CE Pro Podcast

HDMI Licensing President Rob Tobias chats about AI's impact on AV, improving immersive experiences, Blu-ray discs vs. streaming content, identifying counterfeit cables and more.

One of the most enduring companies serving the custom integration industry is Russound. The New Hampshire-based company has some exciting products for 2024, highlighted by its AVA-Series of mini-AV receivers (AVRs) to expand its audio riches for the CEDIA channel.In the latest edition of the CE Pro Podcast, Russound CEO Charlie Porritt joins to chat about the latest happenings and R&D developments from the audio company.

Vetting a new vendor for your portfolio can be a daunting process, but that’s where your industry networking comes in handy. Down in Florida, Anthony Petrone, founder and CEO of Wellington-based Petrone Technology Group, was seeking an outdoor audio solution and his dealer friends kept pushing him toward Coastal Source. Hear how the match was an immediate success and why Coastal Source CEO Franco D’Ascanio is expecting big things from 2024, all in this latest CE Pro Podcast episode. Edit...

Everyone knows about CEDIA, the leading association for the custom integration industry. Chances are you’ve attended CEDIA Expo and taken CEDIA instructor-led technology courses. But did you know about all the stuff the association engages in behind the scenes to benefit the entire industry? In case you didn’t, I talked to Darren Reaman, director of government affairs at CEDIA, to discuss the group’s advocacy efforts and other endeavors that help elevate the industry, all in this week’s CE Pr...

The fall and early winter periods are important times of the year in the world of home AV. For many homeowners, it means buying new AV systems in preparation for a winter of staying home and watching movies, streamed content, and sports such as hockey and basketball. The annual CEDIA Expo, which took place just after Labor Day, the 2023 event in Denver marked a milestone period for the electronics market. Recapping some of the most important video developments from the CEDIA Expo 2...

Following a successful CEDIA Expo 2023 in which home audio – particularly immersive audio – was front-and-center on the show floor, it was time to talk surround sound with our “Audio Guys” regulars on the latest CE Pro Podcast.Joined by CE Pro All-Star Band keyboard player Steve Haas, who is a nationally recognized acoustician in the residential and commercial audio markets, along with the CE Pro Podcast resident audiophiles Steve Silberman, director of sales, West for Savant, and Paul Bochne...

This year, Nationwide Marketing Group expanded its reach with the rebranding of its residential dealer group to Oasys Residential Technology Group and launched a commercial counterpart, the Ellipsys Commercial Technology Group, in addition to the well-established Azione Unlimited. The leaders of those organizations – Richard Glikes, president and chief creative officer of Azione Unlimited, Hank Alexander, director of the Oasys Residential Technology Group, and Chris Whitley, executive di...

We just wrapped up CEDIA Expo 2023, and beyond the usual product innovations and education sessions, CEDIA hosted its annual awards banquet where it honors a Lifetime Achievement Award winner and often, but not always, a special CEDIA Fellow recognition. This year the special CEDIA Fellow recipient was James Chen, managing director of Kordz. We were privileged to have Chen connect with us from Australia over Zoom. In this episode, he tells us about his three decades in the industry, his ...

One of the highlights at CEDIA Expo every year are the amazing home theater and audiophile demo rooms, and it looks like this year will be no different. One in particular that’s sure to stand out at CEDIA Expo 2023 in Denver (Sept. 7-9) is the 11.6.6-channel Dolby Atmos theater being staged by Seymour-Screen Excellence, StormAudio, Grimani Systems, and RowOne Seating. The brands say it will be the first fully digital AES67 Audio-over-IP (AoIP) home theater at the show in Sound Room 10 of...

While the show floor and demo rooms focused on new products are always the center of attention at CEDIA Expo, it’s always a good reminder that the annual tradeshow also delivers tons of education and training opportunities too.To help get CEDIA Expo attendees thinking about what kinds of sessions to add into their schedules this year in Denver, I spoke with Mandy Beckner, vice president of education and training to get the lowdown in this week’s CE Pro Podcast episode.

