The AV industry is unique in many ways. Some try to compare us to the IT world, but, although the lines are becoming more blurred between the two, AV is different. Integrators are constantly leveraging different hardware and software to help create various experiences across verticals. There are countless ways to create an experience with AV applications — from broadcast solutions to high-end conference rooms in the corporate realm.
The Latest and Greatest Technologies
I worked in the house of worship and hotel spaces for many years before I found the commercial AV world. At first, I found it challenging to integrate some of the latest and greatest technologies that I had never had the opportunity to get my hands on in the past. But I would lean on my coworkers, some of whom had been in the business for 20-plus years. I’d ask questions and watch them during setups and teardowns. To me, it was a part of the process. If you want to become one of the best, you have to learn from the best. So, I was just a sponge, soaking up knowledge. It led me to grow beyond audio solutions; the next thing I knew, I was into signage, lighting, IT infrastructure and much more.
I haven’t worked in an office for a little more than five years. I’m no longer onsite for 10-plus hours a day with my team. That means other forms of community are more important than ever before. That leads me to the online #avtweeps community, which is expanding in many facets. Twitter (now X) and LinkedIn are some of the most popular social platforms, especially in the AV world.
But there’s something special happening over on Reddit, a social platform whose slogan is “dive into anything.” It’s a network of communities where people can explore their interests, hobbies and passions. So, naturally, there is a commercial AV-related subreddit. Although many Reddit users are anonymous, I reached out to the group moderators to learn more about the history of the group. I also wanted to take the opportunity to spotlight a safe place for others in our world to go to learn and connect.
The Goal and the Vision
Growing a community is no easy task. And this group has well over 20,000 members! So, where did this all begin? How did it start? “How does anything start?” Moderator 1, one of the original creators of the group, quips. “I really enjoy audio, video and control. Talking about new technology, a different approach or simply enjoying the small details of a product brings out a giant grin every time. I’m older now, and I still get way too excited about the latest and greatest in our industry.”
Moderator 1 continues, “Look, I don’t know everything there is to know about audio or video. I’m not some genius employed by a three-letter company. But I am a regular dude who enjoys technology, all these years later.”
The r/CommercialAV subreddit was created because there wasn’t anything on Reddit that was specifically focused on the AV industry. At the time, there were manufacturer-specific subreddits, sound system subreddits, etc., but nothing that covered traditional AV in its entirety. “My want or need to pool knowledge is why I created the subreddit,” Moderator 1 says. “So that I and others like me could ask questions, point out cool features and help each other out. The goal of the subreddit is to help each other, regardless of company, brand or otherwise.”
We Love to Debate
In the AV space, we love to debate. Sometimes, it’s all fun and games; other times, it’s just taken way too far. I’ve seen things escalate online between #avtweeps. With very few standards in our industry, it’s easy to argue who’s right and who’s wrong. It’s common to debate about your preference versus someone else’s preference. But the r/CommercialAV subreddit was built on a solid foundation — namely, to be a friendly and welcoming environment.
“It’s been a learning process, but, over the years, we’ve tried to be active as moderators,” Moderator 2 says, “helping set the tone for discussions, reminding folks who get a bit too heated that they might need to cool off and providing different ways to engage with the community that may provide more intimate responses.”
According to Moderator 2, “The group has a strict no-sales policy, which provides some assurances that a question will not be met with a slew of thinly veiled advertisements for products or certifications that may vaguely fit the community’s needs.”
What the Future Holds
The r/CommercialAV subreddit is huge, and it’s helping a lot of people in our industry grow their knowledge base. But what’s next?
Moderator 2 elaborates on exactly that point, saying, “We’d really like to kick off two initiatives: mentoring and learning. Mentoring is something that we all need, but few of us get it in a formal setting. This community is a great way to connect lots of people from varied backgrounds and provide some structure to the process.” Moderator 2 continues, “On the learning front, we’ve talked to a few teachers and engineers about doing technical sessions on the Discord. Since most of us are in hands-on roles, we don’t need to know about the latest products; we need to know how to better work with the tools we have or to learn new technical skills that will help us as technicians, installers and designers.”
The biggest challenges that the group faces center on time and money. “There are only a few of us moderating,” Moderator 2 continues. “We do this for free and for fun, and some of these projects require constant oversight. Also, with the onset of AI tools, scraping knowledge and data from the internet, we’ve also considered a move to a self-administered platform that will allow us to have better tools than Reddit provides and a way to prevent the hard work of others [from being] stolen by platforms trying to sell it.”
Think About Joining
If you’re not a part of the r/CommercialAV subreddit, you should think about joining. Moderator 1 reiterates that, within the group, “We are all the same. It doesn’t matter what your title is or isn’t; it’s all about sharing and helping each other out.” Moderator 2 echoes that point, adding, “As someone who runs a small business and doesn’t have an office full of peers to interact with, it’s a place where I feel like I have some community. I can complain about my day, vent frustrations, post about wins, talk about nonsense [and] look at pictures of pets. It makes me feel like I’m not struggling alone, even if I mostly work alone.”
So, join the community. It’s a reminder that none of us are in this alone. Just reach out for any additional details; we’ll get you pointed in the right direction.
