The Ethics of the CEDIA business

I haven't heard much about the topics of ethics in our business in or out of CEDIA. Certainly we all have an interest in ethics in our relationship with our employer/employee and in dealing with the customer. Ethics is often discussed in the context of financial and sales dealings with the customer and this makes perfect sense. I haven't checked the course offerings at EXPO in great detail, but I don't think we have a course specifically out the ethics (pardon if I missed it). However, I would like to bring up an issue of TECHNICAL ethics. Specifically I would like to find out your thoughts on recommending, selling, perhaps even "going along with" equipment for the customer who's technical claims are, shall I say, not exactly verifiable.

Let me use an easy example: speaker cables. This could also apply to dozens of other products/devices from gold plated connectors to amplifiers and speakers. We are all familiar with the almost completely subjective claims made about certain types of speaker cable. We've all seen the 10 ft. cable that looks like garden hose selling for $8000 (or more) that claims to substantially improve the sound (performance, IMD, clarity, frequency response, etc.).
Some of you reading this may actually think that it does (if so, I'll be glad to debate that "off-line").
Let me ask a few questions here. Assuming the cost of the cables is not an issue for the customer, should a CEDIA dealer sell them? If it's OK, should they inform the customer that the manufacturer claims are not really verifiable and that they may not, to the customer, offer any actual sound improvement over table lamp electrical cord?

You might say "what's the harm?". After all, the customer can afford it and thinks they're cool. The customer may even have suggested it in the first place. Isn't this similar to someone who wants to buy, say,a Ferrari instead of a Lexus? What's the harm, particularly if you're making the margin?

Well, in the case of the Ferrari, the customer clearly understands that the car does exactly the same thing as a Lexus (or a VW for that matter), BUT he also clearly can tell the difference by driving the car ( I would assume, I've never actually driven one).
In the case of the speaker cables, the customer can't (honestly) tell any difference between a normal speaker cable (14/2) and the garden hose. Yes, there's the placebo effect. Besides, maybe the customer just wants the status symbol of having speaker cables that cost $8000, who cares?

In my opinion, we SHOULD care. To me it's unethical to basically rely on a placebo effect to sell products. I think we have an obligation to understand what products and product claims in our industry not only do what the manufacture claims, but those claims are clearly verifiable. If not, we have a responsibility to inform the customer that certain claims about the product are either questionable or not detectable or verifiable and/or that equipment that costs less may provide equal or better performance. I think we should not only promote a reputation for professional technical skills, but for professional and ethical technical skills. No we're not the equivalent of the FDA, and the burden for "product integrity" will have to be on the shoulders of individual dealer/installers. Could CEDIA help? Maybe, but it's really a political "hot potato".
What do ya think? Not an priority?

Wireless Miracle or More Hype

I've gotten more than a usual background radiation questions lately about whether "wireless" technology really IS going to eliminate wires this time. Custom installers are saying that both customers and builders are saying they don't think they need wires installed because of all the new wireless technologies. I'm sure you are all hearing this. This seems to happen about once every two years, but lately it's gotten louder and more frequent.
I'm sure part of the reason is all the press over several new competing wireless "A/V streaming/HD streaming/atomic streaming" technologies released recently. These include FlyWire, WirelessHD, WiMedia UWB, as well as plain old 802.11n. I'm sure there are more in the "wings". If you add in newer wireless control technologies such as Zwave and Zigbee, I guess if I didn't know any better, I would also think the wires problem has been basically solved.
Hey, I hate wires as much as anyone else but, unfortunately, they're still gonna be with us like death and taxes for the forseeable future—until the laws of physics are changed and the FCC is eliminated.

The issue with RF technologies is always the same (and always will be). You can use RF to get information from one place to another (rather than using wires) some of the time in some of the places. It's all about probabilities. If you're willing to throw more money and power at the problem, the odds go up (but never reach 100%) until you cross the graph where it's cheaper to install wires, even a retrofit. Success in the custom electronics installation business is based on (at least) three requirements: reliability, predictability, and reproducability. When you design an installation, it HAS to work, 100% ALL THE TIME. The customer isn't paying you for prototypes. Unfortunately, using RF introduces a certain amount of unreliability, unpredictability, and unreproducability (is there such a word?)
More for some technologies and installations, less for others. You can't always know.

