Ask the Programmer

Ask The Programmer Episode 269 - Dan Ferrisi Asks About Misconceptions of AV Programmers/Programming

Sun, 07 Jun 2026 12:45:00 -0400

James King and Steve Greenblatt welcome back guest moderator Dan Ferrisi, Group Director of Content + Editorial, Industrial + Tech at Emerald, to share his personal AV journey and pose the question: What is the most common bad assumption people make about AV programmers or AV programming?

Dan Ferrisi can be reached on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/dan-ferrisi-55675a7/), CommercialIntegrator.com, Securitysales.com, CEPro.com, and the Demand Gen report.

Be sure to also check out Dan's previous appearances in episodes 253, 254, 237, 236, 212, 213, 200, 199, 182, 181, 173, 174, 124, and 125.

This podcast is supported by Control Concepts, the industry leader in AV software development and API integration. Control Concepts develops the building blocks programmers use to seamlessly integrate products or add functionality to their systems. To learn more, visit controlconcepts.net and ccisupported.net.

To join the conversation or have your question answered on a future episode, join the Ask The Programmer group on LinkedIn and post a message, leave a comment, or reach out to us @AV_JamesKing or @stevegreenblatt on LinkedIn, X/Twitter, or Bluesky, and be sure to include #AskTheProgrammer.

The Ask The Programmer podcast can be found at @AVProgrammerPod on X/Twitter or on Bluesky as @asktheprogrammer.

Ask The Programmer Episode 268 - Guest Eugene Dunn Discusses Standards & Advocacy for AV Programmers

Sun, 31 May 2026 09:00:00 -0400

James King and Steve Greenblatt welcome back Eugene Dunn, Ecosystem Project Support Engineer at Q-SYS, to share about his role in establishing standards and providing resources and support for AV programmers.

Eugene Dunn can be found on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/eugenedunn3/ or on the Q-SYS Communities for Developers https://developers.qsc.com.

The Ask The Programmer podcast can be found at @AVProgrammerPod on X/Twitter or on Bluesky as @asktheprogrammer.

Ask The Programmer Episode 267 -Guest Eugene Dunn Shares His AV Journey Dedicated to Problem Solving

Sun, 24 May 2026 09:00:00 -0400

James King and Steve Greenblatt welcome Eugene Dunn, Ecosystem Project Support Engineer at Q-SYS, to share how he has applied his affinity for problem-solving throughout his AV journey and programming focus.

Eugene Dunn can be found on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/eugenedunn3/ or on the Q-SYS Communities for Developers https://developers.qsc.com.

The Ask The Programmer podcast can be found at @AVProgrammerPod on X/Twitter or on Bluesky as @asktheprogrammer.

Ask The Programmer Episode 266 - Guest Mark Franklin Shares How OpenAV Works and Solves Pain Points

Sun, 17 May 2026 09:00:00 -0400

James King and Steve Greenblatt welcome back Mark Franklin, Senior Director of Computing Services at Thayer School of Engineering, Dartmouth College, to go deeper into the technology of OpenAV, discuss its evolution to meet the needs of users and support staff, and share how it addresses many of the common needs of maintaining AV systems.

OpenAV can be found at https://github.com/Dartmouth-OpenAV/.

Mark Franklin can be emailed at mark.j.franklin@dartmouth.edu.

The Ask The Programmer podcast can be found at @AVProgrammerPod on X/Twitter or on Bluesky as @asktheprogrammer.

Ask The Programmer Episode 265 - Guest Mark Franklin Shares OpenAV: AV from an IT Perspective

Sun, 10 May 2026 09:00:00 -0400

James King and Steve Greenblatt welcome Mark Franklin, Senior Director of Computing Services at Thayer School of Engineering, Dartmouth College, to discuss how the common approach to AV system design, programming, deployment, and management was not working for him and his team, leading to the creation and development of the "OpenAV" solution, an IT approach to AV systems.

OpenAV can be found at https://github.com/Dartmouth-OpenAV/.

Mark Franklin can be emailed at mark.j.franklin@dartmouth.edu.

The Ask The Programmer podcast can be found at @AVProgrammerPod on X/Twitter or on Bluesky as @asktheprogrammer.

Ask The Programmer Episode 264 - Guest Fred Loucks Shares the Keys to Successful AV Monitoring

Sun, 03 May 2026 09:00:00 -0400

James King and Steve Greenblatt welcome back Fred Loucks, Founder of Hyperscale AV, to elaborate on the need, business case, challenges, and successful approach to AV monitoring.

Fred previously appeared on episode 263.

Fred Loucks can be reached via email, fred@hyperscaleav.com, or on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/fred-loucks/. Hyperscale AV can be found at hyperscaleav.com.

Fred's article Monitoring A/V Sucks can be found at https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/monitoring-av-sucks-what-you-can-do-hyperscaleav-fc6ec/

Fred is teaching a three-day class on AV monitoring at InfoComm26 called Applied Monitoring for AV Systems TD05 https://www.infocommshow.org/2026-sessions/applied-monitoring-for-av-systems?&filters.stream=design-and-integration-1&searchgroup=libraryentry-2026-sessions.

The Ask The Programmer podcast can be found at @AVProgrammerPod on X/Twitter or on Bluesky as @asktheprogrammer.

Ask The Programmer Episode 263 - Guest Fred Loucks Shares His AV Journey and Advocacy for Monitoring

Sun, 26 Apr 2026 09:00:00 -0400

James King and Steve Greenblatt welcome Fred Loucks, Founder of Hyperscale AV, to discuss his AV journey, background in theater and show control, and his passion for effective monitoring solutions for the AV industry.

Fred Loucks can be reached via email, fred@hyperscaleav.com, or on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/fred-loucks/. Hyperscale AV can be found at hyperscaleav.com.

Fred's article Monitoring A/V Sucks can be found at https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/monitoring-av-sucks-what-you-can-do-hyperscaleav-fc6ec/

The Ask The Programmer podcast can be found at @AVProgrammerPod on X/Twitter or on Bluesky as @asktheprogrammer.

Ask The Programmer Episode 262 - Guest Mike Krejci Shares Why He's Active in the AV Community Online

Sun, 19 Apr 2026 09:00:00 -0400

James King and Steve Greenblatt welcome back Mike Krejci, Director of Programming for CTI, to discuss the value of being active and sharing his knowledge and experiences in online AV communities.

Mike Krejci was previously on episodes 261, 222, 111, 34, and 35. Mike can be reached on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/themikekrejci/, and CTI can be found at cti.com.

The Ask The Programmer podcast can be found at @AVProgrammerPod on X/Twitter or on Bluesky as @asktheprogrammer.

Ask The Programmer Episode 261 - Guest Mike Krejci Discusses Programming Languages for Projects

Sun, 12 Apr 2026 09:00:00 -0400

James King and Steve Greenblatt welcome back Mike Krejci, Director of Programming for CTI, to discuss the factors that contribute to selecting a programming language for a project.

Mike's LinkedIn article "How are we going to program this project?" can be found at this link: https://bit.ly/4chAS22.

Mike Krejci was previously on episodes 222, 111, 34, and 35.

Mike can be reached on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/themikekrejci/, and CTI can be found at cti.com.

The Ask The Programmer podcast can be found at @AVProgrammerPod on X/Twitter or on Bluesky as @asktheprogrammer.

Ask The Programmer Episode 260 - Guest John Smith Discusses How AV Programmers Can Make Connections

Sun, 05 Apr 2026 09:00:00 -0400

James King and Steve Greenblatt welcome back guest John Smith, an AV Solutions Programmer at New Era Technology, to discuss how he has benefited from being active in the AV programming community and the tips he can share with others in similar positions.

The Ask The Programmer podcast can be found at @AVProgrammerPod on X/Twitter or on Bluesky as @asktheprogrammer.

Ask The Programmer Episode 259 - Guest John Smith Shares His AV Journey to Programmer Certification

Sun, 29 Mar 2026 10:00:00 -0400

James King and Steve Greenblatt welcome guest John Smith, an AV Solutions Programmer at New Era Technology, to share his AV journey from technician to certified programmer.

John Smith can be found on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-smith-cts-i-820173149/, and New Era Technology can also be found on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/new-era-technology-us/.

The Ask The Programmer podcast can be found at @AVProgrammerPod on X/Twitter or on Bluesky as @asktheprogrammer.

Ask The Programmer Episode 258 - Guest Joe Way Shares Lessons from a Ground-Breaking AV Solution

Sun, 22 Mar 2026 09:00:00 -0400

In this episode of Ask The Programmer, hosts Steve Greenblatt and James King continue their conversation with Joe Way, Executive Director of Digital Spaces at UCLA and co-founder of the Higher Education Technology Managers Alliance (HETMA). This episode serves as a continuation of Episode 257, diving deeper into Joe’s work, transforming AV systems into part of a broader smart campus strategy.

Joe shares lessons learned from developing unified technology systems across a university environment and challenges AV professionals to rethink how they view their role. Rather than remaining siloed within traditional AV boundaries, Joe explains how AV professionals can play a central role in connecting systems across campuses, buildings, and user experiences.

The discussion explores how AV intersects with infrastructure, data, automation, and cloud technologies, and why expanding beyond the traditional definition of AV opens the door to greater innovation and influence within organizations.

Connect with Joe Way: LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/josiahway

HETMA: https://www.hetma.org

X / Twitter: @josiahway

Also, catch Joe on previous Ask The Programmer episodes 53, 54, and 113.

The Ask The Programmer podcast can be found at @AVProgrammerPod on X/Twitter or on Bluesky as @asktheprogrammer.

