QUARTER 3 2021
LIVE AND ON DEMAND AUDIO STANDARD UPDATE EXPO KEYNOTE POPPY CRUM THE FUTURE OF INTEGRATION
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CONTENTS
AM CEDIA: 6 ISandy Howard
Crum 14 Poppy Meet the Keynote Speaker for Expo 2021
A Q&A with the brains behind AVD Australia
Update 22 Standards Discover three upcoming revisions
of Integration 40 Future How big tech is affecting our industry
KA Theater 10 The A look at the CEDIA 2020 Global winner
Development 48 Workforce How we're creating a global talent pipeline
for Best Home Cinema
CEDIA Certified 26 Get An update from the Certification department
Me Not 52 Forget See Together For Cinemas' latest charity project
Location, Location Videoconferencing Basics 36 Location, 54 What to know if you’re building a showroom Understanding the platforms and pitfalls CEDIA COMMUNICATES
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LIVE AND IN-PERSON A NOTE FROM CEDIA’S INTERIM CO-CEOS As September approaches, we’re all excited to see the return of events for our industry. In the US, we have CEDIA Expo which will for many bring back the excitement of seeing old friends, interacting with exhibitors and new products, experiencing speakers, and all the rest of Expo in person at the Indiana Convention Center. We recognise that international travel is still very challenging for many in our industry. During the pandemic we learned, as an association, how to most effectively present virtual courses. As a result, online offerings remain a part of this year’s Expo for learners around the globe.
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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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.
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In the UK, we’re delighted to bring back another much missed inperson event for the industry, the CEDIA Tech Summit. In the first of three CEDIA Tech Summits that are due to take place this year, this event will be held at the Business Design Centre in London on Wednesday 8th September and will feature product displays, four presentations, networking opportunities, and a post event reception hosted by Samsung. More information is in this issue. In the meantime, CEDIA’s other work continues. One partnership we’re especially excited about: PowerHouse Alliance members will offer CEDIA’s industry-leading training in their 55-plus locations across the United States. This initiative will be fully implemented by the end of 2021. It’s the first of many opportunities that we’re exploring to make in-person training more accessible across the globe. We’re offering a full Autumn programme of CEDIA Education in-person at our EMEA Training Centre, near Cambridge and also approaching wrapping up all the work on the second of our two new CEDIA Certifications, the Integrated Systems Technician certification, or IST. This joins our Cabling and Infrastructure Technician (CIT) certification (a prerequisite to the IST) as an update that best reflects the current role and duties of the technology integrator. We’re excited to tell you more about all our ongoing initiatives throughout this issue, and can’t wait to get back to engaging with our members live and in-person as events return around the world. All our best,
Kory Dickerson Giles Sutton CEDIA Interim Co-CEOs
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NEWS IN BRIEF Registration Opens for CEDIA London Tech Summit The first of three CEDIA Tech Summits that are due to take place this year, is set to be held at the Business Design Centre in London on Wednesday 8th September and registration is now open. This free to attend event will feature product displays, four presentations, networking opportunities, and a post event reception hosted by Samsung. The four educational sessions will run as follows: • OneAV: The Future of Communication and Smart Infrastructure • L-Acoustics: The Theory and Application for Multichannel Audio Designs • Blustream: The Evolution of Technology in Video Distribution • AWE: Home Cinema Projector Technologies Interest from CEDIA Trade Supplier members to exhibit at this face-to-face event has been extremely positive, with 40 sponsors
signing up to give attendees a full show floor experience. The list of sponsors include: Alltrade, Amina, Anatech Distribution, AWE, Bang & Olufsen, Blustream, Cinema Build Systems, Control4, Crestron, Distributed by Meridian, Event Series Cables, Faradite, Fine Sounds, Future Automation, Gallo Acoustics, Gecko Home Cinema, Genesis Technologies, Habitech, Hisense, IMP, Indigo Distribution, Invision, K-Array, KEF, Kordz, L-Acoustics, LG, Lightwave RF, Linn, Lithe Audio, Lutron, Mayflex, Monitor Audio, OneAV, Outsourced Audio Visual, Penn Elcom, PMC, Pulse Cinemas, Samsung, and Skills4Stem. Attendees will be able to conclude the Tech Summit with a networking event, courtesy of Samsung, who will be hosting a reception from 17:00 at the Samsung KX experience space in Coal Drops Yard, London. cedia.net/tech-summits
The CEDIA Designer: Enhanced Features from Your Feedback
The team behind The CEDIA Designer has delivered big advancements within the home cinema and media room design and planning software. Now, the free-to-CEDIA-members Media Room Level can also access 3D renderings. Additionally, all 3D renderings and CAD drawings created in the timesaving, technically accurate tool now include in-room speakers, drop-down screens, and projectors. TCD is the first design software built by home cinema and media room designers for home cinema and media room designers, allowing integrators to create detailed plans for a dedicated cinema or media room in minutes, not days. New manufacturing partners are being added regularly to the TCD line-up, allowing users to save time and money while showing off the capabilities, look, and feel of projects of all sizes and budgets. TheCEDIADesigner.org
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CEDIA Takes Pulse of Industry with Fresh Market Sizing Study The “Integrated Home Market Analysis 2021” survey, powered by CEDIA, is currently underway and will provide data points for a report released later this year that sheds light on all aspects of the home technology industry and the top trends on the horizon that could impact your business. This year’s edition of the survey is more streamlined than ever, focussing on gathering information related to the topics most relevant to the industry and associated trades, including the market size in volume and value, industry workforce figures, growth metrics per category, and trends focussing on where the industry is heading. Individuals who offer their expertise will receive access to the full report upon its completion. This report and all previous size and scope reports are free for all CEDIA members. As an added bonus for providing insight, participants will be entered into a drawing to receive entry into a drawing offering many prizes. cedia.net/market-sizing
Jeroen Pit Huis Progresses
In February 2019, ISE announced it would be supporting the Jeroen Pit House as part of its legacy in Amsterdam – ISE’s host city for the past 15 years. Jeroen Pit House, within the grounds of the Emma Children’s Hospital, will make the difficult transition from hospital to home easier, safer and steadier for chronically ill children and their families. The scope has grown: technology will be installed throughout the eight ‘apartments’, a dedicated cinema and presentation space, communal area as well as the initially scoped media room. Preparations have been underway for over three years with the building now scheduled for completion in spring 2022. CEDIA member Jan Martens from Woelf in Belgium, along with AVEX (a commercial integrator) in the Netherlands, have been working with the project team to design and prepare for a system installation that reflects the unique needs of Jeroen Pit House. The project is well underway with the foundations in place & the walls of the apartments being built. https://hetjeroenpithuis.nl/ Thank you to the following CEDIA companies that have committed support so far: Audinate; Crestron; Harman; Middle Atlantic; Monitor Audio; SnapOne; Sony
New CEDIA White Paper Touches on Timely Topic CEDIA’s Technology and Standards team has compiled a white paper of particular relevance to integrators as more residential clients see the need for robust, reliable IT infrastructure at home. “Time-Aware Networking” comprehensively details uses and scope of the ever-evolving technology. It also provides insight into system design and implementation requirements. The key mission is to help integrators better understand what it takes to achieve predictable and reliable performance. The white paper, available for free to CEDIA members, explores real-time, real-world applications like audio/ visual media streaming and automation systems and even touches on systems such as aeronautic and self-driving car technology. “Time-Aware Networking” details a key, in-demand component that pieces on standards for wired ethernet and wireless networking don’t always emphasise: timeliness. From deterministic networking and Audio-Video Bridging (AVB) to Audio-over-Ethernet (AoE) to Dante Audio and AV Networking, this white paper dives deep into the subject matter, and as with all CEDIA white papers, it offers insight into leading-edge industry best practices while breaking down practical applications through a deeply researched process that taps into the experience and knowledge of respected experts from throughout the world. CEDIA.net/whitepapers
CEDIA COMMUNICATES
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“There's a huge amount of education that needs to occur at that level: architects, clients, builders, and interior designers.” SANDY HOWARD
I AM C 6
CEDIA COMMUNICATES
Sandy Howard A Q&A with the Managing Director of the CEDIAAward-winning firm, AVD Australia, Sandy Howard — also a recipient of the CEDIA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2000 How did you become interested in residential technology to begin with, Sandy?
The AVD Australia Mission Statement
If it exists, we know about it If it doesn’t exist, we find a way If it needs to exist, we engineer it
I worked in retail audio back in the very early ‘80s. I had a partner back then. We looked at what was going on globally with multi-room audio. From 1985 to ‘87, we were developing our own product called the AVD system 2000, which was predominantly a push-button multi-room system with what we called “local functions” — in other words, window coverings and those sorts of things. So we ended up making our own circuit boards and going into production and that was quite successful. Eventually we decided to go full time with that concept and that's when AVD was born.
That would put the birth of AVD in line with the founding of CEDIA, roughly. What was it like then?
I remember CEDIA for me started as a thought process only. We were one of the founding members back in those early days. And I think as we progressed forward, we could see some opportunities to extend beyond audio and video. CEDIA helped
inform that transition. For us, even back then, the concept of educating the industry as to what was available was very important to us. There were a number of players, both from the manufacturing perspective, as well as the sort of retail environment, that noted that CEDIA was a burgeoning organisation coming out of the U.S. At that point, we were trying to identify a roadmap — obviously driving membership at that stage was critical.
What do you think about the Australian market that might be different compared to say EMEA or the Americas?
Oh, look, we're far more advanced. (LAUGHS) We're 25 million people here. What we would describe as big projects are thin on the ground. I think the effort that needs to be made to bring parties to the table, not just from a client perspective, but also from architects and interior designers, is something that we as a business focus on dramatically. And it's in that area of education for the market, generally, not just the integrators, but the market in general, that's critically important.
CEDIA CEDIA COMMUNICATES
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“We spend probably 20% of our time in research development, both from a software and hardware perspective.” SANDY HOWARD
What is Practical WOW?
It’s a broadsheet format newspaper that contains a little fun, a bit of a stab at our industry, and what we consider the market should be looking at and doing when considering anything integrated. We sat back one day and said, “Let’s put something together that tells a story — in fact, several stories, but not in a way that anyone would expect.” There are several very good analogies such as the butcher story (find it here: www.avd.com.au/practical-wow) that is so true of what occurs in our industry. That’s why education of our market is so important. Take a read, I hope you find it informative and amusing at the same time. It’s designed to put a smile on your face.
