CEDIA Communicates EMEA - Quarter 4 2017 by CEDIA EMEA

QUARTER 4 2017

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Great Gaming Tips CEDIA 2017 Show Highlights Manufacturer Award Winners

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FORTRESS SEATING D-BOX SCREEN RESEARCH BENQ DIGITAL PROJECTION PRISMASONIC AUDIOCONTROL STORM AUDIO BGW www.pulsecinemas.com

KALEIDESCAPE PIXELGEN KLIPSCH / JAMO JAMES LOUDSPEAKER NEAR SPEAKERS VICOUSTIC FURMAN CRESTRON LUTRON

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ContENTS

12 16 20 22 28 52 54 56

THE PLAYHOUSE THEATRE A look at an award-winning dedicated home cinema

Q&A: DIY ECOSYSTEMS We ask the industry their thoughts on this growing sector

ARE YOU GAME? David Meyer on what’s needed for a great gaming experience

CEDIA 2017 ROUNDUP All the best bits from the San Diego show

CEDIA AWARDS Discover all the winners from around the globe

MOBILE SHOWROOM Discover a showroom built into an Airstream

IET STANDARDS Get the low-down on existing and upcoming IET documentation

IT’S ALL IN YOUR HEAD(PHONES) Inside the personal two-channel experience

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Thanks for opening up this issue of CEDIA Communicates. As 2017 begins to draw to an end, we remember a wildly successful show in San Diego and look forward to 2018.

EVER ONWARD!

We were thrilled with the turnout for CEDIA 2017, and the content that the show provided was stellar. In these pages, you’ll find highlights from many of the CEDIA Talks presented at our booth and a look back at our Opening Keynote from Stringify’s Dave Evans. We also recap the CEDIA Awards banquets held all around the world; introduce you to the recipients of CEDIA Lifetime Achievement, EMEA Special Recognition, Fellows, and Volunteers of the Year for 2017; and honour the Best New Product winners in the CEDIA Manufacturer Awards. Practical advice abounds in this issue, as you’ve come to expect. Some examples: Mike Maniscalco offers fixes for network latency, and David Meyer explains the latest advances in gaming — it’s becoming a significant opportunity for integrators. We profile another integrator in our “I AM CEDIA” series, look at an award-winning home theatre, and discover a showroom in an Airstream. We also dig into smart locks and connected thermostats — two more examples of the ever-expanding areas in which our CEDIA professionals can shine. We’re proud of this little publication — and we hope you enjoy it.

Tabatha O’Connor CEDIA Acting President and CEO

Contact

7150 Winton Drive, Suite 300 Indianapolis, Indiana 46268 USA Email: info@cedia.org Telephone: +1 800.669.5329 www.cedia.net

Unit 2, Phoenix Park, St Neots Cambridgeshire, PE19 8EP, UK Email: info@cedia.co.uk Telephone: +44 (0)1480 213744 www.cedia.co.uk

Front cover image: Clever Association Unit 3, Stoneacre, Grimbald Crag Close, Knaresborough, HG5 8PJ, UK Telephone: +44 (0)1423 861166 Email: enquiry@cleverass.com www.cleverass.com All material in Communicates is the copyright of CEDIA and any reproduction of said material would require written permission from the publisher. 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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NEWS IN BRIEF

THE INDUSTRY GETS CHARITABLE CEDIA recently hosted a charity cycle ride to commemorate five colleagues who the industry lost over the last two years. Suzanne Collin, Carmen Greenway, Bob Hobson, Alan Roser, and Peter Lawn are sorely missed by many within the industry and this event was the opportunity to remember these dear friends and raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support in their memory. Around 40 people attended the charity event, which took place around Grafham Water Park in Huntingdon, U.K. While some enjoyed a 9 mile fun ride, others endured a difficult 50 mile cycle sportive style ride. With industry friends and family paying to take part, buying the commemorative cycling shirt, and generously donating to the JustGiving page, CEDIA has so far raised just over £5,000 for Macmillan Cancer Support. CEDIA also hosted a silent charity auction at the CEDIA Awards event, which saw more money being donated to Macmillan. CEDIA is delighted to now announce that the total amount that it will be handing over to the charity is £6,925. Thank you to everyone who helped support this worthy cause.

CEDIA HOSTS SUCCESSFUL TECH TRENDS EVENT Towards the end of September, CEDIA hosted a three-hour Technology, Consumer Trends and Business Strategy Workshop. Hosted at the Lutron Experience Centre in London, the sold out workshop discussed what’s next for the home technology industry, and concentrated on consumer and technology trends. Organised by Peter Aylett, Dave Pedigo, and Walt Zerbe from CEDIA’s Technology Advisory Council, the day began with a brief update from each council member discussing their predictions for future trends in the technology market. Based on ideas covered, attendees then worked in small groups to discuss and develop strategies to embrace opportunities and overcome potential challenges. Phil Cotton, Design Director of Finite Solutions attended the event, and found it incredibly interesting. He comments: “Listening to industry experts who have their finger on the pulse of what is just around the corner for our industry is always fascinating and insightful. The group discussion raised interesting perspectives on the impact new technologies will have on our businesses, and I have taken away some great ideas that I can start implementing straight away.”

CEDIA TO RELEASE FULL MARKET RESEARCH REPORT Earlier this year, CEDIA invited companies within the home technology industry to take part in the CEDIA UK Size and Scope Survey. CEDIA partnered with Futuresource to conduct this year’s extensive research project, and having now completed the process, will be making the report available for purchase from early December. The research will paint a bigger picture of the growth of residential sales and installations of AV, entertainment, security, networking, control, and other related systems over the last 12 months in the UK. It will also detail the estimated number of companies installing industry products, the size of the workforce and the areas that are most important for their businesses. To purchase the report, visit www.cedia.co.uk/research

UK Size & scope survey Help us to further understand the residential custom installation industry

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CEDIA OPENS RENEWALS With renewals opening in mid-November, CEDIA is encouraging all members to look out for their renewal packs in the post over the coming weeks. To renew your membership for 2018, you will need to visit www.cedia.net/renew from the 15th November to continue to access your benefits including; our education programme, literature, networking events, the CEDIA Awards, and much more.

NEW MEMBERS CEDIA welcomes 286 new members across the globe this quarter. A special welcome to our new EMEA members… DENMARK >

CEDIA EXPANDS AVAILABILITY OF CERTIFICATION GLOBALLY CEDIA Certification exams are now available through Kryterion Global Testing Solutions, which has more than 1,000 testing centres worldwide. “It has been a long-standing goal of CEDIA to make our certification exams more accessible to our members around the world,” said David Whitney, CEDIA Certification Manager. “Members who previously could only take certification exams at the CEDIA show or at another CEDIA training event now have the flexibility to take the exam close to home.” In addition to the numerous testing locations, Kryterion also provides extensive exam development resources that will help CEDIA make more frequent and efficient exam updates, while continuing to follow testing best practices.

Cornered Audio ApS FINLAND > Oviku FRANCE > DreamVision ITALY > Prase Engineering SpA JERSEY > Smart Digital Systems Ltd OMAN > HiTec Center LLC SOUTH AFRICA > Mirror Edge Networks SPAIN > Bel Air Cinema DHS Sound Vision & Control SRI LANKA > Lanka Links Holdings (Private) Limited UNITED ARAB EMIRATES >

The certification tests include ESC (both in English and Spanish), ESC-T, ESC-D and ESC-N. Individuals looking to sign up for a certification exam will purchase a voucher to take the exam through the CEDIA website. After purchase, a link will be provided to a Kryterion login, allowing individuals to select an exam time and location. A map of all the testing locations can be found on the Kryterion website. www.kryteriononline.com/Locate-Test-Center

Smarter Living Technology UNITED KINGDOM > AAA Satellites and Aerials Arrow Audiovisual Ltd Cloud One IT Ltd Epitome Living Ltd GW Smart Homes Ltd ikandiav.co.uk IOT Smartnet Ltd iSecure (UK)

EDITOR’S NOTE

JMV Solutions Ltd Live Smarter Ltd

In the Quarter 3 issue, CEDIA included a company profile on Moss Technical, entitled A Moss Profile. The article stated that Niko has launched a Partner Program. CEDIA would like to correct this, and inform readers that it is Moss Technical that has launched a Partner Program for integrators in the UK.

Luxe Smart Homes

This program allows associates even more support than a qualified integrator, including marketing support, sales training, and product training. The partnership status also allows integrators to be promoted on their website partner search page (www.homecontrol.uk.com/niko/find-a-partner), provides them authorisation to use the Niko UK Partner logo, and offers them the opportunity to be invited to join Moss Technical on their stands at trade shows.

MQA

Marvel Electrical MK Sound & Vision Ltd Mount My TV MountMyTVOnline MRB Electrical + Security Ltd MRFS Group Nucleus AV Ltd. Octagon Ltd RFS Fire & Security The VIP Lounge Tuning Solutions

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SOME THOUGHTS ON CEDIA… A NOTE FROM DENNIS ERSKINE, CEDIA BOARD OF DIRECTORS CHAIRPERSON

A Dennis Erskine

Chairperson, CEDIA Board of Directors

s of this writing, voting is underway for your CEDIA Board. By the time this publication is printed and sent, you’ll know who the newly elected Board members are — three elected spots will be filled, and the two appointed positions will be voted on by the new Board at the January meeting. (The new Board will be tasked with formally approving our two appointed members.) The interest in these open positions has been incredibly gratifying. This Board represents our association as a global body — now that all of CEDIA has been integrated, we move forward as one unified, worldwide organisation. It’s something that all of us should be very proud of. Beyond that, we wrapped up a tremendously successful show in San Diego, complete with a new initiative between CEDIA and Amazon. CEDIA 2017 saw 7% growth in registrations to over 20,000, and on the education front, a 19% increase in individual course registrations. (Another note on the show — we had attendees from parts of the U.S. that were coping with hurricane damage and the attendant floods. Some came or sent employees even though their homes and businesses had incurred damage. And while the show was running, many of you donated to the Red Cross or other charities. It was touching to see, and I

can’t begin to express my thanks for your generosity and dedication.) We’ve begun taking CEDIA training “on the road,” with networking workshops booked in the Big Apple and at CEDIA IPRO Affinity Group member locations. We’re building a strategy for the future with the expert help of Dr. Rebecca Homkes. We’re breaking ground on a new HQ that will serve as a tremendous training and meeting space for our members, and a resource for everyone in the channel. Having that new building means CEDIA is transitioning from renter to landlord, from paying for someone else’s asset to paying for our own. And something else is happening — it’s a buzz that circulated on the show floor, a concept that many seemed to embrace. I’ll sum it as best as I can. The founders of CEDIA were tinkerers and hobbyists, enthusiasts who strove to take gear that was readily available and adapt it — make it work in a single system. The earliest distributed audio systems, for example, were often constructed from car audio speakers and adapted amps. That sense of “How can we make this stuff all work together?” has made quite a comeback — it’s the integrator’s job to take disparate elements and network them together. The IoT and the rapid pace of

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…THE INDUSTRY, AND THE FUTURE technological change has brought us back to the place where “custom” is a profoundly more important term than “product margins” — the channel is once again becoming a place where smarts and service will be the yardstick by which our customers measure us as technology integrators. Don’t misread this — the DIY universe we’ve watched explode presents as many challenges as opportunities for our members. But when I walk the floor and hear the chatter, when I see the excitement as newly-minted integrators find the joy in giving their customers that “Oh, wow!” moment, when I see former integrators create both B2C and B2B products and services that fill a need, when I see the “old hands” in

the biz mentoring the newbies — and finding new streams of revenue that pay for our expertise, knowledge, and professionalism rather than a reliance upon product margins — I couldn’t be more confident in our industry and its evolving relevance. I’m further gratified when I see our CEDIA Awards entries. Custom whole-home integration, media rooms, dedicated home theatres — the work we’re doing for our high-end clients is nothing short of astonishing. No matter your business model, no matter your client base, we are here to help you succeed. We are here to help with training, certification, keeping a watchful eye on potentially damaging legislation, and providing a network to help you find support.

We intend to make CEDIA a name known well beyond the field of custom integration, known to builders, architects, designers, and ultimately, the consumer. The excellence of our member’s work will make our efforts that much easier. Lastly, as you may be aware, my time as the Chairperson of the CEDIA Board of Directors is drawing to a close. (The eminently qualified Dave Humphries will become your next Chair in January.) I will always look back on my time as Chair with the fondest of memories — and that’s almost entirely because of you, our members. I can’t begin to express what an honour it has been to be the “chief collaborator” during this exciting — yes, challenging, too — era. I’ll never forget your support, and in many cases, assistance, and counsel. In conclusion: It is my hope that I leave the organisation in a better place than I found it. I thank you all. Onward,

Dennis Erskine CEDIA Board Chairperson

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CHALLENGE LATENCY

AND SOLUTION

IN THE LAST ISSUE, I INTRODUCED YOU TO NETWORK LATENCY CHALLENGES. HERE ARE SOME LIKELY SOLUTIONS. One of the founding principles of some CEDIA member businesses is performance, as many home technology integrators got their start in two-channel audio, car audio, surround sound systems, Mike Maniscalco or home theatres. Unfortunately, when it comes to networks, we VP of Product, Ihiji often don’t take performance as seriously as we do with the other systems we sell. As I wrote in the last issue, packet loss and latency are good indicators of the performance of a network. Now that we know about these measures and how they impact network performance, let’s dig deeper into what causes packet loss and latency. I often say that troubleshooting network problems can often feel like chasing ghosts. There are a lot of complex, hidden issues and problems that present themselves sporadically; without the proper tools and training, resolving these issues can be impossible. A tip that I use in many of the CEDIA training courses is to use the OSI seven-layer model and root-cause analysis to bust those ghosts on the network. So, what causes packet loss and latency and how do you apply these fundamentals? Let’s take a look at what could cause performance issues, starting at the physical layer and moving all the way up to the presentation layer.