Ask The Programmer Episode 257 - Guest Joe Way Discusses True Cloud Control from AV to Smart Campus

Sun, 15 Mar 2026 09:00:00 -0400

In this episode of Ask The Programmer, hosts Steve Greenblatt and James King welcome back Joe Way, Executive Director of Digital Spaces at UCLA and co-founder of the Higher Education Technology Managers Alliance (HETMA).

Joe first appeared on the podcast in its early days (episodes 53, 54, and 113), making this conversation an opportunity to reconnect and reflect on how both the AV industry and the podcast have evolved. The discussion explores Joe’s leadership role in higher education technology, how his team at UCLA implemented "true" Cloud control, and their change in perspective from integrating AV to creating a Smart Campus.

he conversation also touches on the changing nature of AV careers, the increasing role of software and systems integration, and the importance of building strong relationships across the technology ecosystem.

Connect with Joe Way:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/josiahway

HETMA: https://www.hetma.org

X / Twitter: @josiahway

The Ask The Programmer podcast can be found at @AVProgrammerPod on X/Twitter or on Bluesky as @asktheprogrammer.

Ask The Programmer Episode 256 - Guest Brian Magrogan Shares about the Impact of Technical Support

Sun, 08 Mar 2026 09:00:00 -0400

James King and Steve Greenblatt welcome back Brian Magrogan, Senior Systems Programmer & Network Systems Engineer at Verrex, to discuss the value of effective technical support and its impact on projects, brands, and decisions.

Be sure to also check out Brian's previous appearances on episodes 255, 138, and 139.

Brian Magrogan can be found on social media as @bmagrogan. Verrex can be found at verrex.com.

The Ask The Programmer podcast can be found at @AVProgrammerPod on X/Twitter or on Bluesky as @asktheprogrammer.

Ask The Programmer Episode 255 - Guest Brian Magrogan Shares AI Tools and Uses for AV Programmers

Sun, 01 Mar 2026 09:00:00 -0500

James King and Steve Greenblatt welcome back Brian Magrogan, Senior Systems Programmer & Network Systems Engineer at Verrex, to discuss his experience using AI as an AV Programmer and ways AV Programmers, AV Professionals, and people in general can effectively leverage AI effectively.

Be sure to also check out Brian's previous appearances on episodes 138 and 139.

Brian Magrogan can be found on social media as @bmagrogan. Verrex can be found at verrex.com.

The Ask The Programmer podcast can be found at @AVProgrammerPod on X/Twitter or on Bluesky as @asktheprogrammer.

Ask The Programmer Episode 254 - Dan Ferrisi Asks What to Know About Hiring & Retaining Programmers

Sun, 22 Feb 2026 09:00:00 -0500

James King and Steve Greenblatt welcome back Dan Ferrisi, Group Editor, Commercial and Security, at Emerald, to discuss his question about what integrators should know about hiring and retaining internal programmers.

Dan Ferrisi can be reached on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/dan-ferrisi-55675a7/), CommercialIntegrator.com, and Securitysales.com.

Be sure to also check out Dan's previous appearances in episodes 253, 237, 236, 212, 213, 200, 199, 182, 181, 173, 174, 124, and 125.

The Ask The Programmer podcast can be found at @AVProgrammerPod on X/Twitter or on Bluesky as @asktheprogrammer.

Ask The Programmer Episode 253 - Dan Ferrisi Asks About the Future of Dedicated Control Systems

Sun, 15 Feb 2026 09:00:00 -0500

James King and Steve Greenblatt welcome back Dan Ferrisi, Group Editor, Commercial and Security, at Emerald, to discuss whether dedicated control systems will continue to be an essential part of installed AV systems, or whether they will become less prevalent as more products offer apps and their own control capabilities.

Dan Ferrisi can be reached on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/dan-ferrisi-55675a7/), CommercialIntegrator.com, and Securitysales.com.

Be sure to also check out Dan's previous appearances in episodes 237, 236, 212, 213, 200, 199, 182, 181, 173, 174, 124, and 125.

The Ask The Programmer podcast can be found at @AVProgrammerPod on X/Twitter or on Bluesky as @asktheprogrammer.

Ask The Programmer Episode 252 - Can a Technical Manager be a Programmer?

Sun, 08 Feb 2026 09:00:00 -0500

James King and Steve Greenblatt discuss the roles and skill sets of a technical manager and a programmer, including where they are similar and where they differ, and explore whether a manager can also be a programmer.

The Ask The Programmer podcast can be found at @AVProgrammerPod on X/Twitter or on Bluesky as @asktheprogrammer.

Ask The Programmer Episode 251 - Maintaining Technical Skills as a Technical Team Manager

Sun, 01 Feb 2026 09:00:00 -0500

James King and Steve Greenblatt discuss the role of a technical team manager, the unique skill set required, and the importance of maintaining technical skills.

The Ask The Programmer podcast can be found at @AVProgrammerPod on X/Twitter or on Bluesky as @asktheprogrammer.

Ask The Programmer Episode 250 - Guest Jamison Vandenberg Promotes AV Career Paths to Student Workers

Sun, 25 Jan 2026 09:00:00 -0500

James King and Steve Greenblatt welcome back Jamison Vandenberg, Academic Specialist at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, to discuss how he promotes AV career paths to student workers through hands-on training and experience.

Jamison Vandenberg can be reached on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamison-vandenberg-04068430a/ or by email vandenbj@uwgb.edu.

The Ask The Programmer podcast can be found at @AVProgrammerPod on X/Twitter or on Bluesky as @asktheprogrammer.

Ask The Programmer Episode 249 - Guest Jamison Vandenberg Shares a Passion for AV & Path to Learning

Sun, 18 Jan 2026 09:00:00 -0500

James King and Steve Greenblatt welcome Jamison Vandenberg, Academic Specialist at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, to discuss his AV journey, his pJames King and Steve Greenblatt welcome Jamison Vandenberg, Academic Specialist at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, to discuss his AV journey, his passion for AV, and his commitment to learning and teaching AV.

Jamison Vandenberg can be reached on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamison-vandenberg-04068430a/ or by email vandenbj@uwgb.edu.

The Ask The Programmer podcast can be found at @AVProgrammerPod on X/Twitter or on Bluesky as @asktheprogrammer.

Ask The Programmer Episode 248 - What Does it Take to be a Succesful Manager of AV Programmers

Sun, 11 Jan 2026 09:00:00 -0500

James King and Steve Greenblatt discuss the role requirements, skill set, personality traits, and dedication required to be a successful manager of AV Programmers.

The Ask The Programmer podcast can be found at @AVProgrammerPod on X/Twitter or on Bluesky as @asktheprogrammer.

Ask The Programmer Episode 247 - Reflections on 2025 and 2026 Predictions

Sun, 04 Jan 2026 09:00:00 -0500

James King and Steve Greenblatt review 2025, discuss their observations and reactions, and share some predictions for 2026.

The Ask The Programmer podcast can be found at @AVProgrammerPod on X/Twitter or on Bluesky as @asktheprogrammer.

Ask The Programmer Episode 246 - Guest Chris Kelly Shares The Vale of Soft Skills In IT and AV

Sun, 28 Dec 2025 09:00:00 -0500

James King and Steve Greenblatt welcome back Chris Kelly, Senior IT Support Specialist at Creighton University and Chair of the HETMA Advisory Board, to share how his background in social work contributed to his soft skills that provide great benefit to his career in IT and AV.

Chris Kelly can be found on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-kelly-272155122/, the HETMA Community https://community.hetma.org, and via email at advisory@hetma.org.

The Ask The Programmer podcast can be found at @AVProgrammerPod on X/Twitter or on Bluesky as @asktheprogrammer.

Ask The Programmer Episode 245 - Guest Chris Kelly Shares his Career Shift to IT and AV

Sun, 21 Dec 2025 09:00:00 -0500

James King and Steve Greenblatt welcome Chris Kelly, Senior IT Support Specialist at Creighton University and Chair of the HETMA Advisory Board, to share his AV journey, including his background in social work and then IT, which led him to AV.

Chris Kelly can be found on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-kelly-272155122/, the HETMA Community https://community.hetma.org, and advisory@hetma.org.

The Ask The Programmer podcast can be found at @AVProgrammerPod on X/Twitter or on Bluesky as @asktheprogrammer.

Ask The Programmer Episode 244 - Guest Kevin Rhodus Talks About The Lucy Depp Park Light Show

Sun, 14 Dec 2025 09:00:00 -0500

James King and Steve Greenblatt welcome back Kevin Rhodus, Manager of the Platform Integration Team at Q-SYS, to talk about a personal passion project involving the automation and choreography of holiday lights called the Lucy Depp Park Light Show (https://www.lightshownetwork.com).

Kevin previously appeared on episode 243, where he shared his AV journey and background in show control.

Kevin Rhodus can be found on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinrhodus/, the Q-SYS Communities for Developers https://developers.qsc.com/s/, or on GitHub as qsc-kevinrhodus or krhodus.

The Ask The Programmer podcast can be found at @AVProgrammerPod on X/Twitter or on Bluesky as @asktheprogrammer.

Ask The Programmer Episode 243- Guest Kevin Rhodus Shares His AV Journey and Show Control Background

Sun, 07 Dec 2025 09:00:00 -0500

James King and Steve Greenblatt welcome Kevin Rhodus, Manager of the Platform Integration Team at Q-SYS, to share his AV story, including how he started at the Columbus Zoo, learned show control, and continues to challenge himself to develop innovative AV solutions.

Kevin Rhodus can be found on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinrhodus/, the Q-SYS Communities for Developers https://developers.qsc.com/s/, or on GitHub as qsc-kevinrhodus or krhodus.

