Certification - August 2008 - (Page 34)

energy costs by adjusting the temperature according to changing weather conditions. • Multiple rooms in the home can be video monitored via the Internet from anywhere in the world. • A homeowner can adjust the home’s lighting remotely, allowing travelers to give the home a lived-in feel. • Technicians serving the digital home technology integration market must have skills in both the CE and IT worlds to provide the product installation, integration, service and support consumers need to fully enjoy a connected home lifestyle. This is particularly important for consumers who work at home and need confidence in the stability The digital home technology integrator is able to install and configure multiple systems: wireless Internet connections; remotely enabled domestic appliances; media servers; security, heating and ventilation systems; and digital TV set-top boxes. In short, a certified digital home technology integrator can bring order to potential chaos in the smart home. The target candidate for this certification could work in a variety of industries and jobs related to home technology, including technology integrators; security system technicians; cable, satellite, telecommunications and A/V installers; electricians; and network administrators. Plumbers, electricians and security system installers can learn how to set up and maintain new home technologies, many of which are able to integrate with traditional utilities such as central heating, lighting and plumbing. By introducing new skills to traditional home workers, they can offer a one-stop shop for a range of services that customers prefer. Some of the most common day-to-day tasks performed by a digital home technology integrator include: • Configuration, setup and maintenance of a residential local area network (LAN), including client configuration, remote access and network-device setup and integration. • Installation, maintenance and troubleshooting of multiroom audio systems, including control devices, sources, proper cable use, amplification, speaker types and identifying common sources of interference. • Installation of digital home entertainment and distribution, including digital rights management and IP, media center PCs and entertainment PCs. • Installation and maintenance of digital home control of telecommunications, lighting, energy management and security. Candidates for CEA-CompTIA DHTI+ certification should possess the skills and knowledge of basic PC hardware, hand and tool skills, safety precautions, basic electrical awareness, local regulations and building codes. Individuals should have 18 to 24 months of experience in some area of digital home integration technology. 8 John Venator is the president and chief executive officer of the Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA), the leading trade association representing the business interests of the global information technology industry. He can be reached at editor@certmag.com. The growth of digital home networking could be stalled without qualified technicians to deliver service and support. and performance of their home offices. Consumers whose work relies on reliable remote working need to know that the person installing their equipment is qualified to an approved level of expertise. The five fastest-growing types of installations talking place today, according to CE Pro Magazine, are: • Home automation and control. • Home theater. • Multiroom audio and video control. • Home networking. • Structured wiring. A professional certification such as the Digital Home Technology Integrator + (DHTI+) (certification. comptia.org/dhti/default.aspx) credential jointly developed by the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) and the Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) identifies the skill set necessary to perform the job functions required of a digital home network integrator. CEA-CompTIA DHTI+ certifications signals that the certified professional has the foundation-level skills and knowledge necessary to configure, integrate, maintain, troubleshoot and comprehend the basic design concepts of electronic and digital home systems. CERTIFICATION MAGAZINE August 2008 http://certification.comptia.org/dhti/ http://certification.comptia.org/dhti/ http://certification.comptia.org/dhti/default.aspx http://certification.comptia.org/dhti/default.aspx

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Certification - August 2008

Certification - August 2008 Editor's Letter Contents Data Stream jVirtual Village Tech Careers Dear Techie Troubleshooting Academic Connection What We Like Look Ahead The China Boom United in IT: Tech Culture Breaks Down Barriers Abroad Interface Digital Home Technology Integrator: Specialized Skills for the Smart Home Inside Certification Ad Index Endtag

Certification - August 2008

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