AV Trade Talk

AV Trade Talk: Exploring CEDIA Expo with Jason McGraw In this episode of AV Trade Talk, host Katye McGregor Bennett sits down once again with Jason McGraw of Emerald to dive deep into everything you need to know about CEDIA Expo and its host city, Denver, Colorado. Jason shares insider insights on what makes this event such a cornerstone for the custom integration community, including: The latest technologies and innovations in audio, video, lighting, control, energy management, and more. The growing overlap of residential and commercial integration through the co-located Commercial Integrator Expo. Must-attend sessions, keynotes, and networking events that make the show both a business builder and a community gathering. Why bringing younger and newer team members, design-build partners, and even students can help alter the future of the industry in a positive way. And of course, tips for making the most of your time in Denver—from iconic venues and local dining to after-hours parties, live music at Red Rocks Amphitheater, MLB Baseball at the ballpark, and all sorts of fun outdoor adventures. Whether you’re a longtime attendee, a first-time visitor, or just curious about how the AV industry connects and collaborates, this conversation offers valuable takeaways about maximizing trade show experiences and building stronger ties within the integration community. Tune in for a lively, informative discussion that captures the excitement, energy, and opportunities that CEDIA Expo—and Denver—bring to the table, year after year.   #cediaexpo #avtradetalkpod #hometechnology

AV Trade Talk: Mastering Connectivity Series, Episode 5 — HDMI 2.2: Engineering the Future of AV Infrastructure The future of audiovisual connectivity is here — and it’s doubling down. In Episode 5 of the Mastering Connectivity Series, produced in collaboration with Kordz, AV Trade Talk host Katye McGregor Bennett sits down with Kordz Managing Director James Chen and Operations Director Benjamin Yeh for an exclusive deep dive into the newly released HDMI 2.2 specification. With a staggering data rate leap from 48Gbps to 96Gbps, HDMI 2.2 represents a seismic shift in AV performance and infrastructure requirements. But what does this mean for integrators, manufacturers, and tech-savvy end users? Our guests unpack the opportunities, the engineering challenges, and the road to certification that lies ahead. In this episode, you'll learn: Why HDMI 2.2 is more than just a spec update — it's a generational leap toward 8K, 16K, and ultra-high frame rate applications. The critical role of new cabling and testing standards, and why Kordz takes a deliberate, engineering-first approach to product development. What integrators should really be doing today to prepare — including how to design for upgradeability and avoid the hype trap of premature marketing claims. Which industries will benefit first, from immersive gaming and VR to surgical suites and high-end simulation environments. How to spot quality HDMI cable. James Chen and Benjamin Yeh emphasize a powerful takeaway: HDMI 2.2 is a spec for tomorrow’s experiences, not today’s quick sales. Certification timelines, strict performance requirements, and precise manufacturing mean that planning and patience will win the day. Whether you're an AV integrator, system designer, or technology enthusiast, this episode offers essential insights into the future of high-performance AV connectivity. 🎧 Listen now to stay ahead of the curve and ensure your projects are ready for the next frontier of ultra-high bandwidth, high-resolution video distribution. Learn more at Kordz.com/articles and follow AV Trade Talk for more deep-dive episodes.

In this episode of AV Trade Talk, we head outside—literally—to explore the critical role outdoor network cables play in today’s connected environments. Whether it’s powering up smart gardens, securing properties with surveillance tech, or enabling robust backyard entertainment zones, outdoor networking is no longer optional—it's essential. Joining host Katye McGregor Bennett this time are expert guests Nathan Holmes of WhyReboot, Eddie Shapiro of SmartTouch USA, and Benjamin Yeh from Kordz, a leader in high-performance cabling solutions, who break down everything you need to know about outdoor-rated and direct burial cables. We’ll dive into the environmental challenges installers face, common mistakes to avoid, and how innovations like the Kordz SlimCat range are changing the game for tech pros working in harsh conditions. You’ll hear about: Why the outdoor networking market is booming The critical differences between outdoor and direct burial cables Real-world challenges from the field—and how to solve them Installation best practices to ensure long-term performance What makes a cable truly professional-grade Whether you're an integrator expanding into outdoor spaces or a design-build pro looking to future-proof your projects, this episode will equip you with insights and practical advice to deliver reliable connectivity—rain or shine.  Tune in, download, subscribe now, and visit Kordz.com to explore professional cable infrastructure solutions built for the elements.

