But for many businesses, it’s also where cracks start to show  especially when audio visual (AV) and meeting room technology hasn’t been planned early enough.

At VideoCentric, we’ve supported organisations through hundreds of office moves.

One lesson comes up time and time again:

If AV is an afterthought, it quickly becomes an expensive problem.

In this, we’ll walk through the common pitfalls of poorly planned AV during an office move, explain why early planning makes all the difference, and show how the right preparation can save time, money, and frustration.

The Hidden Risk of Not Planning AV Early

When businesses plan an office move, focus often falls on:

• Furniture

• IT infrastructure

• Connectivity

• Floorplans and general fit-out

AV, meeting rooms, and collaboration technology are frequently left until the final stages or worse, until after people have already moved in.

This can lead to:

• Meeting rooms that don’t work as expected

• Video calls with poor audio or camera angles

• Screens in the wrong place or the wrong size for the new room

• Cabling issues discovered too late

• Unexpected upgrade costs

In a world of hybrid working and video-first communications, these issues don’t just cause inconvenience, they impact productivity, professionalism, and employee experience from day one.

“Can’t We Just Reuse Our Existing AV Equipment?”

This is one of the most common questions we hear — and the honest answer is: sometimes.

Your current AV kit may still be suitable, but only if it’s been properly assessed against:

• The new room sizes

• Ceiling heights and acoustics

• Lighting conditions

• Room layouts and seating positions

• How your teams actually collaborate today

A camera that worked perfectly in a small meeting room can struggle in a larger space.
Microphones that once picked up everyone clearly may fail in open, modern offices with higher ceilings.

Displays that were “fine before” can suddenly feel undersized or poorly positioned.

This is why an AV survey of the new office is critical before decisions are made.

The Pitfalls We See When AV Isn’t Considered Early

Here are some of the most common (and costly) mistakes businesses make during office moves:

1. Meeting Rooms Designed Without AV in Mind

Rooms look great on paper but once installed, there’s nowhere sensible for cameras, screens, or microphones.

2. Cabling and Power Overlooked

No allowance for display mounts, floor boxes, ceiling microphones, or future expansion.

3. Last-Minute AV Decisions

Rushed choices often lead to overspending or compromises that don’t fully meet user needs.

4. Inconsistent User Experience

Different rooms behave differently, confusing users and increasing IT support tickets.

5. Upgrades That Could Have Been Avoided

Equipment replaced unnecessarily or worse, equipment kept when it should have been upgraded.

Why Early AV Planning Makes All the Difference

Planning AV early in your office move allows you to:

• Design meeting rooms properly, not retrospectively

• Reuse existing equipment where it genuinely makes sense

• Identify where upgrades will have the biggest impact

• Ensure consistent, easy-to-use meeting spaces

• Avoid unexpected costs late in the project

Most importantly, it ensures your new office supports the way your teams actually work from day one.

How VideoCentric Supports Office Moves

At VideoCentric, we don’t just “install kit”. We help businesses plan, assess, and optimise AV as part of a wider office move.

Our Office Moves Support Includes:

• Free initial consultation

• AV surveys of your new office space

• Assessment of existing AV equipment

• Practical recommendations (reuse vs upgrade)

• Collaboration room design support

• Installation, configuration, and user training

To make this even easier, we’ve created a dedicated Office Moves Planner — designed to help you think about AV before it becomes a problem.

Download the Office Moves AV Planner

Our free planner helps you:

• Ask the right AV questions early

• Avoid common office move pitfalls

• Prepare for conversations with landlords, designers, and IT teams

• Ensure your new meeting rooms actually work

👉 Download the Office Moves Planner
👉 Or book a free consultation with our AV specialists

Final Thought: Plan Once, Benefit for Years

An office move isn’t something you do often but the decisions you make will affect your teams every single day.

By planning AV early, surveying the new space properly, and getting expert input from the start, you can avoid costly mistakes and create meeting spaces that truly support modern, hybrid working.

If you’re planning an office move, you and your team deserve to get it right.

Here are some of the most common mistake’s organisations make when planning a Microsoft Teams Room, and how to avoid them. 

Underestimating Room Acoustics

One of the biggest mistakes is assuming that good microphones or speakers alone will fix poor sound quality. The reality is that room acoustics play a major role in how clearly people hear and are heard. Hard surfaces like glass walls, bare floors, or large meeting tables can cause echo and reverberation, while soft furnishings and acoustic panels help to absorb sound and improve clarity. 

The workspace environment has a huge impact on speech intelligibility, user fatigue, and meeting clarity. 

• Improving room acoustics leads to better a communication experience in hybrid settings. It also improves the accuracy of AI features such as meeting transcriptions and automated note taking. 
• Aim for a reverberation time (RT60) of 0.6 seconds or less in meeting rooms to keep speech crisp. 
• Use acoustic panels, microperforated ceiling tiles, or hanging baffles. At least two walls should be treated. 
• Consider “invisible tech”: embed microphones and speakers into the ceiling so you don’t clutter tabletops. 

Top Tip: Before you invest in technology, assess the acoustic properties of your meeting room. Solutions with built in audio AI can help compensate for challenging spaces, but acoustic treatment should always be part of the design conversation. 

