AV SuperFriends

Recorded April 28, 2023

Instead of AV news, we return to the topic of digital canvases only a few days after our previous discussion. We're joined by Atkins Fleming who has a suggestion for a software platform that seems perfect for digital canvases and remote teaching and learning, but the company seems unaware of the education market.

Then we hash out the support tools and skills necessary for modern AV systems. Jamie puts it best when he says, "bring your laptop." As AV becomes more and more IT, those with an IT background seem most comfortable supporting IP-based AV and many of those who grew up with analog AV are struggling. If nothing else, buy everyone a few managed network switches and get them comfortable with managing IPs and VLANs.

Finally, Jamie covers the news from NAB. There were lots of announcements related to large, cloud-based delivery platforms, but perhaps the best news is the increasing support for SMPTE 2110 as a unified interoperable AVoIP standard. Fingers crossed!

ON24: https://www.on24.com

Alternate show titles:

• Don't Say WebEx

• Novelty Checkbook

• I don't know; talk to Marc about that one

• Our skillset made it easy for us

• Piece of Pizza

• The team is like "what the heck?"

• This is right up our wheelhouse

• Catered Zoom Rooms

• Stop Grabbing Your Toolbag and take your laptop

• Stop grabbing that too

• Judging success by the number of USB adapters

• That's the beauty about what we're doing and it's also terrible

• I have a couple that I pulled off

• Maybe sometimes

• Just click it and it goes

• Ready for me to blast across the WAN

• I'm on the fence; I keep flip flopping

Recorded April 27, 2023

We begin with a follow up to a news article we covered a few months ago regarding the University of Arkansas buying the University of Phoenix. Has the deal soured? Are there concerns of propriety and branding? Oh, my, yes!

Next, we're joined by Raul Burriel from Oregon State University (and current President of NWMET) to talk about the NWMET 2023 conference at Carroll College in Helena, MT earlier this month and to give the first ever preview of NWMET 2024 in Corvallis, OR next year, hosted by our very own AV SuperFriend Marc! We can't spoil what's in store for next year's conference, but here's a hint: rain!

Then we hash our options for digital canvas displays— that is single unbroken video displays with multiple content fields. Something like that anyway. Chris and Jamie talk about one they had at UMKC ten years ago, Larry discusses a variation he built a few years ago for a computer animation classroom, and Justin suggests manipulating content via software instead of hardware. Chris is going to install an ultrawide digital canvas display this summer, but not in the aspect ratio you're thinking. To heck with 21:9, here comes 32:9 displays!

Northwest Managers of Educational Technology (NWMET)

• https://www.nwmet.org

News Articles:

• https://edscoop.com/university-arkansas-trustees-vote-against-phoenix-acquisition/

• https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2023/03/31/university-phoenix-arkansas-deal-draws-scrutiny/

Alternate show titles:

• It was largely Don's fault

• We bought this, now what?

• How do we use this thing now that we have it?

• I'm the only person looking at my screens

• Just a little wonky-ass

• The Content is IN the Computer

• Throw it out and replace it

• Give somebody the back-end

• Use this; don't call me

Recorded March 10, 2023

Who wants some riveting discussion of IT budgeting? Yeah, neither do we, but we make a heckuva effort to stay awake for this. Chris budgets projects with massive contingencies and with market pricing, Marc budgets by time, Larry is concerned about trying to make up all of last year's projects and complete this year's projects, Jamie borrows used gear from the rich to give to the poor, and Justin just wants to know "What can I buy today that will last until I no longer work here?"

Alternate titles:

• WAGs and SWAGs

• Standard Deviation minus 7

• Sound in the Ceiling

• Administrative Swirl

• Done Been Learnt

Recorded March 29, 2023

Ever wanted a 360 camera paired with a camera bar below a display? Me neither, but here's a news story (well, product announcement) from our favorite inappropriate UCC solution.

Then we hash out the various options for BIG displays (and we all agree that anything over 85" falls into the category of big displays). Does projection still win the day? Are we still building LCD video walls? What about LED video walls? As prices continue to come down, have our perspectives on display technologies changed?

Finally, digital signage— the "almost AV" we love to hate. Jamie wants to hand off content to students and run ads everywhere, Chris would just be happy if the cabling was cleaned up, Marc is fighting the uphill battle to standardize on a common content platform, Larry already has a standard signage platform that not everyone uses, and Justin is proud of the system WKU has in place.

