OTTAWA—Ross Video has announced that it will be participating in InfoComm 2024, held from June 12 to 14 at the Las Vegas Convention Center, where it will be showing a variety of innovative video solutions and a collaboration at the AVIXA TV Studio. 

Ross Video, in partnership with AVIXA at Booth W2645, will present the AVIXA TV Studio – a dynamic live corporate studio experience equipped with the latest Ross technology, including a Virtual Set Solution with Voyager Trackless, overlay graphics from XPression, record and playback with Tria Express Duet and the Ultrix Carbonite hyperconverged routing and switching platform. 

At Booth W2145, Ross Video will showcase its comprehensive integrated video solutions for corporate AV environments that expand across vertical markets. Attendees can explore products for any professional audiovisual needs, including:  

• Quorum 2.1 meeting production software with multi-room support 
• Carbonite Code, the new software-based production switcher with NDI I/O  
• Ultrix Hyperconverged with Carbonite blade 
• Media I/O 
• TouchDrive production switcher control panels 
• XPression Tessera and Mosaic for easy management and high-res video image processing on extra-large displays   
• Advanced PTZ cameras, Tria servers, and much more 

The AVIXA TV Studio at Booth W2645 will demonstrate the practical application of virtual production technologies. The studio will produce and livestream seven episodes throughout the show, which will be broadcast to a global audience through major social media channels, including YouTube and LinkedIn. 

The AVIXA booth will also host live demonstrations, video workshops, and a behind-the-scenes look at Ross Video’s virtual solutions so attendees can learn how to apply them to their corporate workspaces. 

For more information about Ross Video’s presence at InfoComm 2024 and to schedule a meeting, please visit: https://www.rossvideo.com/go/events/infocomm-2024/

We’ve been living in the era of streaming for quite some time on the consumer side. And now it’s forging ahead in a big way in the commercial world, leading to a crossover between broadcast and Pro AV. What factors are at play boosting this trend?

Part of it is the pandemic. It was difficult to interact with audiences in person during that time, so streaming content was a crucial solution. In fact, revenue for content production and streaming, in addition to conferencing and collaboration, never declined during the pandemic.

Quality or Quantity?
As an event producer ourselves, AVIXA had to implement streaming capabilities for InfoComm 2021, since many people couldn’t attend in person. AVIXA’s in-house content delivery team, led by Sam Minish, vice president of content delivery, put together a livestream content program and worked with a vendor to deliver a remote experience.

As the world started opening up more in 2022 and people were attending events in person, Sam’s team realized we needed to approach streaming differently. Our livestream was about making sure we were providing an experience that was reaching those who, perhaps through budget reasons or being newer to the industry, couldn’t attend the physical show. We focused on delivering content at the show that would resonate with that audience. The team also learned that ramping up the quality while dialing down the quantity was very effective for us

During the pandemic, there was some tolerance for mediocre quality streaming. As long as you were delivering your message, then that was good enough. Now, with the advancements of streaming technology, there’s an expectation for better quality. When you have YouTubers producing top quality video content, people expect that out of workplace professionals.

Adding to that, we’ve had a generation with video in their DNA filling the workforce for a while now that expects to be visually engaged. There’s also the aspect of real estate—with some companies not needing such a large footprint for employee office space due to hybrid and remote work, they’re opting to transition the space and add production capabilities to reach their audiences.

Forecast: More Content
According to AVIXA’s 2023 Industry Outlook and Trends Analysis (IOTA), content production and streaming revenue is forecast to grow from $39 billion in 2023 to $51.3 billion in 2028. In addition, our research of end user decision makers shows AV production rooms for broadcast among the top five spaces in which they are planning to make AV investments.

[SCN 1-on-1: AVIXA Industry Insights from InfoComm 2023]

What are the tools and skills needed to deliver these solutions to customers? The technologies powering content production and streaming are a convergence in AV, IT, and broadcast.

For decades, we’ve been talking about AV and IT blending together as more AV technologies are connected to the network. Media servers and storage act as the management and distribution engines, accounting for more than half of the total solution revenue in 2023, or nearly $19 billion. Capture technologies are next, in the form of cameras and other video production equipment, representing another $10 billion.

Integrators provide some value-added services such as installation and design. That skillset part is an important piece of the puzzle.

Crossover Considerations
Historically, AV and broadcast have interweaved through time. Many people started in broadcast and crossed over to AV or went back and forth. AV and broadcast professionals share skills in audio and video systems implementation, live events production, pre and post-production, filming/recording, and staging/rigging. AV differentiates through skills relating to effective integration of tech into space, while IT increasingly overlaps with both AV and broadcast as technology joins the network.

AVIXA is closely watching this trend of broadcast and AV convergence, and facilitating ways for AV professionals to learn more and make connections to deliver high-level solutions to the market. In June, AVIXA and IABM hosted the first UpStream conference in London to dive into this topic. We brought together broadcast technology suppliers, AV/IT solution providers, and enterprise buyers. The event featured discussions on virtual production, the pros and cons of different streaming platforms, NDI, and much more.

