CEDIA Communicates magazine - Quarter 3 2020 - Americas/AP

Q3 2020

INDIA'S SOUND SENSE: 16 SEATS AND A GLOBAL WIN THE NEW CEDIA.NET — STARRING YOU CEDIA FIRMS PITCH IN DURING THE PANDEMIC

C U STO M I N T E G R AT I O N P R O G R A M

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D I S H . C O M / C U S TO M I N T E G R AT I O N

THANK YOU FOR STAYING CEDIASTRONG There are two terms that have been used quite a bit since COVID-19 disrupted — and even derailed — every aspect of our lives. The words “challenging” and “unprecedented” have been repeated so often they’re now almost clichés.

“In these unprecedented, challenging times …”

You get the picture.

But I’d like to take a moment and look at what those words really mean when it comes to CEDIA’s members.

CONTACT 8475 Nightfall Lane, Fishers, Indiana 46037 USA Email: info@cedia.org Telephone: +1 800.669.5329 Unit 2, Phoenix Park, St Neots Cambridgeshire, PE19 8EP, UK Email: info@cedia.co.uk Telephone: +44 (0)1480 213744 www.cedia.net

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FRONT COVER Sound Sense A-402/403 Solitaire Complex S.G. Road, Ahmedabad, 380001 Gujarat, India +91 992.502.4757 soundsense.co.in

COPYRIGHT All material in Communicates is the copyright of CEDIA and any reproduction of said material would require written permission from the association. Although every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of content published, CEDIA cannot accept responsibility for any factual errors that may occur. CEDIA cannot accept responsibility for the veracity of claims made by contributors.

Challenging — it’s an apt description of everything our member firms do. Integrators and manufacturers in our industry accept new challenges every day. Our people find solutions, from entertainment to security to networking, in the face of frustrations and glitches that so often accompany the rapid evolution of technology. Our members take those “challenging” issues and fix them so that our clients can have a frictionless relationship with their connected homes.

Unprecedented — is anything a CEDIA member firm does “precedented?” As the speed of advancements grows ever faster, our members are constantly tackling “challenges” they could not have foreseen years, months, even weeks ago.

To create a “Life Lived Best at Home,” our people gladly accept whatever challenges are presented — especially the unprecedented ones.

We accept those challenges here at CEDIA HQ, too — our global teams have put together a new website, CEDIA.net, that gathers every resource we offer in one place. Our new CEDIA Academy online platform will offer courses that reflect the highest standards of industry education. And even though our annual CEDIA Expo was cancelled as an in-person event for 2020, we are working with Emerald Expositions to create a virtual experience that’s second to none.

Thank you for sticking with us. Thank you for your support.

Thank you for meeting those challenges. And please continue to stay safe.

All the best,

Tabatha O’Connor CEDIA Global President and CEO CEDIA COMMUNICATES

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CONTENTS

New CEDIA.net 6 The The new features of CEDIA’s upgraded

Pitch In 16 Firms CEDIA members around the world are

CEDIA 22 IMeetAM Eddie Shapiro, founder of

Odyssey 26 Arcadian India’s Sound Sense won a Global Award

the Lockdowns 14 After What’s the “new normal” going to look like?

Importance of 32 The Employee Morale

website

SmartTouchUSA

helping out during the pandemic

for this 16-seat cinema

Keeping your people positive in times of crisis

Critical Parts 20 Cybersecurity’s Mike Maniscalco breaks down the elements that keep networks safe

New COI Course 42 The We’ve updated the classes for CEDIA Outreach Instructors

on the Roof 30 Up Any space can be a media room with the right integrator 2

CEDIA COMMUNICATES

CEDIA Academy 46 The A deep dive into CEDIA’s new coursework

Dream big.

Think bigger.

Here’s an annoying question—where do you see yourself in five years? How about tomorrow? It’s one thing to dream.

It’s even better to know. That’s why we’ve launched the CEDIA Academy online learning platform.

Carefully curated and masterfully designed courses cover every aspect of the home technology industry. It’s where beginners become experts, and experts become gurus.

Don’t just dream. Know.

Plug in at cediaacademy.net

NEWS IN BRIEF CEDIA Updates Certifications In its ongoing mission to bolster professionalism and deliver the industry's best and most compelling education, CEDIA has announced major advancements in its globally-recognized CEDIA Certification program. Important takeaways include: • Launching the new CEDIA Certified Cabling and Infrastructure Technician (CIT) and CEDIA Certified Integrated System Technician (IST) Certifications. Beta testing of the new certification exams will open in the coming months.

• Comprehensive learning pathways developed to prepare individuals for certification and success on the job in a truly global fashion.

• The CEDIA Certification Commission advanced the certification process to apply for accreditation based on the ISO/IEC 17024 standard.

“The process has been incredibly stringent to ensure our certifications represent qualified technicians with the skills the industry needs,” says CEDIA Director of Certification David Whitney. “On top of that, for the first time, CEDIA is seeking accreditation under the internationally recognized ISO/IEC 17024 standard for certification bodies. Following these requirements David Whitney, CEDIA Director at every step of the of Certification exam development and administration process has been foundational for the program and I’m indebted to the newly created CEDIA Certification Commission for their time and effort in this important work.”

The entry-level CIT is for technicians whose primary task is to perform basic infrastructure wiring for low-voltage technology systems in a residential or commercial setting. The IST, similar to the current ESC-T certification, is

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for experienced technicians with broad equipment and systems knowledge, who can operate independently on a job site. IST candidates must have at least one year of verified work experience and hold CIT certification to be eligible to sit for the IST exam. Both certifications are renewable and require that holders adhere to a Code of Conduct.

Revamped Certifications Call for Revamped Testing With the exam blueprints now established, work is underway to create the new CEDIA Certification exams. In August, CEDIA plans to launch beta testing for the new CIT exam, while beta testing for the new IST exam is slated for November.

As the new, more globally-accessible CIT and IST certifications are progressively launched, CEDIA will be retiring the existing ESPA EST (Electronic System Technician), CEDIA ESC (Electronic System Certified) and CEDIA ESC-T (Electronic Systems Certified Technician) certifications. The Certification Commission has released a detailed transition plan for how existing certification holders can earn new certifications.

Those holding ESPA EST, CEDIA ESC, and CEDIA ESC-T Certifications will receive preferred pricing of $25 to take the new exams.

The ESC-N and ESC-D certifications are not affected by these changes, but will be updated next as the Certification Commission plans to expand the specialist certifications — allowing advanced technicians to earn recognition in more focused areas.

You can find more at cedia.net/certification.

Our industry has been hit hard since the COVID-19 pandemic changed our world.

CEDIASTRONG is our rallying cry, an initiative comprised of new services and tools to empower, educate, and inspire the industry in these turbulent times. Members and others engaged in record numbers.

RESOURCE CENTER Resources by country for six countries, state-by-state and local guides, too.

Over

12,150 pageviews since launch

O N L I N E E D U C AT I O N Free online education for members from mid-March to June 1.

5,750+

16,702 registrations

unique pageviews

2,089 N E W W E E K LY C O N T E N T Multiple complimentary webinars from industry experts held weekly.

4,988

learners

546

companies

attendees over

31 webinars

THE CEDIA PODCAST Ramped up to twice per week, unique downloads increased 45% year-over-year.

OT H E R R E S O U R C E S

1,755 381 128

White paper downloads Research downloads Standards and Recommended Practice Guides downloads

Connect to it all at CEDIASTRONG.net

40,351 27,794 Jan - June 2019

Jan - June 2020

CEDIA COMMUNICATES

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THE ALL-NEW CEDIA.NET DIGITAL DELIGHTS

CEDIA’s new website is designed for a multitude of users

Ed Wenck Content Director, CEDIA

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If you’ve been on CEDIA’s website lately — cedia.net — you’ve noticed that there’s been a major upgrade to the platform. Leading the charge on revamping the site are CEDIA’s Director of Marketing Desiree Friedman and the EMEA Brand and Communications Manager James Bliss. As Friedman explains, the association’s digital presence expanded into multiple websites

as CEDIA grew, and it was time to unify everything into one location. “We had a specific site for the Asia Pacific region,” she explains. “We had our U.K. site, we had our U.K. education site, we had our .org site. And all of these evolved over the years to speak to different audiences and serve a variety of needs.

And now with the culmination of our globalization and bringing everything

together organizationally, it was clear that our digital presence needed to be together.” James Bliss was a critical voice in ensuring the site had a global feel: “We had to make certain the needs of our members across the EMEA region and beyond are met effectively, that any local products or services that are specific to the region are included.”

