Commercial Integrator December 2022 - 16

PERFECTING YOUR CRAFT
adds, " we will have to continue to get more
creative with existing inventory and products
and reset expectations for project delivery. "
As our industry continues to face
supply-chain issues, it's up to us to develop,
innovate and get creative to push things forward.
From Hollingsworth's perspective, a
big part of that is the shift away from proprietary
hardware and toward software-based
solutions. As Hollingsworth puts it, " The gift
that the supply-chain disruptions brought
us is an increased focus on developing
software solutions [for applications] that
we would historically have addressed with
hardware. I'm increasingly excited about the
advances in signal distribution and media
processing over commodity hardware that
will allow us to automate services and solutions
and create user-friendly interfaces and
repeatable designs. " He adds, " These will
deliver the immersive experiences that our
end users are demanding. "
Harris openly acknowledges that long
lead times to receive gear are expected to
continue into 2023, calling it just part of
what end-user customers have to deal with
now. " I think we're going to see end users
becoming more agnostic about the brand
names that make up their inventories, " she
predicts, " even to the degree of considering
software solutions for jobs that have been
typically handled with hardware. " Harris
continues, expressing her belief that users
will get more creative about their options.
" [They] want more understanding about
how their systems work and what they can
do to be part of keeping things running
smoothly, " she says.
Product Advancements in 2023
" Our industry has been moving at light
speed with product development for nearly
three years, " Bryan Hellard, owner and lead
researcher of UC Test Lab, observes, noting
that we've witnessed a complete change in
work habits and location in that time. He explains
that companies have introduced new
products, and adapted existing products,
to accommodate this change. " I predict a
continued effort to increase meeting quality,
regardless of the location of the user, " Hellard
declares. " AI in devices will continue to
improve. Cameras will get better at framing,
with higher accuracy rates. And audio
devices will get smarter, increasing [in] their
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ability to automatically reduce static and
acute noises without affecting voice quality. "
He continues, " In the future, I see imaging
systems with multiple sensors or a larger single
sensor capable of capturing participants
individually with high quality, regardless of
physical location in the room. "
After many years of testing and evaluating
products in our space, Hellard attests
that meeting equity has truly become a
major focus for manufacturers, integrators
and end users alike.
Mike Slamer, who is executive AV
engineer at Warner Bros. Discovery,
adds his voice to the conversation about
UC&C technology and its advancement.
" I believe that we will continue to see
manufacturers delivering personal devices
and equipment designed around the 'prosumer'
[who is] looking to achieve a higher
quality of experience, " he predicts. From
Slamer's perspective, the name of game
is agility, by which he means considering
humans' innate ability to grow and adapt
as well as our craving for familiar routines.
The nexus of those factors might be ease
of use. " When it comes to routine and
technology, " he says, " folks just want their
kit to work. " Continuing, he points to a
range of prospective clients - " from large
corporate offices, to campuses, to tech
hubs and colleges, right down to each
individual " - who recognize ease of use as
the top priority.
Slamer also clearly states that, today,
delivering an excellent experience is
paramount in facilitating successful video
calls. " Clarity in messaging, a clean video
feed and a robust audio experience are so
important when discussing the issues of
today, " he declares. " People understand
Commercial Integrator DECEMBER 2022
this now more than ever - and that goes
for organizations, too! "
Slamer points to Logitech, Poly and
Jabra as three companies that have already
established themselves as bridging the gap
between enterprise and personal-device
technologies, a trend that our experts have
touched on. He elaborates, " I believe that
2023 will see the continuation of this trend,
leveraging USB and Bluetooth technologies
in ways that will ultimately improve a device's
compatibility and lifecycle as global
supply chains continue to shift due to the
ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. "
Interoperability Steps Forward
From Hellard's perspective, interoperability
was the biggest industry story of the
year. " Interoperability took a dramatic step
forward with news that, soon, we will be
able to run Microsoft Teams natively on
[Cisco meeting devices], " he enthuses.
What's more, Hellard is looking forward to
even more native integrations coming from
vendors that, he says, might fear being left
behind. He adds, " We're still waiting for
that non-PC-based, magical device that
can run every service natively with a touch
of an icon. Even if that doesn't materialize
in 2023, we're off to a great start with the
partnership between Cisco and Microsoft. "
So, what are some takeaways? Software
will be prominent. Interoperability will
remain a crucial factor as we power through
supply-chain issues. And we'll have to apply
our creativity to designs as product advancements
continue to push the envelope.
So, #avtweeps, what are your 2023
thoughts? Reach out on Twitter @comm
integrator and @thesmoothfactor!
Happy New Year! See you in 2023!
commercialintegrator.com
http://www.commercialintegrator.com
Commercial Integrator December 2022

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Commercial Integrator December 2022
