AV SuperFriends

Recorded December 14, 2022 It's our annual prediction show! But first, a Festivus Miracle— ClearOne and Shure have settled their dispute over squares, or whatever it was. Anyway, we review our predictions from January 2022 to see how right (or wrong) we were and then make bold predictions for 2023. Marc talks AR and VR, Chris foresees a student-driven redefining of the college experience, Rachel is both impressed and creeped out by AI, Jamie sees increased training and development for instructors, Justin expects someone to buy Zoom (Amazon? Apple?), and Larry says we'll all be using Microsoft Teams more than Zoom. Article discussed: https://www.avnetwork.com/news/shure-clearone-have-reached-global-settlement

Recorded Dec 16, 2022 Apple is including a new application in all their devices with a new service pack called Freeform. While it may look like any other whiteboarding app, it is a harbinger of the types of second or third channel content that students will bring with them to our classrooms as it's now pre-installed on billions of devices. Then we review the concept of designing on expected system lifecycle rather than capability. Should every system we design, specify, install, and support run forever? Or, given the significant changes in teaching and learning over the last three years, should we be prepared to modify systems after only two or three years? Finally, now that almost all learning spaces are distance education capable, can instructors expect the same level of production and support? How do we manage those expectations? Apple Freeform: https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2022/12/apple-launches-freeform-a-powerful-new-app-designed-for-creative-collaboration/ Alternate show titles: Cockroach Technology That's all I expected out of this device Don't Future-proof Disposable Equipment … and a Side Toilet They Beta Drove It Rip off the bandaid without them knowing I didn't get no complaints

Recorded December 09, 2022 (Watch the video of this show: https://avsf.live ) In our second live show, we host a typical awkward office holiday party complete with ugly sweaters, a gift exchange, seasons greetings from the Higher Ed AV community, some special guests join us to share what they've been up to, and AVSF trivia to give away AVSF swag (and everyone likes swag, right?). And Chris Neto breaks big news about the future of #AVinTheAM! Our gift exchange is of AV-related gifts that we found in our storage spaces. Old classroom-in-a-box systems, non-standard ersatz keystone inserts, table devices with more non-standard inserts, a lamp-based travel projector, a "compute," even AVSF swag— it's all fair game. Special kudos to Larry for sending Jamie a hammer for his whack-a-mole control system and to Rachel for sending Marc the world's weirdest sad clown artwork… which is now the episode artwork! If you want to be part of the next AVSF: Live show, sign up for notifications here: https://avsf.live Erin's Maher-Moran's links: HETMA Prism Scholarship AV Nation Ed Tech Podcast Chris Neto's links: #AVintheAM @theAVintheAM Joe Way's links: Higher Ed AV

Recorded October 26, 2022 In the spirit of American retail annual sales scheduling, here's a holiday episode recorded in October. Our theme for this show is stocking stuffers, so we all have a little gift to share (aka a "recommendation") or something from our AV wish list that will hopefully arrive soon. Little Marc gives everyone AVoIP decoders, little Chris gives "secret" analog I/O for QSC Cores and wants the perfect button panel controller, little Justin gives everyone an NDI to USB converter, little Jamie also gifts us all an NDI decoder, and little Larry brings a Dante remote decoder from the local corner store. Don't forget to join the AV SuperFriends LIVE on Friday, December 9 at 300p EST for our holiday spectacular! AVSF Live: https://avsf.live Products discussed: VANCO Handheld HDMI Tester: https://www.vanco1.com/product/handheld-4k-hdmi-tester/ BirdDog Pod: https://birddog.tv/pod-overview/ BirdDog Play: https://birddog.tv/play-overview/ Focusrite RedNet R1: https://pro.focusrite.com/category/audiooverip/item/rednet-r1 Alternate show titles: Fool around at the house Jamie learnt me something today That's the gift that keeps on giving the whole year Uncle Larry's at it again It's a twofer learnt day Listen to Zoom trash my sound

Join the AV SuperFriends: Live! https://avsf.live

Recorded November 11, 2022 Remember movie theaters? Enormous sodas, greasy popcorn, giant candies, and … Zoom? Have you ever wished you could combine the experience of a summer blockbuster with a Zoom meeting? Neither have we, but it's coming to a theater near you. Then we return to the topic of AR, VR, XR, and other Rs. Larry makes a cogent argument about AR and Marc broadens his definition to encompass nearly everything. Regardless of how we think of it, the application of AR in higher ed will be driven by students, so be ready. Also, the Metaverse is never happening. Finally, Larry shares his thoughts on UNCG's new Esports arena. What does he like, what would he change, and where is gaming leading us in the future? Article discussed: https://www.theverge.com/2022/11/7/23446136/amc-zoom-rooms-theaters-meetings UNCG's Esports Arena: https://esports.uncg.edu AVSF: Live! on December 9: https://avsf.live Alternate show titles: An Owl Cam at the Movies Where are we using AR today? We're just calling old shit "AR" The AR-ish type thing we're trying to do here The Google Person Real-time Fact-checking Baby's First Step was Zoom According to Wikipedia… That's the Job! No Cameras and Flashing Allowed