Veteran CE pros may remember Blake Vackar from his first stint on the sales side of leading screen and shades manufacturer Screen Innovations. Well, after a brief detour, Vackar is back at SI at Brand Ambassador and Screen Evangelist and ready to meet with integrators to evangelize the opportunities in those categories. What does all that entail? The big takeaway for integrators is that big screens and functional shades make a compelling combination to sell – that said, we’ll let Vackar ...

This week we have back one of our favorite guests here on the CE Pro Podcast, UK-based Together For Cinema founder and industry do-gooder Ian Morrish. This time around, Morrish updates us on Together For Cinema’s 2023 children’s hospice home theater projects, donations and sponsors, as well as the group’s new status as a Community Interest Company, and another big fundraiser event happening in July, in the latest podcast episode.The organization, which Morrish established back in 2009, h...

With a portfolio of some of the most revered brands in home audio, few manufacturers can match the allure of Harman Luxury Audio.Jim Garrett, senior director, product strategy and planning for Harman Luxury Audio, is a long-time home audio market veteran and enthusiast. Harman’s stable of brands includes Mark Levinson, JBL, JBL Synthesis, Arcam, Lexicon, and Revel, and in the latest CE Pro Podcast, Garrett explains how the company has evolved to meet the diverse needs of consumers enjoying ev...

The last time we talked to DoorBird, the IP doorstation specialist had recently expanded its North American offices from San Francisco to add an East Coast base in Jacksonville, Fla., where Justin Clark heads up sales for the Americas, Australia & New Zealand, and assists dealers in various ways. He rejoins the podcast with even more to discuss this time around. During this week’s CE Pro Podcast episode, Clark updates the custom integration channel by discussing DoorBird’s presence a...

To paraphrase the classic rock band Styx, “these are the best of times” when it comes to home video entertainment. That sentiment is shared by CE Pro’s expert panel of “Video Guys” when they discussed spring 2023 trends on the latest CE Pro Podcast.According to our regular “Video Guys” in their most recent conversation with CE Pro Senior Editor Bob Archer, home video continues to experience a golden age of technologies – conveniently timed with what many consider to be a golden age of prestig...

The shortage of labor is not unique to the custom installation market, but it has been an ongoing struggle for many years. CEDIA is tackling the issue head on in several ways. First, the association unveiled its Next Gen Smart Home Career Toolkit to help integrators connect with the next generation of employees. Also, CEDIA unveiled its slate of 80 sessions for CEDIA Expo 2023 education this fall in Denver. Mandy Beckner, vice president of education and training at CEDIA, reviewed both t...

With 2023 already flying by, CE Pro took the opportunity to ask its resident “Audio Guys” what trends they see in the market as we close out the first quarter, in the latest episode of the CE Pro Podcast.Paul Bochner, owner and president of Electronics Concepts and Professional Audio Consultants, in Rochelle Park, N.J., and Steve Silberman, business development, audio for Savant, agree that to a certain level homeowners tastes have evolved over the past few years. Bochner says his clients hav...

Recent research shows that landscape lighting is among the most in-demand outdoor technologies by homeowners, designers and realtors, but there’s much more to the exterior than just “landscaping” as potential integration spots. Outdoor lighting and audio specialist Coastal Source gives installers solutions to cover all areas of the exterior, and technical sales specialist Shay Brummer returns to the CE Pro Podcast to discuss that, as well as what the company showed during the recent HTS...

“We are on a 1,000-mile journey, and we're only about 500 miles into it,” says John Heyman, CEO of Snap One, in reference to the ambitious plans the company has ahead.That journey has taken the Charlotte, N.C.-based company from its humble beginnings in 2000 from founder Jay Faison to become the bellwether company in the smart home industry. Snap One holds several unique positions in the market as:The leading brand specified and installed by custom integrators in more than 20 cate...

The big ISC West security tradeshow in Las Vegas is around the corner, and we have one of the leading video surveillance providers on this week’s CE Pro Podcast to walk us through technologies, applications, trends and more. Fredrik Nilsson, VP of the Americas at Axis Communications, joined me for a conversation last summer that is still very relevant today for custom integrators in the security market.Axis is based in southern Sweden, where Nilsson hails from originally, though for two decad...