The Ask The Programmer podcast can be found at @AVProgrammerPod on X/Twitter or on Bluesky as @asktheprogrammer.

Ask The Programmer Episode 242 - Get What You Deserve

Sun, 30 Nov 2025 09:00:00 -0500

James King and Steve Greenblatt discuss how to help clients understand what they should be getting in a functional system and avoid settling for good enough.

The Ask The Programmer podcast can be found at @AVProgrammerPod on X/Twitter or on Bluesky as @asktheprogrammer.

Ask The Programmer Episode 241 - On-Prem or Cloud

Sun, 23 Nov 2025 09:00:00 -0500

James King and Steve Greenblatt discuss on-premises vs. cloud solutions and provide insight regarding the value and challenges of each.

The Ask The Programmer podcast can be found at @AVProgrammerPod on X/Twitter or on Bluesky as @asktheprogrammer.

Ask The Programmer Episode 240 - Guest Jeremy Gerick Discusses How AV & IT Can Learn from Each Other

Sun, 16 Nov 2025 09:00:00 -0500

James King and Steve Greenblatt welcome back Jeremy Gerick, Senior AV Project Engineer at University of Michigan College of Literature, Science, and the Arts, to discuss how AV and IT differ, what they can learn from each other, and what the future holds.

Jeremy Gerick can be found on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremy-gerick-45621197/ or via email jpger@umich.edu.

The Ask The Programmer podcast can be found at @AVProgrammerPod on X/Twitter or on Bluesky as @asktheprogrammer.

Ask The Programmer Episode 239 - Guest Jeremy Gerick Shares His AV Journey and Approach to Projects

Sun, 09 Nov 2025 09:00:00 -0500

James King and Steve Greenblatt welcome Jeremy Gerick, Senior AV Project Engineer at University of Michigan College of Literature, Science, and the Arts, to share his AV journey and approach to projects.

Jeremy Gerick can be found on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremy-gerick-45621197/ or via email jpger@umich.edu.

The Ask The Programmer podcast can be found at @AVProgrammerPod on X/Twitter or on Bluesky as @asktheprogrammer.

Ask The Programmer Episode 238 - Control Programming vs. Built-In Automation

Sun, 02 Nov 2025 09:00:00 -0500

James King and Steve Greenblatt discuss the advantages and disadvantages of using control programming versus the built-in automation of products.

The Ask The Programmer podcast can be found at @AVProgrammerPod on X/Twitter or on Bluesky as @asktheprogrammer.

Ask The Programmer Episode 237 - Dan Ferrisi Asks About The Impact of AI in the AV Programming World

Sun, 26 Oct 2025 09:00:00 -0400

James King and Steve Greenblatt welcome back Dan Ferrisi, Group Editor, Commercial and Security with Emerald, to discuss his question about the impact of AI in the AV programming world, and how AV programmers and other professionals can leverage AI to benefit their organizations and clients.

Dan Ferrisi can be reached on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/dan-ferrisi-55675a7/), CommercialIntegrator.com, and Securitysales.com. He encourages you to attend the Total Tech Summit (https://totaltechsummit.com) in Orlando, FL, November 10-12, 2025.

Be sure to also check out Dan's previous appearances in episodes 236, 212, 213, 200, 199, 182, 181, 173, 174, 124, and 125.

To join the conversation or have your question answered on a future episode, join the Ask The Programmer group on LinkedIn and post a message, leave a comment, or reach out to us @AV_JamesKing or @stevegreenblatt on X/Twitter or Bluesky, and be sure to include #AskTheProgrammer.

The Ask The Programmer podcast can be found at @AVProgrammerPod on X/Twitter or on Bluesky as @asktheprogrammer.

Ask The Progammer Episode 236 - Dan Ferrisi Asks About Programmers' Similarities and Differences

Sun, 19 Oct 2025 09:00:00 -0400

James King and Steve Greenblatt welcome back Dan Ferrisi, Group Editor, Commercial and Security with Emerald, to discuss his question about the similarities and differences between programmer roles within various organizations: external integrators, internal integrators, independent programming companies, and manufacturers.

Be sure to also check out Dan's previous appearances in episodes 212, 213, 200, 199, 182, 181, 173, 174, 124, and 125.

To join the conversation or have your question answered on a future episode, join the Ask The Programmer group on LinkedIn and post a message, leave a comment, or reach out to us @AV_JamesKing or @stevegreenblatt on X/Twitter or Bluesky, and be sure to include #AskTheProgrammer.

The Ask The Programmer podcast can be found at @AVProgrammerPod on X/Twitter or on Bluesky as @asktheprogrammer.

Ask The Programmer Episode 235 - Guest Jason Martinez Discusses What Makes Plugins Effective

Sun, 12 Oct 2025 09:00:00 -0400

James King and Steve Greenblatt welcome back Jason Martinez, Q-SYS Ecosystem Developer, to discuss what goes into building a successful plugin for the Q-SYS ecosystem and how to ensure it meets quality requirements and is trusted by programmers.

Jason Martinez can be found on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-martinez-597660219/, via email jason.martinez@qsc.com, and on the Q-SYS Communities for Developers https://developers.qsc.com/s/.

To join the conversation or have your question answered on a future episode, join the Ask The Programmer group on LinkedIn and post a message, leave a comment, or reach out to us @AV_JamesKing or @stevegreenblatt on X/Twitter or Bluesky and be sure to include #AskTheProgrammer.

The Ask The Programmer podcast can be found at @AVProgrammerPod on X/Twitter or on Bluesky as @asktheprogrammer.

Ask The Programmer Episode 234 - Guest Jason Martinez Shares His AV Journey and Self-Taught Mindset

Sun, 05 Oct 2025 11:13:19 -0400

James King and Steve Greenblatt welcome Jason Martinez, Q-SYS Ecosystem Developer, to share his AV journey, transition from residential to commercial AV, and his self-taught mindset.

To join the conversation or have your question answered on a future episode, join the Ask The Programmer group on LinkedIn and post a message, leave a comment, or reach out to us @AV_JamesKing or @stevegreenblatt on X/Twitter or Bluesky and be sure to include #AskTheProgrammer.

The Ask The Programmer podcast can be found at @AVProgrammerPod on X/Twitter or on Bluesky as @asktheprogrammer.

Ask The Programmer Episode 233 - Guest Patrick Gilligan Shares a Deeper Approach to AV Programming

Sun, 28 Sep 2025 09:00:00 -0400

James King and Steve Greenblatt welcome back Patrick Gilligan, Principal A/V Infrastructure Engineer at Zillow Group, to discuss how his IT and software engineering approach to AV programming allows him to provide a deeper level of control in his solutions.

Patrick can be found on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@patrickgil_dev, LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-gilligan-72583617/, or on the Q-SYS Communities for Developers https://developers.qsc.com/s/.

To join the conversation or have your question answered on a future episode, join the Ask The Programmer group on LinkedIn and post a message, leave a comment, or reach out to us @AV_JamesKing or @stevegreenblatt on X/Twitter or Bluesky and be sure to include #AskTheProgrammer.

The Ask The Programmer podcast can be found at @AVProgrammerPod on X/Twitter or on Bluesky as @asktheprogrammer.

Ask The Programmer Episode 232 - Guest Patrick Gilligan Shares His Approach to Learning Programming

Sun, 21 Sep 2025 09:00:00 -0400

James King and Steve Greenblatt welcome Patrick Gilligan, Principal A/V Infrastructure Engineer at Zillow Group, to discuss his AV journey and his approach to learning programming.

To join the conversation or have your question answered on a future episode, join the Ask The Programmer group on LinkedIn and post a message, leave a comment, or reach out to us @AV_JamesKing or @stevegreenblatt on X/Twitter or Bluesky and be sure to include #AskTheProgrammer.

The Ask The Programmer podcast can be found at @AVProgrammerPod on X/Twitter or on Bluesky as @asktheprogrammer.

Ask The Programmer Episode 231 - Technical Support

Sun, 14 Sep 2025 09:01:00 -0400

James King and Steve Greenblatt discuss how to be effective in delivering technical support to different audiences.

To join the conversation or have your question answered on a future episode, join the Ask The Programmer group on LinkedIn and post a message, leave a comment, or reach out to us @AV_JamesKing or @stevegreenblatt on X/Twitter or Bluesky, and be sure to include #AskTheProgrammer.

The Ask The Programmer podcast can be found at @AVProgrammerPod on X/Twitter or on Bluesky as @asktheprogrammer.

Ask The Programmer Episode 230 - Technical Literacy

Sun, 07 Sep 2025 09:00:00 -0400

James King and Steve Greenblatt discuss how technical experts interact with users and how technology has caused the average person to become less technically literate.

To join the conversation or have your question answered on a future episode, join the Ask The Programmer group on LinkedIn and post a message, leave a comment, or reach out to us @AV_JamesKing or @stevegreenblatt on X/Twitter or Bluesky, and be sure to include #AskTheProgrammer.

The Ask The Programmer podcast can be found at @AVProgrammerPod on X/Twitter or on Bluesky as @asktheprogrammer.

Ask The Programmer Episode 229 - Guest Jeff Perkins Discusses the Value of Varied Training Paths

Sun, 31 Aug 2025 09:00:00 -0400

James King and Steve Greenblatt welcome back Jeff Perkins, Q-SYS Control Curriculum Developer and Trainer, to share his perspective on how varied training paths are the best way to serve AV programmers, designers, and software developers.

Jeff Perkins previously appeared on episode 228 of Ask The Programmer.

Jeff Perkins can be found on X/Twitter at perkins_jeff, on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeff-perkins-cts-d-59659674/, and via email jeff.perkins@qsc.com.

