Multimedia Conference Room System Planning
As computer-centered multimedia technology has become more widely available, it has introduced new tools and methods for meetings. In recent years, video conferencing, remote teaching and other visual information technologies have become common in meeting rooms. The versatility of multimedia conference rooms—for in-person meetings, academic presentations and training, for example—has helped them spread quickly. Whether presenting a report, review, briefing or product, a computer can be used interactively to display text, speech, still images, video and graphics, engaging attendees' senses and improving the meeting experience. Multimedia is also becoming increasingly valuable in office environments.
A digital multimedia conference system generally integrates audio, lighting, electrical equipment and software associated with meetings. Conference-system design covers these areas. Integration begins with careful analysis and understanding of the client's requirements, followed by project planning and design. Technical solutions are used to address the requirements and deliver value within the agreed budget and expectations, with the aim of meeting the user's needs.
Research and a site survey should be completed before conference-room design so that the system can be planned appropriately. Conference-system planning should consider the following:
- The intended use of the digital multimedia conference system
- The scale and level of the system
- The scope of services
- Meeting-management capabilities
- Requirements of the international operating environment
- The relationship between functions, price and economic value
- System quality and the service-support framework
Functional Design
The system is intended for medium- and large-scale meetings, such as press conferences, product demonstrations, presentations, signing ceremonies and employee training. Functional design should account for both versatility and advanced capabilities, including:
- Advanced presentation: Effectively present the latest content from different fields using current multimedia formats, including text, speech, pictures, moving images and computer documents.
- Complete meeting functions: Support meetings at different levels, academic forums, presentations and other meeting formats, as well as public events such as press conferences, celebrations and signing ceremonies.
- Training functions: Support technical training, teaching, product introductions, large annual meetings, monthly meetings and regular company meetings.
- General performance functions: Support non-professional variety performances, banquets, receptions and dances. The source also refers to signal mixing and switching, with the processed output sent back to participating conference terminals.
Design Principles
The system architecture should be advanced, open and scientifically designed for its intended use, reflecting the current state of conference technology.
It should meet practical operational needs, putting the user's business-management requirements first. Centralized management and control should make the system convenient to operate and straightforward to maintain and manage.
Allow room for future upgrades. Maintenance accounts for the largest share of a system's lifecycle, so a rational, standardized architecture should allow maintenance to be completed quickly. Subject to the requirements for an advanced, reliable system with good performance for its cost, optimized design should also meet economic goals.
- Advanced technology principle
- Practicality principle
- Expandability and maintainability principle
Selection Principles
Select internationally recognized equipment brands and vendors or distributors with strong resources and technical capabilities, so the system design specifications and functions can be delivered.
Select mature, advanced and reliable products with broad, credible use in practice, supporting the system's advancement, maturity and stability.
Select highly intelligent, technically capable products. Use an open architecture designed around standardization and modularity to simplify management and maintenance, preserve the system's capabilities over time, and reduce repeated equipment purchases and wasted resources when upgrades are needed.
Select brands with their own intellectual property to reduce uncertainty around future maintenance and upgrades.
Follow the principle of economic practicality and choose products with good value for money. Compare not only performance, functions and quality, but also price against comparable products.
Require a strong technical foundation. Equipment vendors should have professional product after-sales service and repair organizations in mainland China to provide technical support and after-sales service.