All Articles Tagged Software

CE Pro Editors | 10/31 08:47 AM, 0 Comments

Simply Reliable has released Design Machine for Dove Net, a new version of its drawing and documentation software. Design Machine automatically creates block schematic drawings, cable schedules, and wire labels. “We are excited to bring Design Machine to Dove Net and their customers,” says Tom Coffin vice president of business development at Simply Reliable. “Our goal for Design Machine has always been to be a platform to make creating drawings and documentation easy for all types of projects. We believe this will produce better projects with happier clients. This is… View this story

Jason Knott | 05/16 09:50 AM, 3 Comments

Since first opening in 2008, the Smart Home exhibit in Chicago’s Museum of Science & Industry has hosted more than 250,000 guests. But it wasn’t’ all that foot traffic that precipitated a makeover, it was new technology. The exhibit, dubbed “Chicago’s Greenest Home,” is now outfitted with even more green technologies. The tech portion of the project was an example of some of the best levels of industry cooperation ever witnessed. Here’s a quick list of the tech participants. Doherty Design Group: Led by former CEDIA president Tom Doherty, the… View this story

Jason Knott | 05/11 08:32 AM, 3 Comments

When you are new to any industry, differentiating yourself and working efficiently can sometimes be big challenges. J. Becher & Assoc. in Minneapolis/St. Paul needed to do just that. While not a new company, J. Becher & Assoc. was relatively new to A/V custom installation. Over the years, the company has wired more than 10,000 homes and businesses, becoming one of the area's premier electrical and low-voltage contractors. Since its inception in 1987, the mission of J. Becher & Assoc. has been to provide quality workmanship, innovative design and thoughtful… View this story

Jason Knott | 04/13 09:15 AM, 5 Comments

One of the marketing pitches from Simply Reliable Software (SRS) about its new Design Machine software is that dealers can now take “10 minutes, not 10 hours” to design and create system drawings. But after sitting through a demo of the software, SRS might be understating the capability of Design Machine. Indeed, the software was able to create a four-page drawing for a multiroom audio/video system in less than one minute… literally about 30 seconds if I had my stopwatch out. The software is SRS’ latest lower-cost option for integrators… View this story

Jason Knott | 03/23 09:35 AM, 0 Comments

With April 18 fast approaching for your 2010 tax filing, it's never too early to prepare for your 2011 taxes. There are several changes to the tax law that affect integrators. Some are beneficial; some are not. The new 1099 reporting law, an employee retention credit for hiring a previously unemployed person, and equipment write-off laws are just some of the lesser-known changes that can affect integrators. According to the New York Enterprise Report, there are five key things to make sure to mention to your tax specialist: 1099 Reporting:… View this story

CE Pro Editors | 03/15 10:31 AM, 0 Comments

Lighting control manufacturer Lutron Electronics is now shipping the RadioRA 2 plug-in appliance module for control of standby power, and has released the newest version of the system’s sophisticated design and programming utility. The design and programming utility has been enhanced with several features to maximize a home’s energy efficiency, including:It turns off standby power (vampire loads) to electronic appliances when not in use, saving up to 10 percent of a home’s electricity usage It installs easily: plug appliance into module, then plug module into the wallIt can be incorporated… View this story

Jason Knott | 03/04 08:32 AM, 3 Comments

For custom integrators, software is clearly “in the eye of the beholder.” Every integrator - large or small - has a different need when it comes to his software desires. Some guys only need accounting, others cherish proposal writing, while others need full project management. Some integrators think custom-written programs are the way to go. Others are devout to off-the-shelf products developed for all types of contractors. Lastly, there is a growing recognition in the industry that software written for custom integrators can be extremely valuable for sales and operations.… View this story

Jason Knott | 02/22 11:25 AM, 6 Comments

If saving time equals more money, Brian Pantle of Encore Sight and Sound in Wellington, Colo. might soon be a rich man. Pantle recently started using the SmartOffice proposal writing software from Simply Reliable Software (SRS) and has seen the time it takes to create a quality sales presentation for clients decrease exponentially. Pantle estimates he saves $1,500 on every proposal. “I used to spend two days trying to make my proposals look good,” admits Pantle, who now says his average proposal takes just one to two hours to create… View this story

Tom LeBlanc | 10/08 11:29 AM, 3 Comments

Integrators are well aware of the buzz about digital signage – it’s a huge opportunity, given that it was a nearly $4 billion industry in 2009 and poised to grow to $4.8 billion this year. That opportunity, however, means very little for integration companies that don’t know how to effectively roll out digital signage as an extension of their businesses. To get some guidance, CE Pro turns to an InfoComm Certified Technology Specialist and renowned expert on digital signage Alan Brawn of Brawn Consulting. Brawn has developed an educational module,… View this story

Jason Knott | 10/07 07:30 AM, 2 Comments

Lost among the eye candy at CEDIA Expo 2010 were probably the least-sexy products of all: software. But in this economy, you could argue that operational and sales software might be the most important thing to see at the show. Sales process software has reached into the 21st Century with the Salez Toolz iPad app. Seriously, how bad does it look for an integrator to walk into a customer’s home carrying a clipboard and pencil these days? Salez Toolz is designed to let customers see the proposal being built. Dealers… View this story