Here are links to the resources Jeff mentioned: Control Quick Starts: https://training.qsc.com/course/view.php?id=178 Q-SYS Communities for Developers: https://developers.qsc.com/s/ QSC Training: https://training.qsc.com/qsys.php

To join the conversation or have your question answered on a future episode, join the Ask The Programmer group on LinkedIn and post a message, leave a comment, or reach out to us @AV_JamesKing or @stevegreenblatt on X/Twitter or Bluesky and be sure to include #AskTheProgrammer.

The Ask The Programmer podcast can be found at @AVProgrammerPod on X/Twitter or on Bluesky as @asktheprogrammer.

Ask The Programmer Episode 228 - Guest Jeff Perkins shares his AV Journey and Approach to Training

Sun, 24 Aug 2025 09:18:04 -0400

James King and Steve Greenblatt welcome guest Jeff Perkins, Q-SYS Control Curriculum Developer and Trainer, to share his AV journey and discuss his programmer-centric approach to training, as he has been in the shoes of a programmer for many years.

Jeff Perkins can be found on X/Twitter at perkins_jeff, on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeff-perkins-cts-d-59659674/, and via email jeff.perkins@qsc.com.

Here are links to the resources Jeff mentioned:

Control Quick Starts: https://training.qsc.com/course/view.php?id=178

Q-SYS Communities for Developers: https://developers.qsc.com/s/

QSC Training: https://training.qsc.com/qsys.php

To join the conversation or have your question answered on a future episode, join the Ask The Programmer group on LinkedIn and post a message, leave a comment, or reach out to us @AV_JamesKing or @stevegreenblatt on X/Twitter or Bluesky, and be sure to include #AskTheProgrammer.

The Ask The Programmer podcast can be found at @AVProgrammerPod on X/Twitter or on Bluesky as @asktheprogrammer.

Ask The Programmer Episode 227 - Guest Leon Prather Discusses Soft Skills and Human Interaction

Sun, 17 Aug 2025 09:00:00 -0400

James King and Steve Greenblatt welcome back Leon Prather, an industry veteran and co-host of the brAVe Skills podcast, to discuss the importance of soft skills and how to work and interact with people.

Leon was previously on episode 226 of Ask The Programmer.

Leon Prather can be found at his website, leonprather.com, on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/leon-prather-cts/, or on the brAVe Skills podcast at higheredav.com.

To join the conversation or have your question answered on a future episode, join the Ask The Programmer group on LinkedIn and post a message, leave a comment, or reach out to us @AV_JamesKing or @stevegreenblatt on X/Twitter or Bluesky, and be sure to include #AskTheProgrammer.

The Ask The Programmer podcast can be found at @AVProgrammerPod on X/Twitter or on Bluesky as @asktheprogrammer.

Ask The Programmer Episode 226 - Guest Leon Prather Shares His Journey and Discusses What is Simple

Sun, 10 Aug 2025 09:00:00 -0400

James King and Steve Greenblatt welcome guest Leon Prather, an industry veteran and co-host of the brAVe Skills podcast, to share his AV journey and discuss what is simple.

Leon Prather can be found at his website, leonprather.com, on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/leon-prather-cts/, or on the brAVe Skills podcast at higheredav.com.

Leaon's article What is 'simple', anyway? can be found at https://www.leonprather.com/blog-2-1/what-is-simple.

To join the conversation or have your question answered on a future episode, join the Ask The Programmer group on LinkedIn and post a message, leave a comment, or reach out to us @AV_JamesKing or @stevegreenblatt on X/Twitter or Bluesky, and be sure to include #AskTheProgrammer.

The Ask The Programmer podcast can be found at @AVProgrammerPod on X/Twitter or on Bluesky as @asktheprogrammer.

Ask The Programmer Episode 225 - What do you wish more people understood about AV programming?

Sun, 03 Aug 2025 09:00:00 -0400

James King and Steve Greenblatt discuss what we wish more people understood about AV programming.

Here are some ideas that were discussed and debated:

- Saying one system is just like the other except for a few things is does not mean it is easy to program

- Programming involves much more than writing code

- Scope creep and ongoing changes ead to unexpected problems

- Programming is not as easy as good programmers make it look

- Not all control platforms are equal

– Just because you can master one, doesn’t mean you can master them all

What do you think?

To join the conversation or have your question answered on a future episode, join the Ask The Programmer group on LinkedIn and post a message, leave a comment, or reach out to us @AV_JamesKing or @stevegreenblatt on X/Twitter or Bluesky and be sure to include #AskTheProgrammer.

The Ask The Programmer podcast can be found at @AVProgrammerPod on X/Twitter or on Bluesky as @asktheprogrammer.

Ask The Programmer Episode 224 - What's the Toughest Part of Being an AV Programmer?

Sun, 27 Jul 2025 09:00:00 -0400

James King and Steve Greenblatt discuss our thoughts on the toughest part of being an AV programmer.

Here were some ideas that were discussed and debated:

- Dealing with vague or changing requirements

- Getting blamed for things that aren’t code issues

- Not being included in the design process

- Explaining complex systems to non-technical clients

- Helping everyone else do their job so that programming can be verified

What are your thoughts?

To join the conversation or have your question answered on a future episode, join the Ask The Programmer group on LinkedIn and post a message, leave a comment, or reach out to us @AV_JamesKing or @stevegreenblatt on X/Twitter or Bluesky, and be sure to include #AskTheProgrammer. The Ask The Programmer podcast can be found at @AVProgrammerPod on X/Twitter or on Bluesky as @asktheprogrammer.

Ask The Programmer Episode 223 - Guest Mike Krejci Talks about Version and Source Control

Sun, 20 Jul 2025 09:00:00 -0400

James King and Steve Greenblatt welcome back Mike Krejci, Director of Programming for CTI, to discuss the importance of version control and source control for AV programming.

Mike's previous episodes are 222, 111, 34, and 35.

Here are some resources that Mike mentioned in the episode: https://git-scm.com

https://github.com

https://bitbucket.org

Mike can be reached on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/themikekrejci/, and CTI can be found at cti.com.

To join the conversation or have your question answered on a future episode, join the Ask The Programmer group on LinkedIn and post a message, leave a comment, or reach out to us @AV_JamesKing or @stevegreenblatt on X/Twitter or Bluesky and be sure to include #AskTheProgrammer.

The Ask The Programmer podcast can be found at @AVProgrammerPod on X/Twitter or on Bluesky as @asktheprogrammer.

Ask The Programmer Episode.222 - Guest Mike Kriejci Discusses Using C# Programming Language in AV

Sun, 13 Jul 2025 09:00:00 -0400

James King and Steve Greenblatt welcome back Mike Krejci, Director of Programming for CTI, to discuss using C# as a programming language in AV. This episode was inspired by a request from ⁨@jamesbond-lb7se⁩ from YouTube.

Mike's previous episodes are 111, 34, and 35.

Here are some of the resources Mike references for learning and leveraging C#:

https://www.youtube.com/@nickchapsas

https://www.youtube.com/@IAmTimCorey

https://coddy.tech/explore/tag/csharp

Mike can be reached on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/themikekrejci/, and CTI can be found at cti.com.

To join the conversation or have your question answered on a future episode, join the Ask The Programmer group on LinkedIn and post a message, leave a comment, or reach out to us @AV_JamesKing or @stevegreenblatt on X/Twitter or Bluesky and be sure to include #AskTheProgrammer.

The Ask The Programmer podcast can be found at @AVProgrammerPod on X/Twitter or on Bluesky as @asktheprogrammer.

Ask The Programmer Episode 221 - How to debug a system if it works most of the time?

Sun, 06 Jul 2025 09:00:00 -0400

James King and Steve Greenblatt discuss a question from the mailbag about the best way to debug a system when it works "most of the time."

What tips can you share for other community members? What are some of your memorable stories?

To join the conversation or have your question answered on a future episode, join the Ask The Programmer group on LinkedIn and post a message, leave a comment, or reach out to us @AV_JamesKing or @stevegreenblatt on X/Twitter or Bluesky and be sure to include #AskTheProgrammer.

The Ask The Programmer podcast can be found at @AVProgrammerPod on X/Twitter or on Bluesky as @asktheprogrammer.

Ask The Programmer Episode 220 - Is It Worth Getting Certified, and Which Certifications Matter?

Sun, 29 Jun 2025 09:00:00 -0400

James King and Steve Greenblatt answer a question from the mailbag about the importance of getting certified and, if so, which certifications matter. This episode is recorded after InfoComm25.

Which certifications do you have that provide you value? What are some of your goals for certifications?

To join the conversation or have your question answered on a future episode, join the Ask The Programmer group on LinkedIn and post a message, leave a comment, or reach out to us @AV_JamesKing or @stevegreenblatt on X/Twitter or Bluesky and be sure to include #AskTheProgrammer.

The Ask The Programmer podcast can be found at @AVProgrammerPod on X/Twitter or on Bluesky as @asktheprogrammer.

Ask The Programmer Episode 219 - Guest Chi Hang Lo Shares Insight for Modern AV Software Development

Sat, 28 Jun 2025 21:11:01 -0400

James King and Steve Greenblatt welcome Chi Hang Lo, Manager of AV/IT Solutions at UCLA, to discuss his insight and tips for modern AV software development, including the use of containers, "no touch" or turnkey solutions, maintenance and support considerations, scalability, and what's next.

Chi Hang Lo can be reached via email at chihanglo@it.ucla.edu or on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/chihanglo/.

To join the conversation or have your question answered on a future episode, join the Ask The Programmer group on LinkedIn and post a message, leave a comment, or reach out to us @AV_JamesKing or @stevegreenblatt on X/Twitter or Bluesky and be sure to include #AskTheProgrammer.