Recorded November 4, 2022 Meetings! We love 'em! We need more of 'em! Or do we? And are all these fancy spaces we've built out to support hybrid meetings just adding to the problem? Next we dive deep into the hardware side (and a few software bits, too) of selecting AVoIP encoders and decoders. We're putting together a list of criteria, separating them into Nice to Have and Need to Have and are in the process of testing these all in real-world environments. Why? Because we aren't going to wait until Q3 of 2023 and there's a LOT of alternatives out there. Finally, Jamie raised an interesting question: has the challenge in getting certain types of equipment changed how we get rid of old gear? Are we hanging onto equipment that would have ordinarily been discarded and sent to surplus in 2019? Justin has the best suggestion for how determine when something must be cast-off. Article discussed: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220926005145/en/One-third-of-Meetings-Are-Unnecessary-Costing-Companies-Millions-and-No-One-Is-Happy-About-It Alternate show titles: That One Special Space Frustration Multiplier It's a Pixel Bus I'm a regular person Rookie-friendly Just put a magnet on it I cut 'em up all the time

Recorded October 28, 2022 In the news, Chris shares his thoughts from the recent CCUMC conference at UCF in Orlando. Also, CCUMC has changed their inscrutable name to the slightly more scrutable ETC. Then we're joined by Jason Zapf from the University of Wisconsin - Green Bay to discuss how to (or how not to) provide hybrid capability in active learning environments. While the temptation is go big and expensive, we all provide alternative suggestions to keep things simple and not over complicate an already busy learning environment. Finally, we hash out the recent push for the 21:9 ultrawide aspect ratio. It's not particularly new (1957), it will lead to detrimental compromises in screen element size, and frankly, it's not going to happen, Microsoft. ETC (nee CCUMC): https://www.etcollaborative.org Alternate show titles: I hate everything about it It goes all the way up Hell, no… but! Eat together, drink together, sleep together

Recorded October 21, 2022 For Thanksgiving, the AV SuperFriends all gathered at Marc's house and stood around the kitchen waiting for the turkey to cook in the indoor deep-fryer. In addition to an assortment of side dishes, we all brought an AV Turkey to share. Marc reminds us of the nonsense of touchless AV control, Chris complains bitterly about wireless sharing appliances, Justin gives up on Stem Audio, Jamie rewinds to multi-cable digital video extension, and Larry despises digital signage. Turkeys all around! Happy Thanksgiving, y'all!

Recorded September 28, 2022 In a change of pace, we've collected our scariest and creepiest tales of AV projects, equipment, customers, and support. Join the AV SuperFriends as we sit around the bonfire and share our tales of fright. Justin brings an Old Kentucky Fable, Marc recounts his end of summer waking nightmare, Larry reminds us that our worst fears can come true during the Year of Good Enough, and Chris visits the Twilight Zone to recount the Needs Analysis of Terror. Happy Halloween, y'all!

Recorded September 16, 2022 We had a different news story selected for this week but given the recent public email exchanges between Aurora Multimedia and Crestron, we had to discuss it. Is Crestron being the bully or getting taken advantage of? Marc raises the possibility that this is all a staged act to generate publicity and we all like the idea of a Crestron - Aurora conspiracy! Then, we're joined by Dean Heckler of Heckler Design to talk about his company's novel approach to AV-friendly furniture, mounts, brackets, and finding the niche products that make life easier. Dean talks us through Heckler's earliest days making iPad mounting brackets, to custom pieces for large universities, to the process of re-thinking the classroom lectern, to ADA wall panels— all with an eye on making everything feel like it's from the future. Finally, Chris is going to replace every projection screen on campus with direct view displays, regardless of size and appropriate viewing height. Well, not exactly, but we discuss the concept of doing so and the price delta between large monitors and small projection screens. Seriously, though, why are we installing 105" projection screens? Heckler: https://www.hecklerdesign.com

Recorded September 9, 2022 The AV SuperFriends kick off Season 3 with some announcements of upcoming changes and a new show, AVSF: Live! Yes, live-- on video, that is-- but live! With video and you! We want you to join us! The link is below. Then we return to our Twitter poll from a few weeks ago to share the results. With equipment lead times continuing to be a challenge, what are other schools doing? We hash out the three most common approaches— waiting for preferred gear, looking around at alternatives, or implementing new equipment. Marc then shares his thoughts from a recent tour to Biamp's headquarters in Portland, OR. It sounds like it's well worth a visit if you're in the area. Finally, we dig into the mailbag and respond to a listener email about control system automation. Our discussion gets pretty heated! AVSF Live!: https://avsf.live Twitter poll: https://twitter.com/AVSuperfriends/status/1562109314923237376

