home theater certificate

[eurovw89]

Does anyone know where in the state of Maryland I could go take classes and get certified? i have been googling for the passed hour and can not find anything.

Thanks,
Jeff

 

[dkane360]

CEDIA Industry Professionals

 

[highfigh]

Does anyone know where in the state of Maryland I could go take classes and get certified? i have been googling for the passed hour and can not find anything.

Thanks,
Jeff

What is your goal? If you want to do commercial or industrial, look into BICSI.

 

[BMXTRIX]

What is your goal? If you want to do commercial or industrial, look into BICSI.

BICSI looks to be IT based, not A/V. On the commercial side of A/V Infocomm is the typical professional company which is recognized. I hadn't even heard of BICSI until you mentioned it.

InfoComm International, the Audiovisual (AV) Association

To the OP: What is your goal? What are you trying to achieve? A/V is very much a long term learning experience and not very easily classroom taught. It's fine to talk about the technologies, which we are happy to do at length on these forums, but the traditional classroom teachings can only go so far with what you will learn. It'll help to make you book smart, but can also make you street dumb. So, hands on experience is critical, and for this you may want to try any local A/V installation companies including big-box stores which may need installation technician help.

 

[agarwalro]

You can also look into ISF certification.

 

[highfigh]

BICSI looks to be IT based, not A/V. On the commercial side of A/V Infocomm is the typical professional company which is recognized. I hadn't even heard of BICSI until you mentioned it.

InfoComm International, the Audiovisual (AV) Association

To the OP: What is your goal? What are you trying to achieve? A/V is very much a long term learning experience and not very easily classroom taught. It's fine to talk about the technologies, which we are happy to do at length on these forums, but the traditional classroom teachings can only go so far with what you will learn. It'll help to make you book smart, but can also make you street dumb. So, hands on experience is critical, and for this you may want to try any local A/V installation companies including big-box stores which may need installation technician help.

It's heavily biased toward IT but these days, what isn't? They cover ALL aspects of low voltage installations, code compliance, proper grounding, cabling, shielding, enterprise-wide solutions and it's like CEDIA on a whole lot of steroids. Far more involved.

BICSI also meets the requirements if someone wants to do certain commercial and government jobs. Without the right certifications, someone can be a great installer/system designer/integrator but they won't get the jobs. Some electrical contractors won't hire people who don't have BICSI certification if they do a lot of these jobs.

For anyone interested:
https://www.bicsi.org/default.aspx

 

[BMXTRIX]

Yeah, I talked to one of our guys about it, but it is really geared heavily towards IT, not A/V. Infocomm works in partnership with BICSI, but Infocomm delivers the CTS, which is often required for commercial A/V specific jobs, while BICSI certification is required on many IT specific jobs. Because the IT industry has so many standards that are very well established industry-wide, it's a heavily recognized program and well established with those standards while A/V standards... while they exist, tend to be mediocre and have huge variables in them which manufacturers can't even get correct most of the time. (anyone have any HDCP issues here???)

We have a BICSI certified employee - I didn't even know it. :/

ISF is very questionable for its usefulness as it is all about display calibration. It's good to have at a later date I would think, but first it's incredibly important to really know the basics like the differences between 720p, 1080i, 1080p/24/60, etc. What LCD, LED, plasma, LCoS, etc. bring to the table. What wiring is appropriate in what installations. That's where Infocomm and CEDIA really step up to the plate. But moreso, where working at a job for a year can pay off big time in experience.

 

[highfigh]

Yeah, I talked to one of our guys about it, but it is really geared heavily towards IT, not A/V. Infocomm works in partnership with BICSI, but Infocomm delivers the CTS, which is often required for commercial A/V specific jobs, while BICSI certification is required on many IT specific jobs. Because the IT industry has so many standards that are very well established industry-wide, it's a heavily recognized program and well established with those standards while A/V standards... while they exist, tend to be mediocre and have huge variables in them which manufacturers can't even get correct most of the time. (anyone have any HDCP issues here???)

