by Bob Archer | Feb 25, 2026 | Blog, KMB Communications
The new year has opened with a bang, at least for sports fans with the NFL playoffs and the Winter Olympics.
Now, fresh off victories by the Seattle Seahawks, and U.S. men’s and women’s Olympic hockey teams, it’s time to fill that championship sports void with some streaming media content. In a few months the NHL and NBA will start their respective playoff seasons, but until then, here are some streaming recommendations to help sports fans and non-sports fans get through the last days of winter and including those late winter season snowstorms.
Narrowing down the choice to five was difficult. There are streaming media shows that could have made the list such as “Fallout” and “Cross” from Prime Video and “Hunting Party,” which is available from both Peacock and Netflix, and the “Lincoln Lawyer” from Netflix.
These choices provide some level of legacy from either prior successful seasons or lineage from other hit shows within a franchise. The one completely new show in this list of five, features a popular actress that’s known as the “mother of dragons.”
5 Streaming Media Shows Worth Watching
Tapping into the libraries of several readily accessible services, here are five choices from HBO Max, Netflix, Hulu, and Peacock worth checking out. Other than “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms,” which comes from the “Game of Thrones” universe, there really wasn’t much hype about these series prior to their release dates.
Here are those five streaming media shows to watch to cure those winter blues:
“A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms (HBO Max):” Set in Westeros about 100 years before “Game of Thrones,” (GoT) this new HBO Max series follows Ser Duncan the Tall and his squire Egg. The season is six episodes long, and the reaction by GoT fans has been strong with IMDB giving the show a rating of 9/10.
“The Pitt” (HBO Max): The streaming service summarizes this hit show, which offers two seasons, as a program about the staff at Pittsburgh’s Trauma Medical Center, and its work to save lives 24/7. HBO Max offers the show in 4K with Dolby Vision HDR and Dolby Atmos immersive audio.
“The Night Agent” (Netflix): A few years ago, this streaming media show was a surprise hit with stars Gabriel Basso and Luciane Buchanan. Rotten Tomatoes says the show, which is based on a book by Mattew Quirk has an 81% Tomatometer rating, focuses on a low-level FBI agent that’s suddenly thrown into a government conspiracy with a young tech expert during the first season.
“High Potential” (Hulu): With streaming media dominating the way the public watches television, it is now a surprise when a traditional network TV show becomes a hit. The ABC series “High Potential” is available on Hulu, and it stars Kaitlin Olson as Morgan Gillory and Daniel Sunjata as Adam Karadec. The premise of the show is that Olson’s character is a mom working as a Janitor. Gillory with her high IQ is cleaning the police department and upon her observations about a case, she gets hired as a consultant to the police force. IMDB rates the show a 7.5 and Rotten Tomato rates it 98%.
“Ponies” (Peacock): Recently released, this Peacock streaming media show stars “Game of Thrones” alumni Emilia Clarke as Beatrice Grant and Haley Lu Richardson as Twila Hasbeck. The plot of this show is Grant and Hasbeck are CIA widows that get the opportunity to act as secret government operatives in Moscow. The show is set in the 1970s and the season is eight episodes long.
For a different kind of content, check out KMB Communications’ AV Trade Talk Podcast with host Katye McGregor Bennett. In the latest AV Trade Talk Podcast, Katye speaks with industry veteran, Jason Knott of D-Tools, on the emergence of AI as a tool that can help integrators increase their efficiency while protecting their revenues. The new episode with Jason Knott can be streamed here.
by Bob Archer | Feb 20, 2026 | Blog, KMB Communications, Meridian Audio
Trade shows and the Olympics have dominated the headlines with the KBIS/International Builders’ Show and Lightapalooza 2026, taking center stage, along with the U.S. Women’s hockey team here at KMB Comm this past week.
However, there has been plenty of other newsworthy items, including some big economic news stories with data that indicates how the government shutdown impact economic growth.
Looking past the newly announced economic figures, here is a roundup of some of the noteworthy items to cross the desk of KMB Comm team members.
Home Audio Ramping Up Acceptance of Active Speakers
At one time not too long ago, there were a handful of companies from the consumer audio market that offered active or powered speakers. Some of those companies include the European brands Meridian, KEF, and Linn Products. Since the rise of streaming services, a select number of affordable products have hit the market such as Audioengine, and consumers have also discovered “prosumer” brands such as KRK and Adam Audio, which are available from retailers such as Guitar Center and Sweetwater.
