After you invest in setting up a small projection system in a conference room, you find many opportunities to use it. Having your own innovative presentations projection system provides a fabulous location for rehearsing presentations that you eventually give on- or off-site. Aside from client and project staff meetings, you can plan team-building and social events such as PlayStation competitions or movie lunch hour.
Consider installing some or all of the following equipment in your conference room, choosing models that best fit the room size. Multi-functional items can be a good way to get the most for your investment.
Projector and screen: Consider tabletop or ceiling mount. In either case, you want to place the projector in the best position for projecting to the screen and create an easily accessible location, or a mobile lectern, where you can connect a desktop computer, laptop, or tablet.
Large-screen monitor: With a large screen (50 to 80 inches), you can eliminate the projector and connect your laptop or tablet directly to the monitor with a wired or wi-fi connection.
If a great display is critical to your client presentations, you may want to install a video wall, a 3-D-enabled monitor, or a 4K monitor.
Interactive whiteboard: After writing on the whiteboard, you can scan the information and send it to a computer as an electronic file or print it from the whiteboard or to a networked printer. An alternative is to connect a tablet to the projection system and use it as your electronic whiteboard. Many tablet apps offer this option. You can then save and distribute notes to meeting attendees.
Speakers for audio playback: Although most projectors and computers have built-in speakers, the volume and broadcast quality is limited. You can consider installing a home theater-style audio setup or a portable Bluetooth speaker such as Philips Fidelio P9.
Bluetooth and wi-fi are two wireless connectivity technologies that link devices, for example a portable speaker to your computer. Bluetooth has a shorter range than wi-fi and although some devices have built-in capabilities for both, others have only one.
Bluetooth is often easier to set up but the limited range can make it a less favorable choice. Wi-fi, on the other hand, can be a bit more complicated to set up because of compatibility issues but offers better fidelity and a greater distance between devices.
Microphone: In a small conference room that can host 12 to 16 people at a conference table, your regular speaking volume is probably loud enough for everyone to hear, but in a larger room, a microphone may be one of the wisest investments you make. Depending on the type of presentations you plan to make, you may want to add a podium speakers can stand behind.
Video capture for video conferences or demonstrations: If you work with offsite clients and colleagues, video conferences really can be the next best thing to being there. The webcam on your computer or tablet may be enough for you and one other person, but a video camera with built-in speakers such as Logitech’s Conference Cam lets people on the other end see the whole group in your conference room.
The better the lighting, the clearer your broadcast image, so do what you can to keep the room well-lit.
Flip chart: Sometimes pen and paper provides the simplest solution to brainstorming or demonstrating a point.