PHYSICAL ISSUES ON THE NETWORK Bad cabling, improper terminations, and physical port failures can all cause packet loss and latency on a network. In the field, this can be caused by poor pre-wire, bad trim out, a stray nail, and other physical wiring issues.

POOR SIGNALS AND INTERFERENCE For both wired and wireless connections, bad signals can cause slow transmission times as well as packet loss. As you get physically further away from the source, your signal weakens, and eventually, the transmission will fail. Also, interference, both RF and electromagnetic, can cause signal flow issues which result in loss, latency, and signal corruption.

OVERLOADED EQUIPMENT Too much traffic for a device to process is a big problem with older equipment, especially switches, access points, and routers. Much like a computer, when you have too many programmes running, the processor and memory of the network device may become highly utilised. That over-utilisation results in queuing, which increases latency, lowers throughput, and ultimately leads

to packet timeouts and loss. As we add more devices and stream more content, equipment installed years ago may not have enough raw horsepower to keep up with the growing need for speed.

BUGS, VIRUSES, AND ROGUE TRAFFIC As we move up the stack, there are applications that can impact the performance of the network. High traffic flow can force queuing and overload the switches, routers, and access points. Additionally, in a software-driven world, bugs will exist. It’s an unfortunate reality, and it can lead to headaches when troubleshooting. Memory leaks, bad protocol support, and runaway processes can all cause problems on critical networking infrastructure. Following best practices, such as using only stable firmware releases in the field and using proven devices and manufacturers can limit your potential exposure to pesky bugs. These are some of the more common causes of packet loss and latency in the networks technology integrators manage. Understanding the root cause and what to look for will help you chase down the ghosts that often pop up in your networks. It is also important to note that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Taking the time to design, engineer, configure, install, and certify your networks and cabling will save you big headaches in the future.

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I AM CEDIA 60 SECONDS WITH BRENDON REID Who are you? My name is Brendon Reid. What’s your company and where is it based? Automation Associates is a residential and commercial integrator based in Auckland, New Zealand. How did you get into the industry? Pulling things apart as a toddler, turned into being able to put them back together again as a teenager, so I became useful to friends and family, especially when it came to tech. I installed my first MATV system at 11 and designed, built, and installed a home automation system based on a BBC Micro at the age of 15. What’s your favourite project and why? Providing the scoring and special effects technology for the internationally televised Red Bull Drift Shifters car racing event in Auckland is a highlight. With an incredible team of contributors, we developed a totally new scoring technology that we made from scratch. We had impossible-

looking deadlines, we worked around the clock to pull it all off, and then dropped into bed after three long days with no sleep, knowing the client was blown away and had become a raving fan. Which home technology do you consider the most important today and why? Any technology that can bring together the control of anything the client is looking for, but in a way that I call translucent — it’s not in your face, but it’s there if you look for it. The Vantage Equinox

“

control system is a perfect example of what this looks like when it is done right. How long have you been a CEDIA member? I joined CEDIA in 1998 to take advantage of the training at the Expo event in New Orleans. What do you consider your biggest achievement as a CEDIA member? My biggest achievements are serving on the NZ Advisory Group and on the NZ and Australian

“

THOSE OF US WHO BELONG TO CEDIA WILL HAVE THE ANSWER

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CEDIA Boards, as well as running the Expo in New Zealand in 2010. Which CEDIA benefits do you take advantage of the most, and why? Training, training, training. I always do as much CEDIA training as I can get my hands on. It’s important to point out that some of the best training has come from unlikely places, such as those nasty round white plastic trestle tables in the food halls at the Expos. I often learn just as much chewing the fat with other integrators at lunch or other functions as I did sitting in the classrooms. Thanks to the continued efforts of Lauren Tuckwell, CEDIA’s Regional Development Consultant for Australia and New Zealand, we have regular training in New Zealand now. I go to these events without fail. Do you regularly make use of other CEDIA resources? The online CEDIA Community forum is extremely good and very immediate. I needed a phrase to use on a legal document last month and had three suggestions from fellow members within 24 hours. What’s the biggest issue for home technology businesses today and how can they deal with it? Without a doubt, GAFA (Google, Apple, Facebook, and Amazon). We have been chipping away at a goldmine with a shovel for 10 years and Google and Co. just arrived with an excavator. I’d advise professionals to learn the strengths and weaknesses of these products, use this information to steer your clients in the right direction (YOU are the right direction), diversify and get into things they don’t do, and provide a service installing their products that are popular, and then leverage from there.

who will hang a telly on the wall and call it a “smart home,” and a true integrator who cares a great deal about the subsystems and overall customer experience. I would like to see “home system professionals” discussed within the wider building industry, just like builders, electricians, and plumbers (I wish I got paid as well as my plumber!). If you weren’t in the home technology sector, what would you like to be doing and why? At some stage, I will spend a bit of time helping an outfit like the Red Cross with disaster recovery in the area of mobile power generation and emergency communications. What does 2018 hold for your company? Thanks to the teachings of Rich Green, we are expanding into VR, robotics, and gaming, so I look forward to seeing where our business is in a year’s time. One thing is sure, it will be completely different. We will have our first autonomous cars on the roads, drones will be dropping our shopping in our car boots, and we will start to spend an appreciable chunk of our weeks in a virtual environment — what an amazing time to be alive. We’ve just got to figure out how to make a dollar out of it and I know those of us who belong to CEDIA will have the answer.

If there was one thing you could change in the industry, what would it be? Encourage our industry to educate their market (including homeowners, architects, and interior designers) on the difference between a sparky

www.aa.net.nz

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CASE STUDY

THE PLAYHOUSE THEATRE ON THE LAKE Integrator: DC Home Systems DC Home Systems 170 West Road, Suite 8, Portsmouth, NH 03801 USA 800.649.3228 www.dchomesystems.com CEDIA Member Since 1998

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Equipment List • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Apple TV Apple iPad Mini4 Autonomic MMS-2A streaming music player CinemaTech seating Crestron shading and control Digital Projection Insight 4K Dual-LED 3-chip DLP projector Digital Projection 115-630 lens, 1.76 – 2.77:1 Fortinet FS-224D-FPOE 24-port Gigabit managed switch iPort WallStation and sleeve Kaleidescape Strato Kinetics acoustic treatments and fibre-optic starfield ceiling Lab.Gruppen C28-4 700w x 4-ch amps Lab.Gruppen FP4000/BP 1600w x 2-ch amps Lab.Gruppen NLB-60E Nomadlink amplifier network control manager Lumagen Radiance Pro-4440 4K video processor LWC speaker cable Middle Atlantic racks Seymour Screen Excellence TAM-2L-172.5-4K Cinemascope Screen with motorised masking SurgeX PF-420 Surge Elimination System Triad CR LCR2 Cinema Reference Main speakers Triad CR 121 Cinema Reference subwoofer Enclosures (Sealed) Triad IC Silver/6 Monitor In-Ceiling speakers Triad IW Gold/4 Surround In-Wall/In-Ceiling speakers Trinnov Audio AL32-1632 32-ch, 3D audio surround processor WattBox WB-700-IPV-12 12-outlet power distribution

A closer look at a CEDIA Award Winner (Best Home Cinema, Level IV – Americas and Best Home Cinema – Global winner) The “Playhouse” was already under construction when DC Home Systems got the call for a dedicated home theatre in a 15,000-square-foot structure built for entertainment, and the room presented many challenges. First, the owner had to be educated about the gear needed for the 1,200-square-foot area set aside for the cinema. Next, the home’s design called for windows in the room housing the theatre, so true blackout shades were needed. Then, the homeowner spec’d a bar and countertop that not only presented acoustical issues, but also demanded creative solutions when it came to speaker placement. Custom surrounds from Triad Speakers proved to be the solution. The rack room was also especially small for the gear needed, and demanded cable management so elegant that one CEDIA judge said he was “blown away.” One more wrinkle: The entire theatre sits directly beneath a basketball court, which meant that the vertical supports carrying the load of the court needed to be replaced with massive steel beams — which affected screen sizing and presented projector light path issues. As if that didn’t cause enough isolation issues, the integrator also had to contend with a bowling alley on the other side of the theatre’s entry doors. Lastly, the client is a fan of stargazing, and the star-field ceiling is the largest that the manufacturer, Kinetics, had ever produced: 1,000-square-feet.

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OUTSTANDING INDIVIDUALS 2017 CEDIA LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD ERIC

BODLEY

Eric Bodley, President and CEO of Future Ready Solutions and Bodley and Associates. The CEDIA Lifetime Achievement Award recognises an individual who has exhibited outstanding, creative, innovative, and visionary leadership in the growth and advancement of the residential technology industry.

For the past 40 years, Eric Bodley has worked in nearly every aspect of the consumer electronics industry. Early on, he developed the custom installation division for specialty electronics retailer, Sound Advice in Florida, and then, after forming Bodley & Associates, trained hundreds of sales associates with his IHAVS™ (In-Home Audio Video Specialist) program. From 1995-2009 he launched a myriad of products and programmes for Monster Cable Products and started Florida Home Entertainment Design. In 2009, he was recruited to launch the revolutionary Perfect Path™ brand of Locking HDMI Cables by PPC®, and most recently, founded Future Ready Solutions. Eric is a past president of CEDIA (1993 - 1994); is a CEDIA Fellow; served as a judge on this year’s CEDIA Awards; and is a member of the CEDIA Advisory Council.

CEDIA FELLOWS The CEDIA Fellows programme honours longtime CEDIA volunteers who have contributed significantly to the association’s success.

DAVID GRAHAM David is MD of Grahams Hi-Fi in London, one of the oldest established specialist hi-fi retailers in the UK, and a founding member of CEDIA UK. He has over 35 years of experience within the industry, over 30 of which have focussed on custom installation. Grahams has won numerous CEDIA Awards over the years, including best integrated home four times. David was Chairman of the CEDIA UK Board of Directors from 1998-2000 and subsequently served on the Board as Membership Chair, where he was responsible for helping to drive membership throughout Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia.

JULIE JACOBSON Julie is co-founder of 23-year-old EH Media (formerly EH Publishing), publisher of CE Pro, Electronic House, Commercial Integrator, and Security Sales & Integration. Currently, she spends most of her time writing, speaking, and rabble-rousing for CE Pro in the areas of IoT, home automation, networked A/V, and the business of home systems integration. Julie received the CEA TechHome Leadership Award in 2014, and currently serves on the CEDIA Technology Council. A longtime champion of custom electronics, she frequently promotes the channel to analysts, investors, home builders, retailers, and mass-market consumer technology providers.

LEN WALLIS Len has spent his working life in audio, starting as a salesperson for MS Sound in 1970. He opened Len Wallis Audio (LWA) in 1978 as a one-man show, and is still very involved in the daily management of the company. LWA was a founding member of CEDIA Australia in 1995, and Len served on the local Board for many years, and served as Chairman twice. LWA was the first company outside of the U.S. to receive the prestigious CEDIA “Dealer of the Year” Award in 2001. That same year, Len received the CEDIA Lifetime Achievement Award. LWA projects have won over 35 local CEDIA Awards.

VOLUNTEERS OF THE YEAR GUY SINGLETON VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR Imagine This Guy has been a CEDIA volunteer for the past 15 years, and has been an instructor at ISE, the annual CEDIA show, and various other CEDIA training events worldwide. Guy is an ISF instructor (for EMEA) and both THX and HAA certified. In addition to his training roles, Guy has served as a U.S. and Global Awards judge and he played a key role in the IET Standards working group.

OWEN MADDOCK NEW VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR ConnectedWorks Owen has been the main author for the upcoming continuing professional development (CPD) course on home cinema, demonstrating his passion and commitment to educating design professionals, and creating exciting new content for the industry.

LARRY HEUVELMAN TRAINING VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR TheOwnerConsultant Larry has been an active volunteer, member, and supporter of CEDIA for close to ten years, lending his more than 35 years of business and ownership experience. Larry was a significant education contributor to the business course selection process for CEDIA 2017 as he volunteered his time to serve on the Business Working Group.

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THE

CHALLENGE OF

DIY A Q&A WITH FOUR OF CEDIA’S BRIGHTEST MINDS

The contributors… JW

Joe Whitaker The Thoughtful Home, Clayton, MO, USA

Anthony Gallon Clever Association, Knaresborough, Yorkshire, UK

Nicolai Landschultz Indigozest, Radlett, Hertfordshire, UK

Andy Jack TwentyTwo Integration, London, UK

How would you describe the growth in DIY systems?

established and new players making waves. This is helping to make “home automation” more ubiquitous, but at the same time, customers will soon realise that these products can only go so far.

JW Critical mass hasn’t even hit yet, but DIY is everywhere. There are DIY products for every segment of the CEDIA industry today and many are from the world’s biggest brands. While the CEDIA industry knows that stability and security with DIY products are a concern, the mass growth of DIY IoT products and brands gives the CEDIA professional exposure to a market never seen before.

AJ I would say that at this time, it is relatively slow in our market. Most of our clients are not DIY people. That said, it’s clear from the amount that is now available that the wider market for DIY solutions is growing all the time.

AG When I started out, back in the mid-’90s, hobbyists were making their own weird and wonderful systems, but not always successfully! The difference now is that those “boxes of tricks” have been replaced by highly-polished devices that are easy to configure, which opens this sector up to the masses. The growth is exponential and I can’t see it slowing anytime soon. NL There has been a rapid growth in DIY systems across all industries, from home, health, and fitness, to pets and cars. The ability to connect any device with an “on” and “off” switch to the internet has become so easy with wider broadband availability and smart devices. There is clearly still more room for growth in this market, with both

Which DIY brands and technologies have been most influential? JW That’s the key to this question, not the products, but the brands. Google, Nest, Amazon, Sonos, Philips, and Lutron are top of the list for most influential. But the brands continue to grow. Harnessing their brand recognition in our technology integration companies is key to growth through exposure. I always say find one that you can put in your secure system and let that outward-facing, big brand speak for you. AG Sonos springs to mind, as it’s a consumer product that has made a real impact on what we do as technology integrators. It is one of the most consistently mentioned brands in client meetings — many people either have it or have used it. Other products that

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spring to mind are Apple TV, Amazon Echo, and the Nest range of heating, monitoring, and security products. NL Initially, the most well-known brands were Nest, Hive, and Phillips Hue. However, Amazon Alexa has really proven itself recently. With a lot of initial hype, it is really starting to develop its capabilities and potential. AJ Apple and Amazon have definitely led the way, as well as Philips Hue with regards to lighting.