Based on a story from the audiophile website eCoustics, it appears that luxury manufacturers beyond the trio of Meridian, KEF, and Linn Products are warming to the idea of active speakers in today’s era of streaming media.
Learn more about Kii Audio and its luxury SEVEN wireless speaker here.
Looking at some of the trendier topics that are driving smart home industry growth, Residential Systems just published a column from David Warfel from Light Can Help You.
In the column Warfel offers three suggestions integrators can utilize to help grow their lighting revenues. The well-known lighting designer goes on to emphasize these upgrades can be impactful, especially when clients are reluctant to spend for substantial upgrades.
Taking a quick look at the commercial AV market, Cindy Davis of SCN magazine recently returned home from the Integrated Systems Europe (ISE 2026) and picks her favorites booths from the residential and commercial electronics industries event.
KMB Comm Technology Week in Review National News
LinkedIn is reporting that TV viewership has hit its highest levels in a year, increasing almost 4% from December 2025. Citing data from Nielsen, the report cable viewership increased from 20.2% to 21.2%, while broadcast rose to 21.5%.
The LinkedIn story points out that streaming services continue to lead the way with consumers achieving a figure of 47% led by the season finale of the Netflix show, “Stranger Things.”
Speaking of streaming media, LinkedIn published a report that Warner Bros. Discovery is examining the possibility of restarting negotiations with Paramount Skydance after receiving an offer to buy from the company.
According to the story, which cites Bloomberg, the bid has provisions to cover the $2.8 billion fee that would need to be provided to Netflix if Warner Bros. Discovery walks away from their deal.
Over in the new construction market, Builder Magazine says that based on data it collected, the current employment picture will affect the housing industry in 2026. The story provides much more information, and it forecasts the top three housing markets using numbers collected from Zonda that includes data from the 2024 U.S. Census.
Factors that Zonda utilizes as part of its housing forecast formula include non-farming employment, high-income employment, health care employment, the year-over-year labor force, and statistics such as median household income.
Finally, a non-electronics or housing industry KMB Comm Technology Week in Review item the AV foodie community may find interesting from Yahoo Finance.
Picking up a story from Bloomberg, the Yahoo Finance post points out that while inflation has eased up from pandemic-era peaks, prices at the grocery store continue to soar. Bloomberg states in the post that beef costs have risen faster than many other items within the consumer price index. Citing the figure of 15% over the past year, the number is said to be at its highest since COVID-19.
Conversely, the price of chicken has risen only 1.1% over the past 12 months, while the price of milk has remained relatively stable.
The article goes on to point out the cattle industry runs in cycles and currently the contraction of the market has lasted longer than expected. Another factor impacting the U.S. market is the stoppage of live cattle imports from Mexico due to the presence of the New World screwworm parasite.
KMB Communications hosts a podcast called AV Trade Talk. Listeners can check out the podcast to learn about the latest happenings in the custom installation electronics industry. To listen to the KMB AV Trade Talk Podcast, click here.
by Bob Archer | Feb 19, 2026 | Blog, KMB Communications, SONOS
Recently, Spotify reported a record number of subscribers. The streaming service says the surge in users can be attributed to several factors, including its free tier. Other streaming services such as Apple Music and Netflix are also reporting increases in their subscriptions.
This type of news shouldn’t surprise anyone, streaming content has long been established as king of all media, but it’s not all peaches-and-cream with the streaming services. There’s a term associated with the streaming market known as “churn rate.” Summing up the term, it means a consumer will subscribe to a service for a certain period, for example to watch, “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms” on HBO Max, and then once the season is over, they drop the subscription.
Conversely, with physical media, once someone buys a record, CD or Blu-ray disc, they typically keep those purchases so they can build a content library.
Physical Media Produces Intangible Emotional Connections
Dealers looking to form relationships with their clients can leverage the allure of records, as well as CDs and Blu-rays, Ultra Blu-rays, and DVDs to become a resource to help maximize the playback of all these forms of media.
A good example of the bond between enthusiasts and physical media can be seen in this newly released video from the YouTube channel Drumeo. In the video, the drum education channel goes into a record store with Chad Smith of The Red Hot Chili Peppers.
Chad is seen walking around the store picking up his favorite records and recounting stories about each of the records that sparked his initial interest in music. Chad’s reactions to these records are not uncommon. Physical media and vinyl often illicit these types of responses from fans. Streaming media while convenient and readily available, doesn’t produce the emotional connection that vinyl does.
Dealers looking to tap into the intangible connections with physical media can start by setting up turntables, CD players, and Blu-ray disc players in addition to streaming boxes and digital media systems to cover all the bases. The best part about today’s generation of turntables is they perform better than ever and they offer connection versatility.
