Setting up conference rooms

Applies To: Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2003 R2, Windows Server 2003 with SP1, Windows Server 2003 with SP2, Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Server 8 Beta

Setting up conference rooms

On the computer, conference rooms have similar configurations as workstations, but you must provide audio and visual coverage for a group of people.

Get a good microphone

Headsets are not practical for canceling echoes in conference rooms. Special equipment that cancels echoes is required, which contains long range microphones and speakers with automatic gain control. Some of these devices can track a speaker walking around a room and automatically adjust the volume before transmitting it to other participants. Several manufacturers produce this equipment. For more information, see Eliminating acoustic echo.

Install a large screen television

Your conference rooms may already be equipped with large screen televisions or projection systems. Connect the video output from a computer to these systems to provide an image that is suitably large for viewing by groups of people.

Set up logon access

When a participant joins a multicast conference, TAPI automatically determines the name of the user and displays this to other conference participants. This works fine for client workstations, because users usually log on to Windows using their domain accounts. For a video conferencing computer in a conference room, you may want to create a user account that uses the conference room name or location. This allows participants to associate the name of the conference room with its image.