And with that came the monumental task of including everything from content for the design and build community to member resources in one location that was intuitive and easily navigable. So Friedman and Bliss (with an assist from Digital Marketing Manager Brian Weiss and Senior Applications Developer Greg Mack), pulled in CEDIA’s education, certification, and IT teams to create a one-stop shop for any user. “One of the things that we've done on this website — which is different than any of our existing websites before and in line with best practices now — is that all of our content is served up in a very personalized way,” says Friedman. “We’ve structured the site so that you’ll be presented with what is relevant to you. You’ll be served the content or products (say, a white paper or an online course) that match your needs or interests, and we’ll be refining that functionality constantly.”

At the outset, the CEDIA team had to construct the site’s taxonomy: “Taxonomy is a method by which things are organized,” Friedman explains. Just like pre-wiring a new integration project built by a CEDIA pro, “There was a lot of work at the outset that you never really see until the finish line,” she adds.

“From the beginning the driving directive was: How do we really highlight our members? And we’ve achieved that.”

DESIREE FRIEDMAN

The CEDIA Academy

There’s parallel work that’s been happening as the crew were busy rebuilding and consolidating the digital footprint. CEDIA’s Director of Curriculum Derick Abshire says, “Our Curriculum team has been working diligently to create updated, relevant, and engaging online classes.”

Those classes are all part of the new online learning platform that’s been CEDIA COMMUNICATES

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rolled out in conjunction with the launch of the new CEDIA.net. This digital school is now part of what’s known as the “CEDIA Academy,” a way in which the association will strive to find the perfect balance of online and in-person education experiences that CEDIA offers.

Abshire explains: “The updated technical content will be used to offer some key training products in a hybrid format, which will allow for the classroom portion to be completed online. The hybrid model saves the entirety of the face-to-face classes for hands-on learning lab situations.”

Meanwhile, James Bliss was offering input on the unique educational needs of the EMEA membership.

“Our education offerings here are delivered in a more evergreen fashion,” he explains. “We function a bit more like a school or college in terms of the repeating curriculum that we offer, so we wanted to make sure that the functionality was all nicely integrated and that the curriculum is represented in a nice, digestible manner.”

CEDIA's udpated Finder Service shows off your best work, and connects you with clients like never before.

An Elegant Aesthetic

Since the revamped site is designed to speak to everyone — members, homeowners, CEDIA’s design/ build partners — getting the right look and feel was critical.

Getting to a place that yielded an “Oh, wow!” vibe took time. The site draws on the work CEDIA members do best: Integrating technology beautifully and seamlessly into the modern home.

Friedman says, “I think we went in with an idea that one of the things that all of our current websites were missing is really showcasing the amazing, beautiful work that all of our members do, and that our industry has to offer.”

Friedman continues, “From the beginning the driving directive was: How do we get all the information that we need there, but visually, how do we showcase it on a consistent basis? How do we really highlight our members?

And we’ve achieved that.” Bliss agrees: “It's incredibly aspirational and for our trade membership and prospective membership audiences, I think it's excellent for us to be able to showcase the great work that our members do.”

As the months-long project wrapped, Friedman says she was truly gratified to see the buy-in from every department around the globe. “Everyone has been on board,” she says, “and everyone has been contributing across our organization to be able to provide what they think will be best for their end user, their stakeholder, within the organization.”

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The new CEDIA site offers a personalized experience for each user.

September 15-17, 2020

Get smart at home with the all-new CEDIA Expo virtual experience. Our completely virtual and interactive experience will bring all your favorite parts of the live event directly to you, wherever you are in the world.

Enjoy high-impact, inspirational sessions covering the industry’s hottest topics, have face-to-face meetings with brands, discover products, and most importantly, stay connected with your community!

Learn more at cediaexpo.com

The GOOD, the BAD, and the ESSENTIAL Ed Wenck Content Director, CEDIA

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Advice from an integrator and a financial coach on how to optimize your business position in a sudden time of crisis

“We’re finding that right now, about two out of three customers don’t want us in their homes just yet.”

GORDON VAN ZUIDEN, CYBERMANOR

A

s the pandemic continues, integrators around the globe are anxiously looking at their books, concerned about overhead and cash flow.

So, what’s the first thing to do?

“Don’t panic,” is Job Number One, according to Leslie Shiner, founder of the Shiner Group, a financial management and consulting firm based in California. Shiner — well known to the hundreds of CEDIA members who’ve taken her classes at Expo over the years — suggests proceeding from your current situation with a deep breath, and an honest assessment.

“Most integrators started out small, and if you are forced to shrink your company, that may actually help,” she says. That doesn’t mean a permanent contraction. “There are two things to be paying attention to,” Shiner explains. “First, what do I need to do to get through these next weeks or even months, and secondly, what do I want to have in place when we start to approach some kind of normalcy?”

The Here and Now

Gordon van Zuiden, longtime CEDIA volunteer and founder of the U.S. firm cyberManor, notes that everyone’s timelines will be different. “It’s a first-in, last-out situation. A number of states that shut down early opened up more slowly.”

However, van Zuiden notes that the construction industry is inverted: “The last thing to close is the first thing to open up.

Think about the nature of what we do on a construction site.

It’s an open-air activity, it can be controlled in terms of the number of people that are on-site. That’s a positive.”

The downside is obvious, says van Zuiden: “The other part of our business is going into people’s homes. There are three criteria here that are important to understand. First, don’t go in if it’s not legal. If the government says that a specific task is non-essential, don’t risk it. Two, your employees have to be

healthy and comfortable with working in someone’s home.

“We’ve passed the first two — a lot of what we do is defined as ‘essential’ in many parts of the world,” says van Zuiden.

“The third is the real wild card: Do the customers want us in their home? Even if the network is an issue, right now people’s primary concern is their health, their safety. We’re finding that right now, about two out of three customers don’t want us in their homes just yet.”

That last point means that business will be off for a while, no matter the changes in public policy or “re-openings” of local economies.

Assessing Your Overhead

So, what’s a bottom-line-watcher to do?

Leslie Shiner turns to recent history. “I’ve looked at the companies that were profitable back in 2010, and the companies that weren’t. The biggest difference: the companies that were successful kept their overhead in line with the size of their company.”

And right now is a perfect time to assess one’s overhead, and take a hard look at what costs can be mitigated.

“Hopefully, you’ve got people you can really talk to: your insurance broker, your CPA, your lawyer. People who can help you navigate this thing.”

Take insurance as a quick example: Are you parking some trucks right now? Do you need to be paying for coverage while a portion of your fleet is sitting idle on your lot? Who can help you with a potential reduction in premiums?

When this all ends, though, van Zuiden sees a silver lining: “We are essential, and we might as well leverage that.

When you think about future marketing, positioning — if a government believes that we’re critical to our society’s wellbeing, that’s a wonderful thing.

“It’s not just about toys for the rich and famous. We really have a responsibility to keep the world connected.”

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Ed Wenck Content Director, CEDIA

How a CEDIA member firm is using one aspect of their business to help U.K. hospitals during the pandemic

COMMUNICA Mark Bonner has been at the audiovisual and integration game since 1988, so the sudden and complete stoppage of work that gripped the U.K. when the COVID-19 pandemic hit was frustrating.

“It was pretty awful seeing this unfold on television and not really being able to help,” he says, echoing a sentiment shared by his peers.

Then Bonner, a co-founder of the firm Delta Live (which is now owned

by CEDIA member L-Acoustics), got a call from a production manager that he knew from the commercial side of his business. Delta’s model is a blend of residential integration and live-event production, and the client who reached out wondered if the firm could lend some gear and expertise to Britain’s National Health Service, the NHS. As it turned out, hospitals there were in dire need of several hundred items that were sitting unused in Delta’s warehouse: walkietalkies.

Why Walkie-Talkies?

Bonner explains the problem these hospitals were facing: “Because of the precautions a health care professional must take when dealing with a positive patient in the intensive care unit, there’s a good 20 minutes of dressing and pressurizing a room before anyone can come in and out. If a nurse needs to ask a physician a question or what have you, the process is interminable.”

Phones are impractical given masks and visors, and hospital infrastructure doesn’t include such devices as two-way intercoms, so the walkie-talkies that roadies and sound techs use in a liveproduction environment were the perfect solution.

“The day I heard that there was a need, I went over to the hospital in Hackney

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“It’s great that equipment which is currently gathering dust in our warehouse can be re-purposed to do something really important.”

ATION IS KEY MARK BONNER, DELTA LIVE

(a borough of London) and dropped off the first batch of equipment,” says Bonner. “They needed a fair number of these — you might have eight full wards of people who are being treated.”

Frequency management (using the right radio channels to prevent interference) was key, and Bonner immediately realized that he had to create some kind of tutorial: “My technician shot a simple user video in about two minutes right before I went to the hospital.”

The Three Musketeers

Bonner left the supplies curbside, and then went to work expanding deliveries.

“It was like the Three Musketeers. I had a transport manager who couldn't work, a programmer who couldn’t work, and myself. Now we’ve gotten into a program where we are delivering two or three of these shipments at the peak, on a daily basis.” Bonner and his team have developed a contact-free experience for everyone involved — shipments are requested and receipts are received digitally. “We ensure we don’t even contact one another in the warehouse — we’re never touching the same items.”