Did you have mentors as you were coming up?
Part of what we're doing with Paul Skelton, CEDIA’s regional development consultant for Australia and New Zealand, is helping to rewrite some of the Continuing Professional Development (CPDs) for architects, and so on. That’s important: We need a lot of education from the contractor and the integrator perspective, but there's a huge amount of education that needs to occur at that level: architects, clients, builders, and interior designers.
Do you have a guiding principle beyond the mission statement?
We spend probably 20% of our time in research development, both from a software and hardware perspective. Now we have software engineers here that are continually hammering manufacturers to ensure that their code is stable enough to be able to be integrated. There's a number of players in the marketplace that would say IoT plays a major part within our industry these days. Whereas I probably say it doesn't. It's a bit like back in the old days of VHS and Beta. Two companies hammer and target each other, was it necessary? Probably not. Was one better than the other? Probably not. if there was true IoT, then you'd have true open protocol communications between those companies. We look at the best of each of those organisations. We do not believe that there's a company that provides a one-stop shop for every part of an integrative environment. One of the projects that we're working on is a hybrid between Savant and Crestron. We've got a Crestron backend and a Savant front end for the very reason that we can apply the Apple iOS principles, as in pinch and zoom, from a plan-based controlled environment, which gives the user an experience like you just cannot get out of a single platform.
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Probably more from a family perspective, not an industry perspective. But no, I really had no mentors, per se. Though I do play a part in mentoring a number of people now within our industry and associated to our industry. As you could imagine, being in business for 33 years, we have had a lot of people come and go here. And part of the process internally is to mentor. I think if we look at some of the people who are out in the marketplace now and undertaking their own businesses — some in competition, some are not — we’re enormously proud of that, and enormously proud of those people.
What is the one piece of advice you would give to somebody who's starting out, either at your firm or on their own?
Work hard and educate yourself. Things don't occur overnight. If you dedicate your time and your efforts within the field that you want to put yourself in, hard work is the way to go. If in doubt, ask questions of those who know better.
How do you relax? What's your downtime like when you're not at AVD?
For me, I consider myself enormously lucky to be as passionate as I still am within this industry. To the benefit of the business, to an extent, but to the detriment in terms of personal time. My wife and I have a couple of houses that we go and work on at the weekend. One’s at the beach and we love to get up there on weekends and spend some time. I also take the dog walking at five o'clock every morning. That's my way of relaxing. I'm out of the house before anybody's risen.
linkedin.com/in/howardsandy
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PROJECT PROFILE
BIG SCREEN, BIG SOUND, BIG WIN A LOOK AT THE AUDIO IMAGES’ KA THEATER, WINNER OF THE 2020 CEDIA GLOBAL AWARD FOR BEST HOME CINEMA — AND MORE
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Audio Images is on quite a run. The Southern-California-based integrator has taken Global CEDIA Awards for the last three years, winning top honours for media rooms that they entered in 2018 and 2019, and Best Home Cinema accolades for this stunner. The project — a remodel of an existing theatre after the home had been damaged by a flood — was referred to Audio Images by the general contractor and included a pretty big challenge: One wall was essentially dedicated to a hidden bank vault. Audio Images’ Mark Ontiveros explains, “The homeowner had already contracted the bank door vault as well as a motorised ‘van door’ that was to slide in front of the bank vault door to allow access to it, so we had to work with those vendors (especially the maker of the motorised sliding door apparatus), and the acoustical engineering company, as well as the finish carpenter and the wall fabric contractor to achieve the end results that we got. It was by far the
“The terminations were at least a week’s work for two techs.” Mark Ontiveros
AUDIO IMAGES audioimages.tv CEDIA Member since 1995
most difficult aspect of the room. We still achieved proper speaker placement as well as acoustic treatment placement.” Those results were accomplished with the help of legendary audio expert, Anthony Grimani of PMI Engineering — complete with Grimani Systems Delta Active DSP speakers across the front. The shell of the space was a bit too long, according to Mark. “The footprint of the room stayed basically the same, except the screen wall got pushed closer to the viewers so as to allow for the room’s air conditioning unit and existing home runs for all of the wiring that existed previously. That unit backs up to a new sound-isolated wall that is located behind the front LCR speakers and the screen and can be disassembled in a relatively short time frame for annual service of the unit. The soffits that existed around the room were also modified in order to gain some feeling of additional height and open up the room.”
It’s Quiet
The noise floor is excellent: NC 20, so essentially silent when everything’s shut down. When the 11.4.4 system is fired up, however, the results are best described as “startling” — especially when it comes to Grimani’s tuning of the bass in this room. Mark notes that a showing of Saving Private Ryan, for example, delivers a kind of “shock and awe” experience that left the client speechless. As for keeping that sound in, Mark says, “The room is located in the bottom level of the home, adjoining the garage and a hallway as well as concrete on the side of the left wall where the bank vault door is. We had to use a mixed bag of sound isolation types, but in the end, the resilient structures of the walls, ceilings, and even the floor build-up keeps the room isolated from the rest of CEDIA COMMUNICATES
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“This is a great example of a referencegrade theatre — documentation and racks are first rate.” the CEDIA judging panel
the house very well.” A mix of diffusion and absorption treatments, plus turning the riser for the chairs into a bass trap (or Helmholtz radiator) rounds out the audio solutions. The display package overcomes any issues that might have been presented by the interior designer’s choice of fairly light-coloured walls. “We went with a Barco due to its overall brightness and picture quality, but the model we chose specifically was due to its 120Hz refresh rate for video gaming,” says Mark. The details were laid out in Audio Images’ awards entry: “The video system comprises an acoustically transparent 138-inch-wide, wall-to-wall screen that spans the entire available width of the room at a 1.78:1 ratio, along with a Barco Wodan HDX-4K projector. Full-field calibrated white output comes in at an eye-popping 173 Foot Lamberts, with 1,400:1 contrast ratio. Properly sized riser platforms ensure unobstructed sight lines and comfortable viewing at all seats for everyone’s enjoyment.”
A Win for the Racks
Originally, all the gear had been placed in another location (essentially now at the front of the theatre) prior to the flood damage, but the homeowners wanted to reclaim that space for a hallway to an addition to the home. “The area for the racks and the power systems was a nobrainer, as there used to be some storage cabinets in the garage that were not really getting used for anything serious,” notes Mark. Folding glass doors that front the space and the ability to simply slide the racks in and out for service and upgrades make the equipment space special, but Mark notes that, “The pièce de résistance was the blue LED lighting that glows in the space.” The Audio Images team matched
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that light to the colour used in the branding of the company that the client owns. An award-winning rack setup is labour intensive, of course. “The amount of time is over the top, something like 400-plus hours -- relocating the home’s existing AV head literally took a mile of wire just to do the extensions, and the terminations were at least a week’s work for two techs,” says Mark. The final piece of the puzzle? “The power is horrible in that particular area of the county, so it was super critical that we add the RoseWater SB20 for power conditioning, surge suppression and backup system to the mix, and that is just for the ‘technical power loads.’
“The ‘dirty power’ -- or loads that have motors (such as a refrigerator, the small wine cellar chiller, a garage freezer, and so on) -- were put on a separate UPS from SurgeX. We also put everything on a series of smart relays to allow us to do remote reboots and other power management to keep everything running all of the time, even in a power outage.” The judges were beside themselves. Comments included: “This is exceptional work — this is a great example of a reference-grade theatre — documentation and racks are first rate — power management is superb — I’ll take it!”
REMASTERING THE HOME CINEMA EXPERIENCE Discover a home cinema experience that creates the sensation of being somewhere else. Find out more:
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CEDIA EXPO. LIVE LIFE CONNECTED.
From analysing Tolstoy to gauging audience reaction based on CO2 levels, Dolby’s in-house neuroscientist thinks a lot about the precise delivery of a creator’s intent In Leo Tolstoy’s expansive essay “What Is Art?”, the novelist makes the case for expanding what had been the traditional definition — by quite a bit. We are accustomed to understanding art to be only what we hear and see in theatres, concerts, and exhibitions, together with buildings, statues, poems, novels … But all this is but the smallest part of the art by which we communicate with each other in life. All human life is filled with works of art of every kind — from cradlesong, jest, mimicry, the ornamentation of houses, dress, and utensils, up to church services, buildings, monuments, and triumphal processions. It is all artistic activity. It’s a work that Poppy Crum, Chief Scientist at Dolby Laboratories and keynote speaker at CEDIA Expo 2021, has shared with her team at Dolby. “You don't normally think of Leo Tolstoy as writing essays, but it's an interesting one because in it, the way he defines art is very dependent on how the user experiences it,” says Poppy. “And it creates this interesting
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dialogue — if you're focussed in thinking about creative intent and what it means to actually support and translate creative intent and the ideas, well, that translation, that parity has to exist from intent of the creator to the user.” “To evoke in oneself a feeling one has once experienced, and having evoked it in oneself, then by means of movements, lines, colours, sounds, or forms expressed in words, so to transmit that feeling that others may experience the same feeling —this is the activity of art,” writes Leo, and this informs something that really excites Poppy: Using technology to ensure that a creator’s intent is transmitted to the end user without a glitch, as seamlessly and precisely as possible. “The thing that's really changed is that the philosophical musing from Leo is now a reality that we can understand, we can know what someone's actually experiencing on the other side,” Poppy explains. “That's the way the world has changed, so now the question is: What do we do with that? We get to
“What does it mean to close the loop when you have creative intent? It’s not just bits and pixels.” Poppy Crum
re-evaluate areas where creative intent might not be achieved, things like in a headphone where we have to introduce new solutions that technologically weren't possible before but are today to help us really elevate the experience that we can provide with regard to creative intent.” CLOSING THE LOOP It’s these kinds of questions that connect a neuroscientist working at Dolby with a Russian writer who died before the invention of the “talking motion picture.” Once you’ve decided you want to share a feeling — encased in narrative or not — and create a fantastic piece of music or a deeply emotive movie, it’s up to Poppy and company to find ways to help perfectly deliver that vision to an audience. It’s also a driving force for those perfecting the various ways content gets delivered — keeping the lofty aspirations of a sublime experience at the forefront is key when Poppy and her team are trying to figure out how human brains process light and sound in the patterns we call “art.”
