For some brands, 2022 marks their first CEDIA Expo, and first impressions are paramount. These brands make up the Launchpad section of the show floor, and I had the opportunity to speak to a few of them to discuss what they are excited to bring to the show floor.
While this may be the brand’s first CEDIA, PerfTech is no newcomer to the field. Tom Gallo, vice president of sales for the company’s Island router, says the Island team boasts more than 40 years of experience in the industry, which was put to good use in the development of the product.
The Island’s focus boils down to two main points: a higher performance than any other router on the market and a commitment to ease of use. The Island is committed to delivering the highest speeds while ensuring user data security, wrapped up in a package that anyone can install and use.
Matt McWilliams, president and COO of BrightVault, sees the importance of efficient energy storage clear as day. “BrightVault is the first energy storage company developed by dealers, for dealers,” he says.
Unlike companies that are just trying to get into the energy storage space, the people at BrightVault — with more than 15 years in the field — truly understand all sides of the issue, according to McWilliams. The company specializes in the installation of intelligent large-scale energy storage systems for homes.
End users can set up priority systems for energy needs. “You can set your non-priority systems to Priority 5 like some TVs, while Grandma’s oxygen tank is Priority 1,” McWilliams explains.
Plus, BrightVault also pulls weather data from NASA satellites for fires. “If there’s a fire within the radius of the home,” he adds, “we’re putting our system in backup, and the dealer can use that as a programming point through control for Crestron to trigger a smart sprinkler system to avoid potential embers.”
Patrick “PG” Gall, head of channel development for Orro, touts the company as the “Smart Living System.” Orro is a flexible system designed to add value to any home. The company’s smart light switches use sensors combined with user preferences and even the time of day to control all home lights automatically. Orro’s philosophy includes an emphasis on human-centric and circadian lighting, with the goal of providing people the perfect amount of light for their body automatically, without the user needing to think about it at all.
“The other side of Orro includes our main product, the Orro One touchscreen, that becomes a touchscreen for the rest of the house,” Gall says. “Through the Orro One, you can control your Sonos system, lock your doors and talk to Alexa directly.”
According to Gall, Orro is excited to build brand awareness at CEDIA, as well as connect with integrators. The company is most excited to announce new integrations with Hunter Douglas, Somfy, and Elan.