How have you engaged with these systems? JW My story with brand engagement is pretty public, from our work with Nest, Sonos, what we have partnered to do with Alexa products, and what is coming in VUI (Voice User Interface). We have seen the importance of being inclusive of DIY products within our systems, not exclusive. Branding is important, and being able to encompass those “name brands” within your own company’s brand identity is important for co-brand recognition. AG Like many of our peers, we were reluctant to embrace these products early on as they weren’t as flexible or high performing as what we were using. As they developed, control system manufacturers started to offer two-way control and they became a viable option. Sonos, HEOS By Denon, and Apple TV all feature regularly on our projects. NL We have come across multiple installations where customers are insisting on using Nest thermostats, and in those cases, we are more than happy to integrate them into our professional smart home platform. We are almost always asked about Alexa and are happy to get “her” integrated as well. Customers do enquire about Phillips Hue, but often back off once they understand the limitations of this product when compared to a more professionally installed solution. AJ

To date, the main system that we

“

have engaged with is Amazon Echo, but even then, our clients aren’t too excited about speaking to their AV system — not yet anyway. I think this area will grow in popularity when people get used to the idea. .

How have these products changed your business offering?

easily by referencing how they improve on the DIY products they are already familiar with. NL These products have given us a wider base of interested potential customers. Yes, these may be customers who initially think a professional smart home can be done for “next to nothing,” but through conversation and demonstration, they learn that there is a big difference in what we can help them achieve.

JW How could these products not change any company’s offering? Products with wide public views that are requested by consumers change the landscape of home technology. The problem with this trend is that they pop up exponentially now. They are acquired, shut down, absorbed, or die altogether. The key is to evaluate them for the long haul. What brands or product categories can the technology integrator embrace that will be around tomorrow? Looking at it in this sense can give a lasting brand benefit to a CEDIA integration company.

AJ I wouldn’t say that they have changed our business yet, but we will need to be aware of it and accept that it will potentially impact on product offerings and potentially take some business away from us. I guess it’s similar to how the iPad eroded the native touchscreen market.

AG I wouldn’t say that these technologies have changed our business offering. What they have done is made clients more aware of what they want from a system, which in turn makes those early client discussions easier. The majority of our projects are in properties not typically suited to these components. When we can’t embrace them, we can explain the more flexible solutions that will work far more

JW While we would like to say the smaller ones, this is no longer the case. Alexa (Echo Dot) is entrenched in even the most complex, high-end home systems today. Add to that the fact that Nest thermostats are a point of conversation and a sales talking point, the “project threshold” is all but gone today.

Our industry will profit from this through the knowledge of integration and understanding the importance of a robust network infrastructure.

Which type of projects are these systems most suited to?

AG There are many different products and it all comes down to how scalable the solution is. I would say that the majority of DIY products are still limited to smaller projects — heating systems that aren’t too complex or large, for example. As soon as you have large properties with many individually controllable zones, perhaps in different buildings, you move a long way away from the consumer DIY heating control solutions. NL They are clearly well-suited to DIY jobs! However, some of the

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products (e.g. Alexa and Nest) can also work well within a professionally installed solution, but some of the others just don’t make sense for the technology integrator to use (except, of course, if the customer insists). AJ In time, all projects will have room for these products (to some extent), but I think realistically, many of our customers will refrain from the DIY systems either because they are not scalable enough or they are after a more bespoke, unique solution.

Provide an example of a project where you have integrated one of these products? JW The latest DIY integration we did was with Echo Dots. Prior to the Origin Acoustics Valet Amplifier, we used the Dot as an answer for quick control. Being able to perform true, custom, user-specific actions has been a huge benefit to our systems. For a client to say, “Alexa turn on, Sarah is cooking,” and the kitchen lights set, the music queues up, and everything is set to her perfect cooking environment, is amazing. AG We introduced Amazon Alexa control of a large Lutron HomeWorks QS system recently, a project that went on to win “Project of the Year” at the 2017 Lutron Excellence Awards. The client had an Amazon Echo Dot, which they used to check the weather and latest headlines. We integrated that because it was simple to do so. How much it’ll be used remains to be seen. NL An existing client of ours had a large whole home Control4 system and wanted to add Alexa. This caused no problems — it was integrated into the system very easily and the customer now has one more way to impress and amuse his family and friends. We also recently did a retrofit project for a new customer who already had Nest installed, as well as a bit of Philips Hue lighting, along with Alexa. We wrapped a Control4 platform around all of this technology, along with a new set of technologies (for AV control and more). AJ By combining Amazon Echo with Control4 or Crestron, we can add additional benefits to the Echo solution that are far more customised than anything that could be bought on the high street. In this sense, it hasn’t impacted our profitability or system, but instead, we have been able to gain revenue from the set up side of things.

“

What happens on the LAN stays on the LAN when a CEDIA professional is brought in to do the entire project

What benefit do integrators bring to these products? How can integrators make them “smart”? JW Integrators can take things one step further than the DIY offering in more than one area. The first is network stability and security. Being able to isolate a DIY device for optimisation and security is essential. There are many things in the “cloud” that cannot be controlled by the consumer or the integrator. But what happens on the LAN stays on the LAN when a CEDIA professional is brought in to do the entire project. Another thing that the integrator brings to the table is breaking through the walls of what is “packaged” with DIY products. AG Ensuring that all technologies in the home react appropriately when one of these devices — which are typically standalone — is controlled directly by the homeowner is one way that integrators can add value. We let our clients use the Sonos control app directly, even if we have an overall control system in place. We monitor which room they have started playing music in, and if the system needs to turn an amplifier on and route signals for it to be audible, then it’ll do that automatically. NL As standalone products, these do a simple “on/off” job and you can easily end up with multiple apps for different functions. Integrators can combine the different apps into one easy-to-use interface. The integration then also allows the functions to work cohesively with other functions, making its response much smarter. AJ Integrators will be able to ensure technology is set up correctly, securely, and where more than one technology is involved, help bridge the equipment to bring integrated benefits.

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How can integrators profit from the growth in this market? JW The key is what more can the integrator do? A good demonstration of how they can take these devices to the next level is key. By saying, “This device can do so much more, but only with a CEDIA member company,” is important to build a scalable and profitable system based on a client’s current or requested interaction with a mass market DIY device. The integrator is the path to unlimited interaction for the consumer. AG The majority of these DIY systems don’t carry great margins for integrators and it would be difficult to build a business exclusively around them. They can still be embraced and used alongside what we do. We can introduce overall control systems to knit everything together and ensure we make those products perform at their best. Using high quality DACs, power amplifiers, loudspeakers, and networking hardware with a consumer audio system will make a difference in the level of performance, while expanding the scope of work for the integrator. All of these extra components need to be installed, programmed, and maintained, which means additional chargeable time too. NL It has brought about great awareness to the general public, and once this has been experienced, it gives people a taste of what is possible. Many will try several apps and be content how they like to use it. However, there are many others who then recognise the larger benefit and complexities of making this actually function in their own home. People are not interested in how it works, but just that it does work and that they just need to press a button. Our industry will profit from this through the knowledge of integration and understanding the importance of a robust network infrastructure.

“

AJ Integrators will have the opportunity to add value to the DIY products, whether through charging for time to help people install the items, or adding services such as improvements in the network setup, cybersecurity, and wireless robustness.

What does the future hold? JW The future looks amazing. DIY manufacturers are starting to recognise the importance of getting their products in the hands of the CEDIA professional to give the consumer an experience that they cannot provide out of the box. Learn your IoT DIY devices. Build experiences around them while maintaining serviceable and secure systems. Learn to profit on products that have no margin by expanding the limits of what the consumer is told a

The type of clients we work for will always want to engage an expert

device can do. The “future” allows the integrator to gain revenue and footprint on what I call “lost sales.” You’ve already lost the product sale, but you can still grab the integration sale and deployment! AG As these systems become more popular, there will naturally be a demand for systems to expand and become more flexible. The type of clients we work for will always want to engage an expert — to offer advice, design a bespoke solution, and deliver and maintain it. I see this as a positive for our industry. These products raise awareness of how different technologies can improve your way of life, and it helps advertise what we do to the mass market. NL A report carried out by Gartner suggests that by 2020 there will be over 26 billion connected devices. It is not going away, that’s for sure. The requirement to connect these devices to a home and to each other will grow exponentially, as will the need for it to be secure, reliable, and seamlessly functional. This is where integrators can step in and be recognised as the experts. Most people are busy being experts in their own field, as we are in ours. AJ It is hopefully not a race to the bottom! The future for integrators is certainly focussed on the network side of things and making the various technologies talk to each other reliably and in a secure way.

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ARE YOU

GAME?

David Meyer

CEDIA Director of Technical Curriculum

Gaming in 2018 is all about immersion — 4K resolution, greater colour volume with high dynamic range (HDR), all augmented by immersive audio. Sound familiar? We’ve already been talking about these same things with video content, but gaming adds even higher performance demands and more installation challenges; an important consideration if gaming is part of your next project. Gaming demands speed. It must be FAST! Mere milliseconds of latency can be the difference between life and death in the virtual world, while things like frame tear are just plain annoying. Gaming also has a far more compelling use case for high frame rates than even movies. So how do you deliver exceptional gaming performance for your clients? There are three key considerations — network connectivity, video bandwidth, and settings.

NETWORK CONNECTIVITY Wired is best. Wireless connectivity can create what online gamers frustratingly refer to as a “laggy” experience. The reason is that Wi-Fi is half-duplex, meaning it communicates in only one direction at a time. Online gaming requires constant sending and receiving of data in real time, but if send and receive data has to take turns, things can lag. A wired network is full duplex, capable of

simultaneous bi-directional communications. Graphics data is not being sent over the Internet, only actions and orientation data, so there’s not a big bandwidth load. As such, Internet connection speed is surprisingly not as critical as a full-duplex connection to the router to ensure unhindered, real-time response. Having said that, faster is always better! Of course, the gaming console or computer must be up to the task on the graphics side of things too.

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VIDEO BANDWIDTH

COLOUR SETTINGS

For gaming, 4K/60 with HDR is a whole LOT of high quality pixels to render in every frame, in real time. That needs serious horsepower. As an example, Microsoft’s new Xbox One X (aka Scorpio) sports a blistering six teraflops of GPU speed and 326 gigabytes per second of memory bandwidth! It’s a very different proposition from merely decompressing content from an UHD Blu-ray disc. However, while the resolution, frame rate, and colour are all equivalent, the output amounts to the same load over HDMI. Either way, you need to ensure the connectivity to the display can deliver.

Gaming renders pixels in full bandwidth native RGB, whereas virtually all video (movie and TV) content available to us is in component video 4:2:0. In short, that means that gaming is heavier on the wire. The challenge here is that while RGB is the best, HDMI 2.0 doesn’t have the bandwidth to support 4K/60 RGB (same as 4:4:4) at anything more than 8-bit colour. HDR needs 10- or 12bit to achieve the intended colour volume. HDMI 2.1 will resolve this, but until then, something’s got to give.

The maximum data rate currently supported by HDMI 2.0 is 18Gbps. Consider this a mandatory requirement. Where possible, also cater to an HDMI 2.1 upgrade path with its fixed rate link @48Gbps, enabling future format combinations like 4K 60fps (or higher) with native RGB in combination with 10- or 12-bit HDR (e.g. HDR10 and Dolby Vision® respectively), which is beyond HDMI 2.0. (We’ll get back to that shortly.) HDMI 2.1 also introduces a new feature called Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) for gaming. This can dynamically change the frame rate depending on the game play. For example, while 30fps is common for leisurely exploring, that rate instantly steps up to 60 or 90fps as soon as the speed needs a boost to match the adrenalin of engagement with fast, complex graphics. VRR is based on VESA’s Adaptive-sync standard, which has been available on some PCs for a while as AMD’s “Freesync” or Nvidia’s “G-sync.” As the Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA®) advises, “In gaming applications, a computer’s CPU or GPU output frame rate will vary according to the rendering complexity of the image. If a display’s refresh rate and a computer’s render rate are not synchronised, visual artefacts — tearing or stuttering — can be seen by the user.”* Without VRR, moving to a faster refresh rate can lead to the faster frame wanting to resolve before the slower frame has finished changeover, causing frame tear. Getting back to the Xbox One X, the HDMI output is specified as version 2.0b, meaning it’s limited to 18Gbps. VRR might theoretically (?) be made available via a firmware upgrade, but a change of hardware would be required to increase the bandwidth beyond 18Gbps.

The solution to enable HDR along with 4K/60 gaming is to set the gaming source to employ Colour Space Conversion (CSC). This will take the RGB render and convert it to component video 4:2:2 (or lower), to free up bandwidth that it can then use for deep colour. The result is that 4K/60 12-bit HDR 4:2:2 runs at the same data rate as 4K/60 8-bit RGB, both just under the 18Gbps HDMI 2.0 limit. Look in the video settings menu of the gaming console to enable component video output (often called YCC), and possibly conversion to 4:2:2 or less, while also enabling Deep Colour and HDR. Keep in mind that 10bit and 30-bit colour are the same thing, 10 being per channel, 30 being the aggregate of three channels.

Screen shots from X-box One S, showing setup to support 10-bit per channel (30-bit total) colour, and permission to convert to YCC 4:2:2 for 4K/60 HDR support.