Yes, dealers can still take the audiophile approach by installing a high-end turntable, a phono preamp and amplification, but companies such as Victrola and Sonos provide installer-friendly modern wireless connectivity solutions. Additionally, there is an ever-growing number of turntables that include built-in phono preamplifiers and factory setup with pre-fitted phono cartridges that ship from the factory already aligned.
These turntable products deliver near-turnkey setup flexibility to pair with AV receivers, integrated amplifiers and multizone audio components.
Regardless of what type of physical media the user favors, the important takeaway is today’s consumer has the best of both worlds at their fingertips with accessibility of streaming content and the performance and value of a new era of source components.
KMB Communications hosts a podcast called AV Trade Talk. Listeners can check out the podcast to learn about the latest happenings in the custom installation electronics industry. To listen to the KMB AV Trade Talk Podcast, click here.
by Bob Archer | Feb 18, 2026 | Blog, KMB Communications
In the world of Brazilian jiu jitsu (BJJ), it is often said that participants need to learn how to be comfortable in uncomfortable circumstances.
For those that don’t train in BJJ the expression can still have deep meaning. One such case for example is the relationship between integrators and building trades that include interior designers and architects.
Looking at these relationships—or more succinctly—lack of relationships between designers, architects and integrators, and it is clear these professions recognize the need for one another. The problem however is these respective groups have had difficulty forging those increasingly important relationships.
This past fall, KMB Communications founder and CEO Katye McGregor Bennett joined the “To-The-Trade” interior design podcast with hosts Laurie Laizure and Nile Johnson. In their more than hour-long discussion, Bennett, Laizure and Johnson share their views on ways the integration, design and architectural communities can come together to meet the evolving needs of modern homeowners.
To-The-Trade Podcast Emphasizes How Integrators and Interior Design Professionals Complement One Another
Laizure noted during the discussion these relationships are slowly gaining momentum, but it is not enough she says to simply acknowledge cooperation between the professions is essential.
“Loving design and respecting what the designer is doing is a big part of it. I think that is something that has been missing; the missing link with integrators sometimes,” says Laurie Laizure.
Moments later, she went on to describe what is likely a typical reaction from the interior design community when a designer encounters some form of technology or the presentation of home electronics.
“The golf simulator room, a lot of designers are lost on that, [but] talk about wellness, the environment and how the client is experiencing—leveling up of that environment for their client—they love that aspect,” she notes.
As the podcast continued, Johnson summarized what people can expect if they do integrate technology within their homes by comparing the experience to a stay at a luxury hotel.
“It’s the hotel experience,” comments Johnson.
“When I walk into The Encore and they hand me that iPad and the blinds will open, the drapes, it’s the whole thing, the lights. That is what you will get.”
Towards the end of the end of the podcast, Bennett stressed that beyond the health and lifestyle benefits that home technologies offer homeowners, electronics can also be used to aid quality of life. Citing an issue that most people are forced to deal with at some point, Bennett raised the topic of aging parents and how technology can be used to support homeowners that may no longer have the physical capabilities to engage in normal daily activities.
“Aging parents … start thinking about how if the needs of the home have to rapidly change to adapt to someone with less mobility. What does that look like, what does that feel like, how are they going to access technology,” adds Bennett.
“Voice control— [you] may not want it now, but when you lose capacity to use your hands or fingers for whatever reason, then having technology that is responsive to hands and fingers, then you are going to need to change that. Voice is a lot of fun, and a lot of people are like, ‘I don’t want to talk to my house,’ and it is a little weird when you talk to your house, [but] you are just talking to a digital interface.”
The complete podcast episode can be streamed on YouTube or Spotify.
Check out this blog from KMB Communications’ Katye McGregor Bennett on the importance of reliable products and systems.
by Bob Archer | Feb 18, 2026 | KMB Communications, News
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Smart, Scalable, and Always in Stock: Nice Showcases Intelligent Sun Shading at Lightapalooza 2026
Carlsbad, Calif. — February 12, 2026 — Nice North America, a leader in Smart Living Solutions, will exhibit its premium sun shading portfolio at the upcoming Lightapalooza 2026 show.
The smart home trade event takes place February 16–19, 2026, at the Kalahari Resorts & Conventions in Round Rock, Texas, and the show offers lighting education and networking opportunities for integrators, designers, architects, manufacturers, and other professionals in the custom integration channel.
