Picture seamless virtual meetings that automatically integrate into your organization’s calendar with a platform that’s easy to use and does not require additional setup– whether you’re in the office or working remotely.
Many companies already benefit from using Microsoft Teams and its many features like chat and video conferencing that help improve remote communication. But many are still wondering, what exactly are Microsoft Teams Rooms?
About Microsoft
Microsoft is the creator of Microsoft Teams and the broader Microsoft 365 suite of business apps, which is used by companies and organizations around the world.
Microsoft’s software platform can be used for data visualization, email, presentations, and reports; of course, Teams can also be used for hybrid meetings.
What are Teams Rooms?
Teams Rooms are a physical extension of the Teams meeting experience that aims to elevate the quality of hybrid meetings.
Teams Rooms are the result of a combination of software designed for the meeting room and corresponding hardware. There are a variety of plans and pricing, with different configurations based on room sizes and organizational needs. The basic plan is free, while the “Pro” version offers additional features and meeting capacity for remote participants to join in.
Depending on the room size and configuration, Teams Rooms setups can include a variety of monitors, wide-angle cameras, control panels for at-a-glance meeting availability in a space, and content cameras that combine to create a flexible setup that offers full audiovisual coverage of the room for both in-room and remote meeting participants.
Benefits of Teams Rooms
Flexibility: Teams Rooms are compatible with devices from other brands, meaning your organization can continue to use the legacy video-conferencing hardware employees are accustomed to. Most major brands are compatible, and the Meeting Owl 3 is Teams certified for use as a peripheral device in small rooms.
Ease of use: because Teams Rooms automatically calendar sync, all members can stay in the loop on scheduling whether they are remote or in-person, and one-touch or proximity join features make starting the meeting simple and quick.
Workspace reservation: Teams Rooms streamlines reserving temporary workspaces if your organization uses “hot-desking” or allows employees to work flexibly across locations. Wall monitors for rooms allow for easy reservation of conference rooms as well.
AI power: Microsoft is integrating its Copilot AI into Teams meetings, including in Teams Rooms, to help identify key takeaways from every speaker and record a transcript in real time.
How to set up integrated meeting rooms
Setting up Teams Rooms is simpler than you might think. Once you have a license, you may choose to purchase a kit that has all the hardware you need. However, if your organization already has suitable technology, you can set up your own integrated system.
All you’ll need for a functional setup:
- Conference room camera
- Conference room speaker
- Microphone
- Computer or device to run meeting
- Big screen display: an HDMI TV or similar works fine
- Touch controller
The Meeting Owl 4+ helps enhance a hybrid meeting by providing high-quality audio and visuals while tracking all participants in real time for an immersive experience for all.
Of course, there are additional devices and features that you can incorporate into a Teams Room setup to enhance particular meeting formats. Whether that’s a content camera like the Whiteboard Owl, Huddly Canvas, or another device that can pair with your video conferencing setup, you can optimize your meeting room to facilitate better brainstorming and written collaboration, depending on the nature of your meetings.
