When the sun starts shining more often and the temperatures begin to climb, most people think about the start of summer. But AV professionals? They start to dream about InfoComm!

InfoComm 2023 is set to take place in Orlando, FL, June 10-16; the exhibit hall will be open June 14-16. “While I know many people are familiar and have participated at InfoComm in the past, we have a ton of new attendees that come each year as well,” said  Rochelle Richardson, senior vice president of expositions and events at AVIXA, producer of InfoComm in this interview with rAVe [PUBS]. “What we try to do is create new experience, new education, new content, new partnerships. And we will have all of that at InfoComm this year.”

This year’s InfoComm show will feature over 150 educational sessions—from manufacturers’ trainings to case study exploration and more. “The best part of InfoComm, in my opinion, is the education,” said Gary Kayye, founder of rAVe [PUBS], in this interview. “I’ve always felt like it has been a big part of it. I’d love to see 40,000 sessions because I’d love to see everyone attend one educational session, but the reality of the situation is people get busy.”

The LAVNCH [CODE] team had previously together a list of can’t-miss experiences, including education sessions, for emerging tech professionals, which you can find here. What else is happening at the show? Read on to discover #AVTweeps’ thoughts on InfoComm 2023 trends, some product previews from manufacturers, and attendees’ thoughts on the show’s location.

InfoComm 2023 Trends

During the height of the pandemic, like most shows, InfoComm saw a significant drop in attendance and new innovations. Because of the global supply chain issues, many manufacturers could not keep their current products in stock, let alone develop new ones. It seems that this is changing for the 2023 show.

At last year’s InfoComm, the industry was just scratching the surface of virtual production. But, based on what we’ve seen so far in product previews, virtual production products will be much more prevalent.

“This year, I expect to see more tech related to virtual studios and XR stages,” said Mark Coxon, CTS-D, CTS-I, business development director, XTG, at AVI-SPL. “This would include software and hardware combos for camera tracking, running Unreal models, etc.—as well as broadcast-quality cameras and LED volumes that include LED floors and ceilings. Lighting is also a critical piece of the virtual production equation.”

New displays are likely to appear around every corner at the show—and not just for use in virtual production. “I expect to see more options for interactive dvLED screens,” said Coxon. “This requires fine pixel pitch as they’re at arms length, as well as coatings to mitigate pixel damage and assure they can be wiped down.”

Geoffrey Platt, CTS, technology product director, Falcon’s Beyond, and host of LAVNCH [CODE]’s ET Insights videocast, believes there will be plenty of emerging tech on-hand: “InfoComm promises to be packed with some very interesting technologies entering the ProAV space, from LiDAR devices to generative software solutions. There are also several companies that will be showcasing the latest in virtual production workflows and technologies along with a new esports live showcase and Trailblazers Zone. I can’t wait to explore all of the emerging technology solutions popping up at this years show.”

And Coxon agrees on the variety of tech available and has his own favorites: “The tech I’m excited to see more of this year that may not be on everyone’s radar are improvements in spatial audio for creating randomized soundscapes which are important for applications ranging from immersive environments all the way to an alternative for pink and white noise in sound masking applications.”

InfoComm 2023 Product Preview

A trade show floor can be overwhelming—especially at a show as large at InfoComm. Never fear…the LAVNCH [CODE] team did some digging so you don’t have to. Here are some products our team is looking forward to seeing in person this June.

Headwall Granite (Booth 4787)

Headwall Granite is a mixed reality (MR) command center visualization platform implemented on the Meta Quest Pro headset. Headwall Granite enables many video and graphic feeds, maps, dashboards, and sensor data to be visualized in a MR headset. The Headwall Granite command center is lightweight, low-power, mobile, and flexible. The mobile nature of the Headwall Granite command center also allows for geographically separated teams to access the same common operating pictures and maintain redundancy for the sake of disaster management and business continuity.

oARo Studio EZtrack (Booth 2023)

As part of a virtual studio and augmented reality offering, FOR-A will include the EZtrack camera tracking system from oARo Studio in its InfoComm 2023 booth. The EZtrack system features a small Hub unit to which users can interface multiple sensor configurations, from LED infrared sources to Mocap cameras and PTZ/mechanical heads. The sensor, placed on the top of each camera, is used as a reference to calculate the geometry. This allows for practically instant set-up with no need for long installation times. The EZTrack system communicates with the ClassX XR system, Elitium (also on display in FOR-A’s booth), enabling a fast, stable, and cost-effective way to set up virtual studios and augmented/mixed reality. The solution is ideal for green screen studios and can also be used with LED walls.

