Nowadays, you have millions of options and choices for your conference room equipment. But what’s the right fit for your company? How to choose the right equipment that will meet your needs? There are 6 main points that you need to decide on. But before your audio-video integrator can help you with that, you need to answer 2 main questions.
– How are we going to use this conference room? Is it for internal meetings only, presentations, online meetings with clients, or just for having guests?
– What is more important for you? What is the quality of the sound and video or the design of your conference room? (Are you ready to sacrifice your top-to-bottom glass walls for better acoustics or is sound quality not important to you?)
The answers to these questions can change the equipment and the system design that your AV integrator will offer you, as well as your project budget.
Videoconferencing Solutions (Telepresence)
Videoconferencing used to be a privilege for rich, high-tech international companies that could afford it. Now it’s much much cheaper and easier to have a videoconferencing system – nearly a must-have thing for any modern office. It saves your and your employees’ time and money on travel, gives your business the ability to solve client’s questions as they arise, allows you to meet your clients and partners on camera as if they were present, share your screen, files and other workspace to work together, etc. For videoconferencing, you will need a screen, camera, speakers, and microphone, and of course, a network. Regarding the software, there are a few free options, like Skype, Google Hangouts, etc., but for professional quality audio and video, you will need a professional videoconferencing solution, which will serve your business uninterrupted, 24/7. There’s also a security issue, so it’s always better to go with a Pro. systems to keep your and your client’s information safe. Your AV integrator will help you choose the right system in line with your budget and business needs.
Audio
Good quality sound is one of the most important things in the conference room. You surely don’t want your conversation to echo, cut off or just disappear when talking to clients or to your business partners. It’s also an important factor during presentations, speeches, etc. Choose good quality commercial speakers, which have a longer warranty and will serve you for many years, in comparison with consumer-grade speakers.
Screens
You have a few options when it comes to screens. If your meeting room is small, and everyone can equally see the screen, a small TV screen will do, but when you have a bigger room, you will need a bigger screen. In this case, a screen can be a cheaper version to go with than a big-screen TV. It’s also a good idea to consider the lighting of the room when choosing the screen. When you have a very bright room, glass walls, or a lot of skylights that are not covered, it’s better to go with a TV screen, which has a brighter image in lighted environments. To get the same bright image with a projector, especially for bigger rooms, you will need a good quality, high-lumen commercial projector, which can be a little more expensive.
Lighting / Shading
At 1st glance, lighting and shading are not included in the AV system, but if you don’t consider them, you will be in a lot of trouble. The lighting and shading of your room will determine what kind of screen and projector to choose, how to program the system, if your room is always very sunny or in the contrary, has no windows. The material of shades/drapery and lighting fixtures, and bulbs can even influence the acoustics of the rooms. It’s a very important part of the whole picture, so be careful to take them into account and consult their choice with your AV integrator.
Control systems
A control system is a glue that ties in together all the systems and lets you control everything with 1 touch of a button. The control system can be programmed to play specific scenes, chosen by you for the given task or meeting. You can have different modes for presentations, videoconferencing, live tv streaming, movie/video watching, etc. During all these scenes lights and shades will automatically create the atmosphere for you to have the best image, sound, and overall experience. It’ll make your life so easy, that you will enjoy every presentation and meeting in your conference room.
If you have more questions about choosing the right equipment for your office or conference room / meeting room, please contact us to set up a consultation meeting!
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