Attendees are invited to visit the Nice booth on the curated exhibitor show floor to discover how Nice Sun Shades combine modern design, advanced motor technologies, and seamless smart-home integration to offer users comfort, style, and energy management in residential and commercial spaces.
Intelligent Sun Shading Enables Comfort and Control
Nice Sun Shades bring together premium fabrics, proprietary motors, and intuitive controls to create a modern standard in shade performance. With options ranging from custom interior roller fabrics to durable exterior screens, the Nice portfolio allows designers and integrators to tailor light modulation and thermal comfort while enhancing aesthetic appeal. Every system is engineered for whisper-quiet operation and integrates smoothly with leading smart-home and automation platforms to offer effortless control via mobile apps, voice assistants, or centralized automation.
“We’re excited to engage with the custom integration community at Lightapalooza,” says Chris Lynch. “Our Nice Sun Shades reflect Nice’s commitment to marrying design excellence with cutting-edge technology — and events like Lightapalooza give us the opportunity to demonstrate that combination live to professionals who foster more user-friendly home and business spaces.”
Standing out within a crowded marketplace, Nice’s portfolio of shade solutions not only offer custom print options to allow the products to blend into any home or office environment, but its inventory of fabrics, which ranges from 16 to 20 materials, is always in stock. Always having inventory available means that Nice can support integrators and other design professionals without delaying project timelines. As part of its custom shade program, integrators and designers can match print shades based on samples such as a Pantone chip or the RAL color chart to perfectly complement interior color schemes. Further supporting smart home professionals, the shades are offered in a choice of wired AC or DC; RG and lithium battery power choices to help integrators unobtrusively install the products into interior spaces.
Experience Nice Sun Shades In-Person at Lightapalooza 2026
During the four-day event, representatives from Nice will be available to discuss product features, smart-home integration strategies, and how Nice Sun Shades can complement lighting design, energy control, and holistic home automation. Make sure to stop by Nice Booth #538 to get hands on experience with Nice Sun Shades and integrated control features.
In addition, Lightapalooza also offers extensive educational tracks and CEU opportunities focused on lighting, natural light optimization, and smart system design to help industry professionals bolster their skills.
For more information about Nice Sun Shades, visit https://www.niceforyou.com/na/solutions/sun-shading.
To learn more about Lightapalooza 2026 or to register, visit https://lightapalooza.com.
About Nice
Founded in the early 1990s, Nice is a global leader in Home Management Solutions, offering a complete range of integrated solutions for gate automation, garage doors, solar shading systems, parking systems, wireless alarm systems and home security, for residential, commercial and industrial applications; smart and connected systems for residential and commercial applications, for the security, access control, AI (Artificial Intelligence), comfort & wellness, control and power/AV sectors. Nice has embarked on a strategic path of expansion and extension of its portfolio of connected solutions and platforms, to offer a wide choice of customizable solutions and ease of use for the end user. This is complemented by strengthening and expanding in markets with high growth potential, as well as a renewed branding activity to compete in new market segments. Today Nice can rely on an organization of over 2,000 people on 5 continents, boasting a wealth of different skills and cultures, as well as 15 R&D centers and 15 production plants serving its partners and customers in over 100 countries worldwide.
About Nice North America
Nice North America, LLC, a subsidiary of Nice, is one of the largest manufacturers of smart residential, commercial, and industrial solutions in the world, providing integrated smart living experiences. They offer seamless and easy-to-install technology for smart home control, security & automation, perimeter access and protection, including hostile vehicle mitigation, sunshade solutions, power management, and entertainment. Based in Carlsbad, CA, at the heart of Southern California’s innovation corridor, the company drives innovation through a network of advanced R&D and manufacturing centers across the region, with major operations in Kent, Olive Branch, and Montreal, Canada. Supporting professional integrators, dealers, and distribution partners, the company offers award-winning programs, hands-on technical support, field training, and CEU-certified education initiatives designed to help accelerate business growth. Nice North America lives out their mission of creating environments where individuals truly feel unbounded, safe, and free through smart solutions – an impact exemplified by its support of the Gary Sinise Foundation R.I.S.E. program for wounded veterans – and strives toward building a brighter and more sustainable future.
Nice North America Media Contacts
For interviews, reviews, and more information please contact Katye McGregor Bennett of KMB Communications at (406) 446-1283 or katye@kmbcomm.com.
Nice North America Corporate Contact: Holly Tessmer, Sr. Marketing Manager, Events & PR, Nice North America: holly.tessmer@niceforyou.com
All products, product names, trademarks, and registrations mentioned are the property of their respective owners. All rights reserved.
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