ISE – the AV world’s largest annual congregation that acts like an irresistible vibe for most AV professionals in the country, and reputed to have something for everyone – not just lived up to its expectation this time, it appears to have raised the bar by a notch or two. While the size of the event is just a matter of fancy and wonderment, the variety and the ‘things in the offing’ are what matters.
That the event had been attracting sizeable number of AV professionals from India – so much so that it is gaining a potential scale for tour operators for creating an annual travel platform – SIA tried to capture the moods that matter. Check them out:
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ISE- the abbreviation doesn’t even need an expansion. For, the sheer popularity, if not the fancy, that the event has created across the rank and file of audio-visual industry in India, it’s like a vibe.
“An annual ritual for everyone in the professional audio-visual world,” observed a visitor with SIA at the immigration counters at Josep Tarradellas Barcelona or more commonly the Barcelona-El Prat Airport even as person was clearing the Customs side by SIA.
Sanat Chinthan – a mid-30s young Indian – who doesn’t actually trade any AV gear, nor represent any OEM, but an explorer. “I freelance audio solutions, with a mix of video,” says the audio engineer from Central India. “I visit the AV shows generically, but never miss this one,” he says, “it has something for everyone.”
Coming from Central India, he perhaps, centred the mindset that represents the thinking across the Indian AV spectrum that actually prompted SIA to go a little deeper to find what the show means to serious Indian AV professionals.
“There are so many Indians here that it merits developing a dedicated touring platform – like any other professional travel agency,” observed a visitor on the aisles of Hall No. 3. “Given the numbers, it does create pure win-win case in terms of accommodation deals with the hotels, and airlines,” the visitor felt. “A collaboration with a local travel agency would only a natural extension to add that ‘Europe visit flavour.”
That the event has gained the reputation of being ‘the world’s first’ for any AV technology format, it sets the tune and tone for future developments, even as it ups the ante for the existing- which is why Indian AV professionals – who are on par with the best on the global stage – would want to capture ‘that first light’ of the technology.
“It’s many things for many people- first, fancy, trendy, suitable and more.”
So, what’s up there at the ISE 2024 as a takeaway for Indian AV?
In terms of perspective- “Indian AV is getting big; this can be seen from the fact that the Indian presence is felt in the show- in terms of booth participation as well as visitor participation,” says Mridul Jain, Director at AV Essentials. “We are on the top of our game globally, and the technology acceptance is amazing at our end.”
For him, AI, ease of use products such as accessories, and museum applications are going to be big in India for the next two-three years, and ISE did show some key pointers in the direction.
“That we’re looking at a technology-acceptor and experience- oriented clientele, (these technologies will play a significant role in Indian AV.)”
While the ISE had been known for huge numbers of exhibitors, it does have a marked Indian presence too. While Kolkata-based Sonodyne and Bengaluru-based Logic AV had been there on the event’s previous editions, this year had continued presence by PeopleLink Unified Communications – a Hyderabad-based conferencing solutions provider.
Exhibiting in Hall No. 2, the company showcased its AV solutions highlighted by A2Z Audio Visual Collaboration, besides its VC Apps, and integrated private networks.
The exhibition show floors were also marked by two more Indian Origin exhibitors – though both of whom have their headquarters in the USA.
X-TEN AV – the world’s first AI-based AV design software solutions provider operating from Union City, California – exhibited its solutions from its booth in Hall No. 4. The company’s recently launched VR solution XVRSE was in spotlight on the booth, attracting many a visitors that included Indian AV users.
“Though our headquarters are in the US, given the business platform and perspective, we do have serious business cases from India too,” says Vibhav Singh, X-TEN AV’s Founder-Director. “And we are getting aggressive too.”
For the X-TEN AV executive, ISE 2024 showed a pronounced shift towards integrated ecosystems.
“After 15 years in the industry, I saw a departure from traditional manual operations in AV designs and sales; a clear trend towards the development and adoption of cloud-based software solutions,” says Vibhav.” This shift is not limited to end-users alone; manufacturers are also actively contributing by creating systems that make it easier to manage and monitor equipment.”
According to him, the move towards hybrid and remote functions is making us recognize that streamlined and interconnected solutions enhance efficiency, flexibility, and overall user experience!”
For Vibhav, AtlasIED’s ‘path-breaking IP speakers’ were some eye-catches for their revolutionary technology.
AV Analytix, exhibiting in Hall No.5, showcased their solutions in ‘AV engineering’: AV CAD, AV BIM, ESS CAD, and ESS BIM.
For Anshuman Dubey – Mridul’s long time colleague, and Founder of STAPES – consultancy firm for museum and experiential technologies – ISE provides a platform for Indian AV businesses to explore collaborations and partnerships for Make in India initiatives. Engaging with expert brands allows for knowledge exchange, showcasing Indian expertise, and identifying potential collaborators.
For him, technologies such as AI-driven voice recognition, intelligent automation for streamlined processes, and user-centric AI applications were some key points of interest.
