Podcast
AV SuperFriends: On Topic
Hosted by AV SuperFriends · EN
The AV SuperFriends discuss design, installation, and support of classroom and commercial AV integrations.
14episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
65: I’m Not Doing This Under My Desk
Dec 100:41:17Tap to summarizeRecorded 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, and cloud-connected ecosystems with more prerequisites than a graduate-level course.Along the way, the panel detours into holiday lights, dubious Best Buy happenings, the return of RDL-style power-supply roulette, and the annual reminder that USB extension is still cursed. They also preview an upcoming deep-dive on enterprise cloud AV, tease the December call-in show, and, of course, deliver an unhealthy dose of seasonal immaturity.If you’ve ever unboxed a “perfect” AV solution only to discover it needs three more boxes, a license key, an aggregator VM, and a Christmas miracle to function, this episode is for you.Alternate show titles:I want that in my stockingHoliday ModeThe setting on your doohickyDon’t put it in holiday modeWho dropped the dogs offAllen Head Doll HouseIt does everything you want but nothing you needLeast offensive to “you gotta be kidding me”You can’t get this to thatYou can buy HDBaseT out, you just can’t get it inSimilar to Larry, but differentYou always have to buy the power supplies separateThey mostly lastThat’s not the answer; stop it!Some adult supervision required
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64: I Bet They're Super Tech-Savvy
Nov 100:38:19Tap to summarizeAV SuperFriends: On Topic"I Bet They're Super Tech-Savvy"Recorded October 24, 2025In 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 they navigate the complexities of holiday technology requests, the conversation hilariously veers into the world of DIY AV setups, unexpected tech purchases, and the challenges of integrating consumer-grade equipment into professional environments. From the infamous ‘hockey puck’ microphones to the wild world of Raspberry Pi lighting setups, nothing is off the table.So loosen your belts, grab a plate, and settle in for a feast of sound, humor, and a few too many turkey puns!Connect with Frank: https://www.linkedin.com/in/frank-alaimo-cts-i-01872466/AI-generated alternate show titles:Turkey Talk and Tech TroublesA Thanksgiving Roundtable of AV ShenanigansGravy and GadgetsA Thanksgiving AV ExtravaganzaA Turkey-Themed AV RoundtableFar superior human created alternate show titles:When you see people on stilts, you know it’s a fancy jointThis is actually fulfilling one of my life goalsMistakes were madeThe Whoa-Pro!It works right out of the boxA hockey puck USB micIt has little legs on it, maybe notThe turducken of meeting roomsThey start banging it out and you’re like “Oh!”What do you think is going on in this classroom, dude?This is news to me!An army of fruit rolling aroundWe stream live every Friday at about 315p Eastern/1215p 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/rssDonate to AVSF: https://www.avsuperfriends.com/support
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63: I Hope AQAV Isn’t Listening to This…
Oct 101:07:21Tap to summarizeAV SuperFriends: On Topic - I hope AQAV isn’t listening to this…Recorded September 19, 2025It’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 outdated standards lurking in classrooms everywhere. Joining the discussion are special guests Gary Cummins Indiana University and Neal Feuerhelm from the University of Illinois, who weigh in on how their campuses are handling the monsters of modernization. From faculty demands for shiny new gear to the challenges of keeping hundreds of teaching spaces alive and stable, the group debates what’s worth upgrading, what’s better left buried, and how to keep technology aligned with real teaching and learning goals.And since it wouldn’t be fall without a little football, the episode features a spirited Weekly Rivalry matchup between Illinois and Indiana. Much like on the gridiron, each university makes its case for AV dominance, touting classroom innovations, campus traditions, and the resilience of their teams. The friendly trash talk goes into overtime with lightning-round questions and leaves listeners with one key takeaway: in higher ed AV, rivalries may be playful, but the commitment to delivering reliable, effective teaching technology is very real.Connect with our guests:Gary Cummins - https://www.linkedin.com/in/gary-cummins-5690026b/Neal Feuerhelm - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nfeuerhelm/AI-generated Alternate Episode Titles:Spooky Trends & a Big Ten ShowdownEther Killer and the Haunted ClassroomWhen Old Gear Refuses to DieSpooky Season, Creepy Standards, and a Big Ten ShowdownGhosts in the Machine: Higher Ed’s Halloween SpecialHaunted Touch Panels and Other AV NightmaresRivalries, Revenants, and Room SchedulersFar Superior Human-Generated Alternate Show Titles:You want all those ports back?They went from putting everything on there to nothingThere’s not enough of it to justify putting in a special thingAre you too busy to finish a thought?Your standards are at random heightsThe consumerification of all our AV productsThat meant it was dead, not asleepEither one, I don’t want to do anymore…Live grounding bus barI don’t know how many pools you have on campusWe got a name for thatIt involved a lot of lubeTurn it to 11You can’t really touch the HTMLIt’s the viewer’s problemWe 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/rssDonate to AVSF: https://www.avsuperfriends.com/support
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62: Back-to-School Chatter
Sep 100:38:04Tap to summarizeAV Superfriends: On TopicEpisode 62Back-toSchool ChatterRecorded August 15, 2025In 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-school rush, including the frantic requests from faculty and the inevitable tech hiccups. The team shares their thoughts on how far AV technology has come in the past decade and reflects on the lessons learned along the way. From the struggles of outdated systems to the thrill of new installations, they cover it all.As they navigate through their own back-to-school stories, the panelists reveal their personal strategies for managing the busy season and keeping their sanity intact.AI-generated alternate show titles:Back to School: AV EditionLessons Learned: A Decade of AVThe Back-to-School Survival GuideAV Flashbacks: 10 Years of ChaosTech Trials and TriumphsFrom Panic to PreparationAV SuperFriends: Back to School MadnessNavigating the New School YearFar superior human created alternate show titles:They hibernate and then re-hatchLooks like an owl winking at youEverybody loves whiteboardsThat whiteboard is structuralThese were working before they touched themYou know who didn’t say that?He… didn’t get firedIt’s my first day!I’ve been flat on purposeDumb questions like “Are you done yet?”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► Email: mailbag@avsuperfriends.com► RSS: https://avsuperfriends.libsyn.com/rssIndividual Twitter links:► Chris Dechter: @cdechter► Jamie Rinehart: @avsfjamie► Marc Cholewczynski: @avdiplomat► Rachel Bradshaw: @tempurity► Larry Darling: @lsdarling1► Justin Rexing: @justinrexingDonate to AVSF: https://www.avsuperfriends.com/support
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