This month's topic is software AV and we couldn't decide between software AVoIP content, software AV control, or software management platforms, so we'll cover all three! We start with an article about a semiconductor manufacturer widening software (and hardware) support for SMPTE 2110, which gets us one step closer to HDBaseT-style interoperability… in theory. Then, it's a whirlwind tour of software AV content, control, applications, and more. Why are we using legacy thinking when building our networks? Will we ever fully trust the PC to be a true AV endpoint? After all a huge amount of current content originates from or is delivered to the classroom PC, so why can't we (reliably) leverage that for multi-protocol high bandwidth content? Article discussed: https://www.ravepubs.com/macnica-new-software-hardware-smpte-2110/

Recorded August 12, 2022 We fire up the AVSF time machine and travel back to 2010… to talk about HDBaseT. It's all in good fun, but it's a weird article to see in 2022. Then, what's your threshold for standardization? That is, are you looking to broaden you AV equipment portfolio or just waiting out the on-going equipment delays? What happens if that wait becomes six, eight, 12, 16 months or more? Jamie is always game to try new gear, Chris is re-engineering systems from the ground up, Justin is stuck between a rock and a hard place, Larry is concerned about staff support, and Marc is staying the course. Finally, how are we responding to the increasing commoditization of AV integration? In addition to structured cable contractors, there are new service providers who want to help you offload some of your repetitive work (and make money, of course). It's an interesting concept… Article discussed: https://www.avnetwork.com/features/how-hdbaset-simplifies-av-installs

Recorded August 5, 2022 Panopto is buying Kaltura! Sorta. The investment firm who owns Panopto also wants to own Kaltura. While this could mean we'll see a really cool platform come from this "merger," most likely it'll be bad for all of us. Look for your license fees to increase dramatically. Then, what do you mean by "AV design?" What does it mean to be an AV designer? How much time are you spending doing documentation? How much is too much? Justin just wants to avoid questions, Larry would rather think of cool concepts than create drawings, Jamie hates CAD, Marc hates all documentation, and Chris loves all documentation (in fact, he's working on a reflected ceiling plan right now). Finally, what do we all think about eliminating traditional AV cabling and equipment just because we can? Sure, it might not be best practice, but could it be considered "good enough practice" for our spaces? Articles discussed: https://en.globes.co.il/en/article-panopto-bids-to-buy-israeli-video-co-kaltura-for-383m-1001419838 https://www.avinteractive.com/news/business/panopto-raises-its-bid-to-buy-competitor-kaltura-to-383m-01-08-2022/ https://old.reddit.com/r/CommercialAV/comments/wefc3x/av_systems_designers_of_reddit_how_much_time_do/

Recorded July 15, 2022 It's Back to School season! What will the 2022 - 2023 school year bring? We start with an article from EdSurge about schools who put massive student CRM systems on hold and are now restarting those massive projects. Regardless of how many times we've all been through this process, the end result seems to be the same: a litany of complaints, nostalgic stories of the previous system, and plans for the next upgrade. Then, plans for our Fall terms to start in just a few weeks. Setting expectations based on un-finished projects, mitigating standards to make something work, and delays delays delays. We also prognosticate on what we think will be our top help desk tickets this fall. But, if nothing else, fresh Trapper Keepers for all! Article discussed: https://www.edsurge.com/news/2022-06-21-higher-ed-is-investing-in-student-success-tech-is-it-a-new-golden-age-or-just-vague-talk

We start with an article from the Chronicle of Higher Education that asks why colleges and universities are constructing so many new buildings, but leaving older facilities to rot? We're all guilty of focusing on the new hotness and ignoring the old and busted, but what will happen now that enrollment is set to drop? Then, active learning rooms. Do they really need all that stuff (no) or all those options (no) or all those displays (no) ? Larry explains active learning as a food analogy, Marc suggests we focus on the students and avoid all the "stuff," Justin uses software rather than hardware to avoid monstrous AV budgets, Jamie bemoans the lack of pedagogy and overspending of technology, and Chris has built way too many of these spaces all over the country. Finally, AVIXA wants feedback on the CTS programs. We review the survey for the general CTS and share how we think the CTS holders on our teams leverage those skills. Article discussed: https://www.chronicle.com/article/the-overbuilt-campus https://archive.ph/XDGwT

Recorded July 8, 2022 Marc starts us off with an article about new, high resolution and AI-driven optical microphones that will never be a product, but will be in almost every audio product in five years... and probably in your phone, too. If this technology goes where we think it will, it'll be the next version of beam-tracking & beam-steering. Then, with apologies to Elisabeth Kubler-Ross, we apply the Five Stages of Grief to delayed AV projects (which in 2022 means every project). We discuss the client perspective as they experience denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. We also share some of the analogies we use to explain to clients why partially received AV systems can't be installed. Hamburgers and cars seem to be the most common. Also, Justin shares his terrible method of preparing hamburgers. Finally, Larry has an idea about hand-me-down classrooms and we try to help determine if that's a good idea, bad idea, or just reality. Article discussed: https://gizmodo.com/optical-mic-camera-record-multiple-instruments-separate-1849104793 https://www.cs.cmu.edu/news/2022/optical-microphone

