Budget, Inventory and ‘Standards’

For years, I have been the poster child for standards in classrooms. I have made this argument for a very long time at my school and through talks and at conferences. The arguments for standardization are powerful and plentiful. The ability for staff to only need to be focused on a certain family of products […]

Budget, Inventory and ‘Standards’

The Daily Raff: ISE 2023 Day 4 Thoughts

Wow. And just like that, the show is over. I really can’t believe it. I’ve focused heavily on products and solutions the past few days, and I’ll still mention a couple of things, but today I really want to talk a little more in-depth about exactly what goes into this show. As you can see […]

The Daily Raff: ISE 2023 Day 4 Thoughts

The Daily Raff: ISE 2023 Day 3 Thoughts

I’m baaaaaaaaack and ready to report from Day Three! I can’t believe the show is 3/4 of the way over. I’ve had such a great time and even saw a few friends on the show floor. If you’re new here, this trade show column series used to be called “Steph Says,” but is now known […]

The Daily Raff: ISE 2023 Day 3 Thoughts

The Daily Raff: ISE 2023 Day 2 Thoughts

Hello again from ISE 2023! I’m here reporting from Day Two, where I have seen some really great tech! Like yesterday, I spent the majority of my time in halls 2 and 3 (these are where all of the UCC and multitech products are). I’m going to include a lot of that in this piece […]

The Daily Raff: ISE 2023 Day 2 Thoughts

The Daily Raff: ISE 2023 Day 1 Thoughts

Hello from ISE 2023! It’s Day One of the show, and we’re feeling great! I love Barcelona so much, and I’m so thrilled to be back with all my #AVtweeps. More to come..but here's a quick look from #ISE2023. #AVtweeps pic.twitter.com/xvI6QO2Ji8 — rAVe [PUBS] (@rAVePubs) January 31, 2023 Let’s first talk about the name of […]

The Daily Raff: ISE 2023 Day 1 Thoughts

How to Get From Here to There and Everywhere at ISE 2023

ISE 2023 is almost here, which means it’s time to pull out the suitcase, dust off the passport and read this fun-filled article that breaks down everything you need to know about transportation in Barcelona, Spain. First up, yes, there are Ubers, and I would highly suggest taking one from the airport to your hotel. […]

How to Get From Here to There and Everywhere at ISE 2023

How to Tackle the ISE Show Floor: Advice From rAVe Video Shooters

ISE 2023 is right around the corner, and as such a big show, it’s hard to know how to approach. Here to guide you through tacking the ISE show floor are seasoned rAVe video shooters Anne-Marie Barr, Abbie Ashford, and Steph Beckett. They give insight into how to divide your time, get from hall to […]

How to Tackle the ISE Show Floor: Advice From rAVe Video Shooters

They’re Coming for Your Business

They’re coming for your business. Flattened by the pandemic and bolstered by the ProAV market trend towards experiential, Europe’s live events companies will broaden their businesses to include systems integration. For decades, it was an exception if you saw a specialized AV events company with a full business unit in the more static business of […]

They’re Coming for Your Business

How to Explore Barcelona at ISE 2023

With ISE 2023 fast approaching, AV professionals from around the globe are planning on descending in Barcelona. The show, quite obviously, is the main attraction. However, there is so much more to do in Barcelona itself. “Barcelona is more than a city: it is a lifestyle, different from that of any other European capital,” said […]

How to Explore Barcelona at ISE 2023

ISE 2023: What #AVtweeps Are Most Looking Forward To

Grab your passport and suitcase, #AVtweeps, because the world’s largest AV trade show is right around the corner. Integrated Systems Europe’s (ISE) annual event brings together tech enthusiasts and AV professionals from around the world for the ultimate celebration of innovation. After a wildly successful year in 2022, ISE will be returning to its home […]

ISE 2023: What #AVtweeps Are Most Looking Forward To

The Sessions Checklist You Didn’t Know You Needed for ISE 2023!

