THIS IS A PROMOTED POST  We’ve spent the first three episodes of The New Rules of Connection talking about audio, video and managing collaboration technology. But there’s another part of the conversation that connects all of those decisions: the people helping customers figure out what their spaces actually need. In Episode 4, we explore […]

THIS IS A PROMOTED POST Digital signage has moved well beyond static messaging and scheduled playlists. Today, organizations are using displays to deliver real-time information, support interactive wayfinding, connect people with the spaces around them and manage content across increasingly complex networks. That means the display is only one part of the experience. This guide […]

As broadcast production and ProAV continue to converge, integrators are being asked to deliver more than traditional meeting room technology. From corporate production studios and school broadcasts to houses of worship and sports facilities, customers increasingly expect professional-quality video and audio experiences. In this episode of “Rants & rAVes,” I sat down with Gary Bettan, […]

2026 has been a busy year for Jabra, with the company significantly expanding its video collaboration portfolio to support everything from small huddle spaces to large meeting rooms. But the bigger story isn’t necessarily how many products Jabra introduced. It’s how those solutions fit together to make meeting room technology easier to deploy, manage and […]

Navori Labs announced Nov. 9 that it has acquired Carousel Digital Signage from Tightrope Media Systems, expanding its U.S. presence and strengthening its position in the education, corporate communications and government markets. The acquisition includes Carousel’s digital signage platform, customer portfolio and more than 30 employees. Based in Minneapolis, Carousel serves more than 1,100 customers, […]

AVIXA has named Marco Pardi its new CEO, effective Jan. 1, 2027. Pardi will succeed David Labuskes, who is retiring Dec. 31 after 14 years leading the association. Pardi joins AVIXA from Informa, where he served as president of the Tech Events portfolio, overseeing live and on-demand events, digital marketing services and training programs serving […]

THIS IS A PROMOTED POST A meeting room can have clear audio and great video, but if something isn’t working when people join a call, that’s what they’ll remember. In Episode 3 of The New Rules of Connection, I sat down with Brian Phillips from HP to talk about what keeps those experiences working: management. […]

Xyte reported its largest quarter for new annual recurring revenue (ARR) for the period ended Sept. 30, 2026, driven by enterprise demand for its cloud-based AV and workplace device management platform. The company also announced that Andrew Gross has been appointed CEO, while Omer Brookstein has transitioned to executive chairman. The quarterly results follow a […]

As AV and IT continue to converge, more audio systems are moving onto the network. But what happens when integrators need the flexibility and centralized management of networked audio without compromising the sound quality expected from traditional commercial loudspeakers? In this episode of Rants & rAVes, I sat down with Dan Radin, product strategy leader […]

THIS IS A PROMOTED POST At this point in our series with Sony, we’ve established the importance of digital signage as a must-have tool for sharing information, alerts, wayfinding and more. But in a healthcare system, digital signage is a critical piece of infrastructure. Clear communication is no longer a nice-to-have. It’s a matter of […]

THIS IS A PROMOTED POST The way we experience video meetings has changed dramatically over the past several years, but many meeting rooms haven’t necessarily kept up. We’ve become accustomed to seeing colleagues clearly on platforms like Microsoft Teams and Zoom, where everyone has their own space on the screen. Yet when we return to […]

One Equity Partners (OEP) has entered into an agreement to acquire Nexora, the parent company of Almo Pro AV, with the transaction expected to close by March 2027. The proposed acquisition is expected to support investments in technology, digital services and distribution operations across North America and Europe. For Almo Pro AV’s integrator customers and […]

Cisco announced a series of updates to Webex and its workplace technology portfolio at WebexOne 2026, including RoomOS 27, native Google Meet support on Cisco collaboration devices, new workplace design and management tools and an IP-connected ceiling speaker. For AV integrators, one of the more notable changes is expanded meeting platform interoperability. Through a new […]

Jabra announced Jabra Perform Plus and Jabra Perform 55, an integrated retail communication and device fleet management solution designed for multi-shift retail environments. Jabra Perform Plus provides IT and operations teams with a centralized platform for deploying, configuring, securing and managing shared headset fleets across multiple retail locations. The platform supports remote firmware updates, configuration […]

Epson launched two AI-powered 4K home theater laser projectors in Australia, the EH-LS6000 and EH-LS7500, completing the company’s EH-LS Series home cinema lineup. Both models combine Epson’s 3LCD three-chip engine with 4K enhancement technology to produce 8.3 million pixels on screen. The projectors use solid-state laser light sources rated for up to 20,000 hours of […]

CEDIA Expo 2026 was a busy one for Sonos. Alongside the introductions of Beam Ultra, Ace Ultra and Amp Multi, the company also unveiled Sonos 27 and a collection of new software features designed to make the entire Sonos ecosystem more connected and intuitive. In this episode of Rants & rAVes, I sat down with […]

