Microsoft Ignite, a major annual conference hosted by Microsoft for developers, IT professionals, partners and business leaders, showcases innovations in areas such as cloud computing, artificial intelligence, productivity tools and more. The event features keynote presentations, product demos and workshops, with a high-impact 360-degree LED screen setup for slides, demos and live visuals. As Microsoft’s premier event, it draws over 20,000 in-person attendees and more than 200,000 digital participants. To ensure this large-scale production runs smoothly for both in-person and online attendees, it requires the use of sophisticated video distribution and control.
For the 2025 event at the Chase Center in San Fransico, High Resolution Engineering, a trusted provider of AV rental kits for live events, was enlisted to support the operation, using Lightware’s MX2 48x48 HDMI 2.0 matrix switcher alongside three Christie Spyder X80 video processors to ensure flawless switching, control and video quality of all audience-facing video screens.
Lightware’s MX2 48x48 provided the backbone of the event’s video distribution system, routing over 30 4K60 10-bit video feeds from media servers, PowerPoint machines and an Unreal Engine server while distributing the signals to Spyder X80 video processors. These processors then drove 18 4K outputs to a complex arrangement of LED screens around the stage. The unique stage design featured three levels of screens: ground, mid and high-level, allowing presenters to turn in any direction whilst ensuring all visual content was visible from every angle.
One of the key challenges in managing LED setups for live events on this scale is dealing with the wide variety of resolutions and signal requirements, which can make distributing and scaling video signals across a complex arrangement of screens difficult.
To enable 10-bit, 4K media server content to run via HDMI 2.0, HRE created custom EDIDs with reduced colour subsampling (4:2:2) and other tweaks to the colour space. Whilst this can sacrifice some colour quality, it enhances black levels and overall image standard.
By ensuring the source sends an appropriate signal, EDID management also helps to prevent common issues such as no signal, flickering or lower-than-4k resolutions.
With processing systems, it’s usual for there to be a little latency in the scaling and image processing, so it is important that there is no additional delay from the router. Any noticeable delay between what the audience sees on the screens and what is happening on stage can disrupt the experience, so the MX2’s ultra-low latency was crucial for maintaining real-time synchronisation across multiple screens.
Microsoft Ignite 2025 was a remarkable showcase of cutting-edge technology, both on screen and behind the scenes. By leveraging the power of Lightware’s MX2-48x48-HDMI 2.0 router, High Resolution Engineering ensured that the complex 360-degree LED screen setup ran smoothly, delivering low latency and high-resolution for both in-person attendees and online viewers. The production highlights the importance of using the right tools for large-scale events, with the MX2 proving to be a key component in ensuring its success.
A graduate of DeVry Institute of Technology, Doug has been in the Technology industry since 1976 and actively oversees Fearing’s daily operations. Along with his wife, Lois, and three others, Doug started Fearing’s in a 600 square-foot facility in Portage, Wisconsin. In the 25 years since, the company has grown to over 30 employees with offices in Madison and Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Doug likes to say he’s a “TV Technician with a dream� going back to his history with the family’s original business-Fearing’s TV and Appliance.
Doug values time with family, watersports, hiking, snowshoeing and skiing. In addition to being a devoted member of his church, Doug serves as Board President for Kinship Mentoring of Columbia County, Board member of Schools for Haiti and Scripture Chair of the Gideons-Portage camp.
A graduate of MATC, Lois oversees Fearing’s daily book keeping along with various HR responsibilities.
Along with Doug, Lois is deeply connected to community outreach, serving as a Board member and Fundraising Committee Chairperson for Kinship Mentoring of Columbia County. She also serves on the Schools for Haiti Fundraising committee. In addition, Lois’ ongoing passion and commitment to provide care for the elderly comes from her 10-year history of working in a Reedsburg, Wisconsin Nursing home.
Lois enjoys singing, hiking, sunny days on the pontoon, and spending time with her 4 grandchildren.
Ehren drives Fearing’s technology by continually seeking out trends to enhance capabilities while supporting Sales, Engineering and Installation teams. Throughout his years with Fearing’s, Ehren’s talent and vision have joined forces to create a wide variety of projects and strategic solutions that exceed expectation.
Ehren loves music, family time, movies, nature, sustainability efforts and electric vehicles.
With 10 years with Fearing’s and over twice that long in the industry, Ben continues to lead, coordinate, and develop the Commercial AV team.
By consistently delivering an outstanding experience and outcome, Ben contributes to the Fearing’s legacy of long-lasting partnerships that truly make a difference. Whatever the Commercial AV need may be, Ben and team deliver at the highest level.
Ben is an avid fisherman and photographer. He enjoys coaching his sons and other youth.
Chris has been with Fearing’s for 20 years and in the industry for over 2 decades. As a Certified leader in Sales Acceleration and trained in EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating Systems), Chris successfully utilizes his skills to lead the Fearing’s Salesforce. Chris and team are motivated and driven to develop new client partnerships while continuing to reinforce loyal long-term relationships with ongoing Service excellence.
Married for 19 years with 3 children, Chris enjoys skiing, hiking, fishing, boating, hunting, camping and golf. He’s also been actively involved as a Youth Football and Softball coach for his family and others.