Recorded June 22, 2022 Have y'all heard of this VR thing? It's a thing! Or is it… We start with an article about highly customized content for highly specialized academic programs and how that just doesn't scale. And that leads a discussion covering everything from shared standards for metaverse content to nursing simulation systems to user generated content. Then, scope creep. Have you done that thing you didn't know about and weren't technically responsible to do? Why does it always seem to fall to AV and IT to take on more than we're responsible for and clean up others' messes? Is it because we're the last ones in the door? Or, because everyone knows we'll get it done? Probably both. EdScoop article: https://edscoop.com/virtual-reality-universities-class-design/ NYT article: https://rd.nytimes.com/projects/an-end-to-end-guide-to-photogrammetry-with-mobile-devices Metaverse Standards: https://metaverse-standards.org/

Recorded June 24, 2022 It's a Christmas Miracle— all six AV SuperFriends are on the same episode together! We start with some AV news that created a minor crisis for some of us (for about 30 minutes), but as it's about one of our "favorite" products, we're enjoying the schadenfreude. Also, maybe if your network allows unauthenticated devices to connect directly, you deserve the lumps. Then we're joined by Geoff Robinson from PTZOptics to discuss their recent release of MIDI camera controls. Does this mean you can use a drum kit as a control system? Sure! Can you tie presets to cues in your production software? Yepper! Jamie said it best in that we probably don't have an immediate use, but rather a myriad of future applications for this. Very cool! Finally, we discuss the challenges of hiring qualified IT staff at universities. Chris and Larry are both hiring now, Jamie just went through the process a few months ago, Justin must keep the position listings as generic as possible to attract a wider applicant pool, Marc keeps getting asked to apply for internal positions to sandbag the search, and Rachel is amazed at just how regimented the hiring process is at universities. Anyone want a job? We're hiring! PTZOptics MIDI Camera Control: https://ptzoptics.com/midi/ Articles discussed: https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2022/06/vulnerabilities-in-meeting-owl-videoconference-device-imperil-100k-users/ https://edscoop.com/owl-labs-vulnerability-patch-cisa/

Recorded June 09, 2022 Chris, Larry, Rachel, and Justin were all together in Las Vegas for the largest single gathering of AV SuperFriends since 2019, so we fired up the microphones to share our general impressions of the first InfoComm since the last one! We cover products of note, the best swag on the show floor, celebrity sightings, the utter lack of VR (yea!), the sad lack of esports (boo!), fidget spinners, Justin's drug smuggling backpack, purses vs clutches, the single best product of the show, the .87 miles from one side of the convention center to the other, computes are not a thing, AVlebrities, where to stay in Vegas, gauging distance by egg tossing, the best steaks in Vegas, Rachel's (and Chris's) apparent fandom of Smash Mouth, the best hangover breakfasts in Vegas, why Friday is the best day at InfoComm, and Justin's adventures in sneaking onto the show floor. Special thanks to Chris Neto and our friends at Starin Marketing for the podcasting space!

Recorded March 31, 2022 Chris and Marc were at NWMET 2022 in beautiful Coeur d'Alene, Idaho in March and set up a table in the middle of the hallway to talk with as many people as possible about AV in higher education. In this episode, we're joined by Doug McCartney from Oakland University and Jon Loney of Whitman College to talk about the NWMET that didn't happen in 2020, Doug's recent election to the NWMET Hall of Fame (and his brand new car!), plans for NWMET in the future, and Doug's reflection on almost 40 years of educational technology. Doug's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/doug-mccartney-97aa2516/ Jon's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonloneyakajlo/

Recorded March 31, 2022 Chris and Marc were at NWMET 2022 in beautiful Coeur d'Alene, Idaho in March and set up a table in the middle of the hallway to talk with as many people as possible about AV in higher education. In this episode, we're joined by Jessica Sunset from LightWerks to talk about how colleges and universities can be better partners with integrators (hint: parking!) and how integrators can be better partners with colleges and universities (stop bidding the lowest cost gear). Jessica's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessica-sunset-38369b3/

Recorded May 13, 2022 It's our annual InfoComm Preview show! Or, if you are listening to this after the first week of June, it's our annual InfoComm Wrap-up show! Chris, Larry, and Justin will be there in person, so come join us for presentations, tours, and interviews. Or, listen to recordings of those same presentations, tours, and interviews because InfoComm is over! We hash through what we expect to see and hear: Chris is still expecting announcements of heretofore unannounced stuff, Justin is wondering if we'll see last year's gear with a new model number, Marc isn't expecting much of anything and would prefer manufacturers use the show to get product ideas from end users, Larry is expecting only minor announcements, and Jamie is giving up and going to the beach for a the week. Follow us on Twitter @AVSuperFriends to stay updated with what we're doing!

