CE Pro Podcast

In Episode 15 of Inside Buzz, Josh Cooperman of Convo by Design sits down with Adam Eberhardt of Resolute Design Group at CEDIA Expo/CIX 2025 to explore the rapidly evolving world of lighting control and smart home design. With more than three decades in the integration industry, Adam breaks down why lighting fixtures, shading, and color‑tuned environments are now essential elements of luxury residential projects - and how homeowners are thinking beyond traditional AV.

Adam also shares insights on educating clients, coordinating with architects and designers, and navigating shifting technologies like PoE shading, cloud‑based systems, and network‑heavy homes. From multifunction entertainment spaces to wellness‑driven bathrooms, Adam highlights the trends reshaping how people experience their homes.

In this episode, CE Pro Executive Editor Zachary Comeau sits down with Richard Charschan of Acoustic Smart Home Theater Interiors to explore the evolving home theater market and what it means for integrators today.

Charschan shares insights from decades on the front lines of custom theater design, explaining how demand has surged since COVID as consumers seek immersive, at-home entertainment experiences. He breaks down why the market is increasingly split between ultra-high-end dedicated cinemas and more budget-friendly setups, with fewer midrange projects in between.

The conversation dives into key trends shaping the category, including the rise of video walls, improvements in projection technology, and the growing importance of acoustics, isolation, and proper room design. While video walls are gaining attention, Charschan notes that traditional projectors still dominate the vast majority of installations due to cost and practicality.

The episode also tackles a major industry debate: dedicated theaters vs. multipurpose media rooms. Charschan argues that while both have their place, nothing replaces the immersive, distraction-free experience of a purpose-built theater environment.

Additional topics include:

- How streaming and cinematic TV content are fueling demand
- The role of architects and interior designers in driving (or limiting) theater adoption
- Shifting design trends toward more lifestyle-friendly aesthetics
- New surround sound formats and advancements in audio processing
- Why education is critical to growing the home theater category

Ultimately, Charschan makes the case that home theaters are not just entertainment spaces, but “escape rooms” that provide a level of immersion and emotional impact unmatched by traditional living room setups.

In this episode of the Inside Buzz podcast, Gina Colucci of Market Share — a Pacific Northwest representative for Lutron and several high-end AV brands — joins the discussion at CEDIA Expo/CIX 2025 to share her perspective from the show floor and her work bridging the gap between technology and the design community.

CE Pro Executive Editor Zachary Comeau sits down with Senior Editor Nick Boever to recap Lightapalooza 2026 and break down the biggest developments in lighting — from fixture innovation and control strategies to human-centric design, power infrastructure, and how integrators are positioning lighting as a core system in the modern home.

In this episode of Inside Buzz recorded live at CEDIA Expo/CIX 2025, Josh Cooperman of Convo by Design sits down with Dan Augsburger, U.S. Residential Sales Manager for LEA Professional, to explore the technologies and trends shaping today’s AV integration world.

Dan breaks down how LEA Professional’s IoT-enabled smart amplifiers are designed with intuitive IT platforms, built‑in DSP, and flexible smart power features that help integrators optimize system performance with ease. He explains why LEA’s cloud‑based monitoring and management tools are often the “light‑bulb moment” for integrators—enabling real‑time system health alerts, remote adjustments, and major cost savings by reducing unnecessary truck rolls.

The conversation also dives into current market sentiment, including how tariffs and interest rates are affecting different project tiers, why high‑end jobs remain strong, and how integrators are adapting. Dan provides insight into LEA’s manufacturing strategy, the engineering advantages of being based in Indiana, and the company’s commitment to working seamlessly with any control system or speaker brand to “raise the tide” across the industry.

Jason McGraw, CEDIA Expo/CIX show director and group vice president, lays out what the Expo team is working on for the 2026 edition of the show. 

McGraw chats with CE Pro Executive Editor Zachary Comeau and Commercial Integrator's Dan Ferrisi (Group Director of Content + Editorial, Industrial + Tech at Emerald) about new initiatives, new ideas and what is shaping up to be a very exciting CEDIA Expo/CIX 2026.

In this episode of Inside Buzz recorded live at CEDIA Expo/CIX 2025, Josh Cooperman of Convo By Design sits down with Eric Nakkila of Selective Design to explore the evolution of custom integration.

They discuss the growing influence of European design, the rapid innovation in architectural lighting, invisible speaker technology, vinyl’s resurgence, and why stronger collaboration between integrators and designers is critical to the industry’s future. Eric also shares how manufacturers are navigating pricing volatility, tariffs, and supply chain uncertainty — while delivering high-performance, design-forward solutions.

In this episode of Inside Buzz recorded live at CEDIA Expo/CIX 2025, Josh Cooperman sits down with Ruslan Polinovsky of DMF Lighting to explore how manufacturers, integrators, and designers can better connect around lighting innovation.

Ruslan shares insights on engaging the design community through clearer education, real-world showroom experiences, and collaboration that starts earlier in the project lifecycle. The conversation also covers how modern lighting solutions—like tunable white and digital retrofit capabilities—are changing the way designers and homeowners experience lighting.

Recorded at CEDIA Expo/CIX 2025, this episode of Inside Buzz features Hagan Kappler of Daisy appears on Inside Buzz to discuss leadership, workforce development, and the future of integration. Hagen explains why investing in technicians, apprenticeship programs, and women in the industry is both a social imperative and smart business. The episode offers a candid look at how integrators can grow stronger through scale and collaboration.

In this episode of Inside Buzz recorded live at CEDIA Expo/CIX 2025, Joe Piccirilli, CEO and founder of Rosewater Energy, shares his 50+ year journey through the AV and custom integration industry—and the critical insight that led him to redefine residential energy resilience.

From his early days building Sound Advice and distributing Crestron and Lutron, Joe explains how recurring system failures all traced back to one overlooked issue: poor power quality. He breaks down why voltage sags—not surges—are the real threat to today’s microprocessor-driven homes, and why uninterrupted, “perfect power” is now foundational to luxury residences, safe rooms, healthcare applications, and aging-in-place solutions.