AV SuperFriends: On Topic

Recorded June 12, 2026 In this Fourth of July–flavored episode of On Topic, the panel celebrates America’s birthday the only way they know how: by declaring independence from the worst habits in higher ed AV. This month’s grievances include single-vendor ecosystem lock-in, consultant-led designs that ignore campus standards, isolated “AV network islands,” overcomplicated touch panels, mystery DSP...

AV SuperFriends: On Topic - We won’t do anything until that form is filled out Recorded May 15, 2026 This episode of On Topic gets into the glamorous, soul-polishing world of how AV projects actually begin, which is apparently somewhere between a formal intake form, a support ticket that got out of hand, a hallway ambush, and someone discovering the room needs power, asbestos abatement, and lots o...

AV SuperFriends: On Topic Why are you doing speechlift from the can? Recorded April 17, 2026 In this episode, the crew turns a simple question about classroom speakers into a full-blown AV theology fight. Should small classrooms use ceiling speakers, front-wall point-source speakers, voice lift, program audio, or whatever happens to be lying around in the warehouse? Naturally, the answer is “it de...

AV SuperFriends: On Topic It's functioning, but not fully functional Recorded March 13, 2026 This episode of On Topic tackles “Spring cleaning” by focusing less on tidy closets and more on the grime higher ed AV teams create for themselves. The panel trades stories about delayed refreshes, inherited programming messes, legacy systems that refuse to die, rushed project deadlines, and the temporary...

AV SuperFriends: On Topic  The Ten Suggestions Recorded February 13, 2026 It’s March (yes, March– deal with it), the AV SuperFriends gather to lay down the law… higher ed AV law, that is. This month’s On Topic tackles the Top Ten Commandments of AV: the rules you should follow, the ones you sometimes break, and the ones you pretend you’ve always believed in. From protecting audio at all costs and...

AV SuperFriends: On Topic - If it happened last year, you can ignore it Recorded January 16, 2026 In this episode of On Topic, the panel leans hard into the “Groundhog Day” reality of higher ed AV, where every semester feels like a rerun of the last one. From the same classrooms and support tickets to the same mysterious $7 HDMI cable failures, the panel reflects on why our work so often feels stu...

Recorded December 12, 2025 It’s the AV SuperFriends New Year’s special, which means one part retrospective, one part speculation, and several parts nonsense. The panel looks back at their predictions for 2025 to see who deserves credit, who gets partial credit, and who should maybe stop predicting things altogether. From conference room technology to AV-over-IP realities, the team grades themselve...

Recorded November 14, 2025: The AV SuperFriends kick off their first holiday special of the season with a spirited look at the gear, gadgets, and AV workflows that should make life easier, but only if you also bought the missing accessories, licenses, adapters, or seventeen extra widgets the manufacturer forgot to mention. In classic Christmas fashion, the crew shares their “Batteries Not Included...

AV SuperFriends: On Topic "I Bet They're Super Tech-Savvy" Recorded October 24, 2025 In this Thanksgiving special, the crew gathers at the bustling Circus Circus in Las Vegas (by way of theater of the mind). Chris, Jamie, Marc, Larry, Justin, and special guest Frank Alaimo, dive into the chaos of AV integration during the holiday season, while serving up piping hot takes and mashed-up opinions. As...

AV SuperFriends: On Topic - I hope AQAV isn’t listening to this… Recorded September 19, 2025 It’s October, and the AV SuperFriends are leaning into the spooky season with a conversation that’s equal parts eerie and insightful. They tackle some of the haunted house problems in higher ed AV: ghost signals that won’t quit, obsolete equipment that seems impossible to kill off, and the slow creep of ou...

AV Superfriends: On Topic Episode 62 Back-toSchool Chatter Recorded August 15, 2025 In this episode, Chris, Jamie, Larry, and Justin revel in the chaos and excitement of back-to-school preparations and reminisce about their experiences from ten years ago while tackling the challenges of the new academic year. The discussion kicks off with a lighthearted look at the absurdities of the back-to-schoo...

AV SuperFriends: On Topic Episode 61: The statute of limitations has run out, right?  Recorded July 11, 2025 In this episode, the goon squad discusses testing AV equipment and the often murky waters of bench testing. Join Chris, Jamie, Larry, and Justin as they share their experiences, opinions, and a few laughs about the realities of ensuring gear works as intended before it hits the field. The d...

AV SuperFriends On Topic Episode 60: Fourth of July Special Recorded June 20, 2025 In this explosive Independence Day special, the AV SuperFriends celebrate five years of podcasting with a bang! Join Chris, Jamie, Larry, and Justin as they blow up the things they dislike about AV and IT in higher education. From cloud-based control systems to oversized DSPs, the panel tackles the industry's most f...

