AV SuperFriends

Recorded August 22, 2025

We kick things off with the big news of the week: AOL finally pulling the plug on dial-up internet. Yes, it was somehow still a thing. Cue the nostalgia, sound effects, and plenty of snark.

From there, we debate the future of AVoIP. Is it the solution for everything, just another tool in the quiver, or the next technology destined to quietly fade away? Expect strong opinions, clashing perspectives, and a few surprising alliances you didn't see coming.

We also launch a brand-new segment: Weekly Rivalry. Our first matchup? A non-rivalry between Iowa State and UNLV, brought to life with sports-style commentary, AV smack talk, and behind-the-scenes looks at how each campus tackles classroom tech, standardization, and those weird spaces nobody talks about.

Topics this week include:

• The end of AOL dial-up (seriously, it was still around)

• The great AV over IP debate: future standard or passing fad?

• Standardization, room checks, and the weirdest classrooms ever supported

• Why faculty still love (or hate) classroom PCs

News article:

https://www.theverge.com/news/757194/aol-dial-up-is-dead

https://help.aol.com/articles/dial-up-internet-to-be-discontinued

AI-generated alternate show titles:

• Firmware Updates and Budget Cuts

• Traffic Jam at the USB-C Junction

• Goodbye, Dial-Up. Hello, AOL Discs on eBay.

• AVoverIP: Tool, Fad, or Forever?

• Ceiling Mics, Dongle Rescues, and Other Heroics

• The Quiver, the Toolbox, and the Cable Slot That Eats HDMI

• More Opinions Than Panelists

• Cloud Dreams and Network Nightmares

• Cadaver Labs, Poultry Farms, and Men's Room IDF Closets

Far superior human created alternate show titles:

• That's big in Kentucky

• Teddy is probably not going to have internet

• I still have a Hotmail

• More women for us!

• I'm OK being blasphemous

• We were aligned until you opened your mouth

• From the thing over IP to the other thing

• Baseband is coming to an end

• You said that where you can't be wrong

• It'll all figure itself out

• I keep arrows in the toolbox

• This is not just a Vegas thing, this is a Frank thing

• Have you seen society?

• We're not pumping out geniuses!

• We've had that for 10 years and it still doesn't work

• Digital plumbers

• Some overwhelming whatever it is

• It's not that; it's laziness

• How many multi-factors do I need to get into this?

• I can do this in my bedroom

• There's going to be a nerd on the back-end

• Reboot the speaker

• The AI will reboot it for you

• Go get 'em, tiger!

• That stupid clocking thing

• I lean into things that we hate

• 28-year-old Frank would have said something different

• We don't have money for Velcro-brand Velcro

• It's a 1-seater!

We stream live every Friday at about 300p Eastern/1200p 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: [email protected]

► RSS: https://avsuperfriends.libsyn.com/rss

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

Recorded August 8, 2025

In this episode of Off the Rails, Chris, Jamie, Marc, Larry, and Justin review the chaotic world of last-minute project requests. They share their experiences, strategies, and a few laughs while navigating the often unpredictable demands of faculty and staff just before the new semester kicks off.

The conversation kicks off with a lighthearted look at the absurdity of trying to accommodate requests that come in at the eleventh hour. The panelists discuss the importance of setting realistic timelines and the challenges of managing expectations when it comes to integrating new technology into classrooms. They reflect on their own institutions' processes for prioritizing projects and the fine line between accommodating urgent requests and maintaining a sustainable workflow.

As they explore the intricacies of preventive maintenance and room checks, the team emphasizes the value of proactive measures to catch issues before they become problems. With anecdotes about their unique approaches, they provide insights into how to keep AV systems running smoothly while also dealing with the inevitable chaos that comes with the start of a new academic year.

News article:

• https://www.edsurge.com/news/2025-08-06-how-sci-fi-taught-me-to-embrace-ai-in-my-classroom

• https://www.zerogpt.com

AI-generated alternate show titles:

• Last Minute Madness

• Can You Squeeze Me In?

• The Art of the Last-Minute Request

• AV Chaos: Back to School Edition

• Preventive Maintenance: The Unsung Hero

• Just One More Thing...

• When Time is Not on Your Side

• Classroom Crisis Management

• How to Say No Without Saying No

• AV Super Friends: Under Pressure

Far superior human alternate show titles:

• Learn calculus, damn it

• That means you're old and you're about to die

• We're in that same boat again!

• It depends who's asking

• I am the gatekeeper

• Reasonability

• Wheeling and dealing

• How reasonable is it?

• Small little turnovers

• Just say "No"

• There's a camera on the thing

We stream live every Friday at about 300p Eastern/1200p 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: [email protected]

► RSS: https://avsuperfriends.libsyn.com/rss

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

Recorded July 11, 2025

In this episode, the goon squad discusses testing AV equipment and the often murky waters of bench testing. Join Chris, Jamie, Larry, and Justin as they share their experiences, opinions, and a few laughs about the realities of ensuring gear works as intended before it hits the field.

