AV CONTROL SYSTEM No matter how smart AV gear gets for lighting, sound and video, the most interesting and challenging aspect is where the hardware meets the user. The task facing installers and designers is merging versatility with user friendliness. Today’s pace of AV technology also makes futureproofing a serious consideration carrying potential pitfalls. But the user interface is also the center of creativity for those bringing an AV system to life and it offers a unique opportunity to custom tailor the control to the users, allowing them to focus on presentation. A central part of the Aten Control System, the VK-1100 control box provides monitoring and management connectivity to all the AV hardware devices found in a room. The unit includes a USB port for profile uploads, an IR learning function and a Web GUI. On the front panel are LED indicators for connection and hardware status. The rack mountable device supports project file backup and SSH communication for data monitoring. A long standing favorite among integrators for small room AV systems, the SP Controls PixiePlus (PXEDCM+) device control module mounts in a single gang wall box and it can be customized to include from two to eight activation buttons. Seven-button insert modules are included with each PixiePlus and the designer simply chooses any three for the specific system. The panel features IR learning, security code and an optional clock for scheduled operations.