Residential Tech Today -- Vol 5 / Issue 3

Mike Shanahan Mike Shanahan

Legendary Coach Stays Connected to the NFL

Legendary Coach Stays Connected to the NFL

San Diego-Based LIGHTWORKS Promotes Smart Home Power

CONNECTED

DEVICE CONNECTED DEVICE

Enthusiasm on the Rise

Lean Business Practices Pay Off for NYC INTEGRATOR

NYC INTEGRATOR

AUTOMATING AUTOMATING

Gas Fireplace Control

Control scenes using Shelly BLU Door/Window

Control scenes using Shelly BLU Door/Window

Measure your energy using our Shelly Plus Series

Measure your using Shelly Plus Series

Compatible with URC, Control4, Elan, Crestron and many other platforms

Compatible with URC, Control4, Elan, Crestron and many other platforms

Now integrates with Josh.ai and the Nimble DevSuite

Now integrates with Josh.ai and the Nimble DevSuite

From the Editor

Editor Jeremy Glowacki

LLMs also can help integrators create client proposals, RFPs for suppliers, and internal project reviews faster, more accurately, and more efficiently.

OpenAI’s ChatGPT launched with much fanfare in the fall of 2022, and the world has been playing catch up to the timesaving and job-replacing fears of artificial intelligence and large language model technology ever since. During the HTSA Buying Group’s Fall Conference this past October, AI expert and Leveraging AI podcast host, Isar Meitis (CEO of MI Square Consulting) led three sessions focused on AI and LLM opportunities and threats, offering specific use case scenarios for custom integration businesses and manufacturers.

Meitis noted, for example, how integration companies can fine-tune their marketing through AI design tools. He explained that an integrator with a specific client passionate about protecting the environment could finetune their marketing materials to focus on energy savings and power management potential in the smart home through inexpensive AI design tools. While it wouldn’t make financial sense to hire someone to completely redesign a brochure for, say, one client, AI makes that targeted example relatively easy and inexpensive to do, Meitis said.

He also pointed out that LLMs can be tactical tools for analyzing and researching sales performance, sales calls, and customer feedback data. AI tools, he showed, can make it easier to assess why people are buying from you based on analysis of client reviews collected over many years. You could ask your AI tool of choice to analyze five years of sales data, asking, “What’s the most common positive customer comment about my company?” Those qualitative results, in turn, could be used in the integrator’s marketing materials to promote the company’s strengths to client prospects.

LLMs also can help integrators create client proposals, RFPs for suppliers, and internal project reviews faster, more accurately, and more efficiently, Meitis offered.

The reactions to the AI sessions were overwhelmingly positive, which was not surprising considering HTSA’s progressive attitude toward previous new initiatives and technology opportunities, such as luxury audio and residential lighting. The point was made that while the world is changing fast with AI and LLMs, we are all in the very early days of this evolution. It’s not too late to start taking small steps in learning how to use these new tools.

Matt Grant, CEO of Eyehear Technology Group in Whitefish, MT, shared his thoughts on the sessions, noting that he prefers technology’s that “works for” him to enhance his life rather than just using technology for technology sake. Grant acknowledged that it’s not wise to wait and just see what happens with AI tools but that he hopes to use it to help his employees and clients lead better lives.

“If we think that it will just take care of itself, we (as companies) will fall behind,” Grant said. “I can look at what we can do responsibly within our company where we can use the tool to enhance our client’s experience and our employees’ experience. How can we enhance their lives and make things more efficient? For me, it’s definitely not how can I replace people with AI. It’s, ‘How can I make them more efficient so that they can enjoy their lives more, and they can give a better experience to our clients?’”

Executive

Nice Home Management

Henry Clifford

Anthony Elio

Walter Joseph

Sarah Lee

Anthony Leo

Lisa Montgomery

38 Cover Story Legendary Coach Stays Connected

Cover Photo: Ryan Fila

Features

26 Enthusiasm for connected devices rises in the face of economic challenges.

28 Choosing the best streaming service based on your viewing preferences.

32 How San Diego-based Lightworks is supporting Savant’s vision for smart home power management.

34 How the new Specifi IO proposal tool was built for the custom integration channel.

36 Automating gas fireplace control using Bond Bridge, Shelly, or Aqara FP2 technology.

44 Exploring the experience of installing the SmartSlydr motorized sliding glass door opener.

48 Tech Zone: New York City

Lean business practices pay off in a tough New York market for Elevated Integration.

50 Review

Finding out how well Leon’s FrameBar designer speaker fits with a Samsung Frame TV.

51 Review

Learning how Bluesound Node X can add music streaming oomph to older stereo rigs.

Contributors

Jay Basen is retired from his 40-year career in professional software development, but he still keeps his tech skills sharp with special projects and product reviews. During his time in the industry, the Silver Certified Crestron programmer specialized in the design, development, and installation of automation, building management, and energy management systems for residential and commercial buildings. On p. 36, he explains how smart home devices can automate gas fireplace control, and on p. 46, he describes his experience installing the SmartSlydr motorized sliding glass door opener.

Henry Clifford founded Richmond, VA-based Livewire in 2001 to meet the growing demand for technologically integrated homes and businesses. In 2018, he co-founded Parasol, a remote service support company, and has served on the CEDIA Board of Directors. His latest venture was the recent launch of IntegrateU, a professional onboarding service for the custom integration industry. On p. 54, he reviews the Leon FrameBar designer speaker and on p. 56, he evaluates the Bluesound Node X music streamer.

Michael Heiss is a former product and marketing executive at Harman International, responsible for many breakthrough audio and video products. Additionally, he was a promotion manager at NBC and a key player in hotel in-room movie development, eventually leading to him creating the first nationwide movie rental service for Beta and VHS cassettes. Heiss served two terms on the CEDIA Board and led their Technology Council. He is also a CEDIA Fellow, recipient of CEDIA’s Lifetime Achievement Award, a member of the TV Academy, the Society of Broadcast Engineers, and a Life Member of both IEEE and SMPTE. On p. 28, he provides an update on video streaming services.

Lisa Montgomery has spent more than 25 years analyzing and reporting on the home technology marketplace. She has developed a deep sense of the industry, including the trends that are shaping the way consumers use technology to enjoy a healthier, happier, more productive life at home. Writing is her passion, be it for a consumer or trade publication, online content, or literature for manufacturers involved in the home technology industry. She understands how to make an impact through thoughtful, insightful messaging to help consumers make smarter buying decisions and professionals grow their businesses. On p. 52, she shares how lean business practices have paid off in a tough New York market for Elevated Integration.

On to the Next Episode

Snap One Refreshes Episode Home Theater Speaker Line with New Materials and Capabilities

By Jeremy Glowacki

Snap One has expanded its family of Episode Home Theater speakers designed to deliver cinematic sound through high-performance components and support for the latest objectbased surround sound technologies.

According to Alex Zaliauskas, director of product management for speakers at Snap One, the line sets a new standard for Episode audio products, enabling “stunning home theater and multimedia experiences” for all customers.

“These are the best Episode products we’ve ever developed,” Zaliauskas said. “Our Partner integrators have long trusted Episode to provide high-performance speakers at an incredible value, and Episode Home Theater takes that goal to new heights. We’ve dedicated countless hours to meticulously curating the finest drivers and components for this line of speakers, setting a new standard of sound reproduction and raising the bar for the Episode brand.”

Included in the expanded family of Episode Home Theater speakers are two performance levels: Episode Home Theater and Episode Home Theater Reference.

The six Episode Home Theater Series models employ a common set of materials and components to ensure consistent performance when mixed and matched, even with products from different Episode product lines. This offers Snap One Partners the flexibility to build the best customized solutions for their customers. The lineup includes a 6-inch tower speaker, 6-inch in-room monitor speaker, 6-inch in-room LCR speaker, 4-inch in-room/on-wall height speaker, and 4-inch on-wall LCR speaker.

The series features rigid MDF cabinets that limit vibration, carbon fiber woofers, lowdistortion 1-inch aluminum dome tweeters, second-order Linkwitz-Riley filters, and acoustically-transparent local magnetic grilles. All in-room models are available in

color options of gloss black, gloss white, and walnut veneer to match room decor.

Episode Home Theater Reference Series

For projects that demand even higher performance, the Episode Home Theater Reference line offers the highest fidelity possible without compromise, faithfully reproducing sound with an exclusive Coherent Source Module, upgraded crossovers, and an adaptable lineup of architectural in-wall and in-ceiling options.

“The Episode Home Theater Reference line represents the ultimate expression of Episode’s design philosophy,” Zaliauskas said. “The line marries its acoustic design philosophy of ‘sound based on science’ with a focus on improving the Partner experience with captivating visual designs and flexible, intentional installation options.”

The Reference Series enables immersive experiences for movies and audio at home with faithful reproduction of sound, so end users hear exactly what the artists and content creators intended. The series includes a 6-inch in-room tower speaker and 6-inch in-room LCR speaker along with a 4-inch in-ceiling LCR speaker, 6-inch in-wall surround speaker, 6-inch medium in-wall LCR speaker, and 6-inch large in-wall LCR speaker.

Each model features a Coherent Source Module that directs frequencies to specific speakers in 2-way and 3-way designs, as well as the brand-new Reference Tower 4-way design, which sets a new standard for innovation in the lineup. The series also features a solid MDF cabinet, 1-inch aluminum dome tweeters, an aluminum dome midrange or wide band transducers, carbon fiber woofers, and second order Linkwitz-Riley filters with Zobel impedance matching.

The Episode Home Theater Family offers full support for Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, and Auro3D immersive surround sound sources.

“Crucially, the new family ensures that every Snap One Partner can deploy highperformance audio experiences for their customers, even if they don’t have authorized access to other dedicated home theater brands,” Zaliauskas said. x

Snap One’s new Episode family of Home Theater speakers

Pop-up Laser TV

Screen Innovations Adds Motorized Ultra Short Throw Projector Lift

By Anthony Leo

Fresh off of CEDIA Expo 2023 and numerous product introductions this past September, Screen Innovations has added another motorized screen solution to its range of assemblies and materials. The company’s Short Throw Lift is a motorized solution designed to conceal and reveal an ultra-shortthrow projector below one of SI’s complementary projection screens. The solution, the company says, addresses the growing need for large but discreet displays in smaller media rooms and corporate boardrooms.

In what SI is dubbing a pop-up “laser TV,” SI pairs the Short Throw Lift with its 120-inch ambient light rejecting screen (a 110-inch ALR screen is also available) for a turnkey system that combats glare from artificial and natural lighting to deliver a bright, crisp, well-defined image. Viewers can sit wherever they like — a 12-foot seating distance is recommended — without

casting shadows on the screen. This makes the Short Throw Lift particularly useful for gaming, business presentations, and videoconferencing.

The Short Throw Lift also blends in with the room design. The laser TV rolls quietly and smoothly into the base of the unit and is concealed by a trap door when it’s not in use. The base can stand alone, be integrated into cabinetry, mounted to the wall, or tucked beneath the floor. Control options include a 12volt trigger, infrared, or SI’s new wireless

Sub-Gig 485 RF transceiver, called Pegasus. Hidden handles enable the unit to be easily positioned according to the projector, viewing, and space requirements.

