The more insight integrators have into the priorities and preferences of HNW clients—and the dynamics of their teams—the better they can cater proposals in platforms like D-Tools System Integrator (SI) or D-Tools Cloud to meet those high standards.
 

Convincing audiophiles that distributed audio systems are worth it.

Finding an evergreen of solid tech talent is hard. Here’s to landing the plane.
by Paul Starkey
 

In the ever-evolving landscape of audio technology, Sonance takes a monumental leap forward with the introduction of new Visual Experience Series.

Build an entirely new business model with Lutron Intelligent Lighting Solutions. “We want integrators to embark on this journey with us again. Lighting is a multibillion-dollar industry, and the proportional share being sold through integrators is still in its infancy. The opportunity is there. It’s about creating an industry together.” says David Weinstein, Vice President, Sales, Lutron.

The typical go-to technology for home theaters is projection—and many people don’t even consider the alternatives. Indeed, as a leader in digital cinema projection, Barco knows the benefits of the technology like no other. The availability and price erosion of high-resolution LED video walls, however, now makes this technology a valid option in certain environments. So, how do you know which technology to choose? 
 

With the introduction of AI and generative search technologies, Google’s algorithm, online search, and SEO have changed dramatically. At One Firefly, we are dedicated to empowering our clients and industry peers with knowledge and resources to navigate these changes effectively.

From strictly lounge to a hybrid of lounge and traditional theater seats, CINEAK has something for every space.

With new Dante-equipped products, AudioControl explains why HTA Certified integrators should consider Audio over IP.

Read how MicroLED display technology is becoming a popular choice in the luxury home market specifically for high-end private screening rooms and media room installations.

Blackwire Designs goes beyond the role of distributor to make integrator’s lives easier with resources, training, support, software, and services. 

Guillaume Lecreux,  Application Design Engineer, Product Management, Solutions at L-Acoustics, discusses the unique technical and acoustic requirements of in-wall loudspeaker design and what you should look for when selecting and installing these critical components.

Profit is arguably the most important business metric to monitor for integration companies. But where does that profit come from labor or equipment? Find out from D-Tools.

For years, home networks were the unsung, unseen heroes of a smart, connected lifestyle. Then along came the COVID-19 pandemic. Families sequestered at home battled for bandwidth while working and learning remotely. Wi-Fi coverage, speed and reliability, for many, suddenly became an issue. There simply wasn’t enough bandwidth to go around and the demand for better, enterprise-grade networking systems skyrocketed.

Stealth Patio Theater (SPT) Extreme retractable outdoor LED entertainment system creates a resort-style outdoor residential oasis in Indiana.

Demonstrating an immersive audio system or a 4K projector is a given, but how do you demo the lifeblood of the system—the home theater source? 

By Amanda Davis, Kaleidescape Director, Marketing & Sales Enablement

VITAL CEO Matt Bernath talks about the importance of data-driven custom integration.

Transformative technology blurs the lines between indoors and outdoors via Lutron shades and lighting.

As the Living Space Theater concept evolves, Leon stands at the forefront, reshaping the narrative of technology and design integration.

A great way to create a referral stream of new projects is to create mutually beneficial relationships with architects. Use these seven tips to meet architects and engage with them in a way that has them calling you on every project.

A great way to create a referral stream of new projects is to create mutually beneficial relationships with builders and remodeling contractors. Use these nine tips to engage with them in the most productive way.

A great way to create a referral stream of new projects is to create mutually beneficial relationships with interior designers. Use these seven tips to meet interior designers and engage with them in the most productive way.

From OS4 to audio gear to new shading options, improvements and new products coming soon are all about your clients’ systems and lives that much better.

New ES AVRs and dvLEDs conquer AV demands of baseline residential and high-end commercial projects.

While cutting back on marketing expenses during uncertain economic times may be tempting, maintaining consistent communication with customers and prospects is a strategic move that pays off in the long run. Learn the SMART approach to marketing from One Firefly that helps create loyalty and repeat business.

A challenge affecting many of you is finding qualified new techs. Learn how PrepTech helps find, vet, train, and place new hires that may be just what you need to push your company to new levels of success.

Offer your clients the security of having a managed, renewable power source when grid power is unavailable. The demand for smarter, managed power solutions represents a vital opportunity for technology integrators, either to deliver smart power as a standalone solution or as part of a larger smart home project.

This article shares excellent business process insights and solutions to challenges that you face daily running your integration business. This HTA Certified integrator created a software solution for you that helps your business run more smoothly and profitably. This could be exactly what you are looking for. Check it out here…

Barco is famous for performance, quality, and customer service. You know about their legendary projectors, do you know about the Bifrost, Valkyrie, and Aurora direct view LED displays? Barco has redesigned every component creating TruePix, a new direct view LED platform which supports both the REC 709 and DCI color space, as well as the latest HDR technologies. Read more.

Read about Mark Goldman’s decades-long search to find a speaker with high-end 2-channel audiophile sound that can handle the dynamics and sound pressure levels that large pro speakers can provide. Can it be done? Read on…

Round out your offerings with these crowd-pleasing outdoor, architectural, and subwoofer offerings from the leader in wireless multiroom audio.