The discussion kicks off with a humorous take on the common practice of just throwing gear into new environments without thorough testing. The panelists debate the balance between best practices and the chaotic nature of real-world installations, exploring how much testing is truly necessary and what constitutes effective bench testing. With anecdotes from their own experiences, they explore the risks and rewards of deploying untested gear in high-stakes situations.

Whether you're a seasoned pro or just starting out, this episode is packed with semi-useful advice.

Don't forget to connect with us on social media and share this episode with your fellow AV enthusiasts!

Alternate show titles:

• What if it's an AI camera?

• We took most of the cubes out

• The biggest non-verbal hedge I've ever heard

• Our projects are bench tests

• We do bench testing randomly

• This is not gonna work

• It works until it doesn't

• It started blowing up buildings

• I got a spare widget that I know works

• We were doing some weird sh*t

• I'm just jacking around

• Maybe Jesus doesn't like your network

• I trust you nerds most of the time

• Our testing begins during the semester

We stream live every Friday at about 300p Eastern/1200p 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: [email protected]

► RSS: https://avsuperfriends.libsyn.com/rss

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

Recorded July 25, 2025

In this episode, join Chris, Jamie, Marc, Larry, and Justin as they discuss the the broken business model of per room, per system, per month, per year cloud service pricing, the ongoing struggle with outdated features and devices that just won't die and the question of when to cut the cord on legacy systems, sharing their own experiences and the sometimes humorous realities of managing AV technology.

They review the terribleness of wireless sharing appliances and the frustrations that come with them, as well as the importance of gathering feedback from faculty and students. They also touch on the necessity of evaluating usage data and making informed decisions based on real-world needs rather than assumptions.

News:

https://www.ravepubs.com/openav-cloud-adds-adobe-appspace-sharp-bose/

https://www.avinteractive.com/news/products/openav-cloud-initiative-recruits-two-dozen-new-members-15-07-2025/

AI-generated Alternate Show Titles:

• When to Cut the Cord

• Don't Let the Blu Ray Players Die in Vain

• Wireless Sharing Woes

• From Legacy to Lament

• Data-Driven Decisions

• AV Tech: The Good, The Bad, and The Outdated

• When Do We Say Goodbye?

• AV Apocalypse Now

• Lessons from the Trenches

• Streamlining the Chaos

Far superior human-generated alternate show titles:

• Be a part of it with as little work as possible

• There's nothing to it

• Money motivates

• Member that?

• I need this old widget to talk to this other widget

• It's all in the metaverse

• That one from last year gets nothing

• Let's all do it wrong together

• This isn't on your network; it's in the cloud

• I will speak for higher ed at large

• Yellow light for the premium package

• Now you've got a hoedown

• You're making an assumption; they never said that

• Give me a really big package

• Way too many clouds

• Everything on the same cloud

• Dirty Data

• A giant spreadsheet of garbage

• But here's the thing… you like your job

• Sketcho box

• Free is not free

• We don't have a lot of bandwidth to be wrong

• Pay some other department to really manhandle it

• I'm in the middle of this sh*t right now and it's a storm

• Doing the wireless thing is easy / Have this: it's going to fail you

• Give us feedback on about what you hate about 'em

• You're really gonna hate this sh*t

We stream live every Friday at about 300p Eastern/1200p 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: [email protected]

► RSS: https://avsuperfriends.libsyn.com/rss

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

Recorded July 16, 2025

In this episode, the panel looks at the world of automatic cameras and the evolving landscape of commercial displays in higher education. Join Chris, Jamie, Marc, and Justin as they share their experiences, insights, and a few laughs while discussing the pros and cons of automatic camera systems. The conversation touches on everything from user preferences to the challenges of integrating these technologies into classrooms and conference rooms.

The panel reflects on their recent deployments, highlighting the mixed feedback they've received and the varying levels of success with automatic tracking and framing technologies. They also explore the implications of cheaper commercial displays, the risks associated with smart features, and whether the trade-offs are worth it for the end users.

News: https://www.avinteractive.com/news/business/panasonic-sale-of-projector-business-to-orix-called-off-09-07-2025/

Alternate Show Titles:

• Mercantile Exchange
• Merkintech
• Actioncam by Mattel
• I actually drugged Larry
• The hypocrite hour
• Just slap that OS on there and call it a day
• I want to play a game called Devil's Advocate
• You don't have a choice
• Random-ass manufacturers
• We don't worry about warranty
• This story's in tents
• There's no wall mount!
• At some point I don't actually care

We stream live every Friday at about 300p Eastern/1200p 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: [email protected] ► RSS: https://avsuperfriends.libsyn.com/rss

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

Recorded June 13, 2025

In this episode, Jamie brings you an exciting update from InfoComm 2025. He catches up with Mike from Magewell to discuss a groundbreaking new product designed to simplify the integration of NDI streams into video conferencing software. The Pro Convert IP to USB addresses a common pain point for users who need to connect NDI sources in environments with strict IT policies, such as universities and corporate settings.

Mike explains how this innovative device decodes various formats, including NDI, SRT, RTMP, and RTSP, and outputs them as UVC, making them recognizable as webcam inputs. This means that any software capable of using a webcam can now access NDI streams without the need for complex installations or configurations.