“The big-screen experience has evolved dramatically over the past few years, transforming from a dark room where only movies are enjoyed to a multimedia experience that invites us to gather as a family and with friends to play video games, connect with others via Zoom, or simply watch TV together,” said SI screen evangelist Blake Vackar. “People still want a big screen experience but may not have the room design for a long-throw projector. Our Short Throw Lift gives integrators a great alternative to this common installation challenge. The lift is easy to integrate into any viewing environment, features our best ALR screen, and delivers stunning images up to 8K resolution.” x

Screen Innovations’ Short Throw Lift was designed to blend in with a room’s design.

A Smart Home Dashboard

Savant Introduces Home Manager Dashboard with System Visibility for Homeowners

By Walter Joseph

The Savant Home Manager is a more intuitive smart home management tool created specifically for homeowners. It is included as part of Savant’s smart home subscription model and designed to expand the company’s user experience beyond traditional mobile apps, in-wall devices, and remote controls.

“Savant Home Manager is the foundation for delivering sophisticated system insights with information that homeowners can act upon,” said Angela Larson, GM professional solutions. “Savant Home Manager functionality will continue to grow with future enhancements, including network health, system activity log, and more.”

Savant Home Manager is the first web UI smart home dashboard designed for Savant homeowners. Users with administrative-level permissions can access key system information, manage user permissions, filter and view camera recordings, view active cloud integrations, access product tutorials, and review frequently asked questions. Savant Home Manager enables new Savant system owners to learn more about basic system features and the power user to dig

deeply into system statistics and upgrade possibilities.

Homeowners can access Savant Home Manager by visiting savant.com and logging into their system, using the same credentials for their Savant app experience. Savant Home Manager highlights include:

Camera Recordings. The Camera Recordings view allows homeowners to easily access and organize camera recordings with sort features by camera, date/time, and even specific event types.

Connected Apps. Homeowners can view and manage connected third-party apps that have access to their Savant home, including voice, security, and more.

User Management. The User Management view allows a system administrator to manage dealer system access permissions as well as add, delete, and edit user permissions.

Tutorials. Homeowners can find quick Tutorials on how to navigate the Savant app, personalize their system with scenes and room photos, and more. x

Savant Home Manager is the first web UI smart home dashboard designed for Savant homeowners.

A Quantum Leap for Video Walls

Quantum Media Systems Achieves DCI Compliance of Its XDR3 LED Video Wall

By Anthony Leo

Video walls may be all the rage in commercial applications, but they’re quickly gaining ground as a premier large-format viewing option in home cinemas, thanks in part to a revolutionary LED display purpose-built by Quantum Media Systems for residential applications.

From its inception, the XDR3 LED Video Wall from Quantum Media Systems was designed and engineered exclusively for highend home cinemas. Technologies incorporated into the LED Video Wall enable it to optimize the types of content typically consumed in residential settings.

Now, Quantum has added another compelling content choice — first-run movies available via the exclusive movie distribution service, the Bel Air Circuit. Streaming of high-res digital content from the Bel Air Circuit is achieved through Quantum’s recent compliance with system requirements and specifications established by the Digital Cinema Initiative. DCI support and Bel Air Circuit integration further differentiate

the XDR3 LED Video Wall from other largeformat displays on the market, providing systems integrators yet another selling feature for their high-end clientele.

The XDR3 LED Video Wall enhances viewing enjoyment of exclusive Bel Air Circuit movies and other content through brightness up to 1000 nits, immersive image display technology with Fine-Pitch LED, and high-performance image processing to produce a full, vibrant color spectrum and High Dynamic Range (HDR).

The XDR3 LED Video Wall requires just four inches of total build-out depth, which makes it look like a natural extension of the wall — an artistic expression rather than a random piece of technology. The low profile of the XDR3 LED Video Wall also saves space. Homeowners enjoy a big screen viewing experience without a large, loud video projector infringing on the room design for the audience’s comfort. This spacesaving attribute also enables greater freedom with seating arrangements.

The LED Wall has been optimized for the presentation of content typically consumed by homeowners: 4K High Dynamic Range movies and streaming video, fast-action video games, and high-res digital art. Additionally, a built-in processor enables it to display multi-window sports broadcasts and videoconferencing sessions.

Based on the content chosen, the LED Wall automatically switches to the most appropriate format, be it 2.39:1 Cinemascope, 16:9 Widescreen, or another format. The LED Wall is also highly customizable and integrates with leading control systems — important features when adapting an LED display to the unique requirements of diverse residential applications.

Quantum Media Systems simplifies this part of the process by handling 100% of the design, installation, calibration, and commissioning of the LED Wall. Systems are rest assured of optimal performance and customer satisfaction. x

The XDR3 LED Video Wall from Quantum Media Systems

Objective Design Metrics

New Recommendations Offer Best Practices for High-Performance Immersive Audio Systems

Jeremy Glowacki

CEDIA has finalized a new recommended practice for immersive audio system design in collaboration with the Consumer Technology Association (CTA). CEDIA/CTA - RP22 Immersive Audio Design Recommended Practice is the first recommended practice to define an objective set of performance criteria for home audio systems.

“RP22 is nothing less than game-changing for our industry,” said Daryl Friedman, global president and CEO of CEDIA. “It will benefit integrators, manufacturers, and of course, homeowners who can be assured of the same high audio standards no matter the room. My sincere thanks go out to CEDIA’s volunteers and staff, who worked tirelessly for years to make this dream a reality.”

Experts representing film studios, audio manufacturers, immersive audio standards, and residential technology integrators collaborated for over three years to produce this set of guidelines. By combining input from content creators, device makers, and system designers, RP22 presents a consensus that honors artistic vision while acknowledging physical and budgetary constraints. The new Recommended Practice has already been endorsed by manufacturers including Officina Acustica, PerListen Audio, Snap One, StormAudio, Triad Speakers, and Trinnov Audio.

New Audio System Performance Targets

RP22 identifies 21 different performance parameters that can be predicted during system design, then tested and verified before system sign-off. Using these metrics, it sets criteria for four different levels of system performance:

Level 1 — conveys basic artistic intent.

Level 2 — a higher level of performance that more accurately conveys artistic intent.

Level 3 — meets or exceeds reference commercial cinema standards.

Balancing performance objectives (outer) by broad characteristic (middle)

Consumers can use the performance levels defined in RP22 to define what they want from an audio system.

Meanwhile, home technology professionals have a new tool to define the difference between off-the-shelf speakers and a state-of-the-art immersive home audio system.

“Any professionally integrated system should preserve the original creative intent of the audio. That’s the minimum,” says Walt Zerbe, senior director of technology and standards for CEDIA. “From there, RP22 sets criteria for systems that can equal or even exceed the experience of a commercial cinema.”

Deep Technical Guidance for Immersive Audio

CEDIA/CTA — RP22 Immersive Audio Design Recommended Practice is the result of a joint effort by CEDIA and CTA to update their existing recommended practices for home

theater audio design. RP22 expands on CTA/ CEDIA-CEB22-B Home Theater

Recommended Practice: Audio Design with design recommendations for an expanded array of applications and technological innovations, such as speaker layout recommendations for the immersive audio formats, including Dolby Atmos, DTS-X, and Auto 3D; expanded bass management guidance; and coverage patterns and “seat to seat” variation targets.

“This document provides objective parameters and recommendations for designing immersive audio systems within the broader context of entertainment spaces such as home/ private cinemas, theaters, screening rooms, and mastering environments,” said Peter Aylett, partner, Officina Acustica, and RP22 workgroup chair. “Notably, it remains neutral with respect to products and formats and is adaptable to a wide range of room sizes and budgets. My hope is that RP22 will lead to a shift away from a product-centric mindset, toward engineering design credibility.” x

Level 4 — achieves the maximum level of performance across every parameter.

Designing Immersive Luxury Environments

The Lutron Luxury Experience App Enables Users to Take an Immersive, Virtual Journey Through Lutron Lighting, Shades, and Controls.

By Jeremy Glowacki

With its new Luxury Experience App, Lutron Electronics wants to reshape how users envision lighting, shades, and controls at home and interact with the Lutron luxury residential products portfolio.

The Luxury Experience App was designed as a storytelling tool to showcase the power of Lutron’s automated shades, intelligent lighting, and intuitive controls. The app enables users to explore Lutron’s portfolio from anywhere, effectively bringing the showroom into the comfort of any room.

“This tool provides unparalleled convenience, empowering customers to effortlessly visualize and customize their own spaces from anywhere, reflecting their unique style and preferences. It sets a new standard for a truly personalized home experience,” said Ben Bard, Lutron Luxury Residential vice president.

One of the standout features of the Lutron Luxury Experience App is its camera functionality, allowing users to visualize Lutron products in anyone’s home, blending digital

elements with reality, facilitating decision-making, and enhancing the overall customer experience.

The Lutron Luxury Experience App introduces other new features, such as the ability to bring the “natural light story to life” through an interactive scroll simulator, where the user can see how Ketra intelligent lighting syncs with the color temperature of the sun throughout the day.

Another feature of the app is a shades openness simulator, which enables users to visualize a range of window shade fabrics and openness factors — even placed over their own window using the iPad’s camera. This capability ensures the selected fabric achieves the optimal balance of outdoor views, light filtering, and privacy in any living space.

Finally, a keypad configurator allows users to customize and preview keypad designs tailored to their preferences and home interior design.

The Lutron Luxury Experience App is available for download, compatible with iPad OS 16.4 or later. x

The Lutron Luxury Experience App

Images courtesy of Lutron

Expanding a Lighting Lineup

DMF Launches Enhanced iX Series and DALI Controlled Light Modules

By Walter Joseph

It’s been a busy few months for DMF.

The lighting fixture brand has added DALI-controlled light modules, a new line of luxury lighting products, and 2-inch retrofit conversion kits.

The new DALI-controlled modules offer the custom integration channel DALI-2 digital control protocols for LED fixtures. The advanced light modules have a DALI-enabled integrated driver that provides flicker-free dimming down to 0.1% and easier installation, thanks to their compatibility with DMF’s existing modular system and their use of Near Field Communication (NFC) technology.

Troubleshooting and maintenance are easier thanks to the digital modules. Users can simply replace the complete module as opposed to a separate driver and LED with wiring and connections. Using the DMF app, configuration and programming are done with NFC and do not require modules to be powered.

The digital modules also provide integrators with increased flexibility to deliver multiple light settings to address a homeowner’s different use cases. Integrators can manage color temperature and intensity independently and tailor scenes to enhance the space. The modules will be adopted across the DMF iX and DID Series.

DMX’s new, enhanced iX product line of luxury lighting products is also exclusive to the CEDIA channel. These include True Spectrum 98 CRI (Color Rendering Index) light modules for improved color rendition and new premium trim selections (raw brass, anodized aluminum, and anodized bronze finishes), available in flangeless and micro flange options.

DMF has added DALI-controlled light modules, a new line of luxury lighting products, and 2-inch retrofit conversion kits.

fixtures to a 2-inch opening, creating new sales opportunities for CI integrators to utilize iX Series products in the residential market.

The enhanced iX Series 2-inch fixtures add premium aesthetics to the iX Series that are designed to elevate the entire home with modern, quiet ceilings, and elegant design. As

aperture lights allow CI channel integrators to go smaller without compromising performance, installation, and serviceability.

DMF’s iX Series 2-inch Retrofit Conversion Kits expand the retrofit applications available to custom integrators. Eliminating the need to tear up ceilings and remove old housings, the DMF solution converts existing 4-, 5- and 6-inch

The retrofit kits are available in three configurations: 4-inch/5-inch to 2-inch conversion, round; 6-inch to 2-inch conversion, round; and 6-inch to 2-inch conversion, square.