This year for the second year in a row I visited the Design & Construction Week festivities, which includes the International Builders Show (IBS) and the Kitchen & Bath Industry Show (KBIS), owned by the National Association of Home Builders and National Kitchen & Bath Association, respectively. Last year’s return to an in-person show in Orlando was big, but this year’s event in Las Vegas was record setting. Hear about some of the innovations, trends and technologies as I dis...

The annual Consumer Electronics Show, better known as CES, was held a few weeks ago and it did not disappoint. The pre-audit attendance of 115,000 made it the largest show since early 2020. While most of the event is not targeted at integrators, there were some interesting exhibits that bode for the future. CE Pro editor Jason Knott spoke with CEDIA VP Giles Sutton about what they saw at the show and what it means for integrators.

This week on the CE Pro Podcast we’re looking back on the editors’ of CE Pro’s favorite podcast moments from 2022. Executive editor Arlen Schweiger, senior editor Bob Archer, editor in chief Jason Knott and web editor Nick Boever all hosted guests on the CE Pro Podcast in 2022, and while we’d say all the conversations were gems, we of course have moments that stand out more than others. So stay tuned in this episode for highlights from our selections, featuring guests Chris Pinder of HDA...

CE Pro senior editor Robert Archer has been covering the custom electronics industry for 20+ years and never misses a CEDIA Expo. Over the years, Bob has also gone through curriculum from CEDIA and other associations like the Home Acoustics Alliance to further his AV expertise.So when Bob does his annual top products of the year posts, we know he does not take the selections lightly and brings more than two decades of industry and AV knowledge to his choices. After he posted his favorite prod...

With a background in smart city technologies, Iveda is now eyeing smart home. The release of IvedaCare brings an AI-driven software solution powered by sensors straight to the hands of integrators, and though it focuses on aging-in-place solutions, the possibilities go far beyond that.The solution is scalable, customizable, and comes with out-of-the-box readiness that can be expanded upon as needs change. Though the core focus is for aging-in-place solutions, the software is capable of being ...

Is 8K ready for prime time? It seems like an odd question to be asking since it feels like the industry only recently converted to 4K. But with gaming as the driving force behind 8K content, the momentum is already building for the next wave of video resolution. So what does 8K actually bring in terms of color gamut and HDR? How will 8K alter video distribution? Will the current HDMI 2.1 spec support 8K AV-over-IP?These are just some of the burning questions that CE Pro editor Jason Knott pos...

Outdoor technology remains red hot, and one company that’s been leading the charge for custom integrators is outdoor lighting and audio specialist Coastal Source. The Moorestown, N.J.-headquartered company, which also has offices in the Florida Keys, had a big presence at the recent CEDIA Expo 2022 in Dallas … did you get a chance to check out their booth?Actually, Coastal Source had multiple areas showcasing its solutions – one wasn’t a booth, however, but the Destination Backyard event it c...

Cellphone signal boosters has been a growing category for integrators for several years now, largely dominated in the custom industry by a couple of companies – SureCall and Wilson Electronics, which are always at the top of CE Pro’s Brand Analysis rankings. Uniden Cellular by Siyata Mobile is an established company that’s joining the custom fray with cell signal booster solutions for home, commercial and in-vehicle.LaRue Martz, VP of sales for the Americas at Uniden, discusses the company’s ...

This is a hosted panel discussion that brings to life The Cinema Connoisseur’s inaugural "Cinema Sommelier" movie review that used scenes from the hit 2018 movie "A Quiet Place," including supervising sound editor Erik Aadahl. In the review and in the podcast, Sean Skelley, owner of Definitive Audio in Seattle, describes the specific scenes from the movie he uses to demo home theater to his clients, and explains why he chose a movie whose central theme is the lack of noise and how t...

Have you ever wished you could install an in-ceiling loudspeaker and not worry about running wire to drive it and connect sources? Well, let us introduce you to Surrey, U.K., brand Lithe Audio, an innovative speaker company that makes all-in-one products that allow you to do just that.Amit Ravat, co-founder and director of Lithe Audio, debuted the brand to the U.S. market at CEDIA Expo 2022 in Dallas recently. He was excited to show off the all-in-one aspect of the powered speakers, which hav...

