Run and Attend Efficient Meetings
OIT's best practices aim to help you meet with colleagues no matter your location or setup. Use this guide to run efficient low-tech hybrid meetings, find beginner's guides that help anyone new to Teams or Zoom join a meeting, as well as recommendations for hardware and AV setups in departmental spaces.
Ready to host a meeting? Visit our Hybrid Meeting Technology Best Practices page for a detailed checklist for making your hybrid meeting successful for all attendees.
OIT's Recommendations
Low-Tech Hybrid Meetings in Microsoft Teams or Zoom
- Meeting Host: Connect laptop to power and wired network, close all unnecessary applications and browser pages
- If multiple users/devices in same space joining web conference, mute audio/mic for all users except meeting host (audio feedback)
- Make a test call to ensure room audio and camera settings are working: Using Microsoft Teams, or Using Zoom
- Share content (including screen sharing): Using Microsoft Teams, or Using Zoom
- Utilize resources including Hybrid Meeting Technology Best Practices, as well as General tips for recording remotely (including recommendations for space, lighting, mics etc.)
- Record meetings or calls in Teams
- Cloud recording using Zoom
Beginner's Guide to Teams
Meeting Spaces
To purchase any of the following recommended meeting space solutions, please fill out the Auxiliary AV Service Request Form. A member of OIT will contact you to further discuss your request. Please note that some of these solutions may be available on the CU Marketplace, potentially at a higher cost. If you are an approved shopper in the Marketplace, please use the “search” functionality to lookup specific items. If your department is interested in leveraging an existing UC-MX50-U for your departmental meeting space please fill out the Auxiliary AV Service Request Form.
Small Meeting Spaces
Functionality required: hold small meetings accommodating 4-10 people, based on and off-site, with mixed levels of computer skills, seeing multiple speakers at once, voting, screensharing and breakout sessions.
Small Meeting Option 1:
Crestron UC-SB1-CAM, $775
System Description: The small system type is designed to accommodate 2-4 people in a meeting space. The system is software agnostic and may be used with any common video conferencing software such as Zoom, Teams, etc. In order to use this system, users must connect a laptop computer. As the most cost-effective solution, this system assumes that there is already a flat panel display in the room (appropriately sized for the space to ensure adequate viewing of all participants). It includes the following features:
- (1) Wall-mountable soundbar with integrated camera, microphone and speaker.
- (1) USB-A cable for camera video and audio.
- (1) Appropriately sized HDMI cable to run from the user location to the flat panel display
Notes: This device is meant to be mounted underneath a flat panel display in the front of the room. It provides a combination camera, microphone and speaker. The microphone in this system is capable of picking up audio up to 15 feet away from the unit. This device does not provide a video output to a display for local presentation.
This device was chosen because of the features it provides, and the alignment with OIT standards for support, as well as being at an appropriate price point.
Although there are other comparable devices, at this time, OIT is unable to provide support outside of the recommended standards.
Small Meeting Option 2:
Owl Labs Meeting Owl Pro, $999
System Description: The small system type is designed to accommodate 2-4 people in a meeting space. The system is software agnostic and may be used with any common video conferencing software such as Zoom, Teams, etc. In order to use this system, users must connect a laptop computer. As the most cost-effective solution, this system assumes that there is already a flat panel display in the room (appropriately sized for the space to ensure adequate viewing of all participants). It includes the following features:
- (1) Microphone/Speaker/Camera unit meant to be placed in the center of a conference room table.
- (1) USB-A cable for camera and audio/camera connection to the user computer.
- (1) Appropriately sized HDMI cable (not included) for connection from the user computer to the display (not included) in the room.
Notes: This device is meant to be placed in the center of a conference room table. It is a portable system and allows for a 360 degree panoramic view of the participants in the room. It is a tri-speaker, multi-microphone system that automatically zooms to respond to who is speaking. The microphones have an 18 foot audio pickup radius.
Please note: This system is not formally supported by OIT as it does not fall in line with recommended standards. This option is included to fit unique space requirements, specifically when a camera/microphone/speaker must be placed in the center of a conference room table. In order to use this system, a smartphone with bluetooth is required for initial setup. Additionally, the device must be registered with a valid email address which will be tied back to any warranty related items. Initial setup and support must be completed by the department or unit and OIT is unable to assist.
Medium Meetings
Functionality required: accommodate 8-20 attendees with various levels of computer skills, seeing multiple speakers at once, voting, screensharing and breakout sessions.
Medium Option 1:
Crestron UC-MX50-U, $3,000,
+ appropriate display (cost varies based on size)
- (1) Wall-mounted flat panel display sized appropriately for the space.
- (1) Tabletop touch panel/User Interface used for basic controls including microphone mute, speaker mute, initiating a local presentation and other basic functionality. This control panel has a built-in speakerphone and microphone. The microphone has a 360 degree pickup pattern with a range of up to 20 feet. Optional tabletop microphone pods may be added to the system to increase pickup range.
- (1) HDMI and (1) USB-A cable for video and audio.
- (1) Receiver unit meant for extending video and USB signal (up to 330 feet) from the tabletop control panel to the display.
- (1) Camera that includes basic control from an application run on the end-user computer. Basic control includes “auto framing”, a static location and zoom.
- Optional: (1 or 2) Microphone extension pod.
Medium Option 2:
Crestron UC-M50-U, $2,300,
+ appropriate display (cost varies based on size)
- (1) Wall-mounted flat panel display sized appropriately for the space.
- (1) Tabletop touch panel/User Interface used for basic controls including microphone mute, speaker mute, initiating a local presentation and other basic functionality. This control panel has a built-in speakerphone and microphone.
- (1) HDMI and (1) USB-A cable for video and audio.
- (1) Camera that includes basic control from an application run on the end-user computer. Basic control includes “auto framing”, a static location and zoom.
- Optional: (1 or 2) Microphone extension pod.
Please Note: This system leverages all of the same features as the first medium system type at a lower price point. This system is suitable for rooms where the touch panel may be placed within 20 feet of the flat panel display.
Additional Functionality can be designed and installed to enhance the baseline AV systems in select rooms to meet specific needs of the users and could include capabilities such as recording, streaming, participant microphone systems, etc. These variations are dependent on the available budget.
Large Meetings
Functionality required: a method to hold large (20+ people) meetings with staff and other non-CU affiliated people who are both on site and across the globe.
- For meetings of this size, OIT recommends leveraging a software solution that provides collaborative functionality. OIT recommends using Microsoft Teams or Zoom for this purpose.
- For conference room technology at this size or special events, utilize OIT’s Auxiliary A/V Service for a recommendation on custom designs to fit your needs.