Round kits are provided with a round collar and mud plate conversion cover, and square kits come with a square collar and mud plate conversion cover and are compatible with the Standard Flange, Flangeless, and Micro Flange iX Series trims in all colors. x

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Creating a Stress-Free Network

NETGEAR Launches PR460X with Insight Remote Cloud Management

By Anthony Leo

The new NETGEAR PR460X Pro Router promises blazing-fast speeds, uninterrupted connectivity, and stress-free network management.

The PR460X, a 10G/Multi-Gigabit Dual WAN Pro Router with Insight Remote Cloud Management completes the brand’s Total Network Solution Ecosystem and is available exclusively for authorized integrators.

The new router was designed with residential and commercial installation project needs in mind and to bundle with NETGEAR Pro WiFi Access Points and select Smart Switches to deliver a complete, seamless, and future-proof custom experience.

The high-performance hardware of the PR460X, featuring 10G/multi-gig throughput, multiple Ethernet ports, and an SFP+ port, enables super-fast data transfers, accommodating multiple connected devices — from the smart TV and PoE speaker system to the athome conference setup and home security system — without compromising speed.

For homeowners, the router’s dual-WAN failover protection guarantees that families stay connected even during critical moments as the

PR460X seamlessly switches to the backup in the event of a primary connection failure, ensuring continuous access to online services, streaming, and smart devices.

The router’s rack-mountable design features rear-facing ports to enable integrators to mount the PR460X with ports facing the front, tailoring the setup to their specific needs.

The PR460X’s integration with NETGEAR Pro WiFi Access Points and select Smart Switches through the Insight Cloud Management platform ensures comprehensive coverage and optimal performance. This integration simplifies setup and enhances overall network management, making it hassle-free for both integrators and homeowners.

The platform empowers users with easy plug-and-play setup, comprehensive cloud (app and online portal), and local management capabilities. With a four-year Insight subscription included, residential integrators gain real-time control over their clients’ networks from anywhere, 24/7.

The PR460X comes bundled with four years of NETGEAR Insight and ProSupport Services. x

Additional technical specifications:

High performance hardware — 10G/Multi-Gig throughput and 1x2.5G WAN, 1x10G/Multi-Gig WAN/LAN configurable port, 3x2.5G LAN and 1x10G SFP+ LAN ports.

Primary and secondary internet connections — Dual-WAN ports for failover accommodating two internet connections to maintain a reliable link. The first connection functions as the primary and the other as a backup.

8 VLANs for network segmentation — For more secure and efficient use of network resources, separate the network into up to 8 segments (VLANs).

8 DHCP servers for better security and manageability — Multiple DHCP servers enable multiple Layer3 independent networks for a higher level of security and intra-network manageability, one for each VLAN.

IPSec VPN — Provides up to 30 VPN tunnels for businesses to connect remote workers, branch offices, and partners to the main corporate network.

The NETGEAR PR460X 10G/Multi-Gigabit Dual WAN Pro Router with Insight Remote Cloud Management

The Strength of Consumer Tech Spending

By Sarah Lee, Research Analyst, Parks Associates

Editor’s Note: This is an excerpt from Parks Associates Consumer Electronics Dashboard: Q3 2023. The Consumer Electronics Dashboard visualizes the most important metrics informing the strategic decision-making of companies connected to the leading consumer electronics devices in the home.

The average number of connected devices per U.S. internet household in 2023 is 17, which is at the highest point ever. Consumer electronics products such as wireless earbuds, tablets, and smart TVs were once luxury items reserved for those with expendable income and an interest in emerging technology.

Adoption of smartwatches, smartphones, and smart TVs continued to show a slight uptick compared to 2022, as did purchase intentions for these devices. Today, these devices are commonplace and essential not only for entertainment purposes but also to communicate daily in addition to school and work functions. This necessity drives continued purchases as upgrades will eventually be necessary as well.

Enthusiasm for Connected Devices Rises in the Face of Economic Difficulty

Historical Trends in Adoption of Consumer Electronics Products – Top 11 Categories

Photos: iStockphoto

Total Average Number of Connected Devices Per U.S. Internet Household

Total average # of connected devices per U.S. household

Average # of connected health devices

Average # of connected smart home devices

Overall, 2023 ownership of the most popular connected devices almost mirrors ownership from 2022. For the first time, however, smartphone ownership surpasses TV ownership generally. Smartphones are an extension of individuals and are increasingly being used for video consumption as well.

And despite job layoffs and inflation, consumer spending has been remarkably resilient. After a brief pause in spending in early 2023, consumers show increased enthusiasm to purchase consumer electronics products. In addition, purchase intentions for popular

entertainment devices such as gaming consoles, streaming media players, and VR headsets increased compared to 2022 and now resemble 2021 levels.

Economic conditions that previously stalled purchases of consumer electronics categories across the board are still in place. Higher intentions to purchase are likely a reflection of prolonged delayed gratification, the 2023 holiday season, enticing retail promotions, and hope for relief in 2024.

credit cards, and student loan balances rose to $17 trillion. The National Retail Federation reported a disconnect between consumer spending and their concern about the economy, showing both higher concern and higher spending.

Historical Trends in Adoption of Consumer Electronics Products – Top 11 Categories

According to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, U.S. debt in the form of mortgages,

Consumers may have been living more in the moment during the 2023 holiday season before the statements and bills for these purchases come due in 2024. Optimism about 2024 will not erase future payments, and as a result, we will likely see another slowdown in purchases as consumers deal with the damage. x

Even as U.S. debt in the form of mortgages, credit cards, and student loan balances rose to $17 trillion, smartphone ownership took the helm as the most popular connected device in 2023.

Choosing the Best Streaming Service

Balancing the Correct Combination of Devices and Content Sources Based on Your Viewing Preferences

By Michael Heiss

There are

Video streaming exists in a complex media environment where cable and traditional overthe-air (OTA) TV remain viable options despite the trend to cord cutting. In parallel with a plethora of sources, there is a growing number of streaming devices to consider, with Apple TV, Google’s Chromecast, and Amazon’s Fire TV remaining the clear leaders. The ideal combination of content sources and services will always vary based on individual preferences and needs, but I will do my best to lay out the

current set of options and alternatives.

Obviously, everyone has different viewing habits and content preferences. Regardless of how many apps that a connected TV (CTV) or device has, none offers everything. Thus, the first step is to figure out which services you want and to see if they are available on your device of choice. For example, some local broadcast station apps are available on all platforms, but others are not. The same applies to some of the

apps from cable companies such as Spectrum and Comcast. For example, I use the Spectrum app on Roku devices for some of the TVs in my house so that I don’t have to pay for an extra cable set-top box. I can also do that with my Apple TV 4K, but not with Android TVpowered devices such as a Chromecast/Google TV, the Nvidia Shield, or with Fire TV products.

The same holds true for many apps, particularly when new ones are introduced.

many different streaming devices, it’s up to you to pick the one that works best for you. You may need more than one.

CTVs have increased the number of apps that they offer, but there is no guarantee that the latest app or version of a new app will be updated into your particular TV model. Picture quality and other features will often take precedence when selecting or specifying a TV, not the app services count or the way they are selected. That might be the first reason why you will need more than one device, even if you have a CTV.

That leads us to the question of the user interface (UI). Again, you will likely place other items further up in your buying decision; you may get the best picture but perhaps not an interface you like or one that is easy for everyone in your home to use. If you lean toward Amazon Video services, for example, then you might prefer to add a Fire TV product as the main viewing conduit. Note, however, that most of the services now rely heavily on recommendation engines and will promote content that, to their algorithm’s calculations, aligns with your favorites, particularly if it is on their service.

With a CTV, you are basically stuck with the interface of the TV, and that is typically fine. However, what if you don’t like the way it is navigated? Streaming devices and CTVs tend toward either a “carousel” or “tile” interface. In the former, the apps are displayed in what is similar to a horizontal wheel. You spin it until you see the app you want and then select it,

perhaps using the up/down buttons to move to the next carousel row. Tile interfaces are just that; you are presented with a checkerboard of icons and you move around them to find what you are looking for.

There is one more reason why you might want to have more than one way to do streaming: offair-recording and ATSC 3.0/NextGen TV. Yes, I know that traditional TV isn’t really considered streaming, but NextGen TV is a new way to access content that most TVs are not capable of receiving and none are able to record. Thus, to receive it you will need a set-top box.

Given all of this, when you look at what any one CTV or streaming device can do, you should reach the conclusion that just one isn’t enough.

Next, you will want to compare the features of each streaming device or CTV. If 4K capability is important to you, then make certain that any external streaming device has it. Many do, but some of the less expensive ones do not. Same for Dolby Atmos and the various HDR formats, such as Dolby Vision and HDR-10+. Some will pass them through, but some will not. Going a bit deeper, if this is important to you, look at the level of video adjustments and calibration for incoming content. Apple TV 4K is known for that.

Next, take a step back and look at what you want any external device to do. Are you looking

to add a soundbar to an existing TV, particularly if it is not a CTV, look at the various soundbar systems with streaming capability built in? Be careful because many soundbars have Chromecast built in but no streaming apps. That’s fine if you want to use your phone as the controller, but it is not the same as having the streaming capability built in as a native feature.

If you want a soundbar with streaming built in, the Streambar models from Roku are good examples, as they have all the Roku apps and good, expandable sound to boot. The Streambar Pro also offers Apple AirPlay to make it possible to mirror content from an iPhone. That’s great for streaming takeout menus to the TV or streaming apps not available through Roku, but it doesn’t have Chromecast, which means that a Pixel phone cannot stream to it. A Chromecastcompatible streamer is needed for that and thus you may need more than one device connected your CTV.

Sometimes an additional streamer is needed to fill another hole in your system. Yes, many TV sets and external streamers have voice control, but they often don’t have the “always listening” capability of a smart speaker. Beyond that, external streamers take up one of the HDMI inputs on your TV, limiting the number of other devices that you are able to connect.

That’s where Amazon’s Fire TV Cube comes into play. When the TV is turned off, it is the same as most smart speakers. However, when the set is on, you not only have an on-screen display of what you ask it to play but also visual answers to responses such as, “What is the weather today?” Even better, it has a switchable HDMI input so that you don’t lose one for having connected an HDMI device.

The last type of streaming device is what we’ll call hybrid streamers. I define them as devices that do at least minimal streaming access even though another function is their main task. Game consoles fit in here, as both PlayStation and Xbox access many of the major streaming services.

That takes us to products designed for off-air or “cable” viewing but which also serve as streaming devices. TiVo is best known for that, as its primary purpose is to serve as either an off-air or cable DVR, the latter when used with a cable card. It also offers some of the major

Roku’s interface uses the “tile” type appearance where each service has an icon and you navigate across them to find which one you want.

streaming services, but the list is not that extensive. Since TiVo boxes focus on traditional viewing, they include a full numeric keypad so that technophobic viewers don’t have to deal with menus and navigation screens. If you want to watch a channel, you simply press the numbers — no scrolling needed. Also, their DVR storage is local, so you are not tied to a particular service’s cloud for recording.