With crowded booths and a lot of static and active product demonstrations, the Expo certainly delivered on the promise to show the latest products to attendees. This year’s bumper crop of products was arguably the most diverse in the history of the CEDIA Expo. In the CE Pro Podcast recap editors Jason Knott and Arlen Schweiger, along with Commercial Integrator’s editor Dan Ferrisi noted the show featured products from a wide swath of exhibitors, including traditional AV companies, as wel...

CEDIA Expo 2022 is right around the corner and CE Pro’s resident “Video Guys” are not only excited to see the latest products during the annual trade event, they are eagerly anticipating the show’s training opportunities. Joel Silver, CEO and lead developer, Imaging Science Foundation (ISF); Jason Dustal of Murideo; and Robert Zohn, president and founder of Value Electronics, point out the CEDIA Expo show is a valuable event for dealers for a numbers. They joined the CE Pro Podcast to di...

If you’ve done work with designers and architects, you know that they are looking for design-minded or discreet solutions for technology. Two trending categories that can help integrators win over those trade partners on projects – and their customers – are motorized shades and voice control. And speaking of those categories, Brittany Mier y Teran, Partnerships and CI Channel Manager for North America, Somfy; and Casey Levy-Tulloch, Manager of Business Strategy and Partnerships Team, Jos...

With the summer winding down the members of the CE Pro All-Star Band are ramping their efforts up. More specifically, the guys are deep into their practice routines working towards making their now annual appearance at the CEDIA Expo 2022 event as memorable as possible. Coming off a three-year break in their live performances, band members are excited to play two sets of classic rock songs in front of their co-workers, peers and friends at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in Da...

As you walk past the storefronts at the Boston Design Center, the System 7 showroom doesn’t stand out too much from the other design storefronts. However, that reason alone is why it stands out so much, as despite looking like a lighting showroom, it is secretly a technology experience center in disguise.While System 7 still engages in the traditional AV installation (after all it was Lynch’s start in the industry) the company has invested heavily in lighting and shading, even hiring multiple...

Wireless audio has come a long way, and one company that continues to propel the technology in exciting directions is Enclave Audio. Rob Jones, chief technology officer, discusses how easy it is for dealers to install and calibrate full wireless surround-sound systems, advantages over soundbars, where wireless audio might be headed next and more in this week’s podcast episode.To make the category enticing for dealers and customers, Enclave Audio offers WiSA-based wireless surround-sound bundl...

When we challenged integrators to submit pictures of the oldest piece of gear on their inventory shelves for our Oldest Gear Contest, we couldn’t have expected the oldest product to be straight out of the 1970s. Yet, the fact that our first ever Oldest Gear winner said he probably has OLDER stuff lying around somewhere speaks to an issue in the custom integration industry: inventory management.Tom Loveitt, Design/Sales, Canfield Systems, submitted what is surely the oldest piece of gear durin...

The power conditioning and power protection category might not have the wow factor of audio video components or pizzazz of automation programming, but it could be the most mission-critical in a dealer’s portfolio. After all, it’s the components that are protecting – and even improving the performance – all the other equipment in a rack. Torus Power president Kevin Main talks about his company’s unique power technologies to help integrators amp up their systems, set up a proper power foun...

Forget about those old photos of Aunt Margie or the antique clock on the mantel over the fireplace, that space has now become the prime location for the TV. And as they say, "necessity is the mother of invention," which is why MantelMount was created. For integrators, the solution solves a myriad of potential problems related to screen height, viewing distance and viewing angle. “MantelMount was born out of necessity to solve the problems that are inherent with needing to put a TV over a...

As the custom installation world becomes more entrenched in areas such as lighting fixtures and power of ethernet, battlegrounds are developing between the worlds of low-voltage electronics and high-voltage electrical. The natural evolution of the technology has led integrators to expand into these growing areas, while electricians in many cases look to “protect their turf” by working to have local and state municipalities pass potentially restrictive laws against CE pros.That’s when CEDIA’s ...

