Sign Age: Engineering ‘Experiences’
The National Restaurant Association recently conducted a survey on the use of AV and other technology in restaurants. Their findings suggest that “restaurants are hungry for technology without the headache.” We analyze the survey’s findings and detail some recent restaurant AV implementations that may predict the future of restaurant AV.
By Shonan Noronha, EdD
House of Worship: Business: Building Effective Media Teams
Media teams in houses of worship across the country are experiencing high rates of turnover and burnout. One of the most common reasons given for this phenomenon is a tendency for HOWs to undervalue their media teams’ contributions to the overall worship experience. We make the case for why HOW leaders should more openly acknowledge the contributions of their media teams.
By David Lee Jr., PhD
The Commish: Martian Troubleshooting
Having recently finished reading Andy Weir’s The Martian, our columnist was struck by how indispensable proper documentation and troubleshooting are to just about every human task, from AV commissioning to surviving the harsh Martian landscape. In this column, he presents some tongue-in-cheek “Mission Logs” from a recent AV project to illustrate how proper documentation can save you and your team a ton of time on troubleshooting.
By James Maltese, CTS-D, CTS-I, CQD, CQT
What Would You Do? Piece Of The Pie
A major problem facing the AV industry has to do with certain companies that advertise certain services that they know they cannot provide, and then subcontracting those services to other companies without the client’s knowledge or approval. In this column, we discuss how this approach erodes trust in the AV industry.
By Douglas Kleeger, CTS-D, DMC-E, XTP-E, KCD
InfoComm POV: Building A Bigger Table
The commercial AV industry has, as of late, prioritized ushering in the next generation of AV professionals, with many of the industry’s outreach efforts focused on increasing diversity in the workforce. Betsy L. Jaffe, InfoComm’s SVP of Member Services and the Executive Director of ICIF, explains how InfoComm is doing its part to champion women in AV through the Women of InfoComm Network and other initiatives.
By Betsy L. Jaffe
NSCA POV: AV Manufacturers Consolidate & Outsource
There has been a rise in mergers and acquisitions on the manufacturer side as tech companies come together to form monoliths that propose to be one-stop shops for AV solutions. But what has been the impact of this trend on AV integrators and how will it affect the industry moving forward? NSCA’s Executive Director weighs in.
By Chuck Wilson
Consultant’s POV: It’s A Small World After All
Communication between the different teams involved in a project is a key to success. To illustrate this point, our columnist recounts a (rather personal) tale of a fireworks mishap caused by less-than-ideal communication and an SMPTE timecode-based control system.
By John Mayberry
Industry POV: Revenue-Generating Machines
Few AV solutions offer as much opportunity for recurring revenue as digital signage. In this article, the Director of NanoLumens’ North American Channel Team examines the latest stats on ad revenue impact and maintenance cost savings, so you can effectively sell digital signage solutions to your clients by focusing on the bottom line.
By Jackie Lavoie
Industry POV: Hearing Loops Get The Vote
A recent survey by the Committee for Communication Access in New Mexico compiled some compelling statistics on when, where and how hearing-impaired individuals access assistive listening systems, and their preferences for doing so. In this article, we analyze the survey’s findings and the potential impact on the future of assistive listening systems.
By Stephen O. Frazier
Music City Experience
The Wildhorse Saloon needed to up its AV game in order to stay relevant in Nashville TN, a city packed with top-flight live-music venues. But rather than just upgrade its audio, the venue also opted to incorporate a massive LED lighting rig and other new features. We got the scoop on this exciting installation from Clair Solutions and Ryman Hospitality (formerly Gaylord Entertainment).
By Dan Daley
Dining, Performance & The AV Experience
Las Vegas NV’s Sake Rok restaurant combines Japan’s vibrant pop culture with spontaneous short performances that take place on the venue’s main floor. Some major AV tech makes the venue’s unique fusion of live entertainment and hospitality possible. We learned how this project came together from All Things Integrated.
By Jim Stokes
Polynesian Jazz
The Blue Note Entertainment Group recently opened a new venue, Blue Note Hawaii, in Waikiki. Each Blue Note club requires a state-of-the-art audio system to meet the needs of top-tier touring musicians, and Blue Note Hawaii is no exception. However, Hawaii’s geography and remote location added some unique challenges to the installation. The Owner of Peltrix tells us how they pulled this project off.
By Amit Peleg
The AV Advantage In Hospitality
In order to compete with the trendiest new hospitality service offerings like Airbnb, many traditional hotels are turning to AV solutions that they believe will differentiate them in the market by providing patrons with a unique experience. We take a look at how some venues have made AV a selling point.
By Dan Daley
Energy Masking
Distraction due to overheard conversations is the bane of every open office plan. However, energy masking systems can help cut down on distraction when acoustically isolating people isn’t possible. In this article, we offer a primer on energy masking best practices and how to incorporate energy masking into your next project.
By Steve Seable
AVent Horizon: Of RF, Cord Cutting & Wishful Thinking
The first phase of the FCC’s spectrum auction has concluded, but it would appear that bidder participation wasn’t quite what everyone expected. Our columnist breaks down the fallout from the first phase of the auction and weighs in on just how necessary the auction really is given the ongoing cord-cutting revolution and the emergence of new digital TV standards.
By Pete Putman, CTS