Conference Room Technology and Conference Room Design

Depending on the nature of your business, your boardroom or conference room can be one of the most important areas in your entire office. For many, it is the room that makes one of the first impressions on customers, clients, prospects, and potential recruits as well as peers and colleagues.  Your conference room can either communicate that your company is an icon of success and power -- or something less.

Conference Room Design

If your boardroom /conference room/ war room / meeting room/ presentation room is the statement of your corporate image to some of your most prominent business connections, then the conference room design and technology should reflect your company at its best.  This requires not just cutting- edge audio, video and data, but also design elements that enhance function at every turn. 

Logic Integration provides floor-to-ceiling conference room design engineering and installation, from the latest in audio video technology to lighting, furniture, automatic motorized shades, motorized lifts for hiding video monitors, meeting room scheduling systems and even color scheme and wall covering consultation.  This is why some of the most recognizable names in corporate America – as well as industry leaders in hospitality, government, and education  choose Logic Integration for their audio visual needs. We are proud to count Dish Network, CPB Group, SM Energy, and the Colorado Education Association among the valued clients we have created conference rooms for. 

Conference Room Technology

From multi-location, real time telepresence video conferencing across the city or across the globe, to remote data sharing, interactive white boards, Planar projection and display solutions, Cisco and Polycom video conferencing systems, Crestron automation, and BiAmp audio systems, Logic Integration works with the most advanced conference room technology and AV brands available. Our conference room capabilities include:

• Conference Room Audio - Clear audio is probably the most important element of any conference room design, engineering and installation. Reverberation and echo can be very distracting. Microphones specifically designed for video conferencing are highly sensitive. As long as the conference room microphones are centrally located, most microphones will capture sound within six - eight feet of the device. While many videoconference microphones are typically placed in the center of the conference table, some large rooms may require several microphones, such as in table-mounted microphones. Logic Integration Inc uses BiAmp DSP (Digital Signal Processing) to route audio, such as microphones, source selection, echo cancellation, and touch screen dialing. An example of a project we recently engineered included eight table microphones feeding four mix-minus ceiling speaker zones; two stereo program sources feeding a pair of wall-mounted speakers; conferencing inputs/ outputs for a video codec and two telephone lines. This system is controlled and monitored via a touchscreen at the boardroom table.
• Conference Room Video - Similar to those used in high-production desktops, dual monitors are becoming a popular conference room technology. Multiple monitors are useful in conferencing applications as they allow the meeting host to put content items being shared to a remote location or office, and allow for one or more videos on separate monitors. In addition, the use of multiple monitors can also better mimic an in-person meeting. The two basic display types available for video conferencing are projectors or flat panels. Projectors ca cost less than a flat screen and cover a larger view. However, there are drawbacks to projectors caused by glare from windows, poor or bright lighting that cannot be dimmed, and pixelated text on larger screens. In a room where the lights are too bright, the only workable solution for a projector is to use a model with very high lumens (lumens are the ratio of lamp brightness against the ambient light in the room) however the contrasts and colors may still look washed out. Projectors with high lumens are expensive and may not be economical in some situations. In addition, some high-powered projectors have loud fans. Flat panels — either LCD or LED — are the alternative to projectors. Both of these flat screen options operate in varied light conditions, and the impact of ambient light on image quality is minimal. They typically work well in any evenly lit rooms and provide a clarity that is not possible with anything but high-end projectors. Regardless of the type of display selected, the minimum screen size for good viewing results is 52", although larger screens of 60-80" are preferable, especially for larger rooms. Another great option is a Planar Video Wall, which is a multi screen or multi tile LCD setup. Most videoconferences done today are displayed in standard resolution, but HD (high definition) screens are becoming more common. Investing in a higher quality screen now allows you to accommodate technical advancements without having to upgrade your conference room components in the future.

There are many workable options for conference room technology, audio and video, depending on use, outcomes, budget, impression and other considerations.  We invite you to meet with Logic Integration for conference room design and technologies that will meet your particular needs. 

Conference Room Security

Logic Integration builds secure and classified conference rooms for businesses as well as government and military installations that need to protect sensitive information. Logic can ensure that clients enjoy the highest levels of AV teleconferencing with the confidence that their communications are protected and secure.