Since it first debuted back in 2015, Snap One’s OvrC software has become the go-to solution for integrators to remotely manage the devices they install in their customers’ homes, but recent upgrades to the platform have morphed it into being a key operational tool as well. So, OvrC not only saves service truck rolls and valuable time, it has also become the basis of service plans for many integrators.Indeed, according to the 2022 CE Pro 100 Brand Analysis Study, OvrC is used by 73% of the ind...

Amazon’s Ring brand might have started out as more of a mainstream name than typical custom integration channel companies, but the security provider has been catching on with the professionals over the past several years.Between its pioneering video doorbell, security cameras, smart lighting, security systems and more, Ring has made nice inroads with custom integrators and security providers. The company rolled out its Ring X Line of pro-channel exclusive doorbells, cameras and bundled soluti...

The past couple of years have been extremely busy for electronics companies in the custom integration sector. Explaining how their respective companies have fared and how they are looking ahead, Vanco’s Frank Santos and Kaleidescape’s Tayloe Stansbury recently spoke to CE Pro.In part one of this week’s CE Pro Podcast, Santos, who serves as director of training and product knowledge for Vanco, points out how the ongoing addition of 70-volt products to the company’s product line, including ampl...

There are numerous reasons why custom integrators end up partnering and selling products with various vendors. Could be the pricing or margins are great, the tech support is top-notch, or maybe certain companies’ reputations simply help sway a dealer’s decision.The annual CE Pro 100 Brand Analysis takes a look at leading brands in more than 60 categories across the custom integration industry, and every year it gives a nice sense about what companies integrators gravitate toward throughout th...

You when you’ve been in the industry for decades, the institutional knowledge is solid gold. And the opportunity to have the information from those years of experience passed along to the next generation of integration company owners is priceless. With all the pressures facing CE pros today from supply chain to labor rates to company culture, worthy advice from someone who has seen it all and done it all is welcome indeed.That’s where Franklin Karp comes in. After spending decades in the tren...

There aren’t many brands in consumer electronics that match the 50-year legacy of Lenbrook brand PSB Speakers. The company’s humble beginnings can be traced back to when founder and chief designer Paul Barton was still a student in school. Today, PSB Speakers is well-known for its product line that includes everything from subwoofers and in-wall speakers, to active speakers and reference-level floor-standing loudspeakers. Barton took time to reflect on his and the company’s legacy in thi...

Whenever Sony announces a new home video product, the custom electronics industry takes notice. Certainly, when the company intros a trio of laser-based projectors Joel Silver, CEO and lead developer, Imaging Science Foundation (ISF); Jason Dustal of Murideo; and Robert Zohn, president and founder of Value Electronics, take notice.Indeed, our resident “Video Guys” are welcomed back to the CE Pro Podcast to discuss the latest VPL-XW5000ES, VPL-XW6000ES and VPL-XW7000ES 4K laser projectors from...

Talk about going the extra mile to aid a worthy cause — how about 150+ extra miles, in a span of six days?That’s what Chris Pinder accomplished this spring when he competed in the Marathon Des Sables to raise funds for Together For Cinema, the UK-based charitable organization that works with manufacturing sponsors and integrators to design and install theater rooms in children’s hospices. He and Together For Cinema founder Ian Morrish, who like Pinder has gone above and beyond for the gr...

Lighting fixtures and lighting control can be used in a variety of ways, and savvy CE Pros can discuss benefits such as comfort, safety and security, convenience, curb appeal, energy efficiency and more. As Adam Domurad, VP of sales for integration firm Smart Home & HiFi by Mirarchi Electric, outlines in this week’s CE Pro Podcast episode, those benefits can be addressed through outdoor lighting just as much as indoor lighting.The Hatfield, Pa.-based integrator discusses how Coastal Sourc...

Wouldn’t it be great if there was a single web portal where a custom integrator can do direct product comparisons when creating a project product list instead of having to open multiple browsers to view 10 different manufacturers’ websites? Well now there is. CEPro-iQ is a new portal that draws from the successful AV-iQ centralized database with hundreds of thousands of SKUs to display detailed product information for the residential integration industry.CEPro-iQ also can create custom catalo...