Currently, Delta has served 20 hospitals with roughly 350 walkie-talkies deployed in the field.

In addition to the hospitals expressing their gratitude, Delta Live has seen another benefit: customer response.

“It’s been terrific to see our clients associating the name with this initiative.

It’s really been gratifying,” says Bonner.

And Delta even produced a short video on the volunteer work they’re doing – which begs the question: How does one pull that off in a pandemic?

“We shot the whole thing on an iPhone 11,” says Bonner. “My wife is an art director, and my business partner

Scenes from the YouTube video documenting how Delta Live responded to the pandemic.

Paul Keating has a friend who’s an editor.” To top it all off, Bonner and his team were able to acquire some BBC footage outlining the usefulness of the devices.

Bonner comments, “It’s great that equipment which is currently gathering dust in our warehouse can be re-purposed to do something really important.” Between deliveries, he’s also been thinking about the length of time it may take for live events to come back and refocusing Delta Live’s attention to supporting integrators within the residential market.

Do you know of an integrator who’s pitching in during the pandemic?

We’d love to hear your story. Contact CEDIA’s Ed Wenck: ewenck@cedia.org

CEDIA COMMUNICATES

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Ed Wenck Content Director, CEDIA

After the

LOCKDOW A look at potential integration opportunities around the globe

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WNS “Engineering will be the core of what our industry supplies, not products.”

WIM DE VOS, GENESIS HOME TECHNOLOGIES

When a region re-opens, when lockdowns ease — what happens?

What will the “new normal” look like?

Amanda Wildman — co-owner of the Michigan firm TruMedia (and a CEDIA Board member) is bullish on the future: “When this wraps up, when the state gets back to work, when construction sites are open, I’ll bet we have to hire three new people.”

What Wildman sees is a pending release of pent-up demand from a bevy of consumers who have suddenly realized the true value of a robust home network that has the fundamental infrastructure needed for dozens of devices dedicated to business, e-learning, and entertainment — all being used at the same time.

And she’s not worried about that business coming in, even in what’s likely to be a new era of consumer frugality: “People will afford something once they understand its value. And the value of eliminating those pain points will become unquestionable.”

A Similar Take in the UK

Andrew Royall of the UK firm Eclectic Home Technology agrees: “We all sort of felt avant-garde the first time we worked from our dining room table. Then we realized that working on our dining room table with our children and the rest of the family isn't necessarily as fun as we thought it might be.” In addition to creating those work-from-home and e-learning spaces, Royall sees other segments coming into demand. “More and more people will have done their own cooking. More and more people will have found exercise that doesn't involve a gym. How do we make those connected spaces provide the best possible experiences?”

Steve Moore, who heads up Steve Moore Consultancy (and was the founding Chairman of CEDIA UK) feels that security — both the physical and cyber-varieties — will be in huge demand. “Interestingly, during the lockdown, it's been the lowest level of home insurance claims ever in the industry — because people are in all the time,” notes Moore.

“I fully expect the burglary claims to go up when everyone’s allowed to leave their homes.”

Another trend: the integration of a home’s outdoor spaces in the age of social distancing. “We've seen a growth in outdoor work,” says Moore. If you see some of the great products that are out there in terms of outdoor audio, outdoor networking, outdoor lighting control — that's been growing steadily in the last few years. But I think we'll really see it take off.”

Accelerated Trends

Wim de Vos of the Spanish firm Genesis Home Technologies sees an uptick in demand for better entertainment experiences, especially since many predictions include future lockdowns. The conversations he’s having with his clients bear it out: “We have customers already thinking about what's going to happen this winter because most likely we will be obliged to stay in another 30 to 45 days when the second wave hits.”

There’s a bigger picture that de Vos has been monitoring. “I looked back at CEDIA’s research and reports from last year and the year before.

There were trends there: more robust networking, cybersecurity, and so on, that haven’t changed at all. The only change? Those trends are accelerating.

“If you're in travel, tourism, hospitality, so many other businesses, there's a total shift and you really have to pivot completely to stay alive.

I think in our industry, most trends that were on their way are just magnified, and that means systems need to be better documented and better engineered. Network systems will become bigger, therefore more complex service will be more important,” he adds.

“Engineering will be the core of what our industry supplies, not products. And all of that was underway before the pandemic hit.”

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Masks and COVID-19: CEDIA Members Help Out

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Ed Wenck Content Director, CEDIA

How CEDIA firms are pitching in to help procure, make, and distribute PPE during the pandemic

When Pamela Cortes of the Houston integration firm Echo Workshop learned that her dear friend Becky had turned her quilting bees into de facto mask factories, Cortes knew she could help in myriad ways.

“My husband started this business 21 years ago. Over that time, I’ve come to wear many hats: accounting, payroll, HR, marketing,” she explains. But Cortes’ first love is customer service, a job she had for 20 years with a major airline — and a skill that would eventually help generate donations of fabric.

The Masks

Becky — a generous soul who’s even fashioned a custom quilt for Cortes’ daughter out of the youngster’s track and field competition t-shirts — participates in no less than three quilting bees. All three began fashioning masks out of 100% cotton material for local health care professionals as the COVID-19 pandemic overtook Texas. “We made masks for the folks who weren’t on the front lines so that the N95 masks could

be preserved for the surge teams and the ICUs in the hospitals,” explains Cortes.

The masks have gone through a number of revisions, though. “There’s a pocket in the masks,” says Cortes, “so that an N95 mask can drop inside, with a little pipe-cleaner that molds to the bridge of the nose in a more comfortable way.” The masks are washable and brightly colored so that they fit nicely into pediatrics, other non-emergency departments, and now even for “essential” business employees. They are created in an assembly line fashion, and Cortes and her colleagues are on the front end of that process: “We cut the fabric, iron the pieces, and then Becky’s team does the actual sewing.”

The Fabric

Cortes used her people skills to leverage her husband Luis’ success as a CEDIA Outreach Instructor to assist with the cause: “The COI program has helped us make tremendous inroads with designers. So, we sent out a call to the ASIDTXGC chapter asking for fabric.” Cortes was able to fill up her

The Team at Echo Workshop pitched in to make PPE for workers around Houston, Texas.

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Meanwhile, Across the Pond

Like Cortes and her colleagues, Chris Pinder, the CEO and founder of HDANYWHERE, was frustrated when the pandemic began to spread. “You feel powerless. You’ve got to do something,” he says.

So Pinder began a hunt for a specific item — masks, the “PPE,” personal protective equipment we’ve all heard about — and soon enough, a supply chain came through. “I've got quite a few contacts in China,” says Pinder, “and one of the factory contacts from the past contacted me to say they had surplus masks that they had purchased for their factory workers. I said, ‘Well, how many masks have you got?’ And he said, ‘3 million.’”

Pinder didn’t have the surplus capital to buy them all (after, business is off for his company, too), but he did procure 10,000 of the masks, “for about a buck apiece, which translates to £6,000.” Getting the masks to the UK was the next issue: “The number of flights in and out of the UK had dramatically reduced at that point,” says Pinder, which tripled the cost of shipping.

Masks in hand, Pinder went to his social media channels to get the word out — free masks to frontline workers by request. “I set up a Google form linked to my Twitter account with the hashtag #RequestMasks, and within 24 hours they were all gone.”

Most of the stock went to those working in elder care facilities.

Pinder’s team of volunteers spent a day in the HD warehouse, fulfilling and mailing the requests, and then Pinder went on the hunt for more masks: “We’ve found 10,000 more, and we’re going to provide those at cost. I can’t shell out any more for these, but I’m certainly not going to profit off this initiative.”

The outpouring of gratitude for these gestures isn’t lost on Pinder. “The thanks we get from the front line is one thing, but what really strikes me is what we’re hearing from their partners, their families. They’re so happy that one more element of safety is available.”

HDANYWHERE has distributed 10,000 masks to workers in the UK —free of charge.

Echo Workshop echoworkshop.com CEDIA Member Since 2009

HD Anywhere hdanywhere.com CEDIA Member Since 2010

Do you know of an integrator who’s pitching in during the pandemic? We’d love to hear your story.

Contact CEDIA’s Ed Wenck: ewenck@cedia.org 18

CEDIA COMMUNICATES

TECHNOLOGY IS NOTHING WITHOUT PEOPLE In an industry that changes by the second, it’s important to keep in touch with the human experience that makes it meaningful and makes it work. As the leading network of home technology experts, CEDIA not only connects you to the information, technology, and people at the cutting edge of our industry, we also help you connect to the opportunities, homes, and people on the other side. Learn more at CEDIA.NET/MEMBERSHIP

EMBRACE THE HUMAN NETWORK. CEDIA Member Shaka Gaskins Phoenix, AZ Shakatronics

CYBERSECURITY’S

CRITICAL PARTS BREAKING DOWN THE COMPONENTS: >> DATA

>> INFORMATION >> PRIVACY

>> SECURITY >> NETWORK

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Mike Maniscalco Co-Founder, Ihiji

W

ithout a common understanding of the complex components of cybersecurity and privacy, a conversation around such topics can be difficult, frustrating, and unproductive. Both cybersecurity and privacy are broad and deep fields, so it is helpful to break them down into their key elements.

