Choosing the Right Video Conferencing Solution for Your Meeting Rooms

No two meeting rooms are alike. They vary widely in size, shape, acoustics, lighting quality, placement and purpose. That means there isn't a single video conferencing solution that fits every meeting space.If your company's meeting spaces and conferencing solutions are mismatched, it could cause issues with framing and overburden users. It could also mean you're overinvesting in some rooms and underinvesting in others.A certified AV integrator is the perfect conferencing solution matchmaker, ensuring this doesn't happen. And when they design video conferencing for meeting rooms, they have different options for focus rooms, huddle rooms, and larger spaces like boardrooms. We'll take a look at those options and how they fit.

Focus Rooms: Scale Your Conferencing Solutions Down for Better Usability

Focus rooms are designed for one or two people, depending on what the room is being used for. For a pair, focus rooms can be places for private conversation and intense strategizing. For one person, it can be that too if there's a video conferencing solution in place.Video conferencing for focus rooms should be centered around usability-first. These spaces are small and acoustically simple, so they aren't difficult to set up for video conferencing.A simple, but effective option is Poly's Studio P15 video bar. Inside the P15 is a camera, microphone and speaker, so everything you'll need for a conference, minus the display. It's a simple setup, ideal for a single person, but it still comes with the brand's excellent optics and audio features. The P15 is capable of outputting at 4K resolution and handles framing automatically, so if it's slightly misaligned, it won't affect the conference.The P15 also comes with Poly's notable audio features, including NoiseBlockAI and Acoustic Fence. Together, these features ensure no ambient sounds intrude on the meeting. Put it all together and the P15 offers a strong mix of quality and usability for focus rooms.

Huddle Rooms: Add in Collaborative Technology for Meetings Where Everyone Contributes

Huddle rooms are a step up from focus rooms in size, and they're typically used for small team collaboration. Designed for four to six people, huddle rooms work well with dedicated video conferencing solutions, rather than just mounting a camera to a monitor.One such solution is the Poly Studio X30 video bar, which is an upscaled version of the P15. Specifically, the Studio X30 includes a beamforming microphone array instead of a single microphone, which allows for accurate pickup in larger spaces. It's also built with an acoustic chamber design, which minimizes sound-induced vibration and improves audio quality. The same audio-enhancing features that come with the P15 (NoiseBlockAI and Acoustic Fence) are also included with the Studio X30.Another valuable Studio X30 feature is its content sharing capabilities.

Depending on the conferencing platform in use (Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Cisco Webex), the X30 can provide content sharing capabilities that can be managed wirelessly. This content sharing is even more effective when combined with an interactive display like the Clevertouch. Interactive displays can be used for content sharing, but that's not all. They can also be used for whiteboarding purposes. During whiteboarding, users can make visual notes and use the display's onboard browser to bring in examples for inspiration.The goal for huddle rooms is quick, engaging collaboration among smaller teams. The Studio X30 and Clevertouch support those goals.

Boardrooms: For a Large Space, Intelligent Cameras and Clear Audio are a Must

In large meeting rooms, like boardrooms, the challenge is ensuring everyone can be seen and heard. The reverse is also true - everyone in the room needs to be able to see and hear the other group.Sticking with the Poly Studio line, boardrooms are best served with the X70, which is purpose-built for an expanded conference room. To cover extra area, the X70 is built with a pair of high-resolution lenses (a 70-degree FOV lens and a 120-degree FOV lens), so no matter the room's size, seating arrangement or layout, the X70's cameras can frame whoever is speaking. On the audio side, the X70 includes two-way stereo speakers with bass ports for richer sound, and an advanced beamforming microphone array for superior audio pickup. An X70 setup is ideal for boardrooms that measure less than 16 feet wide and 20 feet deep. Poly’s large room kit is better suited for spaces larger than these specifications.Poly’s large room kit is built off of its G7500 base model, and includes one of the brand’s TC8 touchscreens for responsive room control.

If needed, one or more Eagle Eye cameras can also be combined with the system for automatic, intelligent framing. And in especially large boardrooms, integrators can set up additional networked speakers around the room to expand output coverage and ensure comfortable volume for everyone.If separate microphones are preferred, you have options. Two popular choices are Shure's Microflex and Stem systems, both of which can be built out using ceiling, wall, or tabletop microphones. With Shure audio solutions, you can get optimal pickup coverage no matter where the meeting's participants are sitting, without those microphones interfering with the room's aesthetics or function. Again, this hardware makes the most sense with one of Poly’s large room kits, and not its all-in-one studio bars.

Leading Conferencing Solutions Can Provide a Native Experience, No Matter Your Chosen Platform

A lot of organizations rely on multiple conferencing platforms, but if your employees prefer one popular platform over another, Poly's solutions and other leading options - like the Crestron Flex - can be configured to offer a robust Zoom or Microsoft Teams experience.With Zoom Room or Microsoft Teams Room capabilities, users can walk into the meeting space and launch a Zoom or Teams call with a single button press. That way, your teams have the interface and features they're most comfortable with, while leveraging best-in-class conferencing hardware.

Match the Right Technology to the Right Room, and You'll Get Better Meetings

Whether you're selecting conferencing solutions for a focus room, huddle room, boardroom or something larger, matching the right system to the right space is critical. There are plenty of options to choose from, though, and picking the right one may not be obvious.If selecting the right conferencing hardware is a concern for your organization, working with a certified AV integrator can help. Certified integrators are experts in assessing their clients' meeting rooms and determining what technologies would fit best. This includes video conferencing solutions, and the supporting technologies you'll need to optimize them.