Innholdsfortegnelse for Vol 5/ Issue 1 i Residential Tech Today

There’s a lot of value in having all stakeholders in the home construction process on board with smart home technology. As evidenced by the amount of smart home tech integration at the 2023 International Builders Show, home builders are beginning to embrace new opportunities for the addition and integration of sophisticated smart solutions in the homes and communities they construct. According to the market research firm Parks Associates, consumers are more connected than ever before with an average of 16 devices in the home in 2022, which is up from 8.4 in 2015. Additionally, 38% of U.S. internet households have a smart home device, up from 18% at the end of 2015, 11% own a smart appliance, and 14% have a smart thermostat. Looking ahead, 25% of households report intentions…

What most excites you about custom integrators embracing the lighting fixtures business? We’ve been focusing on lighting design, fixture specification, and controls for over 15 years now. And so while we’re not new to the game, the opportunity has grown immensely, especially in the fixture market with such a wide variety of step-up performance and luxury products. Lighting makes or breaks your space, and you really only get one chance to get it right. Lighting and audio also go so well together. Our comprehensive design solutions for both architectural lighting and audio are simultaneously aesthetically pleasing, as well as functional, dynamic, and emotional. The two together create the perfect environment for working, playing, relaxing, or entertaining. — Jason Barth, The Premier Group, Carmel, IN Integrators are all about “the experience”…

The CEDIA Awards have been a cornerstone of the home technology industry for decades. Around the world, integrators, manufacturers, and visionaries are celebrated on a grand scale for exceptional work. That’s something that’ll never change. But as the industry evolves, so must we, which is why we’re proud of the additions and expansions to the awards this year. First, we’ve introduced a new category: Health, Sustainability, or Wellness. Integrators who approach projects with this mindset are truly carrying out CEDIA’s mission to enrich lives through technology. We want to recognize those integrators who are actively listening to their clients’ health needs, finding ways to reduce waste, and creating more mindful lifestyles. Second, the Best Integrated Home category will no longer use monetary values to define its four levels given large…

In a conventional speaker, the drivers (woofer and tweeter) are mounted on one board, facing one direction. A bipole speaker mounts speakers so that the sound emanates from the sides of the speakers, often enhancing the surround sound experience. Building on its 25 years of experience in bipolar speakers, Definitive Technology has introduced the Dymension Series highperformance loudspeakers, featuring four bipolar towers, three center channel speakers, a height module, and a surround speaker for Atmos/DTS:X systems. Dymension Series speakers, which select members of the AV media previewed at the brand’s Carlsbad, CA, headquarters in January, offer high performance audio and several room integration options. They also feature a minimalist design, expansive bipolar sound field, and built-in powered subwoofers. All Dymension Series speakers have been timbre-matched to work together. Dymension Series…

Coastal Source (Marathon, FL): Outdoor speakers/landscape lighting designed with durable housings to fend off damage from moisture and UV rays and airtight, waterproof connectors maintain peak audio performance. Progressive Screens (Sarasota, FL): Motorized shading solution for parts of the country prone to intense storms and sunshine. Straight Wire (Hollywood, FL): Develops and produces world-class cables and related accessories, predominantly made in the USA, primarily for consumer audio and video enthusiasts. ADT (Boca Raton, FL): Provides residential, small and large business electronic security, fire protection, and other related alarm monitoring services throughout the United States. Future Ready Solutions (Bonita Springs, FL): Advanced connectivity products with a focus on fiber optics for the delivery of 8K/48Gb HDMI and 10Gb networking and beyond. Rosewater Energy Group (Sunrise, FL): Creates an appropriate Power Plan…

Dan Daley is a widely published journalist covering the professional audio industry, with articles in every major journal in the industry globally, including Billboard, Mix, Resolution, and Sound on Sound. He also has written for a wide range of publications, including the London Daily Telegraph, Fast Company, The Wine Spectator, History Channel Magazine, and AARP The Magazine. Daley is the author of several books, including Nashville’s Unwritten Rules: Inside the Business of Country Music (Overlook Press, New York). On p. 42 he writes that the studio in the home is becoming analogous to what the home office has turned into post-pandemic. Angel Piontek is senior marketing manager at PointCentral, a subsidiary of Alarm.com that provides short and long-term residential property managers with an automation platform that monitors and controls smart…