* https://www.vesa.org/news/vesa-adds-adaptive-sync-to-popular-displayport-video-standard/

CONCLUSION Movies and television aim to draw the viewer into the narrative. With gaming, it’s about the play environment and response time. Beyond that, they’re actually not dissimilar, with both potentially benefitting greatly from video advances like deep colour, HDR, and far more pixels per second. It’s all about speed — speed of processing, speed of play, and speed of delivery. That means bandwidth.

Example of frame tear, indicating a refresh rate conflict. (Source: Reddit.com Fallout 4 forum, © Bethesda Game Studios)

* https://www.vesa.org/news/vesa-adds-adaptive-sync-to-popular-displayport-video-standard/

We trust in the makers of gaming consoles to spin their magic inside the box. It’s our job to ensure we capitalise on this by connecting it properly, both online and to the AV system.

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Dave Evans on the Exponential Takeoff of the Internet of Things The Internet of Things is accelerating at rates the human brain cannot begin to comprehend, and it has the capability to solve humanity’s problems in ways we can only begin to conceive. That’s the message from Dave Evans, CTO and Co-Founder of Stringify, from his Opening Keynote at CEDIA 2017 in San Diego. He spoke about not just the Internet of Things, but the Internet of Intelligent Things — the fast-approaching future where devices will be expected to have not just connectivity, but also intelligence. After a brief introduction from Intel’s Miles Kingston, who outlined how voice control is driving smart home technology adoption, Dave painted a picture of multiple trends converging to turn the smart home into an intelligent home. Audience members’ minds were blown with stat after stat about the pace of technological advancement. Some highlights: • In 1969, four things were connected to the Internet. (Yes, four.) Today, we add 100 new things every second. • Human knowledge doubles every two to three years. • The physical size of technology is rapidly shrinking. The processing power contained in the 1,800-square-foot ENIAC computer in 1946 is matched by today’s average musical greeting card.

In other words, technology is getting faster, cheaper, smaller, and more powerful. Add these trends together, and you get an exponential number of innovative solutions and applications: connected livestock, plants, trash cans, pills, diapers, all collecting and sending data. Dave predicts that in the future, connectivity will be the default, and things that are not connected will be at a distinct competitive disadvantage. And all these connected things are creating massive amounts of data. Humans generated more new data just in the year 2008 than they had in the preceding 5,000 years. We take more than one trillion photos per year. We upload 576,000 years of video to YouTube annually. More and more of this data is being stored in the cloud, which makes it a gold mine for machine learning. Machines consume, analyse, and synthesise this data and apply the resulting intelligence to increasingly complex problems. Machines have learnt how to look at an image and describe what they see — not perfectly accurately, but improving all the time. What’s more, machines can see things humans cannot. They can identify a person’s pulse rate from a series of images or translate text in a photograph in real time. So what does all of this mean for real people? As the global population grows and places greater strain on cities and resources and food supplies, innovators are looking to the IoT to help solve these challenges. Sensors will gather data in places we have previously had no visibility into, all in service of goals such as minimising food waste and water pollution. Heard the adage “You can’t manage what you can’t measure?” Measuring things that have previously been out of reach, Dave says, will enable us to address some of humanity’s greatest social challenges.

@DaveTheFuturist

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CEDIA TALKS HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE BOOTH The CEDIA Booth on the show floor in San Diego was exceptionally busy this year, featuring a robust slate of CEDIA Talks (20-minute presentations that have been described as “mini-TED-talks”) and other presentations. Here are a few highlights:

Sam Woodward of Lutron on lighting. In his Talk “Fear the Dark Side, Do Not! Expand Your Empire with Lighting Controls,” Sam brought some amazing stats to the table. Did you know that candles are still a worldwide business worth $8.5 billion? Sam quickly pivoted to the present and the future in his presentation, noting that the successful integrator will soon realise that they’re not selling “solutions” or “technology” — they’re selling something Sam calls “pleasance.” That term expands beyond the two words (“pleasant convenience”) Sam has mashed together. It’s about achieving the keys for success as lighting morphs from one central fixture in a room with a single binary circuit to LED-majority-load systems, already so popular in Europe, that

are making their way stateside. Those systems must match the client’s aesthetic aspirations (Sam collects photos of “ugly switches”), do what the user expects intuitively, and provide a level of convenience, whether that means motion sensors for hands-free activation or geofencing solutions. Finally, Sam asks the integrator to consider this: Can you operate the system in the dark?

Joe Whitaker of The Thoughtful Home on guerrilla marketing. Joe created quite a buzz with a targeted tactic that’s come to be known as the “Dot Drop.” He combed some neighbourhoods where he’d had success, noted the homes that seemed in need of a technology update (“If a house had a ten-year-old surveillance camera”), and left behind a pricey business card on several doorsteps: an Amazon Echo Dot complete with Joe’s contact info. The gambit worked: Joe saw an initial investment of about $1,000 bring in a $50,000 job almost immediately. It’s part of his overall mantra: “Don’t do what your competitors do. Get out of

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effective for their adult children. That “sandwich generation” who are tasked with caring for both parents and children will soon learn that the cost of care, having jumped 63% since 1997, is especially high when an elder needs regular monitoring.

your comfort zone. There’s more business out there than you realise.” Joe has partnered with restaurants to advertise his services. “Wi-Fi services provided by The Thoughtful Home” is a message displayed on the digital platforms of several James-Beard-recognised eateries he’s worked with. To be sure, though, not everything Joe’s tried has yielded positive results. “It’s tough, but if a campaign or a partnership’s not working, you’ve gotta learn when to pull the plug,” he cautions. .

Rich Green of Rich Green Design on AR/VR/MR.

Don’t do what your competitors do. Get out of your comfort zone. There’s more business out there than you realise.

Rich Green — who’s been a CEDIA volunteer and integrator par excellence for literally decades — has a simple way to sum up the magic of virtual, augmented, and mixed reality technologies. It’s presence: allowing one to be present at any distance, at any time, regardless of physical location. Whether that means pulling on a pair of goggles or, better yet, wandering around in a 360-degree artificial (as in “generated via video”) environment constructed by projections on walls or some other technology, creating that immersive, otherworldly experience is something the big companies are betting on. Soon we’ll be watching football in much the same manner that Chewie and Obi-Wan viewed their alien chessboard full of predatory critters. Imagine watching a post match review in a 3D image right on your coffee table (move the snacks, please). But the applications go well beyond entertainment — virtual whiteboards can add wall-space to offices with open plans, and glasses that include heads-up data on speed and mileage will make data-checks while cycling safer than ever. The immersive virtual experience will eventually extend to all five senses, according to Rich — there’s even a device that can record and reproduce aromas. That family holiday in the mountains or at the beach can be remembered with a smell.

Laura Mitchell of Laura Mitchell Consulting on “Analog Aging in a Digital World.” Here’s a stunner: Two-thirds of all those people 65 and over who have ever lived on Earth are alive right now. What’s more, 111 million people in the U.S. are over 50, and of those who are officially becoming “seniors” — retirees who either will or currently do need some kind of care or health monitoring — 90% say they want to live at home. Living at home is more than comfortable — it’s cost-

There’s an equation here: fear of the old folks’ home + massive expenditures = huge opportunities in the near future for integrators. Laura, now a consultant with a background in “smart care,” is an evangelist for what she calls “Proactive Predictive Preventative Care.” Think of the difference between an airbag and a seatbelt in your car: it’s better to prevent a health crisis (the belt) than to deal with one in the moment (the bag).

Jack Wetherill of Futuresource Consulting on consumer AV market trends (and more). Jack, whose company collects market intelligence on companies from Netflix to Lego, had a dizzying array of stats he’d culled from a recent research project. A few biggies that jumped off the screen: A full 50% of the $671 billion consumer electronics industry is represented by mobile phones. AV is 19% of the industry, and it’s up 1.3% year-over-year. Wireless speakers have seen an incredible 26% jump in sales (2017 forecast versus 2016 actuals), media streamers are up 13%, and soundbars are up 7%. (Bluetooth speakers drive growth in emerging markets — we’re talking speakers with a price point less than $100. For the CEDIA channel — the higher-end speakers — Wi-Fi is where it’s at.) 4K UHD panels are on the march: 97 million units were sold in 2016. The projection for 2017? 174 million. For the smart home, the biggest percentage of sales and service belongs to security and monitoring, but lighting systems and climate control are also big movers. Luxury audio (defined as a single speaker or amp or other component priced at $5,000 or above) is increasing around 6% from 2015 to 2016. (A few asides noted by Jack: He sees the demand for vinyl dropping from its recent resurgent levels, and noted that the high-end audio manufacturers are drawn to the CEDIA event as opposed to other trade shows — for the obvious reason that CEDIA has a residential focus.) Lastly, as Jack dove into the issue of Amazon, Google, and many others feeding the explosion of VUI devices, he has what may have been the PowerPoint slide title of the show: “DIY vs CI — FRENEMIES?”

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Specifically, what are usually a client’s technology problem areas? Henry reckons they’re time, complexity, helplessness, and embarrassment.

Mitchell Klein of Z-Wave Alliance on home control in 2020.

Henry Clifford of Livewire on anticipating the client’s pain points.

Mitchell began his Talk with a caveat: There’s no way to make a presentation on smart home technology that’s truly current. As new devices and technologies are being developed every millisecond, the chance of any review being comprehensive is nil.

Henry has a business mantra that’s pretty elegant, albeit simple. To paraphrase something a colleague once told him: “Don’t sell vitamins. Sell medicine.”

So what’s happened in the last ten minutes? For starters, the field’s getting crowded. Mitchell showed a photo of a Whole Foods “In-Season/Fresh Pick” display. The items by the placard weren’t produce — they were Amazon Echo units that had been cut in price to $99. Comcast, Verizon, and even IKEA are entering the smart home universe in some fashion or another. Cortana and Alexa are entering into a marriage approved by their parents — yep, Microsoft and Amazon are techie in-laws. While addressing the challenges of the DIY disruption, Mitchell noted the opportunities, and the importance of successful messaging. One example: Do these companies sell “lighting?” Of course not. What they’re selling is “never coming home to a dark house.”

Everyone knows the benefits of vitamins. Do they take them? No. But everyone takes their medicine when something’s wrong. Anticipate the illness, and you’re halfway home to a successful business model. Specifically, what are common client technology problem areas? Henry reckons they’re time, complexity, helplessness, and embarrassment. To tamp down the frustration a client may feel regarding the length of a job, or the delivery of operating instructions face-to-face, Henry stresses setting very clear expectations. Next, overcome complexity with excellent design and engineering. Helplessness is another biggie — that feeling that one’s overwhelmed by a system crash. Offer 24/7 support and great documentation to offset that one. And “embarrassment”? That’s the one that cranks the anger meter up to 11 and causes clients to leave voicemails “full of language I actually had to look up,” says Henry. It’s the moment in the middle of the party when the distributed audio quits or the Football World Cup signal goes dark. Overcome that one with customer training — what Henry calls “self-medication.” Henry walks this walk — his employees even pick up bonuses when client issues are demonstrably reduced.

www.youtube.com/CEDIAHQ

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Mike Chorney of La Scala was grinning — he’d taken a finalist nod in a CEDIA Awards category for Best Integrated Home in the Americas region. Sure, it wasn’t a first-place win, but he waxed philosophical: “Glass is glass,” he said, hoisting his company’s award. “And we’ll be back stronger next year.” He’ll need to be, as the competition is tough. Dozens upon dozens of entries had been sifted through and judged on their various merits. With entries from 18 countries around the world, technology integrators, manufacturers, and distributors from the Asia Pacific, Americas, and EMEA regions were all vying for first place. Following rigorous technical assessment from the judging panels, it was time for the industry to gather together to find out who the winning companies were. First up was the Asia Pacific Awards ceremony.

AWARDS ALL ROUND

PUTTING THE “GREAT” IN INTEGRATE

Around 120 industry professionals attended the Asia Pacific awards ceremony on August 30 in Australia. Hosted immediately after Integrate 2017 in the Pan Pacific Hotel next door to the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, attendees enjoyed a cocktail reception before CEDIA announced the 11 winners. The event began with the two hosts, Wendy Griffiths, CEDIA’s VP of Global Development and Geoff Meads, Managing Director of Presto AV, celebrating what the awards stand for, and recognising that those who have won the awards are the best of the best. Queensland-based integrator, Digital Picture won the first award of the night: Best Home Cinema Level I. This was for a project that described as “an incredible installation for the price.” The second winner of the night, Electronic Living, was delighted to walk away with Best Home Cinema Level I, but it didn’t stop there for them, as they were back up on stage just a few minutes later when they were announced as the winner of Best Integrated Home Level III. Everyone enjoys the Best Dressed Rack category, especially when the winning rack is described as “artful.” Not only did Beijing-based integrator, Zene Private Theater get the credit they deserved for this piece of work, but they were also awarded Best Showroom, for a space that includes a karaoke demo room — something which would’ve gone down well at this awards celebration. The awards ceremony was certainly enjoyed by everyone who attended.

