Wow, 2026 is here already. I wrote lots of articles last year, about 10 in total. I wrote some vendor specials, trade show coverage, and even about tariff changes.
The year went by quick but we had lots of accomplishments, great events, and innovations in the industry. There is honestly too much to cover, but a few things stood out. So here are my highlights, and then I’ll get into what I’m expecting in 2026.
NSM 2025, business up front, games in the back
For the JB&A NSM 2025, we switched up our normal interview style and added some fun to it. We built a game room in a hotel conference room and filled it with all sorts of things like pool, blackjack, and video games. We even brought a Wii and threw back to some Wii Sports, which I loved.
This ended up being one of my favorite things we did all year because it was fun, but also the content came out better. When people are doing something, instead of sitting in a chair staring into a camera, the conversation is more natural. You get real reactions, you get better banter, and you end up learning more without it feeling like a sales pitch. The episode I keep coming back to is blackjack with BrightSign. The back-and-forth banter while they’re playing is so genuinely funny. It is perfect for entertaining while educating about what people are doing with signage and control in the real world. I recommend checking it out no matter who you are.
Check out the other videos from NSM 2025 here.
Pre-NAB 2025, biggest yet, and Christie Virtual Projection
JB&A Pre-NAB is the kickoff to NAB for the industry, and we are proud of that. It’s where people can slow down for a second, see gear up close, and have the kind of conversations you don’t get once the show floor turns into a zoo.
As usual, our Pre-NAB show was bigger and better than ever. But this year, things were especially different. We were privileged to host Christie as they unveiled their new technology, Virtual Projection, live at the event.
If you haven’t heard of Virtual Projection yet, the simple explanation is this: it’s Christie’s new approach to virtual production using projection instead of an LED wall. They’re using RGB pure laser projection to create a realistic background and environment on set, so you can get that virtual production look and flexibility without having to build a full LED volume. It opens up a different option for studios and teams who want the benefits of virtual production, but need more flexibility in space, budget, or setup.
This kind of thing at Pre-NAB is exactly why the event matters. It’s the right environment for it. People can walk up, see it working, ask questions, and easily understand how it fits into their world, whether that’s film, TV, corporate, or live events. That can be hard to do when you’re on a show floor rushing from booth to booth. If you want the full deep dive into Virtual Projection, check out the videos we made below, and stay tuned in the coming weeks for details on Pre-NAB 2026 so you don’t miss it.
InfoComm and LDI, back in the mix
InfoComm was big for us this year. We had not exhibited in about 10 years, and it was good to be back. We teamed up with Bolin and focused on what we do best, showing practical workflows and how our vendors’ tech work together. We had a TriCaster, a Barco UniSee II wall, and many Bolin cameras all working together. A lot of InfoComm attendees are living in that AV and broadcast crossover now, so it made sense to show a workflow that communicates to both.
Another fresh trade show this year was LDI. It was our first time exhibiting, and for this crowd it was the same idea. Live entertainment, AV, and broadcast are overlapping more every year, and if you’re doing live events, you’re likely dealing with cameras, switching, control, displays, timing, and everything has to work the first time. That’s why it made sense for us to be there, and why we teamed up with Barco, Vizrt, and Matrox to show workflows that would be valuable to that audience, including production tools and display solutions that fit both fixed installs and mobile setups.
New vendor partners in 2025
We also signed on a bunch of new vendors in 2025: Elgato, MOKA, TCL, VIDA, ENCO, INFiLED, and MRMC. As a whole, this matters because it expands what we can build for customers and gives our resellers more options when they’re designing a full solution. Some of these names fill very specific needs, and some of them open entirely new lanes for us.
Elgato is a good example of “small gear that gets used everywhere,” especially for creators, streaming, and lighter production setups. MOKA and TCL give us more depth in displays and digital signage, which is becoming a bigger piece of a lot of projects. VIDA strengthens our workflow and collaboration options, which is something more teams are asking for as production becomes more distributed. ENCO adds real broadcast pedigree, especially for automated playout and graphics, and those conversations are coming up more often than ever. INFiLED helps us bring more LED and display options to the table, which is huge for everything from signage to events to virtual production. MRMC rounds it out on the robotics side, with camera motion and automation that fits studios, live production, and high-end production environments.
The bigger point is this: when we add vendors like these, it’s not just to have more brands. It lets us cover more of the workflow and build systems that make sense end-to-end, whether it’s a broadcast facility, a live event setup, a corporate studio, or a signage network. More tools, more flexibility, and fewer compromises when you’re trying to put together the right solution.
Things I anticipate in 2026
JB&A events will continue to be better and more exciting. We are going to keep leveling up. Better demos, better content, more hands-on experiences, and more reasons for people to spend time with us. We’ve been building momentum with events for a while now, and we’re still climbing.
Massepoint Digital
Massepoint Digital, our creative agency, is scaling up fast. We’ve added more people to the team, and we’re working on more projects than ever, which means we can take on bigger ideas and serve more customers.
If you’re not familiar with Massepoint, it’s JB&A’s Marketing and Content team as its own company. We can do it all. Video production, product content, brand storytelling, campaign assets, marketing support, and more. The real value is these services being provided by a team that knows and understands our industry so we can better tell your story and communicate your products.
Case studies are a big one I want to highlight. If you have a project that’s worth showing off, an install you’re proud of, or a workflow that’s unique, we can help turn it into something useful. A write-up, a video, photos, interviews, whatever you need. I want to do more of that in 2026 because the best marketing is usually just a real story, with real gear, solving a real problem.
AI….
AI has started to slowly trickle into our industry. It wasn’t as explosive as it was in general tech, but you can tell it’s coming, and we’re going to see more of it going into 2026. We’re already seeing early versions of AI features show up in cameras and software, mostly in tracking and basic automation, but I think that’s just the beginning.
What I really want to see next is our vendors getting more creative and a little more daring with it. Not “we added an AI checkbox” features, but tools that change the way we run a show. Give me AI-powered broadcast switching that can follow the action and make smart cut decisions. Give me AI audio mixing that can manage levels and prioritize voices in real time. If AI is going to be part of broadcast and AV, I want it to be useful, and I predict 2026 is when we start seeing the first versions of that.
Happy New Year!
Well, if you can’t tell, we have lots going on at JB&A. It was a great year with great things to come. There’s much more that I didn’t mention and even new things that have happened while working on this article… but we will save that for the next one. What is your favorite JB&A moment of 2025? What are you anticipating for 2026? Let me know in the comments. I’ll be back again soon.
