When DIY AV Isn’t Worth It: Knowing When to Call in a Pro

It’s tempting to try and spec out your own AV system — especially if you have a tech-savvy internal team. With all the gear and tutorials available today, why not DIY it and save some budget?

Sometimes that works. But sometimes, it quietly costs more in time, frustration, or rework than bringing in a professional from the start.

Here’s how to know when a DIY approach is fine — and when calling an AV consultant is the smarter (and cheaper) move.

When DIY Might Work:

• You’re upgrading a single display or soundbar

• You’ve used the exact setup before and are replicating it

• You have in-house AV experience and time to manage it

But even in those cases, the moment your setup touches networking, conferencing platforms, or integrated control systems — complexity ramps up fast.

When It’s Time to Bring in a Consultant:

1. You’re Planning Multiple Rooms or Locations

Standardization matters. A consultant helps ensure each space works consistently, fits your brand, and can be supported long-term.

2. You’re Dealing with Hybrid Meetings

Getting audio, video, and content-sharing to feel seamless — especially with remote participants — takes thoughtful design. DIY often leads to frustration from echo, poor mic pickup, or low camera quality.

3. You’re Under a Tight Deadline

With project schedules, ordering delays, and contractor coordination, you’ll need someone who knows how to keep things moving without costly change orders.

4. You’re Spending Real Money

If you’re spending more than a few thousand dollars, it’s worth protecting your investment with proper planning, documentation, and oversight. Consultants often save you more than their fee just by avoiding missteps or overspending.

What a Consultant Brings:

• Clear functional design tailored to your needs

• Accurate, vendor-neutral equipment recommendations

• Coordination with architects, contractors, and IT

• Detailed documentation and installation support

• Peace of mind — your system will work the way you need it to

Not sure whether to DIY or call in help?
We’re happy to review your plans and let you know what makes the most sense. Let’s talk.

Why Your Conference Room Tech Keeps Letting You Down

And What You Can Do to Fix It for Good

We’ve all been there. You walk into a meeting room, ready to present or collaborate — and something doesn’t work. Maybe the screen won’t turn on. Maybe no one can hear the person on the other end of the call. Maybe it takes ten minutes just to figure out how to share your screen.

It’s frustrating. It’s unprofessional. And it happens way more often than it should.

So why does conference room tech so often fall short — even when the equipment is “new” or “top-of-the-line”?

Let’s break it down.

Common Reasons Conference Room Tech Fails

1. It Wasn’t Designed Around Your Actual Workflow

Most AV systems are built around equipment lists — not people. If the integrator or vendor didn’t fully understand how your teams use the space, the system may technically “work,” but won’t work for you.

Do you need to jump into quick video calls? Run hybrid training sessions? Host external client presentations? If those needs weren’t clearly defined, the gear probably won’t match the use case.

2. There’s No Standardization

If every conference room has a slightly different setup, no one knows how to use any of them confidently. This leads to frequent support calls and wasted time.

A good AV consultant helps define consistent user experiences across rooms, so your team feels comfortable walking into any space.

3. Overly Complicated Interfaces

Touch panels, remote controls, and switching systems often overwhelm users with too many options. If it takes a cheat sheet or IT intervention to start a meeting, the design missed the mark.

AV setups should feel invisible. Simplicity is a feature — not a compromise.

4. Poor Installation or Missing Components

Sometimes the right gear is specified but installed poorly. Other times, key accessories like control cables, adapters, or DSP tuning are skipped altogether — often to “save cost” during install.

The result? A system that’s technically complete but practically unusable.

5. No Ongoing Support or Documentation

Conference room systems need more than just a good install — they need lifecycle support. Without documentation, training, or access to help, even a solid system can become a liability over time.

How a Consultant Helps Fix the Problem

Bringing in an AV consultant doesn’t mean starting from scratch or replacing everything. It means getting expert insight on how your systems should support your work — and where they’re falling short.

Here’s how we help:

• Evaluate your spaces and existing systems to find the real friction points

• Define use cases and workflows that should drive the design (not just gear lists)

• Recommend upgrades or changes that make your spaces consistent, intuitive, and reliable

• Coordinate with integrators to make sure everything is installed and functioning as intended

• Advocate for you — ensuring you're getting the right solution, not just a sale

Real-World Results

In many cases, we’ve helped clients:

• Cut down support tickets related to AV by over 50%

• Standardize systems across locations so users feel confident in any room

• Avoid costly change orders by catching design issues early

• Increase usage of meeting rooms that were previously underutilized due to tech frustration

Don’t Let AV Get in the Way of Good Work

Technology should make meetings easier — not harder. If your teams are still struggling with unreliable or confusing AV setups, the issue probably isn’t the gear itself. It’s the strategy behind it.

Need help making sense of your AV setup?
We’d love to take a look and help you get it right. Let’s talk.