The Ask The Programmer podcast can be found at @AVProgrammerPod on X/Twitter or on Bluesky as @asktheprogrammer.

Ask The Programmer Episode 218 - Guest Chi Hang Lo Shares His Journey from Architecture to AV/IT

Sat, 28 Jun 2025 21:09:53 -0400

James King and Steve Greenblatt welcome Chi Hang Lo, Manager of AV/IT Solutions at UCLA, to share his AV journey, perspective on AV systems and solutions, and enterprise approach to AV programming and software development.

Chi Hang Lo can be reached via email at chihanglo@it.ucla.edu or on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/chihanglo/.

To join the conversation or have your question answered on a future episode, join the Ask The Programmer group on LinkedIn and post a message, leave a comment, or reach out to us @AV_JamesKing or @stevegreenblatt on X/Twitter or Bluesky and be sure to include #AskTheProgrammer.

The Ask The Programmer podcast can be found at @AVProgrammerPod on X/Twitter or on Bluesky as @asktheprogrammer.

Ask The Programmer Episode 217 - Getting it Done, Doing it Right, and Striving for Perfection

Sun, 08 Jun 2025 09:00:00 -0400

James King and Steve Greenblatt discuss when to prioritize getting something done, doing it right, and working toward perfection in AV programming.

To join the conversation or have your question answered on a future episode, join the Ask The Programmer group on LinkedIn and post a message, leave a comment, or reach out to us @AV_JamesKing or @stevegreenblatt on X/Twitter or Bluesky and be sure to include #AskTheProgrammer.

The Ask The Programmer podcast can be found at @AVProgrammerPod on X/Twitter or on Bluesky as @asktheprogrammer.

Ask The Programmer Episode 216 - InfoComm25 and Programmers' Involvement at AV Events

Sun, 01 Jun 2025 09:00:00 -0400

James King and Steve Greenblatt discuss InfoComm25 and programmers' involvement in AV events in general. Going to events is not just about visiting the booths. It's about networking, education, speaking opportunities, and having in-person conversations.

To join the conversation or have your question answered on a future episode, join the Ask The Programmer group on LinkedIn and post a message, leave a comment, or reach out to us @AV_JamesKing or @stevegreenblatt on X/Twitter or Bluesky and be sure to include #AskTheProgrammer.

The Ask The Programmer podcast can be found at @AVProgrammerPod on X/Twitter or on Bluesky as @asktheprogrammer.

Ask The Programmer Episode 215 - Are touchpanels becoming less prevalent in AV systems?

Sun, 25 May 2025 09:00:00 -0400

James King and Steve Greenblatt discuss whether touchpanels are becoming less desirable in AV systems. Why is this the case, and what is being used as an alternative?

To join the conversation or have your question answered on a future episode, join the Ask The Programmer group on LinkedIn and post a message, leave a comment, or reach out to us @AV_JamesKing or @stevegreenblatt on X/Twitter or Bluesky and be sure to include #AskTheProgrammer.

The Ask The Programmer podcast can be found at @AVProgrammerPod on X/Twitter or on Bluesky as @asktheprogrammer.

Ask The Programmer Episode 214 - AV Control System Programming vs. General Software Programming

Sun, 18 May 2025 09:00:00 -0400

James King and Steve Greenblatt discuss the differences between AV control system programming and general software programming. Although general software programming has many advantages, the challenges of AV control system programming are what make it unique and a specialized niche for those who become skilled in it.

To join the conversation or have your question answered on a future episode, join the Ask The Programmer group on LinkedIn and post a message, leave a comment, or reach out to us @AV_JamesKing or @stevegreenblatt on X/Twitter or Bluesky and be sure to include #AskTheProgrammer.

The Ask The Programmer podcast can be found at @AVProgrammerPod on X/Twitter or on Bluesky as @asktheprogrammer.

Ask The Programmer Episode 213- Dan Ferrisi Asks About the Future of Walled-Gardens & Interopability

Sun, 11 May 2025 09:00:00 -0400

James King and Steve Greenblatt welcome back Dan Ferrisi, Group Editor, Commercial and Security with Emerald, to discuss his question about whether AV programming will be approached with a Software-as-a-Service (SasS) model rather than traditional custom programming. Dan Ferrisi can be reached on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/dan-ferrisi-55675a7/), CommercialIntegrator.com, and Securitysales.com.

He encourages you to attend CEDIA Expo and Commercial Integrator Expo (https://cediaexpo.com) and Total Tech Summit (https://totaltechsummit.com).

Be sure to also check out Dan's previous appearances in episodes 212, 200, 199, 182, 181, 173, 174, 124, and 125.

To join the conversation or have your question answered on a future episode, join the Ask The Programmer group on LinkedIn and post a message, leave a comment, or reach out to us @AV_JamesKing or @stevegreenblatt on X/Twitter or Bluesky and be sure to include #AskTheProgrammer.

The Ask The Programmer podcast can be found at @AVProgrammerPod on X/Twitter or on Bluesky as @asktheprogrammer.

Ask The Programmer Episode 212 - Dan Ferrisi Asks If AV Programming Can Implement a SaaS Model

Sun, 04 May 2025 09:00:00 -0400

James King and Steve Greenblatt welcome back Dan Ferrisi, Group Editor, Commercial and Security with Emerald, to discuss whether control system programming will be approached with a software-as-a-service (SaaS) model rather than traditional custom programming.

Dan Ferrisi can be reached on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/dan-ferrisi-55675a7/), CommercialIntegrator.com, and Securitysales.com. He encourages you to attend CEDIA Expo and Commercial Integrator Expo (https://cediaexpo.com) and Total Tech Summit (https://totaltechsummit.com).

Be sure to also check out Dan's previous appearances in episodes 200, 199, 182, 181, 173, 174, 124, and 125.

To join the conversation or have your question answered on a future episode, join the Ask The Programmer group on LinkedIn and post a message, leave a comment, or reach out to us @AV_JamesKing or @stevegreenblatt on X/Twitter or Bluesky and be sure to include #AskTheProgrammer. The Ask The Programmer podcast can be found at @AVProgrammerPod on X/Twitter or on Bluesky as @asktheprogrammer.

Ask The Programmer Episode 211 - Modern User Interface Designs

Sun, 27 Apr 2025 09:00:00 -0400

James King and Steve Greenblatt discuss the growing trend toward implementing user interface designs that are simple, clean, and follow a templated, pre-developed, or product-based look and feel. Is this the new norm and the end of fully customized designs? Is there still a place to blend a common look and feel with custom?

To join the conversation or have your question answered on a future episode, join the Ask The Programmer group on LinkedIn and post a message, leave a comment, or reach out to us @AV_JamesKing or @stevegreenblatt on X/Twitter or Bluesky and be sure to include #AskTheProgrammer.

The Ask The Programmer podcast can be found at @AVProgrammerPod on X/Twitter or on Bluesky as @asktheprogrammer.

Ask The Programmer Episode 210 - Dedicated vs. Centralized Hardware and Processing

Sun, 20 Apr 2025 09:00:00 -0400

James King and Steve Greenblatt discuss the pros and cons of having dedicated vs. centralized hardware and processing. While this may seem like an easy decision, beware of the impact it can have on programming, maintenance, and future upgrades. Experienced programmers should be consulted before deciding to design systems innovatively, whether centralized or distributed.

To join the conversation or have your question answered on a future episode, join the Ask The Programmer group on LinkedIn and post a message, leave a comment, or reach out to us @AV_JamesKing or @stevegreenblatt on X/Twitter or Bluesky and be sure to include #AskTheProgrammer.

The Ask The Programmer podcast can be found at @AVProgrammerPod on X/Twitter or on Bluesky as @asktheprogrammer.

Ask The Programmer Episode 209 - Managing Programming Changes

Sun, 13 Apr 2025 09:00:00 -0400

James King and Steve Greenblatt discuss the impact of client requests and scope changes while a programmer actively works on code or configuration. It's not easy for programmers to say "no," but it is also crucial for the health of a program to manage changes and client expectations effectively.

To join the conversation or have your question answered on a future episode, join the Ask The Programmer group on LinkedIn and post a message, leave a comment, or reach out to us @AV_JamesKing or @stevegreenblatt on X/Twitter or Bluesky and be sure to include #AskTheProgrammer.

The Ask The Programmer podcast can be found at @AVProgrammerPod on X/Twitter or on Bluesky as @asktheprogrammer.

Ask The Programmer Episode 208 - Fourth Year Anniversary

Sun, 06 Apr 2025 09:00:00 -0400

James King and Steve Greenblatt discuss highlights from the past four years of the Ask The Programmer episodes. including the value of programmers, the different types of programmers, coding vs. configuration, and AI. Since the beginning, we have focused on building community and helping programmers find their voice in the industry.

To join the conversation or have your question answered on a future episode, join the Ask The Programmer group on LinkedIn and post a message, leave a comment, or reach out to us @AV_JamesKing or @stevegreenblatt on X/Twitter or Bluesky and be sure to include #AskTheProgrammer.

The Ask The Programmer podcast can be found at @AVProgrammerPod on X/Twitter or on Bluesky as @asktheprogrammer.

Ask The Programmer Episode 207 - Options for Learning AV Programming

Sun, 30 Mar 2025 09:00:00 -0400

James King and Steve Greenblatt discuss options for learning AV programming. While there is no tried-and-true path to becoming an AV programmer, there are many informal and formal approaches to learning, building a skill set, and solving specific challenges online, in a classroom, and through communities.

