Radio

Listen to rAVe’s exclusive podcasts here, including Gary’s Rants and rAVes, Selling AV with Mark Coxon, AV Insider, The Trade Show Minute and more.

Rants and rAVes — Episode 710: Special InfoComm Videocast: Elo Touch Will Be at InfoComm with a Focus on Collaboration Rooms

EloTouch’s Kristin Roubie joined Gary on a pre-InfoComm Videocast to show some of their new collaborative solutions, including a new touch-based Collaboration Board integrated with DisplayNote’s Montage software – including a one-year license for free. EloTouch is unique in that all their touch systems can be mounted in portrait, landscape of flat and they have collaboration boards up […]

Rants and rAVes — Episode 710: Special InfoComm Videocast: Elo Touch Will Be at InfoComm with a Focus on Collaboration Rooms

Rants and rAVes — Episode 709: NEC’s Raspberry-Pi Provides Almo ProAV with Unique Advantage in Digital Signage

THIS IS A PROMOTED STORY Gary was joined by NEC’s Mark Weniger and Almo ProAV‘s John Wills to talk about how NEC’s open-source Raspberry-Pi-based System-on-a-chip allows Almo to provide integrators with a turn-key option to not only sell the signage solutions from NEC (including the P and V Series; and, in the future, the C Series), but provide […]

Rants and rAVes — Episode 709: NEC’s Raspberry-Pi Provides Almo ProAV with Unique Advantage in Digital Signage

AV Insider — Episode 136: Low Voltage/Intelligent LED Lighting Systems

Eric Higgs, Founder and Board of Directors Member at LumaStream, speaks with me about a low-voltage lighting and controls solution directed purely at AV integrators. LumaStream offers something to the AV integrators who could only offer a control system on a project, whereas the lighting went to someone else. Enter LumaStream, a completely C-7 license […]

AV Insider — Episode 136: Low Voltage/Intelligent LED Lighting Systems

Rants and rAVes — Episode 708: Did You Know the Inventor of the Turntable Inside Every Microwave Worked at Sony for 33 Years?

In today’s podcast, Gary’s goes is none other than Gary Mandle, the co-inventor (with Peter Jurgensen) and patent-holder) of the turntable used inside every microwave oven — you can see his original patent here  Gary spent is 30+ years at Sony working in the display division and attending countless InfoComm Shows and consulting on large projector installs in […]

Rants and rAVes — Episode 708: Did You Know the Inventor of the Turntable Inside Every Microwave Worked at Sony for 33 Years?

Rants and rAVes — Episode 707: New Soundcast Prez, Charity Hardwick, Talks High-End Wireless Audio

Charity Hardwick is the newly minted president of Soundcast — the company that launched the industry’s first high-end outdoor wireless speakers in 2015. Charity served as VP of Sales and Marketing for three years before talking over leadership and she talks about why Soundcast is better than off-the-shelf Bluetooth audio systems and how they work. Listen and visit […]

Rants and rAVes — Episode 707: New Soundcast Prez, Charity Hardwick, Talks High-End Wireless Audio

Rants and rAVes — Episode 706: The Mike Weems Podcast – His Trifecta of AV History

A little-known fact about Mike Weems is that he’s inadvertently the father of the CTS program. How? Listen to this podcast to find out. Mike’s being honored with the Mackey Barron Distinguished Achievement Award for his 40+ years of industry service that includes thousands of volunteer hours teaching at InfoComm shows and PETC Institutes, a storied career at companies […]

Rants and rAVes — Episode 706: The Mike Weems Podcast – His Trifecta of AV History

Rants and rAVes — Episode 700: Almo ProAV is Helping ProAV Integrators Enter the Hospitality Market

THIS IS A PROMOTED STORY A year or so ago, Almo ProAV launched their Hospitality group led my their Director of Business Development, Apryl Lamberti. Since then, they’ve helped more AV integrators enter the hospitality market – a market that’s experienced double-digit growth in the last 12 months – than any other entity in AV. And, it’s not just […]