First, "cyber" refers to cyberspace and the many networks that make up our modern digital world. "Security" is the practice of protecting people and things from unauthorized access.

"Cybersecurity" is merely securing and protecting our cyberspace.

With that in mind, let's dig into networks, connected devices, and data as they relate to cybersecurity and privacy.

imperative to consider the privacy of client information. As devices such as IP-enabled cameras become more common, they can potentially crush a client's sense of personal privacy and safety if an unauthorized person gains access. Privacy introduces another dimension to the security conversation.

We need to distinguish privacy from security, especially when it comes to applying our limited resources. For instance, there is value in educating clients on safer online behavior to keep them more secure and their information more private. Some of this is inherently the responsibility of the integrator. Still, much of it is optional, such as what personal information a client should share on social media.

The topics of cybersecurity When determining where and privacy are closely related to invest time and money, but very different. When integrators should remain determining where to invest time focused on their clients' and The Network and and money, integrators should Connected Devices remain focused on their clients' business' best interests.

The network is the core of and business' best interests. all connected systems, so it is Remember, anyone can iterate vital to think critically about network and expand offerings over time. best practices, we must consider the security. Client requirements on "Where do I start?" is a question expected lifetime of the device, how security, performance, and budget I've received many times in years of long the manufacturer plans to support dictate the appropriate firewalls, conversation around cybersecurity and firmware updates, and how quickly the routers, switches, and wireless privacy. My blog post at CEDIA.net device can be updated when a security products for a project. Once the proper entitled "Cybersecurity: Using NIST" flaw is exposed. network infrastructure is in place, introduces a process you can follow to Data and Privacy each component must be configured begin bringing stronger cybersecurity The devices installed on client appropriately and kept up to date. practices to your clients' systems. networks also generate and store data.

We are in a revolutionary moment Additionally, CEDIA is expanding its The data may contain proprietary in the Internet-of-Things (IoT) as education and options for accessing or sensitive information such as anything that can be connected is training through Tech Summits, usernames, passwords, or intellectual connected. The continued explosion Integrated Systems Europe, CEDIA property. Therefore, it is essential to in the number of connected devices Expo, and the CEDIA Academy. secure the information. Assuming we means it is increasingly important have taken the appropriate steps to to consider security when choosing, secure the generating and receiving installing, and servicing devices.

About the author devices, we must also take care to Many IoT devices are less secure than Mike Mansicalco is a longtime secure the data during transmission traditional IT devices because of a lack CEDIA instructor and volunteer and storage. For starters, we must of system resources, making them an who co-founded the remote ensure that the systems used to store easy target for cybercriminals. With monitoring firm Ihiji. the information remain secure. The data the swarm of connected devices in must also be appropriately encrypted the world, bad actors are specifically twitter.com/gtscalco using current standards. targeting these devices for ransomware @gtscalco For CEDIA integrators, it is attacks and botnet infection. It is important to note that even though the devices are often behind a firewall, once one is compromised, it can become a gateway to other devices on the internal network.

As our physical and connected worlds collide, cybersecurity becomes even more critical to protect people and property. For example, if a device such as a connected household appliance is compromised, it has the potential to cause physical property damage or even harm individuals. It is of growing importance to ensure the devices we are selling, installing, and supporting follow industry best practices regarding cybersecurity. As part of an integrator's

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I AM 22

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Eddie Shapiro SmartTouchUSA How long has your firm been in business?

Before Edison. Seriously, it's been over 35 years. Wow. And I'm only 35, so I don't know how that happened, but there you go.

Amazing! How did you get started?

I started in security. Do you remember the electronic silver tape that went on the windows? If you go around Baltimore city, you can still find that sensor-tape that I put up.

That eventually morphed into low-voltage systems. I had been doing security for a really small security company (one guy and me as his helper). I worked for him for about two years and even sold some systems for him. He was still getting the recurring revenue from those systems 15 years after I left.

One day I was showing a client a security alarm that I had worked on for a really long time. It was a difficult system and I was really proud of it — and he was absolutely ignoring me. His family was all watching the big-screen TV that some AV firm had just installed.

This was so long ago it was one of those rearprojection Mitsubishi models, and they were all ooh-ing and aah-ing over it. And I thought, “I am definitely doing the wrong stuff here.” So I expanded the business from security and low voltage to full AV.

What kind of work do you specialize in? I know you won a CEDIA Award last year for your work on a multipledwelling unit.

Our focus is absolutely high-end luxury residential. Anything over 10,000 square feet is typical.

That project you mentioned, though, was The Four Seasons at Baltimore harbor. An MDU with 55 units on top of the hotel. Great project born from a great opportunity.

Is there one part of business that really excites you?

Lighting and shading. Unless someone's installed a lighting control system really badly — which can happen — most of the time a lighting system is good and functional, right?

You’re giving somebody something that they can use every day, day in and day out. For example, every morning your shades raise, every night your shades lower and the lights come on. You're using it every day and it's got value. It's got function.

What’s your work space like — is there a showroom?

Our facility has a warehouse, areas for office work, programming, and engineering and an experience center. We have seven team members.

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The SmartTouchUSA experience center.

Four Seasons at Baltimore harbor, a project that won the 2019 CEDIA Award for Best Multiple Dwelling Units (Americas).

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The experience center is set up to not look like a “techie” place at all. It looks like a high-end residential living room. You can see the touch screens — we’re 98% Crestron; we do some Savant as well. We have some invisible speakers, we have some visible speakers, we have some big, bad boys: Meridian 7200-series speakers in this space. Of course, we have electronic shades, electronic draperies, lighting. It's just a nice warm, comfortable space.

Is there a guiding philosophy or a mission statement that defines SmartTouch?

Our mission is always customer support – that’s first and foremost. And if you have the right processes in place going in for installation and then service, one complements the other. And we are hard-focused on that more than ever right now.

So, since you've been at this for so many decades, do you have any advice for other integrators on how they communicate with interior designers, architects, the builders, the specifier community?

It’s simple: Don't come off like you know everything.

And do what you say you're going to do and do it efficiently and on time.

You do some volunteer work for CEDIA, right?

I do. I’m in the Discovery Working Group, I’m on the Tech Council, I and work on the R10 group, which is CTA and CEDIA working together to help establish standards.

How has that work benefitted you?

Volunteering means learning. And I get to hang out with the smartest kids in the classroom: Peter Aylett, Rich Green, Christiaan Beukes, Nathan Holmes, Walt Zerbe, Leslie Shiner, and the list goes on.

What's your favorite part of things like CEDIA Expo or ISE? We see you at every show and I get the sense that you have a real feeling of camaraderie with the other guys and women in this business.

I do. And a lot of that comes from the classes I attend.

You’re learning with your peers, you’re being taught by your peers — that’s a bonding experience.

Any final words of wisdom?

Learn, learn, and keep learning. Always be learning.

And that's what CEDIA does for you.

@SmartTouchUSA smarttouchusa.com

PROJECT PROFILE

ARCADIAN O

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Ed Wenck Content Director, CEDIA

ODYSSEY A

nkur Bhatt, founder and director of the Indian firm Sound Sense, knows exactly why he was handed an unlimited budget for this CEDIAaward-winning home cinema dubbed “Arcadian Odyssey.”

Trust.

“A client of this magnitude is always cautious of whom to hire,” says Bhatt, noting that the customer is one of the top ten most successful businessmen in his country. “Although we’re a smaller firm than most of the other interviewed contenders, we were not only allowed by the client to make structural changes to his new home, but were also provided with an unlimited budget solely based on the comfort factor that the client developed with us.”

Sound Sense’s reputation for top-notch, awardwinning work preceded them. “The client had their project management firm reach out to the top AV integrators across the country and prescreen them,” says Bhatt. After making the client’s shortlist, a series of interviews landed Sound Sense the job.

“His trust in us was absolute. Such trust is a privilege,” Bhatt further notes.

Sixteen Seats

BEST HOME CINEMA, LEVEL III, EMEA, 2019 BEST HOME CINEMA, GLOBAL, 2019 BEST DRESSED RACK, EMEA, 2019 BEST DOCUMENTATION, EMEA, 2019

“A large family and large circle of friends necessitated maximized seating,” says Bhatt — which meant reclining Cineak seating for no less than 16 people. A massive 234-inch diagonal fixed frame 2.35:1 VuTech X-Vision screen is powered by a Christie CP-4220 projector, and the Dolby Atmos 11.4.6 sound array is driven by Wisdom Audio Line Source speakers, a Wisdom Audio power amplifier, and a Trinnov Altitude 32 processor. “The room was audio calibrated per HAA standards and video calibrated per ISF and THX standards,” adds Bhatt. The content that’s most often displayed: Films from both Holly- and Bollywood. “The client views movies from across the globe, with an emphasis on private first-day, first-show screenings,” says Bhatt.