Poppy’s Expo keynote is titled “The Future of Storytelling.” Meaning? “Well, there's a lot of different ways that storytelling can change. Let's use the Tolstoy example: What does it mean to close the loop when you have creative intent? It's not just bits and pixels. If part of the metadata is capturing the sentiment of a storyline and somewhere in that metadata, we know what the intent of an experience is, what do we do in that environment that can modulate the experience someone's having? How can we leverage that in the transmission of the creative intent?” Confused? Poppy clears it up: “We worked with a director in our cinema and we had tubes on the ground. Those tubes are capturing carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide's heavier than air so you can pick up on the real time density of CO2 in the environment. CO2 correlates with changes in emotion and sentiment and feeling of the audience.” By understanding the correlation between the levels of CO2 an audience is expelling and various emotional states — fear, panic, relief — Poppy’s work can help a director actually measure the real-time CEDIA COMMUNICATES
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CEDIA EXPO. LIVE LIFE CONNECTED.
impact of the choices the creator’s made. The film in question for the CO2 experiment was a rock-climbing documentary about a daredevil named Alex Honnold. “You can look at the traces of CO2 and know where Alex summits, where he abandons his climb, you can see the love story, the interaction happening with his partner in that film, you can identify where he injures himself, just in the traces of CO2. When you start thinking about that, that's the creative intent, the story, the journey that the creator wants that audience to go on and it's in the volume, in the chemical composition of the air in that space being shared, being exchanged.”
“The thing that's really changed is that the philosophical musing from Leo Tolstoy is now a reality that we can understand, we can know what someone's actually experiencing on the other side.” Poppy Crum
THE PERSONAL EXPERIENCE And once we have all the available data — and we’re talking gathering stats well beyond CO2 fluctuations — what can the content creator do with that info? “Those type of signatures we give off are measurable, but they can also be leveraged in different ways; it's the dynamics of these different signatures that are part of how we interact with our content. So we start thinking, ‘How should my content react? How is that part of my experience?’ “How do you create a more intimate personalised experience for an individual in a shared environment, in a home theatre, in a cinema with audio that is unique to me and in a space where you have a number of people consuming the same content — but in fact need to be consuming slightly different content? Because to have translation of creative intent, we're all very unique. For example: If I can't hear dialogue, I'm not experiencing the creative intent of the content solely by trying to read captions, I'm disconnected from it.” And this will ultimately lead to those “new ways of storytelling” that Poppy will dive into during that Expo keynote: “How we bridge that to the individual and shared experiences, how we interact with the human body in a much closer, more intimate way within ambient experiences that are really powerful — experiences you can't recreate over a pair of headphones — is an important part of what that future looks like. You get new tools, you get new ways of creating content, of interacting with it, of interacting with a human.” But what will really push the tech to its full potential in this regard isn’t the team at Dolby Labs, according to Poppy. “I think whenever we introduce new technologies, it's a more conservative introduction of that technology and then artists really push the limits of it and figure out new ways to use it that influence the evolution of those technologies in the industry.”
Catch up any time at connect.cediaexpo.com
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COURSE TITLE
CLASS TYPE
AUDIO Ask the Expert: Audio and Acoustics
Technical
Audio Set-Up y Calibración - Primera Parte
Technical
Audio Set-Up y Calibración - Segunda Parte
Technical
Invisible Acoustics – Aesthetically Acceptable/Acoustically Imperative
Technical
Outdoor Audio/Video Design & Implementation
Technical
CLIENT EXPERIENCE Creating Sonic Connoisseurs
Business
Use Your Existing Portfolio to Develop a Smart Home Wellness Strategy
Business
DOCUMENTATION Design Documentation
Technical
Early and Next Stage Documentation
Business
FINANCE 25 Ways to Increase Profits
Business
Better Job Costing and Labor Controls to Increase Profits
Business
HOME CINEMA Cybersecurity para Técnicos
Technical
Diseño de Salas de Cine en Casa
Technical
El camino al CEDIA Designer “TCD”
Technical
HUMAN RESOURCES Find, Hire, and Keep Your Next Rockstar
Business
HR, When You Don't Have An HR Department
Business
The Employee Lifecycle Workshop
Business
LIGHTING & SHADES Human-Centric Lighting
Technical
Protección Solar Dinámica
Technical
NETWORKING Ask the Expert: Network Performance and Configuration
Technical
Distributing AV Using the Dante Ecosystem
Technical
Professional Home Offices with Remote IT Management
Technical
OPERATIONS Como Mantener Una Empresa de Integración con Éxito
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CEDIA COMMUNICATES
Technical
ON-DEMAND
COURSE TITLE
CLASS TYPE
Cybersecurity Panel: Cybersecurity and Privacy in the Smart Home
Technical
Juggling it All
Business
Working With Family
Business
ON-DEMAND
PROJECT MANAGEMENT Completing a Project: The Last 5%
Business
From Technician to Manager
Business
Project Management Trials and Tribulations
Business
RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT Content Services and Technologies Update
Technical
Future Technologies: The Inside Scoop from Silicon Valley
Technical
Smart Living through Inclusionary Design and Integration
Business
SALES & MARKETING Ask the Expert: Tools for Actively Getting More Referrals
Business
Becoming Cinema Sommelier
Business
Building Business Value Through Recurring Revenue
Business
Charging for Design
Business
Selling High Performance Solutions and The Luxury Market
Business
Stand Out from the Competition: Branding 101
Business
Wash Rinse, Repeat - Sales
Business
STRATEGIC PLANNING How To Conduct A SWOT Analysis
Business
How To Develop Business Processes That Work
Business
Creating a High-Performance Culture
Business
Wash, Rinse, Repeat - Design
Business
SYSTEMS ENGINEERING Need To Build Your Client a Home Recording Studio? Start Like a Pro!
Technical
Platform Playground: Shaping the Future of the Smart Home & Where Protocols Face Opportunities and Challenges
Technical
Power Quality and Conditioning
Technical
Troubleshooting, Repair, and Preventive Maintenance
Technical
VIDEO Ask the Expert: Video Performance and Distribution
Technical
AV-over-IP: What, Why & How
Technical
Challenges of HDR Video and Projection
Technical
Deathmatch: Video Transport Technologies
Technical
HDMI 2.1 Update 2021
Technical
Video Technologies Roundup
Technical
Catch up any time at connect.cediaexpo.com
CEDIA COMMUNICATES
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CEDIA EXPO. LIVE LIFE CONNECTED.
CEDIA TALKS
CEDIA Talks are returning to Expo and will be available to watch online at connect.cediaexpo.com
Grow Your Business 10X with an Abundance Mindset
Presented by Rich Green, Rich Green Design
Opportunity abounds when you embrace the exponential growth of the digitised world. With an abundance mindset, you set your sights on 10X growth and blow right past your competition. Many CEDIA businesses are mired in the woes of pricing, discounts, product availability, shortage of talent, shortage of capital, crippling service calls, and pervasive pessimism. In other worlds, some think we live in a world of SCARCITY. Rich Green will get you juiced with optimism, and a compelling vision for a new way to grow your business far beyond expectations. Reinventing your business with an abundance mindset will attract new talent, energise your staff and open doors to customers you never knew existed. Explore how your business will change with an abundance mindset!
Understanding Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 6E
Presented by Nathan Holmes, Access Networks/SnapAV
Wi-Fi 6 is the most advanced wireless networking technology available, and it is a permeating technology for 2021. With significant increases in efficiency, battery usage, multiple client access, and a nice increase in data throughput, Wi-Fi 6 is the go-to wireless technology of today. The newly announced Wi-Fi 6E is an enhancement that will provide greater options to avoid interference and potentially maximize Wi-Fi 6 data rates. Join us as we discuss why all new designs should be based upon Wi-Fi 6, how to ensure the infrastructure will support Wi-Fi 6E (when it becomes available), and why most client devices will experience the exact same performance on both WiFi 6 and Wi-Fi 6E.
All You Need is Comfort | Why Comfort is Replacing Excitement as the Only Feeling You Need to Sell
Presented by Pete Trauth, Nirvana Home Entertainment, Inc
Why comfort? It's far from exciting. In fact, it's the polar opposite. So why do people spend so much money on it? Big, comfortable dwellings. Automatic circadian lighting. Expensive, comfortable furniture, clothing, automobiles, seacrafts, aircrafts. Complete control of their every environment from home to work to play, via devices in their pocket, on their wrist, or even within earshot. The ability to check in on the safety and well-being of their loved ones (and themselves), at any moment, from any place, and feeling that even though they can do this, they don't need to. In this CEDIA Talk, we will be taking a deep dive into comfort, along with its different forms, why people are buying it like there's no tomorrow, and why you should be selling it.
Holistic Design | Beyond Problem Solving Design is for solving problems. Holistic user experiences reflect empathy for all users of the systems. From inclusive design practice and intergenerational living, through sustainability and spirituality, holistic design is much more about people, than it is about technology. Currently, projects all too often move from sales to specification without the incorporation of discovery, or non-linear design. This talk will discuss a future where our industry's product centricity will give way to a human centric holistic design approach. Presented by Peter Aylett, HTE Acoustic Interior Design
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Note: speaker images not shown to scale.
CI SPEAKERS YOU’LL WANT TO SEE AND HEAR. Named after the Renaissance architect Andrea Palladio, considered one of the most influential figures in Western architecture history, Sonus faber has created the beautiful Palladio series. Palladio is a comprehensive line of Custom Installation in-wall and in-ceiling speakers that push the limits of existing technology whilst staying true to the Sonus faber heritage of the finest quality.