Choosing Based on Cheapest Price, Not Quality or Fit

When budgets are tight, it’s tempting to choose a system based on cost alone. But the cheapest solution isn’t always the most cost-effective in the long run. 

A small huddle room and a large boardroom have very different requirements, and a one-size-fits-all approach can lead to poor camera coverage, inconsistent audio pickup, or user confusion. 

• Avoid a “one size fits all” mentality. A huddle room, medium room, and auditorium have vastly different requirements for mic arrays, camera coverage, and speaker strength. 
• Look for certified systems that allow modular upgrades (e.g. add a second display,  add a whiteboard camera) rather than full replacement down the line. 
• Prioritise features that boost usability and adoptions (e.g., one-touch join, proximity join, intelligent cameras) rather than cutting corners on peripherals. 

Tip: Focus on optimising your technology. Work with a certified partner who can specify solutions suited to your room size, use case, and platform. Investing in the right setup from the start reduces long-term support costs and ensures a better user experience.  

Ignoring Display Positioning

It’s easy to overlook the physical placement of displays when planning a Teams Room but it has a huge impact on meeting quality. If the camera or screen is mounted too high, participants appear disengaged. If the display is too small or too far away, remote participants and shared content become hard to see. 

• Align the camera roughly to users’ eye lines.  The camera lens should be at 120cm from the floor with the display positioned above it. 
• When very large displays are needed for conference rooms then a camera positioned either side of the display maintains the eye line 
• Position cameras slightly below or at screen level to avoid unflattering overhead or chin-up angles. 
• Use intelligent cameras with auto framing and speaker tracking to maintain eye contact and framing without manual control. 
• Pay attention to window position and the presence of bright sunlight which cause the camera iris to shut evening out bright light levels. This can cause people in the meeting room to look very dark. Window blinds that block bright sunlight make a big difference. 
• Use professional displays with a matt or high haze coating to reduce reflections of room lights and windows 

Overlooking Cable Management & Power

Behind every sleek Teams Room lies a maze of cables, poor cable management can cause real headaches. Loose or tangled cables not only look untidy but can lead to connectivity issues, trip hazards, and difficulty maintaining the system. 

Likewise, forgetting to plan for power and network points at the right locations often results in last-minute compromises or exposed extension leads. 

 A sleek Teams Room can be brought down by cable chaos, power oversights, or limitations on servicing. 

• Plan cable routes under floors, inside walls, or through protective tubing, with easy future access in mind. 
• Locate power and network outlets both behind the display and near the table (for in-room devices). 
• Use high quality shielded cables (e.g. Category 6A, fibre where needed) and terminate them properly. Signal loss and degradation is a silent killer. 
• Consider power redundancy or UPS for critical elements (compute, touch console, audio systems) to survive brief outages.

Tip: Include cable routing and power provision early in the design process. During design, simulate “maintenance day” – think about how someone will get under the table, open racks, replace a device. Don’t allow awkward retrofits. 

Forgetting About Future Scalability

 Technology evolves quickly, and so do the needs of your teams. Designing a Microsoft Teams Room without considering future requirements can limit flexibility and increase upgrade costs later. Whether it’s adding a second display, integrating wireless sharing, forward-thinking planning will save time and money down the line. 

 You don’t want to lock yourself into outdated systems. Here’s how to think ahead: 

• Build for BYOM (Bring Your Own Meeting) capability – modern rooms support USB-C plug-and-play connections, so users aren’t locked into Teams only. 
• Track usage analytics: monitor no-shows, busiest rooms, utilization patterns, and adjust capacity or configuration. 
• Leave headroom: extra compute capacity, spare network ports, modular mount points so you can add devices later. 
• Embrace low-power, wellness, and sustainability design: lighting, HVAC, and AV should autosense occupancy to reduce energy usage. 

 Tip: For example, Yealink ecosystems offer scalable options that can grow as your meeting needs evolve.  

Final Thoughts 

A well-planned Microsoft Teams Room is more than just a collection of devices, it’s a carefully designed environment that balances technology, space, and user experience. By avoiding these common mistakes, you’ll create a room that not only looks professional but also delivers seamless collaboration day after day. 

If you’d like expert advice on designing or upgrading your Teams Rooms, speak to the VideoCentric team here. As a Microsoft Gold Partner with decades of experience in video collaboration, we can help you build a future-proof meeting space that works flawlessly every time. 

Recently, Techzine published an article titled Yealink delivers secure collaboration with Microsoft’s MDEP (July 3, 2025), highlighting how this partnership is setting new standards in video conferencing security and device management. Here, we’ll expand on those insights and explain why it matters for organisations investing in Microsoft Teams Rooms and Yealink solutions.

What is Microsoft’s Device Ecosystem Platform (MDEP)?

MDEP is Microsoft’s next-generation device management and security platform designed specifically for Android-based collaboration devices, such as Microsoft Teams Room panels, video bars, and desk phones.

Unlike standard Android deployments, MDEP provides:

• Enterprise-grade security with hardware-backed attestation and Microsoft PKI.

• Seamless integration with Microsoft Intune and Azure AD (Entra ID) for identity, policy enforcement, and compliance management.

• Single Sign-On (SSO) and multifactor authentication (MFA) for enhanced access control.

