharing appliances are bad, and even campus-wide iPad/Chromebook/laptop programs. Larry introduces the term BYODTRTMADETPIF and Justin again reminds us of his (in)famous Zoom Rooms. Alternate show titles: Anything that may be on your person BYOPD BYODTRTMADETPIF BYODPCVC This topic makes me queasy Bring Your Own Cloud Bring Another Device Bring Your Own LaserDisc It's either gonna work or it's not Non-Meat Version Built into Meat Bring Your Own Room

In light of so much recent AI-related news, we skip the news and dive right into AI. Will AI take over or is it just the newest fad in technology? Afterall, we've been using AI-generated artwork for months, so that means even this podcast is AI-enabled, right? The current spate of AI search engines are really just cranking out the top result from Google, Wikipedia, Stack Overflow, and other sites, often without citing sources or verifying information, but they sure do seem to be the bees knees! Or are they? Is this the Dunning-Kruger Effect or Gell-Mann Amnesia? Regardless, we openly speculate about the AI-enabled AV consultant of the future. We already have automatic calculators for projector throw distance, screen size, microphone layouts, speaker coverage, and more, so how soon until we have a single program that takes all the information entered into account and can generate AV systems writ large? Alternate show titles: This is Super Clippy! Not today, Dave Not fed by ads, yet Super Furby of the Future Roughtimate Trust but verify Eyeballs on the spitball

Recorded January 20, 2023 In a change of pace for Off the Rails, we're going to stick to one subject: USB. We're joined by Joe Cornwall, Legrand's AV Technology Evangelist to dive deep into USB and why it seems to be anything but universal. We all get the question from users that their laptop, tablet, phone has USB-C for charging, so why can't we do that in an AV system? We'll also cover such questions as: Why is trying to simply extend USB a bad idea? Why can't I rely on USB extension? Why is HDBT & AVoIP more reliable to do essentially the same thing? Why is USB switching a bag of hurt? Why is it so hard to identify the right cable with the proper capabilities? Finally, all the panelists will share their thoughts on implementing USB-C in their classrooms. Spoiler: sorta, but not really. Also, stop extending USB. Legrand's AV University - https://www.legrandav.com/tools_and_training/training/training_and_certification Look for Joe's AV Transport and Signal Distribution Masterclass at InfoComm 2023! Alternate show titles: USB-C, the AV Unicorn You cannot tow that boat with a Corvette The parts you need to do that; they don't exist yet Lots of reasons to start foaming a the mouth The bad taste left in your mouth 80 gigabits per second Give 'em the finger and walk away USB-C is a desktop transport; full stop It's called "Go Home!" As fat as it needs to be