“Display technologies and visual solutions were really unique,” observes Saugato Siddhanta, Director at NVincy Solutions. According to him, exhibitors like LG and Samsung made ‘waves’ of visual brilliance.
For Harbir Singh of Pan Intellecom, immersive display technologies, and solutions that offered minimalistic approach of subject in visitor attraction places were interesting.
The New Delhi-based experiential AV solutions integrator achieved a very prideful accolade recently in that his prestigious install in the national capital featured Samsung’s largest OLED video wall install in India, the 0.8mm OLED wall – the same displayed by the Korean giant as its Wall in Hall No. 3.
A Glimpse into the Future:
Shyl Kumar Balu, Director at SigmaAVIT Technologies, ISE 2024 simply offered “a glimpse into the future.”
“ISE 2024 was a symphony of innovation and technological prowess, captivating attendees with a dazzling array of cutting-edge offerings. Brimming with its own unique offerings, it showcased the latest advancements in AV, IoT, BMS, and immersive audio,” he explains.
A serious explorer of AV/IOT technology solutions, Balu in fact, gives an avowing account of what takeaways for Indian AV from the event.
According to him, Hall No. 2 emerged as a hub for burgeoning brands, unveiling a treasure trove of new and upcoming technologies. Meanwhile, Hall 3 played host to industry giants, showcasing the pinnacle of AV innovation. However, it was the immersive journey through Halls 4, 5, 6, and 7 that truly stole the show, with dedicated spaces for IoT, BMS, Audio, and captivating experience rooms.
The experience rooms proved to be a highlight, offering attendees a sensory feast as they witnessed the convergence of technology and artistry. Here, the magic of audio came to life, with variable acoustics enhancing the auditory experience to unprecedented levels.
Among the myriad innovations showcased, several standout brands are poised to make waves in the Indian AV market:
- K Array: Impressed attendees with their compact yet powerful speakers, reminiscent of the size of a little finger
- Bec Akustik and Coda Space: Captivated audiences with their home theatre audio setups, cleverly concealed behind portraits for a seamless blend of aesthetics and functionality
- Fohhnn Audio: Garnered attention with their sleek speaker designs, signaling their potential impact in the Indian market
- SCT: Stood out with their comprehensive range of peripheral extensions, catering to diverse market needs
- TW Audio: Dazzled attendees with their immersive setups in the experience rooms, showcasing the transformative power of variable acoustics
- Artome: Emerged as a brand to watch, offering a portable all-in-one solution complete with projector, speaker, and microphone setups
- Biamp Maxconnect: Intrigued with their annotation features, promising enhanced collaboration capabilities
- Lightware: Impressed with their extended dual display solutions, seamlessly integrated with native Teams functionality
- Crestron: Unveiled innovative products like the NAX NUX and a remarkable 10m microphone pickup video bar, setting a new standard in conferencing technology
- Inogeni: Stood out with their toggle rooms, offering a versatile solution to seamlessly switch between native and BYOM (Bring Your Own Meeting) environments
- Humly: Caught the eye with their sleek and intuitive room scheduler, promising streamlined efficiency in workspace management
- Kramer: Earned accolades for their Microsoft Teams-certified solutions, offering robust options for Teams rooms at competitive prices
“It became evident that the future of AV technology is brighter and more dynamic than ever before,” declares Balu. “With an impressive array of innovations poised to reshape the industry landscape, the stage is set for an exhilarating journey into the realms of possibility and imagination.”
Sums up Abhimanyu Gupta, Director at Actis Technologies: “We’d say a lot of important incremental improvements at ISE 2024- we did see continued evolution of collaboration experience, with a focus on creating better user experience while minimising user intervention. An obvious example is the application of AI in creating a more seamless and immersive experience in meetings.”
According to him, the impact of AI is most visible in collaboration video and audio tracking technology, where intelligent framing and tracking with multi-camera setups are improving quality rapidly. There is innovation visible in the design of display technologies too, with LED video walls, curved displays and domes taking people beyond the mainstream rectangular formats.”
AV for Future Homes Too…
An important part of ISE is its CEDIA – the Residential AV, and it doesn’t lag behind its larger cousin in terms of offerings.
Says Jaleel H Sabir, the Hyderabad-based explorer of Residential AV: The courses at ISE were really interesting. If you want to know and be prepared for what’s coming next, then this is a must for everyone in this industry. It was also nice to know that RP 22 Document which will soon become a standard in residential immersive audio design is taking shape and being widely accepted. The demos were very well curated and took the experience to next level. Lots to learn from and adapt in our businesses back home.
“I think the Trinnov waveforming technology was jaw dropping,” Jaleel further elaborates. “I even liked the way Artnovion has launched innovative products in home acoustics integrating starry light for ceiling and walls.”
So, ISE is something for everyone in AV, journeying into future.
Gear up, therefore to journey into the future, audio-visually.