The challenge here? Unfortunately for his team, Bhatt and Sound Sense were brought in later than would’ve be optimum. “The home was a new construction,” Bhatt recalls. “However, by the time our firm was shortlisted by the client, the architectural drawings and building structure were in place. Hence changes that we proposed to handle the requirement for a separate projection room and rack room had to be made structurally, CEDIA COMMUNICATES

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An unlimited budget and a global win The cinema features seating for 16.

which required several back-and-forth discussions with the architect to get everyone on board.”

That they did: “We ensured that we were industry compliant in every regard and hence, due to proper planning, we did not have to make any compromises in the design.”

Award-winning Design

“As integrators, our topmost priority is to ensure that we push the boundaries of our creativity in terms of room set-ups for varying room sizes, budgets, timelines, and customer requirements while adhering to industry standards,” says Bhatt.

It’s why the Sound Sense team finds winning CEDIA Awards so incredibly gratifying.

“Our projects each year are submitted with the intention to be judged by industry experts and standard setters to achieve this goal,” he explains. “Any accolades along the way are an

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acknowledgment of our dedication to the field as well as a way to get our name on the map. We are always humbled by any nominations and/or awards that we receive and are thankful to the critical and time-consuming efforts of the panel of judges and the efforts of the entire CEDIA team.”

And the perfect combination of client trust, his desire for a room that matched his business stature, and a blank check made those awards possible.

“We had to make certain that we catered to all the client’s personal requirements, while ensuring that the design remained industry compliant, easy to use, futuristic, and offered a true escape from reality to be worth every rupee the client was willing to spend,” says Bhatt.

And the homeowner’s take on the finished product?

“The client is a man of few words, and for us, his speechless reaction said it all,” says Bhatt.

Sound Sense picked up a total of four awards for the project, including a nod to their tremendous work on the racks.

EQUIPMENT LIST Acton Apple Christie Cineak Kaleidescape Kordz Oppo Schneider Electric Tata Sky Trinnov Vutec Wisdom

Sound Sense soundsense.co.in CEDIA Member Since 2015

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PROJECT PROFILE

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UP ON THE ROOF

Audio Images proves any space can be an effective — and award-winning — media room

Ed Wenck Content Director, CEDIA

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udio Images had a client who wanted to turn his rooftop deck into an entertainment space.

The deck has an incredible view of a bay along the Southern California coastline, and the homeowner wanted to turn what had been a space dedicated to a lap pool into a place to watch sports and movies and listen to music.

This system features an outdoor-rated 84-inch TV on a motorized lift along with marine-rated speakers and subwoofers.

PMI’s Anthony Grimani tuned the whole 8.2 channel audio system with digital signal processing in order to make the sound perfect.

There’s also a 4.1 audio system in the bar and jacuzzi area along with a TV on a lift and swivel to allow for easy viewing. Both displays are part of a whole house audio/video distribution system.

There were, of course, challenges that came with installing a proper outdoor media-room space. Audio Images’ Mark Ontiveros says: “In order to provide adequate sight lines, the TV is raised up well above the roof line. It was put on a motorized lift so that it didn’t show from the street when not in use.

“Getting the TV and its lift mechanism onto the roof required a crane and lots of careful planning and preparation during the entire build process, while the client was living there.

“We put volume limiting into the sound system in order to preserve the neighborhood relations, given the teenagers’ (and sometimes, the adults’) propensity to turn up the volume.”

The client already has a CEDIA-award-winning media room in his basement, but now uses his deck almost exclusively.

This brilliant integration not only won its category in the Americas region, it was also honored as “the best of the best,” winning the 2019 Global CEDIA Award for Best Media Room.

EQUIPMENT LIST APC Audioquest Brightsign Cleerline Crestron Easy Adapters Furman Power ICRealtime ISO-MAX James Loudspeaker Leviton Liberty Marantz Middle Atlantic Muxlab NETGEAR Nexus 21 Ruckus Sandisk Seura Sonance Tributaries Xantech Zack Zigen

AUDIO IMAGES audioimages.tv CEDIA Member Since 1995

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CHALLENGE & SOLUTION

The Importance of

EMPLOYEE MORALE Tips to keep your people engaged and less-stressed during the pandemic

Ed Wenck Content Director, CEDIA

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S

ergio Gaitan (GME Electronics, Mexico) has a monthly barbecue with his staff.

“We’re still going to do it — but remotely for the time being. Video conference everyone, and encourage their families to be on the call,” he says.

It’s a new reality as the globe copes with a pandemic the likes of which the world hasn’t seen since 1918.

Integration firms everywhere have come to understand that in addition to the financial and safety challenges they’re suddenly facing, maintaining morale is critical, too — and video conferencing is a huge help. Pete Trauth of the LA firm Nirvana Home Entertainment is a believer: “The conference call encourages unity and camaraderie among team members, and the video aspect is key. When

During a Crisis

everyone is separated, you lose that personal connection. You may have a few people who are resistant at first — not everyone likes to see themselves on camera — but the ultimate benefits of video conferencing are tremendous on a personal level.

“Body language, gestures, facial expressions: Each of these things make up our unique characters in a conversation. Voice does this too, but voice is only one small element in a bigger picture,” says Trauth. “And Sergio’s notion of bringing families in is great. It really shows he cares about his employee’s loved ones.” It’s part of a formula that includes transparency from management and clear communications as to where the business is headed.

Mike Ranpura (Smart Life AV, London) had already committed to a daily meetup before the virus hit. “Now with everyone’s daily lives upended, it’s important that I continue these

Pets invading the video shot are not an annoyance.

via videoconferencing,” he says. “The routine’s important, and I can check in with my team and we can all update each other.”

Marilyn Sanford (now of the Canadian labor-sharing firm LincEdge), who’s run multiple integration firms in the past, says, “One thing that changed my first company was the daily huddle.

It was hard for some of my people — the technicians were a bit resistant, as they wanted to go out and get cracking — but our culture warmed to it. And once that happened, the results were brilliant.” Sanford notes that the freeflowing exchange of ideas, strategies, and solutions that can come out of these sessions are best fostered when the huddle opens with positive vibes.

Trauth agrees: “When we first started the work-from-home routine our regular meetings opened with ‘What’s the breaking news?’ and that can be negative. If you bring some positive news to the table right out of the gate, it sets a much better tone for the meeting.”

“And when you’ve got to start every meeting with the positive stuff, that puts pressure on you as leader,” notes Sanford. “It really teaches you how to bring the goods.”

Trauth knows that remote workers have constant distractions in situations like this (especially when kids and life partners are home with employees), so these check-ins help keep the team on track. “You’ve got to keep your people engaged during times of turbulent customer demand.”

Sanford is keenly aware of this, and she adds, “I’m sure everyone is looking to adjust or modify their business model to roll with the punches, maybe shifting focus to more network and security solutions. Just imagine how your employees feel: They have a basket of worries from the pandemic, and now you’re trying to readjust your business while they’re nervous or upset.”

Trauth has ideas for stress-relief: “Virtual yoga and exercise studios are popping up everywhere. And I can’t understate that it’s important to have a little fun. Teleconference a happy hour with your people? It’s great.” Trauth notes that these suggestions were shared with him by Juliet Prater, owner of Modern Life Technical Solutions in Marina Del Rey. And while it may not fit into every corporate culture, folks like Trauth, Gaitan, Sanford, and Ranpura agree on this: Pets invading the video shot are not an annoyance.

“I love to see everyone’s dogs and cats,” Trauth says with a chuckle.

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HR in the Time Integrators have new challenges, from setting boundaries for remote workers to keeping clients — and technicians — as safe as possible

Ed Wenck Content Director, CEDIA

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Courtney Berg has a word of advice for bosses who suddenly find themselves with some number of their employees working from home: “Don’t micromanage.”

Berg, who runs the firm Courtside Consulting — and has been a regular CEDIA instructor for years — explains that, “When managers who are not used to having remote workers suddenly have remote workers, they start thinking, ‘How do I know they're not doing the laundry?

Or out in the backyard with their dog?’”

Berg says that instead of marking hours, employers should be setting expectations based on “the big results that they want. And managers need to be especially flexible regarding their employees’

specific situations. We have spouses that are home together that are trying to do their jobs and take care of the kids. How can we support them? Is it flexible work hours? If so, that's where you really need to drill down into the results side of it.

“Ask yourself and the employee: What are the four or five things that we have to get done this week? And then meet with them on the following Monday, and check that progress.”