Recorded March 31, 2022 Chris and Marc were at NWMET 2022 in beautiful Coeur d'Alene, Idaho in March and set up a table in the middle of the hallway to talk with as many people as possible about AV in higher education. In this episode, we're joined by Kramer's Kristen Garner to talk about building the relationship with higher education, updating firmware, and Kramer's recent purchase of UC Workspace. Kristen's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/krisgarner/

Recorded March 31, 2022 Chris and Marc were at NWMET 2022 in beautiful Coeur d'Alene, Idaho in March and set up a table in the middle of the hallway to talk with as many people as possible about AV in higher education. In this episode, we're joined by Robert Durbin from Crestron to talk high level concepts, Crestron's A+ program, the four flavors of DM, and using tin snips to modernize your DMPS products. Note: please don't modify your DMPS with tin snips. Robert's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-durbin-64b79852/

Recorded March 31, 2022 Chris and Marc were at NWMET 2022 in beautiful Coeur d'Alene, Idaho in March and set up a table in the middle of the hallway to talk with as many people as possible about AV in higher education. In this episode, we grab Dave Stewart from Eastern Washington University (and Chris's former colleague!) and Kevin Gelman of Alfatron Electronics to talk about EWU's testing and implementation of advanced camera systems in their classrooms. Dave Stewart: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dave-stewart-558b7717/ Alfatron: https://www.alfatronelectronics.com

Recorded May 20, 2022 We start with a new story about Morehouse College wanting VR for everyone. It certainly seems more viable at smaller schools, but we're skeptical. Then, Chris wants help creating a truly useful sandbox space. Marc suggests lots of infrastructure, Justin recommends an area for bench testing and a nicer version for outside users, Larry talks about the concept of "a safe space to fail," and Jamie is building sandboxes all over campus on someone else's dime. Finally, Marc has a project at OSU involving VR and AR systems for agricultural programs and giving away devices to students. It sounds like a heckuva recruiting tool. News Stories discussed: https://edscoop.com/morehouse-college-vr-metaverse/ https://edscoop.com/ohio-state-ends-ipad-program/ https://dive4ag.oregonstate.edu/virtual-reality-field-experiences https://www.timelooper.com

Recorded May 6, 2022 Before the show even begins, Chris grabs the mic and expresses his frustrations with participants on video calls. It's 2022 and there's simply no excuse. Then, Larry poses an interesting question: If we all had the funding and time to update or replace almost every AV system on our campuses, how would we do it? Would we stay the course and get a few years ahead on refresh cycles? Would we dramatically shift directions, capabilities, and platforms? Or, would we panic and flounder while paralyzed with indecision? Finally, we respond to a listener question who wants to know how we onboard new equipment and track it through our various receiving, networking, integration, and support systems? While none of us have found one perfect software solution, there are some interesting options that don't involve a shared spreadsheet…

Recorded April 29, 2022 Hey, Rachel is back! Well, for the news segment, anyway. NAB was this past week and Rachel shares some insights into what trade shows might portend for the future. Then it's time to dive deep into the software we all use throughout all aspects of an AV project. Notes, task management, shared network folders, CAD, Sketchup, and everything in between. Also, if you're taking notes on your phone, yes, we all think you're texting. Stop it. Finally, we all have gear that just won't die and even after removing it from a system, we can't bear to part with it because we'll find a use for it somewhere, somehow. And in 2022, when DSPs are hard to come by, those old mixer amplifiers are looking pretty good… Article: https://www.sportsvideo.org/2022/04/28/nab-announces-attendance-of-52468-at-2022-show

Recorded March 31, 2022 Chris and Marc were at NWMET 2022 in beautiful Coeur d'Alene, Idaho in March and set up a table in the middle of the hallway to talk with as many people as possible about AV in higher education. In this episode, we're joined by Marc Yakubisin from Diversified and talk through how integrators can be better partners with colleges and universities AND how those colleges and universities can be better partners with their integrators. Marc on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marc-yakubisin-836965a3/ Diversified: https://onediversified.com/ NWMET: https://www.nwmet.org

Recorded March 31, 2022 Chris and Marc were at NWMET 2022 in beautiful Coeur d'Alene, Idaho in March and set up a table in the middle of the hallway to talk with as many people as possible about AV in higher education. In this episode, we're joined by new kid on the block, Joe Way from USC. We talk faculty feedback, incremental software upgrades to existing systems, faculty feedback, a deliberate design process, and faculty feedback. We also try to stump Joe by asking what he would do differently considering the past two years, but he's quite happy with his teaching and learning spaces. USC Learning Environments: https://itservices.usc.edu/spaces/ Joe Way: https://twitter.com/josiahway https://www.linkedin.com/in/josiahway NWMET: https://www.nwmet.org

