Skip to content
Sign in
Artwork for AV SuperFriends
TechnologyEducationExplicit

AV SuperFriends

AV SuperFriends

The AV SuperFriends are AV and eLearning nerds who embrace the challenges that come with managing audiovisual systems and resources within a higher education environment. Most of us have had similar experiences and seek to find answers in an ever-changing audiovisual world. We engage the higher education audiovisual community through podcasts, videos, panel discussions, interviews, and social media to share ideas and solve problems. Our shared experiences and your own will lead to new and creative solutions.

In summary, we are going to steal all your ideas and share them with everyone.

Play
Open in
  • 21 episodes
  • Avg 40 min
  • English

Episodes 21

NewestOldestLongest
All20Unplayed20In progress0Played0
Counted on this page — what you have heard stays on this device, so it is not something the list can be paged by.
  • S6 · E23
    Friday · 1 hr 12 min

    AV SuperFriends: Off the Rails - We're not changing the conversation to make me look dumb again

    Recorded August 21, 2026 OpenAVC is back, and this time creator Aaron Todd joins us to talk about putting the open-source, hardware-agnostic AV control platform into the hands of higher ed teams for real-world testing. We dig into what makes the project interesting, why traditional proprietary control hardware may not always be necessary, how universities can participate in the pilot program, and whether open-source control is a threat to integrators, or simply another tool they should learn to use. Then it's time for the annual higher ed tradition of people returning from summer break and suddenly remembering they need an AV project completed before classes start. We talk last-minute requests, impossible construction schedules, scope creep, protecting your staff from constant heroics, and the dangerous precedent created when you somehow manage to pull off the impossible one too many times. Finally, are ceiling microphone arrays actually the best solution, or have they simply become the solution everyone specifies by default? We get into table mics, ceiling mics, voice lift, room acoustics, user expectations, increasingly complicated microphone deployments, and the inconvenient truth that putting everything in the ceiling doesn't magically make the underlying audio problems disappear. News: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/aarontoddcts-d_we-are-looking-for-university-av-teams-willing-share-7492969718262231040-Pm57/ Connect with Aaron: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aarontoddcts-d/ Open AVC: https://www.openavc.com Alternate show titles: Ten-inch PoE powered A fork… a knife and a spoon They don't want that smoke Open = free Crush their hearts and dreams Aaron, let me tell you something No one cares how the thing turns on and off With the tools available today, we can do better I remove all the GUI Dashboarding and all that crap A cloud side… you don't have to use I'm gonna brag I don't work in support! Whatever process we want to wish-cast on the university They can see our dashboard of projects They've capitulated How many tickets before it becomes a project You can't answer this question but I want to see you try They have a tighter SLA They're just tickled shitless We try to squeeze in as much as you can No, we don't care about that… Construction has been the tyranny of how we're working on campus You can't punch out when people are moving in We've got you guys as our buffer If I'm going that route, I'm NOT happy about it We stream live every Friday at about 315p Eastern/1215p Pacific and you can listen to everything we record over at AVSuperFriends.com ▀▄▀▄▀ CONTACT LINKS ▀▄▀▄▀ ► Website: https://www.avsuperfriends.com ► Twitter: https://twitter.com/avsuperfriends ► LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/avsuperfriends ► YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@avsuperfriends ► Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/avsuperfriends.bsky.social ► Email: mailbag@avsuperfriends.com ► RSS: https://avsuperfriends.libsyn.com/rss Donate to AVSF: https://www.avsuperfriends.com/support

    • Transcript
  • S6 · E21
    August 13 · 1 hr 9 min

    AV SuperFriends: Off the Rails - Obviously, I'm not doing any of this

    Recorded August 7, 2026 Freshly relocated, the AV SuperFriends dig into how classroom support actually works. Ring-down phones, intercoms, Teams channels, help buttons, student technicians, remote tools, and after-hours coverage all get put on the table. The panel also gets into the difference between a real AV failure and a perceived one, why good support is as much about communication as troubleshooting, and how student employees can become an incredibly effective first line of support when they're trained and trusted. Then we turn to physical security and ask a simple question: why does seemingly everyone on campus have a key to the AV rack? Plus, Corsair takes a stake in Bitfocus, Companion may or may not be headed toward subscription hell, and Cameron fills in for Marc. News article: https://www.avinteractive.com/news/business/elgato-parent-corsair-takes-a-minority-stake-in-bitfocus-03-08-2026/ Connect with Cameron: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cameron-sofsky-a3866465/ Alternate show titles: What's Marc's mouth taste like? Just the tip jar Whenever we see this happen to a successful project, they ruin it Reach over and touch it / If it breaks, it's on y'all I had my agent do a little bit of research on this I hope it just keeps getting bigger There's a number to dial our students We don't support tickets It's a ring down! Night shift student group This may not happen with you all… but it may Hopefully the student on the phone is verbal enough That's just an extended mouse and keyboard This is not going to go where you think it's going to go A little bit of knowledge is a lot of ignorance That's not supposed to work like that We stream live every Friday at about 315p Eastern/1215p Pacific and you can listen to everything we record over at AVSuperFriends.com ▀▄▀▄▀ CONTACT LINKS ▀▄▀▄▀ ► Website: https://www.avsuperfriends.com ► Twitter: https://twitter.com/avsuperfriends ► LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/avsuperfriends ► YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@avsuperfriends ► Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/avsuperfriends.bsky.social ► Email: mailbag@avsuperfriends.com ► RSS: https://avsuperfriends.libsyn.com/rss Donate to AVSF: https://www.avsuperfriends.com/support