Rants and rAVes — Episode 700: Almo ProAV is Helping ProAV Integrators Enter the Hospitality Market

Rants and rAVes — Episode 705: NEC Goes Green with New Recycling Program That’s Aimed at Users and Integrators

Today’s podcast is all about how End Users of ANY projector can send NEC their old projectors and have them recycled, responsibly, and get cash-credits for new NEC gear. The program was launched last month and it’s called Trade In & Trade Up and is available to both educational, healthcare, government and corporate end users […]

Rants and rAVes — Episode 705: NEC Goes Green with New Recycling Program That’s Aimed at Users and Integrators

AV Insider — Episode 135: Cel-Fi by Nextivity; Smart Cellular Coverage: In-Building & Mobile Connectivity Solutions

Curtis D. Burkhart, Senior Director, North America Sales at Nextivity, speaks with me about Cel-Fi solutions: Smart cell coverage in-building and mobile connectivity solutions. We cover everything from the four major carriers (now 3), how Cel-Fi is different & better than the competition, what’s next for Nextivity, what shows you can find them at, & […]

AV Insider — Episode 135: Cel-Fi by Nextivity; Smart Cellular Coverage: In-Building & Mobile Connectivity Solutions

Rants and rAVes — Episode 704: The First InfoComm 2018 Podcast – What To Expect, So Far

InfoComm 2018 will, no doubt, be the largest InfoComm show  ever. Not only is the industry on a giant growth curve, but the Las Vegas locale always breaks records. But, we’ll see a lot of new technology and some product category shifts at the early-June show. Listen to what Gary thinks are the must-sees, as of […]

Rants and rAVes — Episode 704: The First InfoComm 2018 Podcast – What To Expect, So Far

Rants and rAVes — Episode 703: rAVe BlogSquad’er Hope Roth Wins Educator of the Year

AVIXA’s Educator of the Year, Hope Roth, joined Gary on his podcast to talk about her AVIXA Educator of the Year award  her life in the AV industry, the future of programming (she’s a Crestron Certified Programmer) and her favorite movie. We hope you’ll listen!

Rants and rAVes — Episode 703: rAVe BlogSquad’er Hope Roth Wins Educator of the Year

Selling AV — Episode 75: Minimum Commitments

Many times we bend over backward trying to win that big client, doing everything they ask without ever getting anything in return. This week we talk about how to reverse that tide and get something we need as well.

Selling AV — Episode 75: Minimum Commitments

Rants and rAVes — Episode 702: That Time an AV Guy at Amazon Messed with Our Industry’s Future

Did you know that the future of our industry could be determined by how well Jeff Bezos’ AV guy is? Listen.

Rants and rAVes — Episode 702: That Time an AV Guy at Amazon Messed with Our Industry’s Future

AV Insider — Episode 134: @Customised Home Technology: #LiveInstall is Out, & #HomeTechX Is In

Kris Gamble, speaks with me about custom AV on his side of the pond, his new Norfolk showroom, his simplified business model that may not be that of your traditional smart home designs, the death of #LiveInstall, and the birth of #HomeTechX; not to be confused with The Tech Home X trade show in California. […]

AV Insider — Episode 134: @Customised Home Technology: #LiveInstall is Out, & #HomeTechX Is In

Selling AV — Episode 74: Advice to My Younger Self

This weekend in a Twitter chat, someone asked what career advice you’d give your younger self. Two main themes emerged. Listen in to hear what they were.

