Here is a set of three items for my faithful readers — one about an article of interest to professionals in the security industry and the other two concerning resources for technicians.

1. DIY Not Doing It

An article covering the Consumer Electronics Show in the Jan. 5 issue of the Wall Street Journal caught my eye. The article indicates that there are a number of manufacturers that are expanding the Internet of Things and slapping IP and Wi-Fi connectivity into just about every commercial and residential device that draws electricity.

However, it seems consumers are not buying these DIY devices in the volumes manufacturers have been projecting. Consumer surveys indicate that end users are not buying these devices because they are concerned about the network security of installing additional IP devices to monitor services in their buildings. While we in the low-voltage installation industry may take this as encouraging news, the article points out that heavy hitters such as Google, Apple and Samsung are forging ahead with the development of IP DIY electronic devices for consumer installation.

2. Termination and Testing Technician (TTT) certification from the Electronics Technicians Association (ETA)

Following up with the ongoing success of the ETA’s Electronic Security Networking Technician training and certification program, a new program has been developed to specifically train, test and certify technicians in the proper terminations and testing of Cat5e/6, coax and multimode fiber.

As our industry continues along the IP path, the terminations and testing of new and existing cables take on an increased importance. We aren’t just trying to push analog CCTV, 12 VDC, or relay opens and closes over cabling; high bandwidth IP cameras and devices need top-quality terminations and complete cable testing to ensure reliable functionality.

To achieve the TTT certification technicians attend a one-day, hands-on, live training class where they will be taught the proper methods of terminating and testing the various types of cables used in our industry. Once a technician has demonstrated mastery of the proper connectorization techniques, he or she will take a written examination. This class can be presented by Slayton Solutions (slaytonsolutions@sbcglobal.net) at your location if desired. Students should also study the training manual, which brings us to…

3. My new book, The Technician’s Guide to Termination, Testing and Usage of Alternative Cables for Ethernet and IP Adaptor Applications.

I truly believe that the future of low-voltage IP installations will revolve around the use of existing and non-UTP types of cable. Using existing cables can save thousands in installation costs, which should translate directly into increased sales.

This book details how to use AC power lines, multimode fibers, coax and UTP cables to connect IP and PoE enabled devices to the LAN. Heavily illustrated, this manual includes everything you need to know to use those coaxes you installed 12 years ago to hang a new IP camera or device. This book is available at ADI, part number 3X-TECHGUIDE, and there’s another reason that you need to buy this book: My daughter is making her college choices and we recently attended the University of Chicago to get the facts. Do you have any idea how much it costs to walk through the doors of this citadel of higher learning? Let’s just say I need to sell a lot of books and fill a lot of training classes in 2016!