Hi,

Im Rolo. I have been in the AV business now for about 9 years. Started though about 16 years ago in cars. I started my grown up career in IT, then started my own resi AV company. Partnered with some folks later on, and suffered the same plight as many who partner with others...

After that I ran high end AV companies for a while, and after becoming weary of the nutty customers and nutty owners, I moved on into the manufacturer end of things.

Now I work tech support at a control systems company. I man phones all day, pontificate, and occasionally inject my own brain poop into this forum. Off and on I've been enjoying lampooning and being lampooned and flamed in this forum for quite some time.

Most recently I have been trying to learn to pretend to be some sort of a business person and am working on an MBA and an MS in Finance. Chasing the dream...

Hi My name is Anthony and I'm an alcoholic (OOPs wrong place) just jocking, I don’t’ drink that much

back in 98 I joined a large multinational in Telecom and in 99 I became responsible for videoconferencing. When I started there where very few systems (like 10 or so) that where very little used. My first project was to make it more user friendly and why I came to the site at the time (like I am sure you all know, the remote is the difference between usable and a pain). I created the standard that we used and planned every installation and supervised the local installers to make sure it met our standards. By the time I left in late 2004 (job cuts) there where over 100 systems and they where all extremely used.

Now I am just an AV addict, I don’t work with AV, VC nor telecom. I am a project manager and programmer for a small IT consulting firm.

Hi, I'm Anthony as well and as some of you know, I AM a recovering alcoholic and junkie. I got into the industry for the love of music (I have the words "ROCK" and "ROLL" tattooed on my knuckles) and I get more passionate everyday. I'm a super high strung, high energy guy who tends to work more than I should. I have fallen crazy in love with automation and control in recent years and intend, God willing, to remain in the industry for my lifetime. Recently killed my own gig to work for an up and comer and I'm stressed to the point of balding. Love what I do and wouldn't trade my Totem's for anything...oh, and I'm mean.

Been doing this since '88. Slowly moving into Crestron programming after years of being chief cook and bottlewasher.

And I believe in high-end wire.

wow, reading through the posts, see a lot of common aspects of other people in myself... electronics, music, vinyl love, and the not so common, like HP48GX programmer (still have my lovely "reverse polish notation" machine... and another cornhusker?!? people seem to have a hard time believing that people actually live in Nebraska.

I'm currently living in Hawaii right now but have been back and forth between Hawaii and NYC for the past 7 or 8 years. I'm a former Marine, college and military career came to and end after getting myself kicked out of Annapolis my senior year. I love NYC, but my son lives in Hawaii, so I have to temper my pursuit of a real "career" with the ability to be mobile and able to work "virtually". Given today's economy I really can't complain, but being a small business owner keeps one looking over the horizon.

Right now, trying to keep it simple. Family, work, surf... in that order - ok sometimes surf moves to the front of the line, but only when it's overhead. My girlfriend and daughter don't have to see me every single night at dinner, do they?

Some day I'd like to be able to work in Cyprus and Greece... (hint hint).

Russia too - and live in Asia for a couple of years, and northern Africa, as that's where my girlfriend's future professional interest lay. Do people live in Antarctica yet. When they do, sign me up for that. Might as well retire in Argentina just to round out the continental selection.

Hi,

Roland here... the handle is my initials and soccer number... still play, coach and watch even as a 46 yr old fart. (MLS in Seattle next year!!). Also love the feeling of whipping down a mountain on a snowboard!

Two kids... 9 yr old girl, 7 yr old boy... wife of 11 years... live in the "wishes it was haughty" suburb of Mukilteo, WA.

Got a college degree in video production but soon realized the industry really sucked in Seattle... didn't want to move to LA so I got a stockboy job at Pacific Stereo in 84. Worked retail for 11 years and then struck out on my own in 95. Took on a partner who almost killed me and my business... burned out... ready to throw it all in, I learned that I'm pretty damn strong and determined (I keep a little picture of the Energizer Bunny by my computer). Now with a group of guys who helped turn things around and make the whole thing worthwhile, fun and successful.

If I've never thanked anyone here for the great pieces of advice, helpful words when things were down, beers at CEDIA and humor that make this such a great place... now is the time to do so... THANKS

Hello All, My name is Glackowitz Wojowohorowovitz...OK really its Bruce.

Been in the Electronics Industry since 86, starting in the automotive side installing audio, security, and other items.

Then about 90-91 was asked to help a salesman deliver a few systems and from there I saw the light and began to persue the dream..ok it was blurry but followed it.

I have been with 3 companies now in total, and in those years I have done many odd installs as well as many upper scale projects.

I have been found from time to time sitting with a computer thats connected to a remote or an IR learner.

