AV knowledge center
Best practices, certifications explained, what to look for in an integrator, public-sector rules and industry news. Written for the people who buy, design and install AV.
Hiring guides
What to look for in an integrator or contractor
Design-build or plan-and-spec? Choosing how to buy an AV system
The two common ways commercial owners buy AV, what each costs you in control and risk, and how to pick the right firms for each.
Nov 5, 2026 · 2 minute read
How to choose an AV integrator: a buyer's checklist
Licenses, insurance, certified people on your job, manufacturer standing, programming ownership and service. What to check before you sign with an audiovisual integrator.
Nov 5, 2026 · 3 minute read
How to vet a contractor before you hire: the 10-point check
License, insurance, safety record, financial health, references and paperwork. A practical vetting checklist for facilities teams, general contractors and owners.
Nov 5, 2026 · 2 minute read
Certifications
What each credential means and what it takes
AV certifications explained: CTS, Crestron, Q-SYS, Dante, BICSI and more
What each common AV credential means, who holds it, what it takes to earn and keep, and how to check that someone really has it.
Nov 5, 2026 · 3 minute read
AV licenses vs. certifications: what's required and what's proof of skill
A license is permission from a government to do the work. A certification is proof someone learned a body of knowledge. You usually need both, and they're checked differently.
Nov 5, 2026 · 2 minute read
Which AV certifications should your project require?
Match credentials to roles, not companies. Sample requirement language for RFPs and specs, and the mistakes that make certification requirements useless.
Nov 5, 2026 · 2 minute read
Best practices
Design, install, commissioning and handover
AV commissioning and handover: a checklist owners can enforce
How to verify an AV system actually works before you accept it, and the documentation you should walk away with. Built on AVIXA's performance verification and documentation standards.
Nov 5, 2026 · 2 minute read
Meeting room AV that people actually use: design basics
Screen size, audio coverage, cameras, acoustics and one-touch join. The decisions that separate rooms people book from rooms people avoid.
Nov 5, 2026 · 2 minute read
Network readiness for AV over IP and Dante: what IT and AV need to agree
Networked audio and video fail on switch configuration more often than on AV gear. Quality of service, multicast, clocking and who owns the network, in plain language.
Nov 5, 2026 · 2 minute read
Government and public sector
Set-asides, clearances and federal rules
Finding 8(a), HUBZone and other set-aside contractors
What the SBA's 8(a) and HUBZone programs require, what agencies and primes get from them, and how to confirm a firm's status before you count it toward a goal.
Nov 5, 2026 · 2 minute read
Section 889 and AV equipment: what federal buyers and integrators need to know
The federal rule that bars certain Chinese telecommunications and video surveillance equipment, which manufacturers it names, and what it means for AV and security integrators.
Nov 5, 2026 · 1 minute read
Security clearances for contractors: facility vs. personnel, and how they work
Why a company can't just apply for a facility clearance, what a DD 254 does, what personnel clearances and other access credentials mean, and how to find cleared AV and trade contractors.
Nov 5, 2026 · 2 minute read
Industry news
Events, standards updates and what changed
AV industry calendar: ISE 2027 and InfoComm 2027 dates
ISE runs February 2 to 5, 2027 in Barcelona. InfoComm 2027 moves to Orlando, June 12 to 18. Plus where to follow AV standards and news.
Nov 5, 2026 · 1 minute read
SBA finalizes new social disadvantage test for 8(a) applicants
An August 2026 final rule changes how individuals show social disadvantage for the 8(a) program. What it means for contractors applying and for buyers relying on 8(a) firms.
Nov 5, 2026 · 1 minute read