Research by Frost & Sullivan reports there is greater adoption of meeting insights and analytics tools to gain a better understanding of space utilization, performance, and engagement, with 76% of the decision-makers indicating this is a key capability. Companies are looking into implementing emerging technologies that provide insights on the workspace and meeting room utilization.

Today’s workforce has become accustomed to the Bring Your Own Meeting (BYOM) or Bring your own Device (BYOD) concept in meeting rooms. The Barco ClickShare solution enables users to host calls from their own laptop with their preferred videoconferencing platform, using the audio and video equipment in the meeting room. According to Barco, ClickShare has been leading the market with its wireless BYOM approach, as market research company Futuresource Consulting has previously estimated that ClickShare’s portfolio makes up over 50% of the global wireless conferencing market.

Clickshare & Microsoft Integration

With more than 240,000 ClickShare Conference devices in the field, ClickShare will be a significant data source for Microsoft Teams Rooms management capabilities and will feed into future initiatives. This first step provides valuable insights for IT decision makers without changing the user experience. When initiating a Teams call, the user’s Teams desktop client identifies the connected microphone, speaker, and camera via the ClickShare Base Unit and Button, passing the data into the Teams Pro Portal. Once multiple users have connected to the same ClickShare Base Unit, the information is populated for IT managers as a potential shared space within the Pro Management portal, enabling registration and management of the meeting space.

“ClickShare has always put the user at the heart of the experience, while guaranteeing IT managers have the necessary insights to equip meeting rooms in the most optimal way,” says Jan van Houtte, head of product at Barco. “Through this integration, Microsoft and Barco will work together to build easy management systems at scale for their customers. The joint forces in the Shared Spaces initiative are a first yet crucial step to explore market opportunities and establish a future portfolio.”

“Barco shares a clear focus with Microsoft on creating the best meeting experience. This focus drives our decision making, strategy, and partnerships, which has led us to take this step,” says Dan Root, head of global strategic alliances at Barco. “We are very pleased to be a part of the Microsoft Teams Devices ecosystem, and to bring Microsoft into our partnership program. Through this collaboration we will work together to build industry-leading solutions that take collaboration to the next level.”

Another version of this article originally appeared on our sister-site Commercial Integrator on February 22, 2024. It has since been updated for My TechDecisions’ audience.

The post Barco Streamlines IT Management with Microsoft Integration appeared first on My TechDecisions.

Recent technological improvements have made hybrid meetings more effective. With the Bring Your Own Meeting concept, running video meetings from your own laptop in the meeting room, is only one click away. BYOM puts the user at the heart of the collaboration experience. However, other collaboration solutions put the meeting room and the technology first.

Different setups in the video-enabled meeting room

Today we can distinguish roughly 3 types of meeting room setups.

Empty room
For those rooms that are not yet equipped with any technology, you can bring all the benefits of ClickShare to them by simply combining ClickShare with AV equipment from one of our more than 120 global alliance partners.

 

Room with wired setup
In a wired meeting room, you can find a display, camera and audio. Whenever you want to connect to the display, you need to connect your laptop via a cable. With ClickShare, you get rid of the cable and make the setup much easier to use, wireless and hassle free.

 

Fixed conference room
You can even add ClickShare to a meeting room that has a fixed conference room setup, such as a Microsoft Teams Room. Sharing content in a face-to-face meeting or teleconference becomes effortless. With ClickShare you can easily switch between UC&C platforms mode and Bring Your Own Meeting mode.

BYOM room solutions offer the possibility to switch platforms and use the devices, videoconferencing platforms and setups users prefer. In a wired BYOM setup, you need an HDMI-cable to share content on screen, whereas in a wireless BYOM room, you use wireless collaboration solutions like ClickShare to get content on the room display.

Sometimes IT departments decide to roll out one video conferencing platform throughout the organization, accompanied with installation of the accompanying fixed conference rooms (Room systems). These provide a simple way to have a videoconference or a hybrid meeting. Microsoft Teams Rooms or Zoom Rooms offer a complete meeting experience.

What are users struggling with in fixed room setups?

These typical fixed room features can cause quite some frustrations for end-users, especially when they easily want to start meetings from their own devices.

1. Different rooms, different setups
1 in 2 is confused by different setups in different rooms
When you equip a meeting room, you want  users to be able to intuitively get started with the conferencing equipment installed. When having different setups, different peripherals and different room systems with dedicated user interfaces, that can be tricky and may lead to extra training, more IT tickets and lots of phone calls.