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BIG SHIP, BIG NIGHT, BIG HONOURS In front of a crowd of over 400, the Americas Awards were handed out on 6th September in San Diego, U.S. on the deck of the massive, iconic, and breathtaking aircraft-carrier-turnedmuseum, the USS Midway. Giant screens flanked the opening act: three women mimicking the vocal styles of the Andrews Sisters — fitting, since a statue memorialising the LIFE magazine cover of a sailor kissing a nurse on VJ-Day stands near the vessel. TODAY show technology correspondent, Carley Knobloch and a group of rotating co-hosts from CEDIA’s Board of Directors — Dennis Erskine, Dave Humphries, Omar Hikal, and Giles Sutton — handed out the trophies to the industry’s best. Paradise Theater’s Sam Cavitt, whose company won top honours for a home cinema project, noted the importance of the trophy when

speaking with potential clients: “It helps to let them know we’ve been celebrated for exceptional work.” Nick Mark, whose DC Home Systems project also won a home cinema nod, saw the benefits of competition. “It makes everyone strive to be their best, giving everything they’ve got to provide the client with everything they want and need.” The depth of talent in the CEDIA universe is broad, and member integrators are up to any challenge — as was proven by the crew at Admit One Home Systems, whose client desired a media room that mimicked the look of a luxury railroad car from the era when the house was constructed: 1906. The integrator found very early radio gear and speakers, pulled the guts out, refurbished the exterior, and inserted modern electronics. According to

the team, the biggest challenge was adapting ancient rotary switches and knobs to control the modern audio components within. The result: first place in the Best Innovative Solution category. CEDIA’s judges were equally impressed with the showroom entered by Starpower. A sprawling experience designed to give the end user a look at smart tech installed in nearly every room of the home. Starpower’s Brandi Thompson was thrilled with the win. “It’s amazing — we’re ecstatic.” Greg Applejohn’s reaction was one of pure satisfaction when his team at Home Concepts won a Best Integrated Home award for a multiyear, 22,000-square-foot project: “It was just great to see all of this come to fruition. Steve Riley of Atlantic Control Technologies channelled a famous fictional San Diegan after his

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team’s win in the same category: “It’s kind of a big deal.” A few companies made several trips to the stage. Casaplex had barely finished having their backstage photos shot before they were called back up for a second prize. The team at Land & Sea had an especially big night, picking up three trophies: Best Integrated Home $450,000 and Over, Best Documentation, and Best Dressed Rack. The man responsible for that rack, Ken Penner, was overjoyed — but wasted no time in stressing that the project was a true team effort. “It’s fantastic,” he said, then gestured at his assembled colleagues. “And I got to work with these guys on this one for two-anda-half years.” For pure exuberance, though, one member of Mexico’s Smartlab team was hard to top. After the company won a Best Integrated Home trophy for a project that included a 15-seat dedicated

home cinema, a spa, and a gym with integrated lighting that calls up scenes for every conceivable mood, distributed audio and video, and state-of-theart security and surveillance systems, Smartlab’s Geraldo Santiago raised his hands to the sky and nearly shouted: “This is the first award for us! Thank you all so much!” The evening ended with Eric Bodley, President and CEO of Future Ready Solutions and Bodley and Associates accepting the Lifetime Achievement Award. The audience enjoyed a heartfelt video of Eric, which saw industry peers discuss what he has done for the industry, (and generally what a great guy he is). Eric finished the awards ceremony on a high with a fantastic acceptance speech that was amusing, emotional, and optimistic for the future.

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CELEBRATING THE MAGIC Completing the global tour of award ceremonies was the EMEA Awards gala dinner which took place at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London: The Making of Harry Potter in Watford, UK. Over 430 guests came together for a black tie event, which began with a drinks reception that was followed by a tour through the renowned Harry Potter set, and ended on Platform 9 ¾ for a threecourse dinner. Adding to the splendour, British actor, presenter, and comedian who is known for his involvement in the Harry Potter films, Warwick Davis, hosted the awards. After sharing some interesting tales from his film and TV appearances, Warwick announced the night’s winners. Andy Jack and the team from TwentyTwo Integration were first up on stage after scooping the opening award — Best Media Room £20,000 and Under. Commenting on their success, Andy said: “Winning an award is always a fantastic feeling and a brilliant boost for the team, who work their socks off to try and be the best at what we do.” A multiple dwelling project from Mosaic Audio & Visual received great praise from the judges, who explained that their project epitomised how

technology should be installed in a project and that they had to actually search for any sight of it. When the awards turned its attention to trade suppliers, Guy Singleton from The Cinema Designer was in for a surprise, as hot on the tail of winning a manufacturer award in San Diego he received the double whammy of being announced as the winner of the Best New Software category for the EMEA region. The Best Home Cinema £40,000 - £120,000 category was the first of two wins for The Pyramid Group, as they also scooped the Best Lighting Control and Installation award. Following a successful evening for the team, Nic Black commented: “CEDIA’s Awards programme recognises technical excellence in the home technology industry, and winning projects demonstrate competence in all aspects of design, installation, and commissioning, while meeting all applicable industry performance standards. We are proud of the teams involved in meeting these exacting standards.” With host Warwick Davis explaining that the winner for the Special Project award had provided technology for horses, the audience was impressed to hear how Clever Association integrated technology into equestrian stables — a first for the CEDIA Awards. Following the EMEA awards ceremony, Warwick also presented the three Global Award winners, with Land & Sea Entertainment from America and Synergy Technologies from Pakistan present at the event to receive the coveted accolades. The last award of the evening was a big one — the Special Recognition accolade. Ian Morrish, founder of Together for Cinema, a UK charity for the home technology industry, was delighted to be presented with the award, and found it very moving. “I wish I had the chance to thank everyone who has helped make it happen. Having said this, we don’t do what we do with Together for Cinema for thanks and recognition, though the award was of course a wonderful personal moment.” The awards ceremony concluded on a high note as Ian celebrated his award win by thrusting his trophy in the air, while the audience gave him a standing ovation.

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With thanksâ&#x20AC;¦ SPONSORS

It is thanks to the CEDIA Awards sponsors that these thoroughly enjoyable and memorable events can take place. The EMEA ceremony was supported by Bowers & Wilkins, Definitive Technology, HEOS, IFSEC International, Meridian Audio, Murideo, and The Cinema Designer. The Americas cocktail reception was sponsored by DISH.

DRINKS RECEPTION SPONSORS U.S. COCKTAIL RECEPTION SPONSOR

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2017 CEDIA Award Winners GLOBAL WINNERS Best Media Room Synergy Technologies, Pakistan

Best Home Cinema DC Home Systems, USA

Best Integrated Home Land & Sea Entertainment, USA

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

CEDIA FELLOWS

VOLUNTEER

NEW VOLUNTEER

TRAINING VOLUNTEER

Eric Bodley

David Graham Grahams Hi-Fi Julie Jacobson EH Media Len Wallis Len Wallis Audio

OF THE YEAR

Guy Singleton

Owen Maddock

Larry Heuvelman

Imagine This

ConnectedWorks

TheOwnerConsultant

President and CEO of Future Ready Solutions and Bodley and Associates

AMERICAS WINNERS

EMEA WINNERS

AMERICAS — HOME TECHNOLOGY PROFESSIONALS

EMEA — HOME TECHNOLOGY PROFESSIONALS

Best Home Cinema Level II – Audio Images, USA

Best Media Room Level I – TwentyTwo Integration, UK

Best Home Cinema Level III – Paradise Theater, USA and AudioVisions, USA Best Home Cinema Level IV – DC Home Systems, USA Best Integrated Home Level I – Atlantic Control Technologies, USA Best Integrated Home Level II – Home Concepts, Inc, Canada Best Integrated Home Level III – Smartlab, Mexico Best Integrated Home Level IV – Land & Sea Entertainment, USA Best Media Room Level II – Casaplex, USA

Best Media Room Level II – Life Emotions, Portugal Best Media Room Level III – Synergy Technologies, Pakistan Best Home Cinema Level I – Philharmonic AV, UK Best Home Cinema Level II – The Pyramid Group, UK Best Home Cinema Level III – Clever Association, UK Best Integrated Home Level I – BrownHen Solutions, UK Best Integrated Home Level I – Highly Commended: CyberHomes, UK Best Integrated Home Level II – Archimedia, Dubai

Best Media Room Level III – Casaplex, USA

Best Integrated Home Level III – Clearly Automated, UK

Best Innovative Solution – Admit One Home Systems, USA

Best Integrated Home Level IV – NV Integration, UK

Best Special Project – DC Home Systems, USA

Best Innovative Solution – Perfect Integration, UK

Best Lighting Control & Installation – ZIO Group, LLC, USA

Best Innovative Solution – Highly Commended: Clever Association, UK

Best Showroom – Starpower, USA

Best Auto, Marine and Aircraft Project – Luxury Engineering, Russia

Best Documentation – Land & Sea Entertainment, USA

Best Auto, Marine and Aircraft Project – Highly Commended: Archimedia, Dubai

Best Dressed Rack – Land & Sea Entertainment, USA

Best Special Project – Clever Association, UK Best Lighting Control and Installation – The Pyramid Group, UK

AMERICAS — MANUFACTURERS

Best Lighting Control and Installation – Highly Commended: Teksclusive, UK

BEST NEW HARDWARE PRODUCTS

Best Multiple Dwelling Unit Design – Mosaic Audio & Visual, UK

Barco Residential — Balder Cinemascope

Best Showroom – Henri, France

FIREFX — Network Guardian Next Generation Firewall Future Automation — CHRST - TV Ceiling Hinge & Swivel with Telescope

Best Documentation – BrownHen Solutions, UK Best Documentation – Highly Commended: Henri, France

Inneos — Real4K™ Optical Adapter and Cables

Best Dressed Rack – Henri, France

Josh.ai — Josh Micro

Life Lived Best at Home – Perfect Integration, UK

Samsung Electronics America, Inc. — The Frame

Technology Meets Design – NV Integration, UK

SnapAV — Visualint™ 2MP IP Dome Outdoor Camera with Starlight and Motorized Lens + Virtual Technician

EMEA — TRADE SUPPLIERS

Sony Home Entertainment & Sound — XBR-77A1E 77” BRAVIA OLED 4K HDR TV

Best New Hardware Product – Meridian: Meridian 218

Z-Wave Alliance — Z-Wave Certified Installer Toolkit

Best New Software Product – The Cinema Designer: The Cinema Designer (TCD)

BEST NEW SOFTWARE PRODUCT

Best Training Course – LILIN UK: Surveillance for Custom Install Best Trade Supplier – Invision UK

The Cinema Designer — The Cinema Designer (TCD)

YOUNG PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR

EMEA — SPECIAL RECOGNITION

Alex Capecelatro — Josh.ai

Ian Morrish — Together for Cinema

ASIA PACIFIC WINNERS Best Home Cinema Level I – The Digital Picture, Australia

Best Media Room Level III – Liquid Automation, New Zealand

Best Home Cinema Level III – Electronic Living, Australia

Best Auto, Marine, and Aircraft – Liquid Automation, New Zealand

Best Home Cinema Level IV – Shanghai AV Style, China

Best Special Project – Zene Private Theater, China

Best Integrated Home Level I – Digital Residence, Australia

Best Showroom – Zene Private Theater, China

Best Integrated Home Level II – Look & Listen, Australia

Best Documentation – Liquid Automation, New Zealand

Best Integrated Home Level III – Electronic Living, Australia

Best Dressed Rack – Zene Private Theater, China

Best Integrated Home Level IV – Liquid Automation, New Zealand

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CEDIA profiles the winners and finalists from the 2017 CEDIA Manufacturer Awards and the Product Hall of Fame inductees.

SOFTWARE

WINNER & FINALISTS

THE CINEMA DESIGNER

WINNER

The Cinema Designer is a cloud-based design tool that allows integrators to design any cinema room in minutes. TCD’s theatre designs are based on CEA/ CEDIA CEB-22 and CEB-23 home theatre standards for design, as well as several ITU documents on audio and video criteria. www.thecinemadesigner.com

FINALIST

BLACKDOVE

CONNECTWISE

D-TOOLS

Blackdove’s Luxury Video Art platform provides a fully integrated solution for luxury home and commercial interiors, including display, in-home content server, mobile and tablet app, and cloud-based art collection. Customers can browse thousands of artworks available on the platform, select works for their personal collections, and build rotating playlists for this compelling new medium.

ConnectWise has created a business management platform designed to help integrators better manage their home technology business. This powerful platform integrates all aspects of business – from marketing, quoting, and sales, to project management, time management, and billing – eliminating the need for multiple systems that don’t communicate with each other.

D-Tools System Integrator (SI 2017) helps technology integrators streamline operations, increase profitability, and improve their team’s overall productivity and efficiency, while also improving communications. SI 2017 ties project workflow together into a singular, connected process that reduces time, eliminates errors, and improves bottom line results.

www.blackdove.com

www.connectwise.com

www.d-tools.com

FINALIST

SAVANT

The HDAnywhere tripart software ecosystem brings cloud monitoring and management, operating software, and control solutions together to make integration easier. HDAnywhere hopes that with this software ecosystem it can fulfil the ultimate purpose and turn mHUB into a mass market proposition.

Savant’s original TrueImage lighting software has been updated with simplicity and elegance that takes lighting control to a whole new level. The user takes a photograph of a room or light fixture with their mobile device and TrueImage allows them to see, touch, control, and dim the light from any Savant control system interface directly from the photographic image in real time.

www.hdanywhere.co.uk

www.savant.com

HDANYWHERE

OVRC OvrC Home is an industry-first, client-facing mobile app that serves as a virtual extension to the integrator’s support services for clients. Through the use of command buttons in OvrC Home, an integrator can empower their clients to diagnose and troubleshoot simple system issues on their own, without having to understand the complexities of the system.

www.ovrc.com

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HARDWARE WINNERS

WINNER

BARCO RESIDENTIAL

WINNER

Due to a unique 2.37:1 optical engine, the Balder Cinemascope is able to deliver 5120 x 2160 pixels on screen and is compatible with the latest HDR10 4K content via an HDMI 2.0a and HDCP 2.2 compliant input. It is available as either a T version (for light-controlled rooms) or as an M variant (for rooms with less light control). The T version outputs 3500 lumens and the M version outputs 5600 lumens.

