InfoComm Puts AV Software Platforms at Center Stage
Next-generation AV software platforms are integrated software environments that combine signal routing, audio processing, control, automation, design, and content management to connect converged AV IT infrastructure, streamline project workflows, and enable immersive live entertainment technology from a single, centrally managed toolset. At InfoComm 2026, three launches underlined how fast this category is maturing. Visionary Solutions introduced nexAV We-Cosystem as a unified layer for AV-over-IP routing, audio DSP, control, and workflow orchestration. XTEN-AV focused on AI powered AV automation for design, proposals, and service operations in one connected platform. Disguise expanded its content and projection ecosystem for live entertainment and attractions through new software features and integrations. Together, these moves signal a shift from hardware-first deployments toward software-driven operations where design, delivery, and long-term management of systems are treated as one continuous lifecycle.
Visionary’s nexAV We-Cosystem: Converged AV IT Without the Complexity
Visionary’s nexAV We-Cosystem targets converged AV IT environments by merging AV-over-IP routing and switching, audio DSP, room and enterprise control, device discovery, and workflow orchestration in one platform. At its core is the Flex Architecture DSP framework and integrated Audio Engine, which rely on template-based DSP workflows to speed up deployment while still allowing customization for hospitality, conferencing, and campus-wide systems. Native Dante and AES67 support help the platform fit into modern networked audio, from single rooms to multi-building estates. According to Visionary, the nexAV We-Cosystem also uses a control environment built on Node-RED, the popular open-source, flow-based automation framework. That decision ties AV logic into broader IT and enterprise processes, making it easier to coordinate signals, control, and monitoring. Scott Freshman, Visionary’s chief operating officer, argues that technology should “reduce friction and make systems easier to deploy, manage, and operate.”
XTEN-AV: AI Powered AV Automation from Design to Service
XTEN-AV arrived at InfoComm 2026 with a clear message for AV integrators and enterprise teams: design, deliver, and service every project inside a single connected operations platform. Built as an AI powered AV automation environment, XTEN-AV already supports audiovisual project workflows, proposals, AV design automation, documentation, and project delivery. The new emphasis is on life after installation, where service calls, maintenance agreements, and technician coordination shape long-term client relationships. Many AV teams still juggle spreadsheets, email, calendars, and disconnected ticketing tools; XTEN-AV aims to pull these into one system. Its X-PRO Service framework handles post-install service operations, aligning maintenance workflows and recurring support with the same data used in design and build stages. According to XTEN-AV co-founder and CEO Sahil Dhingra, integrators “continue managing service calls, recurring maintenance, technician scheduling, and long-term support relationships” long after the first day of operation.
Disguise, Smart Monkeys and Planar: Where Live Entertainment Tech Is Heading
Disguise used InfoComm 2026 to highlight how live entertainment technology and immersive attractions are converging around connected software workflows. A new version of Mapping Matter, its web-based projection mapping solution, adds an extended projector library, LED tile and projection mirror integration, plus layer-based project files that help teams compare different setup options. At the Smart Monkeys booth, Disguise will show an upcoming integration with the ISAAC platform, including a content management system, scheduling, and infrastructure monitoring so both technical and non-technical users can operate Disguise systems from a browser alongside other AV components. New Designer software features, Looks and Compositions, introduce API-driven ways to expose parameters such as brightness and content and to package complete "looks" for transportable playback. With Disguise servers from the VX range and the portable X1 solution also on display at the Planar booth, the company is pushing toward more flexible, always-on experiences.
A Unified Future for AV Operations and Immersive Experiences
The combined story from Visionary, XTEN-AV, and Disguise points to a clear direction for AV software platforms. Converged AV IT is becoming the default design assumption, with AV-over-IP, networked audio, and software-based control shaping how systems are specified from day one. AI driven design and workflow automation are moving routine calculation, documentation, and coordination out of spreadsheets and into guided platforms, freeing teams to focus on client outcomes. In parallel, live entertainment technology is adopting web-based tools, APIs, and content platforms that fit into wider operational stacks rather than standing apart as dedicated islands. For integrators, enterprise AV teams, and venue operators, this means future projects will be judged less on individual boxes and more on how well the underlying platforms connect design, delivery, service, and immersive storytelling into a single, coherent lifecycle.
