AV receivers can pretty much do everything these days, from audio and video processing, wireless streaming, control capabilities and more. Their specs list could go a couple of pages deep in the owner’s manual.
But for today’s custom integrators, the latest AVRs from companies such as iconic Sound United brands Denon and Marantz include features that may be even more important to their business.
Sound United director of training Phil Jones and Tom Ercolino, AV systems engineer – AVR CI support, outlined how integrators can take advantage of remote diagnostics and troubleshooting in the TechTalk “Maximizing Your AV Receivers’ Smart Remote Management Capabilities” at CEDIA Expo 2019.
Receivers Proactively Keep Tabs on Potential Issues
Dealers can tap into remote systems management functions from AV receivers to monitor customers’ connected devices. They can proactively ensure a system is running smoothly and look for any potential issues before they become full-blown problems.
With remote management from AV receivers, integrators can also address and in many cases resolve issues that crop up, without having to roll a truck to the house. Customers may love their Dolby Atmos soundtracks, but if there’s some accidental disconnection or a network blip disrupting their movie they’ll be really happy their integrator can remotely diagnose the problem. They might take care of it while on the phone.
“Our first goal is to be a great partner for the CI dealers, so the first thing is we have to provide all the features that the customers are demanding,” says Jones.
“So we want to make sure it performs well, gives you all of the new lifestyle features like wireless music and it can be easily controlled in your control system – we try to do that first. But then we try to uncover new ways to help CI dealers improve their business and make their jobs easier.”
Thwart Problems Using Industry-Leading Platforms
Toward that end, Sound United has developed partnerships with SnapAV/Control4 (OvrC, Ihiji) and Domotz to leverage the respective remote management platforms so AVRs could be platform agnostic. Those are the leading providers of such services, accounting for much of the industry’s dealers so they will also be able to proficiently enlist whichever one they’re accustomed to using.
“It’s not our decision on which smart remote management system you want to use,” Jones says. “The goal is, which system works best for you and is already in your workflow.”
The results wind up being peace of mind for both the homeowner and dealer. For the latter, that might even include financial peace of mind by being able to establish more recurring revenue from service contracts, fulfilling tasks more efficiently and saving on labor costs.
“If you do an install and everything’s working fine, if you can leave the house knowing that, ‘Hey, if I need to get into a setup menu or remotely reboot something,’ you’ll leave much more confidently,” says Ercolino.
“You won’t be alarmed if your customer calls and says, ‘Hey, something’s not quite right,’ you can still go into a setup menu in five minutes – and when you’re not there.”
