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Category: Association

  • Enterprise Connect 2025 Adds Keynote by Google

    Enterprise Connect 2025 Adds Keynote by Google

    Enterprise Connect, a North American conference and exhibition, brings IT decision-makers, vendors, analysts, and consultants to discuss enterprise communications issues, offering a weekly newsletter and digital products.

    Enterprise Connect 2025, a premier enterprise communications and CX event, will feature keynote speakers, Strategic Impact Summits, and awards programs. The event will take place March 17-20, 2025, in Orlando, FL, with sessions, networking opportunities, and exhibits from major industry players.

    Enterprise Connect 2025 aims to equip enterprise technology leaders with the tools, knowledge, and connections to address evolving challenges in communications and CX. By featuring expert insights, innovative solutions, and strategic discussions, the event empowers attendees to drive meaningful change and innovation within their organizations.

    Enterprise Connect, the leading conference and exhibition for enterprise communications and customer experience (CX), today announces Duncan Lennox, VP and GM of Applied AI of Google Cloud will deliver a keynote presentation. Over three days of an expo and four days of the conference program, the event offers expert-led educational sessions, along with extensive peer networking and an exhibit floor featuring all the major industry players. Enterprise Connect takes place March 17-20, 2025 at the Gaylord Palms in Orlando, FL. Register here.  

    Lennox leads Google’s Applied AI organization, where he oversees the teams building AI-first applications and agents in areas like customer experience, healthcare, and financial services. Previously, Lennox led Ads Privacy & Safety, as well as Site Reliability Engineering (SRE) for Google products including Search and Maps. Before Google, Lennox was GM for Amazon Elastic File System, and CEO/CTO of two enterprise SaaS companies in the sales enablement and productivity space.

    Additional keynote presentations will be delivered by Mike Massimino, Former NASA Astronaut, NY Times Bestselling Author and Columbia University Professor; Anurag Dhingra, Senior Vice President & General Manager, Cisco; Kira Makagon, Chief Innovation Officer, RingCentral; and Smita Hashim, Chief Product Officer, Zoom. Additional keynote sessions will be announced in the coming weeks.

    Strategic Impact Summits

    New to Enterprise Connect 2025 are Strategic Impact Summits. Exclusively for premium conference pass holders, the interactive sessions each focus on a different area of strategic importance to enterprise technology leaders. Each Summit will be led by an independent subject matter expert who will tie together the different sessions’ themes and guide discussion, to give attendees the most insightful, comprehensive view of the topic. The Strategic Impact Summits topics include: Customer Engagement; AV & Video for True Collaboration; and Case Studies in Communications Strategy. The Strategic Impact Summits will be held on March 17, 2025.

    “We are pleased to welcome Duncan Lennox to our program. He will provide our audience with strategic insights into today’s most pressing enterprise communications and CX challenges,” said Eric Krapf, General Manager, Enterprise Connect. “We are also excited to introduce a new feature to Enterprise Connect. More than ever, IT leaders need to combine technology expertise with an ability to see the strategic picture. The new Strategic Impact Summits will delve into key areas of strategic importance where attendees can learn, ask questions and network.”

    Enterprise Connect Award Programs

    Enterprise Connect’s awards programs celebrate individuals, teams and technologies.

    • Enterprise Connect’s IT Hero Award: The award program honors enterprise IT professionals and teams who go above and beyond their day-to-day responsibilities to provide exceptional service, vision and expertise to their organizations. Whether seasoned enterprise IT professionals or high-impact new performers, IT Hero award honorees show outstanding initiative and dedication in helping to make a difference in their enterprises. The award submission deadline is November 22, 2024.
    • Enterprise Connect’s Women in Communications Spotlight Awards: Enterprise Connect is committed to fostering the careers of women in IT/communications roles within the enterprise. The awards program recognizes and celebrates women who demonstrate outstanding qualities of leadership and expertise in technology. Through their actions and leadership, they serve as role models for a new generation of women seeking to excel in the profession of enterprise IT and communications. The Spotlight award is part of Enterprise Connect’s extensive Women in Communications program. The award submission deadline is November 22, 2024.
    • Best of Enterprise Connect Awards: The Best of Enterprise Connect award program recognizes excellence and innovation from the industry’s technology providers. Entries are reviewed for technology advancement, innovation and business impact. Award categories include:
      • Best Innovation in Customer Experience
      • Most Innovative Use of AI
      • Best Innovation in AV/Video
      • Best Innovation for Security/Compliance
  • AIMS and AES Bring Media-Over-IP Theater to AES New York 2024

    AIMS and AES Bring Media-Over-IP Theater to AES New York 2024

    The Alliance for IP Media Solutions (AIMS) is a non-profit organization focused on promoting and educating the industry on standards for transmitting video, audio, and data over IP networks. It represents broadcast and Pro AV companies, advocating for the transition from baseband to IP through interoperable, industry-standard solutions.