Recorded April 8, 2022 Working with integrators and consultants is a necessary part of the job for any higher ed AV manager, and the AV SuperFriends have plenty of suggestions to make that process easier. Step 1, don't give away engineering and design. Step 2, don't give away consulting and end user interaction. Step 3, don't give away programming. Step 4, don't give away integration. In fact, just do it all in house. Marc has recommendations about working on capital projects, Larry is happy to work with outside experts on highly specialized projects, Chris wants integrator pricing estimates to be honest and not hide costs or overcharge, Justin has a well-established system at WKU of splitting projects into multiple phases so they can be budgeted and contracted separately, and Jamie wants to ensure that if an integrator is engaged, that he is in the loop as the liaison to ensure standards are being met and followed. We also discuss bringing new integrators onboard, building relationships, leveraging multiple suppliers for box sales, and when to expand those relationships with value-added services.

Recorded March 31, 2022 Chris and Marc were at NWMET 2022 in beautiful Coeur d'Alene, Idaho in March and set up a table in the middle of the hallway to talk with as many people as possible about AV in higher education. In this episode, we're joined by Frank Alaimo and Andy Borts from UNLV to talk about their more measured approach to creating and supporting modern teaching and learning spaces. Frank shares his big, bold plan for the hardware and AV systems and Andy discusses his unique and highly successful model for faculty support using those systems. If you need guidance on how to implement campus-wide hybrid teaching and learning on your campus, this is the model to follow. UNLV RebelFlex: https://www.it.unlv.edu/classroom-technology/rebelflex NWMET: https://www.nwmet.org

Recorded April 22, 2022 After over a month away, we're back and have all sorts of things to talk about… but not on this episode. We start with more data from EDUCAUSE that suggests leadership should talk with their local IT staff who support the learning spaces on campus. It's a good article from a trusted source to forward on to your managers and directors. Then, what's all this event support we keep getting roped into? Can we build our learning spaces to support events or will users just want something else in addition? Marc wants to clearly define the support scope, Justin keeps running into his video production colleagues, Jamie is way ahead of the game with aux I/O in every classroom, and Chris would be happy if people would just stop putting gaff tape on his microphones. Finally, we all go over our clever little ways to avoid the dreaded capital asset tags. At least technology is getting cheaper… Article discussed: https://er.educause.edu/articles/2022/4/educause-quickpoll-results-learning-spaces-transformation

Recorded March 11, 2022 Jamie brings an article that describes two very different experiences with warranty and support… of socks. It's relevant in a weird way. And in a year when we're having to be extra flexible with our choices of equipment due to the supply chain madness, it does raise the question of just how much that manufacturer support weighs in our decisions of what to specify. Speaking of supply chain, let's talk supply chain! Marc can't plan for projects, Larry is wary of replacing anything until everything is here, Chris is using the summer for maintenance and staff training, Justin is tired of spending 50% of his time getting asked for schedule updates, and Jamie thinks 2022 might just be the year of deferred maintenance. We'll check back in 12… 16… 26 weeks… Article: https://www.residentialsystems.com/blogs/a-tale-of-two-warranties

Recorded March 18, 2022 We immediately derail the show with an in-depth discussion of blockchain and educational credentials. Larry and Marc have been looking into this and it seems to be the future of education… sort of. Then, we cover campus support structures. That is, how is your support team staffed? Is your install team your support team? Do you have your own support desk or do all the calls go to the university help desk— and can they actually help? Take notes! Finally, Chris wants to know what everyone thinks of auto-framing and auto-tracking cameras? Are they worth it over a regular PTZ camera or just another feature to be disabled? Article discussed: https://edscoop.com/territorium-credential-engine-learner-records/

Recorded March 4, 2022 Marc brings an article about the commoditization of IT skills as organizations mature. It spurs some good discussion for our next topic about hiring staff. So, is it better to hire an IT person who then learns AV or hire an AV person who then learns IT? Larry put a similar question out on Twitter related to hiring or growing programmers. Finally, Marc wants to know what out standard cabling infrastructure looks like. Are we following all the TIA standards and best practices or are we simply paying them lip service? Article discussed: https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/jobs/reinvent-your-career-along-the-skills-pyramid/articleshow/39655798.cms (Alternate link) https://archive.ph/qOibz

