AV and Broadcast Integration Planning and Design-Build Guide

An AV or broadcast integration project runs in two phases: plan it in five steps (goals, site survey, equipment, budget and phasing, procurement), then build and support it in six (design documents, programming backup, installation and commissioning, go-live with a plan B, training, documentation and warranty support). This guide from EAR Professional Audio Video, a Tempe, Arizona systems integrator since 1978, collects what we have learned designing and building systems for broadcasters, governments, schools and businesses. For EAR’s services, see design and project management.

What design-build means for an AV project

In a design-bid-build (bid-spec) project, the owner hires a consultant to design and specify the system, then bids the installation to a separate contractor. In a design-build project, one team designs, supplies, installs and commissions the system under one agreement.

• One accountable team: the people who design the system also make it work, so questions about the design and the installation go to the same place.
• A faster path to go-live: equipment choices, ordering and installation planning can overlap instead of waiting for a separate bid.
• Scope agreed up front: the design, equipment list and labor are quoted together by the team that will deliver them.

Public agencies can combine design-build with contract buying: Arizona state contract CTR075309 covers equipment, services and rentals, including system design, installation, integration, training and support, and design, equipment, installation and training can go on one contract quote. Eligible agencies in Arizona and other states can use cooperative contract 1GPA 22-02PV. This guide is the how-to; for the services EAR Professional Audio Video provides, see design and project management.

Phase 1: Plan

Step 1: Define goals and success metrics

Start with what the system must do, not with products. Is the goal more output, better quality, less staff effort, or room to grow? Write down how you will measure success before you look at equipment. Most requests fall into a few groups: creative (editing, effects, review and approval), media management (collaboration, delivery, outside access) and processing (encoding, automation, quality checks).

Beware shiny objects. A product at half price is only a value if it fits the system and reliably helps you reach your goals. Value is functionality plus reliability, and quality pays for itself over the life of the system.

Step 2: Survey the site and existing systems

Walk the space with the people who will run it. Note what must stay on air during the work, what existing equipment can be reused, and where cable paths, power, cooling and network run. If you plan to stay in the facility for more than one upgrade, invest in raceways and cable trays you can reuse and reach later; avoid sealed or congested paths. Copper cabling rarely survives the next jump in data rates, so consider fiber for longer runs and plan the network as part of the system. EAR’s site surveys and needs reviews are the first step of every design and management project.

Step 3: Choose equipment: current generation, not version 1.0

Buying the current generation gives the longest life, but the safest choice is current generation without being version 1.0. Many projects stall waiting for one product’s stable software or firmware. Build around proven standards and design a path to newer formats.

There is safety in numbers: choose products other facilities already run, and call the factories to confirm details before you commit. Mixing equipment more than about three years apart in age adds risk, because interface protocols and connectivity change quickly. A one-source integrator such as EAR Professional Audio Video, with access to more than 500 manufacturers, handles the vendor communication and is responsible for everything working together.

Step 4: Set the budget and phasing

Match the budget to productivity and return on investment: the more people and revenue a system supports, the more redundancy and robustness it justifies. Compare capital purchases with operating expenses (CapEx vs. OpEx): cloud services and reliable broadband now let some processing, management and editing move to outside services. If the budget won’t cover everything, phase the project so the first purchase fits the long-term design. EAR prepares itemized equipment and labor quotes, with options where the choice matters.

Step 5: Plan procurement

Public agencies can skip a separate bid by buying through a contract that was already competitively awarded. Arizona state agencies and Arizona State Purchasing Cooperative members, such as cities, counties and school districts, can use Arizona state contract CTR075309, which covers equipment, services and rentals, including design, installation, integration, training and support. Eligible public agencies in Arizona and other states can use cooperative contract 1GPA 22-02PV; the City of Glendale council chamber rebuild in 2026 was bought through 1GPA. Design, equipment, installation and training can go on one contract quote. See contracts and buying.

Planning checklist

• Goals and success metrics written down
• Site survey done with the people who will run the system
• What must stay on air during the work
• Equipment: current generation, proven, confirmed with the factories
• Budget, phasing and CapEx vs. OpEx reviewed
• Procurement path: CTR075309, 1GPA 22-02PV or your own bid

Phase 2: Build and support

Step 6: Approve the design documents

Before ordering, sign off a system design, an equipment list (bill of materials) and drawings that show how everything connects. Where the choice matters, compare options side by side; for the Edward Jones National Broadcast Center, EAR modeled pixel pitch, flat or curved layouts and XR configurations with Planar before the wall was built (case study).