The Network Guardian Next Generation Firewall is a military-grade solution combining hardware and software to address the fastest-growing consumer concern, cybersecurity. Just as home security systems ensure physical security, the Network Guardian ensures cybersecurity. The Network Guardian is the first next generation firewall designed specifically for Pro AV deployments.

www.barco.com

WINNER

FIREFX

www.fire-fx.tv

WINNER

INNEOS FUTURE AUTOMATION Future Automation’s new and improved CHRST TV ceiling hinge range is a bi-directional swivel unit that allows viewing in a number of positions and offers more flexibility in location of installation. A host of new features make this the most technically advanced and aesthetically pleasing TV ceiling hinge available. www.FutureAutomation.net

The Inneos Real4K™ Optical Adapter and Cable is a turnkey HDMI 2.0 optical cable kit that provides full resolution, long distance Ultra High Definition 4K video transmission up to 18 Gbps, enabling 4K video the way it was meant to be seen. Inneos’ Real4K™ Optical Adapters use standard multimode fibre (OM3 or OM4) which can be cut to length and terminated in the field in minutes. This means integrators can use existing fibre or run their own fibre without having to pull bulky connectors or stash excess cable behind walls. www.inneos.com

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WINNER WINNER

JOSH.AI Josh Micro is the only control system with built-in far-field microphones designed for voice control in the custom channel. Integrators can offer clients a truly natural voice experience without sacrificing beauty. The Josh Micro design blends seamlessly into any decor, and has the flexibility to be wall- or surface-mounted. Key features include hands-free voice control, POE, location awareness, and intelligent sensors.

SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS Introducing The Frame from Samsung — a revolutionary way to think about the TV. When not watching the brilliant 4K UHD TV with HDR, it turns into a beautiful work of art on the wall. With an array of paintings, prints, photos, and frames to suit every mood and style, The Frame TV goes beyond entertainment and becomes an expression of you. www.samsung.com

www.josh.ai

WINNER

VISUALINT MERIDIAN

WINNER

The Meridian Audio 218 Zone Controller uses Meridian’s high-resolution, up-sampling technology to improve audio output from a range of AV technology in media rooms and whole-home applications. Integrators can provide their clients with the very best in audio quality, as the 218 can be used for TV, AV matrix, or music streaming systems.

Visualint™ extends and enhances the security of customers’ properties through their 4350 IP camera line. It uses advanced intelligent video analytics to monitor the action through an active third party, eliminates false positives, and bridges the communication gap between traditional surveillance and security systems. www.visualint.net

www.meridian-audio.com

WINNER WINNER

SONY HOME ENTERTAINMENT AND SOUND The Sony XBR-77A1E 77” BRAVIA OLED 4K HDR offers a unique combination of the superior picture quality of OLED powered by Sony’s 4K HDR Processor X1™ Extreme, the world’s first Acoustic Surface™ sound system, and an edge-to-edge stand-less form factor. www.sony.com

Z-WAVE ALLIANCE The Z-Wave Certified Installer Toolkit (CIT) is a valuable tool for installers to test a Z-Wave network prior to completion to ensure a robust, reliable mesh network is in place and all devices are functioning as intended, and it is a powerful tool for troubleshooting and diagnosing problems. It may be left behind for logging or even permanent off-site maintenance. Every installer should have one in their toolbox! www.z-wavealliance.org

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HARDWARE FINALIST

FINALIST

FINALISTS BASALTE Basalte Auro is everything a motion sensor should be — small, fast, and almost invisible. Only requiring an opening of 1.7”, it is very easy to install. Auro has a built-in light sensor to use for light-dependent switching, dimming, and controlling scenes. The internal temperature sensor discretely reports the room temperature to the home automation system and it can also be used to trigger a heat alarm in case of an abnormal temperature increase.

BANG & OLUFSEN The BeoSound Shape is a wall-mounted and fully customisable art installation, acoustic damping system, high-quality wireless streaming music system, and active loudspeaker system all in one. It works by employing an array of identical speakers across a star rail system that is powered by dedicated eight-channel amplifiers and customised DSP built into a dedicated sound engine to give bespoke sound performance to any room, all concealed behind hexagonal fabric tiles in a range of 10 colour options.

www.basalte.be

www.bang-olufsen.com FINALIST

FINALIST

FIREFX

EC LIVING BY ELECTROCOMPANIET Electrocompaniet’s ALNA SA-1 is a compact wireless streamer and amplifier, featuring low voltage 75Wx2 amplification and 24-bit/192kHz DAC for in-wall or in-ceiling applications. The ALNA SA-1, compatible with popular streaming formats, delivers high-resolution audio throughout the home seamlessly, using the existing Wi-Fi network, while set up and control are simple and convenient with the free iOS or Android app. The ALNA SA-1 is compatible with leading third-party control systems.

The FIREFX DATA VAULT is a unique military-grade solution combining hardware and software to address one of the fastest growing cybersecurity concerns — ransomware attacks. With the rapid rise of malware-based ransomware attacks, consumers need their data protected. FIREFX DATA VAULT provides on-premises protection of critical data and backups. It stores files in a protected “unencryptable” format for quick retrieval in the case of a ransomware attack.

www.fire-fx.tv

www.ecliving.electrocompaniet.no FINALIST

KALEIDESCAPE, INC.

LG ELECTRONICS

The Kaleidescape Strato C Movie Player joins the Strato Movie Player as the most advanced movie players available. It is designed for playing the highest fidelity 4K HDR movies, and provides the best possible viewing experience with Blu-rayquality and DVD-quality movies downloaded from the Kaleidescape Movie Store. The Strato C player removes large installation limitations inherent to the Strato Movie Player’s server- and player-inone architecture.

The 77W7 LG SIGNATURE OLED TV — the TV of the future — provides the ultimate in minimalism. Its Picture-on-Wall design is only possible with the uniquely efficient technology of LG OLED. The 77W7 features perfect black, infinite contrast, and incredible colour, providing an unparalleled viewing experience.

www.kaleidescape.com

www.lg.com

FINALIST

The Loxone Touch Pure incorporates smart home technology seamlessly into the home. This contemporary design makes it easy to intelligently control lights, music, blinds, and more — all with a gentle touch.

www.loxone.com

www.lutron.com

FINALIST

RA2 Select is a radio frequency-based lighting and shading control system that consists of a RA2 Select main repeater and up to four optional wireless repeaters. The main repeater connects to the home’s Wi-Fi router which integrates with the cloud and the Lutron app located on the customer’s smartphone and/or tablet. RA2 Select contains a curated set of control options including Pico scene keypads, dimmers, switches, and appliance module controls.

www.lutron.com

LUTRON ELECTRONICS Lutron’s Finiré Prime LED fixtures come standard with 90+ CRI, two-step colour consistency, and a Lutron 1% dimming driver. Additional features include a shallow ceiling 3.5” non-IC housing and a convenient tilt mechanism allowing adjustable or downlight solutions within each round or square trim kit. Finiré Prime is available in both IC and shallow non-IC housing options.

LOXONE

LUTRON ELECTRONICS

FINALIST

ORIGIN ACOUSTICS Origin Acoustics VALET amplifier is the simplest and most efficient way to immerse a customer in whole-house audio. It is the first amp that integrates the Amazon Echo Dot into the home environment. Utilising Origins awardwinning Tool-less Mounting System, the Dot can be mounted behind a 3” grille in the ceiling, seamlessly blending it into the environment.

www.originacoustics.com

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HARDWARE FINALIST

FINALISTS

FINALIST

Savant Shading is a line of innovative and unique décorfriendly motorised shades that eliminate the traditional unsightly wires, motors, and enclosures found on traditional shades. Savant’s unique installation process ensures far fewer fitting errors, preventing costly reorders that plague other shading solutions.

SAVANT The Savant Pro AV over IP solution enables integrators to answer increased demand for HD video distribution in luxury living spaces. The Pro AV over IP delivers 4K/60 4:4:4 HDR video with zero frame latency. Integrators will appreciate the convenience of a centralised 10GbE switch, enabling Ethernet connectivity throughout the project with either fibre or copper as an option.

www.savant.com

SNAPAV

FINALIST

The WattBox® UPS + Surge Conditioner Kit is the world’s most sophisticated battery backup. Ordinary UPS models have the outlets and battery backup in a single chassis, which forces integrators to place the large and bulky unit in the middle or top of the rack where outlets are needed. With the WattBox UPS kit, the UPS and surge conditioner are connected with a single cable, so you can put the heavy UPS and batteries at the bottom, and place the outlets where convenient.

www.snapav.com

FINALIST

SOMFY SYSTEMS INC. The Somfy myLink™ is a Wi-Fi to Radio Technology Somfy® (RTS) bridge that provides app control for up to 16 channels of Somfy-powered RTS products. Users can execute scenes and schedules to move their shades, drapes, screens, awnings, pergolas, and projection screens right from their smartphone/tablet. Integrators can offer their clients a richer automation experience by integrating RTS products to home automation systems for increased privacy, energy savings, and convenience.

www.somfysystems.com

SONANCE From the company that created the architectural audio category comes the Sonance BPS6 TL — a thin-line in-ceiling or in-wall subwoofer. It has been purpose-built to fit any application and facilitate the Sonance Discreet Opening System audio solution. The Sonance BPS6 TL subwoofer allows the integrator to complete the proposal and eliminate any construction-related concerns.

www.sonance.com

SPEAKERCRAFT

SAVANT

FINALIST

The SpeakerCraft AIM Series 2 ATX100 is the industry’s first available Dolby Atmos enabled in-wall speaker, which gives integrators a new way to create a totally immersive home theatre experience for their clients. The ATX100 is the architectural inwall solution to the traditional floorstanding or bookshelf speakers currently available, and the design adheres to Dolby’s recommended specifications and requirements for optimal sound performance.

SONY HOME ENTERTAINMENT AND SOUND

FINALIST

Let the living space double as a 4K HDR home theatre with the VPL-VZ1000ES ultra-short throw projector. Enjoy over 100” of stunning picture quality when and where you want it. Designed for style and built for flexibility, it puts no limits on the design or layout of the home and lets users live the dream of having a large screen display on their terms.

www.sony.com FINALIST

www.speakercraft.com

WYRESTORM TECHNOLOGIES

FINALIST

H2X Series modular matrix switchers were developed specifically for large, high-end residential applications requiring multi-source video distribution of the latest 4K HDR content, as well as multi-source audio matrix switching to multiple zones. The H2X combines management of the latest 4K UHD with HDR and legacy video formats, including SmartTV functions and audio-ondemand products.

www.wyrestorm.com

STEWART FILMSCREEN® Designed for high ambient light environments, Stewart Filmscreen’s new Phantom HALR offers HDR-ready image size options up to 40 by 90 feet in a flexible, front projection screen material that’s usable in fixed frame or electric roll-up screens, with two acoustical transparency options: Microperf and Cinemaperf.

www.stewartfilmscreen.com

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HALL of FAME WINNER

ELAN The ELAN VIA! Colour LCD Touch Panel is an intelligent, affordable solution for controlling audio, video, and automation equipment in a multi-room environment or as a standalone controller. With built-in IR control, RS-232 control, and a full-motion video display, the award-winning VIA! family of touch panels have been the most successful products in their category. www.elanhomesystems.com

WINNER

IHIJI Ihiji Invision is a remote monitoring tool, designed by integrators for integrators, to generate “customers for life” through worldclass service and support. Invision is a cloud-based solution with a small hardware appliance that resides on a client’s network. Once installed, integrators can use the secure Invison portal to remotely monitor and manage all devices on a client’s system. Since its debut in 2009, Invision has evolved into the industry leading Remote Systems Management (RSM) platform. www.ihiji.com

WINNER

SAVANT Savant’s ROSIE System 12 was the first one-box control system to offer enterprise-grade digital AV signal distribution. The System 12 managed both analogue and digital inputs, distributing content of the highest quality throughout the home. It featured an integrated mobile device server and built-in iTunes, providing easy access to music collections — eliminating the clutter of single-function solutions. The System 12 won a 2008 Product of the Year Award from Electronic House Magazine and morphed to become the SmartMediaPro series that is a cornerstone of Savant’s line-up today. www.savant.com

WINNER

SONANCE In 2007, the Sonance Visual Performance speaker series was released with ground-breaking advances in aesthetics and ease of installation. The Visual Performance series speakers were designed to look as good as they sounded with a one-step-to-paint process and a low-profile magnetic grille that changed the way standard grilles looked. Today, the Visual Performance Series remains the cornerstone of Sonance, ensuring that Sonance fits every application, budget, and performance level. www.sonance.com

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LATIN AMERICA In August, CEDIA headed to Mexico City to participate in Tecnomultimedia Mexico. Teaming up with Spanish speaking presenters to host a number of training courses and certification exams, CEDIA welcomed 25 attendees. In November, CEDIA will be attending another one of these events — this time, Tecnomultimedia Columbia.

SOUTH AFRICA In October, CEDIA teamed up with ELAN Systems South Africa and Sphere Custom to present its Boot Camp in South Africa. Held at HFX Systems’ facility in Johannesburg, over 20 integrators enjoyed the fiveday event, which saw them attend sessions including Basic Wired and Wireless Networking; Audio, Video and RF Systems for Installers; and Rack Building and Wiring Fundamentals.

INDIA For the sixth time in four years, CEDIA is due to visit the second biggest market in the EMEA region — India. The Indian members are really engaged with CEDIA, and truly see the benefit in the local education and networking events that CEDIA hosts. From 5th – 8th December, these members will be invited to an event that will include the Advanced Cinema Design Package and Boot Camp sessions being presented in Hindi — a first for this type of event. Members will also be able to take certification exams.

CEDIA was pleased to report that over 10% of those attending CEDIA 2017 were international industry professionals. With the aim of continuing outreach and improving its global presence, CEDIA has hosted training and networking events in several thriving countries. Here is a rundown of its recent international activities, and a look ahead to events planned for later this year.

AROUND THE WORLD AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALAND CEDIA had a busy few months in Australia and New Zealand with the Integrate Show in August and Facilities Integrate in September. Hosted in Melbourne, Integrate was extremely successful, with just under 5,000 visitors. CEDIA worked with Integrate and AVIXA to create a training pass that covered all the education on offer. The show saw 107 registrants for its training programme, which included CEDIA’s biggest ever education offering at the event. Facilities Integrate welcomed over 2,600 visitors to the two-day show in Auckland and featured CEDIA for the first time. CEDIA also had a presence on the show floor at both events, which provided an opportunity to speak to existing members, as well as potential new members. As a result, CEDIA has signed up 10 new members in the last month.