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RP22 A PARADIGM SHIFT IN MEDIA ROOM DESIGN The recommended practice for the design of performance residential AV spaces is changing — and it’s changing dramatically 22
CEDIA COMMUNICATES
James Bliss CEDIA Brand and Communications Manager, EMEA
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EDIA and the Consumer Technology Association run a joint standards committee named “R10”, who’s role and remit is to define standards and recommended practices for the installation of home technology products. Their current work on three recommended practices is shifting the foundations of AV room design, to create a paradigm that is grounded in data, and performance led design and specification. The first of these three endeavours is RP22: Multichannel Audio Room Design. Two of the volunteers from the R10 committee — Ben Goff of UK integration firm Multiroom Media, and Peter Aylett of HTE Acoustic Interior Design – joined me on stage recently at ISE London to discuss the work on RP22, and how it’s due to shake up the way that integrators go about creating multichannel audio rooms. On a recent CEDIA podcast, Dr Poppy Crum — Chief Scientist at Dolby Labs, and Keynote Speaker at CEDIA EXPO — made the statement that “standards enable consistency of experience”. Ultimately, that is the objective of these recommended practices: create an improved, consistent, and measurable user experience, and translate the artistic intent of the content producer as closely and consistently as possible to the room. Peter explains why this overhaul of the recommended practices is so important: “When integrators are selling entertainment spaces to the uninitiated client, it’s really, really difficult to describe a level of performance and experience to a customer, who will only be able to experience that once the room is built. This recommended practice is all about predicting that performance at the design stage using engineering, while future recommended practices will focus
on the measurement and verification.” RP22 begins with a design-first process: the intent here is to move away from being specification-led. Discovery of the client needs, understanding performance fundamentals of the space to create a design with objective engineering data for products, and finally specification of the appropriate performance equipment. One of the expected outcomes is a move away from
the integrator one place to go to learn the most important information about designing and creating performance multichannel audio systems. Ben explains about his opinion on the intellect and expertise involved in creating this recommended practice: “Every time someone [in the working group] speaks, as an integrator I learn something. There are so many things that weren’t in the original CEB22 that
"It’s really, really difficult to describe a level of performance and experience to a customer, who will only be able to experience that once the room is built" what Peter describes as the “tribalism” in the industry. The recommended practice continues by introducing performance levels: four objective grades of performance that are measurable and defined. Not only does this approach allow integrators to make data-led engineering predictions, but it also allows the client to better understand what sort of performance they should expect from their project: after all, if the levels are objective and data-driven, a level one room is a level one room. RP22 brings together 40 years of audio research, with input from industry gurus such as Floyd Toole, Anthony Grimani, Chris Adair, and Arnaud Destinay. All of this research has been distilled to create a document that is 5-6 times the length and depth of the CEB22 audio recommended practice. The consolidation of all of this work gives
could be a whole RP on their own. This recommended practice is a leap forward: CEB22 had recommendations but it didn’t necessarily back up where they’d all come from. This isn’t “our standard”, it truly is a collection of practices from all of the research available to the industry.” Some of the new recommendations are listed below: • Speaker layout rules that embraces all the current format providers, and provides guidance for high channel count systems • Acoustic design • Loudspeaker specification • Using acoustically transparent materials including different screen materials • Using electronic electro-acoustic optimisation (EQ) • Updated recommendations for multiple subwoofers to mitigate room modes • Performance objectives CEDIA COMMUNICATES
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RP22 "The consolidation of all of this work gives the integrator one place to go to learn the most important information about designing and creating performance multichannel audio systems."
Both Peter and Ben are passionate about the direction that RP22 can take the industry. Peter says: “Your decisions on what you sell your customers shouldn’t be based on what you think is the best brand. They should be based on the correct thing to do as far as the engineering goes. It’s a whole story that as an industry we can go to architects or interior designers with and demonstrate that our entertainment spaces are predictable performance at the design stage, and measurable and verifiable at the commissioning stage.” Ben adds: “I’d like to see [industry] people step up and say: ‘here’s my demo room, it’s a level X room’, and back it up. We need to start justifying what we’re doing and the rooms we’re demonstrating, how good it really is, to actually sell that experience over and over again.” RP22 is expected to be published before the end of 2021, with RP23 (video design) and RP1 (performance facts) being completed next. You can discover the latest information about these recommended practices and other standards work at cedia.net.
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CEDIA's James Bliss, Peter Aylett, and Ben Goff of the R10 group discuss the imminent RP22 document at ISE London.
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CEDIA CERTIFICATION UPDATE CEDIA has successfully rolled out the Cabling and Infrastructure Technician (CIT) Certification and now turns its attention to the new Integrated Systems Technician (IST) Certification.
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nder the direction of the Certification Commission, CEDIA is continuing the revamping and restructuring of all certification exams and pathways. These updated certifications are designed to raise the credibility of the industry as a whole and to give integrators a way to be examined and recognised for their specific skillsets and commitment to professionalism. Created by the industry and for the industry, these certifications are something residential integrators will be able to claim as their own.
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This is apparent in CEDIA’s work with the more than 500 people who participated in some portion of the CIT’s development, including completing the Job Task Analysis Survey, sitting for the Beta Exam, or being a part of the Exam Committee. The CEDIA Cabling and Infrastructure Technician (CIT) Certification successfully launched in January 2021 and gives early-career technicians a perfect starting point in the industry. This certification has recently been submitted to ANSI/ANAB for accreditation under the global ISO/ IEC 17024 standard and is now in its application stage. Accreditation is a process performed by a third-party entity to ensure that a certification programme is meeting the highest
standards of quality and that the exam is fair, valid, and reliable. For CEDIA, 2021 is a big year for its certification programme. Continuing from the successful CIT launch, the association is now in development of the next certification, the Integrated Systems Technician (IST). The CEDIA IST will provide the next successive step in the overall certification pathway. As a prerequisite, those wishing to sit the IST exam must hold an active CIT; however, holding an active ESC-T will also satisfy this requirement. On top of this prerequisite, a new CEDIA Certification Code of Conduct agreement has also been put in place for both the CIT and IST, as well as a one-year work experience requirement for the IST. These are just some of the
There are currently over 20 volunteers working on the Integrated Systems Technician exam.
changes stemming from the revamping and restructuring of the CEDIA Certification Programme. The IST exam is currently in development — with over 20 volunteers working on it —and will begin beta testing in September 2021. Just as the CIT is setting the foundation for earlycareer technicians, the IST will become the premier certification for experienced technicians wanting to show that they have a broad base of essential technical knowledge. The IST is comprehensive and intends to cover over 120 knowledge and skill areas from the six overarching
2021 will be an exciting and ground-breaking year for CEDIA Certification.
knowledge domains consisting of: Project Processes, Infrastructure, Equipment Installation, Communication Systems, Integrated Systems, and System Verification and Testing. The final IST exam will become the gold standard for integrators and will include 150 questions, making it longer than any of CEDIA’s previous certifications. Once launched, the IST will replace the ESC-T as CEDIA’s core technician certification. The IST Beta Exam will be available September at this year’s CEDIA Expo in Indianapolis, IN, USA. For those not for able to sit the exam at Expo, the IST Beta will also be available via remote proctoring or live at Kryterion testing centres worldwide. Additional info regarding the IST including prerequisites, study materials, and beta exam sign up can be found at cedia.net/certification or by contacting the CEDIA Certification team directly at certification@cedia.org. In addition to the recent CIT launch and the upcoming IST launch, CEDIA’s Networking Specialist certification
is also in the early stages of revision. A committee of key stakeholders including integrators, educators, and manufacturers is performing an indepth Job Task Analysis to update the comprehensive list of knowledge and skills most needed for competent job performance. This summer, an industrywide survey will be conducted to validate that framework and to update the exam blueprint. The Networking Specialist serves as an advanced certification and covers residential networking infrastructure, design, configuration, and security. The Networking Specialist is intended for those with at least two years of experience. With the CIT completed and in the process of accreditation, the IST in development towards its beta launch, and the Networking Specialist being revamped, 2021 will be an exciting and ground-breaking year for CEDIA Certification and all those who hold certifications or have participated in the development process. To learn more: cedia.net/certification CEDIA COMMUNICATES
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INVESTORS IN THE ENVIRONMENT:
START YOUR SUSTAINABILITY JOURNEY Businesses play a vital role in driving change and bringing to fruition a more sustainable future. However, implementing sustainability measures to improve your environmental and social impact, whilst continuing to generate profit, can be challenging — requiring time, resources, and expertise. PECT, an independent environmental charity, recognised the challenges faced by businesses looking for ways to reduce their environmental impact, and founded Investors in the Environment (iiE) in 2010.
What is Investors in the Environment?
iiE is a national environmental accreditation scheme designed to be a more flexible and simpler alternative to ISO14001, that organisations of all types and sizes can achieve — from sole traders through to large multi-site employers. The scheme consists of three levels of accreditation, with each level’s criteria building on from the previous. This step-by-step approach allows businesses to improve their environmental impact in a realistic way, set achievable targets, and establish a system for continual improvement over time. Additionally, organisations can save time and money, gain promotion for their green credentials, and improve staff engagement.
How Does iiE Accreditation Work? The iiE scheme has three accreditation levels that an organisation can work towards: Bronze, Silver, and the highest level, Green. To begin, an organisation needs to first become an iiE member. Once a member, the organisation needs to undertake the following steps to achieve accreditation at any level: Step 1: Appoint an Environmental Champion and implement an Environmental Policy. Step 2: Measure Resource Use, including electricity, gas, and water use. Step 3: Set SMART targets to reduce the organisation’s environmental impact and increase resource efficiency. Step 4: Create an Action Plan to work towards targets, and implement essential actions, such as calculating a carbon footprint, creating a waste management plan, devising a travel plan (Silver and Green only), and undertaking environmental and social projects. Step 5: Monitor and report progress towards set targets, and present findings to senior management and staff. Step 6: Accreditation, including a self-audit followed by an on or off-site assessment by an iiE support officer. Throughout the journey, the iiE team supports organisations, providing personalised assistance, tools such as templates and training, promotion, and networking.
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CEDIA COMMUNICATES
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Zuma Innovates with Lumisonic Zuma is a new UK-based technology company who have just launched the Lumisonic - a world first that combines audio and lighting in one high quality in-ceiling unit. CEDIA EMEA Managing Director, Matt Nimmons, recently paid their London showroom a visit and sat down with Stuart Collingwood, Zuma’s Managing Director to find out more. Matt: Tell us about the Lumisonic from Zuma? Stuart: Lumisonic is an ultra-compact, high performance loudspeaker with a low energy LED light, all housed within a stylish, deceptively simple to install, ceiling light fixture. We offer a selection of round and square bezels with different finishes as well as flush mounting options to suit any décor and create a virtually invisible, wireless, and clutter free audio experience that also brings circadian rhythm and mood lighting into the home.
What’s the thinking behind Lumisonic? There are many smart products on the market today that do one thing – be that audio, or lighting or security – but they don’t integrate with each other easily, if at all. Our vision is that through consolidating these core applications into a single integrated platform, integrators can help their clients
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remove much of the complexity associated with these products and quicky and easily transform their living spaces.