We have a BICSI certified employee - I didn't even know it. :/

ISF is very questionable for its usefulness as it is all about display calibration. It's good to have at a later date I would think, but first it's incredibly important to really know the basics like the differences between 720p, 1080i, 1080p/24/60, etc. What LCD, LED, plasma, LCoS, etc. bring to the table. What wiring is appropriate in what installations. That's where Infocomm and CEDIA really step up to the plate. But moreso, where working at a job for a year can pay off big time in experience.

One problem with ONLY working for someone as the means of training is that so many employers don't train much, if at all. That means the person can just be a wire monkey for the whole time. Another scenario is when they send one guy to training and he's given the task of training the others. Neither of these is a good way to learn. The problem I have with CEDIA is that it takes so long to go through all of the courses (along with the cost)- some of the courses held at the convention were a total waste of my time and the company's money because the description didn't match the reality. The instructors didn't do anything to present much useful info, either.

What I would prefer WRT training is a separate audio, video and an IT track because not all who get into the industry will necessarily want to do all of these and that's perfectly fine if they can get good jobs in their area. Audio is complicated enough without trying to fast-track it. Knowing how to salvage a system that's basically a big C(orn) F(lake) by design takes experience and knowledge, combined with some luck. Using ICF as an aid is a good idea but I have heard and read about people charging for a real calibration and the customer hated the results because they're color blind. I could see the same thing happening after an audio calibration when the person doing the setup doesn't bother to ask the right questions like "Do you have any major hearing damage, possibly from military service, medical issue or working in an industrial/construction field?".

I'm in an area where licensing for low voltage isn't required but if it weeds out the dirtballs, I would be OK with it if it wasn't too expensive. Making people prove that they actually know what they're doing before they set up shop isn't a bad thing, IMO. It's what many prospective employers do, right?

 

[BMXTRIX]

Being a wire monkey may seem silly, but it gives invaluable experience. That's the big thing in all of this. You can go to any number of schools which can help teach audio theory, video work, etc. but if you aren't the guy pulling the wires and getting them in place and seeing what works and what doesn't work, then it's all useless.

The classes themselves are all pretty useless without any of the practical hands on.

As for training, I find that the best training is manufacturer specific, then courses at any local college which teach them, about different A/V subjects. Audio classes which can help people learn not just how a mixing console is setup, but why it is setup that way. No training I've been to for a day at CEDIA or Infocomm touches what a semester at a school can help guide you through.

Likewise, no classes are going to give the same experience that working for an employer in the field, or even in a store will do. You learn what product is build to last, what product looks good. In a store you may be able to help with the setups and can tweak settings to get them to look their best. You can also emphasize to an employer the importance of training - whether it be just having time off to do so on your own, or for them to help you out with it.

I don't think that any one area can possibly 'train' by itself. But, hands on, in the field, with a good A/V company is one of the best ways. Working for your local cable company may be one of the worst ways.

I still believe, you can learn more online in a few days with asking questions about a specific subject and doing your own research than you typically will in an all day 'general' A/V class from CEDIA/Infocomm.

 

[highfigh]

Being a wire monkey may seem silly, but it gives invaluable experience. That's the big thing in all of this. You can go to any number of schools which can help teach audio theory, video work, etc. but if you aren't the guy pulling the wires and getting them in place and seeing what works and what doesn't work, then it's all useless.

The classes themselves are all pretty useless without any of the practical hands on.

As for training, I find that the best training is manufacturer specific, then courses at any local college which teach them, about different A/V subjects. Audio classes which can help people learn not just how a mixing console is setup, but why it is setup that way. No training I've been to for a day at CEDIA or Infocomm touches what a semester at a school can help guide you through.

Likewise, no classes are going to give the same experience that working for an employer in the field, or even in a store will do. You learn what product is build to last, what product looks good. In a store you may be able to help with the setups and can tweak settings to get them to look their best. You can also emphasize to an employer the importance of training - whether it be just having time off to do so on your own, or for them to help you out with it.

I don't think that any one area can possibly 'train' by itself. But, hands on, in the field, with a good A/V company is one of the best ways. Working for your local cable company may be one of the worst ways.

I still believe, you can learn more online in a few days with asking questions about a specific subject and doing your own research than you typically will in an all day 'general' A/V class from CEDIA/Infocomm.

