The PRO AV 60: Eight Residential Installers
Much has been made recently about commercial AV professionals crossing over into residential work and resi installers competing for commercial work. And indeed, several of the PRO AV 60 that identified themselves as residential installers said they also work in other markets.
Much has been made recently about commercial AV professionals crossing over into residential work and resi installers competing for commercial work. And indeed, several of the PRO AV 60 that identified themselves as residential installers said they also work in other markets. Innovative Audio says it does work in the hospitality industry; Evolution Audio & Video does corporate and retail work; and Integration Controls has its toe in a lot of pools–corportate, government, hospitality, health care, sports, and entertainment.
Still, these PRO AV 60 companies said they remain focused on the home market–despite challenges. They’re about evenly divided on whether their market is poised for growth or struggling to maintain status quo. And not surprisingly, virtually all of them are aware the good, healthy competition for AV jobs is as great as it’s ever been–both from current AV firms and other companies trying to perform AV work.
The Big Picture Home Theater Co.
Wilmette, Ill., www.thebigpicturestore.com
CinemaQuest
Denver, www.cinemaquestinc.com
EHT
Houston, www.ehtllc.com
Evolution Audio & Video
Agoura Hills, Calif., www.evolutionhometheater.com
Innovative Audio
Carlsbad, Calif., www.innovativeaudio.tv
What’s Your Best Advice for Succeeding in Pro AV?
“A system is only good if it works. That means a lot of things to different people, but to us it means the system is only as good as its control interface. We spend a lot of time documenting and writing control systems tailored to each project. This way we believe we can offer a superior product that is unobtainable by others who rely on outside sourcing for their systems design/control”–Innovative Audio
Innovative Theatres
West Hollywood, Calif., www.innovativetheatres.com
What Does “Green AV” Mean to Your Company?
“Occasionally we’ll have a client who wants most, if not all, of the building materials used for him theater to be renewable or recycled. This can include the walls and seating fabric, the carpet and wood veneers. We use many recycled materials for acoustic reinforcement, including blue jeans and t-shirts. For energy savings, a Crestron system can manage power consumption, and then we can always take the client off the power grid using solar panels.”–Innovative Theatres
Integration Controls
St. Louis, www.integrationcontrols.com
Integration Controls of St. Louis follows a “no light switch” policy when possible.
What Does “Green AV” Mean to Your Company?
“It means sustainable design from end to end. When selecting products, we choose components that use less energy, such as digital amplifiers, and add equipment that protect or clients’ electronics investment, such as surge and device protection. Recycling packaging and embracing practices that reduce dust aid in green installs. Times, often tied to occupancy and vacancy sensors, enable shut-down sequences to reduce energy consumption.”–Integration Controls
UltraMedia
Richardson, Texas, www.ultramedia.biz
What’s Your Best Advice for Succeeding in Pro AV?
“Be aware of the ebb and flow of business and prepare for the down times. Our best advertising is a referral. Everyone in the company–no matter the position–is key to maintaining a pleasant work environment, as well as keeping (and acquiring new) business. Processes and procedures are good–the more clarity within a company, the better. And some business is better to lose.”–UltraMedia
