InfoComm International Seeking Standards-Setting Status

Fairfax Va.-based InfoComm International, the association for the audiovisual communications industries recently announced its intentions to become a standards-setting organization.

InfoComm is seeking accreditation through the American National Standards Institute to allow it to set industry standards for physical measurements of audiovisual systems performance in such areas a sound pressure levels and picture contrast ratios. Emphasis would be placed on systems performance and not that of individual components.

The new program planned by InfoComm will provide the A/V industry with performance standards that companies can use to benchmark their systems for customers.

"Standards development is an integral part of the development of professions seeking to be recognized as legitimate and distinct," said Randal A. Lemke, InfoComm's executive director. "As the AV industry works closely with industries that use standards, such as architecture, IT, telecommunications and more, it became obvious that AV standards are necessary to grow the profession to the next level. InfoComm has already assembled a substantial body of knowledge through the development of its courses and best practices manuals, which makes becoming an ANSI Standards-Setting organization a logical next step."