• Zero-touch provisioning and Autopilot integration to simplify large-scale deployments.

In short, MDEP delivers the Zero Trust security model enterprises need for hybrid work—ensuring every device is verified, compliant, and centrally managed.

Why Yealink is Leading the Way with MDEP

As one of the first device manufacturers to fully embrace MDEP, Yealink’s Microsoft Teams-certified devices—including the MeetingBar A30/A40, Teams Panels, and desk phones—are now among the most secure and manageable on the market.

Key benefits include:

• End-to-End Encryption with Remote Key Provisioning (RKP)
  Ensures device keys are securely generated and distributed, protecting against tampering and man-in-the-middle attacks.

• Zero Trust Authentication & Compliance
  Only trusted, Microsoft-certified apps can run on Yealink MDEP devices, while IT teams can enforce policies through Microsoft Intune.

• Centralised Device Management
  From one dashboard, IT administrators can monitor firmware versions, enforce encryption standards, and block non-compliant devices.

• Lifecycle Security
  Yealink supports zero-touch deployment, automatic OS updates, isolation via containerisation, and secure retirement—covering every stage of a device’s lifecycle.

For enterprises rolling out Microsoft Teams Rooms or standardising on Teams-certified video devices, Yealink plus MDEP offers both peace of mind and operational efficiency.

Expanding the Ecosystem

Yealink is not alone in this movement. Other leading providers—such as Jabra, MAXHUB, and Barco—are also developing MDEP-enabled devices, expanding the choice of secure video conferencing solutions available to IT leaders.

This rapid adoption highlights MDEP’s role as the foundation for future collaboration devices, ensuring long-term security, compliance, and performance across distributed workplaces.

Why It Matters for Your Organisation

• IT Leader: MDEP reduces risk by giving you complete control over your device ecosystem with real-time compliance monitoring via Intune.

• Security Teams: MDEP enforces Zero Trust architecture, protecting against firmware tampering, malware, and unauthorised access.

• End Users: Seamless Microsoft Teams experiences—secure, reliable, and consistent across every meeting space.

Conclusion

As hybrid work continues to reshape the workplace, businesses need secure collaboration platforms that combine ease of management with enterprise-grade protection.

By leveraging Microsoft’s Device Ecosystem Platform (MDEP) with Yealink Teams-certified devices, organisations can unlock:

• Simplified deployment and management

• Stronger security and compliance

• Scalable, future-proof collaboration

To learn more, see the original Techzine article: Yealink delivers secure collaboration with Microsoft’s MDEP

or Chat with our Technical Team Today!

If your organisation uses Microsoft Teams, you’re already part of the world’s most widely adopted collaboration platform. But what if you could keep that familiar Teams interface and add industry-leading telephony—without the complexity or cost of Microsoft Calling Plans?

Now you can, with RingCentral for Microsoft Teams—a best-in-class integration that brings together two world leaders in business technology.

The Power of Two Global Giants

Microsoft is the world’s largest software company and creator of the dominant operating system in global business. With over 72% of the desktop OS market share, it’s the platform that powers the majority of the world’s workforce.

RingCentral, meanwhile, is globally recognised as the world leader in cloud telephony and unified communications. Consistently ranked in the Gartner Magic Quadrant for UCaaS Leaders. RingCentral is known for its reliability, scalability and innovation—offering voice, video, messaging and contact centre tools to businesses of all sizes.

So if your team is already working in Microsoft Teams on their Windows PCs… why not integrate with the world’s best cloud phone system—RingCentral—for a seamless, powerful communications experience?

Why Choose RingCentral for Microsoft Teams?

This solution lets users stay within the Microsoft Teams interface, but uses RingCentral behind the scenes to handle voice and telephony. That means:

• 99.999% uptime SLA for calls and messaging
• Global calling in 46+ countries
• Built-in analytics, dashboards and quality monitoring
• Smart call routing, voicemail transcription and AI features
• Deployment with or without Microsoft Teams Phone licenses
• Retain your Teams interface and user habits – no retraining needed

Flexible, Scalable & Cost-Effective

Perfect for SMEs, agencies, education providers, retail chains, bureaus, the public sector, and enterprise businesses, this solution is designed to scale. Whether you need just a few licences or a fully virtual global PBX, RingCentral for Microsoft Teams offers:

• Fast, cloud-based deployment
• Flexible licensing and attractive pricing
• Minimal IT overhead and full admin control
• A solution that grows with your business

Ready to Find Out More?

Let us explain the detail, the power, the flexibility, and the pricing — all in a 20-minute call, no obligation.

Workplace acoustics are often problematic in many ways, and while acoustic treatments may help with resonance and echo performance on a video conference call, it won’t prevent the travel of sound from one room to the next, particularly if walls are thin or built between open ceiling and floor voids.

Privacy of conversation is paramount, yet sound masking is often overlooked when the budget for an office refit is agreed, or it is ignored by designers as something that doesn’t enhance the “wow-factor” of a room, due to none of its advantages being immediately visible.

What is Direct vs Indirect Sound Masking?

Direct Masking continuously emits a low-level sound into the adjacent work area which would normally receive the unwanted audio. It uses a set of loudspeakers set into its ceiling but rather than receive white noise, they receive a modified waveform, based on the original source, effectively scrambling the sound to make it less intelligible.

