The SDVoE Alliance picked THE rAVe Agency’s rePLAY 2021 event — the week after InfoComm (Nov. 2-4 2021) — to not only launch 8K over the SDVoE ecosystem but the organization is also using rePLAY to show you how its new API works! Gary was joined by SDVoE’s Justin Kennington to talk about 8K, the API, Season […]
In this episode, I speak with John Cheatham of the University of North Georgia. John gives some great insight into how integrators being flexible with their services is key to being a good partner. John also talks about how the university used integrators this summer and how their work required a network reconfiguration. Podcast: Play […]
Although Sony will not physically be at InfoComm 2021, the company will be leveraging the LAVNCH platform to debut plenty of new products during THE rAVe Agency’s rePLAY 2021 event — the week following InfoComm 2021 (Nov. 2-4). rePLAY is designed to wrap up everything we saw at InfoComm 2021, along with covering all the new products we loved […]
Few companies grew as much as SpinetiX did during the pandemic. Even fewer innovated as much. From the cloud-based ARYA to its new Live Agent feature, SpinetiX has a lot of new offerings to show attendees. In addition to bringing its new 4K players with PoE and Wi-Fi, SpinetiX will be using its booth (#2027) to […]
Yes, Absen will physically be at InfoComm 2021 with one of the biggest booths on the show floor, and, yes, the company will be launching new products. With the rise in virtual sets using LEDs and the move toward replacing LCDs with LEDs in meeting rooms, Absen is perfectly positioned for a big-time 2022. Gary caught up […]
On Thursday, Oct. 21, we’ll be hosting a LAVNCH & LEARN with Mediasite — the industry’s leading lecture capture technology. We want you to join; Mediasite — created by Sonic Foundry — is way, way more than lecture capture. In fact, it provides AV integrators with a turnkey video platform for hosting and archiving your client’s entire meeting archive — […]
Lately, there’s a lot of focus on the sales technique of “challenging” customers and their business decisions. I’m all for challenging assumptions, but the way you do it makes all the difference. So tune in to hear my thoughts on what to say … and what not to. Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: […]
In today’s Study With Steph episode, Jay Rogina from Spinitar jumps on a call with me because we are talking about site surveys! If you consider yourself a good integrator, you’ll know the importance of a job site evaluation and what can go wrong if the evaluation is done the wrong way. Jay walks me […]
NanoLumens invented curved and flexible LEDs — that’s its unique differentiation, too. But, in a sea of different LED providers, how does NanoLumens stand out? What are its other strengths? In this Rants & rAVes episode, Kurt DeYoung from NanoLumens tells you why he thinks you should consider this company first as your LED vendor. […]
The future of UCC is more than software and rooms; in fact, it’s well beyond rooms. So here’s a teaser of what you’re going to learn about in next week’s webinar — worth 1 AVIXA CTS RU, too! After watching, don’t forget to register at this link. See you there! Podcast: Play in new […]
Let’s talk about gathering customer information. It’s an important part of specifying any room — you have to know what the customer needs. Of course, gathering info requires a certain level of communication. What are the best ways to communicate with a customer or client? What questions do you ask to properly find out what the customer […]
Samantha Ventura, CEDIA’s longtime head of education, is leaving after creating the industry’s first high-end residential educational certification program. In fact, she created two of them! Why is she leaving, what is she going to do and what is the future of CEDIA in education? Watch! Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: RSS
It’s an exciting time to sell digital signage — with smart signage and connected communications being front and center in the industry. And while certain capabilities may have been around for years, there are significant new use cases for protecting people in public spaces as part of a broader communications strategy. Listen in as TD […]
In the latest episode of Study With Steph, I invite Pete Putman (just in time apparently since he announced his retirement the week after we recorded) to chat with me about wireless radio systems. As you may have learned from Gary Kayye’s Rants & rAVes episode, Pete has had a long and fruitful career in the AV industry, […]
This Tuesday, Gary will introduce you to the future of system and power management for the AV industry. Does this teaser convince you to attend our LAVNCH & LEARN with Snap One? It should! Watch the video and learn more here. Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: RSS
No one covered the InfoComm Projection Shoot-Out better and more thoroughly than Pete Putman. He set the standard for evaluating projectors for nearly a decade. And, if he didn’t like what he saw, sales declined for that brand. Pete created an analytical way to compare projectors that made him into one of the most prolific […]
