The 2022 BEST Awards highlight products and services that have been genuine difference-makers in the commercial AV industry, helping integrators sustain and grow their businesses.
When Commercial Integrator conceived the BEST Awards, the founding vision was straightforward: Put simply, the program was created to highlight products and services that are genuine difference-makers in the commercial AV industry. In particular, to align with CI’s status as the business handbook for technology professionals, the BEST Awards program showcases offerings that help integrators sustain and grow their businesses.
When the awards program was created, though, no one could have imagined all the headwinds that integrators would face in a year like 2022 — namely, continued supply-chain snarls, multi-decade-high inflation, a lingering global pandemic, sky-high oil prices and a labor shortage. Thus, if ever there was a time to pay close attention to our BEST Award honorees and consider how you can benefit from their excellence, now is that time.
As opposed to operating the BEST Awards in a “crowd-sourced” way, CI relies on a panel of unbiased judges who have no affiliation with or connection to the candidates. Each judge assesses nominees independently, thus ensuring that each one is empowered to exercise their own judgment, free of undue influence.
For every candidate, judges consider three separate metrics: a product’s most important functional features; the benefits the product provides to the integrator; and the product’s design and/or technical innovation. Thus, judges’ perspective on each nominee is well-rounded, reflecting a mix of specs and tangible business value.
Dan Ferrisi, editor-in-chief of Commercial Integrator, says, “It would be hard to describe the past few years as anything other than a challenge for the commercial AV industry and the integrators who power it. It’s a testament to integrators’ business acumen and technical skill that so many of them have managed to rebound robustly despite macroeconomic and societal headwinds. Their ability to bounce back is directly related to the tools that their vendor and distributor partners arm them with, and the BEST Awards represent CI’s best effort to spotlight those tools.”
Ferrisi continues, “In the slideshow that follows, you’ll see some of the very best hardware, software, services and other integrator resources. Although our panel of independent judges determined winners in the respective categories, I want to commend every BEST Award nominee for supplying the jet fuel that keeps integrators — and the experiences they create — moving forward. Truly, each of you deserves recognition and praise.”
Without further ado, enjoy this spotlight of BEST Award winners. And don’t forget to start thinking about what products in your pipeline might be good candidates for the 2023 BEST Awards!
AUDIO COMPONENTS & PROCESSORS Axis Communications, Inc. AXIS D4100-E Network Strobe Siren
AUDIO CONFERENCING SOLUTIONS Shure Incorporated MXA920 Ceiling Microphone Array
AUDIO DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS Dayton Audio DAX88 8-Source 8-Zone Distributed Audio Matrix Amplifier
COLLABORATION Sharp NEC Display Solutions PN-L2B Series AQUOS BOARD
CONFERENCE/CLASSROOM PROJECTORS Sharp NEC Display Solutions PE506UL Laser Projector
DIGITAL SIGNAGE HARDWARE (TIE) Samsung Samsung Modular display ‘The Wall’ 0.63 pitch (IWB) + S-Box (SNOW-AAE)
MAXHUB ND75PNA 75″ Commercial Display
DISPLAY MOUNTS rp Visual Solutions Wallmate Flush (32MAXBF-XMS-ADA)
INSTALLED LOUDSPEAKERS & SUBWOOFERS Renkus-Heinz PCX Series
INTERACTIVE WHITEBOARDS LG Business Solutions LG CreateBoard
LARGE-VENUE PROJECTORS Epson America, Inc. Epson EB-PU2220B Large Venue 3LCD Laser Projector with 4K Enhancement
MATRIX SWITCHERS Just Add Power MaxColor 4K60 Series
OUTDOOR DISPLAYS Samsung Outdoor signage (OH55A-S)
PAN/TILT/ZOOM CAMERAS HuddleCamHD SimplTrack Lite
SPECIALTY A/V CABLES, INTERCONNECTS & IR EXTENDERS Comprehensive Connectivity Company MicroFlex Pro AV/IT Integrator Series Certified 8K 48G HDMI Cables
TVs/VIDEO MONITORS Samsung Neo QLED 8K signage (QPA-8K 65” 75” 85”)
VENUE/LINE-ARRAY LOUDSPEAKERS Meyer Sound PANTHER Large-Format Linear Line Array Loudspeaker
VIDEO COMPONENTS & PROCESSORS Xi’an NovaStar Tech Co., Ltd. MX40 Pro
VIDEOCONFERENCING/TELEPRESENCE SOLUTIONS Crestron Electronics, Inc. Crestron Flex Phones for Microsoft Teams Display
VIDEO DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS Aurora Multimedia VPX-TC1 Pro
VIDEO PROJECTION SCREENS Da-Lite Tensioned Advantage and Advantage with SightLine
VIDEOWALL SOLUTIONS Sony Electronics Crystal LED C-series and B-series
CELL SIGNAL BOOSTER SOLUTIONS Nextivity Cel-Fi QUATRA Fiber Range Extenders
MOTORIZED WINDOW TREATMENTS Somfy Systems TaHoma Gateway
POWER CONDITIONING, SURGE SUPPRESSION & ENERGY SOLUTIONS Middle Atlantic Products NEXSYS
LARGE-SCALE CONTROL SYSTEMS Crestron Electronics, Inc. Crestron VC-4 Virtual Control
TOUCHSCREENS Somfy Systems PoE Touch Panel Room Controller
CABINETS, FURNITURE, RACKS, MOUNTS & CASES Salamander Designs Infiniti Meeting Tables
CASE STUDY Crestron Electronics, Inc. Williams
PROGRAMMING, DESIGN & ENGINEERING SOLUTIONS Axis Communications, Inc. AXIS Device Manager Extend Base
PROJECT MANAGEMENT & DESIGN/WEB SOFTWARE D-Tools, Inc. System Integrator
TRAINING, CONSULTING & PUBLICATIONS/BUSINESS SERVICES Exertis Almo Exertis Almo E4 Experience
FIBEROPTIC TRANSPORT Tripp Lite by Eaton Spine-Leaf MPO Panel with Key-Up to Key-Up MTP/MPO Adapter – 12F MTP/MPO-PC
IP ENABLING DEVICES Matrox Video Matrox ConvertIP
MULTIMEDIA CABLING Tripp Lite by Eaton 8K HDMI Plenum-Rated Fiber Active Optical Cable (AOC) – 8K UHD @ 60 Hz, HDR, M/M, Black, 10 m (Model P568F-10M-8K6)
ACCESS CONTROL SOLUTIONS 2N/Axis Communications, Inc. 2N IP Style
MASS NOTIFICATION EMERGENCY COMMUNICATION Singlewire Software InformaCast with Incident Management
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