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System Integration for the Connected Home

Industry news

CEDIA Updates Designer Software

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The CEDIA Designer (TCD), the cloud-based software helping installers create home cinema or media room design plans, documentation and minutes, releases a host of valuable upgrades.

Cedia designerUpgrades include the ability to generation documentation reports in Spanish, the specification of soundbar products within the tool and a Project Progress feature. Project Progress allows users to demonstrate the phase the project is in, including sales agreed, trim out, first fix and second fix stages.

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RTI Names New CEO

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RTI announces the appointment of CFO Mark Derus as CEO, following the decision of former CEO Ed McConaghay to step down from a leadership position in favour of an "advisory role" within the company.

Mark Derus

Derus says he will focus on driving global growth and expanding the presence of RTI within the commercial market. He will also continue to build on successful RTI initiatives, including the 3-year warranty, robust training programs and the creation of a global Dealer Experience team.

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Juniper Research: Voice Assistants "Increasingly Crucial" in the Smart Home

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According to Juniper Research, the number of voice assistants is set to grow from 105 million in 2019 to 555m by 2024, with Chinese vendors driving the market through increased participation.

Voice assistants

The analyst says voice assistants are an "an increasingly crucial element" in the smart home, bringing interoperability platforms to enable seamless smart home control. As one might expect, Amazon is the top vendor thanks to heavy investment from the Alexa Fund, as well as the advanced hub features in the Echo Plus and Alexa Skills enabling a vast 3rd party app ecosystem. Further bolstering the position of Alexa are high-profile Amazon acquisitions such as Blink, Ring and Eero.

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ISE 2020 Visitor Registrations Open!

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Integrated Systems Europe announces visitor registrations for ISE 2020 are open. Taking place at the RAI Amsterdam on 11-14 February 2020, the show promises to be the leading event for the professional systems integration channel and AV technology end users.

Amsterdam RAIAttendees with an invitation code can register for the show free of charge. Codes are available from exhibitors, and are also distributed on official ISE media.

“As the meeting-place for this global industry, ISE 2020 promises innovative new solutions, exciting show features, enriching learning opportunities and unbeatable networking opportunities,” Integrated Systems Events managing director Mike Blackman says. “ISE is all about Making Deeper Connections, with people, with technologies and with the industry as a whole.”

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Sound United Calls Off Onkyo Home Audio Purchase

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Back in May 2019 Sound United announced the acquisition of the Onkyo consumer audio division. Now the deal appears to be off the table, as Forbes reports the Onkyo board of directors has resolved to terminate the transfer.

Onkyo sale

The deal would have had Onkyo transfer its home AV business-- owner of the Onkyo, Pioneer, Pioneer Elite and Integra brands-- to the Sound United, the parent company of Denon, Polk Audio and Marantz, among others, for an undisclosed sum. Reportedly Onkyo was planning to concentrate on Digital Life portable products and OEM products and services, and as such it made sense to combine its premium brands with the Sound United portfolio.

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CEDIA Names EMEA Awards Winners

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The Victoria & Albert Museum in London sees CEDIA name the winners of the 2019 EMEA Awards, with winners including UK integrator Perfect Integration, Indian CI specialist Sound Sense and distributor Habibtech.

CEDIA Awards

The black tie event commemorates the best projects and companies in the AV industry from France, India, S. Africa, UAE, the UK and USA. The ceremony started with a drinks reception in the Museum Dome. Following that the 400 industry professionals in attendance headed through the Raphael Gallery, the largest and most famous part of the museum, where CEDIA global president and CEO Tabatha O'Connor opened proceedings before attendees enjoy a three-course meal.

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Amazon Puts Alexa in Even More Things

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Amazon announces a lot of Alexa-powered devices at its September 2019 hardware event, with 15 devices ranging from the obligatory (such as updates on the Echo speaker range) and the somewhat weird (an Alexa-powered ring anyone?).

Amazon Alexa devices

Front-lining the event are, perhaps obviously, the Echo device update as Amazon promises to have a smart speaker for just about everyone. Audiophiles get the Echo Studio, a take on the likes of the Google Nest Max and Amazon HomePod featuring five drivers, including a downward-facing 5.25-inch woofer, 1-inch front-firing tweeter and three 2-inch mid-range speakers aimed in different directions. It supports 3D audio and Dolby Atmos, and includes a 24-bit DAC and 100kHZ power amplifier for high-resolution music playback via, of course, the Amazon HD Music service.

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