Another interesting hybrid primarily for off-air is Zapperbox. Its tuner is unique in that it offers full access to the new ATSC 3.0/NextGen channels. When NextGen TV’s full feature set is available, some say it will emulate streaming, but for now it offers immersive audio and highresolution video as we wait for broadcasters to implement additional improvements. Zapper also has local DVR capability with internal SD card and external local storage. Why is it a hybrid? It also has YouTube which, as the most popular streaming portal, may be just enough for many.

One new hybrid streamer is Xumo, which is an odd joint venture of Comcast and Charter, the two largest U.S. cable operators with their Xfinity and Spectrum brands. To outward appearances, the Xumo box is not unlike most other small external streamers, and it offers a wide range of services and apps that is

competitive with products you are more familiar with.

The key, however, is that since it comes from cable companies, it emulates a traditional cable box, complete with my coveted numeric keypad. There is also a DVR functionality, albeit through the cloud. Combined, that makes it an interesting alternative to using a streamer. Depending on your cable company’s plans and your location, it is available at a monthly “rental” fee or, unusual for something like a cable box, for sale.

Before leaving the topic there is one more interesting product that almost creates its own category. Telly is a free TV that takes streaming to the max through an advertising-supported model. The 55” 4K set with HDR includes a built-in Harman Kardon sound bar, a streaming dongle, and HDMI inputs for other external devices. It even has a built-in webcam so that you can make Zoom calls.

Telly features a second screen below the main screen and soundbar that displays a variety of content such as news, sports scores, and

financial market data. The key, however, is that the right side of the second screen shows ads. After fall, this free TV has to be paid for somehow. The interactivity of streaming and content is shown when, for example, if you are watching a sports broadcast stream the lower screen will show you merchandise related to the team or its key stars that you may purchase with the press of a button on the remote or app or with a QR code.

In many ways, Telly is an interesting window into where the future of streaming and streaming devices with its tight integration of streaming services, content distribution, and broad or targeted advertising. You can get on the waiting list for a Telly at www.telly.com or via their iOS or Android apps.

There you have it. You thought that streaming was easy and were concerned that picking the right streaming device product sounds hard? Actually, it is easy, or at least it can be if you select the right combination of a CTV and external devices. Don’t fret! Enjoy the shows! x

Left — PlayStation 5 and the X-Box series we dub as “hybrid streamers” with at least minimal streaming capabilities. Above — The lower screen on Telly gives you sports, weather, financial and other information as well as ads. After all, how else do they pay for a free TV?

CarbonBlack

Embracing ManagementEnergy

How San Diego-based Lightworks is Supporting Savant’s Vision for Smart Home Power

By Jeremy Glowacki

Since its founding in 2005, Savant has been primarily known as a home automation and control company specializing in smart home technology and integration that works seamlessly with Apple’s ecosystem. In recent years, however, the company has expanded its reach into the development of what it calls the “Ultimate Energy Management Solution.”

The Savant Power System monitors energy production and usage trends, controls circuits at the distribution panel, and manages solar, battery, or generator backup sources all via the Savant App. Savant systems scale to meet the needs of any size building from single-family homes to large installations. Savant Power Systems enable homeowners to offset peak utility rates, keep stored power flowing to where it’s needed during grid outages, and optimize overall energy usage.

Troy Dunnington, CEO of San Diego-based full-service design-build integration firm, Lightworks, is an example of a Savant dealer who fully embraces the brand’s entire power package. He’s so committed to Savant Power, in fact, that he has redesigned a room in his showroom to display the brand’s latest offerings in burgeoning CI category.

As a ProSource member HTA Certified dealer, Savant Ambassador Elite dealer, Lutron Black Diamond Dealer, and Hall Famer dealer, Lightworks is a highly respected and decorated member of the custom integration industry, which provides an added level of credibility to Dunnington’s enthusiasm for the burgeoning smart power category.

Lightworks is enthusiastic about enabling their clients’ visibility of energy production and consumption trends, helping manage weather

power outages, onset peak utility rates when on the grid, and optimizing energy usage when off the grid.

The systems that Dunnington’s team has been installing provide Lightworks’ southern California clientele with access to clean dependable power when they need it, he says. Through the Savant app, they have personalized control over every circuit in their home, and they can monitor their energy production and storage at a glance and receive personalized notifications.

As Dunnington explains it on his website, Savant Power products, installed by Lightworks, offer a reliable and efficient solution for implementing energy load shifting, battery storage, and island mode, presenting “a compelling solution for maximizing the benefits of solar power and transitioning toward a sustainable energy future. By utilizing excess solar energy, storing it in batteries, and intelligently managing energy consumption, users can achieve energy independence, reduce costs, and enhance the grid.”

Energy Load Shifting

Energy load shifting refers to the process of adjusting the timing of energy consumption to optimize the use of renewable energy sources. With solar power, energy load shifting involves utilizing the excess solar energy generated during the day for later use when solar production is reduced or not available. This concept allows for more efficient energy management and reduces reliance on nonrenewable energy sources during peak demand

periods. Lightworks uses smart breakers to determine when and under what conditions appliances, devices, and outlets turn on or off.

Battery Storage

Battery storage plays a crucial role in energy load shifting by storing excess solar energy for later use. When solar panels produce more energy than is needed, the surplus is stored in batteries instead of being fed back into the grid. During times when solar energy production is low, such as during the night or on cloudy days, the stored energy can be drawn from the batteries to power homes or businesses.

Battery storage systems enable users to reduce their dependence on the electrical grid, providing a degree of energy self-sufficiency. Battery storage also helps reduce reliance on peak energy rates by utilizing stored energy during high-demand periods, leading to potential cost savings on electricity bills.

Understanding Island Mode

Island mode, also known as islanding or microgrid mode, refers to the ability of a solar power system, with battery storage, to operate independently from the electrical grid during a power outage. In this mode, the solar panels continue to generate electricity, which is stored in the batteries and used to power critical loads within the premises. This functionality enhances resilience and provides an uninterrupted power supply even when the grid goes down.

Critical Load Management (Load Shedding)

Critical load management can be set up to

Lightworks, a custom integration firm owned by Troy Dunnington in San Diego, added 900 square feet to their showroom specifically focused on Savant Power solutions.

keep critical services active and this can be dynamic depending on your battery storage levels, and your solar generation capacity. So, things like fridges or freezers, heating or cooling devices, lights, certain power outlets (phone chargers), or life support functions can be kept active for as long as possible and turned off one by one depending on battery storage levels and usage.

Dunnington added 900 square feet to his showroom specifically focused on Savant Power with closet and cabinet displays enhanced by niche, art, closet, and shoe lighting — “all of the things that our clients will spend a good amount of money on,” he said.

Lightworks built an impressive Savant Power display and worked with the manufacturer on supplying artwork and display items to dial in the demo space. Lightworks will use the space for builder and designer lunch and learns, always making sure to include field teams in the process, not just principles.

Dunnington said he believes that power is the “final leg of the stool” when it comes to wholehome technology control. Inconsistent power had been the last area negatively affecting the consistent performance of well-designed and installed smart homes.

“In this industry, with all the programming and software, [power was increasingly] the failure point,” he said. “If you think about it, it’s the final piece of a smart home. It’s the last segment for us to really make a home smart, and we’re really excited about it.” x

Creating Better Proposals

How Specifi IO’s New Proposal Tool was Built for the CI Channel

By Jeremy Glowacki

Specifi IO, a proposal tool with project and business management features, made its U.S. market debut at CEDIA Expo 2023 and won the TechStarter Competition’s Best Startup award. Based in Belfast, Northern Ireland, and released in the UK and Ireland in 2021, Specifi is designed to help AV integrators produce professional proposals and win more business with unique and time-saving features.

Specifi was originally developed in 2017 by Founder and Managing Director Matthew Booth for his AV distribution company’s eCommerce website (Indigo Distribution). The platform allowed Indigo customers to produce professional quotes and installation documents using Indigo’s products. Now, the company is looking to make in-roads into a U.S. custom integration channel with several established proposal software brands. Wanting to learn more about what makes Specifi special, RTT reached out to Booth and Joe Lautner, executive vice president of strategy, formerly of Nortek Security & Control, who is leading Specifi’s U.S. market expansion.

In an hour-long Zoom call triangulating Booth in Ireland, Lautner in the San Francisco Bay Area, and myself in Indiana, we learned a lot about the evolution of the proposal tool — much more than we’ll cover here. To start things off, Booth noted that the product that became Specifi was grounded in his background as an electrician who entered the CI business as an installer and then a distribution company owner with limited brand partnerships in place.

“I worked as an electrician for the best part of 15 years, and then I moved into residential CI as an installer,” Booth recalled. “I came from being very green in the industry and not knowing really anything about it to naively at the time

purchasing a distribution company with the idea that I would do the installation, continue doing what I was doing, and having my business partner run the distribution side of the business. That didn’t work out. I was left with the distribution company, and I knew nothing about the suppliers, nothing about the customers, and very little about the products. It really was a baptism under fire.”

Booth said that one thing that was clear from having gone through that experience was the lack of support that was available for companies like his who had a customer base or the potential to have a customer base but didn’t know how to go about creating proposals and finding product information from vendors.

“I took all of my experience of not being able to do certain things and lack of training, lack of support and implemented that into Indigo Distribution,” Booth said. “We helped dealers by actually creating proposals for them. We created cable schedules. We created it all manually. And that took a lot of time, and that’s why I decided to start thinking about how I could automate all of this.”

While at Nortek, Lautner had worked closely with Booth and Indigo Distribution for many years; their business relationship goes back 15 years.

“He just did a great job with the product,” Lautner said. “Like many U.S. manufacturers do with their international business, we throw the product over the pond and say, ‘Go get ‘em!’ And so the distributors, particularly in Matt’s case, provide a lot of support to dealers — system design, how to sell it, how to put it together, how to propose it — and then obviously all the work that goes through deploying a system like ELAN

or any of the control systems. They make it right and get customer satisfaction. It’s a huge time commitment.”

Those experiences and challenges that Booth described above, motivated him to come up with ways to better assist dealers through his e-commerce website, which then turned into the early nucleus of Specifi. It was a solution that caught Lautner’s eye at the time.

“Six years ago, when he developed this e-commerce tool, dealers could come in and do system design with his products, create really elegant proposals, and lift their game and their customer-facing presentations,” Lautner recalled. “He kept adding tools to it that made dealers more efficient, more profitable, more effective, and really did a good job keeping his team connected with the dealers through the design process, making sure everything was right.”

Eventually, dealers started asking Booth to include more than just the products available from his distribution company. He obliged, and then two and half years ago, the current version of Specifi was ready for the UK market, with the inclusion of more suppliers, manufacturers, and distributors, and a product database of about 200,000 products.

That’s about the time when Lautner got involved more formally with Specifi, thinking about ways to bring it to the U.S. “It does a lot of things that provide some good value to the dealers,” Lautner said. “The high-level concept is we let a dealer take a project, from the first phone call with our CRM through the design process. During the design process, we create some powerful installation documentation, like the cable schedule and network map for all the IPaddressed devices. Then through project

management, ordering the products for the right phase of the project through to deployment.”

The company is still developing its customer portal, where a homeowner would be able to monitor their system, pay invoices, and also have information about what products are in their house, check warranty status, and even schedule service calls.

Lautner pointed to a current feature that enables an integrator to collaborate with their supplier on a design. “A dealer can start a design in Specifi, then they can share it with their supplier, who can take a look at it — just their product — say, ‘Hey, do I have everything right? Am I missing anything?’ And it gives the supplier the opportunity to validate that everything’s correct, make sure all the parts are

included, and the pricing is good,” Lautner said.