    AIMS and AES are partnering to bring the Media-Over-IP Theater to AES New York 2024 on Oct. 9. The event will feature 30-minute presentations focused on media networking standards like AES67 and the AIMS roadmap, aimed at educating the broadcast and Pro AV industries.

    The event promotes education and awareness about open standards in media networking, helping professionals stay informed on the latest developments and best practices in the evolving field of media-over-IP technology.

    The Alliance for IP Media Solutions (AIMS) today announced it is again partnering with the Audio Engineering Society (AES) to bring the Media-Over-IP Theater to AES New York 2024, being held Oct. 8-10, collocated with NAB Show NY 2024 at the Javits Convention Center in New York City. An exclusive one-day event taking place on Oct. 9, the Media-Over-IP Theater will offer exhibits and presentations designed to promote and educate the broadcast and Pro AV industries about media networking open standards.

    Located in room 3D04, the Media-Over-IP Theater will address all professional media networking topics, with particular emphasis on the AES67 standard, specifications outlined in the AIMS roadmap, and case study presentations. Its focal point will be the Media-Over-IP Theater, which will host a continuous program of 30-minute presentations — open to all AES and NAB Show attendees — covering the latest developments in this constantly evolving field.

    “Over the last few years, the Media-Over-IP Theater has become a must-see highlight of AES New York, and we’re excited to collaborate with AES once again to bring it back for 2024 as a one-day-only event,” said Terry Holton, chairman of the AIMS Audio Working Group. “As always, many of the leading media network professionals will be sharing their expertise and insights in the Media-Over-IP Theater, providing attendees of both AES and NAB Show New York with a fantastic opportunity to become better informed about the many different aspects of this field.”

  • IHSE USA to Showcase KVM Solutions at the 2024 NAB Show New York

    IHSE USA to Showcase KVM Solutions at the 2024 NAB Show New York

    IHSE USA is a provider of KVM products for long-distance signal extenders and switching for various data sources, deployed globally in industries like broadcasting, postproduction, government, military, medical, financial, and oil and petroleum.

    IHSE USA will showcase its advanced KVM extender and switch solutions at the 2024 NAB Show New York, highlighting their application in esports, command and control, and video wall systems. These solutions, like the kvm-tec Scalable Pro Line and Draco KVM matrix switches, focus on delivering low-latency, high-performance connectivity and flexibility, essential for esports, control rooms, and high-resolution display setups.

    IHSE aims to highlight its advanced KVM technologies, which provide low-latency, high-performance solutions crucial for esports and control room environments, ensuring seamless video display and real-time control, especially in competitive and mission-critical scenarios.

    IHSE USA today announced it will showcase its KVM extender and switch solutions, perfect for esports capabilities, and designed to deliver flexibility, connectivity, and high performance in Booth 943 at the 2024 NAB Show New York, taking place Oct. 9-10 at the Javits Center in New York City. Solutions include the kvm-tec Scalable Pro Line for 10G/multiview applications, IHSE’s Draco line of KVM matrix switch systems, as well as the company’s KVM solutions for command and control and video wall applications.

    “Esports technology involves collecting and processing big amounts of data and displaying it in a realistic environment without loss of video or delay in mouse movements,” said Dan Holland, marketing manager at IHSE USA. “Latency and packet loss are the biggest concerns when it comes to ensuring fair competition, so it is vital that integrators involved in setting up broadcast events for esports provide stable and low-latency environments no matter if the computer systems are connected remotely or directly to offline computers at the venue. IHSE offers a full range of KVM extenders and switch products supporting these higher frame rates, which will be showcased at this year’s NAB Show New York.”

    kvm-tec Series Extenders for KVMoIP With 4K and Multiviewer Capabilities
    On display will be kvm-tec’s Scalable Pro Line, supporting networked 4K multiviewer capabilities over a 10G network switch. Unique features include the ability to control and manage up to 16 computer sources on a single display via a single keyboard and mouse. By simply moving the mouse inside the gridded cell and clicking, the operator has full control of the source. In addition, up to four scalable receivers can be network-bonded to allow up to 64 sources across the four displays.

