The CEDIA Podcast

Resimercial, Part Three: What do you need to know about audio – especially when it comes to echo-canceling and proper mic'ing? How are these spaces calibrated? How are they treated for sound? How are they lit? What are proper camera setups? What about AV over IP – what do you need to know? Again, there will be classes at CEDIA Expo that cover these topics. Our guests are Rich Green (Rich Green Design) and Eddie Shapiro (SmartTouchUSA). https://smarttouchusa.com/ https://cediaexpo.com/

Highlights from the most popular podcasts of 2021 – so far. Topics in these clips include deep dives into speaker tech, KNX, the complex systems in a massive CEDIA-Award-winning project, and much more.

Michael Heiss has been busy, covering events including Display Week, E3, and the Apple Developers Conference (WWDC21). He'll also tell us about the latest gaming, display, immersive audio developments, and quite a bit more. https://michaelheiss.com/

Are you thinking about building a showroom? What are the pros and cons? What are some baseline needs when you're building one? What location considerations do you need to take into account? What tech or AV solutions are absolute musts? Guests include 2020 CEDIA Award winners for Best Showroom: Adam Begley, Wired Life (Asia Pacific); and Shelby Schwartz and Eric Fisher, Cinegration (Americas). https://cediaawards.org/project/melbourne-experience-center/ https://cediaawards.org/project/cinegration-arvada-experience-center/

Guy Singleton (creator of the CEDIA Designer) and Anthony Grimani (PMI) give us the rundown on the latest updates and features of TCD, and we cover performance facts and concepts behind media room design. Want to get involved with standards at CEDIA? Drop us a line: [email protected] https://cedia.net/tcd/ https://www.pmiltd.com/

Details on our new affinity partner with Stuart Collingwood, Managing Director of Zuma. Zuma is an all-in-one biometric lighting plus Wi-Fi audio solution that comes in a variety of form factors ready for in-ceiling installation. The company's founders are from a variety of well-known manufacturers with decades of experience in the CEDIA channel. They're ready to work with UK members right now, but they're expanding. https://zuma.ai/ https://cedia.net/membership/benefits/cedia-propel

A preview of our CEDIA Expo 2021 keynote with the presenter, Poppy Crum. The topic: The Future of Storytelling. New technology has not only allowed for new products and human experiences, but also new ways of storytelling. As changing forms of media grow in popularity and scope, businesses are also able to connect with audiences in previously unimaginable ways. Dr. Crum – neuroscientist and technologist with Dolby Labs and Stanford -- looks at the future of storytelling and what audiences concerned with changing media ought to be paying attention to now. Expo registration opens June 9. https://www.poppycrum.com/ https://cediaexpo.com/

Part Two of the Resimercial Series: What are your unified communications options? Videoconferencing at home vs. work – what do you need to know? Can commercial scheduling devices be integrated into home situations? YES, there will be classes at CEDIA Expo that cover these topics. We're joined by David Danto, Director of Emerging Technology, imcca.org; Steve Rissi, Senior Director of Technical Education, CEDIA; and Ian Bryant, Senior Director Strategic Partnerships, CEDIA. http://www.imcca.org/

Details on our new affinity partner with Joseph Castonguay, Vice President of Autoslide North America. Autoslide is an automatic sliding door system that retrofits to your existing sliding doors. Although new to Propel, the company's been around for many years. (Look for them at Expo, too.) https://cedia.net/membership/benefits/cedia-propel https://autoslide.com/ https://cediaexpo.com/

Longtime CEDIA volunteer and web designer Geoff Meads walk us through best practices for getting your message to existing and potential clients. You can leverage your website for better customer interaction, improved service, and lead generation. We'll also hear from Taylor Cutler from Podium, a company that specifically handles tools for website interaction and messaging. https://www.prestoav.com/ http://podium.com

Not every speaker is a box, and not every client wants to hide their tech (especially when it comes to audiophiles!). What goes into making "statement pieces" that stand out? Does "form really follow function"? How does a company try to create designs that are both functional and beautiful – and hopefully, timeless? And how do you really hide gear (notably speakers) in odd/unique spaces, yet maintain quality? We speak with Barry Sheldrick from Meridian Audio, and Mike Cleary from James Loudspeaker/Sonance. https://www.meridian-audio.com/ https://www.meridian-audio.com/products/home-audio-loudspeakers/reference/special-edition-dsp8000/ https://www.jamesloudspeaker.com/ https://www.jamesloudspeaker.com/products/288