To join the conversation or have your question answered on a future episode, join the Ask The Programmer group on LinkedIn and post a message, leave a comment, or reach out to us @AV_JamesKing or @stevegreenblatt on X/Twitter or Bluesky and be sure to include #AskTheProgrammer.

The Ask The Programmer podcast can be found at @AVProgrammerPod on X/Twitter or Bluesky as @asktheprogrammer.

Ask The Programmer Episode 206 - Learnng and Growing as a Programmer

Sun, 23 Mar 2025 09:00:00 -0400

James King and Steve Greenblatt discuss how to learn and grow as programmers. Some programmers establish their own approach to writing code, while others adopt a coding style defined by their employer, organization, or mentor. Working with a team and participating in code reviews can raise the bar for all involved.

To join the conversation or have your question answered on a future episode, join the Ask The Programmer group on LinkedIn and post a message, leave a comment, or reach out to us @AV_JamesKing or @stevegreenblatt on X/Twitter or Bluesky and be sure to include #AskTheProgrammer.

The Ask The Programmer podcast can be found at @AVProgrammerPod on X/Twitter or Bluesky as @asktheprogrammer.

Ask The Programmer Episode 205 - Programmers and Tariffs

Sun, 16 Mar 2025 09:00:00 -0400

James King and Steve Greenblatt discuss the impact that potential trade tariffs can have on integrated systems, programming, programmers, and clients.

To join the conversation or have your question answered on a future episode, join the Ask The Programmer group on LinkedIn and post a message, leave a comment, or reach out to us @AV_JamesKing or @stevegreenblatt on X/Twitter or Bluesky and be sure to include #AskTheProgrammer.

The Ask The Programmer podcast can be found at @AVProgrammerPod on X/witter and @asktheprogrammer on Bluesky.

Ask The Programmer Episode 204 - Is Building Control Back?

Sun, 09 Mar 2025 09:00:00 -0400

James King and Steve Greenblatt discuss the renewed conversation around building control, which stems from Acuity Brands' acquisition of Q-SYS in October 2024.

To join the conversation or have your question answered on a future episode, join the Ask The Programmer group on LinkedIn and post a message, leave a comment, or reach out to us @AV_JamesKing or @stevegreenblatt on X/Twitter or Bluesky and be sure to include #AskTheProgrammer.

The Ask The Programmer podcast can be found at @AVProgrammerPod on X/Twitter or @asktheprogrammer on Bluesky.

Ask The Programmer Episode 203 - Guest Brittany DiCesare Shares How Manufacturers Help Programmers

Sun, 02 Mar 2025 09:00:00 -0500

Steve Greenblatt sits down with Brittany DiCesare, Director of Sales and Operations at Control Concepts, Inc., to discuss how manufacturers are helping programmers by making controlling their products easier.

Brittany DiCesare can be found on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/brittdice/ and on X/Twitter @brittdice https://twitter.com/brittdice.

Control Concepts can be found at controlconcepts.net. Manufacturers looking to learn more about API integration can visit controlmyavproduct.com.

This episode was recorded live at ISE2025.

To join the conversation or have your question answered on a future episode, join the Ask The Programmer group on LinkedIn and post a message, leave a comment, or reach out to us @AV_JamesKing or @stevegreenblatt on X/Twitter or Bluesky and be sure to include #AskTheProgrammer.

The Ask The Programmer podcast can be found at @AVProgrammerPod on X/Twitter and @asktheprogrammer on Bluesky.

Ask The Programmer Episode 202 - The Importance of Technical Support

Sun, 23 Feb 2025 09:00:00 -0500

James King and Steve Greenblatt discuss how timely and effective technical support impacts the performance of AV programmers. What makes good technical support and how should it be best utilized?

To join the conversation or have your question answered on a future episode, join the Ask The Programmer group on LinkedIn and post a message, leave a comment, or reach out to us @AV_JamesKing or @stevegreenblatt on X/Twitter or Bluesky and be sure to include #AskTheProgrammer.

The Ask The Programmer podcast can be found at @AVProgrammerPod on X/Twitter and @asktheprogrammer on Bluesky,

Ask The Programmer Episode 201 - How Does the AV Industry Contend with Changes in Software Apps

Sun, 16 Feb 2025 09:00:00 -0500

James King and Steve Greenblatt discuss how modern software applications and mobile apps can change user operation without notice. With the AV being change-averse, how will this impact users and support teams? What can be done to limit surprises and issues?

To join the conversation or have your question answered on a future episode, join the Ask The Programmer group on LinkedIn and post a message, leave a comment, or reach out to us @AV_JamesKing or @stevegreenblatt on X/Twitter and Bluesky and be sure to include #AskTheProgrammer.

The Ask The Programmer podcast can be found at @AVProgrammerPod on Twitter and @asktheprogrammer on Bluesky.

Ask The Programmer Episode 200 - Dan Ferrisi asks If Programmers will be Better Recognized in AV

Sun, 09 Feb 2025 09:00:00 -0500

James King and Steve Greenblatt welcome back Dan Ferrisi, Group Editor, Commercial and Security with Emerald, to discuss if there will come a time when AV programmers are better represented and recognized in the industry.

Dan Ferrisi can be reached at @danferrisiedit on X/Twitter and Bluesky, LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/dan-ferrisi-55675a7/, and at CommercialIntegrator.com and Securitysales.com.

Be sure to also check out Dan's previous appearances in episodes 199, 181 , 182, 173, 174, 124, and 125.

To join the conversation or have your question answered on a future episode, join the Ask The Programmer group on LinkedIn and post a message, leave a comment, or reach out to us @AV_JamesKing or @stevegreenblatt on X/Twitter or Bluesky and be sure to include #AskTheProgrammer.

The Ask The Programmer podcast can be found at @AVProgrammerPod on Twitter and @asktheprogrammer on Bluesky.

Ask The Programmer Episode 199 - Dan Ferrisi Asks Whether Programmers Must Know How to Code

Sun, 02 Feb 2025 09:00:00 -0500

James King and Steve Greenblatt welcome back Dan Ferrisi, Group Editor, Commercial and Security with Emerald, to discuss his question about whether programmers need to know how to code or whether all the other skills that contribute to their success can overshadow this need as long as coding can be outsourced or addressed with a no-code tool.

Dan Ferrisi can be reached at @danferrisiedit on X/Twitter and Bluesky, LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/dan-ferrisi-55675a7/, and at CommercialIntegrator.com and Securitysales.com.

Be sure to also check out Dan's previous appearances in episodes 182, 181, 173, 174, 124, and 125.

To join the conversation or have your question answered on a future episode, join the Ask The Programmer group on LinkedIn and post a message, leave a comment, or reach out to us @AV_JamesKing or @stevegreenblatt on X/Twitter and Bluesky and be sure to include #AskTheProgrammer.

The Ask The Programmer podcast can be found at @AVProgrammerPod on X/Twitter and @asktheprogrammer on Bluesky.

Ask The Programmer Episode 198 - Are you buying a functional program and code that is well-written?

Sun, 26 Jan 2025 09:00:00 -0500

James King and Steve Greenblatt discuss why it is essential to have a fully functioning program that runs an AV system and just as critical to have well-written code that can be easily modified and updated.

A special thank you to viewer/ listener feedback from @bryankaioshin regarding a suggestion for covering suggestions for getting into programming.

Please tune into our previous episodes 187 and 188 on how Britt Yenser is learning AV programming.

To join the conversation or have your question answered on a future episode, join the Ask The Programmer group on LinkedIn and post a message, leave a comment, or reach out to us @AV_JamesKing or @stevegreenblatt on X/Twitter or Bluesky and be sure to include #AskTheProgrammer.

The Ask The Programmer podcast can be found at @AVProgrammerPod on X/Twitter and @askthegrammer on Bluesky.

Ask The Programmer Episode 197 - What to know about Maintaining Campus and Enterprise Standards

Sun, 19 Jan 2025 09:00:00 -0500

James King and Steve Greenblatt discuss the importance of maintaining, managing, and updating campus and enterprise standards.

A special thank you to viewer/ listener feedback from @jamesbond-lb7se regarding a suggestion for covering Programming Best Practices. We look forward to covering this in more depth in a future episode.

To join the conversation or have your question answered on a future episode, join the Ask The Programmer group on LinkedIn and post a message, leave a comment, or reach out to us @AV_JamesKing or @stevegreenblatt on X/Twitter and Bluesky and be sure to include #AskTheProgrammer.

The Ask The Programmer podcast can be found at @AVProgrammerPod on X/Twitter and @asktheprogrammer on Bluesky.

Ask The Programmer Episode 196 - Time Management and Discipline Tips for Programmers

Sun, 12 Jan 2025 09:00:00 -0500

James King and Steve Greenblatt discuss tips for programmers on managing their time and being disciplined about working efficiently.

To join the conversation or have your question answered on a future episode, join the Ask The Programmer group on LinkedIn and post a message, leave a comment, or reach out to us @AV_JamesKing or @stevegreenblatt on X/Twitter or Bluesky and be sure to include #AskTheProgrammer.

The Ask The Programmer podcast can be found at @AVProgrammerPod on X/Twitter and Bluesky as @asktheprogrammer.

Ask The Programmer Episode 195 - Certifications for Programmers

Sun, 05 Jan 2025 09:21:38 -0500

James King and Steve Greenblatt discuss certifications for programmers and the actual value they provide, considering the criteria of unfiltered knowledge, time investment, career advancement, and practical use.

We previously discussed programming certifications and credentials for programmers in episode 23.

To join the conversation or have your question answered on a future episode, join the Ask The Programmer group on LinkedIn and post a message, leave a comment, or reach out to us @AV_JamesKing or @stevegreenblatt on X/Twitter or Bluesky and be sure to include #AskTheProgrammer.