With ISE 2023 right around the corner, there is no shortage of things that will keep you entertained. Once you’re on the show floor for a couple hours, though, you may find yourself eager to take a load off of your feet. Here is a quick list of educational sessions you should consider attending at […]

The Sessions Checklist You Didn’t Know You Needed for ISE 2023!

Preparing for ISE 2023: One-Week Check-In

Hello, #AVtweeps. Nothing says crunch time like a trade show in exactly! one! week! If you’re like me and feel like you’re running around like a crazy person, never fear. Here is the list of what you should be working to finish and accomplish before ISE begins in Barcelona next week. Relax. Take a deep […]

Preparing for ISE 2023: One-Week Check-In

What Is the rAVe Squad Bringing to ISE 2023? Your Ultimate Packing List!

In just a few days, we are jetting to Spain for the highly anticipated ISE 2023 exhibition! While many of us are well-versed in international travel, we thought it would help to share our beloved packing list for any ISE or Barcelona newbies. The list is comprised of recommendations throughout our office. Here are our […]

What Is the rAVe Squad Bringing to ISE 2023? Your Ultimate Packing List!

Ask Dr. Ann: How Can We Transition Back Into the Office?

With all the changes taking place as a result of the pandemic, what do you recommend organizations consider to successfully transition back to the office? Transitioning back to the office requires more than logistics and out-of-the-box video solutions. It requires quantifying employee and client needs and exploring communications options for sharing information and collaborating at […]

Ask Dr. Ann: How Can We Transition Back Into the Office?

Did an AI Write This Blog?

Over the past several months, ChatGPT has taken the techie world by storm. We have all seen bits on social media of “I asked ChatGPT to tell me about XYZ, And here is what it said.”  This is followed by the amazingly accurate and human responses they get. If you have not tried it yet, […]

Did an AI Write This Blog?

We Are Doing It All Wrong!

How Can We Do Better? In this new world of “Return to Office,” we are faced with an interesting question… what exactly is RTO/what is the “New Normal” and how do we plan for the future of work in that new paradigm. In looking at the landscape, we seem to have companies firmly planting flags […]

We Are Doing It All Wrong!

EXCLUSIVE: Jennifer Goodyer on the Formation of WAVIT

Women in AV/IT (WAVIT) officially launched on Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2022. Founded by and for women, the group’s primary purpose is to strive for gender equality in the AV/IT industries and recruit and retain women in the industry. We sat down with Jennifer Goodyer, CTS, one of the organization’s founders and sales manager at RTSales, […]

EXCLUSIVE: Jennifer Goodyer on the Formation of WAVIT

An Interview With Matt Anderson, President and CEO of Sound Devices

This is an interview with Matt Anderson, president and CEO at Sound Devices, as written by Steph Beckett. It has been edited for clarity. Can you, first off, give me a little background on Sound Devices for those who might not be familiar? We’ve been around since 1998. I’m one of the original founders … […]

An Interview With Matt Anderson, President and CEO of Sound Devices

Preparing for ISE 2023: Three-Week Check-In

Hello #AVtweeps, if you’re reading this, it likely means that you are considering or attending ISE 2023 in Barcelona. I’m sure for many of you, it’s your first time at this location, and I can assure you, it’s going to be great. Here are some tips and things to go ahead and get started on […]

Preparing for ISE 2023: Three-Week Check-In

Something to BRAG About

If you are old enough, some of you will remember a TV commercial from the 1980s in which an actor said, “I’m not a doctor, although I play one on TV…” I want to preface this column by saying that I am not a project manager, nor have I played one on TV. But I […]

Something to BRAG About

DSE 2022 Overall Experience Was Great for Me

I attended DSE 2022, and my agenda for the show was to meet with people whom I had either only met over video, had not seen in a long time, or people I had not met before to find more opportunities direct or indirect. This was my first event show in the past few years […]