SNA Displays partnered with real estate developer Property Markets Group (PMG) to build a cutting-edge video experience for the sales gallery of the Delano Residences & Hotel in Miami, Florida. When complete, the downtown resort overlooking Biscayne Bay and South Beach will include more than 400 luxury condominiums, but is currently offering a highly immersive […]

Gary and I are back with another episode of rAVe [TV], and this week we’re talking about the future of connection and immersive experiences. We share a clip from our new video series with HP, “The New Rules of Connection,” and discuss the expanded availability of HP Dimension with Google Beam. We also get into […]

E4 Boston is coming up Oct. 15, and I’m not the only one taking the stage. In this Rants & rAVes episode, I’m joined by AVNation’s Tim Albright and Almo Pro AV’s Patrick Booth and Eric Jameson for a preview of the education we’re bringing to the next E4 Experience. Tim dives into AV network […]

What does it take to deliver a meeting experience that works for everyone, wherever they’re joining from? That’s the question behind “New Rules of Connection,” our new video series with HP. Throughout the series, we’ll explore what makes collaboration successful and what it means for the AV professionals designing, installing and supporting those experiences. For […]

Golf simulation has evolved far beyond the luxury residential market. Today, it’s finding its way into corporate offices, hospitality venues, higher education, multifamily developments and entertainment spaces, creating an entirely new opportunity for AV integrators. In this episode of Rants & rAVes, I sat down with Danny Kogan, national sales manager for the Sports Sim […]

Clear-Com announced that First Baptist Nashville has upgraded its production communications with a Clear-Com intercom solution as part of a comprehensive sanctuary technology renovation led by systems integrator Mankin Media. Centered on the Arcadia Central Station, the installation delivers reliable wired and wireless communications to support worship services while preserving the integrity of the church’s […]

Gary and I are back, and we start with one of the biggest industry stories of the week: FORTÉ has named Christopher Mounts its new global CEO. We talk about the leadership transition, what it means to see Jeff Stoebner step out of the CEO role after leading the company since 2009 and what’s next […]

Gary and I are back, and this week we start with a final look back at CEDIA Expo 2026, including our biggest residential AV takeaways and the show’s attendance numbers. Then I sit down with David Danto of TalkingPointz to talk about the future of work — and why the conversation around hybrid work may […]

MicroLED has been positioned as the future of display technology for years, but for many integrators, it has remained out of reach due to cost and deployment complexity. In this episode of Rants & rAVes, I sat down with Trent Slyter, vice president of sales at Absen, to talk about why that conversation is changing […]

By Steph Beckett and Cory Knapp This year marked my sixth CEDIA Expo. I’ve attended every year since 2021, and every year I look forward to seeing what’s new in residential AV. This year, I brought along our content specialist, Cory Knapp, for his first-ever CEDIA Expo. We thought that gave us an excellent reason […]

THIS IS A PROMOTED POST Sonos has had a big month. At the end of August/early September, the company announced a fleet of updates, including Sonos 27, the latest version of its audio operating system. The idea is this new update will bring features that expand its open platform and adaptability. Right after that announcement, […]

Tim and I are back for an end-user-focused-ish episode of rAVe [TV], with a few other things sprinkled in along the way. We start with a look at where we’re headed next, including IBC and Almo E4, before getting into how the AV experience is evolving across both meeting spaces and the home. I sit […]

A.C. Americas, your North American distributor of world-class Lighting, Audio, and Video products, is pleased to introduce Chase McKnight to the team, filling the newly created role of Luminex Product Specialist. Reporting to Anthony Stofflet, Luminex Brand Manager, Chase will serve as a key technical resource and liaison between our sales team and clients, providing […]

Biamp recently enabled River Valley Church to successfully transform an unopened 38,000-square-foot casino in Grants Pass, Oregon, USA, into an 800-seat worship facility featuring cutting-edge audio technology from Biamp. Working closely with the Biamp design team, systems integration firm Arrow+Jay deployed Community loudspeakers with Biamp VenuePolar technology within the Ease® Focus 3 software to overcome […]

LG Electronics USA introduced the LG MAGNIT Gen 2 Micro LED LMPD display, a large-format display designed for commercial installations. The new model will make its first U.S. public appearance Sept. 15 during a customer event at Starpower’s Dallas showroom. The LMPD combines LG Micro LED technology with NovaStar’s COEX 5G Solution. According to LG, […]

Extron announced that all XPA Ultra FX Series four- and eight-channel multi-zone audio power amplifiers now include its ECO Standby feature. According to Extron, ECO Standby places an amplifier into standby after a few seconds of inactivity, reducing power draw to less than 1 watt. The company said its InstaWake+ technology returns the amplifier to […]