    Draco vario Ultra HDMI Now Supports up to 240Hz Refresh Rates for Gaming Applications
    The Draco ultra DP, a DisplayPort KVM extender, supports high frame rates up to 1080p240. The device constitutes a new generation of digital KVM signal extension using the innovative Lightweight Image (Lici) codec, developed in cooperation with the Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits. This revolutionary coding technology ensures brilliant image quality at the highest video resolutions with outstanding color accuracy (deep color-ready). The extender solution supports resolutions in 32:9 at 144 hertz or 16:9 at 240Hz up to 5km.

    KVM for Command and Control and Video Wall Applications
    At the booth, visitors will see a variety of KVM solutions for control room applications. One of the benefits of an IHSE KVM system is that it brings together multiple disciplines, sectors, or actors to centralize monitoring, control, and distribution of critical information in a secure, fast-access approach. For large video wall applications, IHSE offers the Draco MV42 four-port multiview display processor that combines 4K60 multi-image video processing with remote keyboard/mouse control. It is offered in HDMI or DisplayPort supporting either single-head or dual-head sources. Ideal for conference rooms, control rooms, or classrooms, the versatile MV42 represents the next generation of multiview technology. It can be used as a stand-alone multiviewer or easily integrated into a Draco KVM switching system.

    With the new kvm-tec Scalable Multiview Commander, up to 16 sources in full HD or 4K can be combined and displayed on a single 4K monitor and controlled via one mouse and keyboard. Compatible with standard 10G network switches and capable of supporting up to 2,000 endpoints, users can select any 16 sources and manage them directly via OSD menu shortcuts or directly through kvm-tec’s switching manager software.

  • NextLVL Learning Aims to Rewire AV Talent Pipeline

    NextLVL Learning Aims to Rewire AV Talent Pipeline

    In a world where experience is king, it’s the AV industry that makes it go round. From The Sphere to your favorite concert, it’s the audiovisual pros that make it happen. But there’s a problem: the industry is facing a talent crisis, and it’s looking pretty homogeneous.

    The AV Industry’s Diversity Problem

    Let’s break it down with some cold, hard stats: according to Zippia, a whopping 91% of AV technicians are men, with an average age of 43. Only 16% are in their 20s, and fewer than 39% are non-white. It’s like stepping into a time machine set to “tech bro past.”

    Enter NextLVL Learning, Inc., a non-profit that’s determined to flip the script on AV careers. Born from the minds of Pace University’s George Chacko, this organization is on a mission to show the next generation that AV is more than just “roadie for rockstars” – it’s a legit career path with serious potential.

    From Campus Event to Industry Disruptor

    It all started with the AV Talent Summit at Pace University last year. Picture this: 200 industry pros and high school students crammed into a room, suddenly realizing that AV isn’t just about plugging in speakers. The event was so popular, that they had to bring in extra chairs – a clear sign that they were onto something big.

    Fast forward to October 2024, and NextLVL Learning is officially a non-profit, ready to shake things up. Their secret weapon? Experiential learning. “We believe in learning by doing,” says Chacko. Forget boring lectures and homework – these guys are all about hands-on experience, culminating in an “AV Olympics” that puts skills to the test.

    InfoComm Takeover and Mentor Matchmaking

    NextLVL Learning isn’t messing around. They’re planning to send at least five students to InfoComm 2025, the AV industry’s biggest shindig. But this isn’t your average field trip – each student will be paired with a mentor on the show floor, getting an insider’s view of the industry that you can’t find in any textbook.

    The organization is cooking up a mentor/mentee program that’ll pair college students with industry pros. And because this is 2024, there’s talk of a badging system that’ll let students flex their new skills on LinkedIn. It’s like gamifying your career path, and we’re here for it.

    Summits, Road Trips, and Industry Domination

    The NextLVL team is gearing up for its second annual AV Talent Summit, and this time, they’re taking over the entire Pace University campus center. AVIXA, the AV industry’s association, is even jumping on board to add a second day of pro-development sessions.