DSE 2022 Overall Experience Was Great for Me

If You’re in Live Events, Be More Creative …

We’ve got to stop being so reactive. Stop giving them just what they want. “If you don’t tell them it exists, they certainly won’t buy it from you!” Our clients just aren’t that creative. LED Imaging ✅ Stage ✅ LED Lighting ✅ Loud ✅ As Gen Z continues to emerge as the most creative generation […]

If You’re in Live Events, Be More Creative …

Letting Go of Yesterday to Get Ready for the AV of Today

It was 1997 when AV entered my world through desktop videoconferencing. I was an ignorant twenty-nothing college student. On the invitation of a friend, I stumbled into an internship for desktop collaboration. I’ll save you the math, I’m 49 now. And in ’97, desktop collaboration technology was as immature as I was. How are people […]

Letting Go of Yesterday to Get Ready for the AV of Today

23 Things AV Manufacturers Have Planned For 2023

A new year has begun. 2023 will usher in a chance for the ProAV industry to create, innovate and grow. We spoke with 23 different manufacturers—like AtlasIED, Shure and Legrand—to see what’s on they have in store for the year ahead. Here’s what they had to say… Atlona celebrates its 20th anniversary with the launch […]

23 Things AV Manufacturers Have Planned For 2023

Tis the Season

Tis the season and technology managers are seeing green. They are dreaming of purchases arriving in boxes. Red lights are everywhere! Yes, it is the holiday season, but that is not what I am referencing. In higher education, it is also budget season. The vast majority of higher education institutions have a fiscal year that […]

Tis the Season

5 Technologies to Future-Proof Church AV

Out of all of the applications and go-to-market opportunities for ProAV solutions, House of Worship AV (or Church AV) is the most critical to have a future-proof solution. Think about it: No other application of a full, end-to-end, broadcast-quality-ready AV integration is used weekly (or more) by an institution or entity that doesn’t staff a […]

5 Technologies to Future-Proof Church AV

Energy Costs Now a Serious Problem for ProAV Industry

The invasion of Ukraine, following on the heels of the loss of business due to the pandemic, creates economic aftershocks in the very heart of the European AV business. Soaring energy costs now cripple the cultural sector, and an example from Brussels, the heart of the EU, shows the stress on the AV and related […]

Energy Costs Now a Serious Problem for ProAV Industry

You’ve Got the Look

Before COVID, I spent a lot of work time in the field in a lot of public places: offices, retail stores, shopping malls, parking lots. Especially parking lots. I joke that I have two offices: my home office, and the Tim Hortons parking lot on 39 Ave NE in Calgary where the Wi-Fi signal is […]

You’ve Got the Look

AV 101: Digital Signage for the Industry Newbie

In the fall of 2020, as I waited in the single line at my California grocery store (making sure to keep the federally recommended 6 feet of distance), a display on a makeshift stand showed a single number indicating which checker was available to help me. The line was long. As I waited, I had […]

AV 101: Digital Signage for the Industry Newbie

Ask Dr. Ann: How Do I Get Into the Resimercial Market?

For a residential integrator looking to get into the “resimercial” (and therefore home office) segment of the market, what are some steps you’d recommend? After experiencing a global pandemic, we have all realized that remote work productivity has often outpaced in-office work; many workers experienced significant value in working from home. Working from home is […]

Ask Dr. Ann: How Do I Get Into the Resimercial Market?

Working in a Hyper-Political World

Perhaps it is due to the recent mid-term elections in the United States, but it seems to me that political discussion, references and opinions have entered more and more into our professional lives. A Fortune magazine article recently detailed the ban that Meta has put in place on the discussion of “sensitive” topics at work. […]

Working in a Hyper-Political World

Top Tech Gifts for 2022

They say it’s better to give than to receive—and I agree! There is nothing that makes my heart happier than handing someone the perfect present and watching the joy rush over their face as they open it. Of course I had to ask the community to give their input on the top tech gifts for […]

Top Tech Gifts for 2022