What’s the pedigree of the team behind Lumisonic? We’ve been working on this product for more than three years. Zuma was founded by one of the world’s leading industrial designers, Morten Warren, who curated a deeply experienced team including the renowned acoustic engineer, Laurence Dickie, the former CTO of Hive, Alex Kiernan, and other international experts who have delivered industry defining innovations across audio, video, lighting, and smart devices.
How is Lumisonic controlled? Currently, the Lumisonic’s music and lighting can be activated via voice control or using the Zuma app. No hubs, cables, or further set up is required. Any user
can quickly Airplay their favourite music streaming service to the Zumas in their ceiling. Built into the Zuma app are a series of wellbeing features that easily enable users to play atmospheric soundscapes and combine them with sympathetic lighting tones to suit their mood or activity within the home. This allows users to transform the atmosphere of bathrooms into one more like a spa, connect a Peloton via Bluetooth to create the feel of a spin class studio, use a relaxation app to listen to a favourite story or the sound of rain as they sleep under a canopy of Lumisonic speakers. You can also connect Lumisonic speakers to your TV and enjoy an immersive room-filling soundtrack to any movie, without the need for a soundbar. We are working on specific integrations for Control4, Crestron, and Lutron: we anticipate these being available for integrators in late 2021.
Why will Zuma be a popular choice for professional integrators? Zuma offers three key benefits to integrators. Firstly, it offers a solution that sounds and looks great, is easy and intuitive to use and
rids the home of “ceiling acne”. You really need — as you have no doubt realised from your visit to our showroom here in London —to experience it to appreciate just how good the sound quality is. This is all underpinned by our patented installation mechanism that saves both project installation time and cost, as well as reducing the risk of damage. Secondly, the Lumisonic will be something that integrators will be able to easily include as part of their projects that are based on the leading control systems on the market. Thirdly, and perhaps most importantly, the Lumisonic will help to broaden the market for integrators. For those clients who may not have the budget or need for a whole home system, Zuma is a quick and easy to install product that’s affordable for mid-market consumers at £375 per unit and delivers on great sound and light with a custom install aesthetic. Integrators can get these new clients started with smart home tech and then grow their system with more technology over time. We are already seeing customers who bought units for one room come back to order more for additional rooms. CEDIA COMMUNICATES
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Lumisonic is an ultra-compact, high performance loudspeaker with a low energy LED light, all housed within a stylish, deceptively simple to install, ceiling light fixture.
What attracted Zuma to join the Propel programme? As a new brand with innovative new products, Propel is a perfect fit for Zuma and CEDIA, giving CEDIA members access to attractive terms and benefits. CEDIA has been very supportive and enthusiastic about Zuma from the very beginning and we’re looking forward to working closely with more and more CEDIA members through Propel.
What additional support is available to CEDIA members? Our customer support team is available to deal with technical, design or other enquiries that integrators might have and provide resources, support and video tutorials to help with system design, layout and installation. Our central London pop-up showroom has delivered beyond our expectations as a way of demonstrating how Lumisonic works and what it can do. We plan to build on this approach and are actively looking for additional demonstration facilities across the country. We would be happy to discuss opportunities with CEDIA members who would be interested in presenting Lumisonic in their own showrooms.
What does the product roadmap look like for Zuma? So far, we offer Lumisonic along with a range of cosmetic bezels to suit any decor. Shortly, this will be followed by Zuma Luminaire, a light-only product which is shallower and available at a much lower price
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point. After that, we plan to launch the first in a range of Smart Bezel™ accessories which enable integrators to quickly and easily add a range of sensors to installed Zuma units. Watch this space!
Where can CEDIA members buy Zuma products? We are currently only on sale in the UK — direct from Zuma — but because of all the excitement created by the Lumisonic we have received many approaches from companies across the globe and are exploring plans to expand internationally. Don’t forget CEDIA Members can access attractive terms and benefits by signing up for free to the Propel programme before purchasing Zuma Lumisonic units.
For more information on the Lumisonic from Zuma, visit CEDIA.net/Propel.
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Make Sure You Have the Right Insurance in place
FOR SUBCONTRACTORS As specialist insurance brokers in this industry, we know how important it is that the CEDIA interpretation of the professional description, Home Technology Integrator, is recognised as a discipline in itself and not ‘pigeon-holed’ into a business description not entirely suitable for their activities. Equally important is recognising member businesses as integrators and not ‘shoe-horning’ them into computer generated business descriptions, such as electricians, electrical contractors, etc, which could lead to major misunderstandings in the event of a claim. When it comes to insurance for subcontractors, it is important to distinguish between Labour Only Subcontractors and Bona-fide Subcontractors. In the case of an injury to a Labour Only Subcontractor, the UK courts will treat them the same as an employee. The courts will not take into consideration whether the Labour Only subcontractor is buying their own insurance or not. We use the following definitions to help clients understand the difference between the two:
Labour only sub-contractors (LOSC)
• This person will work with your tools, materials, and work to your RAMS (risk assessments and method statements). You will supervise them on-site and provide them with a safe working environment. • They can still be a LOSC if they have their own insurance, invoice for works,
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come to you via an agency, you pay their CIS Tax, etc.
Bona-fide Sub-contractors (BFSC)
• This is a subcontractor who works with their own tools, materials, and has their own insurances in place. They will work to their own RAMS and invoice you for the work once finished. • Their insurance needs to carry the same limit as yours and a copy needs to be kept in your records and should be checked on a regular basis. • If any of these criteria are not met, insurers need to be referred to or they are submitted as a LOSC. When dealing with claims involving LOSC/BFSC, it is imperative to understand that claims follow the contractual line. For example, if a customer instructs a CEDIA member to complete a contract, the initial claim will be made against said CEDIA member, regardless of who they then appoint to undertake different aspects of the job on their behalf. If it can be proven that a BFSC did the work, attempts will be made to pursue them, but this may be after the CEDIA member’s insurers have
settled the claim. If it transpires that the subcontractor is a LOSC, then the CEDIA member’s insurances will be liable, regardless of whether this contractor has their own insurance or not. If you don’t have cover for BFSC, this means that if any work undertaken by this type of subcontractor causes either property damage or injury, and they either don’t have insurance or cease trading, the claimant will come after the person that instructed and paid to do the work, in this case, the CEDIA member. Our advice for CEDIA members who use any type of subcontractors would be for them to purchase Combined Liability cover. This will cover them for all work conducted by subcontractors. We are happy to advise any CEDIA member on their insurance requirements and can provide a free of charge ‘health-check’ on existing arrangements or discuss new cover which is not yet in place. Give our team a call today to discuss your requirements on 0800 021 4504.
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CHALLENGE & SOLUTION
SHOWROOM LOCATION – AND TYPE
Ed Wenck Content Director, CEDIA
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A
recent post on the CEDIA Community message board asks: “Showroom location — location — location! Does it really matter?” Hannes De Wett posts, “Is it worth while paying three times more in rent per square meter for a retail showroom in a commercial centre (like a mall) with high density foot traffic or are you better off paying less on the outskirts of a retail zone? In short, do customers come to the product or do you also have the walk-in customers making the extra rent worthwhile?” While there’s no “one size fits all” answer, a definite trend among integrators is a move away from a “kick-the-tires/ just browsing” retail space to a dedicated experience centre. That’s evidenced by the finalists and winners of the Showroom category in the CEDIA Awards over the last several years. Wired Life’s Adam Begley, whose Melbourne Experience Centre picked up top honours in the Asia Pacific region in 2020, says. “Essentially we're smack bang in the hub of pretty much most of Melbourne's five-star architect firms. We even share the same building with a really high-end architect next door.” Once Wired Life had picked a sweet spot, Adam went out and met all the architectural firms that were with walking distance of his showroom. “That was really effective to start
Image courtesy of Cinegration Wired Life Top image courtesy of Wired Life Bottom images courtesy of Cinegration
Both Cinegration and Wired Life have seen better-than-expected ROI on their spaces.
Two CEDIA-Award-winning integration firms offer their advice on where to put a showroom – and how to use it effectively
getting some of those clients in the door, and we've actually managed to get a lot of customers out of that.” Given the geography of Colorado’s ski slopes and the sprawling nature of Cinegration’s client base, this firm had some different challenges. Shelby Schwartz, part of the team who designed the company’s 2020 CEDIA-Award-winning Arvada Experience Centre, explains, “For us, it was kind of tricky because we do a lot of work in the mountains up in Breckenridge — but then all along the front range, too. We had to find a central location that our front range clients can easily get to, and that our Breckenridge clients might be willing to come down to as well. We considered building our own space. We looked at some solutions that resembled a warehousehybrid showroom. And ultimately, we decided to put our experience centre in conjunction with our current office, which is located right at the base of the mountains. It's worked out really well for us because our salesmen are in their offices all the time.”
Putting the Experience in the Centre
Once the physical space was determined, then the question of what the client would actually experience was paramount. CEDIA COMMUNICATES
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“We created a demo button that tells the story of ‘a day in the life.’ ” Eric Fischer, Cinegration
CINEGRATION cinegration.com CEDIA Member Since 2013
Image courtesy of Cinegration Images courtesy of Wired Life
WIRED LIFE wiredlife.com.au CEDIA Member Since 2019
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Cinegration’s Eric Fisher says, “We created a demo button that tells the story of ‘a day in the life’ — it's about a two-to-three-minute demo that gives an overview of everything we do, from changing the colour temperature of the lighting to turning on and off the TVs, playing music, and opening and closing shades. It creates a nice story to break the ice when people come in. When people start experiencing the solutions, they can really envision it in their home versus just seeing it on a piece of paper on a proposal.” It’s the same for Adam, who used the small footprint of his showroom to create a faux “luxury apartment.” “I constantly get asked: What do I do?” he says. “Sure, I can give someone my whole elevator pitch about automation and what it does, but it’s vastly more effective to demonstrate to the client exactly how they might utilise the technology we design and install in their own home. And that's a huge benefit.” Both Cinegration and Wired Life have seen better-than-expected ROI on their spaces, too. “If I had to give advice to other integrators out there, I would definitely say, make the jump, build that showroom,” advises Adam. Beyond our success, it's about educating the public about what's out there. And that can only help other integrators, and the design and build community, too.”