    • Transcript
  • S6 · E13
    August 2 · 28 min

    AV SuperFriends: On Topic - He's got that people power

    Recorded July 17, 2026 In Part 2 of our conversation about building an internal AV integration team, the panel turns from the organizational obstacles to the practical question: how do you actually justify, staff, and scale the operation? We dig into translating outsourced labor costs into FTE requests, documenting hidden workloads, using dashboards and project data to make the case to leadership, and allowing a little strategic failure to expose where the existing team has reached its limits. The discussion also explores whether the next hire should be another technician or someone higher in the stack, such as a project manager, field supervisor, designer, or other knowledge-focused role. Along the way, we consider how student employees can free up full-time staff, why "internship" may be a better recruiting pitch than "student worker," how good integrators can complement rather than replace an internal team, and why every staffing plan needs to be ready before a stray FTE or pile of magical, mystical money suddenly appears. Connect with Tim: https://www.linkedin.com/in/timdickson0ctsd/ Alternate show titles: A design apprentice, so to speak Don't bring up your dirty math! Support Plus I could save them $100,000 a year I'm going to tag onto Marc and then change I can take care of you and you can take care of me The AV consultant doesn't know how we do it on campus Just like a consultant would… That's not the way levers are pulled Which isn't a service we actually offer… but it's a service we offer This was actually a good show It's not like math… We stream live every Friday at about 315p Eastern/1215p Pacific and you can listen to everything we record over at AVSuperFriends.com ▀▄▀▄▀ CONTACT LINKS ▀▄▀▄▀ ► Website: https://www.avsuperfriends.com ► Twitter: https://twitter.com/avsuperfriends ► LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/avsuperfriends ► YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@avsuperfriends ► Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/avsuperfriends.bsky.social ► Email: mailbag@avsuperfriends.com ► RSS: https://avsuperfriends.libsyn.com/rss Donate to AVSF: https://www.avsuperfriends.com/support

    • Transcript
  • S6 · E12
    August 1 · 46 min

    AV SuperFriends: On Topic - Some of this sounds like a spreadsheet problem

    Recorded July 17, 2026 Building an internal AV integration team sounds simple enough: hire a few people, buy some tools, and stop paying an outside integrator to discover that the display was unplugged. In reality, it means navigating staffing models, capital projects, facilities partnerships, student labor, service agreements, institutional funding, and the mysterious process by which everyone agrees an idea is excellent while still refusing to provide an FTE. Special guest Tim Dickson joins to discuss Clemson's effort to expand its internal AV capabilities while supporting more than 300 classrooms with a very small team. The panel digs into which skills should remain in-house, where outside labor still makes sense, how to justify positions through savings and recurring service work, and how existing staff can grow into programming, design, field supervision, and other specialized roles. Note that this is Part 1 of 2 because the show is allegedly a 30-minute monthly roundtable, but no one involved appears capable of stopping at 30 minutes, or stopping at all. Part 2 will continue the conversation with no meaningful evidence that anyone learned from the experience. Connect with Tim: https://www.linkedin.com/in/timdickson0ctsd/ Alternate show titles: A design apprentice, so to speak Don't bring up your dirty math! Support Plus I could save them $100,000 a year I'm going to tag onto Marc and then change I can take care of you and you can take care of me The AV consultant doesn't know how we do it on campus Just like a consultant would… That's not the way levers are pulled Which isn't a service we actually offer… but it's a service we offer This was actually a good show It's not like math… We stream live every Friday at about 315p Eastern/1215p Pacific and you can listen to everything we record over at AVSuperFriends.com ▀▄▀▄▀ CONTACT LINKS ▀▄▀▄▀ ► Website: https://www.avsuperfriends.com ► Twitter: https://twitter.com/avsuperfriends ► LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/avsuperfriends ► YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@avsuperfriends ► Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/avsuperfriends.bsky.social ► Email: mailbag@avsuperfriends.com ► RSS: https://avsuperfriends.libsyn.com/rss Donate to AVSF: https://www.avsuperfriends.com/support

