You have twelve conference rooms across three floors. Each was spec'd by a different team, installed at different times, and uses different interfaces. A presenter walks into the west wing boardroom after leading a meeting downstairs and spends the first five minutes hunting for the right input. IT gets three support calls before 10 AM because nobody can figure out how to start the projector in the training room. This is not a technology problem. It is a standardization problem. When every room works differently, even good AV systems create friction. Users lose confidence. Support teams spend hours on issues that should not exist. And the ROI you expected from your AV investment gets chipped away one confused meeting at a time. Room standardization means building consistency into how spaces operate. It does not mean identical equipment everywhere. It means creating predictable patterns so users can walk into any space and know exactly what to do.

Most AV systems don’t fail all at once. They degrade quietly—audio gets harder to hear, displays take longer to wake up, meetings feel stressful instead of effortless. By the time something “breaks,” users have already lost confidence. High-reliability AV support is designed to prevent that erosion. It treats audiovisual systems as operational infrastructure—something that must perform predictably every day, across conference rooms, digital signage, video walls, interactive installations, and live environments. This article explains what high-reliability AV support actually looks like in practice—and why it matters long after installation is complete.

The architect has just presented schematics for a new headquarters. The floor plans show conference rooms, a town hall, and a digital feature in the lobby. The owner asks the obvious question: how much will the AV cost? At this stage, the honest answer is usually a range. Sometimes a wide one. That answer can frustrate project teams, especially those accustomed to tighter numbers from mechanical or electrical trades. But AV budgeting works differently, and understanding why can save months of misaligned expectations. We have seen projects stall because early estimates became anchors that could not flex as design evolved. We have also seen owners get exactly what they needed by treating budget development as a process that refines alongside architecture, interior design, and IT planning. The difference comes down to understanding what drives AV costs and when those drivers lock in.

Picture this: You've invested in a stunning LED video wall for your corporate lobby, only to discover that visitors standing a few feet away see a distracting grid of pixels instead of crisp imagery. Or perhaps you've specified ultra-fine 0.9mm pitch for a stadium scoreboard where viewers sit 200 feet away—paying premium prices for resolution no one can appreciate. These costly mistakes stem from one critical misunderstanding: the relationship between pixel pitch and viewing distance. When specifying a direct-view LED video wall, one decision towers above all others: pixel pitch. Get it wrong, and you'll either overspend on unnecessary resolution or deliver a frustrating, pixelated viewing experience. Understanding how pixel pitch relates to your specific environment is essential for designers, architects, and AV buyers alike.

Learn how architects and AV integrators collaborate during schematic design when floor plans, finishes, and budgets are still evolving.

Imagine investing hundreds of thousands of dollars in a stunning gigantic LED video wall—only to display pixelated, stuttering content that makes your brand look amateurish. This nightmare scenario plays out more often than you'd think. From the breathtaking Salesforce Tower installation to Apple's curved LED masterpiece in Macau, iconic video walls share one critical success factor: content engineered to exact specifications. At Spye, we've installed everything from the Baker Center's massive 60-foot architectural display to sophisticated corporate lobby installations, and we've learned that the technology is only half the equation. The other half? Content that's purpose-built for your unique display specifications. Here's why getting it right matters more than you think.

In today's competitive business landscape, creating functional, engaging, and technologically advanced spaces is essential for attracting top talent and impressing clients. A professional corporate AV installation can fundamentally transform your workplace—enhancing communication, elevating presentations, and creating seamless collaboration experiences. However, achieving optimal results requires more than just installing equipment. Success comes from strategic planning, including thoughtful system design, audio-visual integration expertise, and scalability. Here's how to design a corporate AV system tailored to your organization's unique needs and workflows.

In every workplace, lobby, and meeting room, the most powerful technology isn’t the screen on the wall—it’s the infrastructure hidden behind it. The AV closet is where reliability is engineered, where serviceability is protected, and where the long-term success of an AV system is quietly decided. Great integrators design this space with intention, clarity, and craftsmanship. Poor integrators ignore it. The difference becomes obvious the first time someone needs support, an upgrade, or a repair.

When a room looks good and sounds right, people notice. Meetings start on time. Presenters relax. Remote participants feel included. That is what happens when AV supports the architecture instead of fighting it. At Spye, we begin with the drawing set and how the space will be used. The goal is an AV plan that supports the architecture rather than cutting across it. Here is a simple framework architects and teams can use on every project.

Ever been in a space where you couldn’t hear a thing or maybe you heard way too much? Poor sound can make meetings frustrating, events underwhelming, and even day-to-day business harder than it needs to be. A great sound system changes that. It makes every voice clear, every note crisp, and every message heard exactly as intended. At Spye, we believe good sound is not about buying the most expensive equipment. It is about creating a system that works with your space, your people, and your goals. Here is how we make that happen.

Hybrid work is now part of everyday business life. Some people are in the office, others are working from home, and meetings often bring the two together. This can create challenges for communication, focus, and collaboration. The right AV setup can bridge that gap, making the experience feel seamless for everyone, no matter where they are. Here is how upgrading your AV system can make your hybrid workspace more connected and productive.

When you walk into a well-designed space, you notice. You might not be able to pinpoint exactly what makes it feel so comfortable and functional, but you feel the difference. That is what great AV design should do. It should blend into the background while completely changing how a room works for you. At Spye, we believe AV design is more than installing screens and speakers. It is about creating an environment where technology supports the way people meet, share ideas, and connect, without ever getting in the way.

Video conferencing is now a mandatory part of our work lives, and of course dedicated, video conferencing spaces are required.

Continuing our series on video, we are going to discuss some of the important facts and details about brightness, what those numbers mean, and image size. If you have not, may we recommend you catch-up by looking at the past few months!