Indirect Masking works in a similar way but uses the structure of the building, eg reflecting the sound waves through sound generators placed inside the ceiling void, invisible to the room users below. This can create a more uniform spread of masked sound and reduces the number of objects visible in the ceiling grid.

Direct

Indirect

Where is Sound Masking Important?

Why Biamp QT X ?

VideoCentric first installed Biamp QT sound masking back in 2018, the same year that Cambridge Sound Management (CSM) was acquired by Biamp, after being established in Cambridge MA, USA in 1999. Prior to that CSM themselves had acquired another pioneering sound masking company, Dynasound, and together they have become the world’s largest and most respected, provider of such solutions, with over 20,000 sound masking customers.

Which Biamp QT solutions does VideoCentric UK support?

QT X100– 1 zone (up to 12,000 sq.ft, 1,115 sq.m)

QT X300 & X300D– 3 zones (up to 36,000 sq.ft, 3,345 sq.m)

QT X600 & 600D – AVB or Dante with 6 zones (up to 72,000 sq.ft, 6,690 sq.m)

QT X800 & 800D – AVB or Dante with 6 zones (up to 84,000 sq.ft, 8,920 sq.m)

QT X800 & 805D– AVB or Dante with 8 zones (up to 84,000 sq.ft, 8,920 sq.m)

QT-CRE – Conference Room Edition (Bundle for single Meeting Room)

QT-HCE – Healthcare Edition (Bundle for Doctors, Surgeries, Medical Consultation Rooms etc)

CONTACT US NOW for technical consultancy meeting & pricing

As a concept announced in 2021. The 4-year development stage is now complete and testing is underway ready for launch at the ISE show in Barcelona in February 2025.

Immersive Telepresence became a buzz term nearly 20 years ago when Polycom and Tandberg produced their multi-codec, multi-display technologies. Into the traditional world of SIP video conferencing. Today, HP, the owners of Poly (ex Polycom) are bringing it back but rather than being termed “Telepresence”. It has coined a new term “Co-Presence”. Using some of the latest advancements in 3D imaging and AI processing. Starline promises to bring a unique experience to the workplace. Unlike earlier attempts by others to produce 3D video. The HP/Poly/Google solution will not require users to wear glasses or headsets. Imagine next generation video communication and the future of collaboration being delivered this year

Project Startline will only be available to Google platform users and is aimed at making video calls more lifelike and natural. As if two people are speaking to each other across a meeting room table. HP have already begun inviting companies. Including Salesforce, WeWork and T-Mobile to provide their feedbacks. To be amongst the first to receive products following its 2025 launch.

We are now inviting you to get on the London waiting list for a live demonstration. Contact our Sales Team for more information.

According to Andrew Nartker, General manager of Project Starline. “It works like a magic window where you can talk, gesture and make eye contact with another person, life-size and in three dimensions. The system uses advanced AI to build a photorealistic model of the person you’re talking to, and projects that onto a light field display with a unique sense of volume and depth. The result is a lifelike image of the other person as if they were right in front of you”.

At VideoCentric, we’re at the forefront of innovation in video communication and collaboration technologies. With the announcement of Project Starline’s upcoming launch in 2025, we are excited to offer you the opportunity to explore and experience this groundbreaking “Co-Presence” technology firsthand.

What constitutes a small room can be debated but at VideoCentric, we consider any room up with no side greater that 4m (13ft) a small one, containing 3-5 seats situated fairly close to a display screen and where the conference camera will be no more than 3 to 3.5m (10-12 ft) away from the furthest participant.

Huddle spaces are even smaller, often 2-3 seats with some bordering on a booth design for just 1-2 people equipped sometimes with an all-in-one desktop unit or touch-screen kiosk, and in other cases set up with a pre-installed display/TV for laptop users to bring their own device (BYOD) and start their own meeting (BYOM). Such rooms are typically used for HR interviews or for joining as a desktop user when sensitivity of information is high and use of an open space or hot-desk is inappropriate.

Depending on the size of space, the form factor of the system, the cloud platform standardly deployed and the need for BYOD flexibility, a number of leading solutions may apply. Some of the most popular we demonstrate, supply, install and support in such spaces include:

HUDDLE – All-in-One with integral display, camera, mic/s and speaker

DTEN Me 27” Pro for Zoom

Yealink A24 for MS Teams or Zoom

Neat Frame for MS Teams or Zoom

Lenovo Thinksmart View 27” Plus for MS Teams or Zoom

Cisco Desk Pro 27” for Webex and MS Teams

HUDDLE – BYOM Webcams & Bars

Yealink UVC34 Bar

HP Poly Studio V32 BYOD Bar

Neat Bar 1

Logitech RallyBar Huddle

Huddly IQ Camera with Mic

HUDDLE – Native MS TEAMS ROOM (MTR) systems

Yealink A10 (Android bar)

HP Poly Studio X32 (Android bar)

Logitech RallyBar Huddle (Android bar)

Yealink MVC-340 Windows bundle

Cisco Desk Pro 27” for Webex and MS Teams

HUDDLE – Native ZOOM ROOMS (ZR) systems

Yealink A10 (Android bar)

HP Poly Studio X32 (Android bar)