Deploying a high-performance, reliable, secure, and remotely managed network is vital to the prosperity and longevity of your business. Access Networks is leading the charge through initiatives like its newly launched Basic Configuration Services (BCS), which is anything but basic. Reduce operating expenses and increase revenue through value-added post-installation services.

Seating is one of the three fundamentals of your clients having an exceptional cinematic experience. Read what makes CINEAK, a luxury European seating brand, unique in the marketplace. Inquire about their dealer/interior designer program.

AudioControl is a brand driven by a fierce passion for great sound and has become renowned worldwide as a leading supplier of innovative high-performance audio solutions serving dealers and audio/video professionals with best-in-class products for over 45 years. AudioControl is a premium supplier to whole-house entertainment, premium home cinema, and commercial A/V markets.

We all know the outdoor entertainment category is big and only getting bigger and better. If you are looking to deliver an incredible experience that works great even in the brightest sunlight, you owe it to yourself to learn about Stealth Acoustics’ specialized Direct View LED solutions. Ultra - bright, and some are designed to disappear. Sound included, too.

With economic uncertainties ahead, now is the time to adjust and plan for what’s next. There are practical items to review, regardless of the economic landscape, for a fit, secure, and healthy business. See how trends and key performance indicators can work to your advantage – improving your operations, stress level and profits.

L-Acoustics Creations may be new to the residential and marine sectors, though you have probably heard their speakers as they grace many of the top performance venues in the world. L-Acoustics pioneered line source array technology, now the industry standard for live events, and L-ISA (L-Acoustics Immersive Sound Art) the ground-breaking ecosystem for immersive audio in pro audio applications. Learn about their ultra-high-performance residential-focused speakers in this article.

Architects & interior designers are interested in proper lighting and how this affects wellness. See Crestron’s solution here with their new tunable LED fixtures and how easily you can offer human-centric / circadian rhythm lighting. Their latest app updates make it all super easy to use. 

Far beyond the capabilities of streaming, Kaleidescape’s lossless audio and full reference video are the digital racing fuel for your client’s high-octane movie experience. No luxury home theater is complete without a Kaleidescape system, read this article to learn why.

Learn about key metrics that system integrators should measure to ensure success. Sales forecasts, project backlogs and labor utilization are financial guideposts that provide direction for the future of your business. 

As a dedicated industry partner, Sonance discovered early on, the impact of showing dealers a behind the scenes look at the brand and its people. See how this unique experience has evolved with the brand, becoming a full-blown multi-day, in-house hosted tour, training, and demonstration in what is now called the Sonance Studio. 

If a picture is worth 1000 words, a video is worth 1 million, 1.8 million words, actually! Read this article to learn why personalized video is the fastest growing and most effective channel for attracting and new customers and keeping the attention of your online audience

At PRO and Theory, we feel so confident in the value and success of the demo and in our product capabilities, that we started a program available to prospective dealers and integrators in the continental US to travel to the Experience Center at our expense. We want them to experience all the benefits that PRO and Theory can bring to their business before making the investment. Every single demo at the PRO and Theory Experience Center results in a sale. And, in most cases, the client purchases a bigger system than they intended to.

LG’s foray into the super-luxury residential display segment combines the company’s years of building premium consumer electronics, keen understanding of affluent consumers and deep expertise as an innovator of DVLED technologies.

ProjX360—an end-to-end SaaS management solution for the Custom Integration Industry—helps manage projects from start to finish. Here, ProjX360 discusses what makes their product different

Networking is a tough business, but systems integrators are uniquely poised to be key players in this lucrative sector of the home systems market … if they have the right tools, training, products, and backing of a dedicated manufacturer. Guiding dealers from start to finish in their IT journeys is Access Networks specialty. Through a team of IT professionals, best-in-class equipment like a cloud-based network management system, personalized on-site or remote configuration and testing assistance, and endless recurring revenue opportunities, the company’s breadth of product and services exemplify Access Networks’ commitment to successful residential deployments of enterprise-grade networks. 

As a Private Theatre Renaissance is upon us, delivering a reference level cinematic experience to clients is a top priority for custom integrators, and a primary focus for Barco Residential, leveraging our heritage in professional cinema and post-production to bring a new level of technology and performance to the industry.

The vast library of music we all love, now easily accessible via streaming providers to nearly every household, has improved dramatically in resolution quality since streaming was first introduced. With this increase in detail and clarity, consumer’s expectations for the performance of their home entertainment systems has risen in lock step. Millions of music and cinema enthusiasts want more than access—they want fantastic sound—and they want it at their fingertips throughout the home as well as outside by the pool.

One of the loudest cries from integrators is “If I could only find good people (aka I need more techs)”. Workloads and new closed projects are backing up, and sources for new technicians are scarce. Helen Heneveld and Paul Starkey, both industry and online training pioneers, agree finding technicians is the #1 problem, and this issue may even be ahead of the supply chain woes that seem to be getting better.