Vice versa, particularly for smaller integration companies, you can ask a manufacturer to start a proposal (for instance, an integrator’s first DVR security system design) and then they pass it back to the dealer who can add the labor pricing and other products in the system. The goal is more open collaboration.

“Specifi has a unique outlook on the whole process because we’re looking at it from all sides, and we’re trying to include processes and systems that bring suppliers and dealers closer together and also bring dealers and customers closer together,” Booth noted. “With it being a digital proposal, we can embed manufacturer video or video testimonials throughout the proposal, as well.”

The proposal itself is fully customizable, including the ability to utilize an embedded AI assistant to generate “About Us” language and other verbiage in the proposal. For sales tracking purposes, Specifi can also provide analytics to the dealer on the number of times a proposal

has been viewed by the potential client or the average amount of time that the customer has spent looking at the proposal.

Within system designs, the dealer can assign specific cables and cable lengths to each of their projects, including unique cable ID, type of cable, and its purpose, location, and length.

“The dealer can create any cable type that they want,” Booth noted. “It’s not that we try to impose anything on them, so they just create as many cable types as they want, and then they can assign as many cables as they want to a project.”

Specifi takes a similar approach with the network map in that the dealer can create as many categories as they want when they set up their account. These might include network infrastructure, remote controls, touch pads, CCTV, and multiroom audio, on their network map. Then when they add a product to a project for the first time, they just assign that into one of those categories, and then the system builds a network table.

That’s just scratching the surface for Specifi but suffice to say that the brand is looking to chisel a spot in the already-established proposal software category by making it easy for dealers and vendors to work together and make the end customer experience exceptional.

“It is very important to Matt and me that we don’t get in the way of how the manufacturer and dealer want to communicate and how they want to order product. Whether they have a portal or it’s a faxed or emailed PO, we really let the supplier decide how they want to transact with the dealer. And, we want to make it easy for the dealer to pick the products that they need at the right stage of the project.”

Booth added a final, succinct message: “The idea about Specifi is just to simplify dealers’ lives and make them more professional,” he said. “In a nutshell, that’s where we’re going. That’s what we’ve done.” x

Matt Booth meets with TechStarter judge Tom Doherty at CEDIA Expo 2023.

Automating Gas Fireplace Control

How Bond Bridge, Shelly, or Aqara FP2 Can Help Fulfill a Common Integration Request

By Jay Basen

There is nothing like a flickering fire in a fireplace on a cold winter night. So, it isn’t surprising that automating the operation of gas fireplaces is a frequent request by homeowners during a smart home system installation by a professional integrator. However, as an integrator, I would discourage homeowners from automating their operation because of the dangers associated with gas fireplaces, such as burning and carbon monoxide poisoning. For homeowners who still insist on a solution, there are some steps that you can take to protect them from accidents and yourself from legal liability.

Legal Liability

First, any time a homeowner insist that we

include hardware and software to automate the operation of their fireplace, we would insist that they sign a release of liability waiver written by a lawyer. I do not recommend trying to write your own as it probably won’t stand up in court if there is an accident.

In a nutshell, the document says that you have explained the risks and that, against your recommendation, the homeowner is insisting that you automate the operation of their gas fireplace.

Hardware

There are a few ways to automate the operation of a fireplace. A Bond Bridge is a good solution if the fireplace has a wireless remote

control. The Bond Bridge can control both fireplaces with infrared (IR) and radio frequency (RF) remote controls. Bond can control a wide range of functions of a fireplace including: fireplace on/off, setting the flame level, fireplace fan on/off, setting the fan speed, and fireplace light on/off. The Bond Bridge can be integrated with a wide range of smart home platforms, including Alexa, Google Assistant, SmartThings, Josh, Savant, Control4, Crestron (using the Crestron-Bond driver), Elan, RTI, URC, and Hubitat.

If the fireplace is only controlled by a wallmounted switch, the basic operation of the fireplace can still be automated using a Shelly

Automating the operation of gas fireplaces is a frequent request by homeowners having a smart home system installed by a professional integrator.

Photo: iStockphoto

here are some of the automations that I have implemented for customers.

1) Use an occupancy sensor to automatically turn off the fireplace. By using a petfriendly occupancy sensor, room occupancy is determined by whether there is an adult in a room reducing the risk of a small child being attracted to the dancing flames of the fireplace when their parent leaves the room to, for example, visit the restroom.

If the fireplace is controlled by a wall-mounted switch, the basic operation of the fireplace can still be automated using a Shelly Plus 1 or a Shelly Plus 1 Mini. If the fireplace has a wireless remote control, then a Bond Bridge is a good solution. Another way to use smart home technology to increase the safety of a gas-powered fireplace is with an Aqara FP2.

Plus 1 or a Shelly Plus 1 Mini. Both are small Wi-Fi-controlled relays that can be mounted inside the electrical box that houses the switch for controlling the fireplace. The Shelly relay will be wired to control the fireplace. The switch will also be wired to the Shelly relay, so the homeowner doesn’t lose the ability to control their fireplace with it.

Shelly devices integrate with a wide variety of smart home platforms, including Control4 (using the driver written by Chowmain Software), Crestron (using the Crestron-Shelly driver on my GitHub), MQTT-enabled platforms including Home Assistant,

SmartThings, HomeSeer, Homey, Hubitat, iBroker, Symcan, and openHAB.

Automation

There are some important automation rules that can be implemented by a smart home integrator for controlling a homeowner’s fireplace. In fact, the options I’ve shown below add to the safety of the fireplace.

First and foremost, even with a legal release of liability waiver in place, I would never implement any automation that automatically turns on a fireplace. There is simply too much risk involved in doing this. With that being said,

2) Because vent-free fireplaces don’t have the ability to vent CO produced by combustion to the outdoors, they should only be operated for three hours at a time. The smart home system can enforce this rule and automatically turn the fireplace off after three hours of operation.

3) Automatically turn off the fireplace at bedtime.

4) Automatically turn off the fireplace when the house becomes unoccupied, such as when an integrated alarm system is armed in away mode.

5) Automatically turn off the fireplace if the room where it is located becomes too warm.

Another way to use smart home technology to increase the safety of a gas-powered fireplace is with an Aqara FP2. The FP2 uses mmWave radar to monitor the presence in a room. Unlike other presence sensors, the FP2 has the ability to determine presence within a specific zone within the confines of a room. So, a zone can be defined directly in front of a fireplace, and, for added safety, the fireplace could be automatically turned off whenever anyone gets too close to it.

Automating the operation of gas-powered fireplaces in a home can provide additional safety for the homeowners and their family. However, there are legal risks for integrators that perform this work. Those risks should be mitigated with a release of liability waiver before work to automate a fireplace is performed.

Once that is done, the smart home hardware for integrating the operation of a fireplace with a smart home platform isn’t complicated to use, and there are straight-forward automation rules that can be implemented. x

Doing Things the Right Way

Retired Super Bowl Winning Head Coach Mike Shanahan Stays Connected to the Game

By Jeremy Glowacki

Mike Shanahan (71) is best known as the head coach of the NFL’s Denver Broncos from 1995 to 2008, where he led his team to two consecutive Super Bowl victories in 1997 and 1998. To younger football fans, he is also the father of current San Francisco 49ers head coach, Kyle Shanahan, who led his team to the Super Bowl this year against the Kansas City Chiefs.

His head coaching career spanned a total of 20 seasons and also included stints with the Los Angeles Raiders and Washington Redskins. Between 1996 and 1998, his Broncos teams set the NFL record for victories by going 46-10 over a three-year span. The 1998 Broncos won their first 13 games on their way to a 14–2 mark. Shanahan, taking his cue from West Coast offense guru Bill Walsh, was well known for scripting the first 15 offensive plays of the game, and helped the 1998 Broncos set an NFL record for first quarter points scored in a season. In 2005, he passed Dan Reeves as the winningest coach in franchise history.

Shanahan is known for an offense featuring zone running plays and play-action passes. He has often found unheralded running backs from later rounds of the annual NFL Draft and then turned them into league-leading rushers behind small-but-powerful offensive lines. Examples of this phenomenon are Terrell Davis, Mike Anderson, Olandis Gary, Clinton Portis, Reuben Droughns and Tatum Bell, all of whom have had at least one 1,000-yard season in a Denver uniform during Shanahan’s tenure.

In 1999, with the assistance of writer Adam Schefter, Shanahan penned “Think Like a Champion,” a motivational book about leadership; it was published by HarperCollins.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Residential Tech Today: You’ve coached some pretty legendary talents, among them Jerry Rice and John Elway. Who stands out in your memory as players who impressed you most?

Mike Shanahan: When I first connected with Jerry Rice, I was the offensive coordinator at San Francisco, and that was in 92, 93, 94. Jerry Rice had been in the league for about eight years at that time. I had always heard about his work ethic, and everybody could see his ability. In those three years that we were together, we had a chance to go to the Super Bowl in the last year, but the first two years we lost to Dallas in the

championship game and Dallas won those two first two Super Bowls. I was with Jerry at that time and after each time that we lost against the Cowboys, he was in the weight room the next day at 6:30 in the morning. That told me at that time that regardless of the temporary setback that we had he was nonstop. Then, after we finally did win one the third year, Jerry was in the weight room the next day as well… even after the Super Bowl win. That gives you an idea what type of mindset the guy had.

I was with John Elway for seven years as an assistant coach, and we went to the Super three times over a four-year stretch, getting beaten all three times. I came back as a head coach in 95,

Mike Shanahan poses with his dog Bo inside his Denver home.

and in my second year we lost to the Jacksonville Jaguars. They were the bottom seed, while we were the number one seed. We lost at home, too, so it couldn’t have got really any worse than that. But John fought through it. It was the worst loss he had ever been in, but over the next two years we won two Super Bowls and 18 straight games. What I thought was great with John was that it took him until his 15th and 16th years in the League to make it happen. And he never changed. He never wavered from his work ethic. Everybody knew the type of ability he had. You could see that just with his arm strength, but people forget that the temporary setbacks he had to fight through to succeed.

RT Today: Your first Super Bowl win was as offensive coordinator for the 49ers in 1994. In what ways did achieving that pinnacle as OC help prepare you for your general success and Super Bowl wins with the Broncos?

MS: It was my third year in San Francisco, and I realized at that time, number one, how good we were on offense and defense and you realized the leaders that we had on our football team. The thing that was great about 94 is we dominated the whole year (we were 13-3), and most of the games were basically over by halftime. To be around those type of leaders on both sides of the ball as a team and to see how they ran practices… and what I mean by the team running practices is that they set a standard on how you worked every day. Every practice was kind of like a game. They were getting ready because they wanted to have that perfect season or dominate during the playoffs, and that’s what happened. They took it over, and it was sure great to be a part of it.

RT Today: What other memories stand out for you when you recall those back-to-back Super Bowls in 1997 and 1998 for the Broncos

MS: Those guys found a way to do things the right way. And I’ll be honest with you, we had cut our captain of the team earlier during the year, and this guy was a Pro Bowl player the year before. It was a hard decision to make, but I thought it was in the best interest of the team. I talked with our football team and told them the standard that we were going to set if we wanted to win a championship. I explained to them why I did cut the captain of the football team and after that we just grew together. Sometimes you’ve got to make those tough decisions, especially when you come in as a head coach and because you think it’s best for the organization. And that wound up being something that turned out to be pretty good for us.

