How are your conference room computers set up?
Posted by grnerd@reddit | sysadmin | View on Reddit | 96 comments
Up to this point, each conference room had a login that was tied to an M365 Business Premium account, and users would include that account when scheduling their meeting. For example, if I was having a meeting in Conference Room 1, I would include Con1 in the meeting invitation. The conference room PC is already logged in using that account, and so just by firing up teams, it was ready to go.
The issue is that meeting notes, presentations, etc. are all available to anyone who sits at that computer in the conference room.
I am going to change all of those account to Teams Room Accounts, which will help eliminate the issues of notes, presentations, etc. being available to everyone else, but now I have to figure out how to make it easy for users to bring those things to the meeting. They are used to just emailing their presentations and such to the conference room account and grabbing them from outlook.
I know I am rambling, and I might not be explaining the situation well, but it is rolling around in my head and I know there has to be a manageable solution.
LibtardsAreFunny@reddit
just use what works well for you and your company. People saying you are insane if you have a conference pc/laptop in this day and age just have larger budgets or only want to do it one way. You can do this a variety of ways, just make sure all points of failure are covered... We accept that risk. We use a laptop in each conference room and a 365 account. We have an Owl cam in each room connected to the laptops. Users can easily do meetings, share content, cast to tv if needed. No issues and no fuss. Rally bar being over 4k is robbery and a lot of companies take advantage of businesses to make a profit. If you got the budget go for it if you like that.
ORA2J@reddit
We've gone all Clickshare from Barco. People just plug the dongle in their laptops and away they go.
Hothacon@reddit
Former job had mac minis with zoom enterprise with crestron soundbars and webcams with iPads controllers with JAmF
notospez@reddit
Logitech Rally Bars connected to a TV. Best purchase ever; no more PCs in our meeting rooms, they show who booked the room, and you can start meetings with the remote or by selecting "room" in Teams.
Literally the only complaint we have about these is that you can't use the camera in Slack.
incompletesystem@reddit
Or the Yealink Equivalent. Great devices and lots of options.
I've done single break out rooms to large multi camera rooms. Its great experience for users.
Evening_Link4360@reddit
I’ve installed a lot of both and Yealink is absolute garbage compared to Logitech.
mickymac1@reddit
I reckon that's accurate. We've got a couple of the Yealink's and when they work they seem to be ok, but the users still find them super clunky.
Either way still a massive improvement compared to having PC's in the rooms though.
incompletesystem@reddit
I disagree. But each to own.
ru4serious@reddit
Yeah, I put in the Yealink devices (the units with mini PCs so I can install RMM on them), and they work quite well. I've got no issues.
cptlolalot@reddit
I put a meetingbar in one of our boardrooms and was so pleased with it. Automatically turning the TV on when you walk in is such a bonus
notarealaccount223@reddit
Not sure if others are doing it. But the network cable connections are super key for existing floor runs.
notospez@reddit
Do the Yealinks work well with Slack?
aluminumpork@reddit
What if users need to share content and don’t have laptops? 80% of ours users have desktops (engineering heavy org).
notospez@reddit
That won't work - in our org even engineers have laptops, after Covid we're not going back to desktops ever.
MonkeyMan18975@reddit
We're about 60% there, but being a non-profit with no PC replacement budget has made it a slow and painful process.
One day... one day (hopefully before I retire)
DrDrakeRamorayJr@reddit
Same question
VRMonkey@reddit
We use the Logitech Extend accessory to allow any computer to use the MTR in a BYOD mode. This will allow users to use the room resources (camera, speakers, TV, mic) as a device on their computer. This will allow for the use of any video conference application. The accessory is a little pricey but worth it in my opinion. It’s definitely better than the Swytch.
statikuz@reddit
I feel like I'm totally missing the point of the Extend when you can just plug a laptop into the Rally Bar with USB-C and HDMI? Do I just not get it?
