Re: How Many Years Have You Been in the Industry?

["Robert Campbell" <ssv554@usa@isp01.net>]

I think you have hit on a good thing there. I know just setting up my own
system was major daunting, and while doing so, I thought that someone with
this expertise could make a decent buck simply assisting people with this
sometimes arduous chore. Locally, I only know of one company that does this
and only because they sell all the equipment needed for home entertainment.
And if it leads into selling the hardware, so much the better.

If I wasn't looking to "phase out", this would definately be a market worth
looking at.......

RHC

"Jim" <alarminex@xxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:1141097177.436247.27910@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>
> Robert Campbell wrote:
>> I can relate to that ! VoIP is coming and coming on strong. Even the
>> phone
>> companies recognize that and are introducing their own versions of VoIP.
>> I've been encouraging my son to move into other areas of the low voltage
>> industry such as home automation and video. He takes any and all course
>> he
>> can get in to, so once the company is his, I expect he will take it big,
>> moving out of the "mom and pop" category. For me, it's been just another
>> of
>> a number of businesses I've had; for him, it may be his future.
>
> Here's something he may want to investigate. In the last few years I've
> been advertising in my newsletter that I do Home Theater hookups and
> I've been talking it up with each of my clients when I see them. My
> offer to them is that I will accompany them to assist in the choice and
> purchase of their home entertainment electronics.
> Mostly it's the men who make these choices governed by the wife's
> esthetic guidelines. I don't know if any of you have looked at the back
> of some of the latest big screen TV's and amplifier/receivers, but it's
> really a daunting task for any layman to determine if there are going
> to be sufficent and appropriate inputs and outputs to accommodate all
> the different kinds of devices they are going to use. I help them
> choose matching equipment. Takes maybe an hour or two. Once explaining
> what's involved in the hookup, programing and cable choices,  and the
> usual requirement to hide the surrround and rear speaker wires .....
> they'll more often than not, ask you to do it for them. Depending upon
> the complication of the job, I've been asking and getting $65.00 to
> $75.00 per hour. The smallest job so far was $750.00. The biggest was
> $5000.00, so far and it's all labor and very little comparatively in
> parts. You can purchase cables at ADI and mark them up to make a profit
> and still be below what they go for at Rat Shack or wherever.
>
> I suspect that this part of the market will only be as profitable as it
> is right now for a limited period of time. Maybe for 5 years at the
> most.  As Home Theater and big screen TV's gets more and more popular,
> the Mfg's will have to make it easier for the end users to do hookups,
> if they want the masses to buy into the equipment. But home
> entertainment is going to keep right on growing. Audio and video
> servers, IP addressable equipment and entertainment from the Internet
> is just around the corner as a household item. As it gets more
> complicated people are just not going to be willing to spend the time
> to set up their systems.  I just heard that some producer just made a
> movie and released it on the Internet ...... only! Hollywood studios
> are incensed. But ..... here comes the future. Anyone getting into home
> entertainment today has got to do well in the future.
>
>
>> I've been working with a small company here in Ottawa, giving them advice
>> from the perspective of the alarm industry, as they develop an
>> alternative
>> to a landline for alarm services. They are in final stages of production,
>> and it looks like both a good and very cost efficient solution allowing
>> use
>> of the internet for those who choose to do so. I have no stake in the
>> company other than wanting to assist them, and giving them my 2 cents
>> worth
>> of advice from time to time. They are a nice bunch of folks, and I
>> sincerely
>> hope they are successful.
>> It's been a pleasure working with them....
>>
>> Their website is www.lobenninc.com if anyone is interested in seeing what
>> they are up to.....
>>
>> RHC
>>
>