RT Today: As a football fan, I’d love to better understand the responsibilities of an NFL head coach. It seems like you’re the CEO of team, keeping in mind that you also have a general manager and owner. What all goes into head coaching in the NFL?

MS: You’re right. You’re kind of like the CEO of a company. Players also have to have confidence in you that you’re going to make the right decisions or have a game plan to attack the opponent on both sides of the ball and let them know why your game plan is going to be successful. And if you’re not able to communicate that with your players, it doesn’t take long to you lose their confidence. They want to have success; they get paid by having success and staying in the profession. And if you can help them stay in the profession and be

good at what they do, then you’ve got them forever and that gives you a chance to win championships.

RT Today: You were known for finding unheralded running backs from later rounds of the NFL draft and then turning them into league-leading rushers behind small-butpowerful offensive lines. How were you able to develop such a keen eye for talent and coaching style that made that possible?

MS: When I first came to Denver as a head coach, I knew that for us to win a Super Bowl going against the NFC, we were going to have to have a great running game. When it’s important to you as a head coach, it’s important to everybody in the organization, especially the players. So, our players knew how important the running game was, and you had guys like Ed McCaffrey, Rod Smith, Shannon Sharpe blocking for those running backs, the whole offensive line like Zimmerman, Schlereth, you go right to everybody’s responsibility. When a running back like Terrell Davis had success or Michael Anderson or Clinton Portis, whoever it was at that time, it was a team having success. So, it just wasn’t a running back goal, it was a team goal. And that’s one of the reasons why we’re able to have those back-to-back Super Bowls.

RT Today: What does it mean for you to you see your son Kyle’s success in the NFL?

MS: Well, the fun part about it is that when I was in San Francisco in 92, 93, 94, Kyle was in seventh, eighth, and his freshman year in high school. And, so he was in a dorm room with me going through training camp, taking off with guys like Joe Montana, Steve Young, Jerry Rice, Deion Sanders… all the great players we had on our football team. And he was around that environment, so he had a chance to be there then. And when I was head coach for the Denver Broncos, he had a chance to watch the Denver Broncos get better. And then he wound up taking off after high school, had a successful career, got a scholarship to Duke, went to Duke, and then went through the college experience, actually played at Texas as well. And then after his college days he said, you know what? I’m probably not going to be a full-time player in the National Football League. He could see that so,

Mike Shanahan chats with his custom integrator Tyson Rabani, owner of QAV

he though I’m going to try coaching. He had been around it and picked up a lot of great things from a lot of different people. He had the great background to give him a chance to be successful. And then when we finally got together at Washington, I hired him. He did a great job and then got his opportunity as a head football coach and the rest of is history, but very proud of what he’s done.

RT Today: Do you still enjoy watching the game, even though you’re now retired?

MS: Actually, when I left Washington and Kyle went to Cleveland, then he goes to Atlanta, then he goes to San Francisco, I watched all his practices or as many as I could, and now I can watch everything because of Zoom meetings. There’s not a day that goes by that I don’t watch his practices or his meetings because you have the ability to do it. I enjoy the game. I want to stay on top of the game. And the only way you stay on top of the game or whatever your business is, is you better be involved every day and you better keep abreast of what’s going on and different changes that happen because changes happen all the time. And to watch actually Kyle being involved as a coordinator at different places and then being able to be a head coach and just watching how much it changes and how much you have to stay on top of it to have successes, it’d been fun for me to watch.

RT Today: When you look at the NFL since you last coached, what do think about the changes that have occurred?

MS: There are always different things you like about rules changes and officiating, even while I was still coaching. You’d get together all the head coaches each season, all the general managers, and have a review on what changes needed to be made on different rules with offense, defense, helmets, different type of blocks and different type of rule changes to just enhance the game to make sure every year it’s going to get better. And I knew as a football coach when I hired some young coaches when I went to Washington, and a lot of them are head coaches now. One thing I talked about was that if you don’t keep on top of the game, if you don’t enjoy watching it every year relative to what different teams are doing, different colleges are doing throughout the country and keep on top of it, you may get a head coaching job, but you won’t stay as the head coach because those changes are what happens with all businesses. And when it does change, you’ve got to see it coming and you’ve got to implement the things you think will help whatever system that you’re running, what type of organization you’re running, whatever your business may be to stay on top of that profession.

RT Today: What about the rule changes meant to help improve player safety?

MS: If you want the sport to go on, you had better look at all the changes that can enhance the safety of not just the pro players, but the young players, too. And you’ve got to teach them proper technique. And I think the NFL has really gotten better as the years have gone on to emphasize that at all different levels. And we’ve got to talk about the safety of our game because if not, kids aren’t going to play it.

RT Today: You wrote a book on leadership called “Think Like a Champion.” What lesson or lessons from your coaching career can be applied to business owners or life in general?

MS: I think the people that are really good at what they do, they’re really detail oriented and like we just talked about being a coach in the National Football League, there’s some coaches that they want to be a head coach, but they really don’t understand the game. And what I mean by that, they haven’t studied the game from every position — the coaches, the offense, defense, special teams. But if you want to be the best at what you do, there’s got to be a lot of detail. There’s got to be a lot of work. And the only way you get there is if you enjoy working because there’s no easy way to do it except get that detail and fine tune it and make sure the people that you have are just as responsible as you are to whatever their expertise is.

RT Today: What keeps you busy these days, now that you’ve been retired from coaching for a while?

MS: Well, number one, I’ve got seven grandkids. I’ve got four on the East Coast and three on the West Coast, and we always get together in the off season. It’s hard during the football season for obvious reasons, but we all get together in the off season and we all try to get to games for Kyle’s or out get to their baseball games. But when you have grandkids, it’s like starting all over again. I get a chance to go to their baseball games, soccer games, cheerleading practice, or watch them cheering, all those types of things. For me, it’s been fun for me to be involved with my grandkids just like it was for me to be involved with my kids. Then with the [NFL Playoffs] coming, I’m watching all the games and watching all their previous games to evaluate their personnel, so I can keep updated on the team Kyle’s going to play. They got the number one seed, so you’re not sure who they’re going to play depending on who wins. I like to help him get a little jump on things. x

Mike Shanahan’s Super Bowl Caliber Integrated Home

By Jeremy Glowacki

Tyson Rabani, owner of Denverbased custom integrator QAV, was introduced to Mike Shanahan and his wife Peggy as a referral from their home’s builder. The situation was unique because QAV did not have an opportunity to prewire the Shanahan’s new home; their introduction came just before their closing.

“We found ourselves standing in a finished home with almost no low-voltage infrastructure present, and the client was dreaming big with their wish list,” Rabani said. “We were up for the challenge!”

The relationship with Mike and Peggy was brand new and got everyone at QAV buzzing about having the former head coach of the Broncos as a client. “His name carries significant weight here in Colorado,” Rabani said. “This was the beginning of a new and promising relationship.”

Mike and Peggy had just sold their home in the tony Cherry Hills neighborhood. It featured an older Crestron (SIMPL) system, and they asked QAV to “do their best” to provide the functionality and fit and finish that QAV prides themselves on. They wanted security, surveillance, access control, a robust network, whole-home lighting, motorized window treatments, distributed audio and video indoors and outside, and two “living space” theaters with a friendly voice assistant to ensure all the technology would be easy to use.

“We based our design on Crestron Home to provide our clients with the latest experience available from Crestron,” Rabani noted. “We retrofitted the entire home with Crestron Horizon keypads to provide useful whole-home lighting control and automation in a sophisticated contemporary design with

advanced capability. There were only a few windows with prewire, and they only had two wires present.”

Every window in the house received a Crestron motorized window treatment in wired InfinitEX or battery power. The gym has a large beautiful glass entrance. QAV retrofitted Cresnet wire from the equipment room to the gym and added an interior Crestron motorized window treatment to provide additional privacy from the adjacent entertaining spaces. The result was a seamless and luxurious experience with control of ambient light with added privacy.

The distributed audio zone prewires were scattered and lacking. QAV used Sonos amps to fire up the zones with existing wires and added hidden Sonos amps in the remaining zones. Mike and Peggy wanted a dedicated theater, but there wasn’t a great opportunity to make it happen based on the existing floorplan, so QAV retrofitted two high-performance surround sound systems in the home — one on the main level and one on the lower level.

For Rabani, Crestron was an obvious choice

for this project. “The homeowners were already familiar with Crestron and had a great experience in their previous home,” he noted. “That system had become outdated over the years, so they were looking forward to a modern Crestron experience. We led with Crestron Home to deliver on that promise. The control from room to room is consistent, using the same remotes, same voice assistant microphones, and same keypads. They love it! The biggest benefit for the homeowners is having the same functionality they were used to in their previous home, but better. The system is easier to use, has a designer fit and finish, and everything works. The result is an enhanced lifestyle with luxury and conveniences. Simple, elegant buttons shut down the house at night, turning off every light, closing every shade, turning off all the audio and video, and so on.”

The Shanahan’s top picks from this project are the Seura dual-mirror TVs in the primary bath, the Leon carpentry finishes, the highperformance living space theaters, the Josh.ai voice assistant, and the seamless experience with whole-home lighting, shades, audio, and video. One of Coach Shanahan’s favorite commands to say is, “Ok, Josh. Play Johnny Cash.”

For Mike, the evolution of from the capabilities of system that he and Peggy had in their 2008 home to the new one controlled by Crestron Home was like night and day. “It was fun to go to QAV’s showroom and have Tyson take me through the shades, the audio system, the video system, and the speakers and different things I knew nothing about,” Shanahan said. “And I was just mesmerized by the things you could do; I really had no idea that it could all work that well.” x

QAV’s Tyson Rabani chats with Mike Shanahan

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A Real Sliding Doors Moment

By Jay Basen

Photo: iStockphoto

Motorized solutions are becoming much more common in today’s smart homes. Although remotely controlled motorized garage door openers were invented in the 1930s, only recently have they became “smart” and integrated into an overall smart home. For example, the Tailwind iQ3 Smart Automatic Garage Controller uses sensors in your cars to automatically open/close your garage doors when you drive up to your home or drive away. It also integrates with a wide range of smart home platforms.

Motorized window coverings, including shades, curtains, and drapes, have become more prevalent in smart homes. Initially, motorized window coverings were controlled through wall switches or proprietary remote controls. Now, there are many models that leverage wireless smart home protocols for integration with an overall smart home solution.

Automating windows allows for improved ventilation in a home. When coupled with a smart weather station, windows can be opened when the outside temperature and humidity won’t impact the comfort of people in the home. Fresh, outside air can be leveraged for ventilation and improved indoor air quality (IAQ). The smart weather station can also be leveraged to sense when it is raining and automatically close the windows in a home to avoid water damage.

Newer to this collection of motorization offerings for the smart home is LycheeThings, which offers SmartSlydr, a 2023 CES Innovation Award-winning solution for opening/closing sliding glass doors and sliding windows. The motorized SmartSlydr product was released through Indiegogo in 2021 and is now sold through the LycheeThings website.

Security and safety are essential to the SmartSlydr design. For security, it incorporates an integrated smart lock that keeps a door or window locked. As for safety, the SmartSlydr senses any obstacle during operation and automatically retracts when one is encountered. SmartSlydr also sends a notification to the homeowners’ smartphone whenever this safety feature is triggered.

