“Pyng is home automation built from the app up,” said Evan Ackmann, technology manager at Crestron (show at left demoing the system to SDM’s Heather Klotz-Young at CEDIA 2014). “With Pyng, you are not adding an app to your automation system. The app is your automation system.” PHOTO COURTESY OF CRESTON

At the opening keynote for CEDIA EXPO 2014, held in Denver, Sony Electronics’ Mike Fasulo, president and COO, challenged the crowd to install innovation. He added that “there is no better example of innovation than the founders of CEDIA 25 years ago. It was a new approach.” As the Custom Electronic Design & Installation Association (CEDIA) celebrates its 25th year, the annual EXPO showed “steady growth” in attendance and exhibitor participation. Professional and overall attendance both grew by 3 percent and the overall exhibitor footprint also saw growth with a 14 percent increase in the square footage of the show floor. More than 480 exhibitors and 18,500 attendees from 82 countries participated in the 2014 event.

“Not only did attendees see where the industry is going on the show floor, they also saw it in the classroom. CEDIA EXPO offered 110 training sessions, 48 of which were new, offering attendees avenues to stay up to date on the skills they need to remain competitive in the industry. From product launches and demos to networking and training events, CEDIA EXPO 2014 proved to be a fantastic success,” said Don Gilpin, CEDIA executive director and COO.

All CEDIA Certification exam sessions sold out and 40+ training classes were sold out.

“Every time we come to CEDIA EXPO it's a new experience,” said John Cronk, director of Hardware Engineering for Russound, New Market, N.H. “We’ve had great attention on our new products and have had valuable conversations with dealers we have been working with and dealers who are coming back to our company.”

Other show highlights included 72 exhibitors launching 105 home technology products some of which appeared in the New Product Launch Pad: a spot on the show floor where attendees could see new product launches and demos, 17 participants in Rookie Row: an area dedicated to new companies breaking into the industry, 100 first time exhibitors, and the celebration of CEDIA's 25th anniversary.

CEDIA recognized the work of its members at the annual Electronic Lifestyles® Awards celebration Saturday night. The honorees included more than 40 winning projects in the Designer Awards competition, 11 Manufacturers' Excellence Awards winners, the 2014 Lifetime Achievement Award recipient, and this year's top volunteers. Also at this year's awards celebration, CEDIA paid special recognition to the founding members of the association as part of the 25th anniversary celebration.

The Manufacturers' Excellence Awards honorees included 10 Best New Product winners, one Sustainable Lifestyle Product Innovation winner, and three inductees into the Product Hall of Fame. The winners were selected by a panel of home technology professional judges.

The full list of award winners can be viewed at http://bit.ly/1wmhvc.

CEDIA also released its preliminary findings from its annual market research report, “Size and Scope of the Residential Electronic Systems Market.” Read more at http://bit.ly/1uB4FYN.

“This report continues the great data we have been seeing all year on integrator performance in 2013 and expected performance in 2014,” said Erica Shonkwiler, CEDIA research consultant. “Revenue, project numbers, and project sizes are all continuing to trend up.”

The full report will be available in October; however, preliminary findings revealed:

• Systems integration / audio/visual (A/V) installation companies ended 2013 with a 15 percent increase in gross revenue, and expect 2014 to end with a 20 percent increase over 2013. ??
• More systems integration / A/V installation companies are noticing a shift from hardware sales to service/labor sales caused by cloud-based content management – 38 percent indicate a moderate increase in service/labor sales (up from 29 percent in 2013) and 23 percent indicate a moderate decline in hardware sales (up from 18 percent in 2013) from cloud-based content management.??

For 2015, CEDIA EXPO will be held at the Kay Bailey Hutchinson Convention Center in Dallas Oct. 13-17, with the tradeshow floor open Oct. 14-17, 2015. Find more information at expo.cedia.net.

A few of the highlights: 

Telguard, Atlanta, introduced the industry’s first truly universal Z-Wave garage door controller, the Telguard GDC1. The UL 325-certified GDC1 was designed and built to Telguard’s specifications by FortrezZ using the binary switch command class. http://bit.ly/1uB4UmL

Crestron, Rockleigh, N.J., unveiled Crestron Pyng, the app that IS the home automation system. Create lifestyle scenes for each room, schedule events, and much more right from an iPad®. The whole house can be ready in minutes without ever opening a laptop.  http://bit.ly/1qNzJSF

Kwikset, Lake Forest, Calif., introduced its latest Kevo upgrade, giving users the ability to send free and unlimited guest electronic keys (eKeys) to recipients, and use a scheduled eKey to set day and time constraints for regular house guests like babysitters, dog-walkers and contractors. Kevo owners can update their Kevo mobile app and lock firmware to enable these new types of eKeys.  http://bit.ly/1BHkEaa

Napco Security Technologies, Amityville, N.Y., and Control4 Corporation, Salt Lake City, announced that Napco Security System software was Control4-certified. The Napco Gemini Security Series is the first security panel line to integrate with Control4’s Simple Device Discovery Protocol (SDDP). Napco’s Gemini™ Security System Alarm Panel is “automation-ready” and can be integrated to Control4 via Ethernet.

Control4 announced the acquisition of UK-based Extra Vegetables Ltd., a privately held company.  Extra Vegetables, best known for developing integration modules and drivers for Control4® smart home systems, will be fully integrated into Control4.  Extra Vegetables drivers will be free for Control4 dealers.

Pakedge, Hayward, Calif., celebrated 10 years at CEDIA EXPO 2014 with a celebration reception. Current and future Pakedge dealers, distributors and manufacturer reps gathered at the Pakedge CEDIA booth for “food, beer and fun.” The company also highlighted the Pakedge WAP Map, an interactive Web-based “heat map” planning tool that lets installers estimate the number of wireless access points (WAPs) they need, the approximate coverage area of each WAP, and target placement locations.