VRMonkey@reddit
In our setup we have big conference rooms where the Rally Bars are mounted to the wall. The extend is extended using a CAT6 cable between the Rally and the table. It simplifies the user experience because there’s only one cable (USB-C) from the Extend that plugs into a user’s computer instead of two. That one USB-C cable can also do power delivery to keep the laptop topped off. It also simplifies deployment for big conference rooms since you only have to worry about one Cat6 jumper cable between then mounted camera and the conference table. It’s definitely not required but if it will cut down on user confusion and issues, I think it’s worth it.
statikuz@reddit
Gotcha, thank you for the reply!
itbedguy@reddit
Do you know if that accessories work with Logitech Meetup cameras?
VRMonkey@reddit
I think it’s meant for an all-in-one MTR device like the Rally Bar where there’s an Android Computer built in.
Robert_VG@reddit
These with the Tap IP and Tap Scheduler. Work really well.
the_federation@reddit
We use the Poly Studio series with Zoom Rooms, but yeah it's definitely a huge step up from having PCs in the room.
How's the Rally bar? I see the name pop up a lot but never looked into it since we're trying to keep feature parity across rooms. Do the Rally bars support BYOD audio to run meetings from a user's laptop?
d-weezy2284@reddit
Literally switched our rooms over to these 3 weeks ago. Highly recommend.
smnhdy@reddit
Conference room computers shouldn’t exist.
If you have the budget… and MTR device should be standard… if not… a simple hdmi or usb c cable to bring your own laptop.
Evening_Link4360@reddit
This. Insane to have a conference room PC in 2026 when MTR devices are so cheap.
seidler2547@reddit
Can you suggest cheap MTR devices? A Logitech rally bar is 2000 € here.
Evening_Link4360@reddit
That’s the price of a business laptop. If you can’t afford that, I think you have bigger issues.
seidler2547@reddit
A mini PC is a quarter of that. Also just checked and the official price is more like 4 grand. I'm sure there's a justification for it, but people shouldn't be surprised that conference space PCs still exist when the alternatives are so much more expensive.
chanchoextremo@reddit
Igual lo encuentro carísimo, ósea no entiendo el valor más que nada, por ejemplo para una sala que usamos una vez al mes y de todas maneras tampoco creo poder justificar el precio de 4000usd
Darkhexical@reddit
Poly x30 or yealink a20
sryan2k1@reddit
Any dedicated platform really sucks if you need to do a meeting that isn't that platform. We have hybrid rooms that use Android mtrs as the primary system but also a conference PC that can be switched to for Zoom or other meeting services.
smnhdy@reddit
MTR devices support zoom, Webex, and Google meets.
sryan2k1@reddit
They "support" it in the same way a Porsche 911 and a Toyota corolla are both cars.
It's effectively an embedded web browser and not a native app with all kinds of limitations. One main one being no dual display. We've also found that if a zoom meeting tries to put the MTR into a breakout room it fails, as a pop up appears you have to click on to says OK, but you can't click it. They may have fixed that but the non native experience is really bad.
smnhdy@reddit
I didn’t say it was a great experience 🤣 but it is supported!
mapbits@reddit
BYOD mode works well in these cases, even without shared meeting room PCs. Only caveat is that your org needs to be laptop-centric.
sryan2k1@reddit
Dual screens plus device mode is complicated and requires long cables.
mapbits@reddit
Yeah, dealing with "strong USB" cables and USB tier limits with Swytch has led to early hair loss. Fortunately, most of our appliance based rooms are single monitor.
fergy80@reddit
Our Azus Google Meet Hardwar setup can do Teams, Google meet, Zoom, and WebEx all in one.
segagamer@reddit
Assuming you're talking about something like the Logitech Rallybar, that thing is like £3,899.00 here.
We just have a simple ASRock MiniPC that accepts domain credentials (no roaming profiles) and a couple Rode Wireless Go Microphones with Interview Go holders. £500 total.
Evening_Link4360@reddit
No fuss - until the credentials are locked, the keyboard and mouse “walk off”, the mics stop working sometimes, someone downloads malware, and the computer gets so slow it’s unmanageable. Also you chose the most expensive solution, there’s plenty of meeting bars cheaper than the Rally.
chris1neji@reddit
Neat Bar for conference room. Assign Teams Room Basic license ($0.00)
Vindalfur@reddit
...what if boss says "I don't want to change it, PC's stay put, my boss wants it like it is"
I've tried showing them Yealink, they say straight no, I've even offered them to a place to show them how they work, talk to a specialist. Its just plain no.
