I'm seeing less and less of a need for distributed video systems. With most content moving to streaming platforms, and cable providers now offering small IPTV boxes rather than large PVRs and Cable boxes is there a need for large HDMI Matrix/MOIP systems?

With that said, what is the best approach for return audio from the TV to multi-room audio system/ AVRs?

We typically use a vanco optical audio extender to send optical from TV back to equipment over Cat6. What I don't like about the vanco unit is the need for the kit to be powered at the TV side with a large wall-wart. Can anyone recommend a superior unit to the vanco one?

Anyone using recessed boxes behind TVs to install Sonos Amps, or Triad One ?

Thanks for your thoughts

Remember when our business expanded when we seem to have discovered multi-room audio and suddenly three to six pairs of speakers weren't unusual? Who the hell does that, or just that, any more?

Video distribution also has morphed. Indeed, you can get A LOT of programming AT the TV, so we don't need and may not be served well by one central equipment system? That change also makes programmed remotes less helpful and necessary.

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What's that Vanco model? Is it possible to get a power supply that's smaller and that will work with it? The website and downloadables don't give enough info on the power supply.

Why is that? Sonos!

Most of my clients are cutting the cord and just using apps to stream most of their content. The ones that still have cable can use the app the cable company offers.

The main problem I've been seeing with using apps for all your streaming is limits on simultaneous streams. Clients would still need some kind of video distribution to get over those limits. Youtube tv is probably the tv streaming service I've seen the most and it only allows for 3 simultaneous streams at once. I setup a system last month for a client who didn't have any kind of distribution to watch the Canelo fight on dazn on 3 tvs and a projector with a roku. We loaded the dazn app to his 4 displays and it turns out you can only stream to 2 displays at the same time. We ended up having to subscribe him for a second dazn account so he can watch it on all his tvs.

I do think video distribution is going to be used less but I highly doubt streaming services are going to up there limits to the point where it won't be needed anymore.

Just need a Sonos like hardware solution in a video streamer box. Where service only sees one stream.

The cable cutting is causing the ISP’s to raise prices on internet service. I personally received a notice from Comcast a couple weeks ago saying they are capping data usage for every account. Every 50 GB over is $15, not to exceed $100 a month. Because of COVID, they did get a lashing from the public, so this won’t be established for a couple months, but still.

I still have cable and am pissed that I have to pay the price increase for my internet.

IMO, video distribution is still warranted for a lot of reasons. I have 4 TVs on the main level of my home. Without a system, I’d go insane on big game days like today if I didn’t have it.

In fairness to the cable company/ISP, the all you can eat for one low fee model runs into a wall at some point. True, the cost of infrastructure is plummeting as use skyrockets, but eventually the wires or fibers in the last mile run out of steam and must be replaced. If there is no increase in revenue there is little motivation to update the infrastructure.

Users are on an on demand binge at the moment, but there could be room for an off peak use of bandwidth discount similar to electric utilities offering off peak rates for hot water heating. Of course, some users will balk at the idea of needing to plan ahead and download their movie during the night -- similar to the grand old days when one needed to plan a trip to the video store -- poor babies.

We've got DirecTV.

Last night we went to our AppleTV to find something that we could not see on DirecTV, and ran across Beyond on FreeForm. Our interest in the program was not huge and was only slightly greater than our disgust at three minutes of advertising after each eight minutes or so of program. Instead of program, "vignette" is perhaps a better word than "programming."

A DVR might solve that.

The amount of commercials on the streaming platforms (Youtube TV and Hulu TV) is insanity.  How long will people continue to pay $70/month to watch more commercials than actual programming?

I don't see commercials on Netflix or Amazon Prime, but I also don't see much programming that interests me. I have started more movies than I finished because they generally suck, are totally unrealistic but not believable and are, like just about everything from Hollywood, a remake of something else that may be the 4th or 5th version.

The commercials on YouTube are really pissing me off.

I'm referring more to the so called TV services.  Hulu TV seems to be the worst for commercials.  YouTube TV is such bad quality it is unwatchable and they dropped Fox Sports North right after I signed up with them.  Both raised their prices about 25% within months of signing up.

I actually preferred VUE but they shut down for some reason.

If this is the future of normal TV watching, they won't last long.

I couldn't believe the price for Hulu the last time I checked into it- if I wanted to spend that much, I would use Spectrum.

Just last week I got rid of cable tv and have been using youtube tv for several weeks. I had cable tv since the early 80's when they had less than 36 cable channels on the system. So far so good. I think sony killed vue because they were loosing money on it. I watch most commercial stuff via dvr so I can skip commericals, it's all mostly sports. Also, I'm using OTA for network sports for the picture quality.

Av Pro Edge makes a Digital Audio over CAT6 device. It can be powered via 5v USB so it could, in most cases, be powered by the USB built into the TV itself using a USB A to USB Mini cable.

[Link: blackwiredesigns.com]

While that is a convenient idea, DO NOT do that.
That device needs a 5V/1000 mA power supply. Very few TV's (read damn near none) can do that, even Sony's SS USB port is only 900mA. Always use a stand alone 1000mA (or greater) wall wart.