    • Transcript
  • S6 · E20
    July 30 · 1 hr 21 min

    AV SuperFriends: Off the Rails - Next year's problem could be next week's problem, bro

    Recorded July 24, 2026 How long should classroom AV systems actually last? The panel revisits refresh cycles and quickly discovers that the answer ranges from a carefully planned five or six or seven or eight years to "whenever the last surviving input card finally catches fire." We compare full-room replacements with increasingly modular upgrades, debate which components can remain in service indefinitely, and examine what happens when departments treat technology as a one-time purchase rather than something that must eventually be funded again. We also check in on Auracast, the perpetually imminent technology of the future, following a real-world deployment at a UK train station. Then, because apparently this is something campuses must now consider, we discuss securing classroom computers against people opening them up and stealing the RAM and GPUs. Along the way, we encounter abandoned projection screens, emergency spare parts, classrooms held together by obsolete switchers, and the uncomfortable realization that sometimes the only sustainable refresh strategy is moving a still-working component from somewhere nobody will notice. News story: https://www.avnetwork.com/installations/ampetronic-listen-technologies-auri-installed-at-brighton-station Alternate show titles: Let's talk about the Apple thing real quick Are all of you still hot on this? This is the technology of the future and it always will be I'm not trying to convince you that this isn't going to happen Laser stream quantum version Micro-pirate radio station Everything else is loosey goosey Covid 2: The Return Some years we ebb, some years we flow We just signed on to lease our computers I don't get a choice Let's go to the other side of this… Justin! So we said "Hey" (Hey!) Blow through a couple projectors Room Classic! Cells don't make audio Plug this hole with an AV widget I keep trying to ignore your hand You need to be careful with that word: guarantee The first wave of technicians… We stream live every Friday at about 315p Eastern/1215p Pacific and you can listen to everything we record over at AVSuperFriends.com ▀▄▀▄▀ CONTACT LINKS ▀▄▀▄▀ ► Website: https://www.avsuperfriends.com ► Twitter: https://twitter.com/avsuperfriends ► LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/avsuperfriends ► YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@avsuperfriends ► Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/avsuperfriends.bsky.social ► Email: mailbag@avsuperfriends.com ► RSS: https://avsuperfriends.libsyn.com/rss Donate to AVSF: https://www.avsuperfriends.com/support

    • Transcript
  • S6 · E19
    July 15 · 1 hr 10 min

    AV SuperFriends: Off the Rails - Leftover money goes to you-know-who… the king

    Recorded July 10, 2026 Who owns the classroom, and who pays when the technology inside it breaks, ages out, or needs to be replaced? This week, the AV SuperFriends compare the very different ways their institutions classify, schedule, fund, refresh, and support academic spaces. What sounds like a simple split between general-purpose and departmental classrooms quickly turns into covered spaces, shared rooms, temporary surge spaces, competing service levels, one-time grants, and departments that may not even want the rooms they have been assigned. The panel explores how those ownership models affect classroom standards, support response times, project planning, and long-term refresh cycles. Depending on the institution, technology may be centrally funded and maintained, or left to individual colleges and departments until something finally dies. That creates uneven classroom experiences, endless arguments over responsibility, and the recurring question of whether a problem is a support ticket, a project, or someone else's headache. Then, the conversation turns to the lowly document camera. Are faculty still using them, are they quietly collecting dust, or have schools simply stopped replacing them to see whether anyone notices? Along the way, the group praises SynAudCon training, proposes an unauthorized CTS study guide, debates whether the math really matters, and takes the usual scenic route through commissioning, punch lists, bad terminations, and dramatic lectern advertising. News article: https://www.avinteractive.com/news/training-news/avixa-offers-members-pro-audio-training-from-synaudcon-02-07-2026/ Alternate show titles: It's like watching an old movie That's a feature, not a bug There is math, but it doesn't really matter What's going on at your school? …and nobody has time for that I wish I was y'all Is this a pyramid scheme? That's where I get a little cloudy We only upgrade when things die A DMPS with leather Good colleges who operate in an intelligent manner That's a seminar room! We're not allowed to ask about the budget How do you design around that? Everything's going to die and you're going to be hosed We had parts and we had whole rooms Just take 'em out We stream live every Friday at about 315p Eastern/1215p Pacific and you can listen to everything we record over at AVSuperFriends.com ▀▄▀▄▀ CONTACT LINKS ▀▄▀▄▀ ► Website: https://www.avsuperfriends.com ► Twitter: https://twitter.com/avsuperfriends ► LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/avsuperfriends ► YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@avsuperfriends ► Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/avsuperfriends.bsky.social ► Email: mailbag@avsuperfriends.com ► RSS: https://avsuperfriends.libsyn.com/rss Donate to AVSF: https://www.avsuperfriends.com/support