I know I can't do anything more, its just extremely frustrating. The extra workload just to keep these PCs up to date is something I shouldn't have to do. (Rant out)
Evening_Link4360@reddit
It’s more secure, professional, less enterprise risk, doesn’t have to even be on the domain network, has usage reports, completely remotely manageable. Or “break” the old PC and say we need to replace it.
smnhdy@reddit
Are you familiar with how Klingons progress in rank ok their star ships….?
I’m just saying… it’s an option…!
slowclapcitizenkane@reddit
Where is he supposed to get a Bat'leth at this time of day?
TheDukeInTheNorth@reddit
Always keep a backup Bat'leth and swap to it. It's quicker than reloading your primary.
Soggy-Attempt@reddit
Tell them it’s a security issue.
Vindalfur@reddit
Done 🫠
segagamer@reddit
Assuming you're talking about something like the Logitech Rallybar, that thing is like £3,899.00 here.
We just have a simple PC that accepts domain credentials, and a couple Rode Wireless Go Microphones with Interview Go holders.
ChabotJ@reddit
We just bought the Yealink teams rooms devices
simpleglitch@reddit
We use Neat bars / boards. Pretty much the same experience as the Logitech's people have mentioned.
Zoom native but supports all the third parties zoom has available.
guzhogi@reddit
We started using Neat Bars during COVID. Agreed on them being expensive. We got the original, baseline ones that can do Zoom or MS Teams. Newer ones added Google Meets.
I like how you can attach multiple TVs to them, so that you can either have participants on both screens, or participants on one screen, and screen share on the other. Provides an HDMI in, so you could connect a computer, or even an APLETV or Chromecast
simpleglitch@reddit
Just a warning, the gen1 bars will be dropping support here soon. Teams rooms drop support for them this year and zoom will drop support next summer.
Gen1 bars (and boards) are on a chip that doesn't support the latest android updates.
RubberDucky882@reddit
Apple TV in conference room mode, can Airplay from our Mac’s iPhones, and iPads (we don’t really have Windows anymore). If we have somebody come in using something non Apple we have a HDMI cable.
guzhogi@reddit
We do this a lot, too. Works pretty well
jcpham@reddit
Following the comments
LRS_David@reddit
Click on those 3 dots above and to the left of the post title.
jcpham@reddit
Way too difficult
Rocknbob69@reddit
We just use a docking station connected to the large TV . Everyone brings their laptop to hos meetings.
ElvisIsNotDjed@reddit
Sounds like the real issue is that the room account became both the booking object and the shared working account, which is always going to get messy. Teams Rooms accounts feel like the right move - then the question becomes how users present content without relying on emailing stuff to the room mailbox like it’s 2016.
How’s everyone here handling the booking side now - just M365 room mailboxes, or some separate room scheduling/display setup too?
Clivna@reddit
we use BYOD and a Maxhub with a bar, teams device and a logitech schedule outside.
When users need to connect they plugin the Maxhub dongle, wait a few seconds and click it.
itguy9013@reddit
We phased out meeting room PC's in favor of MTR devices. The experience is way better and the overhead for management is significantly lower.
Pseudomocha@reddit
We use yealink meetingbar teams rooms devices.
You can either join the room with your own device and share screen from there, or it comes with a USB dongle you can plug into a laptop and present from that.
Highly recommend these, our tickets for meeting room bullshit went down to almost zero.
CeC-P@reddit
My last company didn't use computers for it. They took out the overpriced, overcomplicated aging Crestron system that worked like crap and put in a Yealink system that works like crap. But at least it was a stripped, embedded OS that was fully compatible with Office 365. Except they constantly disconnect or freeze for no reason and they're practically brand new.
Then I quit and moved to this company that does not have conference rooms.
But all the rooms had their own Exchange level 1 license to host a calendar, if I recall. They told me that was the cheapest way. It probably is. I think they had some sort of auto-responder of some sort set up so that the room wasn't the meeting host, it was an invitee with no permissions to view the notes.