Listeners will appreciate the user-friendly web interface that allows for easy setup and management of multiple input sources. Mike also shares insights on the device's API and SDK, providing options for custom development and centralized management through their Control Hub software. Whether you're a seasoned AV professional or just getting started, this episode is packed with valuable information about the future of AV technology.

If you're eager to get your hands on the Pro Convert IP to USB, Magewell expects to have inventory available in the US by the end of June. Don't miss out on this game-changing solution!

For more information: https://magewell.com

We stream live every Friday at about 300p Eastern/1200p 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: [email protected]

► RSS: https://avsuperfriends.libsyn.com/rss

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

Recorded June 13, 2025

In this episode, Jamie catches up with Shaun from Xilica at InfoComm 2025 to delve into the innovative audio technology solutions that Xilica has been developing for over 20 years. Based in Toronto, Xilica is making strides in the audio DSP market, particularly in university classrooms, conference rooms, and courtrooms.

Shaun shares insights into the company's flexible and modular DSP products, highlighting the benefits of open architecture that allows for easy upgrades and cost optimization. With a focus on reducing inventory complexity for integrators and enhancing user experience for end customers, Xilica is redefining audio solutions.

Listeners will learn about Xilica's standout offerings, including the compact PoE DSP and the upcoming Room Hub, designed to simplify audio installations with built-in AI technology for noise reduction and device discovery. This episode is packed with valuable insights into Xilica's approach to audio technology and their vision for the future.

For more information about Xilica and their products, visit https://www.Xilica.com .

If you enjoy this episode, please share it with your fellow AV enthusiasts and consider supporting the AV SuperFriends!

We stream live every Friday at about 300p Eastern/1200p 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: [email protected]

► RSS: https://avsuperfriends.libsyn.com/rss

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

Recorded June 27, 2025

In this episode, the team reflects on their recent adventures at InfoComm 2025, highlighting innovative products and the implications of forced obsolescence in AV technology. They explore the sustainability challenges faced by institutions as they navigate the complexities of rapidly changing software and hardware landscapes. The conversation takes a humorous turn as they tackle topics like the importance of proper firmware updates and the potential pitfalls of relying on major software vendors.

Listeners will enjoy anecdotes, insights, and a lively discussion about the future of AV systems, including the latest trends in cloud services, AI integration, and the quest for more efficient solutions.

News article: https://www.avinteractive.com/territories-news/europe/german-state-minister-declares-were-done-with-teams-16-06-2025/

If you enjoy this episode, please share it with your fellow AV enthusiasts and consider supporting the AV SuperFriends!

Alternate show titles:

• Are you hearing any scuttle?

• Mini Marc in your pocket

• Say Hey!

• It's not like I can think it

• I haven't worked on it for two weeks solid

• You have to really be patient with this

• It just needs to be smart

• I haven't done the math on it

• So you're telling me there's a chance

• Sigh… stupid Chris!

• I'll give it to you for free

We stream live every Friday at about 300p Eastern/1200p 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: [email protected]

► RSS: https://avsuperfriends.libsyn.com/rss

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

Recorded June 20, 2025

In this explosive Independence Day special, the AV SuperFriends celebrate five years of podcasting with a bang! Join Chris, Jamie, Larry, and Justin as they blow up the things they dislike about AV and IT in higher education.

From cloud-based control systems to oversized DSPs, the panel tackles the industry's most frustrating trends and technologies that have overstayed their welcome. With fireworks and laughter, they share their grievances, offering a cathartic release for anyone who's ever felt overwhelmed by the complexities of modern AV solutions.

une in for a fun-filled episode that's equal parts celebration and critique, and discover what the AV SuperFriends want to blow up next!

If you enjoy this episode, please share it with your fellow AV enthusiasts and consider supporting the AV SuperFriends!

We stream live every Friday at about 300p Eastern/1200p 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: [email protected]

► RSS: https://avsuperfriends.libsyn.com/rss

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

Recorded June 13, 2025

Jamie chats with Jason from Blustream, who shares the company's exciting transition from residential to commercial AV solutions.

Discover how Blustream is leveraging their expertise in HDMI technology and audio solutions to address the needs of the commercial market. Jason discusses their unique products, including the HDMI Bluetooth audio extractor and embedder, which merges Bluetooth technology with HDMI to simplify audio distribution in various settings.

The conversation also dives into Blustream's impressive line of Dante products, designed to enhance audio management and routing capabilities. Jason highlights the DA14x14 audio matrix, a powerful device that supports multiple audio formats and provides control options for seamless integration.

Tune in for an engaging discussion filled with insights on problem-solving in the AV industry and the innovative spirit driving Blustream's product development. Don't miss out on this opportunity to learn about the cutting-edge solutions that could transform your AV setups!

For more information about Blustream and their offerings, visit https://www.blustream-us.com/

If you enjoy this episode, please share it with your fellow AV enthusiasts and consider supporting the AV SuperFriends!

We stream live every Friday at about 300p Eastern/1200p 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: [email protected]

► RSS: https://avsuperfriends.libsyn.com/rss

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