    • Transcript
  • S6 · E11
    July 15 · 44 min

    AV SuperFriends: On Topic - You're not allowed to tell this story

    Recorded June 26, 2026 Freshly returned from the show floor at InfoComm 2026, the AV SuperFriends gather for a full-length roundtable on trade show regrets: the booths they missed, the sessions they skipped, the demos they should have recorded, and the party they may never emotionally recover from missing. This episode wanders through the aftermath of a massive conference week, including arguments over who should really be explaining AI to the AV industry, what happens when AVIXA TV is more networked than expected, why show-floor "hidden gems" are still somehow hidden behind the wrong booth wall, and how even seasoned attendees can come home realizing they saw only a tiny slice of the show. Along the way, the crew revisits booth tour challenges, suspicious conference sandwiches, tote bag logistics, USB-C mysteries, browser-based control, over-caffeinated presentations, and the now-legendary Panasonic dinner brownies. It's part InfoComm recap, part confessional, and part warning label for anyone who thinks they can actually see everything at a trade show. Alternate show titles: It was a wet wrap Back door Uber ride Cold air blowing on your butt The brownies… like popcorn! Another Larry-free Friday Just a conference center with a bunch of tech That little bit of confidence was shattered Y'all got chili dogs? Just buy the damn meat We stream live every Friday at about 315p Eastern/1215p Pacific and you can listen to everything we record over at AVSuperFriends.com ▀▄▀▄▀ CONTACT LINKS ▀▄▀▄▀ ► Website: https://www.avsuperfriends.com ► Twitter: https://twitter.com/avsuperfriends ► LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/avsuperfriends ► YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@avsuperfriends ► Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/avsuperfriends.bsky.social ► Email: mailbag@avsuperfriends.com ► RSS: https://avsuperfriends.libsyn.com/rss Donate to AVSF: https://www.avsuperfriends.com/support

    • Transcript
  • S1 · E5
    July 7 · 7 min

    AV SuperFriends: Perspectives from InfoComm 2026 - Vanco

    Jamie visits the Vanco booth at InfoComm 2026 to learn about the EVO-IP AV-over-IP lineup, from full-featured systems with Dante, USB, control, video walls, and digital signage to simpler plug-and-play options. The conversation also gets into Vanco's Dante adapters, including USB-C and ARC tools that solve some very specific, very annoying higher-ed audio problems. https://www.vanco1.com

    • Transcript
  • S1 · E4
    July 6 · 8 min

    AV SuperFriends: Perspectives from InfoComm 2025 - Telycam

    In this Perspectives episode, Jamie stops by the Telycam booth to check out the new Explorer PTZ camera family, including larger Sony 4/3 sensors, better low-light performance, brushless motors, 12G-SDI, HDMI, NDI, and onboard recording. They also dig into the Mix One, Telycam's all-in-one PTZ controller, switcher, and streaming device that might be doing just enough to make Jamie's camera hunt finally end. https://telycam.com

    • Transcript
  • S1 · E3
    July 3 · 7 min

    AV SuperFriends: Perspectives from InfoComm 2026 - Inogeni

    In this Perspectives episode, we stop by the Inogeni booth at InfoComm 2026 to dig into the IP2USB and its ability to turn IP video streams, USB cameras, and Dante audio into a clean USB conferencing source. We also get a look at CamTrack, a tiny box doing big-room camera automation tricks without forcing everyone into a whole new camera ecosystem. https://inogeni.com

    • Transcript
  • S1 · E2
    July 2 · 6 min

    AV SuperFriends: Perspectives from InfoComm 2026 - AV Pro

    In this short Perspectives episode, we stop by AVPro at InfoComm 2026 to learn about the ConferX AC-CX42 Pro, a compact conferencing switcher with dual USB-C DisplayPort alt mode inputs, KVM switching, bidirectional USB data, and power delivery. It's a quick look at a device that may solve some very real classroom and conference room headaches, especially for higher ed spaces juggling resident PCs, BYOD laptops, USB peripherals, and "why doesn't this just work?" workflows. https://www.avproglobal.com