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THE FUTURE OF INTEGRATION BY PETER AYLETT, CEDIA TECHNOLOGY COUNCIL There is no ‘Smart Home’ paradigm. What does the phrase even mean? One swallow does not a summer make, and similarly one connected video doorbell does not a smart home make.
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Once upon a time, you could buy an electric light. Then all lights became electric and they were just called lights again. At one point, you could buy a ‘Smart TV’ and although all TVs these days are connected (in other words, ‘Smart’) the phrase Smart is still used to describe products yet is no longer a useful differentiator when used by consumer electronics marketers. Let’s turn the conversation around from the technology towards people. ‘Integration of technology into buildings to improve the human condition’ is surely the aim? If it doesn’t improve people’s lives, what’s the point? This improvement could be in health, consumption of entertainment, presence with friends and family, dignity for people with physical or cognitive impairment, liberation from mundane
tasks, conserving our environment for the next generation, or creating a sense of calm within a building. This focus on the user(s) brings the next paradigm in technology to improve the human condition which is hyperpersonalisation. This hyper-personalisation is leading to “the intuitive home”. This will not be driven by a focus on individual products, but the intuitive element will come from an ecosystem of sensors, data sources, actuators, and media renderers, all powered by AI and converging together to deliver human centric benefits far more powerful than a collection of individual elements. And, of course, all this will also depend on society’s acceptance of a range of business models across the privacy and personal data ownership spectrum.
Integration
When we talk about technology integration, this can be broken down into three levels: 1. Technical Integration: Getting everything working together reliably 2. Lifestyle Integration: Ensuring that the technology fits the user(s)’ lifestyle 3. Architectural Integration: The technology should enhance the built environment and be as invisible as possible until needed. Technical integration is changing fast, with big tech companies including Google, Apple, Amazon, and Samsung creating ever more reliable ecosystems that with initiatives such as the recently introduced Thread interoperability standard will allow consumer electronic devices to communicate with each other far more easily than is currently possible. Lifestyle and architectural integration, however, need a lot more skill to implement and are where the professional channel can really deliver exceptional systems that are integrated at all three levels: the totality of functionality and experience is far higher than a simple sum of the consumer electronic products parts. Professional integrators create simplicity from the complex. Just because you can, doesn’t mean it’s either a good idea, will bring long lasting value, or you should… Simplicity is the new luxury and arguably, a far more important paradigm than either the smart or intuitive home.
Binary and Experiential Tech
Integrated technology can be split into the binary and the experiential. Binary is when something either works, or it doesn’t. An example is turning a light on. If this happens first time, every time and without fail, then the functionality is difficult to better. Eventually this functionality, which may be a brilliantly designed lighting control system that aggregates many different circuits and loads types into an amazing lighting scheme, just becomes part of normal everyday life and ceases to be the innovative experience it started off as. The experiential on the other hand, exists on a spectrum of turning the ordinary, into the extraordinary. An example is an entertainment space. A 65” OLED with a sound bar is great, but a standards-based engineered projection based private cinema with a discrete 9.1(4).6 speaker array and screen that takes up 58º of your horizontal viewing angle will turn even the most mundane TV watching experience, movie, sporting event, or video game into a great one. Rather than the simple utility of lighting, heating, access control, security, and ‘smart appliances’, entertainment spaces allow people, their families, and their friends to experience amazing moments together. We are already seeing the allocation of consumer spending shifting more to experiences and creating memories, with experiential in-home technology being a large part of this trend.
Technical integration is changing fast, with big tech companies including Google, Apple, Amazon, and Samsung creating ever more reliable ecosystems...
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Looking into the Future
General AI has not arrived, yet. Currently, we have some extremely clever machine learning driving limited predictive analytics in focussed useproducts. General AI will mimic human like cognitive abilities, whereas the current narrow AI is mostly constrained to performing pre-learned limited scope activities. Think of a child who is learning. Take away all the input, and the learning stops. The same is true for the built environment where the future of the home or building will be based around data gathered from a range of both personal and distributed sensors. Subliminal Ambient Cognification is a vision where distributed sensorisation is ambient throughout a building with the users being unaware of the data being collected, processed, and used to benefit the users. One example of this is micro-RADAR. A distributed system of I.R. detectors and micro-RADAR can measure a building’s occupants’ temperature, heart rate and respiration rate. These basic biometric indicators can then drive predictive analytics to optimise the environment for the users. In the case of users with cognitive or physical impairments, these systems can deliver non-intrusive monitoring to allow for more personal freedom and dignity but with help never far away in case the system detects a biometric anomaly. There will need to be a balance between autonomy and control. People
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don’t always want the same thing to happen when they enter a room. People want the option of being in control of many conscious decisions such as what music to listen to, or who to let into a building, but are happy to have the more subliminal decisions such as ambient temperature and light level made for them in response to the hyper-personal data collected from the building and its users. In 2031, technology will be hyper personalised, and be driven by general AI systems embedded so far into our lives to be virtually imperceptible from biological intelligence. Web 3.0 (The Spatial Web) will blend the real and cyber worlds together in a way that will change social interaction, information, and entertainment forever. Technology integration in buildings will be far more invisible and subliminal than it is today. We will, hopefully, be much more in control of our own data and in control of how it is both used, and potentially monetised. The built environment will have far more embedded sensors to provide the input into AI systems to that are truly intuitive and anticipatory of human needs. And then there will be a swathe of society who rejects AI, rejects connected ecosystems, rejects mass-sensorisation, and rejects the commercialisation of personal data. This will perpetuate the analogue, the physical, and the tactile.
The constant is holistic design. It is this that
The constant is holistic design. It is this that elevates a collection of stuff, into an integrated (at all three levels) technology ecosystem that genuinely enhances the human condition. Technology will keep changing but the basic tenet that it needs to serve us, rather than us serve it, never will.
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SOMETIMES YOU JUST NEED A KICKSTART By David Hearn, Group Marketing Director at Integrated Logic
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he Government’s Kickstart Scheme was launched during the COVID pandemic to create 6-month work placements for young people. We found out about the scheme through various Government announcements, which coincided with conversations that we were having internally regarding new staff requirements. We believed that if we hired through the Kickstart Scheme, we’d be able to get these people involved in the team in a way that we wouldn't be able to do otherwise. With our HR consultant researching the scheme in more detail and gaining an understanding of the process, we assessed what the opportunities and threats were, making sure that we were comfortable with the setup and what our responsibilities would be. At this point, we reached out to CEDIA, and they jumped on board, explaining that they supported this initiative of getting new blood into the industry. They kept on top of the requirements — particularly when the Government changed the rules on not needing a minimum of 30 roles — and kept us informed. We felt like
From the start, we knew that if we were going to get involved with this scheme, we needed to do it properly... we were knocking on a very open door when we made contact with CEDIA and getting this enthusiastic response from them was very much appreciated. It matched our outlook for getting younger people involved in the company and it gave us the confidence that they would support us to take this forward. CEDIA was extremely helpful during the process of getting us up and running on the
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Kickstart Scheme. They checked through our application and offered assistance to ensure we reached the approval process quickly and successfully and educated us on the type of training and support we need to provide. We identified Programming and Marketing as the two areas where there were opportunities. We defined the roles and looked at how the people would work, who they would report into, what kind of work we'd expect them to do, what our expectations should be, and set goals for performance. Once the job descriptions had been signed off, we posted these and then went through the interview stage, which included setting the candidates a task to complete to give us an idea of how they would approach the work we would be setting them. This allowed us to get an idea of what they were like as individuals and get a feel for their level of work. We decided to take on three people, initially, through the Kickstart Scheme — Yasmeen and Christina as Digital Marketing Executives and Andrew as an AI Development Assistant. We set up an induction process for them — mapping out the first couple of weeks. Looking back on this now, we expected the hires to need the first month to get up to speed on everything. However, they picked everything up from the word go and within a week or two, were already making a real contribution to the team. From the start, we knew that if we were going to get involved with this scheme, we needed to do it properly — we wanted to structure it in such a way that at the end of the six months, all parties felt that they got something out of it. The scheme makes it clear that you have to train the candidates to help make them more employable at the end of the six months. Beyond that, it’s quite open and up to us what we do. We wanted this programme to be very collaborative, so from the start, we asked the three of them what they wanted to learn. This approach allowed us to move quickly with the training and tick all their boxes — in fact, I think we’d completed the level of training for the full six months in just the first month.
CEDIA was extremely helpful during the process of getting us up and running on the Kickstart Scheme. We wanted the team to come into work feeling motivated, and this has been achieved by the support and level of responsibilities that we’ve given them. We have regular reviews with the three hires to establish any issues that they may have, discuss training requirements —which is a key element to this scheme — and ensure that everyone is on track with meeting expectations. Our structure also includes a meeting every Monday morning to analyse how things went the previous week and to talk through their work for the upcoming week. We’ve found this approach works well as the group enjoys reflecting and getting feedback from the senior teams and understanding how they can move forward in their next activity. This allows us to develop monthly plans and see how the activities are contributing to the company moving forward. What’s nice about having three hires, is that they have become a unit and support each other. I think if we had only taken on one person, it would have been harder for them to know their role in the company and assert themselves. Whereas, having a team of three, they are all confident in contributing fully to the role. So, I would recommend to any business who is looking to go down this route, to consider taking on more than one hire. All three of our hires graduated last year, and we all know the difficulties that this age group has faced with trying to get jobs. Our team of three have not let this be an excuse, they’ve pushed themselves to get on the career ladder by getting involved with the Kickstart scheme, but also, using the time before the jobs became available to do charitable work and online training courses. Young people have so much to offer, and I think that it’s a real shame that sometimes they are just looked upon in a negative light. I can honestly say that there isn’t one thing that I would change about Yasmeen, Christina, and Andrew’s attitude — they are enthusiastic about the company and what we do, are never afraid to come up with ideas, and have already made such a difference within the company.