DheeradjS@reddit
Had the same issue with the Yealinks untill I inspected the traffic. Some genius had shoved them in the VLAN with other devices and they were multicasting constantly.
I isolated the bar and controlpanel in their own VLAN and the issues magically stopped.
Their desk phones are great, but this was just weird.
sakatan@reddit
It's not that the invitee didn't have the permission to view the notes. It's more likely that the room mailbox calendar attendant just automatically strips out the comments for meetings it is invited to (Set-CalendarProcessing -DeleteComments $true). That's the default value when creating a room mailbox directly, in contrast to converting a generic user/shared mailbox to a riommoom mailbox.
DasaniFresh@reddit
You don’t even need a license for a Resource Room in M365 so they’re paying for a license they don’t need.
Windows95GOAT@reddit
Everyone has a laptop. Our conference rooms connect through HDMI for simple viewing directly to the screen or through a kvm-ish devices if they need perihiphals. Each screen has a mini pc which they can login to with their personal device as a backup.
GremlinNZ@reddit
Yealink meeting room devices, Teams licences, add the room when creating your meeting.
Panels outside the rooms with the LED status lights etc, green if available, purple when booking, upcoming schedule etc. USB-C sharing pucks you can plug into your laptop to screen share, or join the meeting yourself.
One room has a regular monster TV then the Yealink camera above, control unit behind the TV etc.
Another has the interactive board, all in one unit etc, so two different methods in use. Only issue with the regular TV is sometimes something happens and it likes to sit on the Google TV page rather than the HDMI input.
smart_ca@reddit
We use Conferfly with an Intel NUC with a basic teams license, and it works pretty well.
BatemansChainsaw@reddit
One of our techs worked some magic with Jitsi in our two conference rooms, and you can join from anywhere in the office (or out if you're WFH).
Since we don't do teams, webex, zoom, slack, or whatever other shitware out there - this is it, or there's nothing. Some people saying being this inflexible isn't beneficial but we've not run into an issue requiring it of our customers or vendors.
EntrepreneurAny6884@reddit
we got rid of our clickshares and poly cameras. useless unreliable junk.
swapped out for cisco room bars & a navigator panel, works great.
no room pc's either, end users either join the teams meeting room & bring their laptop to share content via miracast
beritknight@reddit
Full MTR setup. They’re built to handle this sort of thing, without the data leakage that comes with a shared “normal” account.
Do all your users have laptops? That helps a lot for this sort of thing. Anyone who wants to share a presentation just brings their laptop to the meeting and shared PowerPoint from it.
Expensive_Plant_9530@reddit
We just don’t include a PC anymore.
We have a Clickshare for wireless presentation to the TV, and we expect people to bring their laptop or book a temp loaner to borrow.
We also have an Owl Pro that people can borrow if they need.
nekoliten@reddit
Conference room PC? Long back when we used Mac minis for that in all our meeting rooms. Nowadays we just mount a Neat bar under the TV, a Neat pad on the table, and another Neat pad outside the door as a scheduler.
Boom done. Supports either Zoom or Teams.
waxwayne@reddit
I didn’t know people had conference room computers. We use Polycoms or bring your own device.
bobnla14@reddit
Simple setup. And not suitable for all instances, but for small group Teams or Zooms.
Windows key + K to wirelessly connect a laptop to the screen for presentations. Monitor should be compatible, but most newer ones are.
Extend the Desktop so it is a second screen
So the host becomes the zoom display machine, teams machine, or PowerPoint machine. You only put the Zoom or PowerPoint or Teams on the second screen, and that way the host can use their primary screen for their own notes.
sryan2k1@reddit
We have Poly X52s in the rooms along with a windows 11 machine, a 2x2 matrix and a wall panel to switch
MTRs are really bad at not Teams meetings and having a normal computer available is very valuable.
VG30ET@reddit
We have had great luck with the Neat line of conference room hardware.