AV SuperFriends On Topic Episode 59: Don't Skip Friday! Recorded May 9, 2025 In this episode, the crew gathers for a lively roundtable discussion focused on the upcoming Infocomm trade show. Join Chris, Jamie, Marc, Rachel, Larry, and Justin as they share their excitement and insights about what to expect at the conference, along with their personal agendas and speaking engagements. The conversati...

AV SuperFriends On Topic Episode 58: Microphone in the Bathroom Recorded April 18, 2025 In this episode, the gang looks at the chaos and excitement surrounding commencement season in higher education. From the intricacies of AV setups to the humorous mishaps that can occur, our experts share their experiences and insights on managing these large-scale events. Tune in for a blend of technical exper...

AV SuperFriends On Topic Episode 57: The Other Choice is More Stupid Recorded March 14, 2025 In this episode, the gang dives into the annual ritual of spring cleaning, sharing their unique takes on what it means to declutter in the AV world. From the challenges of managing outdated equipment to the humorous anecdotes of discovering long-forgotten gear, the panel explores the importance of refreshi...

AV SuperFriends: On Topic Episode 56: Across a student’s lifespan… Recorded February 19, 2025 In this lively episode, we tackle updating standards amidst fluctuating budgets and the pressure of one-time funds. The discussion also covers the practicalities of AV over IP technology and how it can reshape classroom environments. From the importance of stocking common components to the nuances of mana...

AV SuperFriends On Topic: The next big trend in video Recorded January 17, 2025 It’s February, which means Groundhog Day! On this episode of On Topic, we review the perennial favorites of the IT and AV world that keep coming back year after year, from the trials of consultants to the challenges of wireless display technologies. We cover the ongoing debates around device compatibility, network secu...

AV SuperFriends On Topic: Justin's Theory of Boxes Recorded December 13, 2025 Welcome to the future!  Join us as we review last year's predictions, with some hits and plenty of misses, and make bold new forecasts for the year ahead. From more Microsoft integration woes to the potential of all-in-one LED displays, there's plenty to discuss and debate.  AI-suggested Alternate show titles: Prediction...

AV SuperFriends: On Topic Episode 53 "And then this morning happened..." Recorded November 22, 2024 In this special holiday episode, we explore why we've all landed on AV Santa's naughty list this year. Jamie recounts a PTP clock fiasco, Marc reviews his overly ambitious Teams Rooms rollout, Larry finds himself recommending 21:9 displays, Justin grapples with direct view LED walls and network isla...

AV Superfriends: On Topic Thanksgiving Special - AV Side Dishes Recorded October 30, 2024 (I’m still letting AI write this, but I have to edit it more and more recently - cjd) It's time for a Thanksgiving special with the AV SuperFriends! We’re discussing our favorite AV "side dishes"—those unsung heroes in AV systems that make everything work smoothly. As they gather for a virtual Thanksgiving di...

On Topic Episode 51: The Spookiest Trends in AV   Recorded September 20, 2024 (Yes, I let AI write this - cjd) Welcome to the AV SuperFriends on Topic, episode number 51! In this special October episode, we dive into the scariest trends in AV. From the pitfalls of over-reliance on IT-centric AV solutions to the haunting rise of unrealistic client expectations, this episode is packed with spine-chi...

AV SuperFriends: On Topic Episode 50: Dollars and Sense Recorded August 16, 2024 (Yes, I let AI write all this stuff - cjd) Chris Dechter kicks off another Friday afternoon podcast adventure with the AV SuperFriends. Despite a larger panel and some absences, the team dives into the ever-thrilling topic of budgeting in higher education AV systems. Joined by a diverse panel including Marc Cholewczyn...

AVSuperFriends On Topic Episode 49: Unique Boutique Recorded (and streamed live) on July 26, 2024 No topic provided again this month, so we decided to look at the numbers for display technologies.  Where does it make sense to consider LCDs vs. projectors vs. LEDs?  Chris even built a spreadsheet of rough numbers because he’s a nerd that way.  Are LEDs becoming cheap enough to replace projectors? ...

AV SuperFriends: On Topic Episode 48 Frozen Concentrated Orange Juice Recorded June 26, 2024 No topic was provided this month, so instead we’re going to make this our summer Fourth of July special.   So, get out your flags, wake up the kids for the renewal of their annual loyalty oath, fire up the grills, smoker, or barbecue, light off the sparklers and firecrackers, and let’s celebrate America by...