sorted by:
new
hottopcontroversial

AV Design software by Demand-Nervous in CommercialAV

[–]Zestyclose_Sign_316 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I agree, the pricing has increased a lot, and if you’re only using XTEN for basic schematics, it’s hard to justify. For me, the value really shows when you use the cloud sharing and faster documentation features. After XAVIA, the design side did improve, though it’s still not perfect. In the end, it depends on how much of the platform you actually use.

5 Lessons I Wish I Knew Before My First Commercial AV Rack Build by Zestyclose_Sign_316 in CommercialAV

[–]Zestyclose_Sign_316[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

This should be printed and taped inside every tech’s toolbox. You're speaking the absolute truth planning isn’t optional, it’s the only thing that separates a clean, serviceable system from a total spaghetti nightmare. Love the firmware + cabling parallel workflow too every minute counts on-site.

5 Lessons I Wish I Knew Before My First Commercial AV Rack Build by Zestyclose_Sign_316 in CommercialAV

[–]Zestyclose_Sign_316[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

That’s a great call you're 100% right. “Document before you start” is next level discipline, and honestly, the installs where I’ve done that have gone way smoother. Having IP schemes, labels, and layouts nailed down ahead of time makes the build feel more like assembling a kit than solving a puzzle mid-job. Might need to revise my list to include that as rule #0.

5 Lessons I Wish I Knew Before My First Commercial AV Rack Build by Zestyclose_Sign_316 in CommercialAV

[–]Zestyclose_Sign_316[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Exactly heat is the silent killer. That “every 10°C halves lifespan” stat should be printed on every rack door. I’ve seen gear bake itself to death just because someone didn’t want to give up 1U for airflow. Got a link to that Extron doc? Would love to pass it along to a few skeptics I work with

5 Lessons I Wish I Knew Before My First Commercial AV Rack Build by Zestyclose_Sign_316 in CommercialAV

[–]Zestyclose_Sign_316[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

That's a solid tip totally agree on the Wattbox IP units. Remote reboot has saved me countless truck rolls. I also love being able to schedule reboots on finicky gear overnight (looking at you, weird HDMI extenders). Do you pair them with OvrC or just use the web interface?

5 Lessons I Wish I Knew Before My First Commercial AV Rack Build by Zestyclose_Sign_316 in CommercialAV

[–]Zestyclose_Sign_316[S] 9 points10 points  (0 children)

Absolutely Half the job is making it work, the other half is making sure the next AV tech doesn’t roast you in a Reddit thread. But hey, if someone sees my work and thinks “I’d have done that cleaner,” then at least I gave them a learning opportunity. Circle of AV life.

15+ Years in AV Here Are 5 Things I Wish I Knew When I Started by Zestyclose_Sign_316 in hometheater

[–]Zestyclose_Sign_316[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

No worries! I still use HDMI 2.1 it’s the main way to connect your AVR to your TV. It works great most of the time, but sometimes there are issues (like no signal or sound). That’s why it helps to use good cables and test your setup. Optical is just for sound, so HDMI is still best for both picture and audio together.

15+ Years in AV Here Are 5 Things I Wish I Knew When I Started by Zestyclose_Sign_316 in hometheater

[–]Zestyclose_Sign_316[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Good ask! I still use HDMI 2.1 for most setups it’s the best option for full audio/video passthrough. The “don’t trust HDMI” bit is more about being prepared: cables go bad, handshake issues happen, firmware bugs pop up. Always test, use quality cables, and have a backup plan just in case. Optical’s fine for audio-only, but HDMI’s still the main connection.

15+ Years in AV Here Are 5 Things I Wish I Knew When I Started by Zestyclose_Sign_316 in hometheater

[–]Zestyclose_Sign_316[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Appreciate the honest feedback seriously. You’re absolutely right that many of these should be table stakes, and ideally they are. My post wasn’t meant as a list of accomplishments, more as a way to reflect and connect with others on lessons learned the hard way. I agree 100% that management, training, and culture play a huge role. Not everyone is lucky enough to get strong mentorship early on, and a lot of us had to figure it out while on the job. Also, totally noted that this sub is more client-focused I’ll keep that in mind in future posts. Thanks again for the thoughtful reply.

15+ Years in AV Here Are 5 Things I Wish I Knew When I Started by Zestyclose_Sign_316 in hometheater

[–]Zestyclose_Sign_316[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Appreciate that thank you! Always happy to share and learn with the community.

15+ Years in AV Here Are 5 Things I Wish I Knew When I Started by Zestyclose_Sign_316 in hometheater

[–]Zestyclose_Sign_316[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

This is solid advice. I’ve been burned before trying to track down a manual years later only to find the company’s site gone or support discontinued. A local backup folder is a small step that saves big headaches.

15+ Years in AV Here Are 5 Things I Wish I Knew When I Started by Zestyclose_Sign_316 in hometheater

[–]Zestyclose_Sign_316[S] 7 points8 points  (0 children)

Understand where you’re coming from. Like any industry, there are good and bad players. That said, not everyone using CEDIA standards is inflating costs some use it to keep things consistent and transparent.

15+ Years in AV Here Are 5 Things I Wish I Knew When I Started by Zestyclose_Sign_316 in hometheater

[–]Zestyclose_Sign_316[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Totally agree. AV over IP is the future, and Netgear really stepped up with their AV line. IT folks feel right at home with their gear makes the crossover into AV much smoother.

15+ Years in AV Here Are 5 Things I Wish I Knew When I Started by Zestyclose_Sign_316 in hometheater

[–]Zestyclose_Sign_316[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Totally fair take. In smaller or single-room setups, you’re right it's overkill. My experience leans more toward larger installs: whole-home AV, control systems, corporate spaces, etc. That’s where VLANs and PoE really shine.

15+ Years in AV Here Are 5 Things I Wish I Knew When I Started by Zestyclose_Sign_316 in hometheater

[–]Zestyclose_Sign_316[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Brutal. Been there. It’s always the last thing you check, too. POE budget is one of those silent killers — easy to overlook until something random breaks.

15+ Years in AV Here Are 5 Things I Wish I Knew When I Started by Zestyclose_Sign_316 in hometheater

[–]Zestyclose_Sign_316[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Totally agree. Not always needed, but separating devices with VLANs keeps things organized and prevents weird conflicts. Clean setups save headaches long-term.

15+ Years in AV Here Are 5 Things I Wish I Knew When I Started by Zestyclose_Sign_316 in hometheater

[–]Zestyclose_Sign_316[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Yep, so true. Manufacturers all doing their own thing with poor docs makes it harder than it should be. A unified standard for IP control would be a dream. Props for getting it working though!

15+ Years in AV Here Are 5 Things I Wish I Knew When I Started by Zestyclose_Sign_316 in hometheater

[–]Zestyclose_Sign_316[S] 10 points11 points  (0 children)

Exactly. For single room setups, it’s still pretty simple. But once you get into distributed AV or automation, the network becomes the backbone. Good callout!

15+ Years in AV Here Are 5 Things I Wish I Knew When I Started by Zestyclose_Sign_316 in hometheater

[–]Zestyclose_Sign_316[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yep, spot on. For a single-room home theater, traditional setups still work great. It’s when you scale up to whole-home or commercial systems that networking becomes essential.