Pro AV Today

As the pandemic continues to reshape the world, the audio technology industry is innovating to stay relevant. With last week’s InfoComm 2023 now wrapped up until next year, the event highlighted some of the changes that have been particularly significant for live sound engineers who are pivoting to another market and introducing a new crossover of expertise. The result has been hybrid products, such as Audio-Technica’s ATND1061 Beamforming Ceiling Array Microphone, which offers flexibility and ease in the transition.

It also means that users can opt for their preferred mode without sacrificing the quality of the output. The convenience and simplicity of this is dynamic and straightforward and assists its users in more ways than one. Along with the product, the company has additional benefits in store for customers for better product experience. Elaborating deeper into this development, Dan Pelletier, the Senior Technical Engineer at Audio-Technica stated why there’s an upside for customers in fostering familiarity. He talked with Pro AV Today at InfoComm 2023 and explained some product functionality shared

Pelletier’s Thoughts

“Really, I think the simplicity of configuration and installation makes things just a little bit more familiar for people. You can call it the COVID era to a degree. A lot of live sound engineers were moving over into the commercial installation market. So, some of our products like the ATND1061 DAN, that’s our beautiful new ceiling array microphone has both analog ins and outs, and it has Dante IOs, so you could choose your flavor. So, if you’re a little bit more comfortable working with analog IO, you can certainly do that. If you want to go Dante, you could do that too. The other thing you could do related to that is, so with that analog input, you can send an ADC reference from the far end analog and then go auto mix out into an analog device. So again, that kind of keeps things very simple, very simple to use. Even when you’re connecting it up, the AT&T 1061 has its dynamically tracking beamforming microphone out of the box. You have one … so all you’d have to do is go Dante channel out, or you can go auto mix out, which is on channel six in Dante, or you can go analog out, and it’s going to come out of that channel too.

So, it’s a very, very simplistic setup operation. If you choose all of the mounting hardware, so all of that’s in the box, it makes it just very simple and easy. So, with that brand familiarity, and then moving over from, let’s say, more of a live sound type application to more of a commercial application, there should be a lot more familiarity. And really to give a nod to our support team, you’re going to be able to get somebody on the phone and talk to somebody just like you might be used to from other verticals such as live sound.”

InfoComm 2023, held in Orlando, Florida, more than 250 exhibitors involved with digital display and digital ad technology came to showcase their premier solutions. Through the latest innovations featured at InfoComm 2023, delivering one’s advertising message and capitalizing on the investment has never seen such a wide array of possibilities. Digital ad technology companies like Media Resources were excited to unveil their end-to-end visual communication solutions during the three-day event that featured numerous AV insights, sessions, talks, and more.

Another digital signage player getting in on the action at InfoComm was Seneca. They showcased their ElementMP digital signage player with Verizon 4G connectivity. The 4G connectivity allows these digital signage players to receive and display content updates in real-time, regardless of their location. Advertisers can immediately change their messaging on the fly, responding to changing circumstances or new data.

MarketScale’s ProAV Today caught up with Jami McGraw, a Product Manager at Seneca, at InfoComm 2023. He expressed enthusiasm for where digital ad tech was headed, especially regarding functionality.

Jami’s thoughts

“Now the functionality is, you’re hitting somebody at the edge and an endpoint. So, you’re getting tailored, consensual advertising towards you at that endpoint. It’s helpful for whatever you’re doing, your functions. If you’re inside a store, you’re getting relevant advertising.

When you start to insert things like beacons, things like NFC, and where you can sense apps, now you’re getting valuable promotions, not just targeted to your person or your persona archetype, but also targeted to apps or things that you frequent within your phone. So, from a behavioral and a pattern stance, you’re getting more prescriptive and things that are functional and useful to you while also generating the monetization that helps drive all of these technological advances. You can extend connectivity anywhere that you have connections.

You’re no longer saddled here where you’re stuck to a land connectivity or a Wi-Fi signal. You can now go out and about to those impressions like charging stations, any endpoint where you’re doing parks and rec, and trailheads. You can do targeted advertising without the vulnerability on a securely connected network, like Verizon 5G LTE.

