The Smart Home as it currently exists can be thanked for many of the innovations we have seen in the custom integration channel. In addition to the simplification of the control and automation process, which now more easily pulls security and lighting control into the mix, the ability to stream audio and video has also been kicked up a notch. In the case of video, the much wider acceptance of 4K as the viewing standard, more robust equipment, and higher residential bandwidth—as well as wider availability of content—have reinvigorated the complex configuration and integration of video distribution in homes.

“The most dramatic impact can be tied to Apple’s introduction of a 4K-capable Apple TV, making content widely available at an affordable price,” said Jay Bakalar, president of Metro Eighteen, an integration company based in San Francisco. “Add 4K TVs that cost a small fraction of what they were just a few years ago, and the only remaining challenge is to deliver the content reliably to all of the end-points throughout the home. Now that issues surrounding the source, home networks, and standards have been adequately resolved, Metro Eighteen relies on the Savant video-over-IP solution exclusively.”

When it comes to customized distribution and management of audio in the home, you can forgive the layperson for instantly thinking about the numerous wireless audio solutions filling up electronic stores’ shelves. But speak to a residential systems integrator, and all talk of smart homes, IoT, and control systems in relation to audio incites a hearty discussion of the pros and cons of wired versus wireless systems, the equipment used to create and manage the best distribution system, and a little hedging on the significance and impact of voice control on audio distribution systems today.

Remote Management Services (RMS) are where it’s at, so to speak.

As a fee-based service that eliminates the necessity for a truck roll, it’s an opportunity. It can also present a challenge in fulfilling customer expectations, so AV integrators have developed various approaches to present RMS to customers.

“We include RMS for all of our installations,” says Eli Weinkle, NXT AV CEO. “We elaborate about how we’ll remotely manage both their network and power. It’s in our core DNA to manage the network and power conditions in any installation site, providing the service and experience our customers expect, to prevent headaches, and to protect our reputation. We take a hands-on approach, and with more IP-based devices these days, remote diagnostics and monitoring are more important than ever.”

For $15,000 per day — plus expenses — you can charter the Shambhala, a 100-foot Azimut Jumbo yacht. For those who can afford it, the vessel is fully equipped for the ultimate in luxury on the high seas, starting with a reliable network and including the very latest in AV and smart automation technology to keep everyone entertained and comfortable. Eight zones of distributed video? Check. Sixteen zones of distributed audio? Check. Lighting, window treatments, and HVAC systems? Check, check, and check. And, of course, there's Savant Pro control and automation system to provide guests with simple control over it all.