Selling AV —  Episode 74: Advice to My Younger Self

AV Insider — Episode 133: Paul Konikowski: Standardizing & Customizing Enterprise Clients’ Conferencing & Collaboration Spaces

Paul Konikowski, now an Enterprise Solutions Architect at Whitlock, speaks with me about his journey in AV as a consultant when previously out here on the West coast, just before the big fire, he made the move, away from danger, and into a great position for him, and Whitlock. What do I mean, you’ll have to listen […]

AV Insider — Episode 133: Paul Konikowski: Standardizing & Customizing Enterprise Clients’ Conferencing & Collaboration Spaces

Rants and rAVes — Episode 701: NEC Has Best Booth at DSE, Wins Best Signage Projector Award

NEC snagged two awards at DSE and demo’d projection-based signage, traditional display signage and a total System-on-a-chip (SoC) approach with their Raspberry-Pi solutions at the Digital Signage Expo last month. NEC is in a unique position as they are one of only two display companies that makes every kind of display technology so they have signage of any […]

Rants and rAVes — Episode 701: NEC Has Best Booth at DSE, Wins Best Signage Projector Award

Rants and rAVes — Episode 699: Epson’s LightScene Stole the Show at DSE

I asked Epson’s Senior Product Manager of Visual Display Solutions, Remi Del Mar, to join me today on my podcast totally about their amazing LightScene projector – in a track-lighting form-factor. Using sealed optics, it’s designed as both a light aesthetic as well as a content device for signage and traditional projection. You can power multiple LightScenes from one track […]

Rants and rAVes — Episode 699: Epson’s LightScene Stole the Show at DSE

Selling AV — Episode 73: Valid Business Reasons

If you’re selling AV, you’re most likely making phone calls. This week I talk about the worst possible reason to make a call and how to avoid it.

Selling AV — Episode 73: Valid Business Reasons

AV Insider — Episode 132: Focal: Discover New Fields Of Emotions

Andrew Oattes, Head Of Sales UK at Focal, speaks with me about HiFi, Sound quality, & Clarity, headphones, floor-standing audio, and a new range/series of speakers aimed at the custom installer & custom integration market. Andrew shares everything from Focal’s roots, to their their future plans, and without giving too much away, you can get […]

AV Insider — Episode 132: Focal: Discover New Fields Of Emotions

Rants and rAVes — Episode 698: rAVe Readers’ Choice Award Nominations Are Now OPEN!

We just opened nominations for our annual Readers’ Choice Awards this week. Hurry, you only have a few more days to enter. But, in the meantime, please listen to my podcast about why nearly every other industry awards program is a big fat scam!

Rants and rAVes — Episode 698: rAVe Readers’ Choice Award Nominations Are Now OPEN!

AV Insider — Episode 131: CEDIA Acquires Technology & Business Summit; Clarity AV International Shares Their Journey

Mark Cichowski, CEO of Clarity AV International, the corporation that previously owned and operated the Technology & Business Summits, along with the CASTLE Summits, tells all about the acquisition from CEDIA, the day it was announced. We cover everything he’s done sine he last appearance on AV Insider (Episode 53), to what the future of these summits will hold […]

AV Insider — Episode 131: CEDIA Acquires Technology & Business Summit; Clarity AV International Shares Their Journey

Rants and rAVes — Episode 697: LG’s DSE Wrap-Up with Dan Smith

Gary caught up with LG’s Director of Sales, Dan Smith, less than a week after the Digital Signage Expo show and they talked about which technology excited the signage crowds the most and how their unique position with OLED has upped their offerings. You can see all the videos we shot at DSE in the […]

Rants and rAVes — Episode 697: LG’s DSE Wrap-Up with Dan Smith

AV Insider — Episode 130: Audio Excellence: Are You Ready to Listen To The Truth?

Patrice Congard, CEO of Screen Excellence, and lead of design at Audio Excellence, speaks with me about their newish company, how it’s aimed at the high-end home theater market, a new products in the works (shhh, its a secret!), “The Congard Code”, and why you should’t use room correct EQ systems! All this and more, […]

AV Insider — Episode 130: Audio Excellence: Are You Ready to Listen To The Truth?

Rants and rAVes — Episode 696: Why is Projector-only Epson Exhibiting at the Digital Signage Expo?

