November/December 2024 | Volume 32 | No. 10 CONTENTS DEPARTMENTS 6 INDUSTRY PULSE 15,200+ Attend CEDIA Expo & Commercial Integrator Expo Sonnenfeld Keynote Slams 8K & HDR DirecTV Finally Acquires Dish 8 WELLSCAPES Kohler Ice Bath Flips Switch on Hot Tub Formula 16 COVER STORY PROJECT & PRODUCT INNOVATIONS PREVAIL! 16 This year's CE Pro Home of the Year Awards and BEST Product Awards recognize significant and sophisticated solutions highlighting every smart home technology category. By CE Pro Editors 62 20 24 AWARDS 2024 18 Best Before & After / Retrofit 20 Best Budget Compromise Project 22 Best Combo Design+Tech Project 24 Best Health & Wellness Project 25 Best Kitchen & Bathroom Project 26 Best Lighting Control Project 28 Best Multipurpose / Media Room 30 Best Sound / Audio Project 31 Best Strange or Specialty Area 32 Best Outdoor Entertainment Area 34 Best Rack / Equipment Room 36 Best Shade Control Project 38 Best Home Theater Under $100K 40 Best Home Theater Over $100K 42 Best Smart Home Under $150K 44 Best Smart Home $150K to $1M 46 Best Smart Home Over $1M 47 Best New Technologies Project 48 BEST (Best Electronic Systems Technologies) Products Awards 2 | CE Pro November/December 2024 Investment into Organizational Improvements Pays Off CE Pro Business Resources Deep Dive finds integrators are streamlining software to a median of 4 pieces leading to a 13% profits increase. By Arlen Schweiger VIEW POINTS EDITOR'S NOTE 4 Impressions from CEDIA Expo By Arlen Schweiger HDMI CORNER 14 New matrix added to evaluation By Jeff Boccaccio INTEGRATOR INSIDER 65 A woman's tradeshow perspective By Amanda Crigar COVER CREDIT: Atlantic Control Technologies/ Jorge Tapia cepro.com 9 LIGHTING Rethinking Traditional Layered Lighting Design 10 AUDIO+VIDEO Bluesound Hosts Node Hi-Fi Launch Event in New York City Vanco Extender Solves Audio Problems Q&A: Colton Forth, Juke Audio 12 NETWORKING+ HOME CONTROL Nice Adds Voice Controls, Other Updates in OS 8.9 PowerShades Debuts Smart Lighting Somfy, Draper Partner on Calif. Housing Initiative Amazon's eero Intros Outdoor Wi-Fi System Security Corner 68 CHANNEL Daisy Acquires SaaviHome, Continues to Add Locations WAVE Scoops Up Fellow Distributor KOA Specifi Integrates with Nice Oasys Residential Technology Group Welcomes Sonos 72 BY THE NUMBERS Loudspeakers & Subwoofers JORGE TAPIAhttp://www.cepro.com