    • Transcript
  • S6 · E10
    July 1 · 37 min

    On Topic Episode 73: It only 3/4s of the way plays nice together

    Recorded June 12, 2026 In this Fourth of July–flavored episode of On Topic, the panel celebrates America's birthday the only way they know how: by declaring independence from the worst habits in higher ed AV. This month's grievances include single-vendor ecosystem lock-in, consultant-led designs that ignore campus standards, isolated "AV network islands," overcomplicated touch panels, mystery DSP files, proprietary cables, terrible display home screens, and every "professional" product that somehow requires a cloud account just to configure the thing. Along the way, the panel debates automation versus user control, whether classrooms really need touch panels at all, and why interoperability always seems to mean "mostly works, as long as you bought everything from us." It's patriotic, petty, and painfully familiar: a fireworks show of AV complaints aimed directly at the systems, specs, and design habits we should have dumped into the harbor years ago. Alternate show titles: We might be making headway The future of buildings No new islands! At least a ferry service Press to start Blank and Freeze I want to agree with you, but… Sometimes people plug in things they don't want to see No middle ground We stream live every Friday at about 315p Eastern/1215p Pacific and you can listen to everything we record over at AVSuperFriends.com ▀▄▀▄▀ CONTACT LINKS ▀▄▀▄▀ ► Website: https://www.avsuperfriends.com ► Twitter: https://twitter.com/avsuperfriends ► LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/avsuperfriends ► YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@avsuperfriends ► Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/avsuperfriends.bsky.social ► Email: mailbag@avsuperfriends.com ► RSS: https://avsuperfriends.libsyn.com/rss Donate to AVSF: https://www.avsuperfriends.com/support

    • Transcript
  • S1 · E1
    June 30 · 20 min

    AV SuperFriends: Perspectives from InfoComm 2026 - OpenAVC

    In this Perspectives episode from InfoComm 2026, we sit down with Aaron Todd of OpenAVC for a conversation that goes well beyond a simple product demo. OpenAVC is an open, platform-agnostic AV control platform aimed at breaking the industry's long-standing dependence on locked-down hardware ecosystems and expensive proprietary boxes just to run simple room controls. Aaron walks through the philosophy behind the project, how it can run on everything from Windows and Linux to Raspberry Pi and even Android tablets, and why AV control should increasingly be treated as a software problem rather than a hardware purchase. We also get into GitHub, community contributions, driver support, AI-assisted development, and why open tools like this could be especially meaningful for higher ed teams trying to stretch budgets, extend the life of existing systems, and build the workflows they actually need. This one leans into the bigger story: open control, cost savings, higher-ed relevance, and the "why are we still doing it this way?" disruption angle. https://www.linkedin.com/company/openavc

    • Transcript
  • S6 · E18
    June 29 · 58 min

    AV SuperFriends: Off the Rails 140 - Super Unicorn Worm

    Recorded June 19, 2026 After a full week at InfoComm 2026, the AV SuperFriends stagger onto the AVIXA TV set for one final wrap show: tired feet, fried brains, louder-than-necessary opinions, and just enough caffeine to mistake exhaustion for insight. This episode is the team's end-of-show download after days of booth demos, hallway meetings, badge scans, lukewarm coffee, live shows, sketchy product pitches, and enough walking to qualify as either professional development or a cry for help. The crew talks through what actually stood out on the show floor, including the quiet rise of REST APIs, AV gear that's finally opening up to outside control, middleware boxes that make existing systems smarter, and AI that might be useful when it isn't just being sprinkled on brochures like tradeshow glitter. They also pick their favorite finds from the week, including Inogeni's IP2USB tools, Ross Vertex's "wait, it does what?" visualization platform, Nureva's HDX audio approach, larger-chip PTZ cameras, decentralized DSP, and Epson's beautifully boring direct-view LED display that does the one thing AV people keep begging for: display the image without trying to become a smart TV. It's the InfoComm wrap show: part trend report, part group therapy, part warning label for anyone who thinks "quick booth visit" means anything under 45 minutes. News article: https://www.avinteractive.com/news/fire-breaks-out-on-ba-flight-packed-with-infocomm-visitors-16-06-2026/ Alternate show titles: Acoustic chicken Rise of REST Just use these and put it in there This is my excited face Costco Down I might actually trust NDI now Down to one tchotchke and life is good There's AI built in! Level 17 master guru ninja Known mistakes over unknown mistakes You messed with my code, man That horse ain't pushing that cart You can't defeat physics but you can try It might be possible today The future is now We're going to buy all your stuff, blow it up, and re-do it I can't even explain what it is How many vertices do I need? More affordable; that's what better meant I want to marinate on it Beyond the IO We stream live every Friday at about 315p Eastern/1215p Pacific and you can listen to everything we record over at AVSuperFriends.com ▀▄▀▄▀ CONTACT LINKS ▀▄▀▄▀ ► Website: https://www.avsuperfriends.com ► Twitter: https://twitter.com/avsuperfriends ► LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/avsuperfriends ► YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@avsuperfriends ► Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/avsuperfriends.bsky.social ► Email: mailbag@avsuperfriends.com ► RSS: https://avsuperfriends.libsyn.com/rss Donate to AVSF: https://www.avsuperfriends.com/support

