An interview with Diego, Head of Engineering at Runtech, a leading provider of AV services in London.
As audiovisual (AV) technology continues to evolve, the line between AV and IT has all but disappeared. To stay ahead in the competitive landscape of AV services in London, our own Diego recently completed NETGEAR AV Certification Level 2 and NETGEAR Ready for Broadcast with ST 2110. We sat down with him to unpack what he learned, how it’s shaping his work, and why these certifications matter for the entire industry.
Q: Diego, what motivated you to take these courses?
“Modern AV is all about networking. If you relate to IT teams or troubleshoot basic network issues, you’re going to struggle. These certifications consolidate and give me the advanced knowledge I needed to do my job better and communicate confidently with clients and IT professionals.”
Q: How did these certifications change how you approach AV-over-IP installations?
“Before, setting up an AV network meant manually configuring VLANs, IGMP snooping, QoS—everything. One mistake and you could bring down a corporate network in seconds. Now, NETGEAR’s AV switches let you apply a profile, and it handles all of that. You click one thing, and it’s done: multicast, VLANs, all configured for you. It saves time, reduces errors, and works better for large-scale AV installations in London.”
Q: What did the course actually involve?
“Level 2 took about 32 hours, including a full design project where I had to build a network infrastructure from scratch. It was intense but practical—I can even share the diagram if you want. The broadcasting course went even deeper into real-time transmission protocols like ST 2110, where timing is critical.”
Q: What kind of projects benefit most from this expertise?
“Honestly, all of them. Every AV installation now touches a network. But one great example is our work with Bunzl, where we integrated with a zero-trust network—everything is locked down by default. You can’t just plug in and play. You need to understand subnetting, static IPs, and how to troubleshoot mismatches. These courses gave me the tools to walk into those environments and speak their language.”
Q: Was there a standout project where this knowledge really came into play?
“Yes, a rugby stadium project. 100% AV over IP. Video switching, touch panels, everything running on a unified network infrastructure. I handled the programming and networking, and the system worked flawlessly from day one. That’s the goal for AV installations in London.”
Q: Are you planning to go further with these certifications?
“Definitely. I’m waiting for Level 3 to launch, and I’ll be on it as soon as it’s out.”
Q: Why should other AV professionals care about these certifications?
“If you want to stay relevant, you need to understand networks. Even if you’re just an installer, you want to know how to set IP addresses, troubleshoot connectivity, or explain something to IT. This training bridges that gap. It’s also a confidence boost—you don’t just hope things work, you know why they work.”
“This training bridges that gap. It's also a confidence boost—you don’t just hope things work, you know why they work.”
Q: Any advice for newcomers to the industry?
“Stay curious. You don’t need to know everything, but you should want to. Whether you’re installing or designing, understanding the ‘why’ behind the tech is what makes you valuable in the AV services industry in London.”
Q: Looking Ahead: What’s next for you and the team?
“Next big project is another hotel install, similar to the stadium—AV over IP, high-performance video switching.”
“When we all understand technology, we work faster, smarter, and better. I love mentoring and explaining things—even to clients who may not fully get the tech. Curiosity is everything in engineering.”
Q: Final thoughts? Why do you care so much about sharing knowledge?
“I believe in empowering others. Some people hold on to knowledge because they think it makes them indispensable. I think the opposite. When we all understand technology, we work faster, smarter, and better. I love mentoring and explaining things—even to clients who may not fully get the tech. Curiosity is everything in engineering. That’s how we grow our AV services in London.”