2. Cable troubles
57% think it’s a hassle connecting the cable of the meeting room display
Which cable goes where? What do you do when you have multiple presenters? The search delays the start of the meeting or causes unwelcome interruptions. Moreover, when you want to switch presenters in a space with a fixed in-room system, there is only one cable available, and you must pass on that very same cable.

3. Platform troubles
65% is unable to connect to the meeting room system
Have you ever tried having a Zoom call in a Microsoft Teams Room, or a Teams call in a Zoom Room? Fair to say, that’s quite cumbersome. In a fixed room setup, you are prompted to use the video conferencing platform the room is designed for. Switching platforms is not an easy option.

4. Sharing content is hard
58% have issues with sharing content 

1. Wireless content sharing in a face-to-face meeting
   A room with a fixed in-room system is intrinsically inflexible. You have the option to share content with a cable. If you hop into a fixed conferencing room to have a face-to-face meeting, wireless content sharing can be a challenge. You need to book a video call, join the call and turn off the audio. Only then can you wirelessly share content without audio echoes.
2. Content sharing side by side
   Sometimes you need to compare documents and different presenters want to share content on screen. However, not every setup allows for multiple sources on screen or side-by-side sharing. A Microsoft Teams Room only has one cable to share content to the meeting room display, so switching presenters means handing over the cable in the meeting room.
3. Content sharing in a videocall
   Sharing content in the room does not equal sharing content in the video call. Sometimes, additional presenters need to dial into the video call as extra participant before they can share content in the video call as well. This can cause annoying audio interferences in the meeting room itself.
4. Content sharing from a mobile device
   Have you ever tried sharing a video or image from a mobile device in a fixed room? There’s no way to connect the cable to your phone or tablet. Nor are there features to enable screen mirroring via Airplay, Google Cast or Miracast.

5. No decent view on content & people
65% want to see people & content equally good
For the most equitable experience in a video meeting, you want to be able to see and connect with remote colleagues. Remote participants should have an equal part on the meeting screen as the content displayed. Not all meeting rooms have multiple screens, or a room display that is large enough (like 21:9) to show both people and content. In a Microsoft Teams Room, the full pixel space of the meeting display is not optimally used. There are always black borders around the shared content.

6. Unwelcome to guests
1 in 2 systems do not allow external guests to participate in collaboration
Working with complicated control panels, having no access to the company network or having to install software can only add up to the complexity of joining meetings for guests. In addition, guests are not always accustomed to the platform used in the fixed room or have the right account to start the video meeting. Which adds up to the complexity of sharing content.

7. Ad hoc video meetings are a nightmare
62% of meetings is unscheduled
Unplanned and unscheduled meetings in a fixed room take time, simply because the room setup does not allow for easy wireless content sharing in an ad hoc meeting. You need to schedule your call upfront before you can start the meeting from the room console.

8. Room systems can be costly
1 in 2 IT managers want to invest more in hybrid meetings
Rooms with fixed in-room systems often eat up your budget, as you installed high-cost equipment and have recurring license costs.

Moreover, meeting rooms with complex or malfunctioning video conferencing setups are usually not used often enough. Recurring technical issues with equipment are the main reason for users to stop using certain spaces. People don’t want to lose time with starting and running meetings. They simply want the setup to work.

The service tickets to fix issues simply take too much of your precious time. If you want to save on both money and time and enjoy a better ROI and higher adoption rates in your meeting rooms, you need a solution that is easy-to-use, easy-to-manage and a good investment in the long run.

What now?

Download our infographic.

Don’t worry, there are wireless collaboration solutions that help you improve the user experience in a fixed room. Download our Design Guide white paper, here.

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The updated product boasts a brand-new interface that makes managing, monitoring and optimizing meetings easier and better. Thus, it transforms the platform from a tool to a strategic asset for IT departments. The platform also maximizes the ClickShare fleet by enabling complete device control, proactive intervention and maximum function time. With this, it ensures that workers can seamlessly and easily engage in more meaningful interactions.

Enhanced User Experience

The one-stop-shop management platform is simpler and easier to use than ever before, says Barco. It offers administrators a complete overview of how the ClickShare install base functions at any moment. This includes the status of system health, firmware distribution, overview of connected client buttons or apps, overdue actions, location usage and much more. Moreover, IT administrators can easily find the information and data they need, thanks to the bright and easily accessible visuals.