Logitech RallyBar Huddle (Android bar)

Yealink ZVC-340 Windows bundle

HUDDLE – Native GOOGLE MEET ROOM (GMR) systems

HP Poly Studio X32 BYOD Bar

Logitech RallyBar Huddle

HUDDLE – Native WEBEX ROOM and MS TEAMS ROOM systems

Cisco Desk Pro 27” All-in-One

SMALL – All-in-One with integral display, camera, mic/s and speaker

DTEN Me 27” Pro

Yealink A24

Lenovo Thinksmart Hub

SMALL BYOM Webcams & Bars

Yealink Smart Vision 40 (SV40) bar

HP Poly Studio V32 bar

Neat Bar 1

Logitech RallyBar Mini bar

Huddly IQ Camera with Mic

SMALL Native MS TEAMS ROOM (MTR) systems

Yealink A40 Android bar

Yealink MVC-S40 Windows bundle

HP Poly Studio X32 Meeting Bar Android bar

Neat Bar 2 Android bar

Logitech RallyBar Mini Android bar

Cisco Room Bar for Webex and MS Teams (Android)

SMALL Native ZOOM ROOMS (ZR) systems

Yealink A40 Android bar

Yealink ZVC-S40 Windows bundle

HP Poly Studio X32 Android bar

Neat Bar 2 Android bar

Logitech RallyBar Mini Android bar

SMALL Native GOOGLE MEET ROOM (GMR) systems)

HP Poly Studio X32 Android bar

Logitech RallyBar Mini Android bar

SMALL – Native WEBEX ROOM and MS TEAMS ROOM systems

Cisco Room Bar (Android)

CONSULT WITH US – Let us know the size of your space, the cloud platform that has been standardised for your organisation, your needs for wired or wireless BYOD flexibility and whether you’ve already seen some comparative demonstrations and we’ll come up with the most suitable systems that we can demonstrate, supply, install and support for you. Whether you’re looking to spend up this year’s capital budget, or spread your costs monthly over the next 1-5 years, we will make our recommendations to ensure that you maximise your return on investment (RoI).

What is BYOD?

Bring Your Own Device (BYOD)

Refers to personal devices such as phones, tablets. Windows laptops or Macbooks being brought into the office for use in a business environment. Many people prefer to work with their own personal device, because it’s more natural and familiar. They tend to avoid equipment that they have not been shown how to use, rather than spend time finding out how to operate it. However simple it may actually be.

Many organisations have chosen to install meeting room peripherals such as widescreen displays or HD TVs so that employees coming to the office can plug in their own device on HDMI in much the same way as they probably would when working from home. But able to share their content with all the other meeting room participants regardless of the size of meeting room. This isn’t new; it is the way that event spaces have been set up for years. Once with 4:3 aspect projectors through VGA cables, now with 43”-163” LCD displays and tile matrices in 4K & 5K resolutions in 16:9 or 21:9 format. So, what is new? …. BYOM?

What is BYOM?

Bring Your Own Meeting (BYOM)

Refers to the BYOD user bringing a meeting invitation with them on their personal device and wishing to host or join a video or collaborative meeting from the meeting room. For this they need more than a TV; they need a camera, a set of microphones and loudspeaker suited to the size and shape of the room. The BYOM user may have received their Zoom, Teams, Webex or other invitation some time before connecting his/her device in the meeting room. So ease and reliability of connection are paramount to avoid wasted time, frustration of other meeting room users and everyone else in the conference call.

Often connected on a set of cables, ie HDMI-out to the display and USB for the interactive audio, video and collaboration features; we’re talking 2-cables to the table that some users simply find too much. Added concerns are expressed when we start talking USB-A vs USB-B vs USB-C and overlay those with mention of USB2.0, 3,0, 3.1, Gen.1, Gen.2, 5Gbps, 10Gbps etc etc, not forgetting that Display Port and DVI connections still appear here and there.

So, isn’t it easier to install a dedicated meeting room system pre-registered “natively” to MS Teams, or Zoom or Google Meet or Webex? The main difference between BYOM and MTR is the approach taken to join a meeting. With BYOM you invite the person; with MTR you invite the room.

What is MTR?

Microsoft Teams Room (MTR)

Or its equivalent Zoom Rooms, Webex Room or Google Meet Room system, is a set of peripherals, similar to those used within the BYOM environment, but supplied with a certified processing device (Windows or Android) running a room-based variant of the Teams Application and driven by a touch controller on the meeting room table. It is the meeting room that is invited to the meeting, allowing any meeting participant to commence the call upon entering the room simply by pressing the “Join” button. No meeting IDs or passwords to remember whatsoever. This is a completely different approach which most find simpler and more reliable than BYOM, but at a cost of flexibility.

The system is locked into Teams or Zoom or Webex or Google Meet (one-only) and cross-platform interoperability and quality is poor. In this article, we’re not going to elaborate on Room Systems any further, but instead, we’re going to focus on the many variants of BYOM to determine whether 0, 1, 2 or 3 cables are best for ease of use, for your room type and for your budget.

Does one size of BYOM fit all?

