Recorded March 21, 2025 In this episode, the crew explores the absurdities of their roles, the challenges of getting a seat at the table for capital projects, and the importance of being the canary in the coal mine when it comes to network issues. With a blend of humor and practical insights, they tackle everything from AI avatars to the intricacies of AVoIP technology. As the conversation unfolds, the panel shares their experiences with navigating the complexities of institutional collaboration...
Mar 26, 2025•1 hr 9 min•Season 5Ep. 7
Recorded March 12, 2025 The crew dives into a raucous discussion about the nuances of professional development in the AV world. As part of the global Podcasthon, we’re proud to feature the work of the AVIXA Foundation. Joined by special guest Joseph Valerio from the AVIXA Foundation, the panel explores the importance of fostering career pathways and the role of education in shaping the future of AV professionals. With a preview of the upcoming NWMET Conference, the conversation shifts to the val...
Mar 17, 2025•1 hr 14 min•Season 5Ep. 6
Recorded February 19, 2025 In this lively episode, we tackle updating standards amidst fluctuating budgets and the pressure of one-time funds. The discussion also covers the practicalities of AV over IP technology and how it can reshape classroom environments. From the importance of stocking common components to the nuances of managing departmental requests, this episode is a must-listen for anyone involved in AV management. Don't forget to share the podcast with your colleagues, and if you enjo...
Mar 01, 2025•40 min•Season 5Ep. 5
Recorded February 21, 2025 This week, we tackle the pressing issue of integrating PCs with AV gear on the same network, discussing the pros and cons of VLANs, and the legacy decisions that keep those separated. Marc introduces a thought-provoking exercise on prioritizing the capabilities of our learning spaces, and the panel debates the value of various technologies from interactive displays to lecture capture systems. As always, the conversation veers into the absurd, with plenty of laughs alon...
Feb 26, 2025•1 hr 24 min•Season 5Ep. 5
Recorded February 14, 2025 In this Valentine’s Day special, the crew dives into a lively discussion about the latest trends in cloud-hosted monitoring systems that promise to do it all to the quirks of working with various learning management systems. The panel shares their thoughts on the challenges of integrating technology in dynamic spaces and the importance of understanding the needs of users who may not have traditional access to AV equipment. Will they find the perfect balance between fun...
Feb 24, 2025•1 hr 17 min•Season 5Ep. 4
Recorded January 17, 2025 It’s February, which means Groundhog Day! On this episode of On Topic, we review the perennial favorites of the IT and AV world that keep coming back year after year, from the trials of consultants to the challenges of wireless display technologies. We cover the ongoing debates around device compatibility, network security, and the ever-elusive search for the perfect microphone system. Plus, we share our experiences with the quirky requests that come from faculty and st...
Feb 01, 2025•48 min•Season 5Ep. 4
Recorded January 24, 2025 We’re joined by Colin Birney who highlights how MSPs operate as a tier-two support system, providing expertise and assistance for institutions that may not have the resources to manage their AV systems effectively. This model allows for a more streamlined approach to troubleshooting and ensures that educational institutions can focus on their primary mission: teaching and learning. The discussion also touches on the often amusing colloquial names given to various campus...
Jan 29, 2025•1 hr 21 min•Season 5Ep. 3
Recorded January 10, 2025 In our first episode of the year, we launch a brand new series where we review some of our recent internal projects. Marc kicks it off with his project of an ambitious transformation of a residential-standard building into a modern collaborative space, complete with flexible meeting spaces for a mix of university staff and non-university guest users. Also news of the discontinuation of Crestron's DigitalMedia products (but not really) and consumer devices driving commer...
Jan 15, 2025•1 hr 6 min•Season 5Ep. 2
Recorded December 13, 2025 Welcome to the future! Join us as we review last year's predictions, with some hits and plenty of misses, and make bold new forecasts for the year ahead. From more Microsoft integration woes to the potential of all-in-one LED displays, there's plenty to discuss and debate. AI-suggested Alternate show titles: Predictions, Pontifications, and Preposterous Proclamations The Future is Now, and It’s Confusing Consultants, Cabling, and Crystal Balls AI: Under Every Couch Cus...
Jan 01, 2025•55 min•Season 5Ep. 3
Recorded December 6, 2024 Celebrate with us as we hit a milestone - Episode 100 of Off the Rails! This episode is packed with nostalgia, laughter, and a touch of chaos as we reminisce about our journey. Join Chris, Jamie, Marc, Larry, Justin, and special guest Rachel as they dive into their favorite moments and discuss when AV was truly the most AV. We also explore the world of 4D movie experiences with Justin's hilarious recount of a wild ride at a Nashville theater. If you've ever wondered abo...
Dec 11, 2024•1 hr 20 min•Season 5Ep. 1
Recorded November 22, 2024 In this special holiday episode, we explore why we've all landed on AV Santa's naughty list this year. Jamie recounts a PTP clock fiasco, Marc reviews his overly ambitious Teams Rooms rollout, Larry finds himself recommending 21:9 displays, Justin grapples with direct view LED walls and network islands, and Chris rounds it off with tales of outdated equipment and missed opportunities in building renovations. Be sure to join us for our live Christmas special on Friday, ...