Laser projection is to the projector market as OLED is to the flat-panel display market — it’s truly a revolution in colorimetry and form-factor. So, Epson, known as the industry’s projector-only display company leading the market with 3LCD technology, will be at DSE with not only a family of laser projectors aimed at digital signage, but with a truly-revolutionary […]

Rants and rAVes — Episode 696: Why is Projector-only Epson Exhibiting at the Digital Signage Expo?

AV Insider — Episode 129: Luxul: Simple-to-Deploy, Professional Grade, IP Networking Solutions

Josh Thurman, Western regional sales manager at Luxul (A Brand of Legrand), speaks with me about growth at Luxul. We speak a little bit about the roadmap ahead, new power products that look oh so familiar for some reason (more on this in the show). We speak about education for integrators, the KRACK (WPA2 system […]

AV Insider — Episode 129: Luxul: Simple-to-Deploy, Professional Grade, IP Networking Solutions

Rants and rAVes — Episode 695: LG’s DSE Plans Include New Touch Displays

LG will head to next week’s DSE with a line of Touch-enabled monitors in sizes from 55” – 86”. In addition, LG will highlight embedded integration of both the Cisco Spark platform and Crestron control right into a line of monitors aimed at simplifying AV meeting room design. Gary was joined on today’s podcast by LG’s head of marketing, Garry Wicka  who also […]

Rants and rAVes — Episode 695: LG’s DSE Plans Include New Touch Displays

Rants and rAVes — Episode 694: InFocus’ ISE Debuts Included New Laser Projectors and 4K Version of PixelNet

InFocus was at ISE with two giant launches — a new line of laser projector as well as a 4K resolution, and fiber-capable, version of their AV-over-IP-based PixelNet system dubbed PixelNet 2.0  The projector line include both short-throw and standard lensing and the 4K version of PixelNet added audio to the popular wall system. Please listen to […]

Rants and rAVes — Episode 694: InFocus’ ISE Debuts Included New Laser Projectors and 4K Version of PixelNet

Rants and rAVes — Episode 693: Peerless-AV Will Bring Record Number of New Products to DSE

Gary was joined on today’s podcast by Peerless-AV VP of Sales Brian McClimans,  who not only talked about the company’s DSE launches but also gave us some great insight to the digital signage industry and where it’s heading. Obviously, the big-growth area is in LED, but the all-in-one kiosk market for digital signage is also huge and, Brian says, is […]

Rants and rAVes — Episode 693: Peerless-AV Will Bring Record Number of New Products to DSE

AV Insider — Episode 128: Just Add Power: Flexible, Scalable, Dependable and Economical Ultra HD over IP

Taft Van Stricklin, “The Dude” at Just Add Power, speaks with me about his love for Van Halen, Guitars, and all things JAP (Just Add Power). We cover everything from J.A.P’s roots in our industry, to it’s roadmap. There’s a few AV Insider scoops buried within our program, and a few other Ultra HD over […]

AV Insider — Episode 128: Just Add Power: Flexible, Scalable, Dependable and Economical Ultra HD over IP

Rants and rAVes — Episode 692: Here are Details on My Smart Building Webinar on Tuesday — Earn 1 AVIXA CTS RU!

Smart Building Technology (SBT) has been around for over a dozen years now but AV hasn’t been part of it until recently. And, the advantage of being a Smart Building integrator is that you get to spec the AV gear BEFORE the building is built. But, although this isn’t a simple process, it is a […]

Rants and rAVes — Episode 692: Here are Details on My Smart Building Webinar on Tuesday —  Earn 1 AVIXA CTS RU!

Rants and rAVes — Episode 691: Almo Pro AV Partners with Samsung and Harman to Offer Huddle Room Packages

THIS IS A PROMOTED POST BY Almo Pro AV On today’s podcast, Almo Pro AV debuted a new partnership with Samsung that bring four pre-packaged Huddle Room solutions to the AV integration channel. Each package includes either an HD or UHD (4K) Samsung commercial-grade LCD and an AMX huddle room camera system and range from small spaces […]

Rants and rAVes — Episode 691: Almo Pro AV Partners with Samsung and Harman to Offer Huddle Room Packages