Introduction
If your conference rooms still rely on HDMI cables running from a laptop to a screen, you are operating with the AV equivalent of dial-up internet. It works — until it does not. The cable is too short. The connector does not fit. Someone unplugs it. The meeting starts 10 minutes late while everyone troubleshoots.
AV over IP replaces all of that with something simpler and infinitely more scalable: sending video, audio, and control signals over your standard Ethernet network. No special cables. No matrix switches. No dedicated AV infrastructure. Just your regular network doing one more thing.
What Is AV over IP?
AV over IP is the distribution of audio-visual signals over standard Internet Protocol (IP) networks — the same Ethernet infrastructure that carries your email, web traffic, and file sharing.
The system has two components:
- Encoders: Small devices that connect to a video source (laptop, media player, camera, signage PC) via HDMI. The encoder converts the video/audio signal into an IP stream and sends it across the network.
- Decoders: Small devices that connect to a display (TV, projector, monitor) via HDMI. The decoder receives the IP stream from the network and converts it back into video/audio for the screen.
The critical insight: any decoder can receive from any encoder on the network. This means any screen in your building can display content from any source, managed from a central control point. Want the CEO’s presentation to appear in the main boardroom, the overflow room, and the lobby screen simultaneously? One click.
Why Replace Traditional AV?
Problem: Dedicated Cabling
Traditional AV requires dedicated HDMI cables (limited to about 15 metres without signal loss) or expensive HDBaseT extenders between every source and every display. Adding a new screen or source means pulling new cables. In a multi-floor office or large venue, this becomes a costly infrastructure project.
AV over IP solution: Video travels over your existing Ethernet network. Adding a new screen means plugging in a decoder and a network cable — the same cable that might already be there for a network drop.
Problem: Limited Flexibility
Traditional HDMI matrix switches have a fixed number of inputs and outputs (e.g., 8×8). Once you exceed that number, you need a bigger (more expensive) switch. And the switch is usually rack-mounted in a server room, far from the conference rooms it serves.
AV over IP solution: There is no matrix switch. The network IS the switch. Add sources and displays by adding encoders and decoders. The system scales linearly — from 2 screens to 200 screens — without replacing any central hardware.
Problem: Conference Room Frustration
Every business has experienced the meeting that starts late because someone cannot get their laptop to connect to the display. Different connector types, resolution mismatches, and loose cables waste executive time in every meeting.
AV over IP solution: A permanent encoder in each conference room, connected to a wall plate. Walk in, plug your HDMI cable into the wall plate, and you are on the screen. Or use wireless casting if configured. The room is always ready.
Common Use Cases
- Conference Rooms & Boardrooms: Every meeting room has a decoder and display. Presenters connect via a wall-mounted encoder. IT manages all rooms from one dashboard.
- Digital Signage: Lobby screens, wayfinding displays, menu boards, and information displays throughout a building. Content is pushed from a central PC to any screen on the network.
- Training Centres: An instructor’s screen is distributed to all student monitors simultaneously. Switch sources instantly.
- Event Venues: Distribute a keynote feed to overflow rooms, lobby screens, and press rooms. Add screens on the fly during setup.
- Command & Control Rooms: Multiple camera feeds, data dashboards, and information sources displayed on a video wall — any source to any panel, reconfigured instantly.
What You Need
- One encoder per video source
- One decoder per display
- A network switch with sufficient bandwidth (Gigabit Ethernet handles 1080p; 10GbE recommended for 4K at scale)
- Management software for routing control, scheduling, and video wall configuration
All of this runs on standard Netgear managed switches — the same switches that power your office network. In many cases, you can use your existing network infrastructure with minimal additions.
Interested in upgrading your conference rooms or deploying digital signage? We design AV over IP solutions using Netgear hardware, sized for your building and managed centrally. → Request a Network & AV Assessment → Browse networking hardware: parcytech.com/products/networking → Full networking solutions: parcytech.com/solutions/networking