Paul Bochner, owner and president of Electronics Concepts in Rochelle Park, N.J., Steve Silberman, business development, audio for Savant, and Alex Camara, CEO of AudioControl, are bullish on the possibilities of well-designed whole-house AV, including outdoor systems.In this CE Pro Podcast episode, the trio discuss the importance of system design, as well the proper choice of equipment during the engineering phases of whole-house system design for both indoor systems and outdoor systems. Cam...

This is an especially challenging time to be running a custom installation business, but somehow Joseph Akhtarzad, president of Just One Touch/Video & Audio Center in Southern California, has found the magic formula. The company is one of the few that proactively markets custom installation through consumer media channels like TV and radio, while creating an efficient team structure with cross-trained technicians across all product categories.So what makes Just One Touch/Video & Audio...

Crestron’s Michael Short talks in-depth on why Crestron Home added fully tunable LED light fixtures, battery-powered motorized shades, multizone streaming preamplifier, in-wall subwoofer, and power management products.

Studies are delving into the health benefits of light, but there are also potential unhealthy elements from lighting and other electrical devices that integrators need to be aware of when they speak with clients. Maurizio Gaudio, CTO of Colorbeam, and Brian Hoyer, founder of Shielded Healing, are looking to enlighten integrators about the health benefits of light and discuss them with CE Pro's Jason Knott.

Jacob Whipple, product marketing manager, Snap One, discusses updates to the Control4 3.3.0 OS for whole-house controls, Triad’s new PDX architectural speakers, and Ryff whole-house audio platform.

A look at how the Premiere SAV joint venture deal came about and how the Jackson Hole, Wyo., branch will be structured and operated.

Eric Mercil, director of sales at cell signal booster provider SureCall, helps to outline potential 5G impact on integrators, detail types of 5G, highlight solutions, system design, speed testing demos and more.

Justin Clark of IP access control specialist DoorBird discusses how its highly customizable products cater to integrators and trade partners; new fingerprint reader solution; dealer support and more.

Paul Hales, owner, Pro Audio Technology and Theory Audio Design, is excited about dealers’ projects reflecting customers’ growing demand for audiophile performance.

Led by industry veterans Paul Starkey, Helen Heneveld and Mark Weisenberg, PrepTech identifies and trains new technicians for integrators.

Joel Silver of ISF, Murideo’s Jason Dustal and Value Electronics’ Robert Zohn discuss mini- LED, MicroLED and OLED; CES 2022; and standards for video system installations in rooms with ambient light.

Integrators are not necessarily creating channel conflict with electricians by supplying high-end line-voltage lighting fixtures on projects.

The annual Kitchen & Bath Industry Show (KBIS) was staged with the co-located Builders’ Show in Orlando, and our editorial roundtable recaps tech, design, wellness and more themes from the well-attended show.

Interest in home entertainment technologies remains high, but supply chain and chip shortage issues still dog the custom install industry. CE Pro’s “Audio Guys” discuss the trends affecting the market in 2022.

RoseWater Energy Group CEO Joe Piccirilli on how the SB20 all-in-one solution can set dealers apart, addressing power quality, energy storage, protection and more for mission-critical systems.

Shawn Hansson, CEO & founder of Lone Tree, Colo.-based Logic Integration shares keys to success in resi/commercial, garnering recent CTA & Commercial Integrator honors.

Samsung, Hisense, TCL, Z-Wave, Moen, SureCall and others came to Las Vegas for CES 2022 and did not disappoint for integrators.

Electronic Concepts’ Paul Bochner, Savant’s Steve Silberman and AudioControl’s Alex Camara discuss the growth of immersive music and their favorite products released in 2021 with CE Pro senior editor Robert Archer.

CE Pro’s expert video panel of Value Electronics’ Robert Zohn, ISF’s Joel Silver and Murideo’s Jason Dustal cover trends, favorite products and compelling demos.

Tom Hickman of Nationwide Marketing Group and Richard Glikes offer further insight into the recent merger of the two buying groups.

