Blogs

“Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination and life to everything.” — Plato (Image via:

With the constant pace of change, we have to keep up with new technologies (streaming media), new categories (networking), and new companies (Pakedge, Cisco,...

One distributor that many companies in the Southeast U.S. turn to is 21st Century Distributing, and this weekend the company held its annual dealer...

Too many times I’ve run into situations where people aren’t honest—either with me or other dealers with their clients. It really bothers me, and...

Smart Home…Automated Home…Tech Home… Up until recently these terms have been held for the rich and famous…the upper echelon. Combining audio, video, lights, HVAC,...

I was surprised (and pleased) to read a counter-argument to the long-held contention that home theaters do not increase the re-sale value of a...

Like any good band, AV needs a drummer to keep the beat. You always know the lead singer, but you rarely know the drummer....

I recently had two minor lifestyle changes that I wanted to make to my home. Here's how I used some very simple programming to...

Crestron Pyng is going to be a game changer for my integration company.  But the biggest challenge I face is that I don’t want...

The Nortek subsidiary announced on Friday that its president Bill Pollock would be retiring from the company at year’s end to clear the way...

Even though I live with a Kaleidescape movie server and use the system almost every day, it really isn’t until I demo the system...

There are products—like TVs, AV receivers, and speakers—that are easy to sell, easy to understand.  Then there are products created to improve the world...

One things I saw at CEDIA EXPO was that major automation companies were talking about ways to make programming systems a far simpler affair. So...

The iPod Dock isn’t dead; it has just morphed. When talking about music and streaming content, the network backbone is critical. I’ve also talked to...

I was having drinks at the hotel bar and who should be next to me but URC president Doug Cole. We started talking about...

Without a doubt, one of the most prevalent and exciting themes at the show was Dolby Atmos. As an integrator, Atmos should be your best...

Is the new iOS life changing? No, but Apple has added some pretty neat features and shortcuts. Here's why you should care: Apple changed...

Crestron’s Pyng is designed to greatly speed up set-up for basic home automation systems. I want to talk about how I foresee incorporating Pyng...

Last week at CEDIA EXPO, positive energy was clearly in abundance for the first time in many years as integrators road the wave of...

By far the biggest theme in surround sound at CEDIA EXPO 2014 was Dolby Atmos. In fact, you practically couldn’t enter a home theater...

We may think that the only place to find new commercial products are at shows like InfoComm, but I’m here to tell you there...

URC’s booth was extremely crowded, and true to the high-low trend this year, Total Control was again the big story with ccGEN2 getting its...

One thing is starting to take shape in the control and automation market: the high-end providers are offering more accessible product, and the entry...

Rookie Row is where the manufacturer newbies at CEDIA EXPO introduce their companies to the custom installation world. This year there were fourteen manufacturers...

With "Hyperchange" as the CEDIA EXPO 2014 tagline, the rise of this technology (invisible to our clients) has become the foundation that the rest...

Prior to the official start of CEDIA 2014, I walked up and down the aisles of the media preview and stopped to chat with...

Starting today, you’re going to be hearing the word Pyng a lot and you’re going to want to pay attention because Pyng is a...

When Jeremy Burkhardt returns to CEDIA EXPO next week as co-owner of audio start-up Origin Acoustics, he knows that he will have a lot...

With all the right ingredients in one place, CEDIA EXPO provides the fuel for continued growth and success. Make the most of your time—not...

How can you, the local AV integrator, close the sale if your price is the same (or maybe more)?

Here are a few of my favorite solutions, that have helped me alleviate the ever-present aesthetics vs. performance conflict that we all encounter —...

Much has changed for TiVo since it was launched 15 years ago. But with the company’s new stripped down Roamio OTA product, the company...

If you have a showroom–or a work vehicle–you probably take for granted what it looks like. But maybe you’re overlooking the equivalent of a...

I can’t believe that CEDIA is only a few weeks away! I’ve been taking some time this weekend to think over what I really...

A lesson in customer relationships during a recent business trip to New York City: empowering your employees to be proactive in making a difference...

What ripple effect is set into play by a simple purchase of a flat screen from a big box store or a quick click...

I was invited to New York yesterday (August 12) to visit Dolby’s offices—and more importantly, Dolby’s theater—to hear the home version of Dolby Atmos...

If a manufacturer makes a mistake, then they should be on the hook for the repair. Just as a car manufacturer makes...

Here are some tips on handling customer complaints that I’ve learned from watching an expert over the years.

I loved the Resi Awards. They were my creation, and I was proud of their cutesy name and the unique focus on industrial design...