What Makes a Good API?
Documentation, documentation, documentation (and support). That’s the answer Lincoln King-Cliby, our guest on the season one finale of SDVoE LIVE!, gave to that important question, and viewers agreed.
But let’s back up a minute. The title of episode 16 is “In Control: from IR to APIs” and Lincoln is the perfect guest for this topic. He is the commercial market director and senior systems architect at independent-programming-powerhouse ControlWorks Consulting. A Diamond Crestron Certified Master Programmer and Extron Authorized Programmer, Lincoln has been involved in professional audiovisual systems design and installation since 1999, transitioning to full-time AV control systems design and programming in 2005.
In the interview, he contrasted past and present in AV control methodology for us. Twenty years ago, AV control meant a simple bit of logic and a lot of infrared codes pulled from a giant (and not necessarily trustworthy) database. Today, most devices are network-connected and controlled by an API.
The team explored what this means for the AV programmer, as well as the system designer and the system owner. Tune in to get everyone’s take on some provocative questions: Are we, as an industry, truly realizing the powerful potential that this software-defined revolution offers us? Can the traditional AV programmer keep up, or is this an opportunity to bring a new kind of talent into AV (or both)?
An exclusive invitation for you
During the show, Justin announced a new window of opportunity for viewers to apply to the SDVoE Developer Certification Program. This series of seven course modules delves into the more complex features of the SDVoE API including multiview, video wall and more. You’ll see for yourself what good API documentation and support look like and get the training you need to create amazing user experiences on an interoperable AV-over-IP platform.
Watch the show on demand
Visit SDVoE Academy for the recorded episode and the resource links, which includes a news story from AV Technology titled “How to Succeed at AV Programming”.
Don’t miss the aftershow, where Lincoln answers some more great questions from our live audience.
While you’re in SDVoE Academy, you might like to tune into some of our courses that explain the basics of the SDVoE API.
- Unified API = Guaranteed Interoperability looks at the role the SDVoE Application Programming Interface (API) plays when guaranteeing interoperability between different endpoints from different manufacturers.
- How an SDVoE Network Works invites you to find out what happens “under the hood” when you start streaming AV content from your transmitters to your receivers. This course looks at the role of the API server and control software in your SDVoE network.
- Topic Three – API: The Platform for Networked AV is part of the SDVoE Design Partner certification program, another opportunity you might like to take advantage of.
What’s next?
SDVoE LIVE! is wrapped for the summer (and Justin is heading to the beach). But we’ll be back in the fall with a whole new line-up of exciting guests and topics, not to mention a brand-new set (if you watched the show, you’ll know what I mean).
In the meantime, catch previous episodes of SDVoE LIVE! and the Q&A in the aftershows plus get access to additional resources on demand. Just sign up for a free SDVoE Academy account, if you don’t already have one.
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