Turnkey Conference Room Design

In addition to design, engineering and installation of conference room technology, Logic Integration can handle all the elements of exceptional conference room design including:

• Furniture - Selecting tables and chairs for a state-of-the-art conference room or board room is an important element of high-tech conference room design. Furniture selection will affect the flexibility of configuration, which is of critical importance in smaller or multi-purpose rooms. Good design with the right tables and chairs will allow maximum flexibility and accommodation. For example, a horseshoe or semicircular configuration can be the most efficient use of space. Some conference room furniture is more easily amenable to microphone and power installations. And some furniture surfaces, materials and colors affect conference room function; for example, glass is a reflective surface that can cause disturbances which affect video quality, whether flat panel LED, LCD or projectors. These are just some of the elements to be considered when selecting furniture to enhance conference room design.  Please visit our furniture page to see some examples of design configurations.
• Lighting - Regardless of lighting fixtures selected, the goal is an evenly lit space with minimal shadowing. Additionally, there should be no direct lighting aimed in the direction of a video camera lens. Diffused fluorescent fixtures work well, as do indirect candescent fixtures, which allow for a dimming feature. Stark, direct lighting, such as indoor spotlights, which cause heavy shadowing, do not work well in a video conferencing environment. Often a combination of indirect candescent and diffused fluorescent will offer the most lighting flexibility.  All this can be controlled via a Crestron touch panel with easy to use preset scenes.
• Motorized Lifts - Especially useful for multi-purpose rooms, motorized lifts can hide your audio visual equipment with the push of a button.
• Windows and Window Treatments - Selecting an interior room without windows for your video conferencing room is often a luxury that cannot be accommodated. Sunlight can disrupt the camera's ability to capture a good image, and it can make viewing a conference difficult as glare may overcome the brightness on many display screens and monitors. If you have the option, take an interior room. For rooms with exterior windows, use motorized drape or shade control such as MechoSystems. They also should contain a solar-blocking or blackout to prevent glare.
• Colors - Certain color schemes are conducive for conference room functions and are more visually ergonomic. Poor color schemes can impede visual perception of the room causing users to lose focus, and even contribute to headaches and fatigue from longer meetings.  In selecting the color palette for your video conferencing room, neutral shades such as beige, tan, pale gray or a pale slate blue work best. These colors provide the best ergonomic background and reduce eyestrain when viewing the video images. Stark whites and the darker palettes should also be avoided as they do not  provide optimum backgrounds for viewing.
• Wall Finishes - Painted, papered or fabric walls can be acceptable wall finishes for your video conferencing room and can also help with acoustics. Be sure the selected color falls within the parameters of the color palette mentioned above.  Painted walls are best in a flat or semi-flat finish. Avoid gloss or enamel finishes as they reflect light. If you decide to use a paper or fabric finish, avoid tight, intricate patterns, such as striping, checks or tight swirls. These patterns can cause the video image to appear distorted and flicker rapidly. Users participating in your video conference will find this effect unpleasant to their eyes. As with paint finishes, shiny wall coverings are also problematic because they reflect light. Paper or fabric wall finishes in a muted, pale color palette with no texture or minimal tone-on-tone texture are optimum.
• Other Conference Room Design Elements - In addition to problematic reflection effects, large glassed-in paintings, glass tabletops, and windows also create acoustic reverberation and echo. These may degrade the audio quality of your conference, or require higher-end echo cancellation hardware to mitigate. Bear in mind that wall hangings within range of the camera should not have reflective surfaces. Materials such as mirrors or glass fronted framed prints reflect light and may cause the camera to overcompensate the brightness in the room. This also holds true for credenzas with glass or mirror-fronted hutches, and glass-topped tables. Keep the accessories in the room at a minimum because they can be distracting; and in some cases, your system could use more bandwidth (due to light changes).  In general, furniture and decorating accessories should be kept to a minimum.

These are just some elements of good conference room design.  To learn more or to schedule a conference room design or conference room technology consultation, call us today and let us help you create the ultimate conference room for your organization. Ultra-custom and extra-challenging jobs are no problem for us.  303-484-8237, 888-725-9165 or .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)