    But why stop there? NextLVL Learning is planning to take their show on the road in 2025, hitting up Florida and the West Coast to create a “triangle of support” across the U.S. It’s like the Chicago Bulls’ triangle offense, but for nurturing AV talent.

    The Bottom Line

    NextLVL Learning is out to prove that AV is more than just “Taylor Swift concerts,” as Chacko puts it. With a rockstar board of directors and industry support pouring in, they’re poised to rewire the AV industry from the ground up.

    Want to join the AV revolution? Head over to TheNextLVL.org and get ready to level up your tech game. The future of AV is looking brighter – and a whole lot more diverse.

  • GB Labs at 2024 NAB Show New York: Company Will Highlight Its Award-Winning NebulaNAS Cloud Storage Designed for Media Production

    GB Labs at 2024 NAB Show New York: Company Will Highlight Its Award-Winning NebulaNAS Cloud Storage Designed for Media Production

    GB Labs provides scalable shared storage solutions, enabling creative workflows like video editing, post-production, and archiving. Their comprehensive ecosystem enhances efficiency and productivity, providing fast, intuitive global access for organizations.

    GB Labs will highlight its award-winning cloud storage solution, NebulaNAS, and its SPACE NVMe servers at the 2024 NAB Show New York. NebulaNAS is designed to meet the demands of media production, offering cloud flexibility, on-prem-like performance, global collaboration, and enterprise-level security. SPACE NVMe servers complement NebulaNAS by providing ultra-fast local performance and reducing cloud egress costs.

    The showcase emphasizes how NebulaNAS and SPACE NVMe servers transform media production workflows by offering seamless global collaboration, enhanced security, and significant performance improvements, ideal for media and production professionals handling high-demand workflows.

    At the 2024 NAB Show New York, GB Labs will highlight its award-winning NebulaNAS, a cloud storage solution designed exclusively to meet the demands of media production. NebulaNAS won both an IABM BaM Award in the “Store” category and a TVBEurope Best of Show award during IBC2024. Along with NebulaNAS, GB Labs will feature select products from its broad portfolio of trusted intelligent media storage solutions.

    NEW! NebulaNAS: Production Cloud Storage

    Visitors to the 2024 NAB Show New York can visit GB Labs’ booth 843 to learn about NebulaNAS, a new, transformative cloud storage solution developed specifically for media and production professionals.

    NebulaNAS fills a longtime need for producers, artists, editors, and others who have had to rely on either on-prem storage that is ill-equipped to handle today’s remote production workflows or cloud storage that wasn’t designed for creative collaboration. NebulaNAS accommodates the unique demands of media production operations, providing users with cloud flexibility, on-prem-like performance, global access and collaboration, and enterprise security.

    Regardless of location, users will appreciate its NAS-like ease of use. Editors and artists can see files immediately, access data quickly, and collaborate globally as if they were in the same location. Producers will appreciate the detailed analytics and audit reporting that the system maintains. Organizations can even add local storage to provide media acceleration and cache-level support for clusters of users.

    IT managers will approve of NebulaNAS’ security and resiliency, including 256-bit AES file encryption, user access controls, file locking, and distributed use of cloud servers, which spreads data across thousands of servers. Because of these features, NebulaNAS provides the highest level of reliability of any cloud storage solution available without 100% redundancy.

    At the 2024 NAB Show New York, businesses, creative teams, and IT leaders can explore the four critical benefits NebulaNAS provides:

    Media Centricity:Designed by media professionals for the most demanding workflows, NebulaNAS supports all creative and management tools used today … at any frame rate, file size, format, or bit rate.

    • Cloud Flexibility:NebulaNAS operates across a distributed cloud architecture, which not only provides added security and operational uptime but also improves performance by better managing data across thousands of distributed servers. Users will benefit from the solution’s scalability, the flexibility to add local and NVMe caching storage, and the ability to mount drives seamlessly, mirroring existing work styles.
    • Local Performance:To end users, NebulaNAS operates as if it is on-prem storage but with several advantages, including the ability to interact with the storage from anywhere in the world, collaboration in near real time with other users regardless of their location, and a minimal learning curve. Applications like online editing fly because users access only the bits of files they actually need instead of an entire file all at once.
    • Enterprise Security:In addition to the file management system’s distributed nature and 256-bit AES encryption, NebulaNAS maintains file access and credential control regardless of the user’s location. The audit management system maintains historical data showing who interacted with which files, when, and from what location.