With regards to the funding aspect of this scheme, we get support with their salary over the six-month period, as well as funding to cover their equipment needs and access to external training alongside the training that we've been able to provide internally. What this means is that we’ve been able to remove the barriers that are often in place when you employ someone new. That’s not to say that it's risk-free, as there is a lot riding on how the person will deliver in the role — they need to be contributors. We’ve taken the view that we’d like this to work beyond the contract period — whether we get the benefit from it, or another company does. We understand that part of this scheme is to allow these young people to make their minds up as to what career they are interested in, as they are just starting out. Neither Yasmeen nor Christina studied digital marketing, but they wanted to try out the role to see if it’s for them. There is a date when the Kickstart Scheme ends, but we want our three hires to get to the end of it and feel comfortable with their experience and what they want to do next — whether it is to stay with us permanently or move onto another opportunity. The most important thing to understand with this scheme is that it is a mutual benefit to both parties — the hires gain access to training and on the job skills that they wouldn't have access to otherwise, and we get people who are full of enthusiasm and can bring a new set of ideas and mindset to the company. I'm very proud of what we've achieved so far with the Kickstart scheme. Working with Yasmeen, Christina, and Andrew has been an inspiration. There’s nothing better than working with people at the beginning of their careers and helping them achieve their goals. We’ve been so happy that we’ve now taken on two more Kickstarters, with Alex and Michael joining the Programming team. The government scheme is open until the end of the year and is currently supporting a number of member companies find suitable Kickstart candidates.
For more details, contact Emma McMylor on emcmylor@cedia.org or visit cedia.net/apprenticeships
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TWO-MINUTE TECH READ
Here come the Pros The big tech companies are embracing the need for trained professionals to install and maintain their products
Ian Bryant CEDIA Senior Director of Strategic Partnerships
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nyone who has been paying attention to the home technology space has probably noticed quite a few of the major players in the direct to consumer “IoT” market are developing “pro” programmes. As a former integrator who is now working for an industry association, that’s definitely stirred up some mixed emotions and has me asking questions. But as I’ve started speaking with these companies and looking at the bigger picture, I see opportunities — lots of opportunities. Let’s first ask the question, “Why are these programmes forming?” The smart home technology space is gaining tremendous momentum, According to Parks Associates’ latest research, the number of U.S. consumers that now own at least one smart home device has doubled (17% in Q4 2015 to 34% in Q4 2020) over the last five years. The number of “Power Users,” which Parks defines as those that own between five and nine such devices, has also grown significantly, doubling in just the last two years.
Do It with Me vs. Do It for Me
We’ve seen two new types of smart home tech consumers emerge, thanks to the broader
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availability of these devices. The first group falls into a DIY category. Sometimes called the “Do It with Me” group, they feel completely comfortable setting up a smart speaker, thermostat, or smart bulbs. Digital natives are prepared to tackle setups as they’re very familiar with smart phone apps and the process of connecting devices to their Wi-Fi. However, these smart home consumers can get overwhelmed as they add additional products to their eco-systems. There can be a break in continuity of the overall smart home experience as the barrage of apps and general product maintenance can get overwhelming for the average homeowner. The second group is one that CEDIA has often referred to as the “Do it for Me” consumer. These smart home consumers don’t want to set up even a single device. They’ll happily pay an expert, not unlike hiring a plumber to install a new faucet or an electrician to install a new ceiling fan. To answer this demand, the “pro” programmes were created, which is an easy way to make integrators available to complete what most CEDIA members would consider a simple install for the general consumer. When consumers have an easy way to access the service they need through the “pro” programmes, it can make the whole process less intimidating. There’s a lot of anecdotal evidence of even one of these simple installs leading to a larger project, and
The companies with these Pro programs are offering referral services to those that qualify.
even the golden ticket: more referrals. More products sold and installed professionally means more happy customers. The more devices in the home, the more work will be created for all.
The Players
These pro programmes are made up of tech individuals and integration companies. The individual tech contractor is not a new concept for the industry. Security, satellite, cable, and internet service providers have all used individual contractors over the years. The direct-to-consumer technology market is just a new venue for them. If you were around the industry in the late ‘90s to early 2000s, you’ll remember the huge satellite boom, which created a lot of quick installation work for tech individuals and integrators alike. The “Do It for Me” and “Do It with Me” opportunities emerging as a result of the direct-to-consumer products that have gained mass attention and adoption will fuel the next wave of integration demand. With the support of some of the biggest tech companies in the space, the services that tech pros provide are that much closer to being recognised by the average consumer as a trade — something that has long been a pain
point for our industry. Long gone are the days of the “AV dude” or “that person that installed my TV”. Integrators are now the people you call for all technology installations and system designs in the home. Companies with these pro programmes are offering referral services to those that qualify. Some companies are offering to sell the products as well, making for an easy upsell on a jobsite. When an integrator’s installing a smart thermostat, the technician might interest the customer in smart speaker or a smart doorbell. If the customer doesn’t have an adequate wireless network, there’s an opportunity to speak with them about upgrading. The opportunities for those participating is vast. CEDIA is recognising the trend from the big brands and is actively working to partner with their pro programmes. There is room for everyone at the table. Some companies may find value in subcontracting to these professionals — others may see this as a new staff recruitment pipeline. CEDIA is committed to helping grow the industry, and for our part, not only are we working with the big companies, but we will continue to support the tech individuals who want to upskill and explore a deeper career in our industry. CEDIA COMMUNICATES
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EDUCATION UPDATE
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT THROUGH LOCAL PARTNERSHIPS How CEDIA is expanding its educational footprint around the globe 48
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Tommy Tabor CEDIA’s Director of Workforce Development
A skilled workforce is the lifeblood of any industry, not to mention the companies that operate within them. According to the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE), “Associations are essential providers of professional education and credentials, and they must play a leading role in workforce training and development.” So, how exactly can CEDIA — a global industry association with member companies in 78 countries and a staff of less than 50 mostly located in the American Midwest — facilitate meaningful workforce development-related experiences for everyone from students with no work experience to industry veterans? The answer is that it can’t, at least not by itself, and not in an industry where most workers are or will need to become skilled tradespeople capable of installing, programming, maintaining, and continually updating complex integrated systems. For folks to truly understand the systems integration industry, especially the local industry where they live; what it’s like to wear various hats in the industry; and grow their career in the industry, they need immersive hands-on learning and mentoring experiences provided by individuals who know the industry (the more local the better) inside and out. Consequently, the only scalable way for CEDIA to tackle workforce development at a level needed to impact the entire industry is through local partnerships. A partnership in its most basic form is a group of people working together to accomplish a common goal. However, a common requirement for all successful partnerships is that they be mutually beneficial. According to “thought leaders” from multiple industries, the following are few benefits that entities from all sectors can receive from successful partnerships: • Increased Opportunities for Free or Lowcost Media Attention/Coverage: Various groups working together can be exciting/ newsworthy, especially to local news organisations! • More Brand Awareness and Loyalty: More media attention/coverage plus networking with individuals and groups not traditionally viewed as core constituency groups is bound to create future “I’ve heard of them” moments. • Enhanced Credibility: Partnering with well-known and well-respected entities at different levels (local, state, national, international, and so on) can help validate each partner’s efforts and validate credibility in a different way.
• Increased Demand/Sales for/of Services, Programmes, or Products: More people in the know means more potential clients/customers. • Enhanced Employee and Potential Employee Relations: Business-minded folks from various industries interacting with mission-driven folks from different types of organisations (and vice versa) is bound to create meaningful interaction and thoughtful learning moments. • More Volunteer Engagement Opportunities: Relationships developed via initial partnerships will surely lead to discussions on how the existing partnerships can be sustained and advanced. Here are some recent wins for CEDIA in this universe: Education Partner Programme (Formerly ATP — and CESIT before that): The Education Partner Programme allows CEDIA to partner with a variety of institutions to bring CEDIA training that leads to industryrecognised credentials to local audiences. CEDIA is currently working with the following Industry Education Partners to skillup existing industry members: • Eleven distributor members of the PowerHouse Alliance are committed to hosting in-person CEDIA Training courses at over 55 locations across the United States beginning in Q4 of 2021. Training programmes are slated to begin in October 2021 and will start with the foundational courses that prepare individuals to sit for the CEDIA Cabling & Infrastructure Technician Certification with more advanced trainings that lead to CEDIA Integrated Systems Technician Certification planned in 2022. CEDIA is currently working with the following Community Education Partners whose skills training programmes lead to CEDIA credentials: • Orange Technical College – Orlando, Florida: Orange Technical College is Central Florida's premier technical education provider. CEDIA educational programming that leads to credentials is offered as part of Orange Technical College’s Electronic Systems Integration and Automation program, which is approved by the Florida Department of Education for use at publicly funded educational institutions in the State of Florida. CEDIA COMMUNICATES
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• Pinellas Technical College – Clearwater, Florida: Pinellas Technical College is Tampa Bay’s premier technical education provider. CEDIA educational programming that leads to credentials is offered as part of Pinellas Technical College’s Electronic Systems Integration and Automation program, which is approved by the Florida Department of Education for use at publicly funded educational institutions in the State of Florida. • AV Technology Institute – Detroit, Michigan: AV Technology Institute is licensed by the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity to deliver private post-secondary technical education programs. CEDIA educational programming that leads to credentials is offered as part of AV Technology’s low voltage electronic installation, repair, and integration program.
Community Ambassador Program
The Community Ambassador Programme will empower and equip CEDIA members to become community ambassadors who will be deployed to promote industry education and career pathways in local communities. Members of CEDIA’s Workforce Development Working Group (WDWG) will serve as the first set of community ambassadors with many more to be added. In addition to promoting industry career pathways in local communities, ambassadors will be tasked with executing student engagement activities at industry events like ISE, Expo, and Tech Summits. CEDIA members across the globe are already “unofficially” acting as ambassadors and this programme will help them better connect CEDIA to local communities.
UK Smart Home Apprenticeship
The UK Smart Home Apprenticeship Programme is a government scheme that provides funding to employers to hire apprentices and educational providers to deliver training at apprentice employer sites. CEDIA has developed a partnership with a training provider (Skills4Stem) in Bedford, England, in a similar manner to how it is partnering with education groups in the Education Partner Programme.
UK Kickstart Scheme
The UK Kickstart Scheme is a government programme that provides funding to employers to create new job placements for 16- to 24-yearolds on Universal Credit who are at risk of longterm unemployment. CEDIA is working to make its members aware of this programme and the financial incentives that they can receive from it. For more on how to partner with CEDIA on any or all of the above initiatives, please contact Tommy Tabor on ttabor@cedia.org.
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A common requirement for all successful partnerships is that they be mutually beneficial.
