AV SuperFriends

Recorded May 24, 2024

MIT has invented revolutionary electrified material for sound masking and absorption… aka, curtains. That's not entirely fair and it's not yet a real thing, but this technology might become commonplace in the future.

Then we discuss just what services we provide to campus and to whom. We also cover who qualifies and why and how we determine who gets supported (everyone) and how we determine what is and isn't covered. It's… messy.

Finally, just what happens when someone presses the "System Start" button… or is there even a button for that? Are we defaulting routes based on user metrics? Are we enabling cameras and unmuting mics?

News story: https://news.mit.edu/2024/sound-suppressing-silk-can-create-quiet-spaces-0507

Alternate show titles:

• Larry, you're wagging your finger at me
• Justin, you've been painted into this corner
• We have one job….support
• We don't support that
• Who's going to clean up this paint?
• We're becoming more seg-mentated
• Hidden conference rooms
• International Work from Home Day

We stream live on the first and third Friday every month 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 ► 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

Recorded May 10, 2024

After pushing for higher and higher resolutions, some broadcasters are giving up and returning to the comfort of 1080P. Besides, if most people are watching said broadcasts on a 5" phone stream over mobile data, then what's the point of 4K or 8K?

Then we revisit a presentation we gave recently at NWMET on the Top 10 Things to Avoid in Your Next AV Project. We can't count and provide eleven things, but you get the point. Even the AV SuperFriends compromise on some of these from time to time, but please don't start new projects with any of them.

Finally, because it's the end of the school year and almost the end of the fiscal year, lots of departments and colleges are asking IT to help them spend their money. We review some of the most ridiculous or unreasonable requests we've received from departments or colleges and how we responded.

News article discussed: https://www.svconline.com/proav-today/sports-leagues-uefa-shifting-away-4k

Our episode from 2023 on USB: https://www.avsuperfriends.com/episodes/off-the-rails-episode-55-it-will-universally-aggravate-you

Alternate show titles:

• Kit of choice
• I'm not trying to pooh pooh these things
• Certified
• How would somebody know if they have consumer-ish garbage?
• On the back of a napkin…
• Haptic seats
• I wanna wirelessly plug in my laptop
• More pop-ups than a porn site
• Nevermind. You can do it again
• Or don't welcome them
• I'm giving you the swimmies
• It such a cute ask
• I got a call from a facilities PM guy
• Aircraft carrier instructor station

We stream live on the first and third Friday every month 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 ► 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

Recorded April 16, 2024

This month's topic is "Commencement" and we don't want to talk about that. So, instead, we're going to talk about working with students, graduating students to the next level of their academic and professional careers, and converting student workers into full time employees.

▀▄▀▄▀ 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

Recorded April 26, 2024

The AV industry has a bit of a drinking problem and step one is admitting it. Thanks to friends of the show Brittany DiCesare and Steve Greenblatt for their editorial in Commercial Integrator. To be clear, we're not anti-alcohol and we all enjoy a drink or four at our industry events, but when event after event after event is nothing but drinking, maybe it's time to rethink things. Heck, there are entire organizations who seem to exist solely for the purpose of drinking and it's a bit tiresome. Ok, off the soapbox.

We're joined by Jose Mozota, President of Fremen Solutions, to talk about some of the challenges, opportunities, and solutions around AVoIP. This started as the simple question of "which one is best" and ended up a wide ranging conversation about manufacturer adoption, network topology, proprietary and open codecs, why no one really cares about 4:4:4 color subsampling or 4K resolution, and why AVoIP is an inaccurate acronym.

Finally, we share some listener feedback that sums up why we do what we do.

News article discussed:

https://www.commercialintegrator.com/insights/a-healthy-approach-to-trade-shows-and-industry-events/133567/

Alternate show titles:

• Build that Bridge to Connect that Island

• Everyone has an island somewhere

• Mmm… maybe

• That would be a must to have for me

• Three or four flavors of this crap

• AVoIP is a misnomer

▀▄▀▄▀ 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

Recorded (and broadcast live) on March 28, 2024

We're still at NWMET and hosting a morning fireside chat show! Jamie and Larry are impressed by NWMET, Justin's bad knee, the long road our portable recording kit took to get from Kentucky or Oregon, the well-rounded but focused atmosphere of NWMET, and our special NWMET bucks.