Jason Voorhees of Cantara, Charlie McClarron from Artcoustic, Luke Crutcher from Living Home Tech, and Amit Ravat from Lithe Audio break down the importance of having a terrific relationship with the manufacturers you work with both on big-ticket projects and product development. How does one develop that relationship? How do you maintain that trust? How has a manufacturer solved a problem/bailed you out when a project has hit a snag? How are your products adjusted based on integrator feedback? https://www.litheaudio.com/ https://www.livinghometech.co.uk/ https://www.artcoustic.com/ https://www.cantaradesign.com/

First in a series: What's the history of the term? Is it a two-way street: Can we really bring commercial tech into the home and can we make commercial spaces "homier"? How are these worlds different? How are they similar? What do you need to know before you set foot in a restaurant or a doctor's office? CEDIA's Steve Rissi and CE Pro's Jason Knott (who's bringing a ton of research to the party) give us the skinny. (Also: Look for classes addressing this topic at CEDIA Expo.) https://www.cepro.com/ https://cediaexpo.com/

With a debate about whether or not broadband is "infrastructure" looming in the U.S. and a new report just out (from the NSC, no less) on "weaponized AI," where does the CEDIA industry stand when it comes to the impact of tech policy? How does the U.S. stack up to the rest of the world? How will we address energy tech, social media concerns, and cybersecurity, and how does that impact the globe – who's winning? Industry expert (and former Expo keynote speaker) John Penney weighs in.

What changes has the pandemic brought to employee/employer relationships, rules, and regs? What do "sick days" look like now? What procedures will become permanent in the realm of health and safety for both technicians and clients? How do you navigate the various mask mandates? And how do you navigate the controversies surrounding vaccines? Courtney Berg of the firm Courtside HR weighs in. Note: Berg's firm offers discounts on services to CEDIA members: link2hr.com https://www.courtsidehr.com/

A chat with Elizabeth Parks, president of the research firm Parks Associates, regarding trends in connected home adoption, energy management, the changing face of content delivery, and quite a bit more. For a complimentary VIP PASS to Parks' events for CEDIA Podcast listeners, go to: http://www.parksassociates.com/2021-events https://parksassociates.com/

This one turned into an incredibly freewheeling – and deep – discussion: Installation Magazine has been working on a new market report that aims to look at how AV technology (and which types of technology) is having an enabling impact across a range of vertical markets. The publication mentioned areas such as AI, IoT, XR, and so on. We brought in some folks from the CEDIA Tech Council to weigh in – and the conversation rapidly expanded into a cliché-smashing, insightful, and even inspiring session. Guests include Peter Aylett (HTE), Christiaan Beukes (Sphere Custom), and Rich Green (Rich Green Design).

Yep, we're busy planning already! Emerald's Jason McGraw joins us to talk about the themes and health and safety precautions you'll see at this year's CEDIA Expo – and we have some local folks on to tell you about the great food, sights, and sports to be found in Indianapolis. Find a complete list of everything we mention on this episode (and more) HERE.

CEDIA is publishing a new study entitled "CEDIA Market Research Insights – Australia 2020/2021". As the report states: "Never before has the Australian professional smart home industry been studied, broken down and assessed. This report seeks to identify the type of person and company installing smart home technologies, how they operate, and how optimistic they are about the future of this industry." CEDIA's Regional Development Consultant Paul Skelton (Australia and New Zealand) has the details.

CEDIA's Senior Vice President of Education and Training Samantha Ventura, Instructional Designer Cara Chimento, and Technical Trainer Chaz deVerdier bring us up to date on the hybrid courses they're developing, a blend of online and in-person teaching. Here's what you need to know when you sign up for CEDIA's evolving educational offerings. cedia.net/education

It's a busy year for state legislatures. What are the trends when it comes to new taxes or regs as states try to continue to navigate the pandemic and mitigate damage? What impact does the federal stimulus package have on all of this? Morgan Scarboro (Manager, Tax Policy and Economist) from MultiState fills us in. https://www.multistate.us/

The KNX Standard provides a unique platform to integrators to provide a modular and scalable solution that works in all types of buildings. We'll learn more about KNX with Team Leader of the Marketing Departament Casto Canavate of the KNX Association and Phil Juneau (CCO) of Automated Technology Company LLC. ALSO: Sign up for CEDIA's KNX in the Home Conference on March 17: https://cedia.net/education-events/knx-in-the-home-conference. www.atcjomo.com www.knx.org

