Post-InfoComm, the good folks at WolfVision brought their new Cynap collaboration appliance to the office for a demo and a chat. Cynap is the latest entry into the increasingly crowded wireless collaboration space, competing with not only the WePresent and its OEM cousins (Barco Clickshare CSM, Crestron Air Media, Extron Sharepoint, etc.), but also with […]
Gary Kayye recently wrote about the death of TV, which could be going the way of the AV system. The question this brings to me is that of, ‘What do we lose in both experience and community?’ As a professional, of course, I also think of what this means in the commercial world. Can we […]
Last week my fellow consultants and I were invited to an event at conferencing stalwart Polycom’s New York City experience center. It’s a pretty and shiny new spot at One Penn Plaza, with a nice river view outside and their technological toys inside. For me the more interesting part isn’t the specifics of a single […]
Earlier this year I had a client ask the specifications of the “PC – OFE” (Personal Computer – Owner Furnished Equipment) in one of their conference rooms. This was a series of near-identical videoconferencing rooms designed quite a few years ago and now approaching the completion of installation. What followed was a discussion both frustrating […]
I seem to have acquired a spool of glowing glass. OK, it’s an architectural sample of Corning’s Fibrance light diffusing fiber, and it landed on my desk as an architectural sample of something which intrigued one of the members of the design team on a project I’m working on. What to do with it? That […]
I’m not doing much in terms of post-InfoComm wrap-up this year; like some of you, I watched from afar. There might be something to say about that process and how it developed over the years, especially with new tools like Periscope available for live-streaming of booth-tours and even parties. Today I’d like to revisit the […]
The is an AV post but also a feminist post; it seems that this is the time of year for me to discuss such things. Last year, if we’ll recall, I wrote about the use of female models to attract attention at trade-shows — so called “booth babes.” What got my attention this year? I […]
Control and automation can be the most fun part of AV design — from the blank canvas of a user interface, one can create anything. Preview windows? Live tiles? A photo of the room which reacts as conditions change? Imagination is the limit, but there are many pitfalls. Today we’ll talk about why some users […]
I’ll open with a personal note: This marks the 200th published post on this blog! Over the past years we’ve talked about commercial AV, speculative fiction, and even enjoyed some original writing. I’d like to thank all of you for joining me on this journey, and hope to continue to share my words with you […]
This will be one of two upcoming Flash Fiction Fridays dealing with the moon, and more science-fictional than my usual fare. As readers of this blog know, I not only work in the audiovisual field, but also have a somewhat active presence in the AV online community, including occasional appearance on AV-related podcasts, this blog, […]
Editor’s note: This blog was written as an introduction to display technologies for non-industry insiders. Everyone can use a refresher though, so we’re reprinting here anyway. OLED! LED! Plasma(RIP)! There are, today, quite a few technologies for video displays. What does it mean? What’s best? Today we’ll talk about video displays. This is an AV […]
Today’s post is seems to be about disparate topics, but at its heart regards something quite important to me as a writer and, perhaps surprisingly, as an AV designer. Today we’re talking about metaphor. Last week, I came across this drawing by British artist Alice Hershel, drawing under the name Glytxh (the drawings are quire […]
Last week I appeared on the AV Powerup podcast to discuss, amongst other things, HDBaseT. Taking the time to listen to myself (this is a sign of responsibility to monitor messaging and personal branding, not at all vanity. Honestly) it seemed that I was quite negative on HDBaseT as a technology — I described it […]
As InfoComm time grows nearer (for my non-professional connections, InfoComm is the annual trade show for professional audiovisual industry) I think back towards a conversation I had at the Women in AV dinner with Kristin Rector of ListenTech. We’d been talking about family and, at the moment, about my then-seven year old daughter (in a […]
How is instant replay like a gooseneck microphone? As some of you might know, I’m a dedicated baseball fan – specifically of the New York Mets. In recent years, Major League Baseball has added an instant replay system in which a dedicated team in a remote location are available to review close plays if a […]
Show, don’t tell. It is THE quintessential writing advice for good reason. Don’t tell us that a character is brave – show them facing a fear. While you’re at it, don’t tell us they are afraid — show us the quickening pulse, the sweaty palms, the tightness in the belly. Paint a word picture. Avoid […]