Adjusting the Home Office

Still, Berg is a big believer in boundary-setting, flexible hours or not. “One of the most important things for people who are transitioning from working in an office to working at home is a schedule, a routine,” says Berg. “Set something up where you say, okay, every morning I get up at this time. Have office hours at home. Let your family know: these are my office hours. This is when I have to work and I get a break for lunch at this particular time. I'm happy to catch up with you if there's an emergency, just like you would call me at work.”

And employers can help with the physical space to make those office hours as productive as they can be. Does the worker need a more robust home network? Better cybersecurity measures? Even a more ergonomic chair?

of a Pandemic “All of these things can be negotiated, but office equipment is still office equipment — don’t forget that,” says Berg. “If it’s a temporary situation, that property will need to come back to the business, and you need to make that clear to the employee.”

The New “Normal”

As some regions begin to “open up” with a pandemic still factoring into the equation, the business of business — for someone returning to an office or a technician in the field — comes with a new set of considerations from socially-distanced desks to clearly marked paths: “Think about employers putting tape on the office floors to show the one-way traffic that's going around so people aren't closer together. Will you need mask protocols?”

“Should we bring masks for our clients so that we can have them wear a mask while we're there?”

Moreover, says Berg, “The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has now come out with guidelines saying you can take your employees temperatures before they come in, but you've got to maintain separate medical files if you're doing that — because you can't keep that in a personnel file.”

For your technicians pulling cable and your designers and engineers on-site, there’s another universe of planning that needs to be undertaken. First, says Berg, “You've got to be thinking about creating the plans that are going to work for you to go into somebody's home.”

That’s not just about keeping your clients safe — it’s a two-way street, after all. “What kind of screening do we need to do to find out if that customer has had or does have COVID-19? And what kind of questions can we ask? And what precautions should we ask of them?” asks Berg.

“Should we bring masks for our clients so that we can have them wear a mask while we're there? And how do you broach that subject when you’re setting up that appointment? In the end, it’s all about sensitivity — and empathy, for both your workers and your clients.”

COURTNEY BERG, COURTSIDE CONSULTING

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David Meyer Director of Technical Research, CEDIA

Despite the pandemic, developments in a variety of fields continue unabated

Standards Update: Metadata and Structured Cabling

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T

he standards world never sits still, even during major disruptions.

The development and review of standards is typically done by expert working groups calling in to meetings from locations around the globe, so working remotely is already inherent to this process.

Of the dozens of fields of work that are ongoing, we’re continuing to track developments in infrastructure cabling standards, and also feel it’s important to shed some light on the mysteries and importance of metadata.

Metadata

Structured Cabling

“Meta” means something that is referring to itself.

Metadata can therefore be described as “data about data.” In the context of digital AV, metadata is the labeling and instruction sheet that lets a receiving device know what the AV data is and what to do with it.

In 2018, the Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) 570-D standard nominated Cat 6A as the minimum twisted pair cable grade to use in residential infrastructure cabling. This was a huge deal as the TIA is the very organization that specifies category cabling (except Cat 7/7A), and TIA-570-D effectively declared Cat 5e and Cat 6 as redundant.

Due to its offset in the standards review timeline, the equivalent commercial standard had yet to catch up to

A good example in video is the metadata used to describe HDR, including the HDR type, and the color and tone mapping profile that a display can then apply for optimal presentation.

Standards for HDR are based primarily on SMPTE ST 2084 for static metadata, and ST 2094 for dynamic, the Regardless of the application, if latter being able to change metadata does not arrive intact, frame-by-frame. HDMI things won’t work as they should.

2.0a and HDMI 2.1 then defined how to transport each of these respectively from source to display.

There are a few fascinating developments on the audio side of things. Audio metadata in HDMI carries info such as the type and reference standard for the audio format, and if it is multi-channel PCM, and whether it’s based on IEC, ITU, SMPTE, or CTA speaker layouts. But object-based audio cannot even exist without metadata. Everything about each object resides in metadata, including description, position, gain, correlation, and snap tolerance, among others.

The cinematic standard for this is SMPTE ST 2098-1.

Another fascinating field is the proposed use of metadata to optimize audio depending on the listener’s environment. For example, imagine how different an audio track will sound in a quiet versus a noisy room. Locally processing to change the loudness and dynamic range can introduce unwanted artifacts, but metadata could manage the sound to maintain the quality and optimize the experience.

Regardless of the application, if metadata does not arrive intact, things won’t work as they should.

Metadata can be likened to a good control system: Even the best AV system is useless to its user if they don’t know how to turn it on and use it.

that of residential, but that’s now changed. The TIA568.1-E Commercial Building Telecommunications Cabling standard was released in March 2020.

As expected, this specifies the use of 2x Cat 6A cabling as the minimum grade to be deployed for wired networking and wireless access points.

This means that now all sectors of the market have superseded Cat 5e and Cat 6 cables. The use of Cat 6A or higher is recommended for all types of installations.

CEB Recommended Practices Update The CEB28 HDMI System Design and Verification is nearing completion, and it’s been a big effort from the CEDIA/CTA R10 Working Group. But once complete there will be no rest as we launch straight into the revision of CEB23 Video Design, to complement the ongoing review of CEB22 Audio Design that is also progressing well.

We thank all contributors for their ongoing support with these efforts. Anyone interested in contributing should contact the CEDIA Technology and Standards department at standards@cedia.org.

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Telehealth is Taking Off The pandemic is speeding the growth of virtual visits with healthcare professionals

Ian Bryant Vice President of Technology Application and Workforce Initiatives, CEDIA

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The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way we live, causing disruptions and challenges. One technology that has been affected in a positive way, though, is telehealth (a term that’s broader than “telemedicine”). The ability to meet with a doctor or specialist virtually is not new, but the push to make it readily available, secure, and easy to use went into high gear in March when non-emergency, in-person appointments were not happening. Through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, the FCC is working to promote extensive telehealth

offerings in its three-wave rollout.

Since April 16, the FCC has approved 17 applications funneling $9.5 million into healthcare providers to cover costs for internet-connected monitoring devices, broadband connectivity, and telecommunication devices.

The Definition of Telehealth

What do we mean by telehealth? If someone needs to see a doctor or nurse practitioner for something that doesn’t require large specialized equipment, they can do this virtually over phone or computer. For instance, if someone was on blood pressure medicine and needed a semi-annual checkup with their primary care physician, it isn’t necessary to go into the office if they have been keeping track and can report their blood pressure readings: They can simply call or conference their doctor to discuss any new symptoms, blood pressures, and general health. Or, a

Telehealth isn't going to change the world all by itself, but it is going to be a big help for those living/aging in place.

patient with poison ivy or a skin rash could conference with a dermatologist who can look at the affected area via a camera and can diagnose and prescribe without having to see them in person.

It is faster and much easier especially when trying to maintain social distance and stay home.

For those with more complicated situations, the new world of wearable tech will help immeasurably. Sensors that can track real time heart rates, EKG, blood pressure, blood sugar, urine, and others connect directly to a smart phone or hub that transmits data to the cloud and then to the doctor's patient care system. The doctor will have the stats in front of them before the patient gets on the call and will be ready to start a conversation about how well they’re doing — or what steps to take to improve. The power of real-time health monitoring and the doctor’s remote access to it provides fast and easy patient care. As telehealth and real time monitoring continue to become more prevalent, it will allow for another level of preventative care with at-risk patients.

Although some practices still stress the importance of face-to-face patient care, most will more than likely have virtual options in the near future.

There are full telehealth platforms on the market such as Doxy.me, eVisit and SimpleVisit that offer a variety of pricing levels to access their docs

for consultation. When choosing a service, it’s wise to do proper due diligence just as you would when looking for a primary care physician.

What about privacy?

HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) privacy regulations require health care providers and organizations, as well as their business associates, to develop and follow procedures that ensure the confidentiality of protected health information when it is transferred, received, handled, or shared. This applies to all forms of protected health informaton including written, oral, electronic transmissions, and so on. Any telehealth apps or software used must abide by HIPAA policies and procedures. On top of HIPAA, patients and users of these platforms will need to be educated regarding the use of strong passwords and secure home networks to protect their data further.

Telehealth isn't going to change the world all by itself, but it is going to be a big help for those living/aging in place. Wearables, sensors, and connected devices inside an integrated home with robust and up-to-date wired and wireless infrastructure will allow for the next level of home healthcare. Integrators will be there to make it all safe, secure, and reliable for the homeowner.

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Ed Wenck Content Director, CEDIA

A chat with Joel Silver on the importance of video calibration

THE CEDIA PODCAST:

Calibration is Key

E

arlier this year Joel Silver — the founder of the Imaging Science Foundation (ISF) and the 2018 CEDIA Lifetime Award recipient — came to CEDIA headquarters in Indianapolis to give three staffers one-on-one calibration instruction. Steven Rissi (Director of Technical Training), Chaz deVerdier (Technical Trainer), and Walt Zerbe (Senior Director of Technology and Standards) all attended the three-day session, from lecture to hands-on work. The reasoning: CEDIA staffers — especially in these departments — need all the info they can get on a subject such as video calibration.