    • Transcript
  • S1 · E5
    June 19 · 26 min

    AV SuperFriends: InfoComm 2026 - I need coffee

    Recorded June 19, 2026 In this final InfoComm 2026 morning show, the AV SuperFriends are running on caffeine, conditioned air, and whatever energy is left after three packed days in Las Vegas. The crew recaps the previous day's marathon of AI sessions, podcast recordings, and the wildly successful Q-SYS-sponsored "Voice of the Vertical" game show—complete with questionable judging, reluctant contestants, fire alarms, and a winning team that may or may not have known anything about AV. From there, they look ahead to the annual hidden-gems show floor tour, including honorable mentions for the products that were worth seeing but geographically inconvenient. Along the way, the conversation wanders through AI workshops, fake dashboards, VR goggles, fiber USB-C cables, large-sensor cameras, higher-ed broadcast furniture, and whether "projectors as a service" is a nightmare, a necessity, or both. It's the last morning show of InfoComm 2026, and everyone is tired—but there's still one more day of show floor wandering, AVIXA TV, questionable product scouting, and arena-rock-level enthusiasm to go. Alternate show titles: My team won, by the way I got hosed I quit! Give them fake AI I'm gonna nerf this a little bit Urinal rating system I made a comment one person didn't like I made assumptions about them and moved on That looks like an interesting widget We've been wanting to tip toe into this… Installment plans or indentured servitude? Pay per packet I shocked myself with the conversation It's a tidal wave We stream live every Friday at about 315p Eastern/1215p Pacific and you can listen to everything we record over at AVSuperFriends.com ▀▄▀▄▀ CONTACT LINKS ▀▄▀▄▀ ► Website: https://www.avsuperfriends.com ► Twitter: https://twitter.com/avsuperfriends ► LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/avsuperfriends ► YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@avsuperfriends ► Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/avsuperfriends.bsky.social ► Email: mailbag@avsuperfriends.com ► RSS: https://avsuperfriends.libsyn.com/rss Donate to AVSF: https://www.avsuperfriends.com/support

    • Transcript
  • S1 · E4
    June 19 · 46 min

    AV SuperFriends: InfoComm 2026 - The entirety of the customer journey

    Recorded June 18, 2026 Live from the Biamp booth at InfoComm 2026, the AV SuperFriends sit down with Zach Snook, Chris Dieterich, Michael Hooper, and Abdul Chaudhri to talk through Biamp's latest announcements for higher ed and beyond. The conversation covers Biamp Workplace Control, including its cloud or local configuration, drag-and-drop design, node-based logic, Lua scripting, and AI-assisted workflows. They also dig into the new Devio UCX line for Teams and Zoom Rooms, expandable mics and speakers, USB-C content sharing and charging, and the value of running a full collaboration system from a single power connection. Along the way, the crew explores sound masking, speech privacy, paging, Parlé Voice Lift, Max Connect Auditorium Mode, ClearOne microphone integration, and Biamp's free design services—plus the usual AVSF detours into booth noise, wardrobe emergencies, steak dinner drama, and which microphone is actually blinking. Connect with our guests: Zack Snook https://www.linkedin.com/in/zachsnook/ Abdul Chaudhri https://www.linkedin.com/in/no1salesleader/ Chris Dieterich https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-dieterich-cts-cqd-22843190/ Michael Hooper https://www.linkedin.com/in/mlhooper/ Products discussed: Workplace Control and Workplace Control Designer https://www.biamp.com/company/press-releases/press-release-detail/biamp-introduces-workplace-control--a-unified-av-automation-platform Devio UCX ​​https://www.biamp.com/company/press-releases/press-release-detail/biamp-introduces-devio-ucx--a-new-android-based-uc-compute-platform-with-integrated-professional-dsp Parle Voicelift https://www.biamp.com/solutions/applications/parle-voice-lift Alternate show titles: If you remove the Internet from your system We do eavesdropping Specially trained chihuahuas Reasonable music It can help but it cannot change physics Borderline too small That's a very popular form factor… legally. Small things that make me happy I've checked 'em and they're actually accurate We stream live every Friday at about 315p Eastern/1215p Pacific and you can listen to everything we record over at AVSuperFriends.com ▀▄▀▄▀ CONTACT LINKS ▀▄▀▄▀ ► Website: https://www.avsuperfriends.com ► Twitter: https://twitter.com/avsuperfriends ► LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/avsuperfriends ► YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@avsuperfriends ► Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/avsuperfriends.bsky.social ► Email: mailbag@avsuperfriends.com ► RSS: https://avsuperfriends.libsyn.com/rss Donate to AVSF: https://www.avsuperfriends.com/support