CHINA In China, CEDIA is working with local partners to bring its education to the market. To date, nearly 300 students have benefitted from CEDIA training.

www.cedia.co.uk/cedia-events

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TRAINING & EVENTS CALENDAR 3-5 November

Homebuilding and Renovating Show

Developing a Competitive Commercial Strategy for Your Business

Harrogate Convention Centre, Harrogate

CEDIA Training Centre, St Neots

20-25

Design Process and Documentation

Sub Systems Design and Integration

Boot Camp

CEDIA, St Neots

18-19

20 Nov-7 Dec

Homebuilding and Renovating Show

Smart Home Technician

CEDIA Training Centre, St Neots

27 Nov -1 Dec Technical School

Bath & West Showground, Somerset

CEDIA Training Centre, St Neots

CEDIA, St Neots

1 Dec

5-6

5-7

ESC-T Certification Exam

Home Cinema Design Package

Boot Camp

Advanced Home Cinema Design Package

Mumbai, India

CEDIA, St Neots

Pulse Cinemas, Stansted

5-7

Networking School

RIBA Roadshow

ESC Certification Exam

AWE, Epsom

Liverpool Street, London

Mumbai, India

CEDIA Outreach Instructor

CEDIA Accredited Presenter

ESC-D Certification Exam

CEDIA, St Neots

Book training at www.cediaeductaion.com/courses

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Set it and…

forget it! The rise of smart thermostats in the home CEDIA’s Dave Pedigo (Vice President, Emerging Technologies) recently conducted a webinar for the Plumbing–Heating–Cooling Contractors (PHCC) Association, where he shared some numbers about smart thermostats courtesy of Statista: “By 2020, 33 million homes in North America will include a smart thermostat of some kind.”

understood when you left for work, when you went to work, what temperature you liked. For a while, Nest was it.” The incredibly, refreshingly honest, Jon Fischer, HVAC Automation Sales Manager for Aprilaire, is pretty succinct about why his company, originally focussed on humidity and air quality control, added smart thermostats to their line: “Our sales were basically being eaten by Nest … Years ago I wanted to have a wired IP thermostat and a couple of my engineers told me I was smoking crack because you’ll never see a thermostat that sits on the network. Well, here we are seven years later and damn near everything’s on the network — including my frickin’ coffee maker.” Birth of the Thermostat with a Brain

That’s a pretty astonishing growth curve for a relatively new device. Consider this: In 2014, a mere 2.5 million homes had one. If there’s such a thing as a “gateway drug” when it comes to smart devices, a case could be made for the smart thermostat. A recent TWICE survey on “The Connected Home Market” painted a similar picture — connected thermostats were second only to smoke and CO detectors in terms of customer adoption. Dave is quick to point out the difference between “smart” and “connected” — simply put, one learns about you, your habits, and your preferences. “I’m not endorsing the brand or anything, but Nest gave us the first thermostat with any kind of A.I.,” he notes. “The device learnt what you liked: After a few weeks, it

As Gene Lanois, Head of Professional Channel for Nest (Palo Alto, CA) tells it: “The true light bulb moment came when Tony Fadell was looking for a new thermostat for his home. The options all felt clunky and antiquated … Even worse, the latest technology, programmable thermostats, didn’t improve the appliance much and were often less energy efficient than traditional thermostats.” Tony expressed his frustrations to colleague, Matt Rogers, and the two began developing an app-controlled device that used machine learning to understand the end user’s preferences and living habits. After the company’s founding in 2011, the growth curve for smart thermostats quickly began to resemble the classic “hockey stick” model, and inspired both traditional HVAC and thermostat manufacturers (such as Honeywell, Carrier, and

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Trane) and air quality, humidity, and filtration companies like Aprilaire to join the fray. The explosion of smart devices — and the headaches they can cause for whole-home integrators — is something Jon’s not afraid to address. In fact, as far as Aprilaire’s concerned, Jon figures that with his company’s name recognition and industry outreach, he’s got a leg up: “That’s where we kind of bridge that gap,” he says. “Look, Mr. HVAC Contractor, wire up your six, seven, 10 wires to the heating and air conditioning system and then, Mr. System Integrator, from there you take over and you put it on the

Intelligent glass will be used as a control interface, entertainment platform, and communication screen.

network and what have you. And the HVAC contractor is like, ‘Perfect. I hate doing the integrator piece anyway.’ The system integrator says, ‘Perfect. I hate doing the HVAC.’ So it’s the best of both worlds for us.” For Nest’s part, they’ve built a “Nest Pro” programme for everyone from DIY end users to HVAC techs to integrators. Gene says that in addition to manufacturer training, “Nest Pros can also choose to get referrals on only the products with which they’re comfortable. [If] an HVAC tech is only interested in or comfortable with thermostats, their nest.com profile will reflect that. In most of Europe, thermostat installation requires a Pro installation due to system complexities, so having a robust network of Pro installers available to support Nest customers is crucial to creating a simple and seamless transition. The Home Climate: More Than a Thermostat There are, of course, dozens more factors that create the “real-feel” temperature of a dwelling’s innards. Moisture in the air is where a company like Aprilaire can have a significant impact, says Jon. “In the middle of winter, your skin is dry, your hardwood floors start to separate or crack, so on and so forth. We’ve been really lucky, to say the least, that a Honeywell or a White-Rodgers hasn’t really played in the market that way.” Shading controls can have a huge impact on the heating and cooling of a home, too, especially when a

residence has the kind of high rise views that an integrator’s upper-end clients enjoy. One profound example: A finalist in the 2016 Americas CEDIA Awards for “Best Integrated Home, Level II” was a luxury apartment in the Pacific Northwest whose perimeter walls were all glass. The integration company that handled the project, Beyond Hi-Fi of Bellevue, installed no less than 60 automated shades in the home. The shades are sensorised, and raise and lower to account for the level of sunlight hitting the rooms. Another option is electrochromic or “smart” glass, which reacts to voltage by changing in gradations from clear to opaque in order to counter (or welcome, given the season) the intrusion of sunlight. That’s not all — imagine every pane of glass in your home becoming as smart as the screen of your smartphone. As CEDIA’s Tech Council expressed in a recent web series called “100 Predictions for 2020,” “Intelligent glass will be used as a control interface, entertainment platform, comfort control, and communication screen.” Gordon van Zuiden of cyberManor says, “We live in a world of glass, touch-based icons. Obviously, the phone is the preeminent example — what if all the glass that’s around you in the house could have some level of projection so that shower doors, windows, and mirrors could be practical interfaces?” We’re approaching a universe where a swipe or an even a voice command could raise or lower the temperature in any given room.

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The percentage of any utility bill that covers HVAC has actually risen. And homeowners will need some kind of climate-control device for the foreseeable future.

Another Prediction Back to CEDIA’s 100 Predictions — number 35, to be exact: “Energy consumption will diminish, making energy management less important.” Tech Council member and industry expert, Julie Jacobson summed it up: “The growth of energy consumption is declining — not energy consumption itself, but the growth — due to more energy efficient appliances, tighter homes … At some point, adjusting your thermostat to save energy isn’t going to be a thing.” Jon counters that with two points: “Ten years ago, the lighting guys were saying that 40% of your utility bill is your lights and 40% is HVAC. Now that you’ve got your LEDs, and your halogen lights, and what have you, all of that has lowered the energy cost of a house.” Long story short: The percentage of any utility bill that covers HVAC has actually risen. And homeowners will need some kind of climate-control device for the foreseeable future. Additionally, says Jon, “We do not sell our thermostat as an energy management product.” “We sell our thermostat to control a heating and air conditioning

system. We sell it to control the humidity, the ventilation, and we are starting to not really focus on energy management, but more so on the overall indoor air quality of the house.” For their part, it seems Nest noticed a product segment that actually had even broader consumer adoption than smart thermostats: those aforementioned A.I.-driven smoke and CO detectors. Gene explains the logic behind the connected detector that speaks: “We learnt that many homes had smoke alarms that were disconnected or disabled because of previous false alarms or annoying chirping. By creating a smoke alarm and CO monitor that you can interact with on your phone, one that talks to you instead of chirping at you, and one that has fewer false alarms, we believed we could help keep people safer at home. And based on customer feedback, we believe that we have done just that.” Additionally, when one considers that Nest has added surveillance/ security cameras to their portfolio, it appears that some smart-device companies feel that diversification will be a key to success, if not survival.

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STARTING THE “SMART” RIGHT AT THE FRONT DOOR CONNECTED LOCKS ARE GETTING EVER MORE INTELLIGENT

ike Chorney is President of a residential integration company in British Columbia, a business named La Scala that’s been around for decades. Mike — like a lot of his counterparts — is more about awe than accessories: He’s more interested in providing a user experience informed by technology than the technology itself. His quest for that immersive, seamless interaction between human and home, between body and building, sees him bemoaning one aspect of the connected house: “I was in a board meeting with some developers and I asked a simple question: ‘How many people actually used a key to open the door of their car this morning?’ I got one hand in the room. Then I posed the next question: ‘Why are we building these condominiums in downtown Vancouver at a thousand dollars a square foot and then hand them a key to open up their door?’ Technology that we’re accustomed to dayto-day, in our car, and through our mobile

A version of this article has also appeared in SDM Magazine

devices — why aren’t we actually using that in our own homes?” We have good news for Mr. Chorney. The front door has caught up to the rest of the smart building. A PARADIGM SHIFT — OR TWO Some of us are old enough to remember when the shift from key to key fob occurred in the automotive industry. The wow factor that “keyless” entry and remote-start brought to the key was big. But a button on a small plastic box is still fundamentally “dumb” — it’s programmed to connect to the vehicle, not the user. Simply put, anyone who holds the remote can get into the car. The modern connected lock, however, is a device designed to recognise the user first, the door second. And along with that change in thinking comes a notion that changes the very concept of what a lock on a door really does. Mike Buckingham, Director of the recentlyminted “pro” division at August Home, sums it up: “We really flip the script on what access control has usually meant. What that means is that traditionally locks have prevented access to the home for criminals, or those that we want to keep out.” But a connected lock is less about who one wants to keep out, and more about who you’d like to walk through that door. Garrett Lovejoy, Senior Product Manager

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for IoT at Yale, says, “A smart lock is a great example of ‘access control’ for the home. And access control is not about keeping the wrong people out — it’s really about making it easy for the right people to get in.” Solutions that let the right people in include apps that offer everything from PIN access to geofencing (as in, having a lock recognise a user’s smartphone and clicking the door open as said user approaches). But — to Mike’s point — of all the smartlock features offered by both the relative “newbies” like August and Lockitron and “old-guard” names (such as Kwikset, Schlage, and Yale), the one option that’s common across the board is guest access. And, since the owner of the lock is alerted whenever anyone uses the door, the parent of a latchkey child, for example, can be notified that their offspring’s home. (Sorry, kids —

the notion of ditching school to stay home is officially obsolete.) FROM RETRO TO PRO According to Cameron Robertson, CEO of Lockitron, trial and error is paying off for his company. The initial concept: Stick a smart mechanism directly over the top of the thumb, turn on the inside of the door, and voila — instant connected solution. Pre-orders were big, but manufacturing delays and other issues gave the company headaches. Cameron and his team pumped the brakes a bit, and developed their next-gen product more slowly, finally developing a replacement lock. While the core of Lockitron’s business is primarily a low-cost, easily-installed solution, August is ramping up its pro side. “I came on board in November of 2015 to build out a B2B wholesale division of August that frankly had not existed before,” explains Mike. “August products were not widely available in distribution. They were not available for integrators. So last year — actually at the CEDIA show — we announced August Pro as a new division for the company with ADI as our distributor partner. We expanded to bring on AVAD and a host of other smaller, regional distributors.” August will have products the homeowner can’t buy online or in the big-box stores, and those products “have the margins that [integrators are] more accustomed to. And, some of the affiliations by having a Z-Wave chip built into this new lock will work with the panel providers and security cloud providers that you’re most familiar with.” As for Yale, of course, they’re all about the pro side. “The majority of our business is still focussed on the professional installing channel — security dealers and the like,” says Garrett. “We can meet a variety of price points with products that are fully featured and less featured. We try and create a continuum of product for the pro dealer. We do have locks that fall into the ‘good enough’ category so dealers can incentivise and move forward with that business model.” When it comes to integration, Garrett notes that their products work with “ZigBee, Z-Wave — we

have specialised products for specific dealers, too: Crestron, Control4, and we make a HomeKit module as well.” As far as integration’s concerned, Lockitron’s IFTTT connectivity works with many of the same apps and devices that August’s products work with, including Amazon Alexa and Nest. UPSCALE SOLUTIONS Alex Capecelatro, who’s one of the brains behind Josh.ai, a wholehome voice control system, sees the systems in the homes he integrates hit a price point that’s easily 1,000 times the cost of a connected lock produced by August or Lockitron. “Some of my clients have a series of Star-Trek-like doors that recognise them and open in a series, turning on lights for them down the pathway they’ll use from, say, driveway to kitchen or wherever they’re headed. My CTO has a series of palm-readers that recognise whether or not you’re allowed access to an individual room.” Those technologies aren’t exactly mainstream, however. Many of the clients who ask for Josh’s custom integrations have homes that offer 10,000-square-feet of living space and above. Of course, as we’ve heard many thousands of times, “anything that can be hacked, will be hacked.” The folks at August promise “bank-level security,” and Lockitron’s Cameron expresses the entire industry’s mantra of “constant vigilance:” “I think the biggest thing there is, we go to the DEF CONs [a hacker convention] and things like that. We see what people are working on. But it’s really about being responsive so that if something crops up, you can immediately and securely deploy and update to resolve it.”

