AV SuperFriends: Off the Rails - Every now and then I stupid my way into smart
AV SuperFriends
Recorded February 6, 2026 ISE season is in full swing, and while much of the AV world is busy chasing booth demos and press releases from Europe, the AV SuperFriends are back doing what they do best: cutting through the hype. In this episode, the panel digs into the latest ISE announcements and trends, separating what’s genuinely useful for higher ed from what looks great under trade-show lighting but falls apart in real classrooms. A major thread of the conversation focuses on rethinking camera deployments in teaching and meeting spaces. The crew challenges the default “one camera at the...
info_outline
AV SuperFriends: On Topic - If it happened last year, you can ignore it
AV SuperFriends
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 stuck on repeat, even as we insist “this time it’ll be different.” With their usual mix of sarcasm, experience, and self-awareness, they review the projects, services, and processes that keep coming back year after year… sometimes for good reasons, sometimes...
info_outline
AV SuperFriends: Off the Rails - I’m a psychologist, but I’m not YOUR psychologist
AV SuperFriends
Recorded January 23, 2026 In this episode, the panel looks into the growing disconnect between AI hype and the realities of higher-ed operations. As campuses spin up task forces and strategy decks, the people closest to the work are still trying to explain that real progress comes from solid processes, clean data, and systems that actually integrate, not shiny tools bolted on top of chaos. The conversation drifts (on purpose) through buzzwords, half-baked pilots, and the familiar frustration of being asked to support technologies that skipped the fundamentals. Along the way, the panel brings a...
info_outline
AV SuperFriends: Off the Rails - Unauthorized Digital Twin
AV SuperFriends
Recorded January 9, 2026 It’s mid-January, and we kick off the first full show of the year with news from CES nonsense, reviewing what consumer tech trends might actually sneak into higher-ed AV and which ones should stay in Las Vegas forever. That quickly turns into an AI-heavy conversation covering lecture capture anxiety, faculty concerns, digital avatars, and synthetic presenters. Then we dig into what happens when trust in a manufacturer, platform, or product is broken, whether that trust can ever truly be rebuilt, and how past experiences shape long-term decisions around standards,...
info_outline
AV SuperFriends: On Topic - KFC Classroom
AV SuperFriends
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 themselves with the kind of honesty only friends (and live chat hecklers) can provide. Then, eyes turn cautiously toward 2026. Expect bold takes on where AV is actually headed, which “next big things”...
info_outline
AV SuperFriends: Off the Rails - Kicking the Bucket Down the Road
AV SuperFriends
Recorded December 5, 2025 As December pretends to be festive while refusing to fully commit to Christmas, the AV SuperFriends gather to celebrate that special time of year when inboxes are ignored, productivity is optional, and every project update is deferred. Naturally, this means the conversation focuses on patent lawsuits, seasonal anxiety, and the true meaning of future-proof… which, as it turns out, might actually mean sealed in concrete for eternity. From Barco’s latest courtroom adventure to the existential question of who actually owns and maintains the hundreds of learning spaces...
info_outline
AV SuperFriends: On Topic - I’m not doing this under my desk
AV SuperFriends
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” frustrations: software that secretly requires expensive hardware, switchers that almost solve every problem but miss the basics, power supplies that mysteriously vanish from product boxes,...
info_outline
AV SuperFriends: Off the Rails - Double-click down
AV SuperFriends
Recorded November 21, 2025 In this jam-packed episode, the AV SuperFriends welcome two guests from sunny Southern California, Raj Singh from USC and Joe Way from UCLA, to tackle one of the most challenging topics in higher-ed technology today: cloud-connected AV. The panel reviews what it truly means to run a “connected campus,” exploring the benefits, hurdles, required workflows, stakeholder alignment, and how automation and virtualization are reshaping classroom support. But it’s not all cloud talk! USC and UCLA are days away from their big Crosstown Cup rivalry game, making this the...
info_outline
AV SuperFriends - Perspectives from ETC 2025
AV SuperFriends
Recorded October 16, 2025 In this special Perspectives episode, Justin and Chris recorded live from ETC 2025 in Raleigh, NC, setting up in the middle of the action to capture conversations with Frank Alaimo from UNLV and Jim Spencer from Legrand. The panel digs into the real-world challenges facing campus AV teams today: modernizing aging classrooms, navigating procurement hurdles, managing user expectations, staffing shortages, and the never-ending push toward standardization and scalability. Expect candid stories, practical insights, a few jokes about geography and campus politics, and a...
info_outline
AV SuperFriends: Off the Rails - Design Bid Build Litigate
AV SuperFriends
Recorded November 7, 2025 In this episode, Chris, Jamie, Marc, Larry, Justin, and special guest Craig Park tackle the complexities of large capital projects, the importance of early engagement with AV consultants, and the often murky waters of project communication. The conversation takes a humorous turn as they explore the trials and tribulations of navigating institutional silos, the challenges of meeting evolving educational needs, and the inevitable “telephone game” that occurs in project management. With insights on everything from classroom design to the philosophical implications of...
info_outlineRecorded 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 frustrating trends and technologies that have overstayed their welcome. With fireworks and laughter, they share their grievances, offering a cathartic release for anyone who's ever felt overwhelmed by the complexities of modern AV solutions.
une in for a fun-filled episode that’s equal parts celebration and critique, and discover what the AV SuperFriends want to blow up next!
If you enjoy this episode, please share it with your fellow AV enthusiasts and consider supporting the AV SuperFriends!
We stream live every Friday at about 300p Eastern/1200p Pacific and you can listen to everything we record over at AVSuperFriends.com
▀▄▀▄▀ CONTACT LINKS ▀▄▀▄▀
► Website: https://www.avsuperfriends.com
► Twitter: https://twitter.com/avsuperfriends
► LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/avsuperfriends
► YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@avsuperfriends
► Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/avsuperfriends.bsky.social
► Email: mailbag@avsuperfriends.com
► RSS: https://avsuperfriends.libsyn.com/rss
Donate to AVSF: https://www.avsuperfriends.com/support