The engagement with our team and the value we’re bringing is a partner that will take you from inception to fruition and take the ride with you through the project.”

The annual InfoComm 2023 took place from June 8-14 in Las Vegas. One of the subjects of conversation was how rapid technological advancement has led to a fundamental shift in events. Today, a burgeoning emphasis on hybrid events — a blend of in-person and virtual participation — is noted, fueled by uncertainties in our dynamic world and lessons learned from the recent past.

However, the real potential of such events remains largely untapped because often the technology is employed in a way that could fall short of enhancing the event experience, particularly for some attendees. Hybrid is seeing a significant rise that distinctly peaked during the pandemic. While live streaming persists as a trend, viewers, without a doubt will experience a different type of event. Despite some challenges, there are companies prioritizing the necessity of ensuring that their live streams or hybrid events deliver significant impact for all attendees.

Russ Callahan, the Vice President of Sales and Operations at Quest Events, talked to Pro Av Today at InfoComm 2023 and said that companies are more welcoming to hybrid events now. He added that by gearing more towards it they could stand to see more improvement and effective live streaming events.

Callahan’s Thoughts

“You’re seeing much more people with an emphasis and still paying attention to the hybrid event, even though the hybrid event has kind of really fallen by the wayside recently. People are still keeping in mind that need to always be ready in case the other shoe falls. You know, it’s really a matter of, okay, we’ve been through it. We didn’t necessarily do hybrid as well as we thought we could in most cases, and we have to be ready, so let’s embrace technology still, but they’re still not embracing it in a way that makes a positive impact on the show, unfortunately. So, I’d really love to see them get around the basis on how to get into a real hybrid event. Not many people are doing it very well.

For technical trends, live streaming is the piece that people are still going up forward with, and the unfortunate piece, I think, is the end customer still doesn’t have their mind around the fact that you’re always going to have a different feel in the live stream than you do in the actual event. Face-to-face is face-to-face for a reason. Humans thrive on that connection and that interaction between people. The companies that are doing it right are making sure that they have a live stream or a hybrid event that has an impact for the people who are at home.”

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In this episode of Pro AV Today, host Ben Thomas delves into the rapid advancements of technology in the digital world and the corresponding changes in the workforce. His guest is Jenni Troutman, Head of Products and Services for AWS Training and Certification, an authority in the industry with deep insights into professional growth, technical upskilling, and certification.

Thomas highlights the necessity for technicians, workers, and developers to consistently adapt to the changing industry demands, underscoring the critical role played by companies like AWS in training and certification.

Troutman shares how AWS has responded to the increasingly digital world that has forced many to adapt and upskill. She discusses the importance of gaining new skills to grow in one's career, especially in the context of rapid technological advancement. AWS, according to Troutman, believes in this cause and has conducted studies with Gallup revealing that businesses across all industries—agriculture, education, retail, etc.—consider next-gen technologies such as cloud computing, artificial intelligence, machine learning, blockchain, and 5G, vital to their success.

To address this need, AWS provides multiple learning methods, including micro-skilling—a step-by-step approach to learning new technologies without abandoning existing skills. The company offers over 600 free courses on various specific topics, allowing people to learn at their own pace and convenience. For example, developers seeking to incorporate AI into their applications can take short, under-10-minute courses that provide a basic understanding of the relevant services.

With evolving job roles and descriptions, AWS's certification and training programs serve as differentiators for job seekers. A certification, as Troutman explains, is proof of one's skills, making the individual a more attractive prospect for employers, particularly in high-demand fields like cloud computing. She also mentions the AWS Cloud Practitioner Certification, a foundational certification that could be beneficial for non-technical individuals looking to move into roles within tech-focused companies.

This episode provides a comprehensive overview of the importance of continued learning, certification, and the need for professionals to stay up-to-date with rapidly advancing technologies. With insights from a leading expert in the field, listeners gain a clearer understanding of how they can equip themselves for the demands of the digital era. The conversation ends on an inspiring note, emphasizing the value of upskilling and adapting to technology trends to stay competitive and successful in the evolving digital landscape.