NWMET: https://www.nwmet.org

▀▄▀▄▀ 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

Recorded (and broadcast live) on March 25, 2024

For the first time since last summer, (almost) all of the AV SuperFriends were together in one place at NWMET 2024 in Corvallis, Oregon, so we figured we might as well record a show. And yes, we're really in a bowling alley.

Earlier that day, we hosted a town hall open forum at Biamp HQ and we had so many topics, we simply couldn't get to them all, so we pick up from where we left off and work through topics such as auto-tracking cameras, microphones for students, AVoIP, budgeting, and the joys of software licensing.

A special thanks to our good friends at Biamp.

Biamp: https://www.biamp.com

NWMET: https://www.nwmet.org

▀▄▀▄▀ 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

Recorded April 17, 2024

Rather than a single news story, we cover a handful of product announcements from (and prior to) NAB. Blackmagic announced a bunch of SMPTE 2110 devices (sorta), Osbot has an NDI adapter that goes the wrong way, Cleanfeed is now supporting video (yea!), and PTZ Optics has an entire software production suite for their cameras.

Then, we get into One Button Studios. Please don't build these. There's too many compromises and the experience is terrible. What people really want are "Self-service studios" that fit existing (and supported) campus workflows. Sure, you can build unicorns, but please stop. Also, if you do build one, it had better well use only one button. One of the AV SuperFriends works at a campus with a nominal one button studio that has a seven page instruction guide…

Finally, Chris shares his concept of designing AV systems out of spite. Some might call it malicious AV integration, but it's more of an opportunity to streamline and improve general classrooms.

Alternate show titles:

• I await the true mass disruption
• It's now for us poor people
• Curmudgedly Old Truck Guys
• Porn picking VHS
• I use foot pedals
• Everybody is on their own here
• This is where it gets slippery
• One button anonymous
• There is no metric out there
• Bring Your Own One Button Studio Studio
• If you build enough unicorns, it stops building a unicorn
• Rectal scan
• See that knob? That's what that does
• Don't do this, but do that
• I'm afraid of it being successful
• I need it to have some success

▀▄▀▄▀ 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

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

Recorded March 22, 2024

It's not really news as much as a product announcement that almost hits the mark. We really like this neat little camera on paper but then… limited I/O and guaranteed bloated software. Let's call it a swing and a miss.

Then we return to how we tier our AV systems and, honestly, it's getting messy enough that we probably need a comparison matrix to keep track. Marc finally introduces touch panels, Chris provides the capability for BYOD UCC (but no one has asked for it yet), Jamie expands his already monstrous systems, Larry hates powered screens (and he's not wrong), and Justin does his own thing.

Finally, how to respond when we start a project and the client says something along the lines of "... and we already bought the TV."

Alternate show titles:

• Barely sound

• More normal classroom

• Why is there a touch panel?

• Years past? I did that last week

• I have imaginary buckets

• Wireless presentation can go to hell

• Not my other bucket

• We also need it to be a fish aquarium

▀▄▀▄▀ 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

Recorded March 8, 2024

More and more AVoIP systems are being sold because more and more AVoIP systems are getting specified into new projects. It's an amazing coincidence! We cover an article from Commercial Integrator about how commercial integrators see AVoIP.

Then in part 27 of our 213 part series on how we organize our AV systems into buckets, tiers, levels, types, packages, etc., we finally get out of our level 1 and into level 2… sorta. If nothing else, it's highly informative for AVSF internally because several of us are making adjustments based on the feedback from the rest of the panel.

Finally, people are wearing Apple goggles to the movies! Well, they are, but that's not the point of this social media post that proposes burning down all movie theaters and staying at home to watch TV in your goggles. Which has been a real thing for a decade or more. /shrug

News article: https://www.commercialintegrator.com/business_resources/research/chronicling-av-over-ip-revolution-avoip-dd-24

Apple Vision Pro is better than the movies: https://www.reddit.com/r/AppleVisionPro/comments/1b4ijnt/saw_dune_2_in_true_imax_was_disappointed/

Or just wear Apple Vision Pro to the movies: https://twitter.com/WallStreetSilv/status/1765213788855218681

Alternate show titles:

• That's probably the wrong word
• You're not doing what you're speaking
• Pie chart circle chart
• I don't have to think as a designer
• We do a lot of weird stuff
• It's the worst room ever
• It's better than the 14 year old system that's there now
• Taj Mahal of classrooms
• We're above remotes
• Secret wireless island
• The experience is better when I isolate myself from all other humans

▀▄▀▄▀ 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