So how do we make money programing? What about all our programers?  This can hurt us.

Wizard programming and end user configuration is the future of low and even mid end systems. If your employing programmers you need to become AMX or Crestron dealers and target the high end market. Get good at it and try to dominate your market.

Over the last few years we have used System Builder for basic projects that would typically cost $10-12k for programming. Using System Builder costs us $2-3k. That means the client is saving apx $10k or that they are spending the $10k on better speakers or additional zones.

Since CE products are going to continue to fall the new goal for manufacturers & CI’s is to move more boxes. The quickest way to do that is to bring the cost down and programming is the first on the chopping block. So instead of 2 installers and 2 programmers you will have 4 installers who can do the ‘easy’ programming.

I am not saying this is a good thing.. just that its whats happening… whether we like it or not.

Having sold hundreds of mode ipod systems it took a while for speakercraft to figure it out.  Now it is the easiest system I sell. I think they believe in eliminating installing time and want to hit the mass market, I am happy to have easier equipment and no programing, i would like not to be held hostage by my programers.

I think 39 cent stamp has hit the nail on the head - trying to stem the tide of technology is a fools game (look up the story of King Canute sometime). Basically consumers expect more for less as time moves on - what they saw on ‘homes of the rich and famous’ a decade ago they expect to have in their own homes and fitting their wallets now. You can either constantly be on the ‘bleeding edge’ looking after a small market where money (and margins) are no issue, or you can find ways to offer 80% of the value for 20% of the price to a potential audience that’s 10-1000x the size of that niche.
Also I think it’s interesting to see a company focusing settings and functionality on the user, not the zone. It’s definitely the way of the future - everyone’s selection of smartphone apps is an of indication that this type of personalization is what consumers want.

As I wrote in an earlier editorial called “Silly things integrators say…” it’s difficult to complain about a mfr that makes products easier to program.

Well said Julie. Of course you can’t please everybody all of the time. That being said I’ve heard so many dealers tell manufacturers they love to support “if you offered XYZ product I’d love to give you this portion of my business.” Well here you have a company that dealers rave about working to bring some forward thinking product to the market and I think its GREAT. I’ve seen several others seem to be doing that only to get derailed by poor distribution choices or spending time and money and some function/feature that falls short hitting the larger picture.

SpeakerCraft might be a very very interesting player if this product hits the mark for their dealers. They have strong dealer network, dealers love doing business with them and they are ALREADY part of Nortek. What that means is that they’ve already gone through the process. Not a venture or start up with VC funding that COULD be sold off for the right price which usually alters the direction, development and people when the sale goes down.

This could be a very interesting CEDIA…....

Julie,

Any idea of retail targets?

Bobby—they’re still swearing us to secrecy on some of the issues, but please stay tuned. I was lucky to get this much out of them before the PR.

Phew… This is a bit of a relief.

As a SC dealer, I was getting a little nervous about what was the new “forward” thinking plan, but I will put my trust in Jeremy and his team, and I am eagerly waiting the end result.

PS.. Thank God its not going to be called Fuzzy Underpants Full of Spiders, and THANK GOD its not another glorified media center as had previously been reported.

And I might add: thank goodness it has a fresh industrial design. Very nice. I’m still a fan of fancy pants and thinking of starting a facebook page.

I couldn’t even begin to imagine the fun we would all have with a product called FancyPants. Thank God they didn’t go down that path, ok that reads funny!!!

I am very excited to see and hear what they’ve done. I feel the platform has such potential if developed with the right features, capabilities. We already know the level of support and energy we all receive from the SpeakerCraft team so we have high hopes for this direction.

I agree the industrial design looks very interesting. IF ONLY WE COULD SEE MORE——-Come on Julie get us some more info!!

Ha! I might just change the name to Fuzzy Underpants Full of Spiders now that you mention it Phil! I still have some time… :D

Also glad to hear that you guys are liking the look!

ok, here’s a little more:
http://www.cepro.com/article/more_on_speakercraft_nirv_ip_multiroom_a_v/