Dec 01, 2024•43 min•Season 5Ep. 2
Recorded November 15, 2024 (Still AI slop that needs editing for coherence - cjd) Can you feel the tension of an impending finale? As we approach the century mark, we review the perils of product development to the disconnect between manufacturers and end users. Shaun shares his insider perspective on how manufacturers prioritize product ideas, the role of software in AV, and the importance of customer feedback in shaping the future of technology. We also explore the pitfalls of one-size-fits-al...
Nov 21, 2024•1 hr 12 min•Season 4Ep. 24
Recorded November 8, 2024 (Is it just me or are these AI-generated summaries getting worse?) Join us to discuss the pros and cons of AV over IP encoders and the sunk cost fallacy of repurposing outdated AV equipment. We debate the practicality of multi-input encoders, the allure of HDBaseT cameras, and the inevitable obsolescence of technology. Are these AV solutions worth the investment, or is it time to move on? The conversation meanders into the realm of aspect ratios, the future of ultra-wid...
Nov 13, 2024•1 hr•Season 4Ep. 23
Recorded October 30, 2024 (I’m still letting AI write this, but I have to edit it more and more recently - cjd) It's time for a Thanksgiving special with the AV SuperFriends! We’re discussing our favorite AV "side dishes"—those unsung heroes in AV systems that make everything work smoothly. As they gather for a virtual Thanksgiving dinner, the AV SuperFriends explore the role of HDMI extenders, button panels with built-in processors, and ever-useful IP-controlled power distribution. They also di...
Nov 01, 2024•46 min•Season 5Ep. 1
Recorded October 18, 2024 (Still written by the AI goon squad - cjd) Get ready for a wild ride about projects and products that almost hit the mark but fell short, and the ever-present challenge of finding the perfect balance between seminar rooms and classrooms. We dive into topics like the future of smart glasses in classrooms, the pitfalls of hardware-based annotation devices, and the elusive middle ground between basic seminar rooms and full-fledged integrated systems. We also cover the chal...
Oct 24, 2024•1 hr 11 min•Season 4Ep. 22
Recorded throughout October 2024 In our biggest production ever, we’re proud to present AVSF: The Ghost in the Machine. The AV SuperFriends are called upon to fix haunted classrooms on campus. Join the team as they venture into the heart of the haunting, battling against time and supernatural forces to uncover the secrets buried beneath the campus. With humor, teamwork, and a touch of the paranormal, this episode promises thrills, chills, spills, bills, and a few laughs along the way. This was 3...
Oct 18, 2024•1 hr 21 min•Season 1Ep. 10
Recorded October 11, 2024 (Yes, I let AI write all this stuff - cjd) We dive into the world of assistive technologies, AI-generated transcripts, and the quirks of Bluetooth systems. Today's discussion zeroes in on the upcoming digital accessibility deadlines, the challenges of compliance, and the importance of starting somewhere, even when the task seems daunting. We also explore the exciting potential of Bluetooth Low Energy audio systems and how they can revolutionize assistive listening in ed...
Oct 16, 2024•1 hr 14 min•Season 4Ep. 21
Recorded September 27, 2024 (Yes, I let AI write all this stuff cjd) Today's discussion tackles topics such as the minimum viable product for AV projects and the challenges of AI-generated content. The conversation dives into the intricacies of AV project management, from cutting corners during commissioning, to the potential pitfalls of cloud-based management systems. The team also shares their thoughts on the latest trends in AV technology, including the rise of cloud services for managing AV ...
Oct 07, 2024•1 hr•Season 4Ep. 20
Recorded September 20, 2024 (Yes, I let AI write this - cjd) Welcome to the AV SuperFriends on Topic, episode number 51! In this special October episode, we dive into the scariest trends in AV. From the pitfalls of over-reliance on IT-centric AV solutions to the haunting rise of unrealistic client expectations, this episode is packed with spine-chilling insights and our signature blend of expertise and humor. Today's discussion tackles topics like the overcomplication of AV systems, the dangers ...
Oct 01, 2024•33 min•Season 4Ep. 13
Recorded September 13, 2024 (Yes, I let AI write all this stuff - cjd) In this special Friday the 13th episode, the AV SuperFriends are back with a mix of humor, chaos, and insightful discussions on the latest in higher ed AV. Today's topics include the love-hate relationship with button panels and the complexities of troubleshooting AV systems. The team dives into why button panels are still relevant, the importance of simplifying user interfaces, and the pitfalls of overcomplicating troublesho...
Sep 20, 2024•1 hr 5 min•Season 4Ep. 19
Recorded August 16, 2024 (Yes, I let AI write all this stuff - cjd) Chris Dechter kicks off another Friday afternoon podcast adventure with the AV SuperFriends. Despite a larger panel and some absences, the team dives into the ever-thrilling topic of budgeting in higher education AV systems. Joined by a diverse panel including Marc Cholewczynski, Larry Darling, Justin Rexing, Lyle Waldron, and Donnie Merritt, the discussion revolves around the challenges and strategies of managing AV budgets acr...