Virtual production was also top of mind at InfoComm 2023 in Orlando with The Unreal Ride, presented by Vū, Unilumin, and MRMC. Attendees experienced a blend of the physical and virtual worlds through a combination of virtual production technology, including advanced LED panels, a motion-controlled camera, camera tracking, and virtual environments.

What’s in store next? ISE 2024 will host the Content Production, & Distribution Summit on Jan. 31 in Barcelona, so mark your calendar. Also be sure to check out the Content Production and Streaming channel on AVIXA Xchange for news and discussions on the topic.

This article originally appeared on TV Tech sister brand SCN.

What trends are in store for the professional video market in 2020? What do the economics of the industry tell you? As AVIXA’s senior director of market intelligence, it is Sean Wargo’s responsibility to research and provide insight into the pro-AV industry and what lies ahead.

Wargo will share the economics behind the ever-expanding visual side of AV and the opportunities for growth in his session “The Economics of Video” at The Video Show, a two-day event in Washington, Dec. 4–5.

The Video Show caught up with Wargo for just a minute ahead of the show.

The Video Show:Why should AV professionals care about economics?

Sean Wargo: Ultimately, the pro-AV industry provides goods and services to just about every underlying market in a given economy. Whether corporations or residential, these markets rely on AV technology to solve specific needs. As a result, the rise or fall of these markets can mean more or less available project work for an AV company. This rise and fall is exactly what economics measures and forecasts. So paying attention to economics can help provide an early warning system to potential changes in future demand for pro-AV products and services. GDP is an example of a metric to watch, as it summarizes the total economic activity within and across the globe. We’ll cover a bit about AVIXA’s take on GDP growth and the context it provides for our industry during our session.

TVS: What are the top three areas for growth in pro AV according to your research?

SW: Growth is an important distinction in pro AV because, looking forward, there is an important distinction between the largest areas and those that are growing the fastest. For example, right now the biggest solution area in pro AV is conferencing and collaboration at $38.6 billion globally. However, digital signage is growing faster and is expected to become the largest solution area by 2024, realizing compound annual growth of 5.8%. But that’s not all—performance/entertainment solutions, or the fixed installation of AV in venues like concert halls, houses of worship or corporate event facilities, are forecast to be the fastest growing over the next five years, rising by 8.9% on average per year. Security/Surveillance/Life Safety is another area of strong growth as country governments in particular invest in this type of infrastructure as part of smart-city initiatives.

The Video Show will feature more than 100 sessions on nine presentation stages, as well as a dedicated screening room, demo areas, streaming studio and dynamic exhibit floor. Want to hear more about this topic? Visit theThe Video Show websiteto learn more and register.

FAIRFAX, VA.—Say hello to AVIXA, the Audiovisual and Integrated Experience Association (AVIXA), formerly known as InfoComm International. The evolution of AVIXA has been a long time coming, according to Dave Labuskes, CTS, CAE, RCDD, executive director and CEO of InfoComm, and now AVIXA.

Dave Labuskes discussing the evolution of AVIXA.

“AV defines who we have been, who we are, and who we want to be,” Labuskes said. “We are devoted to driving market growth, developing industry standards, delivering training, and we are giving our industry a sense of identity and belonging.”

AVIXA’s mission is to be an industry hub, while also acting as a catalyst for market growth beyond what has been considered traditionally as professional AV. In recent years, the association’s members have evolved to offer much more than audiovisual products and systems; their innovation and attention to customer requirements has led to an industry of solution providers that use technology to create exceptional outcomes. 

WHAT'S IN A NAME?

Labuskes was originally presented with the idea for a name change in April 2016; after initially refuting the idea and later contemplating it, he brought his thought process to the InfoComm staff. The team knew a name change could be a marketing nightmare, but, after exploring many options with a variety of branding experts, keeping the InfoComm name was like “putting lipstick on a pig.” The AVIXA name reflects the new world of AV technology and that the association has a new meaning and a new purpose.

InfoComm’s leadership is, unsurprisingly, enthusiastic about this change. “If the old InfoComm did not transform into AVIXA, we would be leaving our channel behind,” said Joe Pham, Ph.D., president and CEO of QSC and secretary/treasurer of AVIXA’s board of directors. “This is a very exciting change, and one that will bring our members along.” 

WHAT ABOUT THE INTEGRATORS?

Julian Phillips, executive vice president at Whitlock and president-elect of AVIXA’s board added, “An empowered, informed, and engaged end-user member will spend a lot more than an uninformed customer. Integrators should be encouraged by the fact that they can bring their customers into AVIXA and they can grow their business like never before.”

AVIXA’s trade shows worldwide, including the North American show, June 2-8 in Las Vegas, NV., will continue to operate under the InfoComm name.

This story first appeared on TVT's sister publication AV Network.