After completing four episodes of The cAValry Rides! Show on rAVe RADIO, we have received accolades from many — in fact our show has been called everything from Drive Time to Morning Zoo. Our guests Tweet out after every show recording in excitement telling about their show experiences. For our latest Episode 4: Rabbits, Potholes […]
Now that I own a home out in suburbia, I have cause to sample the residential side of the tech market. As winter approaches, I’m making a two-pronged attack on the elements — low tech (weatherstripping and better attic insulation) and high (a new fancy thermostat). As this is a half-technology blog we’ll focus on […]
HDBaseT has been described as a bridge technology between traditional video transport and IP-based systems, the time for which is rapidly arriving. It’s a technology about which I’ve not been excited for some time; every manufacturer not only uses the same chipset (produced by Valens), but appears to have settled on the same form-factor and […]
I’ve been away from AV writing this month while doing my annual Nightmare Fuel project, but a few weeks ago I was able to take a few minutes of my lunchbreak to attend the NEC Partners’ Showcase. This is one of those neat little events at which one can meet up with friends in the […]
As some of you know, I’ve recently moved (which is why I’m not here quite as much) and am trying to take my kitchen to the modern era. When told about the kitchen project, people are invariably off all manner of advice and requests. I’ve been asked often if I’ll be putting a microwave above […]
As a lover of both words and technology, I take particular notice of word choices in the technical realm. One recent change I noted was when the OS on my phone upgraded itself to Android 4.4.2. In addition to the various cosmetic changes, there was a shift in label of one particular icon from the […]
To begin, I want to speak on a personal level. This blog is without a doubt the most important one I have written yet, and as some out there know it almost didn’t happen for various reasons. However, after much cajoling (in a good way) by certain individuals — yes, you know who you are […]
A week past my return from InfoComm, I’m finally getting to write my overall reflections on the show and what technology I saw there. For further perspectives, visit my esteemed colleague Alex Mayo, who offers his own perspective. Alex is a bright man and a very talented designer with whom I’m quite fortunate to work. […]
My InfoComm wrap-up will be in FOUR parts this time. Next part will be about technology. Before we get into that, I have something important to say — something about this show which bothers me. Read on. Some of you who follow me on Twitter might have seen my hashtag #AVHallOfShame. It’s one I use […]
The second — and final — day of this year’s InfoComm journey is behind me. More when I get home, but here are a few quick impressions: Vaddio debuted its new line of Roboshot cameras. These have some nice features, including installer-adjustable lens stops to configure the same camera for wide angle or tight zoom […]
Some super-quick pixel-and-ink stained impressions from Day 1 of my InfoComm experience. Expect a longer update when I return to New York and have the time to digest the events of the show and figure out what the overall story is. For now, quick impressions: Pat Brown remains smart. I had the pleasure of a […]
InfoComm time is almost here! I’ll resume my tradition from last year and share with you my thoughts on things for which to look on the show floor. Those of you following the discussion online should be aware that my esteemed colleague, AV wunderkind Alex Mayo has already weighed in on this from the cubicle […]
Digital is fun. Digital is sexy. Digital is what gives us the tools to manipulate sound and video in ways which would have been impossible not too long ago. Today video switchers are digital. Audio mixing consoles are digital. Fancy speaker arrays and even mic arrays are digital. The world is so digital that it […]
Greetings, friends and followers! My apologies for the various obligations (professional and personal), side-projects, and secret adventures which have kept me away from these pages for the past week. After a weekend off the grid at an undisclosed location I’m refreshed and ready to dive into all of the news in AV-land on this, the […]
Happy Friday! Here are some of the top stories we think you can’t miss from this week. They include, some InfoComm 2014 announcements, a digital signage column from Scott Tiner, a preview from Revolabs and Listen Technologies from Leonard Suskin and more! We hope you enjoy this edition of the Weekly Wrap-Up and if you […]
Summer is coming, and with it, new product releases. I’ve been lucky enough to get a few sneak peeks at new products due for release this InfoComm. I’ve not seen anything quite earth shattering or revolutionary as of yet, but a string of reminders as to how small, thoughtful decisions can create significant improvements. There […]