    • Transcript
  • S1 · E3
    June 18 · 41 min

    AV SuperFriends: InfoComm 2026 - You are my women's breakfast

    Recorded June 18, 2026 The AV SuperFriends are back on the InfoComm 2026 show floor for day two with first impressions, fresh booth finds, and a newcomer's view of just how overwhelming the show can be. This episode covers the practical side of InfoComm: EASE modeling, PTZ camera overload, reusable silicone cable ties, modular conferencing systems like Nureva HDX, and the ongoing tension between full ecosystem solutions and small, purpose-built widgets. The crew also spots a familiar trend: plenty of auto-tracking, plenty of "AI," and not always a clear difference between the two. Rachel Bradshaw crashes the show to talk about working the Vanco booth, hearing directly from end users, and how AV is being used to create better experiences in places like zoos, courtrooms, campuses, and public spaces. Along the way, the group digs into Dante adapters, EVO-IP updates, digital signage, accessibility, and why sometimes the most exciting thing on the show floor is still a really satisfying button. Alternate show titles: It's a lot Here's something that'll blow your mind Silicone zip ties Can we get our logo on this? Rack dressing Widgets, big time Chinese button factory booth Hi-Fi listening room If you're an end user, ask your integrator You can't go in there with a cattle prod We stream live every Friday at about 315p Eastern/1215p Pacific and you can listen to everything we record over at AVSuperFriends.com ▀▄▀▄▀ CONTACT LINKS ▀▄▀▄▀ ► Website: https://www.avsuperfriends.com ► Twitter: https://twitter.com/avsuperfriends ► LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/avsuperfriends ► YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@avsuperfriends ► Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/avsuperfriends.bsky.social ► Email: mailbag@avsuperfriends.com ► RSS: https://avsuperfriends.libsyn.com/rss Donate to AVSF: https://www.avsuperfriends.com/support

    • Transcript
  • S1 · E2
    June 18 · 32 min

    AV SuperFriends: InfoComm 2026 - We are all God's SuperFriends

    Recorded June 17, 2026 Live from the Q-SYS booth at InfoComm 2026, the AV SuperFriends sit down with Mike Brandes and David Maksa to talk through what's new, what's practical, and what might accidentally become a future entitlement. The big topic is Q-SYS NVM, the new network video distribution platform aimed at larger-scale deployments where ultra-low latency is less important than getting lots of video to lots of displays without melting the network… or the budget. The panel digs into bandwidth, latency, PTP timing, frame lock, USB bridging possibilities, sports books, cruise ships, theme parks, and why programming an entire demo system in under two minutes is either impressive or deeply suspicious. They also take a look at the new Q-SYS meeting room options, including the MTR-on-Windows conference bar, modular room kits, light-touch provisioning, QR-code onboarding, Cheetos mode, and the eternal danger of throwing away the box too soon. From there, the conversation wanders into performance audio, free design services, questionable speaker arrays, and the higher-ed pain of walking across campus just to plug HDMI back in. It's part product discussion, part therapy session, and part live proof that "single pane of glass" remains both the dream and the punchline. Connect with our guests: Mike Brandes https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikebrandesav/ David Maksa https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-maksa-05527322/ Q-SYS products discussed NVM https://www.qsys.com/products/q-sys/video/nvm-series/ Room Suite Collaboration Bar https://www.qsys.com/products/q-sys/roomsuite/roomsuite-collaboration-bar/ Room Suite Modular System https://www.qsys.com/products/q-sys/roomsuite/roomsuite-modular-system/ Performance Audio line https://www.qsys.com/products/loudspeakers/installed/passive/performance/pl-series/ Alternate show titles: Teach and preach spaces Get up on that mic 10-4, good buddy Try to do the entire thing with no mouse I'm sure there's an entitlement involved Saddle up your horses Wizard-based configuration Take away scissors from people who are running We all love our science fair product line I had some chicken tenders We stream live every Friday at about 315p Eastern/1215p Pacific and you can listen to everything we record over at AVSuperFriends.com ▀▄▀▄▀ CONTACT LINKS ▀▄▀▄▀ ► Website: https://www.avsuperfriends.com ► Twitter: https://twitter.com/avsuperfriends ► LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/avsuperfriends ► YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@avsuperfriends ► Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/avsuperfriends.bsky.social ► Email: mailbag@avsuperfriends.com ► RSS: https://avsuperfriends.libsyn.com/rss Donate to AVSF: https://www.avsuperfriends.com/support

