AV SuperFriends: On Topic

Recorded March 15, 2024

It’s time to get out the mops and brooms, clear out those storage closets, gather up all your old Class A amplifiers, analog cameras, and CRT monitors and throw them in the nearest waterway.  If anyone asks, you have a permit and you’re just returning those parts to nature.  Besides, it’s all biodegradable if you wait long enough… 

Marc is getting rid of wires, Larry is removing tiny displays from big rooms, Jamie is throwing away older monitors with weird resolutions, Chris is deleting transport controls, and Justin hates all the remotes with the buttons cut off.   
Let’s get cleaning! 

We stream our recording sessions for On Topic live on or about 3pm Eastern / 12pm Pacific on the third Friday of each month.  Follow us on Twitter or LinkedIn to join our next show. 

▀▄▀▄▀ CONTACT LINKS ▀▄▀▄▀►
Website: https://www.avsuperfriends.com►
Twitter: https://twitter.com/avsuperfriends►
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/avsuperfriends►
Email: [email protected]►
RSS: https://avsuperfriends.libsyn.com/rss

Individual Twitter links:
► Chris Dechter: @cdechter
► Jamie Rinehart: @avsfjamie
► Marc Cholewycynzski: @avdiplomat
► Rachel Bradshaw: @tempurity
► Larry Darling: @lsdarling1
► Justin Rexing: @justinrexing

Donate to AVSF: https://www.avsuperfriends.com/support

On Topic Episode 44: The plan was flawless

Recorded (and streamed live) on February 16, 2016

This month’s topic is “rethinking spaces” so we decided to discuss projects that we’ve completed recently that we wish we’d approached differently. Marc hates microphones, Chris hates complexity, Justin hates how the AV services are marketed on campus, Jamie hates treating rooms as clones of one another, and Larry hates blanket approaches (and single monitors on lecterns).

We stream live on the 3rd Friday every month and you can listen to everything we record over at AVSuperFriends.com

Alternate show titles:

• Ninja stars
• If you’re not going to do it right, don’t do it at all
• Demanding higher quality
• That’s not what I mean by kit
• We’ve stopped giving everybody everything
• They didn’t need that thing to begin with

Donate to AVSF: https://www.avsuperfriends.com/support

AV Superfriends: On Topic
Episode 43: BYOD is an AV Rodent

Recorded January 19, 2024

Our topic for February is “things just won’t go away” or “things that keep coming back year after year” like Groundhog Day. We’ve each selected items that we all hope might see their shadow and disappear for a while. BYOD, VR, terrible marketing, wireless sharing, and more. We’re also testing some format changes to On Topic to keep the show shorter and LIVE on various platforms, so look for those unannounced live streams on the socials.

Alternate titles:
I was thinking about this hard
I still can’t stop
Bad marketing
This is why people strap goggles to their head to visit the zoo
It kinda fluctuates in and out
This is why people think holograms exist
Bring Your Own Goggles

▀▄▀▄▀ CONTACT LINKS ▀▄▀▄▀
► Website: https://www.avsuperfriends.com
► Twitter: https://twitter.com/avsuperfriends
► LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/avsuperfriends
► Email: [email protected]
► RSS: https://avsuperfriends.libsyn.com/rss

Individual Twitter links:
► Chris Dechter: @cdechter
► Jamie Rinehart: @avsfjamie
► Marc Cholewycynzski: @avdiplomat
► Rachel Bradshaw: @tempurity
► Larry Darling: @lsdarling1
► Justin Rexing: @justinrexing

On Topic Episode 42: People will start laughing at us
Recorded December 20, 2023

(Part 2 of 2)

It’s our third annual prediction show! And I predict we’ll do it again next year.

We first review our predictions from last year to see just how well we did. Some of us were dead on, others were hit & miss, and yet others seem to be deliberately vague just to claim accuracy regardless of outcome.

Then, we each prognosticate on what to expect in 2024. Much of it seems to be around AI and Teams. Sorry.

This discussion lasted almost an hour, so we split it into two episodes.


Alternate show titles:

• Don’t touch my pixels
• Don’t go anywhere near that V
• I’ve been exposed to more VR
• They’re strapping it to every product
• Show us on the doll
• Blown all over your campus
• Justin Time
• All unicorns and rainbows
• We gotta keep up with our sh*t

On Topic Episode 41: All of this is just BS
Recorded December 20, 2023

(Part 1 of 2)

It’s our third annual prediction show! And I predict we’ll do it again next year.

We first review our predictions from last year to see just how well we did. Some of us were dead on, others were hit & miss, and yet others seem to be deliberately vague just to claim accuracy regardless of outcome.

Then, we each prognosticate on what to expect in 2024. Much of it seems to be around AI and Teams. Sorry.

This discussion lasted almost an hour, so we split it into two episodes.

Alternate show titles:

• Don’t touch my pixels
• Don’t go anywhere near that V
• I’ve been exposed to more VR
• They’re strapping it to every product
• Show us on the doll
• Blown all over your campus
• Justin Time
• All unicorns and rainbows
• We gotta keep up with our sh*t

AV Superfriends On Topic
Episode 40: Toys today are so much worse than they were

Recorded November 15, 2023

It’s December, so it’s time for a holiday wishlist! Each of us shares the AV device or service that we’d really like under the Christmas tree. Some of these are real products, others are slight variations on commonly available products, and one requires a time machine.

Merry Christmas, y’all!

Alternate show titles:
I had cool stuff back then
I need it to always work
I have this need
Sketchy at best
Widget world
You can’t have the computer have an internet
I can build you that sh*t tomorrow

AVSuperfirends On Topic
Episode 39: AV Turkeys 2023
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.

--
AV SuperFriends
Web: avsuperfriends.com
Twitter: @AVSuperFriends

On Topic Episode 38: I work in the V department
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

On Topic Episode 37: They don’t care about the A
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

Episode 36: This Should Be Better Than My High School
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

Follow us on Twitter @AVSuperFriends to stay updated with what we’re doing!