It's tough to generalize about the impact of the slowing housing market on custom installation. Installers in markets dependent on new home construction are surely feeling the pinch, but those relying on renovation and remodeling continue to click along. Irrespective of the housing market, however, there is one aspect of CI where all installers should be seeing rapid, perhaps even spectacular growth in their businesses. If they're not, they should be taking steps to remedy the situation.
Home video distribution is poised for the same explosive growth as home audio distribution and home theater were a decade ago. Some of the reasons for this are the same, but new trends in lifestyle and technology could well push consumer demand for home video distribution even stronger than it did audio.
Video Distribution Opportunities Abound
Last year, TV industry market research firm Nielsen reported that the typical home had more than one video display for every occupant. This, it would seem, is a favorable indicator of consumer attitudes toward distributed video.
As happened in the audio market, quality products and systems for video distribution have proliferated at a range of prices. In video, installers can now offer consumers packaged solutions based on RF, baseband, and broadband technology, and featuring the kind of convenience and ease of use homeowners found that they could have with whole-home audio. Video system prices are not down to the "per room" cost of audio, but they are not far away and are becoming more affordable with every new product cycle.
