What to know about AV control systems in Mesa
Two electric utilities serve Mesa
Mesa runs its own electric service alongside SRP, and the city's outage page gives separate report lines: Mesa electric at 480-644-2262 and SRP at 602-236-8888. Which utility feeds the building decides who you call, so we note it on a label inside the rack. The page said a new outage system was expected in late 2024; we didn't confirm its status.
Source: City of Mesa, Power Outage
Controls are planned under the 2024 codes and 2023 NEC
A control system adds low-voltage wiring and sometimes a power change. We plan it under Mesa's 2024 ICC codes and 2023 NEC, in force since January 8, 2026.
Remodel wiring is a Permit Services question
Mesa's commercial permit page names tenant improvements, building electrical systems and safety systems, with no mention of low-voltage work. On a remodel, Permit Services (480-644-4273) tells us how the wiring is handled.
Fire alarm stays on its own system
Mesa lists the 2025 NFPA 72 (fire alarm and signaling) among its adopted standards. We keep AV control separate from the building's fire alarm. If you want music to mute during an alarm, the fire alarm contractor ties that signal in.
What a control system does
A control system replaces a drawer of remotes and a handful of apps with one screen. Staff tap Lunch and the music, TVs and lights go to their lunch settings. They tap Close and everything powers down. Nobody needs to know where a source or amplifier lives.
Tablet, wall panel or app
Wall panels are simple and always in place. Tablets move with the manager. Phone apps let an owner check in from home. A common setup is a wall panel at the bar and an app for managers, each with different access.
What it can control
Control reaches only as far as the gear it connects to, so we design around your equipment.
Before programming, we list every device, how it connects and what staff should be able to do with it. You approve that list before we write any code.
- TVs and video sources, including which game is on which screen.
- Music zones, volume and source.
- Projectors, screens and lifts in meeting rooms.
- Lighting scenes, where the lighting can be connected.
- Schedules that run daily without anyone touching a panel.
Simple on the front, careful on the back
A panel should have few buttons with clear names. Behind it, we program every device, set volume limits and test each scene. Staff who only need music and TVs see only music and TVs, while managers get the settings page.
We leave a printed one-page guide and a backup way to run the basics if the panel is down, such as a physical volume knob on the music amplifier. A control system should make the room easier to run and should never be the only way to turn the music on.
Power outages and restarts
After a power blip, equipment should come back in a known state. We choose devices that remember their settings, sequence startup so amplifiers don't pop, and put key gear on battery backup where it matters. Monsoon season, June 15 to September 30, makes this a real design point.
Often paired with
A control system sits on top of other AV: commercial audio, TV and video distribution and conference room AV. The full Mesa list is on Enzo in Mesa.
