Northstar

CREDIT: POM669/GETTINGIMAGES 19 JAN-FEB 2020 MEETINGS & CONVENTIONS MCMAG-ASIA.COM C lear and efficient communication is an essential competitive advantage in today's corporate climate, and most of that communication occurs in meeting room environments. Whether you are creating the right space for the perfect on-site meeting, training programme or video conference, the meeting-space technology with which you outfit that space must promote greater communication among participants and assist in reaching your goals. To design a "future-proof " meeting room with the buy-in of facilities and IT, you have to account for current demands as well as new tech on the horizon. Keep in mind the need for 24/7 collaborative connectivity, the bring-your- own-device (BYOD) mentality of most attendees, and the emergence of the Internet of Things (IoT), through which meeting administrators can have unprecedented control over meeting room facilities via the Internet. Specifically, they can monitor remotely how devices are used in each room and whether there are hardware or maintenance issues. Crucial considerations When searching for meeting room solutions, consider the following when researching vendors, integrators and technology itself. Above all, keep flexibility and expandability in mind when designing infrastructure. • Multiple inputs, multiple outlets: Look for a product with multiple inputs and outputs where DisplayPort, HDMI, SDI, DVI and VGA formats are all supported. You will want a product with a unique modular design that eases repair and replacement and minimises downtime. • Simple setup and configuration: Consider a remote integrated environment control, with an interface that can be viewed on any mobile device. With this IoT- powered solution, you can simply connect and control all devices. • Intelligent control: Pre- programmed actions can provide fully automated operations that facilitate conversation among devices; this ensures interaction among devices and participants is smooth and trouble-free. • Easy-to-use control interface: Having an intuitive, easy-to-use control interface in the meeting room means that participants with minimal technology experience can still operate the system effectively and efficiently. • Sharing from multiple content sources: Look for solutions that offer close to zero-second switching and zero latency, which ensures meeting flow is not interrupted when switching sources for slides and videos. • Reliable, stable A/V transmissions: Seek solutions that minimise compatibility problems and are more likely to run without reconfiguration for each meeting. • Intuitive video wall control: Consider video- wall functionality with a web interface that can create customised profiles for different video wall layouts for specific meeting purposes. YT LIANG is a product manager at ATEN Technology, Inc., a global manufacturer of KVM and Pro AV connectivity solutions. She helps customers achieve stability, solve complex problems and become more efficient in their day-to-day operations. Meeting spaces must be designed to account for tomorrow's tech WORDS YT LIANG Future- Proof Your Meeting Room

• Cover