This is how curricula are built.

Silver followed up his visit with an appearance on the CEDIA Podcast to respond to a question that took an hour to answer (and

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could’ve taken vastly longer): Why calibrate? Why is this important?

“Well, it's probably my favorite question, and I've been asked it for 20 plus years,” says Silver. “And the short answer is: It's just what we do.

People trust us with their homes.

We're supposed to know what we're doing with electronics. They trust their doctors and lawyers and car mechanics to have the equipment and training to run things properly.”

Silver notes that he saw a “Eureka” moment in the faces of Rissi, deVerdier, and Zerbe, a moment when they realized the impact on the image they’d had after following Silver’s process — on a TV that retails for less than $1,000. “It’s a lot of work on a set like that, compared to, says, a $5,000 display. But even with a less-advanced screen, you can give your clients a terrific experience.”

Want to hear the whole episode? Find “The CEDIA Podcast: Video Calibration” here

Calibration Goes Mainstream

Silver knows the questions he needs to ask when he’s working with a client to get the best results out of any TV: “Tell me where you watch.

Tell me what the lighting is like when you watch. Tell me what time of day you watch. Tell me what you watch — movies, sports, concerts? — and your TV has all the adjustments necessary to make good pictures.”

Zerbe, who’s logged decades in the custom business in many parts of the industry, from manufacturing to installation, backs up Silver’s premise. “It's not just about slapping a panel up on a wall for someone and getting a nice mount. It's about how the display performs as well.”

Fortunately, though, the message Silver has been preaching for years has been adopted by TV makers across the globe. “What's happened now with the advent of calibration going mainstream with major retailers and over 7,000 people globally doing it, manufacturers have really come through because this is a very competitive business. The sets I'm working on are state-of-the-art, reference-quality sets. And we work with menu management, writing the menus for the adjustments, checking functionality of the adjustments.”

There’s a trickle-down effect at work here, notes Silver. “The software that's written for high-end TVs is usually very close to what goes into the basic TV,” says Silver. “So, if you learn the $7,000 television from a foreign manufacturer, don't be surprised that the $700 TV has almost the same adjustments.”

Joel Silver instructing CEDIA staffers in the science of video calibration (before the pandemic hit).

“Right now, of paramount interest is power — high dynamic range” JOEL SILVER

But There’s a Big Difference

Zerbe asks the obvious question.

“So why recommend a more expensive TV to your clients?”

“Right now, of paramount interest is power — high dynamic range,” says Silver. “We measure light in units that are nicknamed nits. It's the slang term for candela per meter square. Back in the old cathode-ray tube era, we were lucky to see a set put out roughly a hundred nits on a good day.” Now, though, we’ve got pricier sets with high powered LEDs that are approaching 2000 nits.

What’s that mean? “I can open the blinds, I can have a room with a really beautiful view of the ocean or the mountains, have some light coming into the room, and have a set compete with that light successfully by getting close to 2000 nits,” says Silver. “It makes HDR look fantastic.”

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The coursework that trains CEDIA members how to teach designers, architects and builders what integrators do has gotten an update

THE NEW CEDIA OUTREACH INSTRUCTOR (COI)TRAINING COURSE Ed Wenck Content Director, CEDIA

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G

As Ventura notes during the in-person coursework, only one in 100 people feel completely comfortable speaking in front of a large group.

Samantha Ventura

S

amantha Ventura knows that a videoconference isn’t the ideal way to interact with students looking to become CEDIA Outreach Instructors (COI), but disruptions like global pandemics demand adjustments. Ventura — CEDIA’s vice-president of education and training — has just been through the new COI Training Course (an update to what had been formerly known as the “Train the Trainer” sessions) with a dozen participants. The COI hopefuls hail from across the U.S. for this class, from Arizona to Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and their motives are similar: networking with architects, builders, and designers, building credibility as local tech subject matter experts, and, most importantly, getting the word out about just what CEDIA-member firms do when it comes to providing the experience of the friction-less connected home.

Still, that Zoom-style meetup did the trick, given the circumstances. “While there is never a true replacement for in-person, engaged learning, the virtual experience came pretty darn close,” says Ventura.

Why the Update?

“The original coursework for the Train the Trainer class was fantastic,” says Ventura.

“But, as with all curriculum, it must evolve to meet the needs of a changing group of learners.” To that end, Ventura and her team first created a “hybrid” version of the class, so that a portion of the work could be taken online, which meant a smaller inperson time investment for the students.

There was also a critical aspect of the program that needed to be addressed; namely, reducing the fear of public speaking. As Ventura notes during the in-person coursework, only one in 100 people feel completely comfortable speaking in front of a large group. “I added more learning experiences that would allow for a person to begin to feel more at ease speaking and presenting in general,” she says.

There are tips on relating to the various types of learners: visual, auditory, note-takers, and hands-on, kinesthetic students; and there are keys to understanding how adults learn in ways that differ from children.

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The Cohort as Support Group

Of course, what’s most important after a COI completes the coursework is follow-through.

Instructors who book regular brunchand-learns for designers, builders, and architects are the ones who find the greatest success, and seed the ground for future leads. That’s why Ventura stresses to the group attending together — the “cohort,” as she calls them — the need to support and hold one another accountable to that end.

“Accountability itself is huge, and not just for this class,” she says. “When you have others looking to you to complete something or support them with something, there is a true sense of camaraderie and a ‘we can do it!’ attitude. Sometimes working on something by yourself, it becomes a bit easier for selfdoubt to slip in, especially when it comes to speaking in front of a group or getting outside your comfort zone in general.” That inherent pressure ensures that a COI keeps booking those sessions with specifiers.

Additionally, the new coursework has been tailored to meet the needs of different learners across the globe. “Right now, the hybrid version (half online and half in-person) is being delivered in the U.S. and Australia,” Ventura explains.

“In the UK, this class is still offered as an in-person experience, as it works for that particular area quite well.”

The success stories that CEDIA Outreach Instructors tell are a testament to the program’s longevity. Luis Cortes (Echo Workshop, Houston, Texas) raves about the program. “It’s opened up our ability to engage with new designers and architects in showing them that we are a knowledgeable partner within our industry.” “Not only do we get leads from our COI work, we get better ones — clients who appreciate our abilities and are a pleasure to work with,” adds Owen Maddock (Cinemaworks, UK).

And, according to Ventura, the ultimate benefits of the COI initiative go well beyond potential lead-generation. “This program supports relationship-building that strengthens your business, but it also strengthens your own awareness and ability to connect with people in all aspects of your life. This is what makes this program — and this class — so special.”

What COI Training Course Attendees say:

The COI class was an incredible experience!

While it would have been great to meet all of these wonderful integrators in person, the education Samantha provided virtually was absolutely perfect! She efficiently and thoroughly explained the importance of HOW to teach anything, especially in regard to topics that might be challenging to a particular audience that may not be familiar with technology that we work with every day. I highly recommend other integration firms sign up for this class immediately!

Kristopher Quaale Design and Sales

UPCOMING COI TRAINING COURSES

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integratedlifestylesinc.com

What’s most important after a COI completes the coursework is follow-through.

I found the CEDIA virtual COI class to be very informative and collaborative.

Samantha led the class so well and I was impressed at how prepared everyone was for this class. The collaboration worked and it was interesting that several people said it was surprisingly more difficult to present virtually than live. We have had several virtual follow-up meetings since the initial class and there is no doubt that we are excited to move forward to represent CEDIA and our industry.

CEDIA showed its commitment to its members by offering the COI certification program online at a time when in-person training was not possible. Outreach efforts to the design build community will no doubt be an invaluable part of our business. Through CEDIA and the COI program, we will raise the level of professionalism in our own organization, and contribute to the industry as a whole.

Structured outreach to architects, designers and builders is the next logical step for us to grow our business. Our advantage as CEDIA members is to benefit from all of the experience of those who have gone before us. CEDIA has provided me an opportunity to tap into that experience pool through the CEDIA Outreach Instructor (COI) certification. I attended the first online COI class during the initial weeks of the COVID-19 crisis. I expect to use the information from this class to start raising our own profile amongst the designers and builders in our own community.

Jeff Rodgers

John Estep

David Ebaugh

Sales Engineer

Lex Home Tech

CyberNet Solutions

one-touchautomation.com

lexhometech.com

go-cybernet.com

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A BETTER APPROACH TO TRAINING YOUR WORKFORCE

THE CEDIA ACADEMY'S HOLISTIC EDUCATION

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The philosophy behind CEDIA’s new approach to education, and the coursework built into the new CEDIA Academy

D

uring my 20-year career in the technology integration industry, I have observed that most companies tend to take a very utilitarian approach to training new staff members.

