The first HDMI® switching solution was introduced by Crestron in 2009. Since then, these devices have evolved greatly. Recently, we announced five new 4K60 4:4:4 HDMI® switchers covering a broad range of sizes, from 4x1 to 8x8. Let’s take a closer look at these new switchers and how they can co-exist with AV-over-IP distribution and their many different applications.

We can all agree that the COVID-19 pandemic has changed the world in many ways. Some changes will only be temporary, while others may be permanent.  One area that’s been greatly impacted is activities that take place in-person. Whether it’s going to concerts and movie theaters or purchasing a car and retail shopping, adjustments have been necessary, regardless of our personal feelings. This has led many people in these industries to think outside-the-box to provide an alternative solution. Our custom electronics industry has been no exception

As a Crestron product manager for many years, I wanted to share some of my lessons-learned from Crestron Home and previous projects. A good product manager is constantly learning by listening to customers and colleagues, as well as reading everything they can get their hands on. That is how I found the initial “Good Product Manager/Bad Product Manager” essay, written many years ago by Ben Horowitz. A good product manager always builds on a body of knowledge, instead of always starting from scratch. This article is in the same vein as that initial essay, but from the perspective of a Crestron Electronics product manager of 22 years.

Crestron has been the leader in control systems for decades; our control appliances run smart homes, rooms, buildings, and campuses. We were the first company in our industry to recognize and embrace that AV and IT were converging, and as such, implemented enterprise-grade security and standards-based communication on our devices. The next step was clear to us: we needed a software-only solution.

While it may take years of development time before we can get a new physical product in your hands – picking components, designing circuits, writing firmware, and manufacturing hardware before it goes on a truck to you – our software development teams can ship XiO Cloud® service updates large and small every few days and have it arrive instantly when you open your web browser. Those differences don’t end with the engineering and manufacturing process – they extend all the way to how we make it possible for you to try and buy our products. That’s why we’re excited to tell you how we’re making it easier to get XiO Cloud into your hands.