    With NebulaNAS:

    • Investing in extra switches and bandwidth to deliver top performance is often unnecessary.
    • There is no need to copy files onto hard drives.
    • There is no need to download and upload an entire file to work on a fraction of it.
    • There is no need to unnecessarily duplicate content and archive more than necessary because it’s unclear which files to keep.

    NebulaNAS is transformational for any media company or multisite organization that stores and collaborates on media creation and production management across locations.

    SPACE NVMe Servers Compliment NebulaNAS with Additional Capabilities
    GB Labs’ mission is to combine the power of the cloud and on-prem storage with enhancements that drive performance, flexibility, security, and scalability to support the continued requirements of media and entertainment.

    The company’s new SPACE NVMe servers, released earlier this year, are the fastest NAS products in the GB Labs range. They can also be used as an accelerator for cloud-based NebulaNAS, providing customers with dramatic cost savings and significant performance improvements.

    These pure NVMe versions run at unparalleled speed for ultrahigh-resolution workflows. Based on performance alone, NVMe is almost as fast as RAM. When used in tandem with NebulaNAS and connected via Server Message Block (SMB), SPACE NVMe makes it possible to see NebulaNAS as a “local folder.” Files can then be easily pulled from NebulaNAS and automatically cached on a SPACE server. Once data is stored locally on SPACE, media companies will benefit from reduced egress from the cloud.

  • Resimercial on Display at CEDIA 2024

    Resimercial on Display at CEDIA 2024

    CEDIA Expo 2024 brought the home side of the AV industry back to its roots; audio and video. With a few spices in there like shades and lighting. But this year’s edition was full of more audio and video than we’ve seen in a long time. And lacking in what the show had been; Smart Stuff.

    Welcome to the dumb show

    For over five years CEDIA Expo’s theme could be summed up with the term Smart Home. This year, no more smarts. Hence, the dumb show moniker. It’s not that there wasn’t IoT, Smart Things, or even a hint of AI. It’s that those weren’t the selling points in the booths. Those that were showing off the ability to integrate were saying “of course it does that”. It’s a foregone conclusion. Of course, it’s smart. Next question.

    Pretty Pictures

    Sony Bravia CEDIA 2024
    Sony Bravia CEDIA 2024

    Sony kicked off the show early on Thursday morning with their announcement of a new Bravia line of projectors. This gives the Japanese manufacturer another hook using the Bravia name.

    They weren’t the only ones showing off impressive displays. TCL and LG used their OLED displays as the centerpieces of their booths. Now, I love me some OLED. The picture quality and color are the best thing since plasma displays. Prices have dropped drastically in the last two years. OLED technology has gotten sharper. It was a good sign to see so many OLED TVs.

    TCL OLED CEDIA 2024
    TCL OLED CEDIA 2024

    Companies like Quantum are also pushing direct-view LED into the home. The tech that started out as large displays in stadiums has found its way into the home. One reason is the ability to create large screens without hauling a 500-pound TV into someone’s conference room. Or living room. The other is the brightness factor. DVLED can get up to 3000 nits. One nit is equal to one candela per square meter. And 3000 of them is super bright. Bright enough to combat most any ambient sunlight that you can’t control.

    Control the Sun

    Should you want to control the sun we have shades. Shading has been bandied about in the CEDIA channel as another revenue sources for dealers. Like lighting, CI dealers haven’t really caught the shade bug yet. At least not in large numbers. So don’t wait for them. Go out and get them yourself. Work with manufacturers like Hunter Douglas, Draper, Screen Innovation, and others.

    Shades are good for more than just controlling the light. They can be used to be “green” as well. Controlling the sun means controlling the heat of your space. Shades also give you more control over privacy and they make any room just feel nicer.

    Theater Experience

    One thing about this year’s CEDIA was the number of audio and theater demo rooms. Trinov partnered with Barco, Perlisten Audio, madVR Labs, and Ocupada Acoustica to show off an impressive theater on the show floor. Pro Audio, Quantum, JBL, and L-Acoustics also had rooms that gave me some new movies to see but also made me wish I could have one of them all in my office or house.