The Ask The Programmer podcast can be found at @AVProgrammerPod on X/Twitter and Bluesky as @asktheprogrammer.

Ask The Programmer Episode 194 - The Future of AV Programming Revisited

Sun, 29 Dec 2024 09:00:00 -0500

James King and Steve Greenblatt revisit one of the most popular episode topics on the Ask The Programmer podcast: The Future of AV Programming. The discussion includes how the vision for AV programming has changed, how the visibility for forecasting more than 1-2 years into the future has become very difficult, and what tools programmers should look to leverage if they are not doing so already.

To join the conversation or have your question answered on a future episode, join the Ask The Programmer group on LinkedIn and post a message, leave a comment, or reach out to us @AV_JamesKing or @stevegreenblatt on X/Twitter and Bluesky and be sure to include #AskTheProgrammer.

The Ask The Programmer podcast can be found at @AVProgrammerPod on X/Twitter and @AskThe Programmer on Bluesky.

Ask The Programmer Episode 193 - Appreciation for Programmers' Knowledge During the Holiday Season

Sun, 22 Dec 2024 09:00:00 -0500

James King and Steve Greenblatt celebrate another holiday season on Ask The Programmer and discuss the role that a programmer's technical knowledge plays in selecting, setting up, and troubleshooting technology gifts as automated decorations.

What is your favorite technology gift for a programmer?

To join the conversation or have your question answered on a future episode, join the Ask The Programmer group on LinkedIn and post a message, leave a comment, or reach out to us @AV_JamesKing or @stevegreenblatt on X/Twitter and Bluesky and be sure to include #AskTheProgrammer.

The Ask The Programmer podcast can be found at @AVProgrammerPod on X/Twitter or @AskTheProgrammer on Bluesky.

Ask The Programmer Episode 192 - Guest Marc LaVecchia Discusses Manufacturer Support for Programmers

Sun, 15 Dec 2024 09:00:00 -0500

James King and Steve Greenblatt welcome back Marc LaVecchia, Owner of BMA Software Solutions, to continue the conversation about modules, drivers, and plugin and the critical importance of manufacturer support for AV programmers.

Marc LaVecchia previously appeared on Ask The Programmer Episodes 132 and 133. Marc LaVecchia can be found on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/marc-lavecchia-3a9815/ and BMA Software Solutions can be found at www.bmasoftwaresolutions.com.

To join the conversation or have your question answered on a future episode, join the Ask The Programmer group on LinkedIn and post a message, leave a comment, or reach out to us @AV_JamesKing or @stevegreenblatt on X, Twitter, and Bluesky and be sure to include #AskTheProgrammer.

The Ask The Programmer podcast can be found at @AVProgrammerPod on Twitter and @AskTheProgrammer on Bluesky.

Ask The Programmer Episode 191 - Guest Marc LaVecchia Discusses Modules, Drivers, & Plugins

Sun, 08 Dec 2024 09:00:00 -0500

James King and Steve Greenblatt welcome back Marc LaVecchia, Owner of BMA Software Solutions, to discuss his article in Commercial Integrator entitled Modules, Plugins, and Drivers: The Case for Supporting Them https://bit.ly/41nWRAz where he makes a case to manufacturers about the critical nature of supporting AV programmers by providing proven and tested API integrations.

Marc LaVecchia previously appeared on Ask The Programmer Episodes 132 and 133.

Marc LaVecchia can be found on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/marc-lavecchia-3a9815/ and BMA Software Solutions can be found at www.bmasoftwaresolutions.com.

To join the conversation or have your question answered on a future episode, join the Ask The Programmer group on LinkedIn and post a message, leave a comment, or reach out to us @AV_JamesKing or @stevegreenblatt on X, Twitter, and Bluesky and be sure to include #AskTheProgrammer.

The Ask The Programmer podcast can be found at @AVProgrammerPod on Twitter and @AskTheProgrammer on Bluesky.

Ask The Programmer Episode 190 - Budgeting for AV Programming

Sun, 01 Dec 2024 09:00:00 -0500

ames King and Steve Greenblatt discuss how to budget for AV programming, including defining a practical scope, understanding how to estimate costs, and educating on how to effectively approach the programming of AV systems.

To join the conversation or have your question answered on a future episode, join the Ask The Programmer group on LinkedIn and post a message, leave a comment, or reach out to us @AV_JamesKing or @stevegreenblatt on X/Twitter and Bluesky and be sure to include #AskTheProgrammer.

The Ask The Programmer podcast can be found at @AVProgrammerPod on X/Twitter and @asktheprogrammer on Bluesky.

Ask The Programmer Episode 189 - Finding a Role and Advancing a Career in AV Programming

Sun, 24 Nov 2024 09:00:00 -0500

James King and Steve Greenblatt discuss how to find a job and advance your career as a programmer in the AV industry.

To join the conversation or have your question answered on a future episode, join the Ask The Programmer group on LinkedIn and post a message, leave a comment, or reach out to us @AV_JamesKing or @stevegreenblatt on X/Twitter as well as Bluesky and be sure to include #AskTheProgrammer.

The Ask The Programmer podcast can be found at @AVProgrammerPod on X/Twitter.

Ask The Programmer Episode 188 - Guest Britt Yenser Brings Her Questions to Ask The Programmer

Sun, 17 Nov 2024 09:00:00 -0500

James King and Steve Greenblatt welcome guest Britt Yenser, AV Manager at Northampton Community College, to discuss her questions about programming as she progresses on her journey of learning and mastering AV programming, including:

- Are you choosing hardware, or does someone else select the hardware you program in your systems?

- I struggle with the visual feedback and don’t know why. What can you tell me that will help?

- What do you wish you had done when starting out?

Britt Yenser can be reached on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/britt-yenser/) or X/Twitter (@brAVe_britt_). You can also find the brAVe Space podcast and its offshoot brAVe Skills on your favorite podcast player.

The Ask The Programmer podcast can be found at @AVProgrammerPod on Twitter.

Ask The Programmer Episode 187 - Guest Britt Yenser Shares her AV Journey and Programming Training

Sun, 10 Nov 2024 09:00:00 -0500

James King and Steve Greenblatt welcome guest Britt Yenser, AV Manager at Northampton Community College, to discuss her AV journey and her quest for learning and growing as an AV programmer. We discuss what goes into successful programming and what qualities and skills contribute to an effective programmer.

The Ask The Programmer podcast can be found at @AVProgrammerPod on Twitter.

Ask The Programmer Episode 186 - AV Talent Summit 2024 with George Chacko and Rich Miller

Sun, 03 Nov 2024 09:00:00 -0500

James King and Steve Greenblatt welcome back George Chacko and Rich Miller from Pace University and Next LVL Learning to share the details of the upcoming AV Talent Summit on November 20 and 21, 2024. The two-day event will encompass a student day discussing AV careers, experiences, and opportunities and a professional day with networking and learning opportunities.

George Chacko and Rich Miller previously appeared on Ask The Programmer episodes 128, 129, 143, 144, and 185.

NextLVL Learning can be found at https://thenextlvl.org.

George Chacko can be found via email: george@thenextlvl.org and LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgechacko-cts/

Rich Miller can be found via email: rich@thenextlvl.org and LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/richmilleriii/

The Bald AV Guys can be found on social media @baldavguys and via email baldavguys@gmail.com

The Cables, Coffee, and Curveballs podcast can be found at https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cables-coffee-curveballs/id1645390419

The Ask The Programmer podcast can be found at @AVProgrammerPod on Twitter.

Ask The Programmer Episode 185 - NextLVL Learning with George Chacko and Rich Miller

Sun, 27 Oct 2024 09:00:00 -0400

James King and Steve Greenblatt welcome back George Chacko and Rich Miller from Pace University to share the details of their recently founded non-profit, Next Level Learning Inc., which aims to get young people excited about the experiences and opportunities in the AV industry starting as early as K-12.

George Chacko and Rich Miller previously appeared on Ask The Programmer episodes 128, 129, 143, and 144.

NextLVL Learning can be found at https://thenextlvl.org.

George Chacko can be found via email: george@thenextlvl.org and LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgechacko-cts/

Rich Miller can be found via email: rich@thenextlvl.org and LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/richmilleriii/

The Bald AV Guys can be found on social media @baldavguys and via email baldavguys@gmail.com

The Cables, Coffee, and Curveballs podcast can be found at https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cables-coffee-curveballs/id1645390419

The Ask The Programmer podcast can be found at @AVProgrammerPod on Twitter.

Ask The Programmer Episode 184 - Total Tech Summit Panelists Discuss Being a Business-Minded in AV

Sun, 20 Oct 2024 09:00:00 -0400

James King and Steve Greenblatt welcome back Total Tech Summit panelists: Brittany DiCesare, Director of Sales and Operations Control Concepts; Alex Fortin, President NDS Integration; Jarrod Hillman, President Hillman Audio Video; and Shawn Hansson, CEO and Founder Logic Integration, to discuss the importance of being a business-minded organization in the AV industry, the value of contributing to industry events, and why share business knowledge with others who are like-minded.

Brittany DiCesare can be found on social media as @brittdice. Control Concepts can be found at controlconcepts.net. Be sure to check out Brittany's previous episode 153.

Alex Fortin can be reached at hello@ndsav.com. NDS Integration can be found at ndsav.com.

Jarrod Hillman can be reached on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/hillmandoesav/. Hillman AV can be found at hillmanav.com.

Shawn Hansson can be found on social media as @shawnhansson. Logic Integration can be found at logicav.net.

