This article is part of our coverage of the 2025 CE Pro Masters.
Widely recognized as an industry visionary, Orrin Charm is a field-trained expert on product design, systems integration, user interfaces, wiring, installation practices and documentation. For over 40 years he has steadily promoted a holistic, user-experience-driven approach to integrated home technology.
As product manager, Charm developed and managed many new video, audio, and control products for Gefen, a leading manufacturer of signal distribution products for commercial, residential, and broadcast AV systems.
Prior to Gefen, Charm co-founded InfiniSys, and developed much of the original distribution architecture for MDU high-speed Internet and LAN-based amenities. These included HDTV, security, energy management, distributed AV, access control, and telecommunications systems. He developed MDU distribution architecture and specifications for DirecTV, Verizon FiOS, AT&T U-Verse, and for many large MDU developers. Charm helped to develop the original structured wiring product line for AMP/OnQ/Legrand.
He has served on ANSI/TIA Telecommunications Standards Committees and helped to develop TIA-570 Residential Telecommunications Standards. He has been on the CEA (now CTA) Multi-Room AV Standards committee, the VESA Home Network Standards Committee, and the SIA Alarm Home Automation Standards Committee. Charm contributed to Electronics Systems Technicians Training Manuals for CEA, CEDIA, and BICSI.
Lightapalooza took place in late February, and the growth of the event has mirrored the rapid ascension lighting fixtures and controls.
Charm co-founded and chaired the CEDIA Systems Integration Council and was elected to the CEDIA Board of Directors. He is a CEDIA-certified designer, and he has created and taught many of the original CEDIA education classes. He assisted integrators with CAD and provided the CEDIA debut of D-Tools. CES, Broadband Properties Summit, SIA, ISC, EHX, Habitech, HAA, NSCA, and other trade shows have benefited from Charm’s trainings and seminars.
As one who enjoys sharing his expertise and insights, Charm contributes to CE Pro, and has written for TecHome Builder, ArchiTech, Broadband Properties, Sound and Video Contractor, Custom Builder, Electronic House, Custom Home Electronics, Home Intelligence, Audio/Video Interiors, Circuit Cellar Ink, and Security Distributing and Marketing.
Earlier in his career, he designed and manufactured a Patch Bay System for Consumer Audio/Video applications — and won a CES Design Engineering Award at the 1982 CES. Charm was awarded a U.S. Patent for his Pyramount Speaker Mounting System. Charm also designed recording studio mixing consoles for Quad-Eight, Audio Concepts, and Quantum Audio Labs.
One of the early custom electronics installers, Charm started out by installing car speakers as in-walls in multiroom systems, moving on to home telephone/intercom systems, and finally designing the first touchscreen-controlled integrated systems for elite clientele in the Los Angeles area.
These days, Charm is looking for opportunities to help bring technology integrators into the emerging and evolving market for sustainable energy management systems.
To read through the profiles of any previous Master, or to find out the full list of CE Pro Masters for 2025, check out the main article here.
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