Ultimate Guide On How To Set Up A Zoom Conference Room

Stem Ecosystem | August 31, 2021 Ultimate Guide On How To Set Up A Zoom Conference Room

Zoom and video conferencing meetings are essential to the success of practically every business nowadays. Many businesses are permanently altering their traditional work formats to include some hybrid office options and as they prepare for their employees to return to the office in modified schedules, the need for properly equipped Zoom Rooms is greater than ever. Having your Zoom Rooms ready to go for when employees return to the office will help streamline communication between in-person and remote participants. So, to help you get your conference rooms ready, we’re going to take you through how to set up a Zoom conference room with video conferencing.

Download the Guide to Creating Your Perfect Zoom Room

What is a Zoom Room?

If you’re new to the idea of a Zoom Room they are Zoom video conferencing software-based room systems that provide users with integrated video conferencing meetings. They blend together conferencing equipment with Zoom’s video conferencing platform for a seamless push-to-start meeting experience.

Here’s What You’ll Need

A Display(s)
A Computer
A Video Conferencing Camera
Conference Room Audio
A Control Device
A Zoom Room License
A Network Connection

Zoom Room Hardware Recommendations

We know there can be a lot of options to choose from when selecting the right hardware for your Zoom conference rooms setup. If you already have some of the hardware listed below installed then you’re a step ahead of the game! But just in case you don’t, let’s go over some Zoom Room equipment recommendations.

Displays

To create your Zoom Room setup you’re going to need a display. Again, if you already have existing displays in your rooms then you can skip ahead! The display size will vary based on your room size, for example, you would put a smaller display or even a monitor in a huddle room and a large display or even two in a large conference room or boardroom depending on your preference. When choosing a display you can just go with something simple. You want to look for something that has at least 1080p and for small to large rooms you want to make sure you choose something that is at least 50 inches in size. For huddle rooms, it’s okay to use a monitor that is smaller in size depending on your preference. LG and NEC Display Solutions have some great options for any size room or you can also check out a variety of conference room TV’s from Best Buy.

A Computer

You’ll need a computer to set up your Zoom Room license and to run your video conferencing. For the Mac fans, we recommend going with the Apple Mac Mini, but if you’re more of a PC person we recommend either an Intel NUC or an HP EliteDesk 800 35W G4 Desktop Mini PC. If you have multiple Zoom Rooms to outfit we recommend using the same computer in every room to standardize the technology.

Conferencing Camera

Obviously you can’t conduct a video conferencing meeting without the video! Again, the camera will vary based on the size of your meeting room. USB cameras are some of the most popular conferencing cameras for any size room. So, if you have a huddle or small conference room you could go with an AVer CAM340+, a Poly Eagle Eye Cube, a Huddly IQ, or a Jabra Panacast. If you need a camera for a medium to large room some options are an AVer CAM540, CAM520 PRO, or a Logitech Rally.

Conference Room Audio and A Control Device

Of course, no Zoom Room would be complete without audio! Traditionally you’d need different manufacturers for microphones, speakers, and DSP’s. The Stem Ecosystem covers every element of audio for conferencing with devices that have microphones, speakers, and a DSP built-in. The ecosystem is made up of three mix and matchable audio devices (Ceiling, Wall, and Table) that make the perfect addition to any Zoom Room. Since the ecosystem can be mixed and matched to create customized audio, you can easily scale devices to fit into every room in the office. And did I mention that all Stem devices are connected to your network with a single ethernet cable so you can ditch the complicated cabling and get your Zoom Room up and running in no time!

Stem not only has your conference room audio covered but there is also Stem Control which is a dedicated control device so you can start your Zoom Room meetings at the press of a button. But if you want to use an existing tablet you can always use an iPad or Android tablet and download the Stem Control app in the app store for Android and iOS to control your ecosystems and your Zoom Room meetings.

Let’s Get Setup

1. Mount your display(s) and your computer where you want them in the room.
2. Mount or place your conferencing camera, control device, and audio components in the desired locations in your meeting room.
3. Once everything is mounted and positioned in place, make all of the necessary network connections and power on your computer, displays, control device, and audio devices. (If you’re using Stem Audio devices in your Zoom Room, you can learn How To Setup Your First Stem Room In Minutes.)
4. After your hardware is all is set up then you want to configure your computer and control device to kiosk mode. Check out this article to learn more.
5. Set up your Zoom Rooms software by installing Zoom on your computer and control device.
6. Once the Zoom Rooms client is downloaded, log in to finish setting up.
7. Lastly, you’ll want to choose the default camera, microphones, speakers, and volume levels. (If you’re using Stem Audio devices check out this blog for A Complete Guide On How To Adjust Your Zoom Audio Settings For Stem Audio Rooms.)
8. After your default devices are set your Zoom Room is ready to go.

So How Does It All Connect?

When you put all of these elements together you want to be able to easily get your room up and running, which is why choosing the right audio solution is so important. Typical ProAV solutions require professional installation and hours upon hours of programming which, let’s be honest, nobody has the time for right now. The Stem Audio ecosystem makes the perfect addition to any Zoom Room because anyone can install it in minutes so you don’t have to waste time programming DSP’s for hours upon end. Check out some conference room reference designs for yourself to see how Stem Connects in any Zoom Room.