Step 7: Protect the programming

Control and automation (the “secret sauce”) save staff time but take time to program and test. Make sure presets, settings and control code are backed up, preferably automatically, and that you have shown you can recover them and restart the system after a failure. Ask before you buy who owns the custom programming and documentation; many government organizations and larger companies require full rights. If you can’t own it, agree on terms for future changes. See Crestron control and room automation.

Step 8: Install and commission

EAR’s own broadcast installers and engineers install, configure, program and test the system (Arizona ROC license 276269). When a project calls for factory services, EAR orders and schedules them as part of the job; recent projects have included commissioning, training and support plans from Planar, Ross Video, EditShare, Evertz, Grass Valley, Utah Scientific, Telestream and Haivision.

Step 9: Go live with a plan B

If you are replacing a system that has to stay on air, keep the old one running as a standby until the new one is proven. Deadlines keep a project moving, but a deadline set before the work is truly done adds stress and mistakes. EAR engineers can stand by on site or remotely for the first live meetings, shows or events.

Step 10: Train the people who run it

Hands-on operator training on the finished system, plus manufacturer training where needed, so part-time or new staff can run it. Good design makes operation as simple as possible.

Step 11: Document and support the system

Documentation is often an afterthought, but months later it is the difference between minutes and days when something goes wrong, and it lets more people support the system. EAR delivers as-built documentation at handoff, as it did for the Arizona Corporation Commission hearing-room broadcast systems. After handoff, EAR provides factory-authorized warranty support for products bought from EAR, manufacturer support plans and ongoing engineering for clients who want it, such as monthly engineering and Crestron programming for Arizona Capitol Television. EAR reports that 93% of its service requests are resolved the same day. See services and support.

Projects that followed this process

• Arizona State Legislature and Arizona Capitol Television: original build in 2016–2017, upgrades from 2022 to 2026, with monthly engineering and Crestron programming; see the case study.
• Edward Jones National Broadcast Center, St. Louis: design options modeled with Planar before the LED wall was built; see the case study.
• City of Glendale City Council chamber: broadcast system rebuilt in 2026, bought through 1GPA 22-02PV; see hearing rooms and council chambers.

Find the right area: government and legislative AV · broadcast studios · live production and streaming · post-production and storage.

Last updated: November 8, 2026

Frequently asked questions

How do you plan and build an AV or broadcast integration project?

EAR Professional Audio Video, a Tempe, Arizona systems integrator founded in 1978, runs projects in two phases. Plan: define goals, survey the site, choose current-generation (not version 1.0) equipment, set the budget and phasing, and plan procurement. Build: approve design documents, protect the programming, install and commission, go live with the old system as a standby, train operators, and hand over as-built documentation with factory-authorized warranty support.

What is design-build for an AV project?

Design-build means one team designs, supplies, installs and commissions the system under one agreement, instead of a consultant designing it and a separate contractor installing it after a bid. The owner gets one accountable team, a faster path to go-live and a scope quoted by the team that delivers it.

Should we buy the newest equipment for a new system?

Buy the current generation, but avoid version 1.0 products when you can. Many upgrades stall waiting for one product’s stable software or firmware release. Build around proven standards, choose products other facilities already run, and confirm details with the manufacturers before you commit.

Who should own the control system programming?

Settle it before you buy. Many government organizations and larger companies require full rights to purchased programming and documentation. If you can’t own the code, agree on terms for future updates and keep backups you have shown you can restore.

How do you replace a system that must stay on air?

Keep the existing system running as a standby until the new one is fully operational and proven, schedule the cut-over around live events, and have engineers on standby for the first live meetings or shows.

Can a public agency buy design and installation without its own bid?

Yes. Arizona state agencies and Arizona State Purchasing Cooperative members can buy design, equipment, installation and training from EAR Professional Audio Video on Arizona state contract CTR075309, and eligible agencies in Arizona and other states can use cooperative contract 1GPA 22-02PV.

Related: Design and project management · Services and support · Contracts and buying · All products and services

About EAR

EAR Professional Audio Video (Engineering & Recording, Inc.) is a broadcast and professional AV systems integrator and reseller in Tempe, Arizona, founded in 1978. EAR designs, installs and supports systems for government, education, broadcast and corporate clients, and is an awarded supplier on Arizona state contract CTR075309 and national cooperative contract 1GPA 22-02PV. Arizona ROC license 276269.