Program Controls to Tie It All Together

With all the apps out there, you may be under the impression that controlling the connected home is easy. But control system programming is so much more than an app. We’re talking about controlling components (i.e. TVs and Blu-ray players) as well as subsystems (i.e. HVAC and lighting) and making it easy to use for the end user. It’s in your best interest to learn how to install these types of systems. CEDIA research shows that integration and control consistently provides the largest percentage of revenue
and profit margin.

One of the difficulties faced when integrating multiple devices from differing manufacturers is that many of the products are designed to speak different languages. Some newer devices only communicate via IP while older equipment is designed to work with IR signals. The job of the home technology professional is to wrangle these disparate systems and design a unified control interface that harmonizes the operation of everything in the home.

One of the primary methods for making entertainment systems easy to operate is the use of macro commands. A macro command is created by programming multiple commands into a single button push. For example, if a client wants to watch a Blu-ray, instead of pushing one button to turn on the TV, another to turn on the receiver, a third to turn on the Blu-ray player, and still another to select the proper input on the receiver, a macro command containing each of those steps can be programmed into a single button called “Watch Blu-ray.” Using activity-based macro commands related to the outcome of what the end user wants to do will significantly simplify operation and provide an exceptional experience for the customer and their family (yes, even the tech-illiterate ones like grandma and the babysitter!).

At CEDIA’s Networking Boot Camp, you will install, configure and program multiple residential electronics subsystems into a unified home automation platform. Subsystems include A/V, HVAC, lighting, closed-circuit cameras, shades, doorbell, and more.

Mobile Device Integration Is a Must

It’s already one of the most popular touch points in the industry and shows no signs of slowing down. Touch-screen phones and tablets have been so embraced by consumers that barely a product launch goes by without new applications that allow control from mobile devices.

As more wireless devices broaden their capabilities beyond checking Facebook and making phone calls, consumers expect their smartphones to do more and more, especially as it relates to how they use them within their homes.

From arming or disarming a home’s security system, controlling lighting and adjusting temperature to turning on the television and turning off sprinklers, if there isn’t an app to control these functions from a mobile device now, you can bet your bottom dollar there will be one in the future — and your clients will want it. It’s up to you to provide a sleek user experience that’s intuitive and effective for the systems in the home.

Apps bring a new wave of consumer awareness and demand to the home integration/automation market. With a significant number of consumers requesting control via mobile devices, it is critical to understand how controlling a system with a tablet or phone will impact the user experience.

Consider what’s referred to as “the app experience.” In this scenario, the client has a different app for each device they want to control. This is the effective equivalent of a coffee table full of remotes, except that instead of picking up one remote at a time and physically swapping back and forth to control different devices (i.e. volume on one remote, channel on another), they are switching in and out of apps.

While this scenario does reduce the physical clutter, the user experience is just as poor. This is due to the complexity of controlling different aspects of the system with different apps. In addition, the client has to understand how everything is connected and be able to quickly recall which inputs and settings to use for each source device. Just because a manufacturer claims “There’s an app for that” doesn’t mean it will provide the best end-user experience. Therefore, it is always recommended a customer be offered a solution that provides macro commands, punch-through functionality, and an intuitive interface that will result in a simplified but outstanding user experience.

Mobile device integration goes hand-in-hand with the control system programming component of CEDIA’s Networking Boot Camp (for more information, visit cedia.net/sibootcamp). You will be using a mobile device as both an entertainment source and system controller. By understanding the thought-process and theory behind networking and systems integration, you will be able to apply these skills to any product-specific software in any home.

Steve Rissi is Technical Product Manager for the Custom Electronics Design & Installation Association (CEDIA). For more information, visit cedia.org.

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5 Keys to CEDIA’s Advanced Networking & Systems Integration Boot Camp

1. Come in Prepared — It will be assumed all students attending the advanced Boot Camp have basic home networking knowledge. The pace of the class cannot be slowed to accommodate questions about these fundamentals. The good news is online courses are available at discounted rates to get up to speed on all things networking (see No. 5 below).
2. Get the Full Picture — The five-day Boot Camp provides a comprehensive and unbiased, hands-on networking and systems integration experience. Students learn about installing, configuring and programming multiple residential electronics subsystems into a unified home automation platform (all using a mobile device as entertainment source/system controller).
3. Become a Residential Networking Specialist — Fees for taking CEDIA’s Residential Networking Specialist exam are included in the Boot Camp registration. Those who pass the test demonstrate mastery of the fundamentals of designing, installing and configuring a network in the home. This credential is the only one of its kind.
4. Show Me the Money — Systems integration and control has shown continuous revenue growth the past five years and is now a mainstay in the residential electronic systems industry. This makes it a business imperative to get trained on networking and systems integration.
5. Elevate Your Skills — Those not yet ready for advanced training can find two other CEDIA options. Basic Residential Boot Camp is a three-day session on residential fundamentals like installing low-voltage infrastructure and distributed A/V, and Home Theater Boot Camp, also three days, teaches how to install, set up and calibrate a home theater or media room.
   

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