In our series of #CEDIAShares blogs, we’re talking with exhibitors about the hottest technologies and trends they’re looking to see at CEDIA Expo 2020.
Q&A with Mark Corbin, President, Vanco International.
RESI: Why should attendees connect with you virtually at CEDIA Expo?
MARK CORBIN:Although recent times have been uncertain, they are also very exciting for our industry. Residential integrators have many opportunities for the rest of 2020 and beyond.
What we’ve learned so far this year is that creativity is key. The first half of the year was a total game changer for our industry. The speed at which we have all had to adapt to completely new ways of working, learning, and socializing from inside our homes is something we have never experienced before—personally, or professionally. The transformation really showed us how much we depend on technology to stay connected and productive in our everyday lives.
The pandemic made us leverage the tools and technologies we had available to us to perform our daily tasks, but it also made us realize just how much our in-home offices were lacking. Home office technologies such as IP cameras, beamforming microphones, HD monitors, and larger collaborative displays for video conferencing, as well as good-quality speaker solutions for an enhanced audio experience are in extremely high demand as a result of the pandemic.
At Vanco, we have no doubt that the home technology market will continue to thrive as dealers get back on their feet, and as a technology manufacturer, we have been working endlessly to innovate and build new solutions to meet their evolving needs. Though we will miss the face-to-face meetings with our customers and partners at CEDIA Expo in September, we are excited to start rolling out the new innovative technologies we’ve been working on at the CEDIA Expo Virtual Experience.
RESI: What’s the one product you’re introducing that attendees should see and why?
MC: We are hoping to make several exciting product announcements leading up to and during the virtual show, but we’re keeping most of those details under wraps … for now! But it wouldn’t be fair to keep everything a secret. One product that we’re looking forward to introducing to the CEDIA community is the Evolution EVO-IP LITE.
EVO-IP LITE is a cost-effective HDMI over IP system developed from the award-winning EVO-IP platform. It utilizes the same control box and GUI platform as the original EVO-IP, but with one less SKU that can be used as either a transmitter or receiver. It is the ideal solution for installers looking for a matrix, switching, and splitting platform for video resolutions up to 1080p@60Hz. EVO-IP LITE also includes analog and digital audio breakouts, IR and RS232 passthrough, and full cloud control through the current EVO-IP apps and interfaces for scheduling events, remote monitoring, and iOS and Android app control.
This product is extremely relevant right now, not just in commercial applications, but inside the home as well. For example, our director of new product development at Vanco, was using an on-screen display and scheduling through the EVO-IP solution to help keep his kids on track while they were learning from home and he and his wife were working from home. He created a personalized message that would overlay on each screen in the home with an image of him saying “No TV Until Your School Work Is Done”. When the work was done, he would simply disable the OSD and the kids would be free to watch their shows until their next school subject began.