Recorded February 18, 2022 If we're discussing emerging technologies in learning spaces, we're obviously going to talk about the metaverse… but not the one you're thinking of. Marc brings an article and associated study from Forbes and JP Morgan that reveals the plans that that the financial world has for the future. And no, it's not goggles. Larry also references an article from 2012 that raises many of the same issues. Links are all below. So, will the metaverse take over classrooms? Not in the Lawnmower Man way you're thinking, but definitely look for persistent, unique identifiers, NFTs, and blockchain technology to show up in your favorite content platforms, campus LMS, and productivity software. Once that groundwork is in place, look for similar integrations into your AV systems, too. Besides, the goggles do nothing. Story: https://www.forbes.com/sites/ronshevlin/2022/02/16/jpmorgan-opens-a-bank-branch-in-the-metaverse-but-its-not-for-what-you-think-its-for/amp/ Report: https://www.jpmorgan.com/content/dam/jpm/treasury-services/documents/opportunities-in-the-metaverse.pdf Article: https://dmlhub.net/publications/connected-learning-agenda-for-research-and-design/index.html

Recorded February 11, 2022 QSC divides into two divisions, focusing on their pro audio products and burgeoning control and AV transport lines respectively. Is this a good move? Time will tell, but they certainly have the metrics to show what website visitors are looking for. Oddly enough, after this announcement, QSC held an event where they announced products in both lines. It was… weird. Then we dive into AV replacement cycles, refresh cycles, life expectancy— whatever you prefer to call it. Do we set arbitrary schedules of 5, 7, 10 years or tie AV refresh projects to capital projects and building renovations. Marc tries to forecast 20 years out, Jamie had a plan that all went out the window, Larry bases his plans on PC replacements, Justin doesn't have a budget, and Chris wants to upgrade everything when the first item dies. Finally, we celebrate the little widgets, tchotchkes, adapters, converters, and odds & ends that keep our AV systems running. These products are truly the glue that holds the industry together. Article: https://www.avnetwork.com/news/exclusive-interview-qsc-creates-two-independent-divisions

Recorded February 4, 2022 In the AV news, we review Kramer purchasing UC Workspace, best known for their Quicklaunch software. I find this intriguing because as PCs become the center of conferencing systems, Quicklaunch provides a customizable unifying interface regardless of platform. Then Chris demands the rest of the AV SuperFriends help him determine the "best" method for integrating multiple (that is, more than one) PTZ cameras into a classroom system. Should we transport baseband video and switch the cameras outboard of the presentation system? What about IP network video direct to the PC and switching the cameras in software? Or, do we use USB cameras via extenders and switch the cameras on in software? While we don't determine the ultimate solution, we do come up with a common solution that works today and provides for future capability. We are all aware of that "last inch" between the AV system and the PC and have high hopes it will get solved in the future. Finally, it's the first ever AVSF Hall of Shame/Fame awards. Our first winner is an easy one, except when Jamie tries to extend that honor to all the products in the same family and Marc starts swearing. Article discussed: https://www.yahoo.com/now/kramer-acquires-uc-workspace-strategic-170000933.html

Recorded January 14, 2022 This month's topic was supposed to be about the return of Integrated Systems Europe (ISE) and the upcoming HETMA Spring conference, but in light of ISE cancelling their show (again!) and "rescheduling" to May, we figured it was time to satirize the constant cancelling and rescheduling of large tradeshows and conferences by writing them an obituary. So, in loving memory… and such. HOWEVER… online conferences are emerging everywhere and the AV SuperFriends will be presenting a session at the HETMA Spring conference this month, so go sign up and bring your best questions. The link is below. This leads to our larger discussion of what the future of events will look like. Will we still have massive national expositions with tens of thousands of people? (Yes) Will we have more and more smaller, more targeted regional tradeshows? (Yes) What about mixed mode events with conference sessions presented locally, remotely, hybrid and everything in between? (Yes, yes, and yes). Besides, if nothing else, Larry and Chris will be there. Sign up for the HETMA Spring 2022 Conference: https://www.hetma.org News: https://www.ravepubs.com/ise-2022-postponed/

Recorded January 21, 2022 It's a lecture capture spectacular! The AV SuperFriends are joined by two guests, Michael Quinones and Raul Burriel, and with our powers combined… we are still unable to identify the perfect lecture capture system. Heck, we can't even really define lecture capture. But that doesn't stop us from walking through the earliest days of ITV systems, camcorders, VHS & DVD recording, and even famously abandoned systems like iTunes University (remember that?). We also review hardware encoders, capture software, local recordings, cloud delivery, and LMS integration. And, at the end, we all just use Zoom because that's what instructors know. Finally, Jamie shares a clever method for bootstrapping light video production switchers into his classroom systems. Despite everyone else's reservations, it is something worth considering. News: https://campustechnology.com/articles/2021/02/24/study-finds-use-of-video-boosts-learning.aspx OSU Streaming Blog: https://blogs.oregonstate.edu/streaming/

