From AV professional to AV superhero

Hans Polzmacher is co-owner and CTO of ComPeri, a company in Munich that develops, builds and maintains AV systems for corporate offices.

„There are not many companies here in Germany that can successfully integrate AV into large, complex workspaces. That is our specialty.

Hans started at ComPeri over 20 years ago as a technical installer. Back then, they focused on setting up video conferencing solutions. Over time, they began to combine analog AV technology with the digital world. Today, almost every one of Hans' projects is based on the Dante AV-over-IP platform.

„We have second and third level engineers, audio and video technicians and installation specialists - we do it all“.

 

Whether it's a boardroom or an entire building, Hans draws on his decades of experience and expertise to envision how AV can enhance and connect every part of a workspace to future-proof his clients' AV needs. Hans and his team of 25 employees work at the cutting edge of technology to integrate everything from curved LED walls and hidden speakers to video bars.

 

Directly to the article on getdante.com

- From AV professional to AV superhero
"We're here to grow and drive our industry forward, and I'm always looking for the kind of projects that present my team with new challenges."
Interview between Dante and Hans Polzmacher

Dante: When did you first come across Dante?

Hans: I first heard about Dante about 15 years ago, when the first audio DSPs started to equip their devices with Dante connectors. Manufacturers such as Shure, Sennheiser and Biamp.

 

Dante: How do you integrate Dante into your designs today?

Hans: Today we use Dante for almost everything, especially for the larger projects. For us, Dante is the standard by which we plan all our components. And if a device we want to use doesn't have a Dante connection, we ask the manufacturer when it will be available. Because once you have understood what is possible with the Dante platform, you don't want to go back.

 

Dante: Do you work with older components and how do you connect them via the network?

Hans: If it's a new installation, we work 100% with Dante. But if it's an old system, we might have to integrate some of the old devices into the Dante network. Maybe the customer wants to keep their old equipment, such as microphones, and we need to find a way to connect them. In this case, we could use an adapter to bring the device into the Dante world. There is always a way.

 

Dante: What have been the biggest challenges in AV during your two-decade career?

Hans: The headaches of analog AV that have been solved by networked AV. Now you no longer need cables and plugs. And there's no noise on the line, that's all gone.

 

Dante: Would you say that, having watched your industry develop over the years, ComPeri is at the forefront of what is possible with AV?

Hans: We have the latest of everything, yes. I have to make sure my team has cool and innovative stuff, otherwise it gets boring. But it's also about future-proofing the systems we build. A network with the right switches and the right infrastructure can be pushed very, very hard and very, very far. That's our philosophy when it comes to bringing next-generation AV to the world of businesses and corporations.

 

Dante: How does Dante make your life and the life of your team easier?

Hans: It's definitely easier because when we plan a room, we have a lot of flexibility. We don't worry too much about inputs and outputs; it's about building the infrastructure that supports everything you need. Dante makes it very easy for us in this respect. And the professional hardware manufacturers we work with all have Dante-enabled products. That makes the life of an AV designer and installer a lot easier.

 

Dante: Where do you see the future of AV?

Hans: More and more into the network infrastructure. That's already the case, but I think a protocol will eventually take over the world. It's like VHS versus Betamax. At the moment we don't have a universal standard, but it will come.