Communicating with your staff and/or customers is so important these days, and with all the latest advancements in audiovisual technology that are packed into a commercial display they have more to offer than just a Television (TV). Last month we discussed many of the features and benefits of a TV, or consumer model display. This month we will delve into these advancements, features and benefits of a commercial display. Getting this out of the way, yes, a commercial display costs more, sometimes quite a lot more, are they worth the additional cost? The answer is, in most cases, yes!

Part one of our 2-part series discussing the difference between televisions and commercial displays.

At Spye, we’re here to help. It’s our goal to assist businesses in making the connection. For many organizations, that’s true now more than ever, as the definition of “workplace” has changed dramatically and many teams have gone remote and offsite. Spye’s expertise in creative, customized digital solutions will help your business navigate the COVID-era landscape to increase connectivity, productivity, and enhance the overall workflow experience. We not only implement these solutions, but we can also consult to help your business plan and execute.

This year, Spye attended the AV event of the year, InfoComm 2019! InfoComm is a worldwide audio-visual integration convention hosted by sunny Orlando Florida. The latest and greatest AV innovations across the globe are on full display to the conference attendees. This year was no exception with incredible innovations and ideas from all aspects of the industry. InfoComm truly lived up to the hype.

Discover the art world’s most mesmerizing new medium, Digital Walls. A canvas whose limits are on par only to the artists imagination.

Spye explores the future of virtual and augmented reality.

Spye was wrapping up a large AV integration project downtown Minneapolis when the customer asked us to solve a problem. They had a large common meeting space where they wanted to do some formal and informal town hall style meetings. They did not want to have a podium taking up space, nor did they want to have to store one and connect it every time they presented. Spye met with their project manager to define the best location for presentation visibility and to determine infrastructure requirements.

Spye installs large scale matrix displays for boardroom.

Spye builds custom system to install a Planar 10.4 MM pixel pitch video wall.

Spye designs 24/7 operation control room system.

The Future is now, as is the Furniture. The office furniture that you choose for your next conference room, boardroom or co-collaboration table is going to need to accommodate technology infrastructure.

Can you design a hologram? This is one of the most common questions we hear at Spye and it’s one that comes with a long answer. A hologram is the ideal visual display: visible from all angles, 3-dimensional without polarized viewing lenses, and free from the physical framework that often makes full suspension of disbelief difficult in a viewing experience. The complexity in the answer to this question lies in the fact that while we don’t have a commercially available way to generate a true hologram, there are a variety of technologies that will produce a floating image with a similar effect.

Try this simple exercise. Look closely at your screen, see if you can distinguish individual pixels. If you have a relatively new screen, it is likely that it will be difficult to see each pixel. Now, bring your eyes to within 12 inches of the screen, you will most likely start to see the pixels, and the overall picture will look more choppy. Now, bring your eyes 2-3 inches from the screen. At this distance you can clearly make out each individual pixel.

RFID doesn’t just stand for “Really Fresh Ice-cream’s Delicious” – it’s also the commonly used acronym for Radio Frequency IDentification. At Izzy’s Ice Cream, both interpretations of RFID are equally important. While technology may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think about your neighborhood ice cream shop, Jeff Sommers and Lara Hammel, the owners of Izzy’s Ice Cream, might soon change that.

eSporting events are still new and will likely change and improve with time. Watching the competition grow will certainly be exciting but watching the infrastructure behind the scenes in the coming years will be fascinating as well. eSports may well pave the way for totally new viewing experiences in events of all types and it will be interesting to see how technology works to bring connection and content to viewers in a merged digital and physical space.

What can digital signage do that print cannot? Digital signage is inherently more dynamic than its print equivalent but when coupled with an immediate call to action and a custom build, digital signage can become an immersive and memorable experience.

With over 15 years in the retail design business, I field one question frequently: “Is it slowing down?” The askers almost always mention that EVERYTHING is AVAILABLE ONLINE. They, and you, might be surprised when I say that, fortunately, I still have a place in the industry and that I am still very busy.

Visiting healthcare facilities with generic, sterile, fluorescently lit environments can provide a less than comfortable experience for patients and visitors. Retail stores, hotels, corporate headquarters and almost every other commercial space make substantial investments in architecture and interior design to ensure that your experience creates a lasting positive association with their brand. Hospitals, largely private enterprises in America, must strive for these standards in addition to facing the added onus of preserving and enriching life at the most basic level. So why is it that many hospitals and clinics of the past fall short in their presentation and environmental design?

Creating good environments is a partnership of visual values. Architectural graphics, data visualization, and the user experience have a responsibility to serve, inform, and inspire audiences and to enrich lives emotively. As long as you have your smartphone or device in your pocket, the people to place connection will be tight!

Born in Ballyhaunis in the West of Ireland, Kieran Folliard started out in the hospitality industry carrying the bags of passengers in his father’s hackney (taxi) business. After 17 years in corporate marketing, he realized that he loved being in pubs, so, like any good self-respecting Irish guy, he decided to open one. 18 years later, the business had grown to include The Local, The Liffey, Cooper, and Kieran’s. 2 GINGERS® Irish Whiskey was launched as a test in those pubs in March of 2011, and quickly earned a loyal following. To pursue wider distribution, Folliard sold his shares of the pub business and made 2 GINGERS his full-time passion. In December 2012, Beam acquired 2 GINGERS and it joined the Kilbeggan family of Irish Whiskeys. As the COO of 2 GINGERS and the North American Brand Ambassador for Kilbeggan, Folliard will lead the charge for the Kilbeggan family of whiskey across the U.S. as 2 GINGERS continues its nationwide expansion. Tell your friends, family, and colleagues to ask for it all across the U.S.