In this episode of Pro AV Today, Ben Thomas sat down with Mark Corbin of Vanco International, taking a deep dive into the evolution of the Pro Audio industry. Tracing the journey from legacy systems and PA builds to the advent of cutting-edge technologies like spatial audio and modern Digital Audio Workstations (DAWs), we explored the driving forces behind the industry's transformation.

Corbin started by giving us a historical perspective on the Pro Audio industry, where analog systems dominated the landscape. Legacy hardware played a crucial role, providing robust and reliable solutions for audio recording and broadcasting. However, these systems also came with challenges, especially when interfacing with newer, digital technologies.

As the conversation transitioned into the digital era, Corbin highlighted the shift from purely analog systems to the coexistence of analog and digital audio systems. This blend of old and new, while complex, opened up a world of possibilities. The rise of digital solutions like DAWs has dramatically altered the way we create, edit, and distribute audio, offering precision and flexibility previously unimaginable.

Importantly, despite the digital revolution, the value of analog audio has not diminished. Analog's critical role in connecting sound waves with digital technology remains, fostering a unique symbiosis that results in richer and more dynamic audio solutions.

Lastly, Corbin highlighted the influence of consumer innovation, such as the rise of home recording setups and a burgeoning community of audio enthusiasts. These grassroots developments are reshaping the industry, proving that professional audio isn't exclusive to large events or established enterprises. We also touched upon the importance of "bridge" technologies like HDMI transmission, Bluetooth, and WiFi. Their impact helped bridge the gap between consumer and professional audio and leading to seamless integration and improved user experience.

Pro Audio has come a long way, from its roots in analog legacy systems to the present-day fusion of digital and analog, and the advent of spatial audio and modern DAWs. With the continuing influence of both enterprise-level transformations and consumer-driven innovations, the future of Pro Audio promises to be as exciting as its rich past.

In this episode of Pro AV Today, host Ben Thomas and his guest, Joe Wylezik from Vincit, dive deep into the impact of user interface (UI) and user experience (UX) design on the digital transformation of AV technology.

Wylezik, with his extensive experience in design, offers fascinating insights into the core principles of effective UI and UX. He discusses how these design aspects greatly influence the user's interaction with digital AV technologies, and their subsequent acceptance of these platforms.

The conversation pivots around the need for seamless integration of AV technologies in our daily lives, emphasizing the importance of intuitive and user-friendly designs that cater to diverse users' needs and preferences. The duo discusses real-world examples to illustrate how poor UI/UX can hinder the user's interaction with the technology, slowing down the digitization process.

Thomas and Wylezik also highlight how crucial understanding the end-user's perspective is to create meaningful and effective AV solutions. They stress the importance of user feedback and continuous improvement in creating products that are not just technologically advanced but also user-centric.

Finally, they discuss emerging trends in the digital AV space and the future role of UI and UX in shaping these innovations. Overall, this podcast provides an insightful overview of the digitization of AV and the pivotal role of UI and UX in this transformation.

This episode of Pro AV Today, hosted by Ben Thomas, features Tim Bigoness from D-Tools. The two dive head first into the increasingly pervasive influence of software-based tools in the Pro AV industry.

The AV landscape is undergoing a significant shift towards more software-based tools and solutions, largely driven by evolving consumer expectations. The ubiquity of devices like smartphones and tablets has made consumers much more comfortable with using software, to the point where it is now an expected part of most user experiences. This shift has been accompanied by a trend towards more user-friendly tools, with Canva cited as an example of a professional tool with a much lower learning curve than its predecessor, Photoshop.

The pace of change within the AV industry is also increasing. What might once have been a two or three-year cycle for change and adaptation could now be as short as a matter of months. This rapid evolution means that anyone working in the AV industry – or any B2B industry for that matter – must be comfortable with utilizing digital tools to be successful.

Watch above as Tim and Ben break down opportunities, best practices, and observations about some of the ways that our industry can more effectively leverage software based tools.