Random Notes: CEDIA and Z-Wave Summit, 2023

September brings us the annual CEDIA Expo, which was followed this year by the annual Z-Wave Summit. We had a great time as judges and presenters for the CE Pro Best Awards. Here are a few impressions of both events that we thought worth sharing:

 

Mary Miller, Senior Consultant:

My impression of CEDIA was that it was busy, upbeat, and did not seem to be feeling the impact of the economy, as witnessed by the CEPro awards for installations at enormous price points...and there were lots of them.  With respect to the awards, I was surprised and encouraged  to see so many women and persons of color in the installer awards ranks, it was very heartening.

Want more effective impact initiatives?  Contact Mary

 

 

David Kaplan, Senior Partner:

One of the things I found fascinating at CEDIA 2023 is evolution and innovation in the realm of immersive audio and digital room correction.While we were at the Expo, CEDIA announced that in collaboration with the Consumer Technology Association (CTA), a new set of recommended guidelines for immersive audio system design. The “RP22 Immersive Audio Design Recommended Practice” is the first to define objective performance criteria for home audio systems. Its definitions include 4 performance levels, and I think it will provide integrators with a useful tool to justify and deliver a better consumer experience.

Want to talk about winning with immersive audio?  Contact David

 

Lew Brown, Senior Partner:

The crowds were definitely back at CEDIA, with lots of interest in smart home and security from both manufacturers and integrators. We were excited to introduce DripX, LoxxBoxx, Network Thermostat and Level to many distritbutors, dealers and reps. We were also excited to present the DEN SmartStrike, which we think is going to be a major win in this channel.

Want to talk about smart home & security?  Contact Lew

 

Avi Rosenthal, Senior Partner:

The Z-Wave Summit was very well attended. Z-Wave Long-Range was tested and shown to work for over a kilometer! The latest update to the Command Classes was unveiled, and we have a new Command Class for locks, which is called User Credentials. We also welcomed Fortune Brands to the Z-Wave Alliance Board. I was honored to moderate a panel all about the various RF standards called, the Platform Playground.  Representatives from Z-Wave, Zigbee, Bluetooth, and Matter were all in attendance and gave great information about the pros and cons of each.

Want to know more about which RF is the best for your project?  Contact Avi

 

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