What does it take to provide proactive, meaningful health and wellness interventions? Up until now, that's been a real challenge. In this episode, recorded during ISE 2025 in Barcelona Spain, Katye chats with Kyle Steele of FutureCare Solutions Group and Global Wave Integration about a new, expanded service offering that can do just that. It was born from the notion that we can do better by harnessing AI and advanced sensor technology and brought to market with proven results, Kyle's passionate storytelling of how it all came to be and where it can go is captured in this fun chat. How can that be translated into a new or expanded service offering for those in the integration, healthcare, caregiver, and design-build communities? Tune-in and learn more! Want to connect with Kyle to learn more about his offering? Kyle@futurecare.ai Kyle@globalwaveintegration.com OR www.futurecare.ai www.globalwaveintegration.com

Illuminated Lighting Design. What's all about? In this episode, recorded during ISE 2025 in Barcelona Spain for the Connecting Tech + Design pod, Katye chats with Lynne Stambouly, The Light Lady, and Bruce Clark, who together are part of a new collective — Illuminated Lighting Design — about their professional lighting design services now available to integrators, designers, architects, property managers and homeowners. Not only do Lynne and Bruce share details of that offering, but they also provide valuable insights and many humorous illustrations about the challenges that exist in getting lighting right. How can that be translated into a new or expanded service offering for those in the design-build-integration community? Tune-in and learn more! 

Did you know? 99% of the global population breathes air that is below "good" quality levels. With water, we face similar challenges. In this episode, recorded at ISE 2025 in Barcelona Spain, Michael D. Ham of RePure talks about the need for far better air & water quality and how RePure's Healthy Home OS provides peace of mind by helping you identify, track, and remove harmful contaminants in your air and water. RePure's multi-award winning solutions are just the beginning. Michael shares news about a new partnership with Delos, discusses recent stage talks about Healthy Home Opportunities, and introduces the term Salutogenesis. What does that mean and how can the integration community harness it to help deliver a healthier home environment along with integrated systems? Tune-in and learn more! 

Mastering Connectivity: Building and Shipping The Ultimate Audio Demo Room [Sponsored by Kordz​] In this fourth installment of the Mastering Connectivity Series, Sponsored by Kordz, Peter Aylett of Officina Acustica, David Meyerowitz of Trinnov, Lars Johansen of Perlisten Audio, and James Chen of Kordz discuss the extensive work required to design, build, calibrate, commission, and prepare The Ultimate Audio Demo for a major international event. It’s a fun and lively discussion about what it takes to get a demo of this scale ready to debut as well as the logistics of packing it all up and shipping the FULL kit to Integrated Systems Europe (ISE) in Barcelona, Spain, and back home again after the show.   To learn more about the demo, visit: https://hub.trinnov.com/ise2025 To learn more about Kordz at ISE 2025 visit https://www.kordz.com/trade-show-and-event/integrated-system-europe-ise-barcelona/. To learn more about the brands participating in this episode, visit the websites below: Officina Acustica: https://officinaacustica.com/ Trinnov: https://www.trinnov.com/ Perlisten Audio: https://www.perlistenaudio.com/ Kordz: www.kordz.com Thanks for tuning in! 

Mastering Connectivity: Building A CEDIA Award-Winning Showroom and Dedicated Home Theater [Sponsored by Kordz​] In this Third installment of the Mastering Connectivity Series, Sponsored by Kordz, Michael and Dr. Hailey Daly of Wired By MJD in Australia discuss what it took to design, build-out, install and commission both an award winning showroom and a dedicated home theater in a small space along a busy high street. They share some of the challenges faced and solutions they and the team came up with to bring their dreams to life.     Download, tune in, and enjoy! More episodes will follow, taking a deeper look at the cable infrastructure industry and diving into the details that matter. To learn more about Kordz visit www.kordz.com and to read about the story discussed in this episode, visit https://www.kordz.com/case-studies/case-study-kordz-powers-wired-by-mjds-award-winning-showroom-experience/. To learn about Wired By MJD, go to https://wiredbymjd.com.au/.  

In this episode, I'm joined by Daryl Friedman, Global CEO and President of CEDIA, the Custom Electronic Design and Integration Association, to talk about the association's efforts to establish a Technology Integrator SOC occupational code. Why is this important? Smart Home Professionals, or Technology Integrators, are currently misclassified as a subset of the electrical trade within the SOC system. In the next revision to the SOC system, our community feels it is vital Technology Integrators are recognized with a separate SOC occupational code. A Technology Integrator’s skill set and training is more diverse than other trades, with specialized skills required to work with technology throughout the home. A vital step for the important work done by Technology Integrators is to establish a separate SOC occupational code in the SOC system revision, which is open for possible revision in 2028. Tune in to learn more and if you are compelled, our industry would appreciate your support! The link below will open a pre-written/suggested letter that you can submit simply by clicking the button at the bottom. The work this industry does is important and this SOC will make a big difference for those in the field now as well as those coming into it. Thank you for supporting Technology Integrators and the AV Trade Talk pod!  https://cedia.org/make-my-job-official/#support

CEDIA Expo 2024 takes place in Denver, CO from Sept. 5-7, 2024. The residential technology industry's leading event for professionals and brands in the channel, this show is THE place to be if you're in the audiovisual biz. I'm joined in this episode by Jason McGraw, Emerald Expositions Group Vice President, Event Brand Leader, CEDIA Expo, Commercial Integrator Expo, KBIS, and AV-iQ. Jason shares what's taking place before and during CEDIA Expo and some of his favorite parts of the show. Of course, I can't resist sharing my POV, so we discuss that and more in this episode of AV Trade Talk, your source for news, insights, and more. CEDIA Expo is open to the trade only. If you qualify, you can register here, now:  https://cediaexpo.com. Thanks for tuning in!

