Finding A Room Controller For Your Huddle Room

Many AV solutions rely on a room controller to do just that – control the room’s AV technology from a single interface. They are popular in office buildings and hotel rooms, as they provide guests with a simple way to alter lighting or audio levels, power equipment on or begin a video conference. If it can be integrated into an AV system, it can be managed using a room controller. The rapid adoption of huddle rooms has made the room controller even more important. In most offices, huddle rooms are intended for impromptu, quick fire meetings that preclude the need for tight room management. Room controllers, though, do more than facilitate room scheduling and reserving, and remain a valuable part of the AV equation in these tighter meeting spaces.

What a Room Controller Can Do for a Huddle Room

Room controllers improve the function and effectiveness of huddle rooms, turning each one into a hotspot of collaboration. Huddle rooms can take on many forms, and some businesses opt for huddle rooms that aren’t outfitted with digital displays, video conferencing or other AV solutions. What these businesses usually find is that it’s not just the size of the space that makes a huddle room work, it’s also the technology. This was confirmed in a survey commissioned by Logitech, which found that professionals are five times more likely to use a meeting space if it is equipped with technology. Further, the survey concluded that people are happily willing to meet in a smaller room if it comes with technology that drives collaboration. Companies can optimize their huddle room usage with AV solutions, and a room controller ensures those solutions are easily managed. Here’s how:

1. One processor for everything – Room control systems consist of two primary components. There’s the control panel, which is what users interface with. There’s also the box, which contains the processor and links the system’s components and control panel together. That means everything is controlled using a single device and a single interface. It’s as simple as it gets for people that just want a quick meeting.

2. Speeds everything up – Everyone wants a faster, more productive meeting, and room controllers can make this happen. There’s no need to power up everything from a different control device, fiddle with configuration settings or wrestle with conferencing equipment. With a room controller, users can switch into meeting mode with a single tap on the touch panel. One gesture could close and lock the door, set the lighting for optimal display viewing, power everything up, set the volume level, detect which devices are connected and start a conference call. This could shave several minutes, or more, off of every meeting, and that time adds up as huddle room solutions are scaled up.

3. Collects actionable data – Room controllers can be used to collect meaningful data that companies can put to use immediately. For example, a room controller can log which equipment and software is utilized the most and when it is utilized, providing management with a clear picture of how huddle rooms are being put to use. If the data reflects an undesirable usage outcome, companies know what the problem looks like and can determine how to solve it.

Room controllers transform a huddle room into a smart huddle room, shortening meetings and giving teams additional options for collaborating. There’s also an intangible advantage to room control solutions, in that they are fun to use and impressive to behold. That combination will keep people coming back to the huddle room, and ensure each one is put to frequent use.

The Biggest Brands in Room Controllers

A room controller is the nerve center of any room solution, making them a critical part of the equation. As such, the most respected names in AV produce some of the most respected room controllers on the market. Those brands include:

1. Crestron – Crestron’s products span the AV industry, but the manufacturer is best known for its control systems, which are found in AV solutions around the world. Crestron’s room controllers are split into several lines, such as the CP3 series. The CP3 is designed to be compatible with as many devices as possible, making for a versatile, flexible control system.

Crestron’s software solutions are also of note and enhance its hardware offerings further. With Crestron Fusion room controllers, for example, can also be remotely managed and monitored and used as scheduling devices.

2. Extron – Extron is right with Crestron as a chief manufacturer of room controller systems. Extron’s touchscreen controllers are of particular note, as they are some of the largest and most vibrant in the industry. The Touchlink Pro, for instance, is available with a 17-inch diagonal and can output at 1920 x 1080. It is designed for rooms with a lot of components, so it can accommodate even the most technologically sophisticated huddle rooms.

3. AMX – AMX room controllers are in extensive use in professional, educational and military settings. That’s because they are designed for security and are appropriate for extremely sensitive information. The brand’s NX series of room controllers, for example, offer cryptographic security features that observe FIPS 140-2 standards of data protection. That’s military-grade security.

Willing collaborators make a huddle room work, but AV solutions powered by a room controller make collaborators’ jobs easier. Room controllers do this by simplifying room and technology configuration, expediting meeting functions and making collaboration more engaging.