Im having fun doing this and I guess thats what counts

I'm Matt, I suppose I was officially trained as an audio engineer, but never really went into the field after college and decided that rather than sweeping floors for years before getting a chance at the console that I would investigate custom installations. I've always been interested in system design and can remember looking at the Crutchfield magazines my brother used to get and putting together 'dream' systems when I was still in junior high. My first job out of college was at a custom installation that included satellite downlinks....yes, big dish stuff. It's funny, I think if you would put me in front of a C/Ku band system I could still tweak it nuts on today, kind of like riding a bike you know, hated digging 5' deep holes in winter in Minnesota, but otherwise a great job in the fall!!

I started a home theater 'division' in that company and that's where I first got into programming control systems. Started with some basic stuff, don't really remember the name, but it was a HUGE black remote with black buttons and came with stickers you could place on the extra buttons, this evolved into the IRIQ from Madrigal which I believe was one of the first, if not THE first, activity based remote. I also worked with the Lexicon 700t which I believe was manufactured by RTI and from there it evolved into some more sophisicated AMX controls.

After my stint in the custom residential marketplace, I decided I didn't like the phone calls when I was off work, and increasingly difficult customers and moved onto commercial installations. That's where I've been for 9 years, doing system engineering for boardrooms, council chambers, classrooms, presentation rooms etc etc, and I also do all the Crestron programming for these systems and have been a Certified Crestron Programmer for 4 years.

My first interaction with this site was for my personal programming needs with the original TSU2000, and it's all history since then. I've moved onto the URC MX900 and find that I like the hard button with LCD display as opposed to a full LCD touch screen type system, and with the recent variable addition, it's a much more versitile remote control. (if URC gets the current problems fixed anyway).

Hello all! My name is James Shaffer. I am new to this forum...I look forward to getting to know this crew more.

I am a 12 year veteran of the professional AV systems integration community. I've been a tech most of those years, but I've also done sales, engineering, project management, service and such. (Yes, I even take out the garbage!) Like many of you, my career evolved from a young passion for music and electronics. Eventually I was lucky to be offered a position with an AV company. I haven't looked back since. I truly love that I get the opportunity to work with bleeding-edge technology. It's a blessing!

My wife and I started AV Document Solutions in response to the growing need for support services in our industry. It all started with her helping me with the printing/binding needs of my last employer. Eventually I left the company to expand our horizons. Basically, I'm offering my knowledge and experience to all AV contractors instead of working for one. I've had the pleasure of working for a few great companies. However, I've also had the displeasure of working for a few %&#* bosses. Not that I mind someone being an %&#*, but eventually it just gets old.

So, if you'd like to learn about all the many services we offer, please take a moment and check out our website! We are very reasonable in our pricing...we try to take care our our clients!

I hope to hear from you soon!

Thanks,

James Shaffer, CTS

No Mac version? damn you... damn you to hell... lol

Hello, My name is Tony and ive been in the industry for about 3 1/2 years... a youngster I know.. always been interested in this stuff... got my first shot as a lead tech at Best Buy's Magnolia branch.. was there for a lil over a year.. then moved on to Circuit City's Firedog.. was there for about another year, got noticed by a local custom firm for my interface designs and they brought me on board and paid my way for AMX and Crestron training, been here at R2west Palm Desert CA for about a 1.5 years now and i LOVE it.. i was kinda of the Diamond in the rough and am GLAD i got a chance to work with real control systems, now i am the Project Coordinator and Lead Control systems programmer, wouldn't trade it for ANYTHING, with that being said i also would not have gotten my roots so deep in this great industry without Best Buy and Circuit CIty giving me my first breaks.

My name is Alan. I have an ABD in American History. When I decided that accedemia was not for me in the mid 1980s I turned a hobby into a business and began a custom installation firm. I began doing distributed audio with volume control and IR repeater systems. I graduated to basic Niles distributed audio systems, then Audio Access and then Audio Ease. In many ways, nothing has improved uopn the simplicity of those orriginal Audio Access systems.

Along the way I learned a few programming languages, learned a bit of engineering and seem to have confused enough pople into believing I know what I'm doing. I began doing Lutron and Crestron sysetms in the mid-90s.


I tend to speak plainly and directly without much concern for social nicities. I fall on the side that this is a serious business that requires serious participants. There is no subsitute for the ability to think.

Alan

My Name is not Bill..I'm not a trunk slammer. I have a degree in Political Science & Sociology.

When academia decided that I was not for it in the late-90's, I turned to something I loved more..Audio.

Video followed somewhere afterwards, followed by networking, lighting control, and finally automation.

I don't know if I confuse enough people into believing I know what I'm doing, but I do get the occasional job.

Usually, I have the guys doing plumbing or animal removal jobs......while their programming remotes.

I love this job but my boss is a real A-hole!!!!


:) Jeff

My name is Elmer J Fudd, Millionaire. I own a mansion and a yacht.

Name is Joe
Work in San Antonio, TX. Started selling dvd's and chrome vinyl (LDs) in 98 as a smart arse teen. After 9 years with the same company I'm programming Elan and RTI. I've been here longer then most the salesmen :(