Attendees & vendor sponsors of Total Tech Summit tracks of CE, CI and SSI Summits enjoy return of the in-person elite event, best practices sharing, networking & more in Orlando, Fla.

Mid-Atlantic manufacturer’s rep NuTech Group guides integrator Bethesda Systems into outdoor lighting & audio via unique Coastal Source training, underscoring vendor-rep-dealer relationship.

Tributaries & Clarus Cable president Joe Perfito and renowned cable & power designer Jay Victor address why upgrading those areas can greatly impact audiophile hi-fi systems.

Jimmy Paschke & Vince Luciani of SurgeX discuss how to optimize power systems, implement UPS backup, remotely diagnose and troubleshoot; Squid & other products highlighted too.

Modular Design Construction (MDC) with streaming, Dirac highlight versatile NAD Electronics latest C 399 Hybrid Digital Amplifier & C 700 BluOS Streaming Amplifier.

Joel Silver, Jason Dustal and Robert Zohn enthusiastically embrace the home video market and the impact of HDMI 2.1.

Joel Silver, Jason Dustal and Robert Zohn discuss the HDMI 2.1 format, along with the CEDIA/CTA-RP28 Best Practices standard.

Family-owned Stereo Barn started in 1971, migrating from pure retail to custom installation. Community involvement has helped breed success.

Outgoing senior vice president of education & training Samantha Ventura takes a look at CEDIA’s successes and what lies ahead.

BlueDog Group's Scope & Budget Tool enables integrators to outsource proposals, design and documentation without over-hiring.

CE Pro Podcast features roundtable discussion from the CE Pro booth at CEDIA Expo 2021, covering exhibitors, technologies, show themes, education sessions and more.

Rob Tobias of HDMI Licensing talks lean-in vs. lean-back gaming, PC/console associated tech needs, esports and more.

President & CEO Randy Klein talks about Crestron’s health, why he won’t use ‘retirement’, how company culture feeds into ‘the customer experience’ and more.

CEDIA industry musicians discuss their backgrounds and how musicians such as Eddie Van Halen, Chick Corea and Paul McCartney influenced their taste and style.

Mitch Klein of Z-Wave Alliance and Silicon Labs joins the CE Pro Podcast to chat about the interoperability of the protocol and latest home and resimercial uses for integrators.

Anna Demeo of Savant Power, formerly known as Racepoint Energy prior to Savant’s recent acquisition of the company, joins the CE Pro Podcast to talk about how integrators facilitate intelligent energy management.

A detailed discussion about the living in place market and how to obtain a Home Accessibility Trade Specialist certification.

With supply chain shortages abounding, Sound United is serving the custom channel first and not funneling equipment to other channels.

CommScope Ruckus discusses Wi-Fi 6, the advent of wearables, Access Networks’ acquisition by Snap One and more.

Millson Technologies, Harrison Home Systems and World Premiere outline best practices for fellow integrators, and DMF Lighting shares manufacturer insights with CE Pro.

Resideo’s Scott Harkins outlines the company’s vision and the ‘democratization of the smart home’ using its Pro Series platform.

HDMI Licensing president & CEO Rob Tobias discusses great HDMI 2.1 gaming features, 4K & 8K display enhancements, cable testing & certification and more.

Together for Cinema founder Ian Morrish outlines latest charitable initiatives & how custom industry suppliers and integrators can get involved in the latest CE Pro Podcast episode.

CE Pro Brand Analysis leaders Sony, Yale Smart Residential, WaterCop & DoorBird highlight why their solutions resonate with CE Pro 100 and other dealers.

SnapAV executives GPaul Hess, Kenny Kim and Mike Jordan discuss keys to CE Pro Brand Analysis success and upcoming initiatives in myriad tech categories.

Shawn Romberg of Integrated AV in Oklahoma had a job go from 15 fixtures to 200, plus $100K+ in speakers/subwoofers, aided by a powerful Coastal Source lighting and audio demo. They tell CE Pro about it in this week’s CE Pro Podcast.

VP & product evangelist George Katsiris talks with CE Pro editor Jason Knott about Savant’s new 9.4 software release offers increased personalization and integration with streaming services.