CEDIA has been part of the rISE Spotlight series for Integrated Systems Europe, hosting "virtual watercooler" chats. Here you'll get info on using VR as a sales tool and practical advice on WFH tech. https://www.jooced.co.uk/

We speak with Bryte CEO and C-Founder Ely Tsern about the Bryte "smart" bed, the importance of restorative sleep, how the bed was developed and how it can integrate into larger projects. Bryte is a CEDIA Propel affinity partner. https://www.bryte.com/ https://cedia.net/propel

Everything you ever wanted to know about speaker directivity, on- and off-axis response, power handling, certifications (THX), and much more with Perlisten Audio's Dan Roemer, Control4's Shawn Nageli, and HTE's Peter Aylett. https://www.control4.com/ https://www.hte.design/ https://www.perlistenaudio.com/

We speak with Charles Pearce and Theo Rigden regarding the technology that's gone into the Immersive Gym, its development from concept to execution, and installation. It's more than fitness, by the way: The tech here opens up all manner of virtual entertainment experiences, too. Immersive Gym is a CEDIA Propel affinity partner (find more info about what that means at the link below). https://www.immersivegymco.com/ https://cedia.net/propel

We talk to Simon Fulstow from the UK firm SONA about the integration project called "The I's Have It," which won Best Integrated Home, Level III (EMEA), Best Integrated Home (Global); and trophies for Best Lighting, Best Dressed Racks, Best Documentation, and Life Lived Best at Home in the EMEA region. (The home was also a finalist in the Technology Meets Design category.) https://sona.technology/

CEDIA's Director of Government Affairs Darren Reaman fills us in on the work he's been doing, tracking bills and regulations that could affect your business as part of the low-voltage, custom residential integration industry. https://cedia.net/membership/get-involved/government-affairs

Ed and Walt are joined by CEDIA's Ian Bryant and David Meyer, along with Michael Heiss (MHeiss Consulting) for a recap of the annual Consumer Electronics Show (CES) – usually held in Las Vegas, it' a virtual event this year. https://michaelheiss.com/ www.cedia.net

How is the 2021 CES virtual show going to work, exactly? What are the expected highlights and trends? Walt, Ed, and Michael Heiss have a preview. www.cedia.net https://michaelheiss.com/

Jason Knott from CEPro joins Ed and Walt to give his perspective on the trends that emerged in 2020, and what we might expect to see in 2021. https://www.cepro.com/

Happy holidays! It's the second of our two-part series, in which we'll replay clips from the ten most popular podcasts of 2020. Part Two takes us from numbers five through one. We cover video calibration, coping with business disruptions, and a hilarious segment on 5G with YouTube's "ElectroBOOM" guy, Mehdi Sadaghdar.

In this two-part series, we'll hear clips from the ten most popular podcasts of 2020. Part One: Clips from podcasts ten through six on the list. Topics include proper power management, immersive audio, cybersecurity and more.

CEDIA's Global Services Manager Jenn McGuire joins us for the skinny on the new CEDIA Career Center. The site allows you to: Create a company profile to highlight company information, including a logo, company overview, social media links…etc. Post open job positions, including internships, apprenticeships, and contractor/gig work. Search candidate profiles and resumes. View resources on topics, such as, talent attraction, recruitment, development, advancement, and termination. We'll also hear from Jenn and CEDIA's Member Programs Manager Jess Thornburg on all the current member benefits – it's renewal time, after all. https://careers.cedia.net/

Roger Dressler (RWD Consulting) and Peter Aylett (HTE) join us for a deep dive into the challenges of keeping the immersive audio experience as consistent as possible for every seat in a dedicated home theater, including some pretty revolutionary ideas from the guests.

Rich Green (Rich Green Design) gives us the latest on XR – "extended reality." How does it encompass VR, AR, and MR? What are the newest advances? What's happening in the realms of brain-computer interfaces, haptics, and (especially) audio? And most importantly, how will it impact your business?