CEDIA Installer Boot Camp is probably the best thing for a shiny, new installer or someone who has acquired bad habits because it can be either one day or three and it's very hands-on. They deal with wire management and handling, which is now more important than ever. HDMI, fiber and CAT5e/6/7 doesn't like being treated like a farm animal and I have seen people yank, twist, bend and abuse it in many ways over the years. One thing I have seen with good wire pullers is a lack of knowledge when it comes to signal path, too. They usually match In with IN and OUT with OUT at first. Also, car audio/security installers have a hard time letting go of the tendency to cut the cables just a little longer than needed because in 12V, the equipment is placed before being wired and usually doesn't move. I learned that when I got back into low voltage because I had done 12V for so long.

 

[eurovw89]

i am looking into home audio and visual. I am already and electrician, and am looking to broaden my horizons./

 

[BMXTRIX]

If you already have the skillset to do the wire pulling and you understand that side of things, then one of the best ways is to start hitting the websites and read the magazines and go see the products. There are a ton of questions/answers out there and it hits hundreds of different areas from audio to video to digital to analog. Yes, if you are working full time as an electrician, it will be tough to get an entry level job in A/V at similar pay I would expect... but many A/V houses may jump at the chance to get a electrician on board as well.

CEDIA is perhaps one of the better ways to go to get some decent information and training. Check their websites for what you may want to do. Also, check your local colleges for course offerrings. A lot of audio/video branches from the residential side to the commercial side and vice-versa. Some of it really does not.

Still, the holidays are coming up and some part time work at Best Buy (or similar) in A/V could give you some really good experience with it in a non-permanent setting with part time work.

 

[highfigh]

Does anyone know where in the state of Maryland I could go take classes and get certified? i have been googling for the passed hour and can not find anything.

Thanks,
Jeff

You might check with some of the larger integration companies- the smart ones will have at least one electrician on staff so they don't need to call an electrical contractor and wait for them to show up when they need a whip installed for a TV. It also makes new revenue possible during the slow times because they can do high voltage work. Plus, you can be the source for all kinds of good info about proper grounding.

 

[BMXTRIX]

Worth saying: Maryland has several big time AV distributors which, if you work for an electrician, you may be able to get into training on some of the specific A/V classes. These classes would be offerred at ADI and/or Avad in Gaithersburg.

They give you CEDIA credits if you are a member of CEDIA, but beyond that, they help you understand specific A/V product in the industry. Maryland, as a whole, doesn't really have a ton of A/V stuff going on, especially with associated training. GV Expo just went down a week or so ago and is about the biggest A/V event in the area. Even then, not phenomenal compared to many other trade shows, but better than a ADI type event. (sorry ADI)

Almost all the training I've done for A/V (Northern VA) has been out of state or been through on the job training. With Myer-Emco closed, there really isn't a big retailer chain available anymore which deals with a lot of higher end stuff which leaves smaller custom houses (like me) to do many of the installations. Obviously, getting in with some of them for electrical and wire pulling can help get you in with the A/V side of things.

 

[eurovw89]

First I want to thank EVERYONE for all their input and thoughts. Sorry it has been a while since I last posted.

I am an electrician....I work on the industrial side of things and work with control wiring 80% of my work week. I not a "dumb-dumb" when it comes to electronics...i learn better with hands on and not books. So the basic entry level stuff I most likely know and would be bored with.......sorry didnt mean to run on.

Do home theater installers make good money? I would love to get a job with a company that does installs, etc..., but I have 2yrs til I can take my masters exam and think that having my master would be a BIG plus. I have such a love and passion for home theater I dont know where to begin and wish I started this before or instead of electrician.

Again thank you everyone for everything.

 

[Haoleb]

First I want to thank EVERYONE for all their input and thoughts. Sorry it has been a while since I last posted.

I am an electrician....I work on the industrial side of things and work with control wiring 80% of my work week. I not a "dumb-dumb" when it comes to electronics...i learn better with hands on and not books. So the basic entry level stuff I most likely know and would be bored with.......sorry didnt mean to run on.

Do home theater installers make good money? I would love to get a job with a company that does installs, etc..., but I have 2yrs til I can take my masters exam and think that having my master would be a BIG plus. I have such a love and passion for home theater I dont know where to begin and wish I started this before or instead of electrician.

Again thank you everyone for everything.

