INNOVATOR PROFILES
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ROGER TAKACS Job title VP of education Company Lightware Visual Engineering
How did you get into AV? I interviewed for a marketing job with a company in Silicon Valley. I didn’t know what the company did because their name was an acronym. Their website just linked to a bunch of products they sold. Five minutes into the interview, I was asked by the VP of sales and marketing if I knew what they did. I responded, “No, your website didn’t make any sense!” He proceeded to tell me I would make a great salesperson in the company and introduced me to audiovisual technology. What are you currently working on? I’m working on the expansion of the Lightware Taurus UCX line-up for education, bringing USB and USB-C to classrooms with audio and video. Favourite project? A university approached us and asked for a four-room combining system that was completely automated. Each room needed to auto-switch between USB-C and HDMI based on which connection was used. Video and audio needed to be routed to the appropriate displays, while USB sources in that room needed to be routed to the computer. As part of the room combining, wall sensors
This wonderful AV industry continues to integrate new technologies – both consumer and professional – into complete solutions. We are at the beginning of the growth of the USB-C connection today. Over the next five years, we will watch this exciting and challenging new connection dominate the success and failure of many AV projects. Professional AV integration will give our customers what they are seeking in this new area. What advice would you give to someone starting a career in AV tech? Learn what’s new first, today that’s USB-C and USB peripheral distribution. Spend time on older technology, but understand plenty of people know how the older technology works. There’s a lot of opportunities in AV, some will be the perfect fit, like a BNC connector, and others will feel like pushing that round composite connector through an HDMI port. However, you will need creativity, you will need to dream about big AV installations, you will need to walk into stadiums and think about how many pixels are on that screen. You’ll walk into restaurants and look at the wiring and question who did the installation. Enjoy and have fun!
Every seven
needed to track which walls were open and closed so that the images could be shared to create either four, three, two or one giant room. The request was that the solution be fully automated – the room must know its state and which input should be displayed where. Lightware was able to design the system and even create a working demonstration in under two days. What does the future hold for the AV industry? When I was new in the AV industry, one of my mentors said to me, “Every seven years, the AV industry will have a new technology that keeps us employed.” I didn’t understand then, but I do now. years, the AV industry will have a new technology that keeps us employed”
MARC WILSON Job title Managing director Company Glensound
Favourite project? Most of our projects are very rewarding, but one of the smallest custom projects was fun. We designed a twin, Dante- based phono preamp for YouTube. They bought two and that’s all we ever sold! It’s probably the world’s only Dante turntable amp as far as we are aware! What does the future hold for the AV industry? From our side, it is the further expansion of audio networking and the control systems that go with it. Systems can share audio easily now using Dante or Ravenna, but common control systems are equally important. Glensound wants to continue at the forefront of this. What advice would you give to someone starting a career in AV tech? Get involved in as many real-world projects as you can. Volunteer to help
How did you get into AV? I started out on BBC Radio Kent as one of Rod Lucas’ on-air team. This got me into technical audio equipment and becoming a DJ. My first proper job in AV was with a UK disco equipment manufacturer called Citronic, working with slave amplifiers, zone mixers and the like. With a journey via a UK audio distributor called Preco, which supplied audio processors from Orban, and consoles from Lawo, I ended up at Glensound in 2008 where I am still now. What are you currently working on? Sixty-four channel audio interfaces, upgrading our intercom system, and a new Dante speaker! Project-wise, there are always multiple esports projects coming up which are always a lot of fun. One of our newest developments is in esports, but it’s all very hush hush!
in set-up or rigging for the local theatre, volunteer at your local community radio station. Anything you can do to get hands-on with equipment and expand your network should always go along with any studies.
Sixty-four channel audio interfaces, upgrading our intercom system, and a new Dante speaker!”
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