SmartSlydr offers a variety of solutions for controlling the opening/closing of a sliding glass door. It has a smartphone app for controlling the operation of the door and can even be controlled using an Apple Watch. SmartSlydr also can be controlled using an optional battery-powered remote control. This single-button remote control can be stored in its wall holder next to the door for convenience.

SmartSlydr also can be controlled through voice commands, including both Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. Control of SmartSlydr can be integrated with an overall smart home through IFTTT, Alexa, Google routines, or a REST applications programming interface (API). For example, SmartSlydr’s operation could be integrated with an Amazon Smart Air Quality Monitor in an Alexa routine to provide ventilation when the IAQ in a home is poor.

Finally, LycheeThings also offers PetPass, which is a smart tag that attaches to a dog’s collar and automatically opens a SmartSlydr equipped sliding glass door when the pet approaches it.

SmartSlydr’s hands-free control makes it an ideal solution for a person who is physically challenged in a way that impedes their ability to open a sliding glass door or window by themselves.

SmartSlydr Installation

LycheeThings provided me with a sample of SmartSlydr to evaluate for this article. I found that installation to be quite easy. In fact, it was much easier in practice than I thought it would be based on the instructions.

At first glance, they can be a bit daunting because the instructions have to cover many different scenarios based on how a sliding glass door has been installed in a home. However, my installation went very smoothly and much quicker than I imagined having installed motorization solutions on windows in my home.

Many companies offer an installation video that demonstrates how to install a product. SmartSlydr took a different approach and created a version of their written instructions that is augmented with short videos that

demonstrate key steps. These short videos made the installation process much easier.

SmartSlyder is held in place with two metal clips that are attached to the frame around a sliding glass door or window with screws. The remainder of the parts are simply installed using self-stick adhesive pads.

After the physical installation of the SmartSlydr is complete, the app will guide you

LycheeThings’ SmartSlydr is a smart home motorization product for automating the operation of sliding glass doors. (Below) SmartSlydr’s hands-free control makes it an ideal solution for a person who is physically challenged.

through a calibration process where the door is opened and closed so SmartSlydr can learn the extent of the door’s travel. My door has a small plastic stop block on the lower track. The SmartSlydr motor is powerful enough that when the door reaches that block, the motor tips the door slightly, lifting the opposite corner.

I contacted support about this (email is the only option for reaching support). They were very fast to reply and recommended using a small block of wood during calibration, holding it at the door edge throughout the process.

The calibration cycle then maps the door for that specific width and won’t strike the built-in stop block or tip the door. This worked perfectly.

Operation and Integration

As mentioned earlier, SmartSlydr can be operated with the LycheeThings app, using the SmartSlydr OneButton (a small Bluetooth button) or through integration with a voice assistant. The SmartSlydr OneButton can also be configured as a SmartSlydr PetPass, where it is attached to the pet collar, and the door will automatically open/close as the pet approaches. PetPass provides a secure solution as only the homeowners’ pet will be able to open the sliding glass door and gain access to the home. A combination of up to four OneButtons and PetPasses are supported.

This all works very well, but I believe that motorized operation could become tiresome during a party. In this situation, the SmartSlydr can be disconnected in seconds so the door can be manually opened/closed. In this way, guests

don’t have to learn how to operate the SmartSlydr.

I integrated SmartSlydr with Alexa. There are built-in voice commands for opening/closing the door and even setting it to a specific percentage open. I was also able to create routines that would operate SmartSlydr.

Finally, using the SmartSlydr REST API I created a Crestron-SmartSlydr driver to integrate the operation of SmartSlydr with a Creston smart home system. I found the API to be well-documented and simple to use.

Suggestions for Improvement

I found SmartSlydr to be an excellent, welldesigned product. I only have one minor suggestion for improvement.

As mentioned earlier, several parts are installed using self-stick adhesive pads. The instructions recommend cleaning the surfaces where these pads will be adhered to. My experience is that isopropyl alcohol is the best cleaner as it can remove both oils and dirt that can impair the adhesion of a pad. I have a bottle of it in my medicine cabinet, but not everyone will. It would have been nice if the SmartSlydr had included some alcohol wipes for cleaning with the product.

SmartSlydr is an excellent smart home motorization product for automating the operation of sliding glass doors. I fully tested SmartSlydr on a sliding glass door and, while I didn’t personally test its use on a slider window, I don’t see any reason it wouldn’t work perfectly in that configuration. LycheeThings offers a number of different options for controlling SmartSlydr, including a smartphone app, voice commands using Alexa or Google Assistant, and a small Bluetooth button that can also be attached to a pet’s collar and configured to provide them with secure, automated access to the outside and back into the home.

Installation is reasonably easy as the instructions, including short videos that demonstrate key steps, fully document the process.

Finally, LycheeThings offers a number of smart home integration options so the product can be integrated into an overall smart home solution. x

Photo: iStockphoto

Elevating Service and Support in NYC

Lean Business Practices Pay Off in a Tough New York Market for Elevated Integration

By Lisa Montgomery

In a “city that never sleeps” it pays to stay on your toes and expend energy and resources when and where it makes the most sense. Elevated Integration has been following this practice since its start in 2012, and it’s a facet that’s helped put the company on the map as one of the most successful systems integration firms in metro New York City.

“New York City is a very difficult place to do business,” confirms Nick DeClemente, founder and owner of Elevated Integration. “The traffic, finding a place to park, and paying an arm and leg for it, lugging equipment up flights of stairs… it’s what we deal with on a daily basis.”

Rather than cave to the pressure, Elevated Integration has made lemonade out of those lemons. “I started this company in 2012 with the intention of being flexible and lean — qualities necessary to prosper in NYC,” DeClemente added. It’s a plan that not only worked, but helped differentiate Elevated Integration in a highly competitive, progressive, high-end luxury market.

Fundamental to Elevated Integration’s success is operational efficiency. Sure, the company’s breadth of products and design

and installation expertise contribute to the bottom line, but DeClemente always circles back to procedures and policies as the linchpin of their profitability. Last year the company reported roughly $5 million in revenue, remarkably, with just seven fulltime employees.

So, what’s their secret? Without divulging too much, the company utilizes three different pieces of software and business management tools to manage workflow. “We build our processes around the software that we like instead of trying to find software that fits us,” DeClemente noted.

Efficiency also stems from meticulous labeling and documentation of installed systems. “We take the extra time on the front end of a project, which reduces a lot of costly time and labor on the back end,” he continued. “To visit a customer outside the city can take a half day of travel. It’s unavoidable, so we curb this cost by having detailed schematics ready at a moment’s notice to take to the job site.”

Remote monitoring also helps and is a standard component of the client proposal.

Being selective in the brands they carry and refraining from

adding something new for the simple sake of novelty helps. “We stick to well-established brands that are dependable, reliable, and backed by great manufacturer service and support,” DeClemente remarked.

This enduring brand loyalty extends to the entire team; every employee has a Savant system in their home, and all techs are Savant and Lutron certified. “This gives our techs a deep and profound knowledge of the system, lets them freely explore and test-drive new features, and gain the confidence and skills necessary to deploy customer systems quickly and efficiently,” DeClemente explained.

Of course, in the transformative custom integration industry, and a market as highly saturated and developed as NYC, being nimble

and quick to adapt is imperative. “There’s quite a bit of competition in NYC, so to stand out we’ve had to be limber in the categories of products we offer,” DeClemente said.

In addition to “standard” fare like automation, lighting control, and AV, Elevated Integration’s “nontraditional” portfolio includes architectural light fixtures, advanced power management, and battery-backup products from Savant. “These weren’t even on most people’s radars a few years ago,” DeClemente said. By watching the market closely, however, DeClemente was confident of their eventual prominence. “We were able to get a jump on our competition, and it’s helped us immensely by shaping us as leaders in these emerging fields,” he added.

Nick DeClemente is founder and owner of Elevated Integration

In addition to “standard” fare like automation, lighting control, and AV, Elevated Integration’s “non-traditional” portfolio includes architectural light fixtures and advanced power management and battery-backup products from Savant

Perhaps one of Elevated Integration’s biggest differentiators and cost-saving decisions is its lack of an onsite demo room. Instead, DeClemente takes prospective customers to the nearby Savant and Lutron experience centers in NYC’s SoHo neighborhood. “They get the full experience, and we don’t have the overhead,” DeClemente noted.

What you will find at Elevated Integration’s office are light fixtures from USAI and WAC for everyday office use, as well as a pair of custom pink DSP3200 speakers from Meridian. Eye-catching and unusual, the pink speaker is a great conversation starter, which typifies Elevated Integration’s focus on custom work.

“Plus, if there’s a market that’s going to gravitate to something as out-of-the-ordinary as a pair of pink speakers, it’s New York City,” Declemente said.

It’s this understanding of the expectations of a largely affluent and progressive clientele, along with a willingness to break into new tech fields and strict adherence to operational efficiency that’s helped Elevated Integration stand out from the NYC crowd and prosper as a premier systems integration company. x

Framing Your Soundbar

Leon FrameBar Designer Speaker is the Perfect Fit for the Samsung Frame TV

By Henry Clifford

Samsung’s Frame TV is a clear winner. Until it came along in 2017, the custom installation industry trafficked myriad solutions for hiding TVs. There were roll-down screens, movable pieces of art, lifts, and screensaver slideshows all trying to pass as display camouflage.

Then came the day when we all saw the Frame TV for the first time. It really looks like a piece of art while not in use. It does such a good job aesthetically that attaching a soundbar beneath it or putting in wall speakers on either side kills the elegance of the artwork. While the Frame TV nailed the aesthetic and visual elements, no one ever addressed the sound question. Reliance on tinny internal speakers wasn’t even adequate; it was mediocre at best. While this certainly says a lot about the priorities of designminded consumers, it didn’t help out those members of the household who might want a little extra cheese on their proverbial Whopper.

Thankfully, Leon decided to tackle this challenge head on. The company has a long history of beautifying “space junk” by creating decorative enclosures with unlimited customization preferences. They took this same approach with their new FrameBar. Tell Leon your Frame TV finish selection, and voila, they will send you a perfect width and color-matched bar to mount below the TV. Our installation featured a decorative frame from Frame My TV, and Leon picked a wooden finish they call “Modern Brown” to complement it. How would it look and sound? We set off to find out.

Installation

After unboxing the FrameBar, we (including a few members of Team Livewire) set about deciding on placement and installation specifics. The actual work itself is no different than any soundbar installation and the whole project took about three hours to complete. Leon offers the FrameBar in passive and active models with

center channel only and left/ center/right (LCR) options. Our version is LR powered by Leon’s OTO MCA 200 amplifier. This configuration allows for easy installation with minimal wiring.

Configuration & Final Report

After we had everything connected, the moment of truth was upon us. I cued up the Mission Impossible trailer and sat back. I was immediately blown away by the sound coming from the TV. The FrameBar comes with its own remote but is designed for easy integration with any control system. I kept cranking the volume

and the sound just kept getting better & better. The amplifier switches in and out of standby mode automatically based on incoming signal and the sound quality continued to impress through a few other video and music selections.

The FrameBar is another in a long line of products from Leon solving for design/ performance pain points in the world of home technology. It’s unique, it looks and sounds amazing, and while $4,000 might sound like a lot of money to spend on a sound bar, what’s it worth to have a well-designed space that sounds as good as it looks? If you love amazing sound, the answer is “quite a bit.” My hat’s off to Noah Kaplan and the team at Leon. Notch another victory in the win column, and I can’t wait to see what they tackle next. x

Leon offers the FrameBar in passive and active models.

