From the Editor
My Avatar Moment at Animal Kingdom
I’m Sure I Would have Enjoyed it More If I’d Seen More Than Just the First 30 Minutes of the 2009 James Cameron Movie
Jeremy J. Glowacki
Technology
Is This the Future of Lighting?
LumaStream Looks to Master Low-Voltage LED Technology for Smoother Dimming, Longer Fixture Life
Resources
The Products That Integrators are Searching For
The AV-iQ database (originally built by InfoComm/AVIXA and now owned by NewBay) provides a central, searchable destination for current data on thousands of AV...
From the Editor
Stranger Things as the Next Generation’s Culture-Share Moment
When My Oldest Daughter Told Me That 'Everyone' in the Sixth Grade was Talking About the Netflix’s Series, I Gave Her the Green Light...
News
Nortek Security & Control and Core Brands Merge
Core Brands Name Goes Away as Merged Companies Look to Expand Opportunities Across a Broad Range of Markets
Blogs
Crestron’s NY CTP Summit Reinforces Residential Commitment
Last week, during the New York-area stop on the three-city Crestron Technology Professional Summit tour, it would have been easy to forget that just...
Blogs
My Memories of John Stiernberg
John Stiernberg, who passed away over the weekend after a months-long battle with cancer, led our planning meeting that year and for several years...
Technology
The Latest in Custom Touchpanels
Most integrators and their manufacturer partners still make the case that the custom and semi-custom touchpanel of today is needed as a central hub...
News
HTSA Expanding into Residential Lighting Design, Fixtures Services
During its HTSA 2017 Fall Members Conference this week in Chicago, Home Technology Specialists of America (HTSA), the hybrid-retail and custom integration buying group,...
Technology
Install Features User-Adjustable Automation from Loxone
About a year ago, John and Beth Chappo renovated their one-bedroom condo in downtown in Indianapolis—a place they stay when they venture out of...
Features
Eating Your Vegetables
This year’s Azione Unlimited fall meeting in Austin was another upbeat affair, but there were moments in the short time that I was there...
News
ASSA ABLOY to Acquire August Home
ASSA ABLOY has signed an agreement to acquire U.S. smart lock manufacturer August Home.
Blogs
Video: Behind the Scenes at Leon Speakers
Over Fall Break this past weekend with my 9- and 11-year-old daughters and wife, we took a little detour from our trip to Chicago...
Technology
ADAPT Software to be Showcased at Crestron Event
The annual Crestron Technology Professional Regional Summit events, scheduled for Florida, Los Angeles, and New York in October and November, will feature PanTech Design’s...
Events
Home Technology Association Presents Benefits at Azione
The Home Technology Association, the third-party home integrator certification company, presented the benefits of HTA during a special session of Azione Unlimited’s Amalgamating Assembly...
Technology
CEDIA 2017 Product Highlights
Trends included a continued focus on integrated voice control, and more focus on video wall technology, affordable 4K video projection, and loudspeaker evolution. Here...
Features
Embracing the Custom Channel
CEDIA 2017 felt busier and more crowded than prior years. It wasn’t the crowds, however, that stood out the most for me. It was...
Features
RTI’s APEX Programming Software Highlights Refreshed Company
RTI’s now-shipping new programming platform combines time-saving automation with the complete freedom to design custom control experiences that RTI hopes will set dealers apart...
News
Industry Rep Steve Zaboji Killed in Plane Crash
Highly respected consumer electronics manufacturer sales representative Steven B. Zaboji was killed in a plane crash on Saturday, in a Piper Pawnee aircraft that...
Blogs
D-Tools is Finding New Ways to Help Customers Succeed
D-Tools wants to make sure its customers not only buy its software, but use it effectively, as well. That’s just one of several initiatives...
News
Casa Integration’s AV Design Tool Targets Architects, End Users
The new tool, which is available now, automatically takes care of basics like Wi-Fi and fundamental wiring, and then asks what other features are...
Blogs
Alexa is Sleeping (and Carpooling) Right Next to You
Amazon doesn’t believe that Alexa’s place is in the kitchen. The always-listening voice control technology is moving more aggressively into the bedroom and maybe...
Features
Manufacturers Re-Embrace Channel at CEDIA
A few companies went out of their way to express their support for custom integrators.
