As we rely heavily on video conferencing software be it Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams or what have you. The move back to the office & physical locations reminds us to ensure our conference rooms are in the most ideal state to have our employees collaborating and working together efficiently. At Network Right we pride ourselves on our AV/Conference room setups. So we gathered a list on what we consider makes up the “perfect” conference room setup.
If your interested in upping your conference room game be sure to reach out to us at hello@networkright.io to discuss how we can help with your particular setup!
Choosing the Right Provider & Hardware
Nowadays most conference room hardware is pretty versatile. At a base level a camera, microphone, TV and speakers makeup a conference setup. That said its important to choose the correct provider for your organization. Analyzing the feature set and interface you feel your team is most comfortable with. Ranging from a long list of providers some of the top recommendation we typically deploy are:
- Zoom
- Google Meet
- Microsoft Teams
- Life Size
- Blue Jeans
When it comes to hardware there are a few things you want to take into account:
- How big is the room/how many people will be using it
- Will it need to support multiple displays (Training rooms often use a multi-display setup requiring specific hardware)
- Boardrooms often require a bit more particular hardware to ensure appropriate audio + video needs are met
Answering the questions above will help determine the system you end up going with. We’ve deployed All-In-One systems, 360 cameras, ceiling mounted microphones, and much more all to fit the form & function of a room.
Taking into account the “acoustics” of a room
The physical layout of a room can heavily affect the acoustics or how the sound travels. This is important for various reasons. Bigger conference rooms such as a board room that aren’t treated correctly can end up having a really echoey or hollow sound on the other end. Bigger rooms also require better or multiple microphones to ensure everyone can be heard when in a conference call. There are of course a couple things we can do to combat this:
- Installing acoustic treatements (Panels, Foam, etc) on the walls and ceiling help significantly reduce echo & reverberation
- Simply ensuring a room is filled with furniture or objects helps cut down on noise feedback on calls
- For bigger rooms/tables we often suggest a multi-mic system to ensure everyone gets picked up
Cable Management
From not just an aesthetic perspective but a safety one, cable management is key to perfecting your conference setups. It presents a organized & clean look to outside parties but also and more importantly helps mitigate accidents in the workplace from users tripping over wires or damaging hardware.
We believe in doing our best to efficiently hide and manage cables to match the setup of a room. At times there’s the need to run cables through a wall, use an extension to get power, and so on. However we do our best to utilize cable covers, ties, and other accessories to present the best version of your conference room. All while ensuring users have easy access to the cables they need chargers, display connectors, etc.
A step that goes a long way to perfecting the overall room!
The Accessories
Convenience & efficiency are two factors we always take into account when designing conference rooms. Examining a setup and workplace environment to better understand what users may need at a moments notice while in a meeting. This includes a variety of cables, adapters, and so on which make the overall experience for the end user simple but effective.
Some key items we ensure our conference setups have depending on a room size/function:
- Laptop chargers (Taking into account standard equipment deployment)
- Easy to access surge protectors or power outlets (In event users do bring their own chargers making it easy for them to get connected)
- For bigger conference rooms we look to include a phone charger or two in event users need to charge mobile devices or use them for meetings
- Phone/VOIP line for certain setups that require it
- Remotes (TV or conference room equipment that requires it is always important to have handy ever in case its required)
- Adapters (This day in age with many users having different USB types, ports, and versions of laptops this is key to ensuring everyone has what they need to connect to conference equipment)
Hardwiring Devices
An often under looked aspect of conference room equipment is ensuring at a network level their properly prepared & wired in. For the utmost reliability when it comes to your meetings and quality of calls you’ll want to ensure your devices that can be are wired in via ethernet. This just eliminates wireless interference or signal issues when it comes to conference calls. Our team ensure wherever TV’s are mounted and equipment is installed that there is easily accessible ethernet ports. Opting to run our own lines to fit the layout of a room as needed.
A technical touch that goes a long way in ensuring your employees meeting always go as smoothly as possible!
These are what we at Network Right consider essential categories to consider anytime your setting up a conference room whether its in a new space/office or upgrading an existing one. Many variables come into play of course from room to room and its sole purpose. A board room or training room for example may differ in setup compared to a smaller size meeting room. However keeping these factors in mind will help you perfect the overall experience
If your interested in getting your conference rooms setup to perfection don’t hesitate to contact us today!
