301: Catch up from March: Roast of COVID

Recorded March 18, 2025Better late than never! Host Tim Van Woeart sits down with Chris Neto (Midwich; creator of AV in the AM) and crew members Joe Way, Renee Benson, and James King to “roast” COVID—airing grievances, acknowledging what changed for the better, and, finally, putting the topic to bed. Five years on, they revisit how emergency funding, supply-chain chaos, and fast pivots reshaped classrooms, conference rooms, and the AV/IT relationship.Topics Discussed:Why Tim wants to “roast COVID” and move on—capturing lessons without rehashing the pastEmergency funding (CARES/HEERF): acceleration vs. sustainability of new classroom standardsUSB-C everywhere: single-cable BYOD, power/video/USB, and how it reshaped system designUC became IT: platform consolidation, management/security, and AV’s changing seat at the tableFrom webcams to production gear: cameras, mics, lighting, and what “acceptable quality” means nowSupply-chain improvisation: substitutions, spec flexibility, and finding new vendors (e.g., Ikron)Streaming beyond campus: bonded-cellular workflows for events when networks aren’t availableStandardization vs. speed: documenting “good/better/best,” lifecycle planning, and supportabilityCommunity that stuck: AV in the AM, virtual happy hours, and peer networks as a lifelineWhat’s next: pushing past “good enough,” balancing convenience with craft, and closing the chapterThe AV Life is a Higher Ed AV Media production. More at higheredav.com.Connect with Chris:LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/christopherneto/Twitter (X) – hhttps://x.com/chris_netoConnect with Tim:LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/tim-van-woeart-45416826/Twitter (X) – https://twitter.com/TVanWoeartConnect with The AV Life:Twitter (X) – https://twitter.com/TheAVLifePodYouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@theavlife3337