Recorded January 7, 2022 With enrollment decreasing, some schools are looking to specialized learning spaces to match their specialized academic programs. Is this a harbinger of university learning spaces to come in the future? (Yes) Then, we cover a topic that has been rattling around in all our heads in different ways: the gap between pedagogical development and physical operation of a hybrid learning spaces. Our schools put lots of effort into assisting faculty in developing their curriculum for teaching in hybrid spaces and as AV nerds, we work hard to make those hybrid spaces as capable as possible, but those two groups don't often come together. It's part of the qualitative conversation we've been having and one that is only evident after we've gotten past the "make everything hybrid" phase of the last two years. Finally, we review the results of our first Technology on Trial on Extended Reality. It leads to some spirited discussion and not even the AV SuperFriends can agree on this one. Article discussed: https://hechingerreport.org/facing-an-existential-crisis-some-colleges-do-something-rare-for-them-adapt/

Recorded December 10, 2021 It's a prediction show! Educause suggests 10 IT-related trends we should all be aware of and we decide they're not in order, so we're starting with number 6. As with anything from Educause, it's highly-researched and detailed, but often just a little too milquetoast for our tastes. Then the SuperFriends each has a prediction for 2022. Some of us are suggesting general technologies (blockchain, AVoIP), others are focused more on the adoption of various technologies, and Larry is concerned that after almost two years of working, teaching, and learning from home, that "good enough" will be seen as good enough and cause all sorts of integration and quality issues. Have we really lowered the bar that much? (Yes). Article: https://www.educause.edu/research-and-publications/research/top-10-it-issues-technologies-and-trends/2022

Recorded December 17, 2021 Have y'all heard of this Metaverse thingy? It's exactly like Second Life from 2003, but… uh… new? And people want to live in it for some reason? I don't get it. No one does, but we're all playing along. So, we have a news story about a recent poll that says people want to work in the Metaverse because it'll… uh… increase… productivity… somehow? Then we introduce a new segment we call Technology on Trial where we select a new or emerging technology that is getting a lot of coverage and present arguments for and against. It's like Law and Order, but the listeners are the jury. Look for an upcoming Twitter poll to determine the outcome! Finally, we look back on our predictions for our fall semesters. Were we right in our prognostications about instructors and students having trouble adapting to hybrid learning environments? Hint: No… and yes! Articles dicussed: https://www.avinteractive.com/news/collaboration/nearly-half-employees-want-workplace-metaverse-08-12-2021/ https://er.educause.edu/articles/2021/12/educause-quickpoll-results-xr-technology

Recorded December 3, 2021 Are your AV devices secure? Probably not. Is your campus network secure? Fingers crossed! We start with some recent non-AV news about campus network security and ransomware that forced two entire community colleges to simply close temporarily. Then we discuss the current state of AV network security. How many devices do we all have out there on the network running firmware from years ago? Has that firmware been through a security audit recently? Or ever? Of course not! AV manufacturers have a bit of a cultural problem when it comes to security in that it often seems to be an afterthought-- even for native AVoIP devices or gear that requires a network connection to function. Finally, we commiserate about campus clients who want to second-guess project estimates. Over the last two years, everyone has gotten used to "good enough AV" experiences while teaching, learning, and working from home, but is that really good enough for a university learning space? Also, we just bought this TV at Best Buy. Can you just install that for us real quick? Article discussed: https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2021/11/30/butler-county-lewis-and-clark-community-colleges-hacked

Recorded November 17, 2021 It's the 2nd Annual AV SuperFriends Holiday Show! Yes, we're recording this in November, even before Thanksgiving, which just feels weird, but such are the necessities of podcast publishing schedules. In return, we've added some additional production to the show in the form of not-at-all annoying sound effects and background music! For our Holiday Show, we couldn't decide between a standard gift exchange and a White Elephant gift exchange, so we're doing both… virtually of course. We came up with rules: the gift must be AV-related, must exist in real life, but can cost any amount. It's a podcast, so play along, folks! This episode is really for us to have fun, but even so, there's some good-natured discussion of our various podcast-from-home arrangements, challenges with supply chains, and campus network improvements. So, a video wall for little Justin, a gold-plated microphone for little Rachel, a sound-proof booth for little Jamie, a set of packing crates for little Chris, network transceivers for little Marc, and new LED panels for little Larry. Happy Holidays, everyone!

Recorded November 19, 2021 Have you ever wondered why you work in AV? Well, here's the Top Ten reasons. It's a listicle and we love that. Oddly, it says you don't need an advanced degree but that AV is challenging. Weird. Then to the larger topic at hand: Metric AV. Wait, no. The metrics of AV. That is, how do we measure success? Jamie kidnaps people. Larry spies on them from the bushes outside. Marc puts together focus groups. Justin tells them only what they can't do. And Chris designs everything by powers of ten. But seriously, there are many quantitative ways to measure a functioning AV system, but what about the qualitative? Listen on! Finally, Chris went digging under his couch cushions and found $100,000 and wants help spending it. Despite Marc's best efforts, we're going to focus on the stuff! But for good reasons. How would you spend an extra $100,000? Article discussed: https://www.ravepubs.com/top-10-reasons-to-work-in-av/