Mike Heiss is back to tell us what he's learned about all the new content and channels available to consumers – and the latest devices your clients will be asking about to deliver all that entertainment. Sponsored by DISH https://www.dish.com/business/products/dish-fiber/ https://michaelheiss.com/

This new virtual leadership series is an engaging three-part event with the theme of "Financial Success and Growth for the Leader: 2021 and Beyond." The CEDIA Leadership Series includes market forecasts, and Mollie Carmichael and David Brown of Zonda break down the numbers with Ed and Walt. https://cedia.net/leadershipseries Samsung's The Wall: https://bit.ly/3gCY0te

Details on a new affinity program: CEDIA Propel. Propel is designed to connect members to new brands and products in emerging categories and expand Integrator access to products and services that can accelerate business growth and revenue opportunity. This is particularly important as our industry emerges from the pandemic. Guests include CEDIA Board Directors Jamie Briesemeister (Integration Controls) and John Buchanan (Meridian). www.amazon.com/proportal www.bryte.com/ www.immersivegymco.com/ cedia.propel.com

CEDIA's new virtual leadership series is an engaging three-part event with the theme of "Financial Success and Growth for the Leader: 2021 and Beyond." We preview what you'll learn with tips on personal branding, growth, scaling, technology, culture, trends, and innovation. Linzi Boyd, branding expert and entrepreneur, joins us along with CEDIA's Samantha Ventura. https://cedia.net/leadershipseries

What does project management really mean? What are the most important elements? What makes PM particularly challenging in our industry? What resources are available to help people learn more? Ed and Walt are joined by Simon Buddle, CEDIA's EMEA head of standards and curriculum. https://www.linkedin.com/in/simon-buddle-74150617/ Sponsor info: projX360.com / 844-688-5584 / [email protected]

CEDIA's Technical Research Consultant David Meyer breaks down what's in the new White Paper on HDMI 2.1, and Senior Vice President of Education and Training Samantha Ventura and Director of Technical Training Steve Rissi tell us how new coursework lines up with that info. https://cedia.net/news-knowledge/news-knowledge/cedia-news/news-detail/press-releases/2020/10/19/cedia-white-paper-dives-deep-into-hdmi-2.1-technology https://cedia.net/education-events/

Impossibly small spaces. Saltwater. Humidity. Extreme temperatures. Piracy concerns. The issues involved in working on yachts and smaller boats add another layer to the traditional AV, networking, lighting, control, and other systems handled in a typical integration. We get the how-tos from Andrew Royall, Eclectic Home Technology and Stephan Goodhue and Bruce Cox of Liquid Automation. www.e-h-t.uk https://liquidautomation.co.nz/

Meet the individual who's been honored with the CEDIA 2020 Lifetime Achievement Award: "Cap'n Vid," the one and only Michael Heiss. He's got some great stories about the origins of CEDIA – and his time at NBC television. https://michaelheiss.com/

Jamie Gold -- Industry expert, wellness consultant, Forbes.com columnist, and author of "Wellness by Design" (and many more) -- joins us with her thoughts on the intersection of tech and wellness design, and how the pandemic can and will impact technology integrations. https://www.linkedin.com/in/jgwellnessdesign/

In this brief episode we hear from the five candidates running for positions on the CEDIA Board of Directors. This year, open board positions include one CEDIA member candidate from the EMEA region and three from the rest of the global membership. We give each candidate three minutes to make their pitch to tell you why you should vote for them. Voting closes on October 21. https://vote.associationvoting.com/cedia/

Tax expert Morgan Scarboro from MultiState covers how states will get "creative" on taxes: business and corporate taxes, taxes on digital goods, taxes on services, and so on – based on what we've learned from previous recessions. https://www.multistate.us/

A roundup of some of the Talks offered by CEDIA Volunteers at this year's Virtual Expo Experience. Topics include the difficulties of making voice control interfaces really understand various phrasings, video analytics for surveillance, a preview of Wi-Fi 6E, and more. https://www.youtube.com/user/CEDIAHQ

Everything you need to know about flat panel displays – especially the big, bright ones that are now on the market. We've got deets on installation and applications, and what you need to consider regarding heat, power, noise, and the perfect audio setup. Our guest is Samsung's Kris Hogg. Samsung's The Wall: https://bit.ly/3gCY0te

And for something a little different: Imagine a cross between Bill Nye and the guys from Jackass, but with content focusing on electronics, debunking fake viral videos ABOUT electronics, and dispelling myths about 5G panic and what have you. That's Mehdi Sadaghdar. This YouTube sensation is informative, funny as heck, and apparently impervious to injury. https://www.youtube.com/user/msadaghd