Sep 01, 2024•45 min•Season 4Ep. 12
Recorded August 23, 2024 (Yes, I let AI write this - cjd) On today’s show, we dive into some of the worst AV mistakes we’ve ever made but never admitted to. From miswired speaker systems to network multicast nightmares, this episode is a confessional of epic proportions. We also tackle a listener email about tuning audio in a room, offering practical advice on how to make classrooms sound better using DSPs like QSC’s Q-SYS. Article discussed: Extron Firmware Update: https://www.extron.com/articl...
Aug 30, 2024•1 hr 18 min•Season 4Ep. 18
Recorded August 9, 2024 Chris is confused about what day it is so he has to intro the show twice. Then once we’ve figure that out, we’re joined by Robert Durbin and Travis Cawthorne from Kramer AV to talk about their recent acquisition of ZeeVee. Next, we discuss the concept of streamlining classroom AV systems to just a PC or laptop… or both. Why does anyone need more than that anyway? All your content is starting there, so get rid of the rest of your stuff! It’s contentious, but surely a glimp...
Aug 15, 2024•1 hr 15 min•Season 4Ep. 17
Recorded (and streamed live) on July 26, 2024 No topic provided again this month, so we decided to look at the numbers for display technologies. Where does it make sense to consider LCDs vs. projectors vs. LEDs? Chris even built a spreadsheet of rough numbers because he’s a nerd that way. Are LEDs becoming cheap enough to replace projectors? Is anyone building LCD videowalls these days? What are you installing on your campus? Spreadsheet link: https://tinyurl.com/dkxv92t4 Alternate show titles: ...
Aug 01, 2024•32 min•Season 4Ep. 11
Recorded July 19, 2024 It’s the summer doldrums, so instead of news, Marc shares the AV experiences from his summer vacation to the House of Mouse. Oddly painted speakers, immersion breaking VR, and RF-beacon driven proximity audio broadcasts are just some of the highlights. Then we respond to a Reddit forum post about how university AV teams are structured. Everyone is a bit different and we didn’t even get to full division organization charts. Some of us have partner teams on campus, some do i...
Jul 25, 2024•1 hr 14 min•Season 4Ep. 16
Recorded July 12, 2024 We’re bookending the show with SMPTE 2110 stories, so we start with discussion of Cisco hosting a webinar on Precision Time Protocol (PTP). If you don’t know what all that is, it’s potentially huge news for AVoIP to play nice on enterprise networks from the sleepy giant of networking. Then we discuss the non-electronic products we prefer for building equipment racks, mounting projectors, hiding gear behind display monitors, and working with conference tables. We’re pretty ...
Jul 19, 2024•1 hr 6 min•Season 4Ep. 15
Recorded June 26, 2024 No topic was provided this month, so instead we’re going to make this our summer Fourth of July special. So, get out your flags, wake up the kids for the renewal of their annual loyalty oath, fire up the grills, smoker, or barbecue, light off the sparklers and firecrackers, and let’s celebrate America by blowing up a small part of it. We’ve each collected our favorite AV products, solutions, services, or approaches that we’d like to blow up. Larry doesn’t like formal instr...
Jul 02, 2024•30 min•Season 4Ep. 5
Recorded June 12, 2024 In something of a lost recording that Chris couldn’t find, Justin, Larry, and Chris visit with Liberty AV and speak with Kevin Peterman about AVoIP solutions, Corey Briggs about cloud monitoring, and Ed Jankowski about Liberty’s approach to the AV industry. Special thanks to Brad Thomas for wrangling colleagues. We stream live on the first and third Friday every month and you can listen to everything we record over at AVSuperFriends.com ▀▄▀▄▀ CONTACT LINKS ▀▄▀▄▀ ► Website:...
Jun 27, 2024•17 min•Season 1Ep. 7
Recorded June 21, 2024 The AV SuperFriends have returned from InfoComm which means it’s an InfoComm recap show! Short version: there was far less “AI” braggadocio and way more cloud cloud cloud. For those of you who weren’t able to join us on our traditional Friday AM show floor tour, we review our selections from that and links are below. We also discuss some additional products and solutions that we missed and didn’t read about until the following week but wish we could have seen in person. Pr...
Jun 26, 2024•1 hr 15 min•Season 4Ep. 16
Recorded June 14, 2024 Larry, Justin, and Chris visit with Zach Snook from Biamp (while sitting on the most comfortable chairs on the show floor) to discuss their newest announcements and product updates, including the long-awaited analog input on the VBC conferencing bars. Jamie will be disappointed at no AVB connectivity for expansion, so he’ll have to be satisfied with LAN control and monitoring… for now! We stream live on the first and third Friday every month and you can listen to everythin...
Jun 15, 2024•21 min•Season 1Ep. 6