Mastering [Wireless] Connectivity: Wireless Connectivity: Why Behind Every Great Wi-Fi Experience There is Always a Great Wired Network [Sponsored by Kordz​] In this second installment of the Mastering Connectivity Series, Sponsored by Kordz, integration and networking experts dive into how reliable and robust cabling is at the heart of any good Wi-Fi experience.       Download, tune in, and enjoy! More episodes will follow, taking a deeper look at the cable infrastructure industry and diving into the details that matter. To learn more about Kordz visit www.kordz.com.  

In the audiovisual industry, there is a strong sense of community but we often get so tied up in the day-to-day that it can be easy to forget to have fun together. However, a group is forming to change that, one "dink" at a time. Host Katye McGregor Bennett is  joined in this episode by Alex Capecelatro of Josh.ai and John Sciacca of Custom Theater & Audio in Murrell's Inlet, SC, who are working hard to make a CEDIA community Pickleball event happen during the week of CEDIA Expo 2024. Attendees and Sponsors are needed so please, tune in to hear not only what Pickleball is but how you can sign up for the event set to take place during CEDIA Expo week in Denver, CO. You might even learn what "dink" means. CEDIA community members and #avtweeps are invited to fill out this form with their suggested availability, if interested in participating: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdKGtdgrJnzG5cIaA3tbVbg07i3STiE4ovBMGuKRH8ldGJSkA/viewform.  Thanks for tuning in to another episode of AV Trade Talk with Katye McGregor Bennett!

In this first installment of a new podcast series Sponsored by Kordz called Mastering Connectivity, connectivity experts unravel cabling myths that have plagued the technology integration industry for decades and share how what needs to evolve for integration professionals to meet the demands of tomorrow. Download, tune in, and enjoy! More episodes will follow, taking a deeper look at the cable infrastructure industry and diving into the details that matter. To learn more about Kordz visit www.kordz.com.

WALL-SMART products beautifully conceal tech gear in homes and businesses. Co-founder Galia Ben-Dor shares what's new in the lineup for 2024 and what will debut during the Integrated Systems Europe (ISE) show in Barcelona, Spain. 

What's this AV Yoga thing all about? AV Yoga @ CEDIA Expo is led by Maddie Ringer of Mad Yoga on YouTube and Sunshine Yoga in Red Lodge, MT. In this episode Maddie shares what to expect, what not to worry about, and what you'll get out of it. TRUST ME, this pre-show morning practice will wake you up, re-energize you, and stretch you out, a perfect way to start the last day of CEDIA Expo.   Please note: AV Yoga @ CEDIA Expo takes place Saturday, Sept. 9th @ 7:30 in the Colorado Convention Center but is only open to registered, badge-holding attendees of CEDIA Expo. If you meet this criteria, please join us by registering via Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/av-yoga-cedia-expo-tickets-695029571157   Thanks for tuning in to AV Trade Talk!

Here we go! CEDIA Expo 2023 kicks off Sept. 7th. Hear what attendees are excited to see, learn, and do while in Denver, CO for the show in this new episode of AV Trade Talk. Thanks for tuning in!

Breaking AV Industry News: Longtime CE Pro Editor Jason Knott Joins the D-Tools Team. We didn't see this one coming but, wow, what a move! Tune in to hear what it was about D-Tools that piqued Jason's interest so much that he had to join the team. Hint: it's all in the numbers. Download, listen, and share your thoughts, #avtweeps! Learn more about D-Tools at www.d-tools.com.

It's CEDIA Expo time again! What's everyone in the CEDIA channel eager to see, do, eat & drink this week in Dallas? Tune in to hear from AV industry integrators, reps, brands, and associations and learn what they have their eyes on and where they're planning to spend their time during CEDIA Expo and after hours around Dallas. Grab a pen and take notes, lots of great info is shared in this episode! 

Tech talk: Sony's 2022 Pro AV lineup offers a broader range of products and truly innovative solutions, filling much-needed gaps in ways only Sony can deliver. Get the details about this year's offering from Rich Ventura, Vice President of B2B at Sony Electronics. Learn more about Sony's Pro AV offering at www.pro.sony/ue_US/home.

Tech talk: Sony's 2022 residential TV lineup is bigger, brighter, and more affordable than ever and the new projectors offer amazing image quality. We talk about Mini LED, OLED, QLED, lasers, and more. Get the details about this year's offering and Sony's Road Show schedule from Jayson Savage, Associate Sales Manager for Sony's CI channel business. Learn more at www.sonypremiumhome.com.