Meeting room technology at InfoComm 2024: reporting from 3 booths

At InfoComm 2024 earlier this month, many vendors focused on improving meeting room technology and conferencing and collaboration experiences. As post-pandemic workforce realignment continues to unravel, it has become almost a given that virtually every meeting will include both in-person and remote participants. This reality makes it the challenge — and the mission — of integrators to ensure all meeting participants have an equitable experience and feel fully part of the experience.

As I walked through the InfoComm 2024 show, I had in-depth conversations with HP | Poly, Shure and Crestron on meeting room technology and more. Each company used the show to highlight exciting developments that will facilitate better collaboration outcomes for in-person and remote attendees. Here, we’ll explore the latest developments highlighted by each company at the show.

HP | Poly Meeting Room Technology at InfoComm 2024 Gets Clients Up and Running

For HP | Poly, InfoComm 2024 focused on making the integrator experience simple: ensuring their success, reducing the cost and complexity of integration, and getting enterprise customers up and running. The company introduced its Poly Studio G62, a modular video conferencing system that brings professional-quality video and audio to large, flexible spaces. Thanks to the system’s modular design, it integrates seamlessly with various peripherals, for example cameras, microphones and controllers, making it ideal for conference rooms, classrooms and flexible spaces. Additionally, in conversation with Greg Baribault, Vice President, Product and Portfolio Management, HP | Poly, I learned that the premium experience offered by the system can be expanded with multiple cameras and microphones, ensuring that participants will show up and stand out even in large meeting spaces.

At the show, Baribault told me: “(One) of the most exciting things we’re showing for HP | Today, Poly at the Living Room is a combination of the Poly Studio G62 Android appliance – a modular device intended for deep integration across multiple rooms – and the Poly Studio G9 Plus core system for Windows-based rooms. Both are specifically designed for conference room environments for Zoom and Teams. Poly Studio G62 is certified for Microsoft Teams and is awaiting certification with other platforms, including Zoom and Tencent.

Digging deeper into the Poly Studio G9 Plus, this next-generation room solution includes the HP Mini IP PC G9 and Poly TC10 Controller, which connect directly to the PC via a Power over Ethernet (PoE) connection. The solution thus combines the Poly collaboration experience with HP’s maximum computing performance. It is possible to add multiple controllers in larger spaces to allow for greater versatility. Whether for a breakout room, meeting room, or other environment, simply pair the Basic Kit with compatible Poly cameras and other peripherals to meet the needs of the meeting space.

Shure Continues Focus on Innovation in Meeting Room Technology

If you’ve looked at Shure over the past few years, you know that the venerable audio specialist has focused heavily on the ceiling microphone category. The latest iteration, highlighted at InfoComm 2024, is the sleek MXA901. Its 13.5-inch round size complements virtually any interior design. Announced earlier this year and available in white, black and aluminum finishes, it builds on and expands the Microflex Ecosystem portfolio, which also includes the MXA902, announced in 2023.

The MXA901 stands out for its ability to deliver enhanced directional voice capture and reproduction in meeting spaces and conference rooms of varying sizes, while minimizing the necessary setup. This is because the product features automatic single-zone coverage technology, which covers a space of 20′ x 20′ with minimal setup required. In short, users can automatically capture the speakers they want to hear while leaving out the annoying noises they want to avoid. Additionally, the MXA901’s built-in IntelliMix DSP includes automatic gain control, acoustic echo cancellation, noise reduction, and automatic mixing. The result is high-quality audio for everyone in the meeting.

During a discussion at the show, Christine Schyvinck, president and CEO of Shure, explained to me that the company’s story at InfoComm 2024 comes down to innovation. “We never rest on our laurels,” she said. “We have to continue to innovate and offer new things. » Speaking of the MXA901, Schyvinck highlighted aesthetic considerations such as its circular design and color options, saying, “It’s meant to be seen.” She added: “I have a colleague who works at a consulting firm in Chicago, and they just installed a bunch of black MXA901s against a dark, cognac-colored ceiling. This looks amazing. This is a point worth emphasizing in an era where many employees feel their employer should “earn the ride” by providing them with a pleasant working environment.

Schyvinck also highlighted the MXA901’s scalability, saying that as rooms get larger, integrators can install multiple units to meet the sound needs of a space.

Crestron Embraces Frictionless Flexibility at InfoComm 2024

The Crestron booth at InfoComm 2024 was a constant hub of activity, reflecting the company’s many newsworthy announcements. For example, in the run-up to InfoComm 2024, the screening leader touted the fact that its solutions are now installed in more than 40 hotels/casinos on or near the Las Vegas Strip. This reflects Crestron’s broader investment in creating integrated solutions that enhance the customer experience and provide seamless control, at the touch of a button, over lighting, shading, audio and video. video, whether in guest rooms, luxury suites, meeting rooms or entertainment spaces.

But what about the category of conferences and collaboration? Hours before InfoComm 2024 opens, Crestron announced it has added new control points for unified communications systems, making it easier to leverage in-room automation for meetings and presentations. Of course, Crestron Control has been available on Crestron Flex solutions for a long time; this latest extension, however, brings native control to more UC platforms. What might have historically been managed with two separate devices is now simplified into a single interface. This means that the table is now tidier and there are fewer obstacles to granting more users access to the Crestron Room controls.

In response to the announcement, Frost & Sullivan Vice President of Research Roopam Jain said: “Customers are demanding this added flexibility from Crestron Control. Now, organizations can experience the power and versatility of Crestron Control across a wider range of UC solutions, simplifying meeting management and improving the overall user experience.

With direct integration with UC platform vendors to streamline meeting experiences, users can now access their Crestron Control solutions from any hardware vendor. Already introduced with Zoom Rooms software, Cisco Webex meetings and the Google Meet platform, Crestron Control is now also available on Microsoft Teams rooms on Windows with page flip integration. The Control Page effortlessly adapts to each UC platform, providing a seamless path that allows users to move from meeting controls to room controls. With Crestron Construct configuration software, the control GUI can match the standard platform interface. This ensures a familiar user experience and allows easy, fingertip control from a single device.

More information on InfoComm 2024 coming soon

As the Commercial Integrator The editorial team continues to wrap up our coverage of InfoComm 2024, keep your eyes peeled for more reports and recaps from Amala Reddie, Alyssa Borelli and me on meeting room technology and more.

And don’t forget to check out our hub page for InfoComm 2024, which outlines the scope of Commercial Integrator coverage over the past few months.