Building a BYOD Meeting Space
WITH THE STEM ECOSYSTEM™ AND AIRTAME
Every video conferencing system starts with the same three ingredients: audio, video, and a computer to run the conferencing platform. Whether you have...
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WIRELESS CONFERENCING ROOM SYSTEM SETUP
CONNECTING IT ALL TOGETHER
The primary building blocks to video conferencing systems are deceptively simple: audio, video, and a computer to run them and make the calls. Scaling that model while keeping the flexibility workers need to get the most out of their conference calls is where the true difficulty lies. As more offices transition to a hybrid work model, IT managers are on the hunt for tech solutions that offer the kind of scalability and flexibility needed to create modern, BYOD conference rooms for users across their organization. To help ease this process, we created a guide to break down what you need to know about BYOD spaces, the equipment you need to create them, and how to get your BYOD space up and running in no time.
Video conferencing has revolutionized the way people communicate, whether it be with instructors, clients, or colleagues. As more companies switch to a hybrid work model, the deficiencies of existing conferencing systems for thousands of organizations come to the surface. When using their workplace conference rooms, users want a hassle-free conferencing experience free from technical disruptions. They want the ease and familiarity of starting and participating in meetings using their personal devices, but with the quality of professional audio and video devices offered by a dedicated conferencing space.
Oftentimes what they find instead is a limited system that requires either a complicated and error-prone setup or one that limits their ability to use their own device. To provide users with the optimal conferencing experience, IT managers need to equip meeting rooms with solutions that offer the flexibility their users need with an effortless setup process.
Most conferencing systems are set up to address users in need of a quick and hassle-free way to connect to a conference call or users in need of a conferencing system that can adapt to their personal calendar and needs.
The reason these systems are specialized for one or the other is that conferencing systems are often a complex arrangement of different parts that each require one or more physical connections to work together. The video elements including displays and cameras, audio, and the computer that runs the conferencing software all need to be connected in order for the conference system to function correctly. The rigidity of these systems means that businesses can either opt for convenience, through the use of a dedicated computer where connections are pre-made, or flexibility, by allowing users to bring their own device (BYOD) but have to make the connections themselves each time. While these arrangements can work under certain circumstances, neither are ideal for the flexibility needed in shared conferencing spaces.
The Airtame Hybrid Screen Solution approaches conferencing in a unique way that brings the best of both worlds: it gives users the platform flexibility of BYOD setups, while also providing the stability and convenience of having a dedicated computer in the room which is plugged into the display, camera and audio peripherals.
To start a video conference with Airtame, users walk into an Airtame-equipped meeting space, and use the Airtame App to essentially “cast” the meeting up to an Airtame Hub device. All they have to do is open the app on their laptop, and press “Join Call”. The Airtame app sends the meeting info from the user’s calendar, over to the Airtame Hub and the Hub joins the call.
The Airtame Hub is connected to the display, camera and audio peripherals so the user never has to worry about plugging additional hardware into their laptop (it’s completely software-driven), or stress about their laptop’s battery life or wireless signal.
When designing your conferencing system, you need to select the video and audio solutions that work best for the physical space where they’ll be installed and that have been tested to ensure compatibility with Airtame - solutions like the Stem Ecosystem.
Audio is often one of the most complex parts of the conferencing system, with connections needed for both microphones and speakers taking up valuable real estate in your room and the available data connections on your computer. Setups that require using more than one speaker or microphone typically either need a time-consuming and difficult tuning process or require an expensive integration.
The Stem Ecosystem radically simplifies conference audio for both installers and users. Each of the four audio endpoints - Wall, Table, Ceiling, and Speaker - can be mixed and matched to create an ecosystem of up to 10 audio endpoints. Plus, the Stem Ecosystem Platform lets you add each device to the local network and assign devices the room while giving you access to free software tools to adjust device settings to the room’s unique audio environment and verify a successful install.
By pairing your Stem Ecosystem with Airtame's Hybrid Conferencing solutions, with USB connectivity from the Airtame Hub to your Stem Hub Express or standalone device, you can easily convert any collaboration space into a hybrid meeting room. The high-performance Airtame Hub is built for superior screen sharing, signage and video calls to the service of your choice. With their conferencing software Airtame Rooms, you can join video calls connecting people across locations. The perfect combination of Airtame Rooms with Airtame Hub, connected to your preferred camera, microphone and speakers, provides a consistent experience and standardized deployment in all your meeting rooms.
A fully functional video conferencing system is more than just the computer and audio, however. Let’s talk about what you will need to create a complete Stem x Airtame conference room.
