Experience across technology, AV and the building itself.
Fox AV brings together more than four decades of computer and networking experience, decades of audio/video and automation work, and practical construction knowledge.
A technical background that started long before Fox AV.
Before founding Fox Audio Visual in 2003, Mike Fox spent 23 years with microPOWER Computer Systems as a Computer Systems Engineer. His work included computer systems, networking, sales and service, backed by certifications and training across network engineering, Microsoft, Linux/Unix and related technologies.
For approximately 15 years during that same period, Mike also designed and installed audio/video and home-automation systems on a part-time basis. That work allowed him to establish distributor accounts, build direct relationships with manufacturers and vendors, and develop a base of long-term clients before making Fox AV his full-time business.
Audio/video had long been one of Mike's strengths and passions. In 2003, after building those lasting client relationships, he made the move into custom technology integration full time and started Fox Audio Visual.
A career built across computers, networking, AV and automation.
Mike's computer and networking work dates to approximately 1980, when personal computers and business networking were still in their infancy, with audio/video and home-automation work beginning around 1988 and continuing through Fox AV today.
Understanding what is already there is often the first step.
Technology rarely arrives in a home or business all at once. Existing properties may contain equipment, wiring and control systems from several different eras. Because Mike has worked through those generations as they evolved, he can often recognize legacy technology quickly—even in a property Fox AV has never seen before.
That matters when deciding what to do next. Instead of assuming everything old needs to be ripped out, Fox AV can evaluate what is still useful, what can be adapted or integrated, what has reached the end of its practical life, and where an upgrade will make the biggest difference.
Early distributed audio, analog video, first-generation automation, older structured wiring, computer networks, modern IP systems and today's connected platforms all reflect different eras of technology. Knowing how those eras fit together can make retrofit work faster, cleaner and more cost-effective.
Training that reaches well beyond consumer electronics.
Mike's background at microPOWER included a range of computer, network and operating-system certifications. The specific credentials earned during that period included:
Some of these certifications were earned under earlier generations of computer and network technology. Their value today is the depth of systems knowledge they represent—not a claim that every historical credential is a current vendor certification.
Understanding the building helps the technology.
Mike has built several homes and has extensive hands-on construction experience, including electrical wiring, plumbing, heating and air systems and the other practical work involved in residential construction.
That experience provides a clearer understanding of what is behind the walls, where equipment can live, how wire should be routed, what will remain serviceable and how technology needs to coordinate with the rest of a home or building.
It also allows Fox AV to go well beyond basic “plug-and-play” installation. When networking, control, AV, cameras, computers and building systems intersect, the ability to troubleshoot across disciplines can make the difference between equipment that merely turns on and a system that works properly as a whole.
Technology changes. The learning cannot stop.
Mike has regularly attended CEDIA (Custom Electronic Design & Installation Association) conventions and follows manufacturer training, trade publications and developments across custom audio/video, networking, automation and security.
The objective is not to chase every new product. It is to understand what has actually improved, what is reliable, what integrates well, and what is mostly marketing.
Computers and networking taught a lesson that applies directly to modern AV: components only perform as well as the system around them. Infrastructure, configuration, compatibility and support matter.
Recognition for Fox AV's custom work.
Fox AV's history includes national home-theater awards and local press coverage highlighting the company and its custom integration work.
Springfield Scene · January 2010
Springfield Scene profiled Fox Audio Visual and the experience, craftsmanship and technology behind the company.
Read the Springfield Scene Feature →The philosophy is straightforward.
Technology has changed dramatically since Fox AV began, but clients still benefit from an integrator who can properly design, program, support and connect multiple technologies—not simply unbox equipment.
Design around the client.
Start with what the space needs to do, then select the right technology.
Think in systems.
Networking, security, automation, AV and computers increasingly depend on one another.
Build it cleanly.
Professional installation and serviceability matter long after the equipment is new.
Support the result.
A good system should continue to be understandable and maintainable.