Utilitarianism is basically a philosophical framework that emphasizes the immediate benefit, advantage, or pleasure that an object or action can provide. Many training programs are built with the idea that if there is some area of knowledge that cannot be proven to have a direct and immediate benefit or specific application to completing a required task, it therefore has no value. On the surface, this seems to be a reasonable approach that removes the unnecessary and improves efficiency. Unfortunately, in my experience, when this philosophy is at the core of training and development, it does not prepare technicians, or staff in general, for long-term success.

Building the Foundation

Applying utilitarianism as a starting point almost always skips over essential and foundational principles that may not be strictly “necessary” for a technician to connect cable A to slot B. However, knowledge of the underlying principles that dictate how a certain type of signal travels over cable A and why that signal needs to be received with a particular voltage at slot B, becomes invaluable when that same technician needs to troubleshoot problems with signal quality.

Here’s an example: I’ve been asked why I still teach students about CRT displays. Why teach an essentially outdated technology? Current technologies are all still based on the fundamental principles of video signaling that were built around how CRT displays worked. By explaining CRTs, it gives context and meaning to later learning opportunities. Specifically, when educating learners on the functionality of scan lines, it is placed in the context of how an electron beam would excite

Steve Rissi CEDIA Director of Technical Training

the phosphors on the display one line at a time to make an image. This holistic approach supports a learning experience where the idea of scan lines can be much better understood, and the entire video system makes more sense. As the learning continues, this foundational knowledge can later be applied to HDMI functionality and advanced system verification and troubleshooting.

The Learning Gap

Another offshoot of the utilitarian attitude is that it tends to promote a somewhat minimalistic viewpoint regarding the educational process as a whole. It supports the notion that it is fine to achieve only the minimum amount of knowledge to obtain an immediate benefit. The outcome is commonly a decision, veiled in a false sense of efficiency, that the necessary knowledge can be obtained by watching another technician. Subsequently, much of the training process ends up delegated to other technicians.

This can create multiple issues.

First, the new technician will learn whatever habits, good or bad, they see performed by their partner. Second, while able to perform the tasks they observe, they aren’t challenged to understand why they are doing what they are doing and therefore cannot properly evaluate systems or apply knowledge to synthesize solutions to malfunctions. Third, there becomes a clear limit to the ability to learn, because most techs will only ever be as good as the person in the van next to them.

The biggest issue, though, is the example this sets within the company culture. If a technician observes that their supervisors are only willing to invest the minimum required in his development, eventually they

Learners can find their coursework quickly and easily via the new CEDIA Academy at CEDIA.net.

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PATHWAYS: Routes to CEDIA Certification Cabling and Infrastructure Technician Pathway 7 courses This educational pathway supports new technicians entering the systems integration industry. The content covered in this pathway has a strong focus on providing the foundational knowledge necessary to begin working as a technician installing cabling and infrastructure to support integrated communications and entertainment systems. The knowledge domains covered in the pathway include audio, video, wire and cabling, termination and testing, construction methods and materials, project processes, equipment installation, retrofit installation techniques, as well as safety practices and applicable building codes and standards.

Integrated Systems Technician Pathway 6 courses This educational pathway supports cabling and infrastructure technicians to take the next step in their professional development. With a focus on specific applications for technology installation and configuration, the content in this pathway provides the foundational knowledge to begin working as an Integrated Systems Technician with minimal supervision. Knowledge domains covered in this pathway include IT networking, distributed audio systems, lighting, motorization, energy management, systems programming and control, home cinema and systems commissioning for project completion.

New Hire Essentials Package 13 courses This educational pathway is designed to guide learners through the foundational knowledge required for long-term success as a technology integration technician. The New Hire Essentials Package includes all online courses from the Cabling and Infrastructure Technician Pathway and the Integrated Systems Technician Pathway.

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will most likely learn to provide only the minimum work required to keep receiving a paycheck. The best technicians are always the ones that are passionate about the industry and the technology. Those who love what they do are the same ones who are willing to go the extra mile and provide the attention to detail to do the job with top notch precision and results. For these reasons, minimalism is toxic to longterm productivity, project efficiency, and business growth and sustainability. (As a quick point of clarity, this is not at all to diminish the need for on-the-job training. OJT is an invaluable component to education, especially in a skilled trade requiring hands-on work, but in most cases, it simply cannot provide a complete education for the learner.)

In contrast to minimalism, which only looks to the very next step, a holistic model views the success of an educational plan with the long-term goal in mind.

SPECIAL INTEREST COURSES A sampling of new offerings — check back often as new courses are being added all the time.

ISF Level One ISF Level 1 - Online covers the fundamentals of Color Science, Display Standards, and detailed tutorials on the ISF CalMAN Workflow Calibration software. Through 11 self-taught modules, learners will be prepared to become an ISF calibrator. This online course serves as the CEDIA/ISF prerequisite to attend the hands-on ISF Level 2 and Level 3 certification training.

AV-over-IP As technology rapidly evolves, the ability to deliver quality audio and video signals via IP has become more and more reliable, providing better and better experiences for clients. In this AV-over-IP course, you'll learn about the exciting new ways to distribute and deliver content throughout the modern home using these techniques.

Cybersecurity for Integrators

The CEDIA Academy

With that backdrop in mind, CEDIA has completely redeveloped our educational programs with a holistic approach at the core of the new learning model. All the courses offered through the new CEDIA Academy have been built from the ground up by subject matter experts with extensive industry experience. These courses include both the foundational knowledge, as well as real world recommendations and examples to aid in getting technicians up-to-speed quickly and boosting confidence on the jobsite. This comprehensive education has been built in parallel with the upcoming improvements to our certification program and offers learning pathways that will not only provide for effective exam preparation, but also success in the field. The holistic philosophy that undergirds the new CEDIA Academy will provide learners not only with what they need to do the job today, but also a comprehensive education built upon the foundational principles necessary to promote further learning and ongoing success in their career.

As more devices become networkenabled, the need to secure these devices becomes ever more important as the implications and scope of security incidents become greater.

This course provides an introduction to cybersecurity, discusses the various threats to clients and business systems security, identifies key areas to improve current security, and offers a basic knowledge of the NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology) framework for cybersecurity.

Click here to visit the new CEDIA Academy CEDIA COMMUNICATES

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THE LAST 5% WISDOM FROM OUR MEMBERS (AND SOME OTHERS, TOO) “The toughest part of a job? Sometimes it’s the last 5%.” – Anon.

I think we’re about to have a fundamental debate about broadband – Is it private?

Private with subsidization? Or is it a mandatory service?

Ball State Professor Michael Hicks, PhD, on how the pandemic will impact connectivity in the U.S. from the CEDIA Podcast “Broad Economic Trends”

Now’s the time to say “What is our process for figuring out if we’re making money or losing money? What is our process for figuring out what part of our business generates the most revenue?” One of the benchmarking numbers we look at all the time is revenue-per employee – I like that number, because even if your books are a mess, hopefully you know what you sold last year and how many employees you have.

Leslie Shiner (The Shiner Group) on analyzing your books during a downturn from the CEDIA Podcast “Adjusting Your Business Model”

I looked back at CEDIA’s research and reports from last year and the year before. There were trends there: more robust networking, cybersecurity, and so on, that haven’t changed at all. The only change?

Those trends are accelerating.

Wim de Vos (Genesis Home Technologies) on COVID-19 impacts from the CEDIA.net post “After the Lockdowns”

By 2021, we will be the leading standards organization within our industry.

Dennis Erskine (the Erskine Group), former CEDIA Board Chairman and present chairman of the Certification Commission from the CEDIA Podcast “Certification and Legal Update”

You are not alone. You are part of a worldwide industry association that, through the years, has created a special bond that uniquely connects our members. Together, we will overcome this crisis.

CEDIA CEO and Global President Tabatha O’Connor in the video announcing the rollout of the CEDIASTRONG inititaive

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SEEING i TO i When it comes to home technology, it’s not enough to see the future. Installers and integrators—it’s your job to see how people fit into that future. Of course, we’re not here to tell you how to do your job. As the largest network of Home Technology professionals, we’re here to help you do your job better.

Learn more at CEDIA.NET/MEMBERSHIP

EMBRACE THE HUMAN NETWORK.

CEDIA Member Alec Haight Kansas City, KS Pioneer Music CEDIA COMMUNICATES

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DESIGN AT THE SPEED OF THOUGHT.

Every project begins with an idea. With The CEDIA Designer, transform your media room and home theater projects from idea to rendering in a matter of minutes.

Developed by renowned designer Guy Singleton, The CEDIA Designer begins with your specifications, and then perfectly calculates every inch of your design, including the top technology brands for seamless integration.

3D CAD model, complete scale rendering, full documentation, technically perfect math—weeks of design work finished as soon as you can imagine it.

Visit TheCEDIADesigner.org for more information.