Choosing the Right AV Equipment for Your Meeting Rooms

The modern meeting room is more than just a table and chairs — it’s a collaborative environment that depends on technology to connect people, share ideas, and support hybrid work. Selecting the right meeting room AV solutions is key to ensuring those interactions are seamless and productive.

But with so many options available, it can be difficult to know what’s essential, what’s optional, and what works best for different types of spaces. Whether you're setting up a small huddle room or outfitting an executive boardroom, it’s important to match your AV equipment to the room's size, use case, and users.

Here’s a guide to help make informed decisions.

1. Start with the Room Type and Use Case

AV needs vary significantly depending on the room’s function. Consider:

• Huddle rooms: Compact setups for 2–6 people, ideal for quick check-ins or small team collaboration
  
• Standard meeting rooms: Accommodate 6–12 people, used for presentations and hybrid meetings
  
• Boardrooms and large spaces: Require high-end AV for client meetings, executive discussions, or multi-room conferencing
  

For each space, your AV solution should be scaled appropriately — both in terms of performance and complexity. You can explore different meeting room AV setups suited for various configurations.

2. Display Technology

A central screen is one of the most important components in any meeting room. When choosing a display:

• Size matters: Match the screen size to the viewing distance. Larger rooms require bigger displays for visibility.
  
• Touchscreen or not: For collaborative work, an interactive display might be helpful. For presentation-focused rooms, a standard display may suffice.
  
• Mounting and orientation: Wall-mounted displays save space and reduce clutter. Dual screens may be needed in high-use rooms.
  

Clarity and reliability are key — so ensure the display integrates well with your video conferencing platform.

3. Audio and Microphone Setup

Poor audio can derail any meeting, especially when participants are remote. Depending on the room size:

• Table microphones work well in smaller spaces
  
• Ceiling microphones provide cleaner installations in mid-to-large rooms
  
• Boundary or beamforming mics help capture voices more precisely in active or large areas
  

Pairing microphones with high-quality speakers ensures that remote participants can be heard clearly and that in-room attendees experience balanced sound.

4. Video Conferencing Integration

As hybrid work becomes standard, video conferencing capabilities should be built into the AV design from the start. Key features to consider:

• Dedicated conferencing hardware compatible with your chosen platform
  
• High-quality cameras with auto-framing or pan-tilt-zoom capabilities
  
• One-touch join options to reduce setup time and simplify the user experience
  

If your organisation uses Microsoft Teams, consider solutions designed specifically for that platform. Microsoft Teams Rooms offers a consistent, user-friendly interface across devices, ideal for scaling up across multiple rooms.

5. Control and Automation

Once your AV equipment is installed, ease of use becomes critical. Users should be able to walk into a room and start a meeting without technical support.

AV control panels or scheduling touchscreens allow for:

• Automated room setup (lights, blinds, display on)
  
• Input switching for different devices
  
• Simplified start and end meeting workflows
  

Incorporating audio visual automation ensures consistent operation and reduces the margin for error.

6. Scalability and Support

As your workplace grows or changes, your AV setup should be flexible enough to adapt. Modular systems allow you to:

• Add new equipment without replacing core infrastructure
  
• Replicate successful room designs across new locations
  
• Integrate with evolving conferencing platforms or IT systems
  

It’s also worth considering long-term support and maintenance plans to keep everything running smoothly.

Final Thoughts

Choosing the right meeting room AV solutions doesn’t mean buying the most expensive equipment — it means selecting technology that supports how your teams actually work. From small huddle rooms to large executive boardrooms, thoughtful AV planning can improve productivity, reduce friction, and enhance the overall meeting experience.

Start with a clear understanding of your space, your needs, and your collaboration goals — and build your system around that foundation.