Stealth Acoustics is well known for their industry-leading flat radiating diaphragm speaker technology. With high performance, reliability, and aesthetics as their driving forces; they continuously strive to bring products to market that address these goals. And after nearly two decades in the industry, it is no surprise that they offer a comprehensive product lineup that includes home theater audio and high-performance outdoor video systems.

There are probably more options than you think for adding that custom touch to your next installation. Danne Dzenawagis of custom audio manufacturer Leon Speakers shares some common customizations that help blend design and technology in any space. Use some of these on your next project.

HTA Certified Integration Controls explains how D-Tools System Integrator software fits into its Entrepreneurial Operating System business-streamlining process.

Award-winning platform unlocks the full potential of the Crestron smart home.

In April 2020, as Covid-19 was taking hold globally, Forbes Magazine called home theaters “the perfect pandemic escape,” and The Wall Street Journal devoted an article to private theaters becoming more popular in high-end homes, quoting top-ranked Sotheby’s real estate agent Chris Adlam as saying “the most valuable thing you can ever have is time with the people you love. A private cinema is a place that draws people together.”

James Loudspeaker has always sought to push the envelope when it comes to better audio solutions through innovation, and nothing reflects that commitment like our Small Aperture® (SA) Series. These barely visible ultra-high-performance architectural speakers have been designed to disappear into beautiful spaces to enhance the overall experience.

By: Mark Goldman, VP of Sales, Pro Audio Technology and Theory Audio Design

Lutron's Palladiom Collection of wall controls and motorized shades offers an elegant but unobtrusive aesthetic in this modern mountain retreat. This case study can help increase specifier relationship-building and create new recurring lead sources as a real-world example of motorized shading designed right.

Elevated Integration uses Savant smart home technology to create a luxurious automated home including circadian lighting, a 7.2.4 immersive home theater, and more, using high-performance products all within the Savant family.

Elevated Integration in Armonk, NY is not only an HTA Certified integrator, but a Savant Ambassador, Pro Advisory Council member, and Platinum Savant Dealer that strives to be a trusted resource for Home Technology and Hifi systems that include audio, video, lighting, security, networking and more.

By Anthony Grimani, President of Performance Media Industries, SonitusUSA, and Grimani Systems

What do we know about home theaters? After working on more than 1,500 projects during our combined 100+ years of experience in the post-production, recording, and audio business, including key positions at Dolby Laboratories, Lucasfilm THX, Christie Digital, and the famed Record Plant studio, the team at Performance Media Industries Ltd. (PMI) has developed a series of best practices and insight into the things that really affect your home theater sound quality, and what you can do to improve them!

Little changes to a home systems project can add up to a lot of wasted time and money if you’re not careful. Just ask the HTA Certified design and integration team at Bozeman and Big Sky, Montana-based SAV Digital Environments. Providing custom AV, automation, networking, lighting, and more for large residential and commercial projects for nearly 15 years, the company understands how having the proper tools for project documentation can lead to better time management and profitability. Rather than let missteps like misplaced change orders and inaccurate billing eat away at efficiencies, the company invested wisely in project management software from D-Tools. Implemented into SAV’s business model around 2012, the Systems Integrator software-driven solution is now standard practice at SAV, touching every aspect of its operations—from the sales department to design and engineering to accounting.

Getting your work published in magazines is a key way to build credibility with clientele and assert yourselves in the industry. The Home Technology Association has relationships with the following publications and they welcome you submitting projects to them. Be sure to get free subscriptions to each, links are below. If you need any help beyond the information below, reach out for help to media@htacertified.org.

ProjX360 is the Custom Integration Industry's end-to-end SaaS Management Software Solution. ProjX360 was designed by veteran integrator Doug Greenwald (right), who has 27 years of experience in the Custom Integration Industry. He is the owner of Creative Sound and Integration in Scottsdale, AZ, and is an active member of HTA.

AudioControl's VP of Sales, Chris Kane, discusses how consumers are gravitating toward home entertainment and amplifying their home cinema experience. AudioControl can help you create a system that allows them to connect to their content on an emotional level, creating memorable experiences that keep them (and their friends) coming back (to you) for more. 

Wi-Fi 6 is your opportunity to help clients work, play & learn more efficiently at home by upgrading to an enterprise-grade, Wi-Fi 6 compliant home network.

Wi-Fi 6 is a significant update to Wi-Fi, with improvements that your clients need to work, learn, and play more efficiently at home. You can help them do just that and generate more revenue for your firm in the process by upgrading clients to a Wi-Fi 6–capable enterprise-grade network. This opportunity is underscored by the 'new norm' as homeowners max out their networks with WFH activities

We urge all HTA Certified integrators to reach out to their local chapters and create mutually-beneficial relationships. Let these trade partners know that one of your roles is serving as a Technology Designer to their projects (most of them think ...

The HTA has established a mutually beneficial framework for home technology integrator collaboration with architects, interior designers, and builders. The HTA Design Partner designation is only available to HTA Certified integrators who voluntarily opt in. This program will officially launch by the end of 2022 or Q1 2023. Opt in here.