Bacon_is_my_Crack@reddit
We have folks login with their entra ID. I have a policy that cleans up user accounts
ProfessionalSea6268@reddit
We use ClickShare with a Logitech bar camera.
mjimlay@reddit
We are a 100% desktop company, so we don't even have laptops to bring into conference rooms. Nearly all our meetings are done at our own desks via Teams. However, we do have conference rooms and they have their own desktop PC for a user to log into and log into teams/zoom/webex, but it is extremely uncommon to have these types of meetings... maybe once or twice a year.
Llamapocalypse_Now@reddit
I switched all out hardware to Logitech Rally Plus units and Polycom conference units.
Polycom units are set as teams rooms and the logitech units are in the boardrooms to connect to any hardware.
StarSlayerX@reddit
Meeting room technology... We have zoom and teams dedicated devices.
OddFerret4888@reddit
We use the NeatPro system and love it. Expensive but super low maintenance.
LowIndividual6625@reddit
We have four rooms...
One is huge and complex, it requires a dedicated, high-end desktop with a decent graphics card. It uses a ClearOne Convergence system to manage all of the cameras and ceiling-tile mics.
Another is a typical large conference room with a projector, speakers in-wall and ceiling-tile mics. They connect to a ClearOne Convergence system which means one USB cable sticking out of the middle of the table gives any windows-based device audio, video and camera with no software or drivers needed.
The smaller conference rooms are just a 75" TV with a PolyStudio mounted above it.
Laptop users often bring their assigned device and we have two "meeting room laptops" for those who need them.
The meeting room laptops have a dedicated AD account that can only log into those two devices during business hours. It is locked down, no local admin and almost no access to domain resources. I force the machines to reboot overnight (if left on) and all apps (and browsers) require re-auth after reboots.
Users cannot login to the meeting room laptops with their named AD accounts so I don't worry about credentials getting stored there other than the "meeting room" username.
The_Koplin@reddit
I have our conference rooms setup as shared computers in intune, users sign in with their account (I also have a guest option enabled). The room exists as a resource for calendars, and we use zoom, I suspect teams will work kind of the same way. When logged in users have access to their profile and data, when they logout the shared mode does not save anything, the profile is deleted off the pc at logoff. No autologin, not dedicated account, just a dedicated hardware platform managed via intune. IF we go the zoom room path, then users can use their laptops as 'host' devices and such and share their screen from a mobile device at the same time. All without having to plug and unplug anything (not sure about you but on frequently used devices I find port and cable wear to be an issue)
Zieprus_@reddit
We converted to meeting room bars that allow physical or wireless via Airplay or Miracast. Vastly reduced the issues and most people have their own laptops or 1 shared laptop per site that can be used.
Longjumping_Law133@reddit
Throw that BS meeting computers out. Get a proper vc solution such as
Logitech Rally Bar / rally bar mini It has built in Android OS and its working with different VC providers:’Zoom, Teams, Webex?
We use also Windows 11 PC + Zoom Rooms software on it, paired with Polycom C60 and polycom or logitech mx brio camera.
But we are on Zoom
NoDistrict1529@reddit
We just bought the teams room devices. They're windows iot so gpos work.
phaze08@reddit
We don’t have them. We have TVs and wireless hdmi dongles that interface with them. Directors bring their laptops if they want to present.
In terms of scheduling, we created a “resource” in MS365 portal so it creates a location in outlook when you’re scheduling and it will check if there is a meeting conflict. You can also designate who approves meetings sent to the shared room.
vintagerust@reddit
We have laptops in conference rooms people can use that we don't allow teams on it's really just intended for them to open a PPT on, and beyond that they're encouraged to connect their own device. Owl camera's plug into any laptop without having to fiddle with settings if they want a bit of an improved AV experience.
Witty_Formal7305@reddit
Setup a Teams Room and re-use the computer as a Shared PC with Entra ID login, disable access to local PC (all they get is downloads, no documents etc) maybe?
User books the teams room, they login to the computer as themselves and they have access to their onedrive, sharepoint, etc when they're done they logout, set the computer to nuke profiles after x days or just to nuke it immediately on logout.
Shared PC with guest mode could work as well but then you lose SSO to M365 from their profile.
Adam_Kearn@reddit
Mini PC running “teams room” connected via HDMI.
Webcam/microphone connected on the top of the TV screen