However, I'm NOT saying don't use RF. It's too handy not to. It's really required for mobile applications such as laptops, remote controls, etc. There is some flexibility here since these applications always have wired backups or the customer can move them around. And to some extent, they are used to the unreliability. But if the only way to get that HDMI signal to the projector is via RF, you may be in trouble.

To make a more educated decision on when and where RF technologies will and won't work, we all need to understand what's going on.

TO BE CONTINUED.

More on Cable Labeling

After sending out my TIP of the Month on Cable Labeling in April, and posting it on HomeToys, it got a lot of attention.  I was a little surprised since it's not a very exciting subject, but I guess is something every install has to be careful about.   

I've written about how to properly label cables for years, but every time I teach a class at CEDIA (Basic or Advanced boot camp), I'm reminded that no one read those articles (or saw the video).  So it's worth repeating.   

Every cable that you install on a job MUST be labeled. No excuses. Labeling will not only save you lots of time on the job site, but will greatly reduce frustrations of troubleshooting and service. Professional labeling will also separate you from the non-professional competition.

If you want to read more, download the whole TIP with photos, links, etc. at

www.trainingdept.com/files/TIPS/APRIL08_Tip.pdf

Cable ID's

Every cable installed on the job should appear on a CABLE SCHEDULE. The cable schedule is derived from the design drawings and lists each cable to be installed with from-to location and termination information. It documents what needs to be installed and where. (a sample cable schedule is available on our site at www.trainingdept.com/files. Look for the Sample_cable_schedule file).
Each cable on the schedule has an identifier (ID). The ID can be numbers, letters, or any combination as long as you understand it and it works. I’ve tried a bunch of different systems, but always come back to the same conclusion: don’t try to make the label “make sense.” That is, don’t try to use labels like “Master Bedroom to Security panel”.
First, you can’t fit it on a label. Second, I know you think it makes perfect sense when you write it, but come back even a day later and you’ll forget what you were thinking. Third, it doesn’t tell you enough. Use a cable reference ID. The labels you make for the cable will simply reference the ID on the cable schedule. If you need to know where the cable goes from-to, look it up on the schedule. I’ve settled on using letters for the ID since numbers are used for location ID’s on the plans.

How to Label

There are basically two good ways to label; either create labels using a portable label maker such as the Brady ID Pal, or the DYMO Rhino Pro 5000.   Both of these companies have good products and they are available at many online retailers such as Amazon, or from stores like Home Depot, and Office Max.   They are less than $200.

Since I wrote the article I found out that at least the DYMO labeler has a "WRAP" mode so the letters are printed at the end of the label, so when you wrap the label around the cable, you don't have to worry about covering up the letters.  

The other technique is to buy sheets of self-laminating labels You can write on them with a felt-tip marker (BEFORE you apply the label) or run em through a laser printer (in the shop). Self-laminating means they include a colored print-on area and a clear part that wraps over the label, protecting it. These are very easy to use in the field and they won't run out of batteries or jam!

I recently discovered an interesting gadget from Dymo that's the best of both, the Rhino 101 (at several on-line stores for about $30). It’s a dispenser for self-laminating labels on a roll with a “window” to allow you to write the label, then cut and eject the label ready for application. There is even a place to hold a pen, and the thing clips to your belt. Nice.

Hope some of this was of help.

Let me know any technique you have that's been successful so I can pass it along!

Welcome

Welcome to my Custom Electronics Design/Installation Tips and Techniques blog.   I hope to post a number of good tips and design/installation techniques on a wide range of subjects you can use in your business. These will come from your suggestions, ideas from our courses, my painful mistakes, past TIP we published in our newsletter, and anywhere else I can get em.   I'll also pass along info on interesting products, tools, web sites, etc.  that I run across that should be of interest.

I would really appreciate hearing your suggestions and comments on things that have made your life easier!  

I don't consider myself a "blogger" but I'll try to keep this updated as often as I can, at least once a week.