Strategy in TECH...
AudioControl Pro (AudioControl) is launching some interesting new products at CEDIA Expo 2023, including new min-chassis audio/video receivers (AVRs) and adding Dante network connectivity to a popular multichannel amplifier. In both cases, these products open up new opportunities and capabilities for integrators – a role the company has enjoyed for several years now.
At the end of July, CEDIA announced that it would be holding a new kind of event called the CEDIA Symposium on the day before the CEDIA Expo 2023 opens. The association is all-in on AI apparently, and this symposium is all about AI in custom integration. The announcement promises it will offer “an engaging afternoon of thought-provoking discussions led by industry visionaries, AI experts, top integrators, and manufacturers.”
From the very beginning, there were, in my eyes, troubling elements to this initiative. Little did I know what was to come – that CEDIA would choose to bar the news media from its CEDIA Symposium
The only way to truly know the performance of a screen is through a detailed and rigorous testing routine. For that, you need a sophisticated testing laboratory space with specialized testing gear – known as an imaging lab. Not all screen companies have one, but Draper’s TecVision does and the company graciously treated me – and via this story, you – for a visit to the impressive TecVision Imaging Lab.
Crestron Electronics Corp. (Crestron), one of the largest and most popular custom integration control brands delivering literally thousands of products to both the commercial and residential smart home channels, announced today the launch of Crestron Home OS 4. This exciting new update brings much to the party, not only a more polished and graphically appealing look and feel but also a more intuitive end-user operability. Oh, and not to mention, some exciting new functionalities.
All of which, I got to see for myself in the company’s completely renovated residential-specific showroom. This company is on the move…
On Monday, Snap One revealed that it had filed a lawsuit against two other well-known, if smaller, brands, alleging patent infringement and a range of illicit and unethical business practices that it claims violated existing contractual agreements. The defendants in this matter are Josh.ai and AVA.
The allegations, if true, are really quite surprising.
Just Video Walls™, a Fort Lauderdale, FL-based supplier of MicroLED video walls, is creating new processes that will accelerate the adoption of the technology by making it easier for integrators to design, install, and support the product. Sometimes, the best solution is simply a better process.
There has been a flurry of activity in the Savant ecosphere lately, much of it causing a buzz in the industry. Over the last few weeks, I’ve had several integrators reaching out to let me know about some of these changes. Not all felt they were positive and many questioned the motivations behind the moves. Accordingly, I reached out to Savant to see if I could get some insight into just what is going on. The company responded by making President JC Murphy available to update me on a few of their recent moves.
OK, let me say upfront, I’m pretty sure the good folks at Josh.ai would take exception to the headline of this post. They might even have some harsh words for me. Most likely, they would argue they’ve always been about control. But in my view, they’ve been all about a subset of control – voice control (as well as AI or artificial intelligence).
This week, however, that all changed.
Emerald Expositions, owner of the CEDIA Expo taking place this year in Denver from September 6-9, 2023, announced it is bringing back the Launchpad (formerly known as Innovation Alley) to the Expo floor. The Launchpad highlights several new and emerging companies that take advantage of the event to launch new technologies to the industry.
Airzone, a maker of smart HVAC control solutions, announced today that it has launched a new integration with Lutron – a leading brand of lighting and shading solutions supported by many residential integrators. This integration brings precise temperature control and empowers HVAC energy efficiency via Lutron’s Homeworks home automation system.
