For years, AV-over-IP was most closely associated with large, complex installations: videowalls, digital signage networks and other systems where scalability justified the move to IP.
Today, however, the more interesting story, according to Mark Corbin, president of Vanco International, is how scalability, flexibility and cost advantages are pulling AV-over-IP into systems of almost any size, including residential ones that didn’t used to be part of the picture.
Scalability Is the Real Selling Point
Demand has climbed sharply, and Corbin is direct about why traditional gear can’t match it. “AV-over-IP demand has [surged] in the last three years,” he says. “Normal matrix systems just are not as compatible with what an AV-over-IP system can do.”
The core advantage is how IP systems can grow as needs expand. “If I buy a 4×4 matrix, and I [have] to add two more sources and displays, I [have] to buy a whole new system,” Corbin says.
IP changes that equation: As the number of displays grows, it’s possible to scale up without replacing everything. And once you hit a certain point, the economics just make more sense than the alternatives.
That reach is now extending beyond traditional commercial territory. With cable boxes disappearing, Corbin notes that IP is “getting employed more and more into these simple residential systems” on the higher-end side.
A Product Line Built to Grow with the Job
Vanco’s lineup reflects that range. Evo IP Go is the entry-level option: a plug-and-play solution supporting square-configuration videowalls up to 5×5 at an accessible price point that still routes audio and does more than a matrix can. The 1.0 steps up to real videowall customization and digital signage for commercial work.
Additionally, the 2.0, released last year, adds Dante Audio, eARC output, videowall configurations of up to 25 displays and tiler support. As Corbin puts it, it’s “really unique because of Dante audio being involved in that.”
Underpinning all of it is a networking recommendation that Corbin shares forthrightly. “I think dedicated networks are great just because [they’re] only running your AV system,” he says. A dedicated switch also pays off in service: An integrator can log in remotely, monitor devices, reboot units and troubleshoot issues without rolling a truck.
“You can go online in your office, look at your customers [and see] what’s going on. And that network is completely dedicated to that. You can see anything that’s out — any power outage, any recycles you need to do — any of that kind of thing,” Corbin says. “It makes it just so much easier to deal with.”
The payoff goes well beyond a completed install. Because a dedicated network lets integrators monitor everything remotely, it opens the door to something more sustainable than per-visit billing. “You just give them a monthly bill,” Corbin says. “[It’s] possibly a recurring revenue opportunity because you’re monitoring everything.”
Lowering the Barrier for Nervous Integrators
Some integrators still hesitate, and Corbin understands why. “When you first implement your first AV-over-IP system, you’re nervous, right?” he asks rhetorically. His advice is to start simple. The entry product is designed to reduce that friction and give integrators a simpler way to get started deploying AV-over-IP.
Training is the next step. Vanco offers personal training for dealers and distributors as well as online LMS courses at Vanco1.com, which include a questionnaire and a short test. Corbin also points integrators to training videos on the company’s site. And Vanco’s team will gladly help out, as well.
The broader case that Corbin makes for AV-over-IP is compelling: It’s not just that it’s better than what came before but also that it gives integrators the tools to start small, build confidence and grow a business around it.
Watch the full interview with Mark Corbin of Vanco discussing AV-over-IP advancements, embedded below.