22Miles Augmented Reality Wayfinding (Booth 809)

The 22Miles augmented reality (AR) plug-in brings a new human interface to react to imagery in the user’s environment. Using image recognition, AR wayfinding offers live turn-by-turn directions without the need for beacons or WiFi, improving security and lowering deployment costs. Augmented pop-ups can provide visitors with useful information in a wide variety of contexts: landmark or exhibit information; retail promotions and coupons; space availability and more.

To learn more about 22Miles’ InfoComm 2023 plans, check out this episode of LAVNCH [CODE] DeCoded.

Chief TiLED dvLED Wall Mounting System (Booth 2201)

The TiLED dvLED Wall Mounting System is a modular solution designed to support user’s most creative configurations. Legrand AV says it has taken the installation experience users know and love from Chief and adapted it to support dvLED digital displays. The new TiLED mounting system supports an endless variety of video wall configurations, is easy to specify, easy to order, and easy to install, according to the company. TiLED is a standard solution set for model specific, front serviceable video walls and is currently in-stock and ready to ship.

L-Acoustics L-ISA 3.0 (Booth W3011)

L-ISA 3.0 is a comprehensive, best-in-class immersive audio software platform for the live sound and music creation markets. Serving the live immersive audio community since 2016 with the L-ISA platform and the immersive music-creating and mixing communities since 2021 with L-ISA Studio, L-Acoustics makes investing in spatial technology even easier with powerful new features in its upgraded L-ISA 3.0, according to the company.

As audio professionals seek to leverage spatial audio technologies in live, professional, and consumer audio, L-ISA 3.0 mixing software makes immersive audio more accessible, delivering tools that make it easier to create and automate compelling spatial audio content, live or in the studio.

i5LED PodiumView All-in-One Visual Merchandising LED Display Podiums (Booth 1089)

i5LED says its All-in-One PodiumView is the future of retail installations. Its Visual Interior Merchandising LED Display Podiums are designed to elevate any retail space, available in both cylinder and square podium displays. With i5LED, users can enjoy a seamless all-in-one solution that’s easy to use, whether as a stand-alone display or in a series of multiple units. The company says users will experience the power of bright and vivid content with over 1,000 nits, ensuring images truly stand out. With a high refresh rate of 3,840 Hz, users can expect flicker-free and smooth content playback. Plus, with fine and ultra-fine pitch options available, users will have the flexibility to customize the display.

Christie Intelligent Camera (Booth 1632)

Christie Intelligent Camera (CIC) is a powerful accessory with time-saving features that make it faster and easier to achieve desired image quality with select 1DLP projectors, according to the company. Users can implement CIC to trigger autofocus and automatically calibrate projector color to optimize color uniformity. If the projection surface is a less-than-ideal color, the color compensation feature of CIC automatically adjusts the image color to fit the color of the projection screen better.  When used in conjunction with Mystique Lite software (complimentary download), CIC also simplifies the setup of multi-projector systems with automated color and brightness matching across multi-projector arrays and automated warping and blending of up to three projectors in a horizontal array.

Sony ELF-SR2 Spatial Reality Display (Booth 1701)

At 27-inches, the larger ELF-SR2 Spatial Reality Display by Sony is a 4K option that provides highly realistic, three-dimensional content without the use of special glasses or virtual reality (VR) headsets. Highlights of the new offering include an upgraded high-speed vision sensor, image quality enhancing technologies, and installation flexibility.

Korbyt Machine Learning Broadcast (Booth 908)

Korbyt’s Machine Learning Broadcast utilizes cluster-based data mining algorithms to bring the same concepts used for product recommendation engines offered by sophisticated retailers to the everyday communicator. It dynamically adjusts the duration and timing of existing digital signage content, as well as finds and schedules new content to display.

To learn more about Korbyt’s InfoComm 2023 plans, check out this episode of LAVNCH [CODE] DeCoded.

Peerless-AV Outdoor Dual-Sided Smart City Kiosk (Booth 1329)

Peerless-AV’s next generation Smart City Kiosk implements key upgrades in response to customer feedback and demand, according to the company. It features a simplified installation for running power and data cabling, as well as offering dedicated storage space for media components.

Complete with a sleek appearance and easy-to-use design, the Dual-Sided Smart City Kiosk contains two 55″ Xtreme High Bright Outdoor Displays with full HD1080p resolution, providing a crisp and clear picture whether in direct sunlight or shade. A 10-point IR touch overlay can also be added to one or both sides of the kiosk for an interactive experience. It is available in black or silver, and with or without speakers.

7thSense R-Series 10 (Booth 4127)

R-Series 10 is the new, high-performance 7thSense hardware platform that is designed to cater to the needs of the most demanding generative projects and complex media-based attractions. It’s optimized for the most challenging of use cases and leverages the power of generative engines like Unreal Engine and Unity. Designed from the ground up and certified for professional use and resale in countries around the world, 7thSense says its reliable hardware benefits from advanced PCIe 4.0 graphics cards and storage devices available today.

