You don’t want the picture projecting below the line of a conference room table, or conversely you don’t want people squinting to see.
Businesses and employers make use of conference rooms for various reasons. These spaces can be the ideal environment for holding meetings, video conference calls with partners and clients around the world, and even training new team members.
When it comes to designing a conference room – whether it is for internal business use or at a hotel or a convention center to be rented for use – there are several things that must be considered to make the room effective.
One of the most pressing concerns is what to do about the display modules in the room. They have to be comfortable enough for people to read from a distance, but they cannot be so large that they overtake the space completely.
Here are some things to consider when finding the right size display for your conference room.
Calculating the Best Display Size
As alluded to previously, the size of the display in a conference room matters greatly. You don’t want the picture projecting below the line of a conference room table, or conversely you don’t want people squinting to see. In the A/V industry, there is a formula that can be used to figure this solution out.
This number relates to the diagonal size of the display unit and dictates what the largest size font that should be used on the display, making font decisions for things like PowerPoint and Excel easier.
TV Screen or Large-Scale Projection Displays
Many people are used to seeing a conference room equipped with a commercial-grade projector. Projectors are great for larger areas and distances where people are 30 feet or more away from the screen at the furthest seat. However, they can also be a great deal more expensive. The screen alone can cost a few thousand dollars to purchase and install, and the actual projector is an additional cost. There are installation costs to consider once the materials are purchased too.
As a result, many businesses have started using TVs instead of projectors because of the lower cost to maintain. However, TVs are limited to a certain size as they usually max out at about 80 –90 inches on the diagonal measurement. Therefore, they might only cover a room where the furthest person sits about 20 –22 feet away from the display.
Cameras Used for Video Conferencing
In a situation where conference calls are being held routinely, a conference room would require a camera to be mounted in some part of the room, or multiple cameras even, to make sure that video conference calls are handled most easily.
Figuring out where to mount the camera is another concern to think about. Some modern TVs and other monitors might already come pre-installed with a camera. Therefore, deciding where to mount this display in the room is crucial so that as many faces can be seen as possible. If a camera is needed for a projector set up, then this decision needs to be made early on in the process to be certain the camera is installed with the rest of the system properly.
NOTE: We have several options for video cameras with projectors that may be worth researching.
Check out Draper’s Telepresence Product Line – Video Conferencing Solutions
Our Conference & Meeting Room A/V Consulting Services
As you can see, there are several things to consider when picking out the right display model for your conference room. For companies that use these rooms routinely, the right size display is crucial. For rented spaces, it is essential you ensure that clients are able to hold their meetings and trainings without issue and make sure they get the most out of their experience with the space.
For more details on how to calculate viewing distance and determine the best display for your meeting space, we invite you to learn more about our dynamic video conference solutions. Our knowledgeable Dallas A/V integrators have over 250 years of combined industry experience and can tackle any project. Contact us today to see how we can help.