News
New CEO has RTI on the Right Path to CEDIA
A lot has changed in the seven months since Ed McConaghay was hired as CEO of RTI. Following the sudden death of company founder...
Features
Embracing Service
One of the most important business challenges left for our channel to solve is how to derive profits from client services, as margins on...
News
OneVision Offers In-Depth RSM Platform Comparison Guide
The Insider’s Guide to Remote Systems Management: A Comprehensive Analysis of Modern RSM Platforms for Technology Managers is a digital resource that provides feature...
News
What ‘Stream the Studio’ Means to CI
The Stream the Studio initiative began about three years ago when music companies began realizing that the digital music market was rapidly changing, with...
News
HTSA Hires Industry Veteran Tom Doherty for Strategic Role
Home Technology Specialists of America (HTSA), the U.S. hybrid-retail and custom integration buying group, has appointed well-known industry icon, Tom Doherty, to a new...
Features
Monitor Audio’s 6th Generation Silver Shines
U.S. and Canadian distributor Kevro International recently introduced Monitor Audio’s sixth-generation Silver line of speakers, featuring trickledown technology from the brand’s new Platinum II...
Features
Turning it Off
We took our family vacation a little earlier this summer because here in the Midwest most of the kids go back to school in...
Blogs
Azione Sales Training Meeting Completes Busy Summer Schedule
Gone are the days when buying groups would meet only twice a year. Gone are the days when integrators and custom retailers were satisfied...
Features
The Latest Trends in Training
Training is as important now than it ever has been, with the always-changing technology landscape and the improved business climate in the custom integration...
Blogs
HTSA Members Take Crash Course in Entrepreneurial Operating System Implementation
Last April, HTSA introduced the EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating System), and earlier this month 30 members of the buying group attended a day-and-half master class...
Blogs
After Record-Breaking Year, Draper Pulls Back the Veil in Spiceland
It would be difficult to miss the sheer volume of new product announcements coming from Draper over the last six weeks. The 120-year-old projection...
News
CEDIA to Build a New Global Headquarters in Indy Suburb
Last year CEDIA sold its largest property. Now it is creating a new one.
Technology
Origin Refreshes Director, LCR Collections After Only Two Years
In a series of private meetings with members of the consumer AV and trade press, Origin Acoustics CEO Jeremy Burkhardt described his company’s second-generation...
News
Former CEDIA CEO Bruno Joins RAYVA Board
RAYVA, provider of turnkey home theater packages, has signed former CEDIA CEO Vin Bruno to its board of directors, effective immediately. Bruno, with his...
Blogs
Another Week, Another CEDIA Departure
I joked the other day to an industry friend that I should take a “screen grab” of the CEDIA website staff page. That way...
Features
Rekindling That Audio Fire
Last fall at the HTSA meeting in Chicago, veteran AV retailer David Wexler, owner of The Little Guys in Mokena, IL, was reminiscing about...
Behind the Business
PowerHouse’s White Label Line
The PowerHouse Alliance will soon launch its first white label line to help its collective of 12 distributors provide more price options and profit...
Technology
Control4 Ships Its First Triad Product
Control4 is now shipping its new Triad Garden Array outdoor speakers, a family of all-weather, landscape speakers that include satellite speakers (GA4 SAT) and...
Technology
Savant Releases Version 8.3; Here’s What It Includes
Savant’s latest software update, version 8.3, offers expanded features such as new door lock and garage services, plus service reordering and definable buttons to...
Blogs
Adding Control4 and Pakedge to My Own Home
The idea behind my Control4 home installation started out with no actual Control4 gear in the mix at all.
Features
Little Gems From CEDIA Business Xchange
There are times when my favorite “aha” insights at industry conferences come from scripted moments during keynote sessions or “bold-print” presentations.
Blogs
Here’s the Motivation Behind Crestron’s $500 ‘Tax’ on Third-Party Devices
For some, the news harkens back to a heavy-handed “evil empire” image of “old Crestron” or simply “bad optics” from the control system purveyors...
News
My Magic Moment at CEDIA Business Xchange
There was a moment during CEDIA’s Business Xchange in San Antonio when I completely understood the value of attending such an event. It was...
Features
RAYVA: Introducing Turnkey Luxury
At last month’s International Builder’s Show in Las Vegas, a new company founded by custom integration industry veterans George Walter, Theo Kalomirakis, and David...