Samsung The Wall Virtual Production (Booth 1143, Level 2)

When it comes to virtual production, picture quality is one of the most important factors. Samsung’s The Wall provides linear grayscale to deliver natural texture, volume, and shades without distortion—as well as black seal technology which provides a uniform, black canvas while enhancing durability. The Wall comes packed with Ultra Chroma Technology and 20 bit processing, allowing detailed, realistic shades of content for a deeper sense of extended reality. With the added capabilities of The Wall Virtual Production, everybody on set from a director to actor is able to hone their own craft and divert their attention away from the onset technology.

Florida Controversy

InfoComm 2023 isn’t all fun and games for some, however—with the many recent laws passed by Florida, some #AVTweeps have been questioning whether or not they should attend the show.

“We understand the AV community’s concerns about the current divided culture we are experiencing. AVIXA’s values are strong in fostering an industry that supports and uplifts everyone, and we are proud that Orange County shares those values. It’s critical that the environment where we host InfoComm is inclusive to everyone. Laws that adversely affect women, LGBTQ+, Black, Latino, Asian, Indigenous, disabled persons, and others are not in line with AVIXA’s values. Orange County, Florida, the home for InfoComm 2023, shares our dedication to DEI and takes deliberate action to support diverse communities.” said Dave Labuskes, CEO of AVIXA in a May 5 press release touting InfoComm’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. “Shows like InfoComm impact more than 25,500 individuals that are employed either directly or indirectly by the activity generated by the Orange County Convention Center. We are proud to play a role in supporting jobs and the economy in Orange County.”

rAVe [PUBS]’s May Temperature Check focused on InfoComm 2023. In the survey, a co-owner of a Canadian integration firm (who asked to remain anonymous) told us that nobody from his company will be attending the show and included this in his response: “Our employees don’t feel safe because of recent laws and policies passed by the state.”

Erica Williams, audio-visual consultant and AV systems designer at Henderson Engineering, has also chosen to opt-out of this year’s show. “Because of recent laws that were passed, Florida isn’t safe for a lot of people—especially me as a queer person,” she said. “From the minute I land in Orlando to the minute I fly back home, my safety cannot be guaranteed. It’s exhausting having to change who you are to keep yourself safe. I’d rather use my time, money, and energy improving my home than in other spaces I’m not welcome. Since InfoComm takes place during Pride Month, my hope is that AVIXA and attendees find local LGBTQ+ and minority owned business to support during this difficult time.”

When it comes to Floridians, there were varying opinions about attending the show.

“As a local living in Florida, not much in my daily life has changed. There is a lot of controversy around personal rights and the LGBTQ+ community at the moment that certainly affects the entertainment industry as a whole, but should not influence your participation or attendance in the show,” said Platt. “If anything, we, as a community should be standing strong and using these opportunities as a way to help spread diversity throughout our industry and show support to those around us that are being affected by the changes being put forth by the current political situation.”

Bradford Benn, founder of Advisist Group and Orlando-area resident, disagrees “If I didn’t live less than ten miles from InfoComm 2023, I would not attend, but I will be there with my LGBTQI+ ally pin on. I support people who decided not to come to Florida. Living here, I am embarrassed and frustrated; Florida’s current administration views are abhorrent to me.”

He added: “Both personally and professionally, the intolerance has impacted me. A large amount of my work history is theme park-based; it is the reason I decided to stay in Florida after being laid off in November of 2020. At the time Disney, had just announced its Lake Nona campus. DeSantis’s attacks on Disney and human rights will financially impact me. The financial issue is secondary to the human impact. Please stay away and be vocal about why. No change ever came from people satisfied with the status quo.”

InfoComm 2023 is Quickly Approaching

With a plethora of emerging technology products on the show floor, a variety of can’t-miss experiences, and networking opportunities for attendees, AV professionals who choose to attend are likely to enjoy their time at the 2023 InfoComm show in Orlando.

“At InfoComm, we bring all facets of the ProAV industry together to see advancements in technology up close, learn new skills, and grow professional networks,” concluded Labuskes. “The show provides inspiration on the possibilities of what ProAV can do as well as a forum for conversations on how to weather current day challenges, such as AV supply and labor market. InfoComm is proud to host a full week of productive engagements so we can continue to elevate the practice of ProAV.”

Click here to stay up-to-date with the latest show news and visit our InfoComm 2023 hub.

Planning to attend InfoComm in Orlando? We have a code that will give attendees free access to the show floor. Click here to register and enter code “LAVNCH”.