Crestron Company Profile
What Does Crestron Do?
Crestron “build[s] the technology that integrates technology,” according to its corporate website.
Its automation and control solutions for homes and buildings “let people control entire environments with the push of a button, integrating systems such as AV, lighting, shading, security, BMS and HVAC to provide greater comfort, convenience and security.”
Crestron has more than 90 offices that provide around-the-clock sales, technical, and training support across the globe. In addition to its world headquarters in Rockleigh, N.J., Crestron has sales and support offices throughout the U.S., Canada, Europe, Asia, Latin America and Australia.
Crestron Solutions Categories
Sometimes referred to as an automation manufacturer, Crestron certainly is that but it’s offering now sprawl across just about every product category touching the AV integration industry.
Key Crestron Products for Commercial AV
Crestron Automation
Crestron is a leading provider of home-, building- and workplace automation solutions. Its control and automation solutions include control system hardware, touch panels, keypads, remote controls, building & enterprise management hardware, control systems, control modules and more.
Crestron AirMedia
As workplaces has evolved so too have the multimedia needs of meeting spaces. It’s increasingly important for employees to be able to quickly assemble and share or present content from their devices, e.g. laptops, tablets, phones, etc.
Crestron AirMedia is a wireless presentation solution that debuted in 2014. The manufacturer unveiled the next generation Crestron AirMedia 2.0 wireless presentation solution at Integrated Systems Europe 2018.
Crestron Fusion
Crestron “integrates systems and technologies that typically operate in silos, so they work together as a single system,” according to its website.
Crestron Fusion monitoring and scheduling software “adds a layer of intelligence to turn an organization into a high-performance enterprise.”
It includes network room scheduling, remote help desk, global device monitoring and data collection and reporting.
How to Become a Crestron Programmer
Crestron is renowned in the AV integration industry for its training and certification programs.
Only trained and certified professionals are green-lit to work professionally work with Crestron products. Only Crestron Certified Programmers can program Crestron automation systems.
There are several layers of Crestron training and certification:
Technician
According to Crestron’s website, this track is designed for technical installers and integrators who work with Crestron systems.
Trainees learn basics such as:
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- Integration of Crestron products and technologies using Cresnet, infiNET EX ®, ethernet, and Crestron Toolbox
- Fundamental Crestron systems maintenance
- Structured cabling basics
- Cable termination
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Engineer
This track is designed for AV Professionals who configure and maintain Crestron systems and technicians interested in making the transition to engineer.
Trainees gain:
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- Proficiency in Crestron Studio®, the Crestron application for fully customizable programming, GUI design, engraving, and device setup and configuration
- Mastery of Avia™ DSP, the audio web-based configuration software
- Thorough understanding of video distribution using DigitalMedia™ driven technologies with NVX
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Programmer
This track is for AV industry programmers who seek to earn the respected title of Crestron Certified Programmer.
Trainees learn:
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- Competency in symbol logic coding
- Use Smart Graphics to produce truly interactive and personal interfaces
- Ability to configure and commission a Crestron Fusion deployment
- Proficiency in Crestron’s Simpl+ programming language
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On its website, Crestron notes that successful completion of this track leads to Crestron Certified Programmer accreditation.
Crestron Certified Masters Programmers
According to Crestron’s website:
A Crestron Certified Programmer holds the highest respect in the industry due to the rigorous training, extensive experience, and stringent testing throughout the certification process. Certified Programmers earn an exclusive invite to our yearly Masters Classes.
Masters Classes are an invaluable opportunity for programmers to obtain specialized, hands-on training for the latest Crestron software and hardware while networking and sharing knowledge with other members of the Crestron Certified Programmers Community.
Crestron launched what became the Certified Masters program as a continuing education program for its certified technicians in 2001 and invited the 30 or so people to a training event.
That has grown leaps and bounds turning Crestron Masters into an industry standard event, most recently with 900 attendees.
Many integrators in the AV industry wonder why more manufacturers haven’t matched Crestron’s level of commitment to training and certification.
Learn more about Crestron training and certification opportunities here.
Crestron Meeting Room Solutions
Multiple Crestron meeting & room scheduling products have won awards from CI. The Mercury Tabletop Conference System & touch screens each made the list of Most Innovative Meeting Spaces Products.
Crestron Mercury uses existing network infrastructure to call, present, and video conference all from this one tabletop console. Crestron Mercury is a full open SIP conference phone and features a high-performance built-in speaker and four microphones; supports all web collaboration services, and connectivity for wired and wireless presentations. Cloud provisioning makes large-scale deployment and management easy.
Crestron Room Scheduling adds a level of productivity for organizations with multiple conference rooms and meeting spaces. Crestron Scheduling Touch Screens connect directly to Microsoft Ex- change or other popular calendaring programs, such as Google Calendar or IBM Notes, to book impromptu meetings on panels outside of rooms or search for and book spaces based on location, number of attendees, and type of meeting.
In The News
Crestron Announces Plans for Modern Work Summit 2023
Crestron’s Modern Work Summit 2023 will bring together thought leaders, latest research and engaging discussions for a more dynamic digital workspace.
Crestron Outlines Plans for ISE 2023
At ISE 2023 in Barcelona, Crestron will show products for AV-over-IP applications in the commercial and residential markets.
NETGEAR M4250 AV Line Series Switches Now Available Through Crestron
Four models of NETGEAR’s M4250 AV line series switches are now available through Crestron.
Women in Consumer Technology Announces 2023 Legacy Award Honorees
The 14th Annual Awards Reception at CES 2023 will honor six recipients for their outstanding contributions and service to the consumer technology industry.
2022 Top New Technology (TNT) Awards Winners Announced at ISE
This year’s batch of Top New Technologies (TNT) Awards @ISE honored 26 winners in the Commercial segment, unveiled in conjunction with Integrated Systems Europe in Barcelona.
Crestron Report: 84% of Employees’ Meetings Have Remote Participants
Crestron’s report, “Tackling the Modern Workplace by the Numbers,” shows how inadequate technology drives productivity loss and increases IT support for remote workers.
Crestron Addresses Supply Chain Problems Head-On
Crestron explains why it is suffering from long delivery times and vows to work with integrators to mitigate the situation.
AV News to Know: Products, Projects and People in New Places
Here’s a closer look at some of the AV news this week that include new Crestron products, a Renkus-Heinz installation project, promotions and more.
Interns: The Leaders of Tomorrow
With concerns about talent shortages plaguing the industry, integrators must lay the groundwork now to expand the AV talent pool to meet growing needs.
Aalap Patel on Crestron’s Partnership with Valens & HDBaseT Technology
Crestron’s Aalap Patel discusses the long-term partnership Crestron has forged with Valens, and also touches on some product refreshes at InfoComm.