If there’s anything we’ve learned from looking at the top rAVe [PUBS] stories from 2018, it’s that we’re all just a little obsessed with ourselves. But this obsession with ourselves also extends to each other. When we’re not celebrating ourselves for winning an award, we’re cheering on someone else. When we’re not looking back at our own accomplishments, we’re looking to others for guidance on how to succeed in the future. And when we’re not busy talking about ourselves, we’re busy talking about someone else. We were all a little (well, a lot) obsessed with AV in 2018. Let’s hope it stays that way in 2019 because after all, #AVisLIFE.
So take a look at the top 10 stories from 2018 that received the most web traffic on rAVe [PUBS].
1
The BEST of InfoComm 2018
Unlike EVERY other InfoComm awards program, we don’t let companies enter themselves AND we don’t take money to apply for awards. EVERY other InfoComm awards program is pay-for-play and are NOT to be believed. They aren’t real. They are, in fact, #FakeAwards. Now, I am not saying rAVe’s Best of InfoComm 2018 Awards are perfect, but you can be GUARANTEED that NO ONE and NO COMPANY paid for an award.
Read the rest here.
2
The ISE 2018 Awards Are Announced
We sent reporters to EVERY booth/stand at ISE 2018 and we selected the TOP products in every possible product category for our 2018 Best of ISE Awards. No other publication — or entity for that matter — goes to very booth at the ISE show and sees every new product demo’d or launched at ISE in Amsterdam annually — so these are THE BEST of THE BEST.
Read the rest here.
3
Crestron Rumored to Be Starting an AV-over-IP Alliance with Microsoft and Intel
I think it’s possible that Crestron is, behind the scenes, forming an “alliance” of sorts of AV-over-IP companies that focus exclusively (for now) on the 1Gig method of sending AV signals over an IT network. Sources from at least two big display manufacturers have told me that Crestron contacted them to join a new alliance that it’s forming with Microsoft and Intel. Here’s one reason I think this could be true.
Read the rest here.
4
Did Plantronics Bail Out Polycom or Is This Perfect Timing?
As the rest of the advertiser-supported AV press just reprints the Polycom or Plantronics press releases, we’re going to call it how we see it — with the truth about this “acquisition.”
Yes, Plantronics is taking control of Polycom — a history-making videoconferencing company that all but invented the space — for what amounts to $2.0 billion in enterprise value, but the financial breakdown of the deal is here.
Read the rest here.
5
The Non-AV-AV Is Getting to Be Bigger than the AV Parts of AV
Since the introduction of the plethora of collaboration boards launched February at ISE, I’ve noticed a troubling and concerning trend: In some segments of AV, the non-AV’ers are doing more AV than the AV’ers are doing.
What the heck do I mean?
Read the rest here.
6
The Art of Hacking AV Systems
There are quite a few conferences that focus on AV equipment. On the consumer side, there is CES, on the broadcast side there is NAB, then for residential AV there is CEDIA Expo and for commercial AV, we have InfoComm.
The latest conference to focus on AV equipment, however, happened Friday, August 10th. The conference? DEFCON. The focus? Hacking AV systems, specifically the leading control system manufacturer, Crestron.
Read the rest here.
7
THE BIGGEST Trend in AV in 2018 Will Be ... Kayye's Krystal Ball Is Back!
The year 2018 could turn out to be full of giant changes. The market is certainly poised for it as you have a number of technological advancements that have emerged simultaneously — each of them have a lot of potential. First, let’s review all the latest in emerging AV technology and then and I’ll tell you what I think will be the biggest one of them all in 2018, and why.
Read the rest here.
8
Updated: Barco Again Instructs Bailiffs to Remove Product from ISE Show Floor for Patent Infringement, This Time from Kindermann
Today, on the opening day of ISE, Barco instructed bailiffs to approach the booth of Kindermann and collect evidence of its Klick & Show wireless presentation system present at the show. Barco will now use this evidence for patent infringement lawsuits against Kindermann in the Netherlands, Germany and any other jurisdiction where Kindermann commercializes its Klick & Show wireless presentation system.
Read the rest here.
9
rAVe 2018 Readers' Choice Award Winners Announced
We are excited to announce the winners of our 2018 Readers’ Choice Awards. Our awards are different than ANY other industry awards and the stats speak for themselves: We had over 92,000 voters for the final awards! The nominations for the awards came SOLELY from you – the AV community. We have a system that GUARANTEES that if anyone voted twice, we didn’t count it. We don’t charge entry fees – we do not allow for entrants to pay fees to enter their products nor do we charge them to win an award. ALL but one other AV awards program in the industry charges an entry fee or is pay-for-play. And, as you know, pay-for-play awards are #FakeAwards!
Read the rest here.
10
My Friend Jay, Your Friend Jay, Everyone's Friend Jay: RIP Jay Hitz
On my first day at Extron back in 1987, Extron’s founder and president, Andrew Edwards, had me sit in his office and just listen to him as he made dozens of calls to random customers in the AV industry. To me, it was like he was talking to friends. All day long. At the very end of the day, he said, “that was relationship marketing.” He gave me a handful of books to finish reading by the end of my first week and told me to learn how to do that and I would be successful at Extron.
Read the rest here.