Absolutely not ! There are many factors that will affect your choice of BYOM system or bundle:

• Type of meeting room
• Width and length of meeting room
• Height of the ceiling
• Floor structure
• Room furnishings
• Position of windows
• Display type
• Guest hosting of meetings
• USB policy

Let’s examine each in turn:

Type of meeting room

It is important to define the main use of the room. As a Boardroom, participants will typically sit around the table, often talking across it, meaning that without the right camera and audio system, camera and microphone positions may be wrong. As an occasional meeting room, users will generally sit at the head of the table facing the display screen with camera positioned centrally above or below it.

As a training room or classroom, the presenter will normally stand at the front of the room, sometimes behind a lectern, facing his/her audience and inviting live Q&A. But who is to be seen during that Q&A, the presenter or the audience or both? Camera positioning at the front, rear and sometimes sides of the room and then accompanied by multiple microphones whether they be tabletop, gooseneck lectern, wearable (lapel, lavalier) or ceiling mounted. Of course, this affects the required volume from loudspeakers and the resultant echo cancellation which is critically important when big groups are involved.

Width and length of meeting room

A wide and short room or a small square room will have meeting participants close up to the camera lens and spread width-ways in front of it. This is ideally suited to a meeting bar with a digital, wide-angled lens rather than an optical, motorised, pan/tilt/zoom (PTZ) camera. However digital cameras electronically crop their images in order to provide a zoom function and this limits their clarity when the lens is more than 3m away from a participant.

A PTZ camera on the other hand is designed with a motorised lens so that it can easily zoom in typically 4x, 8x, 12x, 20x or even 30x without the people appearing “grainy” to remote meeting participants. Remember you may be seeing your own image in a small PIP window; they may be viewing you on a 98” display !

Height of Ceiling

Often overlooked during the design phase of a project, but increasingly common in modern building design are high ceilings. These generally add resonance to a room making it more difficult for microphones to collect direct voice sounds. Reflected sound presents more of a challenge to the echo canceller in its attempts to prevent loopback to the far end participants especially when the volume is turned up in a large space.

The emptier the room, the bigger the challenge! Even a professional Digital Signal Processor (DSP) cannot fix poor room acoustics through poor room design. In any room higher than the standard 2.4 to 2.8m, consider microphone placement very carefully bearing in mind that participants are usually casting their voices forward towards the TV’s remote participants and pick-up from microphone positions on the meeting table will ultimately perform better than ones hung from the ceiling above them. Imagine just one ceiling microphone hung above the centre of a table …. more than half the room’s participants are already casting their voices away from the microphone as it would be very weird for them to cast upwards.

Floor Structure

Running cables for a discrete appearance and safe working area is always a challenge. Less so with suspended floor tiles although access into walls behind skirting boards may be limited. Solid floors with porcelain tiles, marble, laminated or parquet finishing immediately lend themselves to wireless technologies though in some cases budget limitations still demand the use of floor mats, unsightly “speed humps” or bespoke “raceways” as a compromise against a non-recommended trip hazard. Wireless technologies immediately become very attractive in such rooms and whether that be through WiFi, USB Dongles or Bluetooth, non-wired solutions are increasing in popularity for BYOD and BYOM.

Room furnishings

The harder the chairs, floor covering and walls, the lack of curtains, blinds or canvas wall exhibits, the more the room sounds like an empty room. No echo cancellation will ever fix poor room acoustics and in some cases your newly designed room, full of latest design features, maybe a prime candidate for a building design award, may regarded as “unfit for purpose” in terms of communications technology.

Such rooms become an embarrassment to those who have commissioned them, and it is imperative that our acoustic consultants are involved early in the process, to make sure it’s not “back to the drawing board” just before you move in. For rooms you already have, ask us for an “acoustic test”. From that, you’ll receive a report, recommending options for specific wall & ceiling treatments to fix your problems.

Position of windows

Windows on the opposite wall to the display screen have caused “glare” issues for years. Excessive light without window coverings will also cause the iris of any camera lens to close, making the participants in the room to look darker, while the camera does its best to focus on the trees and buildings outside.

With wide angled meeting bars, designed for a wider audience, the problem can be extended to the side walls too and so, such rooms may still benefit from superior optical PTZ camera technologies with built in “AI” capabilities. New “video fence” features in BYOM and MTR systems allow us to limit the field of view from a camera such that it focuses on what is really important.

Display type

Often associated with the type of meeting room, as discussed earlier, displays range from small TVs mounted on rollabout stands, to wall mounted digital signage displays, video walls and projectors, to interactive touch screens commonly known as “Smartboards” or “Meeting Boards”. The latter are common in teaching or lecture spaces but are becoming increasingly popular in meeting rooms, especially collaboration rooms, scrum rooms, training rooms and sprint rooms. The person standing at the board (interactive display) is essentially controlling a PC using USB touchback and that PC sends its annotated image back to the board (traditionally via HDMI).

This looped functionality needs to be fast and certain meeting boards have quicker response times than others. Delays can be introduced using poor cables or low cost wireless technologies and so such factors need to be understood depending upon the interactive application/s required. Simple powerpoint presentation may be interactive in terms of slide progression but it has much lower performance requirements than multi-point touch brainstorming or high-speed 3rd-party apps.

Our experience of acceptable wireless BYOM performance is limited to just a few of the market leaders and is influenced by PC and wireless network performance, positioning and load of wireless access point (WAP) etc. If we are prepared to sell a solution, it means we are prepared to support it and that means we have pre-tested it.

