Simplifying AV Business
Modern enterprise video communications platforms have taken over communication in the workplace with AV infrastructure overhauled to meet new demands. In this article, Abdul Waheed, Managing Director, Eyte Technologies Pvt Ltd. and Anil Chopra, Content Chief, AV-ICN Magazine, deliberate on what measures are taken by AV industry stakeholders to “simplify” the AV Business
Pixel after pixel is disappearing on the AV screen. Zoom, Team, Google, and Webex have imploded the entire razzmatazz of communication information technology Integration. Gone are the days of posturizing on signal strength, VoIP, cable jargon, connectors, IP. Now it’s a rigmarole on which microphone he/she ought to use, table or ceiling mount, wired or wireless and select an apt solution among a wide variety of choices. The AV infrastructure is revamped to meet these new demands from customers. AV companies are deploying conference room solutions, and hence we are seeing AV companies selling microphones and speakers. These companies are incorporating novel pro AV devices with advanced software and hardware components. Such advancements offer enhanced workflow efficiency and streamline the entire process. The need to be tougher and creative is crucial to survive this new competitive landscape.
The question is how have we “simplified” the AV Business?
With self-acoustics in speakers (VC Systems) which have sensors to regulate their output and direction, and acoustic design for any and all auditoriums and ceiling speakers that are much more than the traditional ceiling speakers we are used to from the good ol’ days, it’s just about picking the right fit for the space we are designing. Expansion is just a matter of adding more cables, adding equipment and updating the software and voila! The system is up and running
With AV equipment becoming smarter by the day, the key in bringing it all together lies in perfecting the space it will be placed in. One has to consider many variables and eventualities and prepare the architecture. One has to ensure the PA system works along with the rest of the communications. One has to also consider various variables and eventualities and prepare the architecture. Like figuring out ceiling height or room sizes, room acoustics, application like live events/ presentations/ broadcasting, Number of input and outputs, type of controls required etc.
The AV solutions in the industry once a ‘box seller’ mostly in the VCs department (Polycom and Tandberg days) which were monopolistic in their protocols had to move on cloud domains and made to compete with Camera and Mic industries who are giving flexibility of using any soft VC applications. This has provided quite an ease of installation for the System Integrators/consultants and a simplified equipment list for the end-user.
The Soft VC became so popular that banking segments, who were always reluctant with their policies, going on cloud-based solutions, had to change their policies in competing with others to be the first bank with WFH staff. AV companies are now talking about Alexa as a touch-free solution, thermal scanners and facial detection, which all existed for a long but in other domains but the current scenarios have forced us to bring them into our sectors and have seen successful adoptions at some places.
Large meeting rooms are being replaced by 4 seated rooms with a simplified collaboration solution that handles all aspects of a modern workplace communication. Employees working from home (as is the new norm) would use these VC Applications from their laptop while the employees on campus can use our modern AV systems to achieve the same in a meeting room. VC applications (Zoom / Teams) provide necessary features be it annotation, presentation sharing, multiparty etc.
Auditoriums and Experience centers are more than half the pie of business these days, with India getting rich by any international standard and municipalities, ashrams, clubs, colony community centers, and every group right to the bottom of the ladder armed with money setting up their own “halls”. An experience center for banks, showrooms for every product that has one inch of wire is the new hurrah! For business “yes” but is it an AV challenge in designing AV Architecture. Yes, Indeed.
With everything being configured these days, it is all about selling the right solution for the correct application. Period. When one says configured, it means the experience audio and video is pre-configured. It is a done deal by either the higher-ups or lower-downs. The real challenge is when there is a large facility or installation, which is a matrix inside out, the boast, is invariably how everything is all interconnected to hell and back. Designing a complex bespoke architecture is still a challenge on ground with multiple moving machinery, but not a nut too tough to crack. With the ease in the installation and availability of feature rich-AV hardware it has resulted in providing the end consumer a grandiose experience without breaking the bank. May be the next big thing AV companies need to look into is having hubs in residential complexes providing quiet spaces with good network connectivity, for those who want to avoid house disturbances and are not allowed to come to offices as well.