As much of music’s production now takes place in a computer, the crux to design in the home studio is where that MacBook Pro is sitting. Thus, the traditional recording/mix console, that battleship-sized and -priced centerpiece of the traditional recording studio, like the classic and massive SSL 9000 or Neve 8078, is far less necessary today. Yet those consoles are emblematic of classic recording studios. One way to acknowledge that is to make the battleship console truly a piece of furniture. Designer Carl Tatz sells and installs a customized version of one of manufacturer Argosy’s workstations, sleek boxes and surfaces ready to be loaded with whatever the client prefers to work with. Just as the classic, massive Neve and SSL mix consoles were for commercial studios, these wood-crafted fabrications serve…

Changes over the last three years have been profound, with COVID-19 accelerating how innovative technology is used in homes and with mass adoption of tech in the multifamily space. With today’s economic backdrop being so uncertain with raised interest rates, inflation, and rising prices, this adds additional pressure to the bottom line for multifamily building operators facing lower rental rates and rising operating costs. Key themes for multifamily operators over 2023 will be considering how automation can help to address rising costs and provide greater efficiencies. In addition, an increased focus on resident retention will be essential with lowering rents and a more transient rental market. Technology use for evaluating the redeployment of staff within multifamily communities can offer maximum value, which will also be a theme. Here is my…

We may have seen the end of the age of “Peak TV,” according to Slate writer Sam Adams, who calls the next wave in content, “Trough TV,” when the networks that “once aimed for the stars now see how low they can go.” The halcyon days when streamers would “throw money at established creators and new talents alike” may be over, but that does not mean that we are about to turn our focus away from Netflix, Prime Video, and the various TV on-demand (TVOD) platforms and head back to the local megaplex. Here’s a look at the latest streaming stats and forecasts for the future of streaming and video-on-demand services. According to Parks Associates, 377 independent OTT provides existed in the U.S. in 2022 and 88% of U.S. internet…

It’s not your grandfather’s screened-in porch. Exterior motorized window shades are becoming a new alternative for enclosing a fourseasons patio to keep out bugs or filter harsh sunlight, adding to the flexibility and comfort of an outdoor living space. Matt Pierce, owner of central Texas-based Shading Texas, has found success selling and installing Draper’s FlexShade ZIP exterior shades, which combine convenience and ease of use with the simple touch of a wall switch or remote. The exterior shades can be raised or lowered quickly and quietly to the desired position, with side channels or cable guides keeping the fabric in place. In one recent project in Austin, TX, the homeowner wanted to be able to use their outdoor space more comfortably, enjoying dinners or barbecues and even shuffleboard, without having…

COVER STORY Actor David Costabile has become well-known for his work in television and film, particularly for his role as the licentious, foulmouthed, yet loyal-to-a-fault “Wags” on the Showtime series Billions. The show, which focuses on the power struggle between a hedge fund manager and a U.S. attorney, was an instant hit and quickly became one of the most popular dramas on television. Costabile’s portrayal of the brash and unpredictable Wags was praised by audiences and critics alike, and his performance was key to the show’s success. Costabile’s acting career began on the stage, where he performed in numerous productions in regional theaters across the country. He made his television debut in 1999 with a small role in the series Law & Order. Over the next few years, he acted…

The world of streaming has officially taken over traditional media! At least that’s what I’ve heard, I’m perfectly content with my DVD collection of seasons 4, 5, and 7 of Everybody Loves Raymond, thank you very much. Every year, each streaming service releases a slew of brand-new shows looking to become the next big watercooler series. And, as a member of the media (and because I successfully blackmailed a few studio executives), I was able to get advanced screenings of some of these exclusive projects. Hard Knocks: The Ontario Wombats PREMISE: Mirroring the style of HBO’s NFL-centric series, Hard Knocks has expanded into the ruthlessly competitive world of the Canadian Curling Club, following the internationally praised Ontario Wombats in their quest to bring home their first title. REVIEW: This is…