    Pro at Home

    Origin Acoustics amps CEDIA 2024
    Origin Acoustics amps CEDIA 2024

    I have long been of the opinion that Resimercial is a real thing. The idea comes from a couple of areas. First, AV experts who work in people’s homes are also doing work in commercial spaces. And any space that isn’t a home is a commercial space. Second is the use of the same gear anywhere AV is needed.

    This CEDIA and CI Expo gave me even more fodder for this conversation. L-Acoustics, Crestron, Sony, Planar, and others were showing products. Just product. Is it a home or a commercial product? Yes. They don’t care where you’re going to put it. It’s the same gear.

    That is something that benefits all buyers of AV products. You don’t have to worry about a dealer of, let’s say L-Acoustics, putting in a “home” speaker in your conference room. Why? Because there isn’t such a thing. Same speaker goes in both spaces. As companies realize this you’ll see less and less delineation between what’s “residential” and “commercial” products. They’ll just be AV gear.

    CEDIA’s Future

    CEDIA and CI Expo are both headed back to Denver in 2025. My hope is that they get to expand on the common gear theme next year. Most exhibitors I talked with were busy the first two days, not so much on Saturday. That’s to be expected. The Smart Stage was a far cry better than in 2023 and I commend the team at Emerald for upping their game. For now, I’ll sit back, go through my notes, and see if there are any other threads I missed.

  • Dale Bottcher in as NSCA Board President, Tina Peters Joins Board

    Dale Bottcher in as NSCA Board President, Tina Peters Joins Board

    The National Systems Contractors Association (NSCA) is a not-for-profit organization representing commercial integration industries, advocating for contractors, manufacturers, consultants, and other professionals through advocacy, education, member services, and networking.

    NSCA, the leading not-for-profit association representing the commercial integration industry, is excited to announce the election of new NSCA leadership as part of its executive committee, including a new president, as well as many other NSCA leadership changes and the addition of a new officer to its board of directors for 2024-2025.

    Dale Bottcher, executive vice president of global sales and marketing at AVI-SPL and current NSCA vice president, assumes the role of NSCA Board of Directors president.

    “When I think of our industry, I think of the tremendous potential we have to thrive and grow together as the technologies we offer increasingly enhance the everyday human experience,” says Bottcher. “I’m tremendously honored to be elected to lead NSCA because of the positive impact it’s had on our industry and for its vision to lead it to new heights.”

    Bottcher replaces Dan Schmidtendorff, who is president and CEO at Communication Company. Schmidtendorff will serve as NSCA’s immediate past president, replacing Ray Bailey, president at Lone Star Communications, who will remain as a board member.

    Christina De Bono, president at ClearTech Media and current NSCA treasurer, will become NSCA vice president; Shedan Maghzi, strategic advisor at Avidex, will become NSCA treasurer. Don Mastro, chief revenue officer at AVI Systems, will become NSCA treasurer.

    Laurie MacKeigan, president at Backman Vidcom, will continue her term from last year as a board member. She will be joined by new board member Tina Peters, executive vice president at SVT.

    “After serving as NSCA secretary and vice president of NSCA’s Board of Directors over the years, Dale is more than ready to serve as our new president,” says Tom LeBlanc, NSCA executive director. “He has played a critical role at NSCA in other leadership capacities already—serving as the chair of our Business & Leadership Conference Planning Committee, for example. We’re excited to have him at the helm.”

    In 2024-2025, the NSCA Education Foundation will be served by Lauren Simmen, head of product marketing at Huddly, who was named president. Ingolf de Jong, president at GENCOMM, is vice president; Dawna Payne, executive vice president at Texadia Systems, is secretary; and Tim Hennen, president at Digital Labor Solutions, is treasurer.

    A new director joins the NSCA Education Foundation Board of Directors in 2024 as well:

    • Mike Boettcher, Edge

    He will work alongside the following board members who will continue their terms:

    • Chris Reese, ASW
    • Gina Sansivero, AtlasIED
    • Steve Greenblatt, Control Concepts
  • Commercial Integrator Expo Unveils Innovative Conference Programming for a Future-Focused Industry

    Commercial Integrator Expo Unveils Innovative Conference Programming for a Future-Focused Industry

    Emerald’s Commercial Integrator Expo caters to AV systems professionals in various market settings, offering a dedicated exhibit floor, expert instruction, and support from associations and organizations.

