CEDIA, the global trade association and central touch point for residential technology, was one of the first players in the AV world to look at COVID-19, and adapt to help their many members, installers and integrators. They launched the CEDIASTRONG program, for global scale virtual events, roundtable discussions, webinars and even a Scholarship Fund.

There is always a silver lining to everything, even in the most difficult of times. And that’s true of today, when many of us found ourselves working from home. We should appreciate the fact that modern technology allows us to do a lot of what we want remotely. In the past four months, we adapted ourselves to optimize our relationship with our members, installers and integrators, trying to bring as much benefit as we can to everyone. One point of focus was our webinar program. While in the past we would have maybe one webinar a month, since April we have been running one webinar a week, mostly with our members, but also with other experts in the industry.

Audiovisual technology has been an intrinsic element in the healthcare market for a while now – from digital signage in hospitals and clinics to telemedicine to help those in remote locations, and even during medical procedures, where complex surgeries or exams can benefit from high-quality video image to help doctors precisely and accurately perform at their best.  For medical-grade imaging, a reliable connectivity solution is necessary.  That implies high image quality, simplicity and interoperability between various sources and displays.

The Coronavirus continues to make headlines all over the world. Not surprisingly, most countries have responsibly implemented social distancing rules, from confinement recommendations to more severe restrictions such as complete lockdown. So how does this affect our AV sector?

COVID-19 is wreaking havoc around the world. Some countries are being hit harder than others, but the whole world is being affected by it. Flights are being cancelled, countries are closing borders, events are being cancelled or postponed. As a wise man once said, it was the best of times, it was the worst of times. We live in a world of technology, of amazing advances in all sectors, and yet, we find ourselves controlled by this virus. So first of all, we – the HDBaseT Alliance – are sending our virtual support to all our members, installers and integrators through these challenging times.

After 4,000 tests spanning video resolutions, test patterns, BAUD rates, modulated and unmodulated IR and IP controls, to name a few, the 2019 HDBaseT Plugfest held in Japan, had a whopping 99% success rate. We can finally put to rest - with statistical data - the unfounded speculation by competing standards. To put it frank, there is undeniable interoperability between HDBaseT certified products, and it is beautiful!

When your company or your product is shortlisted for an award, there is this amazing feeling of accomplishment. This sensation that you are not only advancing your business, but also contributing to the market with a better, more advanced, and/or revolutionary solution is rewarding.

We live in a time of incredible technological innovation where demands are high, and the fastest, best quality, uncompromised performance products prevail. The ProAV industry is no exception.

HDBaseT revolutionized the ProAV market with an optimized, uncompressed solution for the transmission of high-speed audio & video, Ethernet, controls, USB and power. With 200+ HDBaseT Alliance members, thousands of HDBaseT products, and considerable resources invested in HDBaseT products, we must ensure that we stay current on market trends and forecasts, and that HDBaseT remains future-proof.

What is the best way to accomplish this?

Every year, the HDBaseT Alliance holds its HDBaseT World Congress, inviting its members and industry leaders to discuss the latest challenges and opportunities in the market, but also to provide them with a unique opportunity to network, learn, challenge and influence.

One of the HDBaseT Alliance’s goals is to educate the market – particularly installers and integrators – about HDBaseT technology, including features, benefits, applications, and more.  Over the years, the Alliance has conducted dozens of Installer Expert Programs all over the world, addressing the latest needs and questions in the sector.