Today, meetings are no longer just for people sitting in company conference rooms. Teams are scattered from different cities, countries, even continents. For all modern businesses, a good meeting room AV setup has therefore become a very special jewel. The right AV system will facilitate meetings smoothly and productive and under stress. Now what constitutes a good setup? Let’s break it down.
If the participants cannot hear each other, the meeting will almost always fail. This should therefore be at the very top of any meeting room’s priorities.
With good microphones and speakers — a participant can be heard directly through to the other end without any delay or distortion. In small meeting rooms, tabletop microphones may suffice; in larger spaces, ceiling microphones or boundary microphones will do a better job. Then speakers are placed so voices are heard evenly across the room.
Noise suppression is the next thing on that list-it suppressing sounds irrelevant to the conversation, like keystrokes, shuffling of papers, or traffic noise outside. Achieving that level of professionalism is something that would otherwise be impossible.
Video is critical in modern meetings, especially when participants join remotely. A great meeting room AV setup includes cameras that produce crisp, high-definition video. Auto-tracking cameras are gaining popularity since they track the speaker automatically and make the meetings more natural.
For displays, depending on the room size, a small huddle room may only need one flat screen display, a large boardroom could need several displays or an LED wall. The idea behind this is that every participant should be able to see the content clearly from wherever they sit.
Even a great AV system becomes an utter waste if the end user does not know how to use it. Therefore, this factor should be given priority over others.
Nobody wants to waste 15 minutes trying to figure out what cables to connect or what settings to use. An excellent system should need no instructions to operate. It has to be consistent and reliable across different rooms in the office.
There are two standards for meeting-room AV: one on technology and the other on the nature of the space. Consequently, an extraordinary room design will determine how well your AV installation will work.
Lighting: Natural light is always welcome, but it may prove to be detrimental to video quality if it manifests with glare. When the lights can be dimmed, it presents an opportunity to get just the right balance.
Acoustics: Hard surfaces such as glass walls offer many unwanted echoes. To make it clearer, there should be carpet, curtains or acoustic panels.
The seating arrangement should: have clear line of sight to the screen and camera, encourage collaboration and have the technology accessible.
There can possibly be no disruption in the middle of an important presentation down through a video call, which is utterly frustrating! Flawless strong internet connectivity is therefore paramount. For a bigger conference setup, chances are that a wired connection will provide more stability than Wi-Fi.
The platform should integrate seamlessly with the AV system for the common ones, e.g., Microsoft Teams, Zoom, or Google Meet, so that users do not get bogged down joining a meeting due to software inattention.
Good setups at the end of the day are ones people like using. A system should save time, reduce stress and make collaboration seamless. Businesses should also consider support services — regular maintenance, quick troubleshooting and software updates — to keep everything running smoothly. A great meeting room AV setup is not just about the latest technology. It’s about creating an environment where people can focus on ideas not technical problems.
If you are planning to upgrade or design a new meeting room AV setup, think beyond just the equipment. Focus on audio, video, room design, ease of use, and overall user experience.
At Engagis, we help businesses create smarter meeting rooms that make collaboration simple and effective. Whether it’s a small huddle space or a large boardroom, we provide tailored AV solutions that bring your meetings to life. Learn more about how Engagis can support your workplace technology needs.