What Is AV Over IP and Does It Matter for Your Office?
What is AV over IP? It sends video and audio across your network instead of dedicated cables. Here is when it helps and when HDMI is the better choice.
Chris Gore Updated 2026
AV over IP is a way of sending video, audio and control signals across a standard network instead of through dedicated cables running from a source to a screen. It sounds like the future of every meeting room, but for most offices it is not the right answer yet. If your estate is spread across several buildings, our guide to managing AV across multiple office sites explains why this topic keeps coming up, and this article helps you decide whether it applies to you.
How AV Over IP Works
In a traditional setup, every source is connected to every display through a matrix switcher with dedicated cables. With AV over IP, each source and each display connects to the network through a small device that encodes or decodes the signal. Software then decides which source appears on which screen. Changing the setup is a software job rather than a re-cabling job, and adding another screen means adding another network connection. Several standards exist, including SDVoE, Dante AV, NDI and others, and they differ in how much they compress the signal and what they demand from your network.
The Benefits of AV Over IP
Flexibility
Any source can reach any display without a physical matrix switcher. That is a real advantage in spaces where the layout changes often, such as divisible conference rooms, event spaces or collaboration areas, because the routing is controlled centrally in software.
Scale
A matrix switcher has a fixed number of inputs and outputs. With AV over IP you grow by adding network devices, which suits campuses, signage across many screens and buildings that need to share content.
The Drawbacks of AV Over IP
The biggest drawback is that AV over IP depends heavily on your network. It normally needs managed enterprise switches, a dedicated VLAN, quality of service settings and correct handling of multicast traffic. Uncompressed 4K video can need around 10Gbps per stream, while compressed formats can run on a gigabit network at a far lower data rate but with some added delay. This puts the AV system in the hands of your network team, which is why you should involve them before you buy anything. It also raises the question of whether your meeting room network is secure, which we cover in our article on whether your meeting room network is a cybersecurity risk.
When Does AV Over IP Make Sense?
As a rough rule of thumb, AV over IP starts to pay off when you have a large number of screens and sources to connect, often more than 10 to 15 endpoints, or when you need routing across several rooms or buildings. Typical examples include large conference centres, auditoriums, signage networks with 20 or more screens and multi building campuses. Below that, the cost and complexity usually outweigh the benefits.
When Is HDMI or a Wireless System Better?
For standard meeting rooms, traditional cabling is simpler, cheaper and easier to support. Many rooms do not need a matrix at all, because a video bar and a wireless presentation system do the whole job. Our comparison of Barco ClickShare and Mersive Solstice explains how those work. If your signage is the main reason you are looking at AV over IP, read our guide on whether your office needs digital signage first.
Questions to Ask Before You Commit
Ask which network features the system requires, which switch models and firmware versions the vendor has tested, how much bandwidth each stream uses and what delay to expect. Ask who is responsible when something goes wrong, the AV team or the network team, because a problem that sits between the two is the hardest kind to fix. Finally, ask what happens if the network goes down, since every screen and source depends on it.
A system that depends on your network needs monitoring. See how SPORTrack spots faults before anyone walks into the room.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is AV over IP?
AV over IP sends video, audio and control signals across a standard network instead of through dedicated point to point cables, with software controlling which source appears on which screen.
Does every office need AV over IP?
No. For standard meeting rooms, traditional HDMI cabling or a wireless presentation system is usually simpler and cheaper. AV over IP suits large or complex deployments.
What network does AV over IP need?
Usually managed enterprise switches, a dedicated VLAN, quality of service settings and correct multicast handling. Uncompressed 4K video needs far more bandwidth than a standard gigabit network can provide.
Is AV over IP the same as streaming over the internet?
No. AV over IP normally runs on your internal network between devices in the same building or campus, not across the public internet.
Who should be involved before buying an AV over IP system?
Your network team, your AV integrator and whoever is responsible for support. The system depends on the network, so involve IT before you choose equipment.
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