Learn all about class capture in this episode as I speak with Kathleen Dooley of Midwestern University. Kathleen discusses her role and how much it has evolved to support the video recording, storage and distribution of classes. She also gives some great insight into how manufacturers have been critical to her success. Podcast: Play in […]
It’s good to have an idea of your goal for a meeting, but — of course — you don’t want your meeting to be overly scripted. Learn how to keep EQ in the equation for achieving your desired outcome. Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: RSS
Gary was joined on today’s Rants and rAVes podcast by AVIXA’s economic analyst, Peter Hansen, and its senior director of market intelligence, Sean Wargo. If you’re wondering when COVID will end, this is NOT the episode to watch. But, if you care about how the chip shortage will affect your business, when the AV economy will turn […]
Even if there were no in-person CEDIA Expo (Sept. 1-3, 2021), the education and certification department at CEDIA (the association) would still be delivering education. Show or no show, thanks to CEDIA’s Samantha Ventura, CI education and training is alive and well in the residential AV market with CEDIA hosting classes for live attendees, live virtual attendees and prerecorded on-demand sessions. […]
There’s probably no one fielding more complaints, confusing calls or questions in the market today than Emerald’s CEDIA Expo VP Jason McGraw. Is CEDIA happening? Can we get a refund if we pull out? Are masks required? Do I need to bring proof of vaccination if I attend? Will anyone show up? Why isn’t Emerald canceling CEDIA? […]
Check out this real-time video demo of a technology called audio fencing with AVer’s director of product marketing, Carl Harvell. This tech is the future of UCC and going back to work in an open-office environment. After you see the new AVer VB130 video bar, I just know you will want to be a dealer for […]
Get ready for my next webinar, “The State of the AV-over-IP Market,” presented by Almo Professional A/V on Wednesday, Aug. 25, 2021, at 2 p.m. EDT. NETGEAR’s Cody Kleven sat down with me earlier to chat about the growing AV-over-IP market, the future of the technology in the ProAV space and the numerous opportunities AV integrators can […]
*Lizzo voice*: Y’all been waiting for this one! Every time I’ve asked someone for study tips for the CTS test, the first thing I’ve heard is “learn Ohm’s law.” So, being the physics-averted person I am, I avoided it like the plague for as long as possible. But I’m back. I’m ready to learn. Jim Maltese from Level […]
Diversified’s CEO, Fred D’Alessandro, picked our own Gary Kayye to break the industry’s biggest acquisition story of 2021 so far — on video, too; it’s the buyout of New England-based HB Communications. He was also joined by HB’s own CEO, Dana Baron, on this episode of Rants & rAVes. The two discuss the reasons behind the two companies […]
We spend way too much time upfront combating the consumerization of AV. This week I address how to capitalize on momentum of consumer tech experiences to lead into your professional AV sale. Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: RSS
Gary spoke with CEDIA Expo’s Jason McGraw to get all the details on the upcoming show — Sept. 1-3 2021 — in Indianapolis. This will be the largest tech show since February 2020 and includes an all-new category of products: Resimercial AV tech for the home. This is a huge growth opportunity for both residential […]
In Gary’s 2021 Kayye’s Krystal Ball of annual predictions about new tech, he predicted that we’d see monitors with built-in cameras (think Zoom Video meetings but not appearing as though you’re looking above or below your monitor). Well, you’ll get to see it, for the first time ever, on today’s Rants & rAVes videocast! Jupiter has done it and […]
Gary was joined by Almo Pro A/V and ARHT Media today to talk about the new all-in-one HoloPod — a $55,000 3D HoloPresence Display solution for business. This is truly game-changing, and every AV integrator should sell this to corporate AV, any judicial branch of the government or any coworking space provider. Watch, and you’ll see why — then […]
In this episode, I speak with Josh Kaufman of Tufts University. Josh gives some great insight into how Tufts used outside integrators as install teams, while the university did design and purchasing in-house. Josh also spends some time talking about accessibility and where integrators and manufacturers can continue to add value in this area. Podcast: […]
OK, so I’m clearly on a storytelling kick. Tim Duncan asked about storytelling on Twitter, so I thought I’d share an effective and interactive story I’ve found myself telling more than once. Enjoy! Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: RSS
If you’ve been telling people about your product or service and find that they’re just not responding, perhaps you need to tell better stories. In this Selling AV, I talk about how to do just that. Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: RSS