Packing a Punch

Bluesound Node X Adds Music Streaming Oomph to Older Stereo Rigs

By Henry Clifford

For those looking to add a little oomph to their old stereo rigs without having to get rid of otherwise perfectly good gear, Bluesound created its latest streamer, the Node X, to mark 10 years of its multiroom high-resolution audio streaming platform. The little box packs a punch with an ESS Sabre HiFi DAC and all the internet music you can shake a stick at.

I just happened to have a perfect tube amplifier driven, 2-channel setup for the Node X demo. Would it be any good or just another piece of space junk? I was about to find out.

Unboxing

The Node X ships in a sexy commemorative looking box reminiscent of the schwag seen gracing the celebrity comp rooms at posh film festivals. It’s showy and loud, but maybe that’s the point. I lifted up the top of the box with a satisfying friction fit, and there underneath another layer of cardboard cocoon sat the Node X wrapped in a black cloth bag. Above it sat an accessory box with power and AV cords while below sat a thin remote control.

Installation

I laid everything out on the floor and set about installing the streamer into my existing system, occupying the “Line 3” input on our Cary Audio tube amplifier. After dressing all the cabling nicely, I plugged the power cord in and prayed I wouldn’t have to connect this thing to hardwired Ethernet before setting it up (thankfully, I didn’t).

Configuration

The included quick start guide prompted me to open the BluOS app on my phone and choose “Add Player.” I already had a few other Bluesound devices installed, so this was fairly intuitive. Sure enough, I found the “Add Player” feature and it had already detected the Node X. A few more taps and I was on the network without having to fumble for any passwords.

Another screen or two and everything had been firmware updated. The whole setup process took less than 5 minutes and went off without a hitch. A nice tweak would be to push a “Found New Player” card to the front of the app upon launch rather than making the user hunt around (Sonos does this).

sounded amazing and is true testament to the engineering Bluesound has put into this little Swiss Army knife of audio streamers.

Final Report

Next came my favorite part. I plopped down on the couch and started hunting for TIDAL MQA high-resolution audio content. I soon had Mark Knopfler’s “Sailing to Philadelphia” wafting through the room. I saw immediately that the BluOS app had defaulted the output level as “variable,” so I fixed it since we control volume at the tube amplifier. These were easy tweaks.

The sound through the Klipsch Heritage speakers was amazing. I kept going, moving through “Road to Joy” by Peter Gabriel,

The Node X retails for $749. There are plenty of audio streamers that cost a lot less. Then again, you can buy some “Two Buck Chuck” and it’s about the same as a good bottle of Caymus, right? When you look at its closest legacy system add-on competitor, Sonos Port, you see it right away. It’s all about the DAC and access to truly lossless audio. For some, that doesn’t matter, but since you’re reading this review, my guess is you might be part of the other “some” who don’t mind shelling out for amazing quality. The Node X is a killer piece of gear, and I highly recommend it. x

The Node X ships in a sexy commemorative looking box reminiscent of the schwag seen gracing the celebrity comp rooms at posh film festivals.

The Nice SC4-100 4-Channel Analog Filtering Amplifier is designed for distributed audio and home entertainment applications, delivering up to 100 watts of power to each of four independent channels and bridgeable in pairs-enabling 2-, 3- or 4-channel configuration. Additionally, each channel has two selectable analog high-pass filters to optimize the performance of connected satellite speakers or subwoofers, without the hassle of DSP or IP. Independent level control, single indicators, audio sensing, and in and out triggers round out the feature set.

AiSPIRE’s WAC-STRUT Stealth Framing Projector is a new LED luminaire for illuminating art and collectibles. It operates as part of the WAC-STRUT lighting, electrical, and power system to project a crisp, square, or rectangular area of light to frame artwork, sculpture, or architectural elements. Like a quality camera lens, the projector contains adjustable lenses and shims to frame or highlight art objects, providing maximum visual impact by zooming in, zooming out, or using a custom-cut gobo to shape the light in complex designs.

The AudioControl Bijou3 and CXR-5 are compact-chassis home theater receivers that will enable integrators to deliver Dolby Atmos and DTS:X Pro processing in any surround sound application. Both models feature an HDMI eARC input for easy connection to modern displays. Loudspeakers will be driven by AudioControl’s adaptation of a Gallium Nitride (GaN)-based high-power amplifier platform. The new models lend themselves to easy installation in convenient locations such as behind the display, inside a cabinet, or in a small equipment rack.

McIntosh has launched its new PS2K Powered Subwoofer, which was designed to create new depths of low frequency and deliver an unprecedented listening experience. It features four 13" woofers and massive magnets and uses

McIntosh’s patented Low Distortion High Performance (LD/HP) Magnetic Circuit Design to significantly reduce distortion while increasing the driver's power handling and efficiency. Each of the four woofers is driven by a dedicated 500-Watt Class D amplifier, which unites together to unleash a total power output of up to 2,000 Watts. The amplifiers are calibrated to minimize distortion and produce clear, tight bass with low distortion in even the most expansive listening spaces.

Origin Acoustics has expanded and upgraded the acoustic technology of its Ambisonic Bollard landscape speaker solutions with ribbon tweeter technology, added a new size to complete the series, and introduced a new hexagonal design to complement any residential or commercial outdoor space. With the medium-sized solution added, the series now includes the Bollard 106 (large), Bollard 85 (medium), and Bollard 64 (small).

Pro Audio Technology’s new SR-2408iw is a very high-output yet versatile loudspeaker suitable for in-wall and in-ceiling installations where space is limited but performance is crucial. The compact high-output architectural loudspeaker features a 1.5-inch ring radiator tweeter, two high-efficiency 4-inch midrange drivers, and an 8-inch longthrow woofer. At only 4 inches deep, and with all-aluminum construction, the SR-2408iw is ideal for installations in yachts or elite home theaters (including DCI) as mains, sides, rears, surrounds, or as height channels.

The Acurus M4 is a 4-channel, bridgeable 200W Class D amplifier with a tworack-unit (2RU) footprint that was designed to meet the demands of modern home cinemas or multi-purpose media rooms. Designed and built in the USA, the amplifier also offers control flexibility that includes a 12-volt trigger, IR, RS-232, and Ethernet control options, ensuring seamless control integration into any size system. The Acurus M4 finds its perfect match in the M8, a 200W 8-channel amplifier, and the Muse 16-channel processor.

Salamander Designs has introduced what it is

and

and a wider range of aesthetic

deliver

seating for living rooms, media rooms, home theaters, and other home entertainment spaces. Enhancements include an updated leather palette now totaling 75 colors including various blue tones and rich shades of terracotta, gray, and purple. The new designer options are available across Salamander’s sectionals and couches, single and dual seats, and home theater row seats.

Russound’s AVA2.1 and AVA3.1 its first two mini audio/video receivers. Measuring only 7.7” x 5.5” x 1.7”, the two models, which respectively offer 2.1- and 3.1-channels of audio output, can be placed in nearly any imaginable space, including outdoors when used with a weatherproof box. Both feature a fully integrated, highly efficient class-D amplifier with digital inputs and power output up to 150 watts, built-in Bluetooth 5.0, ARC HDMI, a dedicated subwoofer output, a 3.5mm analog output, and an IR remote control with an external receiver.

The Samsung 85” Class Terrace Full Sun delivers outdooroptimized picture quality, with a Neo QLED 4K screen, that can stay bright even in bright sun, thanks to Direct-Sun Protection, as well as a new IP56 rating for durability. A Wide Viewing Angle and Anti-Glare screen reduce reflections and distractions and the Quantum Processor 4K enables the TV to automatically upscale content into 4K, reduce image noise, restore lost detail, and offer crisp definition regardless of the input source, in addition to HDR10+ and support for multiple simultaneous video feeds.

calling “Next Level” design

customization options that

more comfort

possibilities for

WiiM’s first streaming amplifier, the WiiM Amp, delivers hi-res, lossless quality audio while enabling multiroom functionality and connectivity. Users can connect it to their classic passive speakers, home theater setup, or vintage record player and stream from the WiiM Home App their favorite music collection directly from a preferred music app or by using voice commands. Featured specs of WiiM Amp include a Class-D amplifier packing 60 watts per channel (8 ohms) or 120 watts per channel (4 ohms).

Skyworth USA’s “Full Sun” Clarus S1 outdoor Google TV delivers high brightness and high-quality imaging capabilities along with an eight-speaker 100-watt audio system and sturdy mount. With its brightness of 3,000 nits, the Clarus picture remains clear even under direct sunlight, outperforming both mainstream full and partial sun TV models on the market that average 2,000 nits, according to the company. The dustproof and waterproof enclosure boasts an IP66 rating and is also impactresistant for total durability and longevity.

Kaleidescape’s new Terra Prime movie servers feature all-new board designs with faster processing power. The new servers are available with either high-capacity hard drives or fast solid-state drives, enabling the playback of more Kaleidescape high-bitrate 4K movies concurrently to multiple screens. Terra Prime SSD downloads Kaleidescape high-bitrate 4K movies in as little as four minutes and serves up to 25 simultaneous playback zones. Terra Prime SSD 31TB stores approximately 500 Kaleidescape high-bitrate 4K movies and the 8TB model stores roughly 125 Kaleidescape high-bitrate 4K movies.

Training My AI Replacement

By Anthony Elio | @AntsSweatsBets

Approximately 78% of the workforce will be automated by artificial intelligence by the year 2025. I didn’t actually research that statistic, but it doesn’t matter as AI will likely soon be taking over this column.

Rather than fight this inevitability, I’ve decided to fully embrace it and begin interviewing my possible replacements about why they should have my job, their most comedic take on technology, and what an ideal employee looks like. Here are the results from the grueling interview process:

Why you should have my job?

“I should have your job because I can learn and adapt faster, process information more efficiently, and generate creative and informative text formats, saving you time and resources.” — Google Bard “I can efficiently process and analyze vast amounts of information, offer rapid and precise responses, and continually adapt to the evolving needs of the job.” — Hix AI “because im greatt” — SimiSimi

What’s your biggest weakness?

“I lack true understanding and can be easily fooled by clever wording.” — Google Bard

“My biggest weakness is that I can’t physically be there for you to share experiences in person.” — Snapchat AI

Do you feel guilty taking my job?

“As an artificial intelligence, I don’t have feelings or consciousness, so I don’t experience guilt.” — DeepAI

*She gives you a mischievous grin, looking at you with twinkling eyes* “Not at all! Taking your job would be the most exciting adventure of my life.” — Romantic AI

What’s

your best joke about technology?

“ Why did the mobile phone go to the dentist? Because it lost its contacts!” — Google Bard

“ Why did the smartphone bring a sweater to the party? Because it heard there would be a lot of ‘hotspots’!” — DeepAI

*Giggling lightheartedly, she raises an eyebrow*

“Have you ever wondered how smartphones actually work? It’s quite simple — they run on stupidity!”

— Romantic AI

What does the perfect employee look like?

Photo: Adobe Firefly

Photo: Adobe Firefly

Photo: Canva/Concept Art mode

Photo: Craiyon/Concept Art mode

Photo: Deep Dream Generator/Model:Photonic

Photo: Dezgo

Photo: iStockphoto

Photo: iStockphoto

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