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BUILDING SUCCESS

WITH CEDIA EDUCATION CEDIA brings an extensive four-day training programme to ISE 2018, focussed on delivering education excellence for technology integrators. “CEDIA Education at ISE 2018 will be rich in content for integrators, whatever their level within the industry,” says Aneta Armova-Levin, CEDIA’s Education Manager for EMEA. “Our expert presenters will cover a varied range of business and technology topics in over 40 sessions at the event. Visitors can buy an All Access Pass that gives them the opportunity to attend as many sessions from the programme as they like for just £250*, and a Super Pass that will secure free entry to multiple AVIXA training sessions too. We will also offer the opportunity for integrators to sit a CEDIA Certification exam, demonstrating how they excel within the profession.” “It’s a packed CEDIA programme that tells you ISE 2018 is the place to learn,” adds Aneta. “Many classes sold out very quickly in 2017, so make sure you book your chosen courses early to avoid any disappointment in 2018.” Technology highlights in the CEDIA education programme include fullday Advanced Home Cinema Design and Rack Building workshops, as well as a two-part Acoustics Treatment training. Additionally, areas such as power management, power conditioning, local generation and storage, and POE will be covered. Other not-to-be-missed topics include using VR for smart home designs, high resolution audio, lighting control, video displays, assisted living, interoperability, and much, much more. Business owners can benefit from insights provided by Leslie Shiner, the renowned U.S. author, speaker, and trainer. Leslie’s courses will help shed light on how to grow and maximise profitability for your integration company with sessions entitled: Time Is Money; 25 Ways to Increase Profit; A Project Manager’s Guide to the Financial Stuff, and Using a Dashboard to Steer Your

Company on the Right Path. CEDIA Certification will be a major focus for the association throughout 2018. By taking CEDIA’s highly respected Electronic Systems Technician (ESC-T), Designer (ESC-D), or Networking Specialist (ESC-N) Certifications, members can establish their expertise and commitment to best practices. All certification examinations will take place on Friday 9th February at the RAI. Attendees can also take part in CEDIA Talks – free, 20-minute sessions designed to introduce you to new disruptive technologies, challenge your way of thinking, and generally blow your mind. The theme for this year is “10 Things You Should Pay Attention to, but Probably Aren’t,” with each Talk focussing on one important “Thing.” Taking place on the CEDIA booth every day of the event, CEDIA Talks are not to be missed. Taking advantage of CEDIA education is quick, simple, and great value for money. CEDIA’s All Access Training Pass* gives attendees unlimited entry to CEDIA educations sessions during the show. The All Access Pass is available for pre-booking at an exclusive Early Bird rate of £250+VAT through 8th January 2018. Alternatively, individual courses can be booked on an à la carte basis. Attendees can also benefit from the joint CEDIA and AVIXA Super Pass, giving integrators access to both CEDIA and AVIXA training sessions at ISE 2018 in one simple, comprehensive ticket for £350 +VAT. For more information, to buy an All Access Pass, a Super Pass, and to make your booking, go to the Professional Development section of the ISE website, www.iseurope.org/professionaldevelopment. We look forward to growing your skillset at ISE 2018! * Excludes Full-day training sessions and certification exams.

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THE EUROPEAN DESTINATION FOR THE GLOBAL AV INDUSTRY Delivering Smart Home Solutions Experience Residential technology at ISE 2018

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MOBILE

SERVICES Luke Newland, Owner of UK integration company, New Land Solutions, talks exclusively to CEDIA Communicates about his new mobile showroom.

During a casual conversation with a lighting designer and architect whom we work with, we discussed how our clients find it increasingly difficult to find the time to travel to our demo facility — despite it being easily accessible and local to most of our London clients. This conversation gave me food for thought. I had a light-bulb moment, working out that a mobile demo unit would do the trick — not only would it be fantastic for New Land Solutions, but our partners would also love it, and benefit from it. I knew it needed to be unique…something that would set New Land Solutions apart from the crowd. It needed to be different to the normal flight case demo boxes that are available to everyone. It also needed to show what can be achieved in smaller spaces. I will admit it — I am massively obsessed with classic car designs, so as I continued thinking of a solution, it dawned on me that an Airstream would be the perfect answer. After several emails back and forth, lots

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of time spent on the internet, and a few calls here and there, I finally found the one — a 1959 27 foot Airstream in Miami. It hadn’t been used for a few years, but the shell was in perfect condition. I confess, I first drank a few rum and cokes, and then went for it, and not long after, it was shipped to Southampton. This is when the fun began, but not the type of fun I was hoping for. Instead, I was faced with a huge import tax bill. Not the best start, but I didn’t let it get me down, as I had the most exciting project ahead of me. Over the next year, we removed the old cupboards, flooring, toilet, and showers. Once we completed this task, we had an empty shell to begin playing with. Or so we thought. It was at this point that we realised the whole floor was rotten, and the Airstream wasn’t legal on UK roads. So, we had to lift the whole shell off the chassis to replace the axle wheels, brakes, and towing hitch to meet UK standards. With the whole trailer in bits, we packed the inner shell with acoustic board and the floor was remade in marine plywood — later to be professionally installed with hardwood flooring. The internal skin was remade in aluminium to match the outer shell, and all the window glass was replaced, including the rubber seals. Finally, it was a useable empty space and road legal — until I got stopped by the police for it being too shiny and blinding people on the motorway! By 2016, I had spent a small fortune and looked to raise funds for the final stage. For this, I started a pop-up champagne bar in the Airstream with a close friend and parked on Southsea beach, playing music and selling champagne, using my 1969 DS for towing.

In early 2017, after designing the space, we met with Ineva Design who custombuilt three electric cinema seats in the rear and a leather seating area at the front, keeping it as light as possible. In house, we wired a full KNX lighting solution with John Cullen fittings and Basalte light switches. We installed a Meridian Audio DSP speaker solution with Media Core offline music. This was a very easy choice as it doesn’t require racks of amps and lots of space. Alongside this system, we installed a Sony 4K display and Kaleidescape player. For the user interface and control, we have both Crestron and Control4, showcasing the two side by side. While it has been a long, and sometimes painful, process, we are delighted with the end result, and it is providing us with the exact solution that we were looking for. We have started taking our Airstream out on the road, and have received great feedback from it. Our customers enjoy having a demo area to look around, especially when they don’t even have to travel to see it.

www.newland.solutions @newlandsolutio

Paul Ricci, Director at Ineva Design We met with Luke in the beginning of 2017 and when I saw the Airstream, I was very curious about it, especially when Luke mentioned that the idea was to create this into a mobile showroom. There was a standard old Chesterfield sofa in the back. Luke suggested converting this space into a home cinema, with a seating solution that would allow him to hide the AV rack and any other equipment that was needed. Having agreed to this plan, Luke gave us the freedom to develop possible designs. We drew sketches with a few ideas on and sent this to Luke to see what his thoughts were. He said that the designs fitted perfectly with his plan for the Airstream. Luke provided us with the equipment that needed to be built in and then it all started for us. It took more time than we anticipated building the interior. This was because nothing was straight — everything was curved. We can say that this is the most unique project that we ever had done. We really loved the courage that Luke had to build such a unique demo solution. www.ineva-cinema.com

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INTRODUCING:

IET STANDARDS You’re probably aware of the work of the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET). With over 168,000 members, it is one of the world’s largest engineering institutions. The IET’s Standards team is relatively new: it was put together in 2011, with the remit of developing Codes of Practice and guidance around new topic areas not covered by BS 7671 the Wiring Regulations. Since then, the IET has published several high profile Codes of Practice, covering areas that are likely to be of value to CEDIA members, such as solar PV, LED lighting and, most recently, energy storage. Creating Codes of Practice for such new topic areas is, however, a challenging task. Each Code of Practice requires a full committee and could include industry leaders, academics, engineers, legal experts, and end users. A Code of Practice is subject to a full public consultation, ensuring that the content is fit for purpose. SPONSORSHIP The Standards team also facilitates the committee and publication process for industry stakeholders who wish to sponsor a Code of Practice in a specific area of the market. Sponsors have, to date, ranged from the Department of Transport for cybersecurity topics to Centrica, who recently sponsored the Code of Practice Electrical Energy Storage Systems. A Code of Practice provides a framework of operation for relatively new areas of industry. By promoting a framework for best practice, providing industry-agreed processes and procedures and de-risking the use of new technology, a Code of Practice is an enabler of new technologies, helping to facilitate quicker take up of new products. As Andy Syddell, IET Standards Business Development Manager says: “In an age where technology has never moved so quickly, it’s imperative we understand how to make best use of it, install, maintain, and ultimately get the maximum benefits available, whilst

avoiding any potential pitfalls. IETsponsored documents serve as concise guides for planners and practitioners to keep ahead of the curve and confidently understand, utilise, and advise on the latest technologies.” A Code of Practice that bears the sponsor’s logo, co-published with the IET, can position the sponsor as an industry leader. CURRENT WORK IN DEVELOPMENT The IET is currently developing a Guide to Smart Homes, and is working with a panel of stakeholders, including CEDIA, NAPIT, Voltimum, Scolmore, ECA, Lutron, and a host of other industry leaders to achieve a truly comprehensive guide on this topic. The Guide will look to help formalise the transition for electrical installers who wish to embark on opportunities within the smart homes area. Although the Guide is in its very early development, likely topic areas to be included are: conducting a Needs Analysis for a domestic home; wired vs wireless installations; maintaining a smart installation; and troubleshooting. Nnamdi JenkinsJohnston, the IET Standards Portfolio Development Manager responsible for the Guide to Smart Homes, explains that “Smart technology has seen remarkable growth over the last decade or so. Anecdotal evidence suggests that it’s often the latest trendy product that is currently driving homeowners to look into smart home technologies. These products, however can be limited in what they offer or may be unsuitable for their needs. Electrical contractors are perfectly placed to advise their clients to keep an open mind. By first understanding what the client is trying to achieve they can then advise them on what solutions can best meet their requirements. The Guide will focus on giving electrical contractors a framework for helping householders decide what sort of smart home technology would best suit their requirements (and their home).”

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THE CEDIA TECH COUNCIL PODCAST: HEADPHONES

Ed Wenck

Content Marketing Manager, CEDIA

A summary of a recent podcast on the personal two-channel experience There’s a meme that’s popular among recording engineers: A singer is shown emoting into a pricey Neumann microphone, and her creation is then mixed and mastered via boards and processors worth tens of thousands of pounds — and in the final panel, a listener is shown hearing the music through a pair of ear buds purchased at a drugstore. Luckily for audiophiles, though, in-ear and on-ear listening devices — and their attendant gear — are enjoying something of a renaissance. In fact, there’s a globe-trotting series of shows called CanJam that are dedicated to headphones. Peter Aylett, a CEDIA volunteer and integration specialist with the company, Archimedia, and Alan Sircom, editor with the UK publication, Hi-Fi+, attended a CanJam show in the UK this past year. They dropped by a recent CEDIA Tech Council Podcast to share some of what they’d seen, and to talk about the opportunities this gear might present to CEDIA integrators.

The way to massively increase sound quality is to get a perfect seal of that headphone in your ear.

Why should someone in the CEDIA channel care about headphones, anyway?

“I think people in the CEDIA channel should care about any technology that our clients interact with,” says Peter. “You’ve only got to walk through a duty-free store at any airport to see just how pervasive headphones are today. Most of our customers are very, very global people. They travel a lot, and as far as I’m concerned, what I want to do with my customers is curate my

customer’s experience with technology, no matter where they are.” (CEDIA’s Walt Zerbe knows of another use for headphones: reference for audio calibration. “The integrator will give their personal headphones a listen and then listen to the room. The headphones give the integrator a baseline he or she knows intimately.”) Of course, the case for headphones in the home is as strong as the pitch for mobile music: Do you live in an apartment, a flat, or some kind of urban setting that would prohibit you from blasting your favourite symphony, whether it’s Mussorgsky or Megadeth? Perhaps your spouse loves her Cat Stevens and hates your King Crimson. Or perhaps noise-cancelling or hearing-assisted technology is something you long for. No matter your needs, there are products that run the gamut from classic, closed, over-the-ear, high-end cans to devices built for you and you alone. “It’s not just about in the home, it’s also out of the home,” Peter adds. “Things like getting our customers custom in-ear monitors. In other words, in-ear earphones moulded specifically to that customer.” Peter was knocked out by a product from a company called Snugs, which creates an in-ear monitor (not to be confused with ear buds that imply sit in one’s ear canal). These monitors are made after a 3D image has been rendered of the end user’s individual ear canal. “It’s completely painless,” says Peter. “They probe your ear with this scanner and you can actually watch the monitor whilst it’s happening, creating a 3D image of the inside of your ear. The really clever thing is they can then press a button and it goes straight to a 3D printer that prints you a pair of custom in-ear monitors.”

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Do you live in an apartment, a flat, or some kind of urban setting that would prohibit you from blasting your favourite symphony, whether it’s Mussorgsky or Megadeth?

The best part about this process? Better bass response.

“One of the essences of the whole in-ear sound is that these drive units are tiny,” explains Peter. “They don’t move a lot of air. To get bass, as we all know, you need to move a lot of air. The way to massively increase sound quality is to get a perfect seal of that headphone in your ear. That means that all of the bass energy that the tiny little driver is producing is coupling directly to your eardrum, so you can have tiny, very fast, very high-resolution drivers producing really, really great bass down to absolutely subsonic levels. To me, it’s the biggest way to increase mobile sound quality.” All these goodies, of course, are nothing without a proper source. Alan Sircom was particularly

fascinated by Sony’s return to the mobile sound market: “This is a company that abandoned this whole market years ago. They said, ‘Oh, we’re done with the Walkman. We’re finished with that.’ And now they’re back with this very, very geeky, very high-resolution format.” Sony’s re-entry into mobile listening runs into the high-end with the NW-WM1Z. There are hundreds more devices, solutions, and options, of course — from headphone-specific DACs to the Smyth Realiser, a unit that takes a signal and processes it to create the illusion of surround sound via a pair of two-channel headphones. The experience is nothing short of astonishing (and expensive), but for big fans of the intimate experience headphones provide, money’s often not much of an object.

This article only touches the surface of the CEDIA Tech Council Podcast on headphones. For more, check out Episode 17 of the podcast at www.cedia.net (file no. 1731). The podcast is also available on iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, and Tunein.

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