    The Commercial Integrator Expo 2024 is announcing a new educational program featuring over 20 sessions tailored for AV systems professionals and technology managers across various sectors.

    The program will cover emerging trends in areas such as lighting, digital signage, security, unified communications, and the future of workplaces. It aims to provide insights and strategies to drive growth and profitability in the AV industry. Through sessions led by industry experts, attendees will gain knowledge and tools to navigate and thrive in the evolving AV industry, fostering meaningful conversations about its future.

    Commercial Integrator Expo, a full-featured exposition and conference addressing the needs of today’s fixed installation audiovisual systems professionals and technology managers, announces an all-new educational program for Commercial Integrator Expo (CIX) 2024. Designed for audiovisual systems professionals and technology managers in corporate, higher education, hospitality, retail and light commercial market settings, the CIX Conference will offer over 20 sessions designed to inspire professionals, focusing on emerging trends in lighting, digital signage, security and unified communications, new revenue opportunities and the future of workplaces.

    The CIX Conference will empower participants to discover innovative strategies and business models that drive growth and profitability. Additionally, the evolving landscape of workplace environments, higher education facilities and light commercial settings, and the technologies shaping their future will be explored in depth. Industry subject matter experts, including Colin Birney, David Danto, Dan Ferrisi, Gary Kayye, Kevin Kieller, Chris Neto, Randy Tritz, Amelia Vrabel and many others, will provide insights into emerging collaboration technology, commercial lighting design, security integration trends, and techniques for enhancing connectivity in remote and hybrid environments.

    A few highlights of the CIX Conference’s educational programming include:

    – Attendees can join Jimmie Singleton, Business Development Manager, SLED, AVI-SPL, to explore building immersive classroom environments that boost student engagement and enrollment. They will learn how VR, projection mapping and virtual production transform learning spaces beyond traditional classrooms, and discover practical strategies, not sales pitches, for modernizing education.

    – A successful workspace must balance the needs of people who want to work from different locations. The solution involves human-centered design thinking and technology, and it will be up to AV, UCC, and digital signage technologists to create this solution. In this session, Gary Kayye, Co-Founder of THE rAVe Agency takes the audience on a journey of how to achieve this balance effectively.

    – Join industry expert Mike White, Principal, AV Maven, for his session, “Digital Signage for the Rest of Us!” While others chase retail digital signage installations, this session focuses on making money by selling digital signage in verticals perfect for everyone else. Attendees with an interest in doing digital signage right the first time, creating recurring revenue for their company, or are tired of selling boxes with diminishing margins won’t want to miss this session.

    – Attendees can join Steph Beckett, Managing Editor, from rAVe [PUBS] and a panel of leading manufacturers and experts for “What’s Next in Commercial Lighting Trends?” The industry experts will discuss the current state of commercial lighting and what’s next. Attendees won’t want to miss this session, where they’ll discover new trends and learn how to incorporate them to enhance their revenue stream.

    “The CIX Conference is designed to provide industry professionals with the knowledge and tools to navigate and thrive in an evolving industry,” said Jason McGraw, CTS, group vice president for Emerald. “This year’s sessions address new challenges and opportunities, providing attendees with actionable insights and innovative strategies. We are excited to bring together industry leaders to share their expertise and drive meaningful conversations about the future of audiovisual systems in our work and business environments.”

  • IP Showcase Returns to the Water at IBC2024

    IP Showcase Returns to the Water at IBC2024

    The IP Showcase educates industry attendees on IP media solutions, focusing on market requirements and improving workflows with evolving standards and technology stacks. It aims to ease deployment for end users.

    The Alliance for IP Media Solutions (AIMS), Audio Engineering Society (AES), Advanced Media Workflow Association (AMWA), European Broadcasting Union (EBU), SMPTE®, and the Video Services Forum (VSF) today announced that the IP Showcase on the Water will return to Amsterdam during IBC2024 — being held Sept. 13 to 16 at RAI Amsterdam. The IP Showcase on the Water will take place on canal cruise boats from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 15. The one-day event comprises six one-hour cruises. Each will accommodate up to 35 attendees and feature two 20-minute sessions from top experts, for a total of 12 presentations on a wide range of IP-related topics.