The Ask The Programmer podcast can be found at @AVProgrammerPod on Twitter.

Ask The Programmer Episode 183 - The Value of Business Frameworks with Total Tech Summit Panelists

Sun, 13 Oct 2024 09:00:00 -0400

James King and Steve Greenblatt welcome Total Tech Summit panelists: Brittany DiCesare, Director of Sales and Operations Control Concepts; Alex Fortin, President NDS Integration; Jarrod Hillman, President Hillman Audio Video; and Shawn Hansson, CEO and Founder Logic Integration, to discuss business frameworks and why they are valuable for all members of any organization.

Brittany DiCesare can be found on social media as @brittdice. Control Concepts can be found at controlconcepts.net. Be sure to check out Brittany's previous episode 153.

Alex Fortin can be reached at hello@ndsav.com. NDS Integration can be found at ndsav.com.

Jarrod Hillman can be reached on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/hillmandoesav/. Hillman AV can be found at hillmanav.com.

Shawn Hansson can be found on social media as @shawnhansson. Logic Integration can be found at logicav.net.

The Ask The Programmer podcast can be found at @AVProgrammerPod on Twitter.

Ask The Programmer Episode 182 - Dan Ferrisi Asks About the Importance of Skilled Programmers

Sun, 06 Oct 2024 09:00:00 -0400

James King and Steve Greenblatt welcome Dan Ferrisi, Group Editor, Commercial and Security with Emerald, to discuss his question about the importance of skilled programmers in a time of increased network reliance.

Dan Ferrisi can be reached at @danferrisiedit on Twitter, LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/dan-ferrisi-55675a7/, and at CommercialIntegrator.com and Securitysales.com.

Meet Dan and learn more about the Total Tech Summit https://totaltechsummit.com.

Be sure to also check out Dan's previous appearances in episodes 181, 173, 174, 124, and 125.

The Ask The Programmer podcast can be found at @AVProgrammerPod on Twitter.

Ask The Programmer Episode 181 - Dan Ferrisi Asks How Manufacturers Can Make Programming Easier

Sun, 29 Sep 2024 09:00:00 -0400

James King and Steve Greenblatt welcome Dan Ferrisi, Group Editor, Commercial and Security with Emerald, to discuss his question about ways that manufacturers can make programming easier.

Dan Ferrisi can be reached at @danferrisiedit on Twitter, LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/dan-ferrisi-55675a7/, and at CommercialIntegrator.com and Securitysales.com.

Meet Dan and learn more about the Total Tech Summit https://totaltechsummit.com.

Be sure to also check out Dan's previous appearances in episodes 173, 174, 124, and 125.

The Ask The Programmer podcast can be found at @AVProgrammerPod on Twitter.

Ask The Programmer Episode 180.5 - Dan Ferrisi previews the Total Tech Summit

Sun, 22 Sep 2024 09:00:00 -0400

In this special episode, James King and Steve Greenblatt welcome Dan Ferrisi, Group Editor, Commercial and Security with Emerald, to discuss the importance of business-focused events in the AV industry, particularly the Total Tech Summit.

To learn more about the Total Tech Summit and to apply to attend, visit https://totaltechsummit.com. Also, follow hashtag #totaltech24 on social media.

Dan Ferrisi can be reached at @danferrisiedit on Twitter, LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/dan-ferrisi-55675a7/, and at CommercialIntegrator.com and Securitysales.com.

The Ask The Programmer podcast can be found at @AVProgrammerPod on Twitter.

Ask The Programmer Episode 180 - Community Management with Guest Hope Roth

Sun, 15 Sep 2024 09:00:00 -0400

James King and Steve Greenblatt welcome back Hope Roth, Q-SYS Ecosystem Communities Platform Manager, to discuss her new role and its value to AV programmers and Q-SYS.

Check out Hope in her previous appearances in episodes 164, 165, and 179.

Hope Roth can be found on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hope-roth-0a44b8a/ and on the Q-SYS Communities: https://developers.qsc.com/s/.

The Ask The Programmer podcast can be found at @AVProgrammerPod on Twitter.

Ask The Programmer Episode 179 - Mentorship with Guest Hope Roth

Sun, 08 Sep 2024 09:00:00 -0400

James King and Steve Greenblatt welcome back Hope Roth, Q-SYS Wizard, to discuss the importance, value, and different approaches to mentorship including the newly launched WAVIT Mentorship Program.

Check out Hope in her previous appearances in episodes 164 and 165. Hope Roth can be found on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hope-roth-0a44b8a/ and on the Q-SYS Communities: https://developers.qsc.com/s/. The WAVIT Mentorship program can be found at https://www.womeninavit.org/mentorship-program.

The Ask The Programmer podcast can be found at @AVProgrammerPod on Twitter.

Ask The Programmer Episode 178 - Co-host James King Shares His AV Journey

Sun, 01 Sep 2024 09:00:00 -0400

Steve Greenblatt interviews co-host James King about his AV journey, the impact of programming, and how he developed his passion for AV.

James can be found on LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/james-king-nj.

The Ask The Programmer podcast can be found at @AVProgrammerPod on Twitter.

Ask The Programmer Episode 177 - Co-host Steve Greenblatt Shares His AV Journey

Sun, 25 Aug 2024 09:00:00 -0400

James King interviews co-host Steve Greenblatt as he shares his AV journey, the influence of programming, and his visionary ideas and experiences.

Connect with Steve on LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/stevegreenblatt or Control Concepts at controlconcepts.net

The Ask The Programmer podcast can be found at @AVProgrammerPod on Twitter.

Ask The Programmer Episode 176 - Working with Internal & External Programming with Guest Aaron Baker

Sun, 18 Aug 2024 09:00:00 -0400

James King and Steve Greenblatt welcome back guest Aaron Baker, Classroom Support Technician, Stephen F. Austin State University, to discuss the difference between working with internal and external programming resources and how to successfully leverage both options.

Aaron Baker can be reached on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/bakeraarond/ and on the HETMA Community at HETMA.org.

The Ask The Programmer podcast can be found at @AVProgrammerPod on Twitter.

Ask The Programmer Episode 175 - Guest Aaron Baker Shares His Journey and Love for AV

Sun, 11 Aug 2024 09:00:00 -0400

James King and Steve Greenblatt welcome guest Aaron Baker, Classroom Support Technician, Stephen F. Austin State University, to discuss his AV journey and how he went from being a student worker to an AV Tech to program AV systems using his background in computer science. Aaron also shares ideas for getting more students interested in AV.

Aaron Baker can be reached on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/bakeraarond/.

The Ask The Programmer podcast can be found at @AVProgrammerPod on Twitter.

Ask The Programmer Episode 174 - Guest Dan Ferrisi asks about Handling Tight Deadlines and Budgets

Sun, 04 Aug 2024 09:00:00 -0400

James King and Steve Greenblatt welcome Dan Ferrisi, Group Editor, Commercial and Security with Emerald, to discuss his question about what strategies programmers use for handling projects with tight deadlines and limited budgets.

Dan Ferrisi can be reached at @danferrisiedit on Twitter, LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/dan-ferrisi-55675a7/, and at CommercialIntegrator.com and Securitysales.com.

Meet Dan and learn more about Commercial Integrator Expo https://expo.commercialintegrator.com and Total Tech Summit https://totaltechsummit.com.

Be sure to also check out Dan's previous appearances in episodes 173, 124, and 125.

The Ask The Programmer podcast can be found at @AVProgrammerPod on Twitter.

Ask The Programmer Episode 173 - Guest Dan Ferrisi asks about the Impact of Out-of-Date Information

Sun, 28 Jul 2024 09:00:00 -0400

James King and Steve Greenblatt welcome Dan Ferrisi, Group Editor, Commercial and Security with Emerald, to discuss his question about how out-of-date drawings, equipment lists, and system documentation impact project implementation and upkeep.

Dan Ferrisi can be reached at @danferrisiedit on Twitter, LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/dan-ferrisi-55675a7/, and at CommercialIntegrator.com and Securitysales.com.

Meet Dan and learn more about Commercial Integrator Expo https://expo.commercialintegrator.com and Total Tech Summit https://totaltechsummit.com.

Be sure to also check out Dan's previous appearances in episodes 124 and 125.

The Ask The Programmer podcast can be found at @AVProgrammerPod on Twitter.

Ask The Programmer Episode 172 - How AV Programmers' Time is Spent

Sun, 21 Jul 2024 09:00:00 -0400

James King and Steve Greenblatt ask ChatGPT about the percentage of an AV programmer's time spent on programming vs. other activities and discuss their reactions to the response.

What percentage of an AV programmer's time is spent on programming vs other activities?

1. Programming and Coding (30-40%)

2. System Design and Planning (20-30%)

3. Troubleshooting and Testing (15-25%)

4. Collaboration and Meetings (10-20%)

5. Documentation and Training (5-10%)

6. Research and Learning (5-10%)

What do you think?

The Ask The Programmer podcast can be found at @AVProgrammerPod on Twitter.

Ask The Programmer Episode 171 - Top Misconceptions about AV Programming

Sun, 14 Jul 2024 09:00:00 -0400

James King and Steve Greenblatt ask ChatGPT about the top misconceptions about AV programming and discuss their reactions to the list.

What are some of the misconceptions about AV programming and the role of the programmer?

1. AV Programming is Just Like IT Programming

2. It's All About Writing Code

3. AV Systems are Plug-and-Play

4. Any Programmer Can Do AV Programming

5. Programming is the Only Skill Needed

6. AV Programming is Static

7. It's a Solitary Job

What are your thoughts?

The Ask The Programmer podcast can be found at @AVProgrammerPod on Twitter.