Article discussed:

• https://www.avinteractive.com/news/products/owl-labs-first-with-front-of-room-and-360-camera-pairing-27-03-2023/

Alternate Titles:

• No risk it, no biscuit

• Where do you not want to see this well?

• A dollar a lumen

• The poking stick

Recorded March 24, 2023

We're joined by Paul Ziele to talk networking… and we get waaaay into it. We're talking Mariana Trench, Kola Borehole, Hollow Earth. Record deepness… and we really only scratched the surface. We'll have Paul back to continue this talk.

Paul shares his frustrations with AV people not knowing networking, Network people not knowing AV, and no one willing to budge more than a few wiggles to make it all work.

We also share a listener email about appropriate applications of 21:9 and we're all (mostly) onboard! See, we're not entirely anti-ultrawide aspect ratios…

Article discussed: Dirty Hands and IPMX https://www.avnetwork.com/news/dirty-hands-and-ipmx

Paul Ziele's Deep Dive series https://www.avnetwork.com/news/zielie-deep-dive-series-introduction

Alternate episode titles:

• It works until it doesn't

• Automagically

• No one could mess that up

• A lot of things breakdown when you leave a single subnet

• It's a secret because the manufacturer doesn't know the answer

• Dumber products or smarter integrators

• Call me when nobody buys it

• I hate security

• There is almost no device in AV that has good enough security

• Don't put that button in; people will use it

• They'll change 15 settings at once

• Put on your big boy pants

• The Layer 2-3 boundary

• If a limit isn't given, then it's unlimited

• Forbidden VLAN

Recorded February 10, 2023

It's the coldest part of winter, so let's talk Spring Cleaning! Remember to fully submerse your touch panels in bleach before re… oh, not that kind of spring cleaning. We're joined by Joe Way to talk through our plans for Spring Clinging— that is, what we should be thinking about replacing, what we are holding on to, and what things we should be getting rid of entirely. We all have rooms full of old gear that should go… or should it?

On an unrelated note, we also want to hear from you on 21:9, so head over to Twitter to share your opinion.

Article mentioned by Larry: https://www.ravepubs.com/why-mtr-with-front-row-looks-so-bad/

Recorded February 24, 2023

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

HETMA: https://www.hetma.org

Recorded Feb 3, 2023

We cover all the news from ISE… *cough*

The state of Arkansas is buying Phoenix… or something. We hash out what it might mean for the future of higher education when traditional universities buy online for-profit schools.

Then, training. What training are we working on? What about our staff? Are we focused on technical skills or wider professional development? And where does the AVIXA CTS belong?

Finally, we get a mailbag question on wireless sharing appliances. While we all like the concept of wireless sharing, we don't like the dedicated appliances. Free advice to manufacturers: stop adding "collaborative" features to these little boxes.

Articles discussed:

• https://www.highereddive.com/news/university-phoenix-acquisition-arkansas-system-for-profit/641378/

• https://www.highereddive.com/news/hilbert-college-acquire-for-profit-valley-college/641247/

Alternate show titles:

• 21x9 will never happen

• They had to put their name on a stadium

• Perceived value

• Oh, boy, our program sucks

• Walmart.edu

• That might be on my short list, too

• A programmer who doesn't like to type or do math

• Registered Communication Dudes and Dudettes

• Screw this screw and pull this cable

• Pooh-poohing signal flow

• Boop! Hit the button

• A mound of swag

Recorded January 11, 2023

This month's topic is BYOD and why that's a terrible idea all around. Wait, it's not? Well, you'll have to convince me.

We discuss BYOD for conferencing vs. BYOD for presentation only, BYOD for meetings, BYOD for student devices, wired vs wireless connections, why all wireless sharing appliances are bad, and even campus-wide iPad/Chromebook/laptop programs. Larry introduces the term BYODTRTMADETPIF and Justin again reminds us of his (in)famous Zoom Rooms.

Alternate show titles:

• Anything that may be on your person

• BYOPD

• BYODTRTMADETPIF

• BYODPCVC

• This topic makes me queasy

• Bring Your Own Cloud

• Bring Another Device

• Bring Your Own LaserDisc

• It's either gonna work or it's not

• Non-Meat Version

• Built into Meat

• Bring Your Own Room