As our industry has transitioned and become much more network centric, customer demands have evolved, as have the tools that AV integrators need. NETGEAR, long celebrated as an IT and internet company, ventured into the AV sector after Laurent Masia, senior director of product line management, discovered and sought to seize on a new opportunity with AV.
During a recent conversation, Masia highlighted the limitations of circuit-based AV installations, noting their high cost and scalability challenges. He describes NETGEAR’s strategic shift toward developing dedicated ethernet switches tailored for AV applications over the past decade.
“Previously, audio and video distribution went through a circuit-based fabric, which can be good, but [which is] expensive and not very scalable,” Masia explains. “So, NETGEAR engineers began developing software 10 years ago, and, little by little, they developed dedicated Ethernet switches only for the AV world.”
Masia emphasizes the role of software controllers in automating network detection and configuration, thus streamlining what was once a complex and costly process across multiple switches and panels. Circuit-based switches can be a headache for integrators and users, he adds, “[because] the process of ensuring multiple switches are configured correctly is difficult and time-consuming.”
Among the most popular networking providers, NETGEAR became a leading force in the AV world. It began with the NETGEAR AV OS on the switches; eventually, that evolved into the Engage Controller. The free, lightweight, portable application makes configuring a system super easy, earning acclaim among influential integrators.
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“The Engage Controller is a software tool that automatically detects new and old switches on the local network and configures the switches in a single location that can be accessed via an app,” Masia explains. The Engage Controller is available for M4250, M4300 and M4350 switches common in AV networks. You can use it to upgrade firmware on the switches.
NETGEAR Engage Controller Earns High Praise
The Engage Controller underlines NETGEAR’s commitment to serve the CEDIA channel. Leading integrators rave about the resource and commend its user-friendly interface, which offers visibility into network topology to sites, credentials, configuration information, etc. Consolidating all management and troubleshooting tasks onto a single platform that can be run from a USB thumb drive, the Engage Controller eliminates the need for individual switch configuration. This significantly enhances efficiency and ease of use for integrators and end users in commercial and residential settings alike.
Upon logging into the switch, Masia explains, “End users are presented with two interfaces: one for IT and one for AV users. The profiles in the AV interface are designed to eliminate the need to navigate through backend technology.” The ability to color-code and customize ports — all from a free application — further enhances integrators’ sense of control and confidence.
According to Paul Mueller, director of engineering at AVI Systems, NETGEAR engineers have always intuitively understood IP. When NETGEAR entered the AV space, Mueller says, the company’s engineers “…went out to other manufacturers across the industries, obtained samples and began building systems alongside integrators, becoming subject matter experts on the physical material, as well as software.” The Engage Controller is the culmination of NETGEAR’s collaborative efforts with industry partners and developers, reflecting feedback and expertise gleaned throughout its development.
NETGEAR’s Elite Support System
Masia has created an engineer-based support team that, he says, has grown “…from two or three engineers to 22 engineers in China, Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong, India, the Middle East, France, the United Kingdom, Germany, Benelux, Italy and the United States.” That means integrators can always access a subject matter expert when working with the switches and the Engage Controller.
Shawn Wallin, UC deployment engineer at AVI Systems, says that when his team has run into challenges on projects, they just email the support team. They’ll connect with an expert by phone shortly thereafter. “It’s hugely beneficial,” he enthuses, “since we’re talking to individuals familiar with the different AV products.”
NETGEAR has sought to bring together AVI Systems engineers and other integrator leaders from across the industry to discuss what they want in products. This really stands out to Mueller. “Many companies are out there making switches,” he says, “but NETGEAR directly addressed what was necessary for the AV industry.”
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