Guest hosting of meetings

Hosting of meetings in event spaces, hotels, conference halls and other hired venues is generally performed through BYOM. Invitations are sent out and accepted weeks in advance, and the actual room selected at the venue is largely academic. Therefore, any meeting room system (MTR) if one exists is reserved for internal, venue use, and guests bring their own meeting (BYOM) with them to connect to its peripherals. The primary user will connect their own device and connect to the venue’s equipment and start the meeting. Dongle-based solutions are independent of networks but WiFi receivers need to be on the “right” network.

Who’s network are we talking about? ….. The venue’s private network, or a guest network?. Being a guest, the BYOM user will only be permitted on to the guest network and so it important that the wireless receiver is also on that same network. Some solutions on the market are limited to a single network, others support dual wireless networks and some offer wired networking for the corporate LAN and wireless for the guest network. Where limitations apply, we may need to create a specific mini-LAN in the meeting room to facilitate your flexible needs. Talk to us before you guess on the wrong solution.

USB policy

The more secure your environment, the less likely USB dongles are allowed to be inserted into devices brought to or used within a site. Most of the original wireless presentation systems, and more recently, BYOM equivalents, rely on USB dongles to transmit and receive signals between laptop PC and receiver plugged directly into a display screen, projector or video conferencing hardware.

Where USB is barred or considered high risk from loss or theft, WiFI is the alternative. Some modern video conferencing systems have a wireless USB receiver built into their hardware, some now support WiFi sharing and BYOM while others require us to supply a separate 3rd party receiver. The difference in cost between such solutions can be as much as £3K and so the right decision making is dependent on us jointly understanding all of the factors.

Contact Us

For more information please contact our Sales Team!

VideoCentric’s extensive range of products, most of which are integrated into complete solutions for Microsoft Teams, Zoom or Google Meet, can be demonstrated at various locations across the UK, including London, Wokingham, Reading, Bracknell, Basingstoke, Leeds, and Edinburgh. Our in-house experts provide consultancy, installation and technical support to ensure you get the most out of your investment regardless of which market sector you operate in. Experience firsthand, the quality, technical innovation, quality & reliability that set our solutions apart with unique demonstrations crafted to suit your organisation and the specific needs of your meeting spaces.

Like a TV CREW, But Smarter

The Huddly CREW operates like a professional TV crew, capturing participants from multiple angles and switching between shots with AI precision. However, unlike a traditional setup, it’s affordable, scalable, and simple to use. Here’s what makes it unique:

• Real-Time AI Insights: Huddly CREW uses 63 data points per participant to intelligently focus on the speaker, capture group reactions, or showcase the whole team.
• Enhanced Engagement: By dynamically switching perspectives, it fosters natural interaction and keeps everyone connected.
• Seamless Integration: Works flawlessly with MTRs via Cat 5/6 and USB connections, supporting up to five cameras for scalable coverage.
• Trial-Friendly: Curious about how it fits into your setup? It’s free to trial, ensuring it’s the right choice for your meeting room needs.

Flexible Configurations for Every Room

The Huddly CREW is built for versatility, making it a top choice for various room setups. From small focus rooms to expansive boardrooms, it’s designed to adapt seamlessly:

• Medium to Large Rooms: Featuring three cameras (expandable to five), the system provides full-room coverage while maintaining visual clarity and interaction.
• BYOD or MTR Systems: Whether paired with Microsoft Teams Rooms or configured for Bring Your Own Device (BYOD), Huddly’s setup integrates smoothly with existing audio and display solutions.
• Simplified Connectivity: The use of Cat 5/6 and USB cables ensures quick installation, reducing complexity for IT teams.

With scalable options and plug-and-play usability, the Huddly CREW takes the hassle out of upgrading your video conferencing infrastructure.

The Huddly Product Family

Huddly isn’t just about the CREW—its innovative product lineup includes solutions for every type of collaboration space:

• Huddly L1: Optimised for large meeting rooms, offering wide-angle video for group scenarios.
• Huddly IQ: A compact camera perfect for focus spaces, featuring advanced analytics and smart framing.
• Huddly Canvas: Designed to digitie content from dry-erase boards, making brainstorming sessions and presentations interactive and inclusive.

Each product is crafted with scalability, simplicity, and AI-driven functionality in mind, ensuring a cohesive experience across your meeting environments.

Trusted by Leading Organisations

Huddly’s cutting-edge technology is trusted by a wide range of organisations across industries. From global enterprises to forward-thinking startups, customers rely on Huddly for solutions that enhance collaboration and productivity. Whether in corporate boardrooms, hybrid classrooms, or creative spaces, Huddly products deliver reliability and performance that meet the highest standards.

Contact Us

For more information or to place an order, please contact our Sales Team!

VideoCentric’s extensive range of products, most of which are integrated into complete solutions for Microsoft Teams, Zoom or Google Meet, can be demonstrated at various locations across the UK, including London, Wokingham, Reading, Bracknell, Basingstoke, Leeds, and Edinburgh. Our in-house experts provide consultancy, installation and technical support to ensure you get the most out of your investment regardless of which market sector you operate in. Experience firsthand, the quality, technical innovation, quality & reliability that set our solutions apart with unique demonstrations crafted to suit your organisation and the specific needs of your meeting spaces.