    • Transcript
  • S2026 · E1
    June 17 · 30 min

    AV SuperFriends: InfoComm 2026 - A little bit better than good

    Recorded January 1, 2017… or June 17, 2026 Live from InfoComm 2026, the AV SuperFriends kick off the show floor with a morning check-in from the Computer Comforts booth and immediately discover that their mixer believes it is January 1, 2017. Naturally, this leads to time travel investment advice, questionable production decisions, and the introduction of their newest unpaid-but-fed intern, Jon, who may or may not survive a week of AV nonsense in Las Vegas. The crew previews a packed InfoComm schedule, including live shows, an AV-focused practical AI session, the now-infamous unofficial show floor tour, and a Friday appearance on AVIXA TV. They also dig into what they are actually looking for this year: interactive direct-view LED, reasonably priced soundbars, useful AI workflows, orchestration software tools, smaller disruptor companies, broadcast furniture, better PTZ camera sensors, and add-on systems that can make existing classrooms and conference rooms smarter without ripping everything out. Along the way, there is a surprisingly detailed review of The Wizard of Oz at the Sphere, an extended discussion of whether direct-view LED walls can be smuggled home from the show floor, and the eternal AV trade show question: what small booth has the weird little widget that might quietly solve a real problem? Follow along all week as the AV SuperFriends wander InfoComm 2026 looking for practical tools, hidden gems, and whatever else gets thrown at them. Alternate show titles: Smidge and a bit A decent sound bar that doesn't cost a ton The land of 1,000 soundbars I'll wait for Netflix I have my own Sphere Skeptical-ness Fisher-Price broadcast studio Emotional Support Broadcast Console Disruptor Camera Company A fool's errand Is Sony guts I need it gooder We stream live every Friday at about 315p Eastern/1215p Pacific and you can listen to everything we record over at AVSuperFriends.com ▀▄▀▄▀ CONTACT LINKS ▀▄▀▄▀ ► Website: https://www.avsuperfriends.com ► Twitter: https://twitter.com/avsuperfriends ► LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/avsuperfriends ► YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@avsuperfriends ► Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/avsuperfriends.bsky.social ► Email: mailbag@avsuperfriends.com ► RSS: https://avsuperfriends.libsyn.com/rss Donate to AVSF: https://www.avsuperfriends.com/support

    • Transcript
  • S6 · E17
    June 8 · 1 hr 16 min

    AV SuperFriends: Off the Rails 139 - A little confidence is a lot of ignorance

    Recorded June 5, 2026 This week on Off the Rails, we descend into the glamorous, finger-burning, cable-stretching world of Layer 1: the place where every brilliant AV system either starts working… or quietly dies behind a rack because someone trusted a discount connector. The regular panel is joined by Stacy Kaskon and Brant Mathiason from Neutrik to talk about why physical connectivity still matters, why proper termination is becoming a lost art, and how Neutrik's new FAST training initiative aims to teach students, techs, integrators, and higher ed AV teams how to build, test, and trust the cables and connections literally holding their systems together. Soldering, RJ45s, fiber, connector standards, classroom durability, InfoComm training, and the eternal truth that no amount of programming will fix a bad cable all make the cut. Then, because this is Off the Rails, the group swaps horror stories about cursed terminations, fiber polished in bucket trucks, cables pulled with pickup trucks, adapters stacked like archaeological layers, and all the other "temporary" fixes that somehow became load-bearing infrastructure. Neutrik FAST Training contact: fast.training@neutrikgroup.com Connect with our guests: Stacy Kaskon: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stacy-kaskon-4435ba2b/ Brant Mathiason: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brant-mathiason-a19535b/ News story discussed: https://www.avinteractive.com/news/collaboration/microsoft-sunsets-its-covid-era-teams-together-mode-02-06-2026/ Alternate show titles: Singularity of bad ideas Glob and blob-level soldering You're not going to solve a Layer 1 problem with programming That happens until it can't any more One person wears a tutu We stream live every Friday at about 315p Eastern/1215p Pacific and you can listen to everything we record over at AVSuperFriends.com ▀▄▀▄▀ CONTACT LINKS ▀▄▀▄▀ ► Website: https://www.avsuperfriends.com ► Twitter: https://twitter.com/avsuperfriends ► LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/avsuperfriends ► YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@avsuperfriends ► Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/avsuperfriends.bsky.social ► Email: mailbag@avsuperfriends.com ► RSS: https://avsuperfriends.libsyn.com/rss Donate to AVSF: https://www.avsuperfriends.com/support

    • Transcript
Showing 1–20 of 21 episodes