TOGETHER FOR CINEMA | TOGETHER FOR BETTER
FORGET ME NOT CHILDREN’S HOSPICE HUDDERSFIELD, WEST YORKSHIRE 52
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The Forget Me Not Children’s Hospice is a pioneering children’s hospice that never stops looking for new and better ways to support local children and their families. Magic things happen at Forget Me Not and this is one of the reasons why they chose HRH Princess Beatrice to be their patron. Forget Me Not’s vision is to deliver pioneering care through pregnancy, childhood, and loss, whenever families need them, whatever their future holds. This vision is made a reality by offering high quality, bespoke, specialist services for parentsto-be, babies, children, and their families — every minute gifted is focused on the needs of the families we support. Forget Me Not had been aware of Together For Cinema since 2011 when Ian Morrish, Founder of Together For Cinema, had first made contact
with them. Sadly, at the time, it wasn’t possible to proceed, but come January 2020, the hospice was ready. Together For Cinema had a gap in its portfolio, and there was an integrator who was ready and willing to take on the project — Bespoke Home Cinemas. “We have always wanted to donate one of our cinema rooms to charity and after recently celebrating our 25th year in business and Forget Me Not Hospice celebrating their 10th birthday, it’s a very special gift from us to them,” commented Melanie Malcolm, Director of Bespoke Home Cinemas. With COVID hitting the UK in early 2020, it wasn’t until the lockdowns had been lifted and the integrator had time in their diary, that Melanie and Gifford Malcolm of Bespoke Home Cinemas were able to visit Forget Me Not and view the proposed
room for the cinema installation. The space was being used as a boardroom. It featured a commissioned graffiti style mural painted on one wall to mark the original opening of the hospice and it was a request that this artwork stayed. After a short discussion between the parties, the design was approved, and an ambitious kit list was drawn up. It was now time to source the required products and both Bespoke Home Cinemas and Together For Cinema took on the task. With all products covered, the install began on Monday 14th June 2021. There were challenges — as there are with most installations of this kind — but the design that was drawn up was perfect and satisfied all the requirements needed for this hospice environment. The install was spread over a three-week period due to other installation works scheduled by the integrator, but the actual installation took only six physical working days. The team put in the extra hours to turn this room around, whilst taking into consideration the day-to-day operations within the hospice environment. “We feel privileged to have worked on in this project,” adds Gifford Malcolm, Managing Director of Bespoke Home Cinemas. “We wanted to provide the best room physically possible and with the support from our suppliers, we did just that. For some children and families who sadly are unable to experience a commercial cinema environment, the room provides that ultimate cinematic atmosphere with a little sprinkle of magic.” On Friday 6th August, Forget Me Not hosted an official cinema room opening. “We are celebrating 10 years since our hospice was built,” commented Luen Thompson, CEO of Forget Me Not Children’s Hospice. “Being able to mark this incredible milestone with a fantastic state-of-the-art cinema room is something we could never have imagined. Many of our families cannot go to public cinemas because of their child’s condition and so miss out on this uniquely wonderful experience. The fact that we can now bring the magic of the movies to them right here at the hospice means the world to all of us. This will give so many families the chance to make very special memories together. A huge thank you to everyone involved in making this happen.". All products and associated services were sourced, supplied and installed free of any charge. The approximate total cost of the install, including consultation, installation, products, and any other associated costs would normally have been in the region of £40,000.
KIT LIST AWE Europe: Assistance in securing the required items Cinema Build Systems: Halo screen with LED surround and various electrical accessories Collingwood Lighting: 16 x H2 Pro downlights Control4: EA-1 controller and an SR260 remote Denon / Sound United: AVCX3700 AV amplifier Desmond and Sons: Acoustic fabric wall insulation Epson: EH-TW9400 projector Future Automation: PM-UNI projector mount Habitech: Cables HDANYWHERE: 1 x mHUB U40, 4 x 2m HDMI cables and 1 x 15m HDMI cable
LT Design and Project Management: CGI cinema room renders Middle Atlantic: Various items including the cabinet, shelving, trays, bars, and trays Monitor Audio: 4 x C380-FX in-ceiling speakers, 4 x CPCT380 in-ceiling speakers, and 2 x Radius 390 subwoofers QMotion: 2 x battery powered fabric blinds in Signature purple Rako: Lighting control units Riding Flooring: Stage carpet, supply and fit Sony: UBP-X800M2 Blu-ray player with smart apps Starscape: 6 x custom star panels
On top of the list above, many other products and accessories were generously donated by Bespoke Home Cinemas. “This is our 26th charitable installation, and first under the new committed and industry sponsored operational structure,” said Ian Morrish, Together for Cinema Founder. “The end result is quite simply magnificent and a fabulous gift to a children’s hospice that is pioneering in its level of care and attention. The skilled and determined project management of Melanie and Gifford helped make this one of the very best installations that has been installed under the Together For Cinema umbrella.” togetherforcinema.co.uk
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Ed Wenck Content Director, CEDIA
THE CEDIA PODCAST:
Videoconferencing: Platforms and Pitfalls As more and more integrators install unified communications for both home and office, it’s key to know just what’s out there — and what can trip you up
D
avid Danto, Director of Emerging Technology for the Interactive Multimedia and Collaborative Communications Alliance (imcca.org), has a pretty interesting take on the pandemic: “When it came to unified communications, we finally had the ‘flush test.’ “Everybody went home and
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flushed their toilets at exactly the same time to see if the plumbing exploded.” From GoToMeeting to Teams to Zoom, workers around the world went home and logged in. The big players, as we’ve heard over and over, passed that “flush test.” But among them, were there clear winners? Short answer: Not really, since everybody has their favourite. “When you speak about things like hardware
Want to learn more? Check out this and all past podcasts at cedia.net/podcast
“When it comes to unified communication, collaboration companies that were not agile enough to move to the cloud really struggled.” David Danto, imcca.org
versus software or manufacturer A versus manufacturer B, I've learned these things are like religions,” says David. “You’re never going to convert anybody — they like what they like, and there are pluses and minuses to all of them.” Having said that, David does point out that there was one clear path to success: “Clearly the pandemic proved that being in the cloud and being on software-based applications and cloud-based applications is the winner. When it comes to unified communication, collaboration companies that were not agile enough to move to the cloud really struggled — the infrastructure couldn't support it.” As David digs into the sudden (and staggering) growth of these platforms as the world settled into the “new abnormal” that was 2020 (“All of them charted like hockey sticks,” he notes), it became clear that firms that had traditionally been “cloud-averse” had changed their minds. “Business like financial services were always resistant,” says David. “Now they're on Microsoft Teams and Zoom without thinking about it. There are still some sectors that are cloud averse: Government and healthcare need more secure platforms than the rest of us use.”
The Discovery Process
Steven Rissi, CEDIA’s senior director of technical education, has a background in installing (and servicing) these systems, both in the commercial and residential fields — and knows what to look out for as the lines between the two get fuzzy. “The client expectation is actually one of the most difficult things to manage, because oftentimes, Steven Rissi,
CEDIA’s senior director of technical education, has a background in installing (and servicing) these systems, both in the commercial and residential fields — and knows what to look out for as the lines between the two get fuzzy. “The client expectation is actually one of the most difficult things to manage, because oftentimes, they go out on the web and they're like, ‘Oh, look, Zoom is free — and I can have my own account.’ But they don't realise all of the limitations that restrict the free version of that account.” Clients need to understand things such as time limitations and license upgrades for a certain number of users, notes Steven — things they’re often not aware of. And, he adds, “If you want it to integrate with a room-based system,
you're building a boardroom, sure, you still have a lot of integration costs, but the drop-in systems have gotten really, really good in terms of the quality in terms of the machine learning and the systems.” Another reality, according to David: You really can't necessarily pick a brand. “Yes, your organisation can say we are a Microsoft Teams organisation, because it's very functional for us — then you discover your number one client has a different platform and you can't not be on that platform.” “I highly recommend that any integration firm through and do usability testing across the board on any of these software platforms that you think you might want to recommend or support with your clients — make sure you know
“The client expectation is actually one of the most difficult things to manage” Steven Rissi, CEDIA that's going to be another license upgrade. “And of course, when it comes to the clients, educating them on how to use the software and how to use the various systems, is huge.” Margins have changed in this segment, too. “When you wanted to build a video conference system or a collaboration room or something at an organisation, you were talking 50, 60, $70,000; you were talking shutting the room down for a week,” says David. You can now get a really excellent hardware-based room system, for something like two grand. If
them inside out,” says Steven. “Stay on top of any their firmware updates, software updates, user interface, and any other changes so that you can be the proper representative to the client. And this goes directly in line with having an ongoing support service. “You can help with changes. You can go back and make updates. But also be really clear in the contract that you are not accepting the final responsibility when it comes to the software.” Meaning: “Don't leave yourself on the hook if Zoom has an outage.” 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.
Standards are at the core of everything. I am such a believer in that our experiences are so dependent on being able to describe and create standards that allow for the interoperability in consistency of experience or predictability of experience. 2021 CEDIA Expo Keynote speaker Poppy Crum from her appearance on the CEDIA Podcast
There’s a lot of people who’ve gone hard and fast on social media pages and presences. To me, though, that’s kind of like being in the busy nightclub. You’re always one half-scroll away from another thing that might attract attention. CEDIA volunteer and owner of Presto web Design, Geoff Meads on the limitations of social media from the CEDIA Podcast “How to Fix Your Website”
We treat all of our projects as if they are going to be judged by the awards committee. That is what the client is paying for when they hire us, so we shouldn’t do things any differently, especially when it comes to media room and home cinemas. Audio Images, Mark Ontiveros on the business philosophy that’s netted his firm three Global CEDIA Awards over the last three years
What we have going forward is “work-life blend.” It’s OK for me to be part of my work and for work to be part of me as long as we have management that supports me and lets me be the adult, lets me prioritise my day between my family and personal commitments and taking time off to have fun. If I’ve hit all my goals, who cares when they were met? David Danto, Director of Emerging Technology, imcca.org, on the CEDIA Podcast Resimercial Tech – Videoconferencing
If someone orders something once, it’s custom; if they order it twice, it gets the radar going; and if they order it three times, it makes the catalogue. Mike Cleary of James Loudspeaker/Sonance from the CEDIA Podcast “Form v. Function in Audio Gear”
I don’t know what it is about Hoosiers, but wherever you go, there is always a Hoosier doing something very important there. 56
CEDIA COMMUNICATES
Author Kurt Vonnegut, Jr., native of Indianapolis, host city for CEDIA Expo 2021
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