    The hugely successful event took its maiden voyage in 2023, with an impressive turnout and enthusiastic participation. This response not only showcased the critical role IP technology plays in driving industry advancements but also solidified the IP Showcase as a pivotal event for professionals and enthusiasts alike. The achievements and positive feedback from IP Showcase on the Water 2023 strongly support the return of the event in 2024, promising even greater opportunities for networking, learning, and collaboration.

    “The success of the IP Showcase on the Water 2023 underscored the transformative impact of IP technology in both the broadcast and pro AV industries,” said Andrew Starks, AIMS Marketing Work Group chair. “It was inspiring to see the innovative solutions and collaborative spirit on display, demonstrating how far we’ve come and setting the stage for an even more connected future. We’re very excited to set sail again in 2024, with an even bigger boat.”

    More information on sessions, schedules, and registration will be available soon. Boats will be departing from Strandzuid, located near RAI Amsterdam at Europaplein 22, 1078 GZ Amsterdam. Further information about the IP Showcase, including recordings from previous presentations, is available at www.ipshowcase.org.

  • PowerHouse Alliance Expands National Presence with New Locations & Strategic Leadership Hire

    PowerHouse Alliance Expands National Presence with New Locations & Strategic Leadership Hire

    PowerHouse Alliance is a national consortium of regional wholesale distributors, offering over 250+ product lines and cost efficiencies for manufacturers and customers in the audio/video, home entertainment, security, networking, and IT markets.

    The PowerHouse Alliance is announcing significant growth with new locations for its members KOA, Alarmax, Davis Distribution, 21st Century, and Pioneer, as well as the appointment of Gary Usher as the new Vice President of Marketing & Events. This expansion aims to enhance dealer support and industry leadership through increased accessibility and superior services.

    The PowerHouse Alliance is expanding its footprint by opening new locations and welcoming Gary Usher as the new Vice President of Marketing & Events to enhance dealer support and industry leadership. The new locations for Davis Distribution, 21st Century, and Pioneer will improve accessibility and services for dealers, while Usher’s appointment aims to boost dealer engagement through dynamic events, training initiatives, and increased awareness of the alliance’s offerings.

    The PowerHouse Alliance, a premier national consortium of wholesale distributors delivering AV products for custom installers in both the residential and commercial markets, today announces significant growth with the opening of new locations for PowerHouse Alliance members KOA, Alarmax, Davis Distribution, 21st Century, and Pioneer in 2024. Additionally, the Alliance is pleased to welcome Gary Usher as the new Vice President of Marketing & Events, further bolstering its commitment to dealer support and industry leadership.

    Expanding Footprint with New Locations

    PowerHouse Alliance continues to strengthen its national presence, ensuring greater accessibility and superior services for dealers across the country. The new locations for Davis Distribution, 21st Century, and Pioneer are strategically positioned to meet increasing dealer demand and provide timely access to top-tier products and support.

    “Expanding our member locations is a testament to the PowerHouse Alliance’s commitment to being a trusted partner for dealers nationwide,” said Dennis Holzer, Executive Director of PowerHouse Alliance. “These new locations will enable us to offer enhanced support and greater territory convenience to our dealers, empowering them to thrive in a competitive market.”

    Welcoming Gary Usher as VP of Marketing & Events

    In a strategic move to enhance its leadership team, PowerHouse Alliance proudly announces the appointment of Gary Usher as the new Vice President of Marketing & Events. Based in Los Angeles, Gary brings a wealth of experience and a passionate, customer-focused approach to his new role.

    “Having worked with PowerHouse during my years at Volutone, I am excited to join the team and further our mission,” said Usher. “I am dedicated to increasing awareness among our dealers and integrators about the diverse range of independent choices, conveniences and advanced technologies we offer. I look forward to enhancing dealer engagement through dynamic events and comprehensive training initiatives.”

    Gary will play a pivotal role in optimizing the national presence of PowerHouse Alliance through a series of regional and coast-to-coast events, trainings, and webinars. His efforts will focus on engaging integrators and promoting the industry’s top brands carried by PowerHouse members.

    “We are thrilled to welcome Gary Usher to the PowerHouse Alliance team as our new Vice President of Marketing & Events,” added Holzer. “Gary’s extensive industry experience, coupled with his innovative and customer-centric approach, will be invaluable as we continue to expand our reach and enhance our support for dealers. His vision and leadership will drive our marketing initiatives and create impactful events that connect our dealers with the cutting-edge products and technologies they need to succeed.”