Yealink All-in-One Meeting Bars: Compact, Powerful, and Versatile

1. Yealink A10 – For Small Meeting Rooms
The Yealink A10 combines simplicity and power in a compact form. Featuring:

• A single-lens 120° wide-angle camera with 4x digital e-PTZ zoom, ensuring all participants are captured in sharp detail.
• Built-in 8 directional microphones and a 5W loudspeaker, delivering crystal-clear audio.
• Noise elimination technology to reduce ambient disruptions.
• Optional CTP18 Touch Controller for intuitive meeting management or a hand-held IR remote for simplified operation.

2. Yealink A30 – For Medium-Sized Rooms
Designed for greater versatility, the Yealink A30 integrates advanced dual-camera technology and superior audio:

• Dual cameras (120° wide-angle and 90° lens) with 10x hybrid optical/digital zoom, perfect for larger spaces.
• Built-in 8 directional microphones with a 6m pickup range.
• Optional wireless table microphones to extend reach and ensure every voice is heard.
• 10W speakers and WiFi capability for seamless connectivity.

3. Yealink A40 – For Small-to-Medium Rooms
Ideal for growing businesses, the Yealink A40 offers:

• A dual-lens 4K camera with 120° field of view and 6x digital e-PTZ for smooth framing and sharp visuals.
• 8 directional microphones (up to 4-6m pickup) and dual 10W speakers for high-fidelity sound.
• Optional wireless table microphones for enhanced coverage.
• Compatibility with WiFi and a CTP25 Touch Controller for streamlined functionality.

Yealink Displays: Redefining Collaborative Spaces

1. Yealink DeskVision A24 – Personal Collaboration Appliance
This innovative desktop solution transforms personal workspaces into collaborative hubs:

• A 24” touch display with built-in Android 10 processor for standalone operation.
• Integrated 4K camera, microphone, speaker, and even a wireless phone charger in the base for added convenience.
• Whiteboarding functionality and USB-C PC sharing, perfect for dynamic workflows.

2. Yealink MeetingBoard Series – The Heart of Collaborative Spaces
Available in 65” or 86” touch displays (75” coming in 2025), the MeetingBoard is a powerhouse for immersive collaboration:

• Built-in 4K camera with 4x digital zoom and 120° field of view.
• 16 microphones with an 8m range and 6 integrated speakers, ensuring everyone is seen and heard clearly.
• Optional add-ons, including optical PTZ cameras (6x or 12x zoom), wireless tabletop microphones, and a Windows OPS module, making it a future-proof investment.

Yealink Room Systems: Tailored for Every Meeting Space

1. Yealink MVC320 – For Huddle Rooms
Compact and efficient, the MVC320 includes:

• A 720p digital camera with 3x zoom, delivering clear visuals even in tight spaces.
• The MSpeech tabletop USB speaker/microphone, providing high-quality audio for smaller groups.
• Options for wired BYOD extenders or WPP30 Wireless Presentation Dongle for flexible content sharing.

2. Yealink MVC640-WL – For Small-to-Medium Rooms
Built for adaptability, this system features:

• A 4K UVC84 optical camera with 12x zoom, delivering stunning clarity for presentations and discussions.
• Dual wireless table microphones for greater audio coverage.
• Soundbar for immersive audio output and an intuitive 8” touch panel for meeting control.

3. Yealink MVC S90 – For Extra-Large Rooms
For expansive spaces, the S90 offers unmatched scalability and performance:

• Dual UVC86 4K cameras with 12x optical zoom and support for up to 9 additional cameras.
• Multiple microphone and speaker configurations, ensuring every participant is engaged.
• AV hub for seamless integration of multiple peripherals.
• The 11.6” touch panel, providing intuitive control over the room system and connected devices.

Some other Yealink Setups could be:

BYOD vs. Dedicated Room Systems: Finding the Right Balance

Yealink understands the diverse needs of modern businesses, offering solutions for both Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) setups and dedicated room systems:

• BYOD Systems: Great for flexibility, allowing users to connect personal devices, run their preferred applications, and share content wirelessly. Ideal for businesses prioritizing adaptability.
• Room Systems: Locked into platforms like Microsoft Teams or Zoom, these systems provide centralized management, bulk updates, and consistent performance across meeting spaces.

With Yealink’s versatile range of products, businesses can create collaborative environments that adapt to their unique needs. Whether you’re equipping a personal workspace, huddle room, or boardroom, Yealink’s innovative solutions ensure seamless communication and engagement.

Contact Us

For more information or to place an order, please contact our Sales Team!

VideoCentric’s extensive range of products, most of which are integrated into complete solutions for Microsoft Teams, Zoom or Google Meet, can be demonstrated at various locations across the UK, including London, Wokingham, Reading, Bracknell, Basingstoke, Leeds, and Edinburgh. Our in-house experts provide consultancy, installation and technical support to ensure you get the most out of your investment regardless of which market sector you operate in. Experience firsthand, the quality, technical innovation, quality & reliability that set our solutions apart with unique demonstrations crafted to suit your organisation and the specific needs of your meeting spaces.