Automatic Notifications for Prompt Intervention

With automatic notifications shared via email, IT professionals will now receive notice of any tech issues or overdue actions so they can intervene immediately. This will allow them to shift from reactive management to proactive monitoring. Furthermore, it ensures that meeting rooms are always ready to use and run at their best capacity.

Improving Meeting Experiences

The updated XMS Cloud platform provides data that allows IT professionals to better understand employee meeting behavior, optimizing workspaces and meeting experiences to increase device ROI. From insights on if, when and how workers are embracing meeting technology, to insights on hybrid meeting and face-to-face meeting preferences; IT administrators have a better idea on how to act as a strategic partner to the business by optimizing tech efficiency and employee satisfaction.

Future-Proof Platform

The new XMS Cloud is a completely future-proofed system thanks to the embedded marketplace where IT professionals can find helpful tools, integrations and plug-ins. These can be tailored to needs and preferences and managed from a central location.

“IT departments have become key players in taking business-critical decisions on tools and applications for their workspaces and the upgraded XMS Cloud system helps make this a seamless process,” says Lars Duziak, product manager, XMS Cloud Platform, Barco.

Duziak continues, “Not only does it allow users to simplify daily tasks and be more efficient with their time; but it also empowers them to become a strategic partner to their businesses with meaningful data and insights. It’s the best way to harness the power of the ClickShare fleet and encourage your workforce to love meeting again.”

Barco presented live demos of the enhanced XMS Cloud platform at booth #2529 at during InfoComm 2023. It also demonstrated other products from Barco’s portfolio. This included the ClickShare Conference CX-50 2nd generation, the agnostic meeting room solution for high-impact meeting rooms. Per the company, it recently became one of the first carbon-neutral products in the video-conferencing industry.

Another version of this article originally appeared on our sister-site Commercial Integrator on June 28, 2023. It has since been updated for My TechDecisions’ audience.

The post Barco Updates XMS Cloud Platform appeared first on My TechDecisions.

Magewell says its plug-and-play USB Capture Gen 2 devices let users easily and reliably bring HDMI or SDI video signals into popular conferencing software. This includes Zoom, Skype, Teams, GoToMeeting, etc. Meanwhile, Barco’s ClickShare Conference combines remote communication with easy-to-use, agnostic wireless collaboration to enable revolutionary conferencing experiences in any meeting space. The device wirelessly connects to USB audio-video peripherals to create better hybrid meetings without cumbersome cables.

The company point to the verified compatibility with Magewell USB Capture Gen 2 devices. Per a statement, this enables HDMI or SDI video sources such as professional cameras to be used seamlessly with ClickShare Conference. Users can thus integrate higher-end cameras into their wireless conferences for improved visual quality and creative flexibility, or incorporate other non-USB video sources such as DVD players, document cameras, or additional computers.

Also Read: Check Out this Wireless Presentation System for Your UC&C Needs

According to Magewell, its USB Capture Gen 2 successfully tested for compatibility with the ClickShare CX-20, ClickShare CX-30 and ClickShare CX-50. The Magewell devices can thus be powered directly from the ClickShare Base Unit. It also does not require additional power source.

The ClickShare Conference enables Magewell devices to connect wirelessly to the host computer. In this way, it frees them from the length limitations of USB cables. At the same time, it allows them to be placed more discretely and conveniently.

Nick Ma, CEO and CTO at Magewell, remarks, “Combining our USB capture devices with ClickShare Conference lets users take advantage of these AV sources while enjoying the benefits of wireless, hybrid meeting experiences. Partnering with Barco as part of the ClickShare Alliance lets integrators, resellers, and end-users choose our joint solution with confidence.”

“Magewell’s USB Capture devices expand the ecosystem of high-quality video and audio sources that customers can use with ClickShare Conference,” adds Lieven Bertier, segment marketing director workplace at Barco. “The ClickShare Alliance Program is all about giving customers the confidence of proven compatibility in their hybrid meetings.”

Bertier continues that the partnership thus aligns with this mission. It also enables compatibility with vast array of HDMI and SDI sources. He concludes, “We’re thrilled to welcome [Magewell] to the program.”

This article originally appeared on MyTechDecisions’ sister-site Commercial Integrator.

The post Magewell Joins Barco’s ClickShare Alliance Program appeared first on My TechDecisions.

Introducing the right collaboration technology in meeting spaces is the biggest challenge for IT managers today. In this new resource, “Creating Great User Experience and Ultimate Flexibility with Clickshare,” you’ll learn practical designs to create a flexible room in just a few steps.

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