I think a licensed electrician (assuming you are one) will make more than some home theater installer ever would. As someone who has worked as an installer and now does industrial controls stuff I can tell you that I personally think the job market for someone experienced with process controls and PLC's and carrying an electricians license is much better than HT installers.

You're already on your way to getting your master electrican credentials. Dont quit on that now. Even if 2 years from now you still want to do home theaters, being a master electrician is going to move you right to the front of the line when it comes to hiring because companies want that. Not to mention CEDIA certification costs some money and more likely than not you can get them to pay for you to get it if you are interested.

Another thing I can tell you is that if your expecting to be installing high end dedicated theaters all day then dream on, It will mostly be alot of hanging tv's...installing mediocre systems and retrofit work crawling in attics along with alot of multi-zone systems, home automation and security. Most people do not have rooms with tens of thousands of dollars invested in AV stuff like we all see in mags. I worked for a company that had some very high end clientele who would only come to stay in their multi million dollars houses a few weeks a year. We only had one client with a system I would call a true theater room and even then it was all in-wall speakers etc...

When I landed a job at a systems integrator right out of school I thought I had my dream job.. well when you take a hobby you love and end up doing it everyday its not quite as fun anymore. But everybody is different, that was just my expeirence. When I finally did get a job I truly loved I had to leave it because I decided to move across the country and a year and half later I still miss that job...

 

[eurovw89]

I think a licensed electrician (assuming you are one) will make more than some home theater installer ever would. As someone who has worked as an installer and now does industrial controls stuff I can tell you that I personally think the job market for someone experienced with process controls and PLC's and carrying an electricians license is much better than HT installers.

You're already on your way to getting your master electrican credentials. Dont quit on that now. Even if 2 years from now you still want to do home theaters, being a master electrician is going to move you right to the front of the line when it comes to hiring because companies want that. Not to mention CEDIA certification costs some money and more likely than not you can get them to pay for you to get it if you are interested.

Another thing I can tell you is that if your expecting to be installing high end dedicated theaters all day then dream on, It will mostly be alot of hanging tv's...installing mediocre systems and retrofit work crawling in attics along with alot of multi-zone systems, home automation and security. Most people do not have rooms with tens of thousands of dollars invested in AV stuff like we all see in mags. I worked for a company that had some very high end clientele who would only come to stay in their multi million dollars houses a few weeks a year. We only had one client with a system I would call a true theater room and even then it was all in-wall speakers etc...

When I landed a job at a systems integrator right out of school I thought I had my dream job.. well when you take a hobby you love and end up doing it everyday its not quite as fun anymore. But everybody is different, that was just my expeirence. When I finally did get a job I truly loved I had to leave it because I decided to move across the country and a year and half later I still miss that job...

Hey Haoleb,
Thanks...gave me a lil more insight, and yes I love doing it as a hobby and dont want to regret getting a job in the field and hating it. If you dont mind me ask, what was ur dream job you had to leave?

 

[Haoleb]

For a little under 2 years I worked as part of the engineering team at a company called Cellana, See link. Cellana - Algae-based products for a sustainable future that was developing Algae to Biofuels technology. At the time it was funded mainly by Shell (the oil company) and its was the most awesome job because the people were all great, everybody was enthusiastic about what they were doing, it was not a profit driven venture, it was a lets do something never done before venture so on a daily basis I got to work on things nobody had done before, i got to help develop new stuff and i got free reign to think up ideas and build them with nearly any resource I needed. we had a whole shop with every tool you could imagine and its was just laid back and overall a great place to work with awesome pay and benefits. And we all got to feel like we were doing something we could be proud of. Theres hardly any photos on their website that i cant point out something I designed or built or worked on in some way.

Things werent always great, near the end management had changed and things did go downhill somewhat, but I still miss working there and especially since I moved to where I am now and have yet to find a job that satisfies me. But hey, I dont regret it. just another life experience the way I look at it.

So anyway,...enough reminiscing. Its certainly possible to get into the field and love it. But for me it did not work out. I guess its a little bit like how I enjoy working on my truck (to an extent) but i dont want to work on other peoples vehicles everday.

 

[toddious]

CEDIA is the "official" industry certification. There are also HAA AUdio Calibration and ISF video calibration certification specialties as well.