Volume 20, Issue 14 — April 13, 2022

rAVe ProAV Edition — Volume 20, Issue 14

April 13, 2022 | Volume: 20 | Issue: 14

I made Gary laugh today (almost) because I said that NFTs were none of my business. Apparently, that couldn’t be further from the truth! NFTs are filtering into our industry, and we need to be prepared. While I don’t think I’ll be purchasing a Bored Ape Yacht Club NFT any time soon (and you shouldn’t either because they are high-key ugly), I do think we’ll start to see usage in digital signage and eventually at home with TVs like the Samsung Frame. If you need more proof of why NFTs are very much your business, read Scott Tiner’s column here.

Also, Brightsign’s Jeff Hastings writes about industry education and whose responsibility it is to hold different types of education. Hint: He says it shouldn’t always fall on the integrator.

Finally, check out the latest from our pals over at Almo Pro A/V to learn how to choose the right network switch for all your AV projects. If you’re a little more AV than IT (in the traditional sense, we can argue all about that next time), you’ll appreciate this article, as it breaks down the different options for different use cases.

Enjoy, folks!

— Steph Beckett

COLUMNS

+ Will NFTs Play a Role in AV? [Scott Tiner]

As AV professionals, we will have to learn how to verify the authenticity of an NFT and how to setup displays to show only NFTs that are verified as having the appropriate permissions. Envision a direct view display that is displaying an NFT but has some type of watermark or indication that shows the viewer that it is original and legitimate. So, just like my print of “Chair,” others could still have an image of the NFT, but anyone looking at it would know that it is not the original.

+ Choosing the Right Network Switch for AV Projects [Eric Olson]

So, you’re putting together your next AV project and the need for a network switch comes up. This could be due to many factors, most commonly for Audiovisual over Internet Protocol (AV-over-IP) applications, control, monitoring or internet connectivity. But if you’re not an experienced IT person or not very knowledgeable about this, what’s the best way to choose the right switch for your project?

+ Why We Need A More Collaborative Approach To Education In The AV Space [Jeff Hastings]

The burden to self-educate falls disproportionately on systems integrators and other technical consultants — these are the wizards whose job it is to know precisely the right mix of hardware and software to weave together to deliver on what customers are asking for. In fact, much of their value is derived from their wealth of industry knowledge earned over the course of many years of successful research and execution. This model worked well for many years, but I believe hardware manufacturers and CMS providers should take a more active role in providing educational opportunities to integrators and technical consultants.