Merthyr Valleys Homes
Interactive Touchscreen Meeting Rooms
Merthyr Valleys Homes
Location: Merthyr Tydfil
Requirement: New Interactive Touchscreen Meeting Rooms
Merthyr Valleys Homes wanted to provide stakeholders with an elegant Interactive Touchscreen solution for their new multi-purpose meeting rooms. They required high-quality, future-proof equipment, that would enable them to use the most of the rooms in multiple layouts.
Merthyr Valleys Homes are Wales’ first tenant and employee mutual housing association. They were established in 2009, as a result of tenants voting to transfer to a new not-for-profit organisation. They own and manage over 4,200 homes across the borough.
AV Requirements:
3 Rooms in 1
They wanted to divide meeting rooms separately, each with their own Interactive Touchscreen, using removable partitions. In addition, they required duplicated content onto the two additional Interactive Touchscreens, when the rooms were opened up. This would enable those sitting farther away from the main display to still see content on a display nearby.
Video Conferencing
The second main requirement was Video Conferencing, used when the room was made into one large space. Everyone in the room needed to be captured on a video call, both over video and audio.
What we proposed:
CleverTouch
We proposed 3 x CleverTouch Plus Interactive displays. We proposed giving them the option to use the unit as a normal touchscreen Microsoft Windows computer, as well as the more common Andriod OS ‘whiteboard’ touchscreen. Some of the great additional features of the CleverTouch range are:
- Built-in speakers,
- Integrated WiFi,
- HDMI and VGA Inputs.
- 5-year on-site warranty.
HDMI out
Using the ‘HDMI out’ connection on each display, we were able to ‘daisy-chain’ the screens together. This meant whatever was shown on the main first screen was reproduced on the other two displays at a touch of a button using a 6-button SY Control Panel.
Polycom with Videxio VMR
To capture the entire conference space at Merthyr Valley Homes, and make sure many users could participate in a video call, we recommended the Polycom Real Presence Group 500 video conference system. The Polycom is a standards-based group video conferencing system, which delivers the following great features:
- HD EagleEye iV Camera with 12x zoom
- Simple to use, one-touch dialing
- Content sharing, share content with distant teams and work more closely together
- Table-top microphone, with options for additional microphone connection
- Automatic gain control, noise suppression, and echo cancellation.
Video Call from anywhere
Merthyr Valleys Homes wanted stakeholders to be able to easily come in on the video call wherever they were, at home, in the office, or on the road. We recommended a cloud-based VMR (Virtual Meeting Room), which would allow users to join a video call from where ever they were, and from whatever device they had.
We invited the ICT team to our offices to demonstrate the cloud-based virtual meeting room. In a short time, we connected to the director of the organisation at his home, through an email invite. He commented on how much of an improvement it was over Skype, even with the poor internet connection at his secluded home.
Installation
We liaised with staff from Merthyr Valleys Homes ICT department to arrange site visits and discuss requirements for power, cabling routes and best placement of equipment items. We were also able to work around them, minimising the impact on the daily use of the rooms, making sure they still had use of their offices.
What They Said...
“Drake Audio installed three state-of-the-art interactive touchscreens in our new offices. Their staff were very supportive and the system is perfect for our requirements."
GALLERY
Here are a few more pics from the AV project
Get the ball rolling today...
Our bookings team will work with you to help you create your ideal AV setup, tailored specifically to your requirements. We will carry out a free site visit. Please feel free to arrange an initial meeting to discuss your requirements.
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