In the past few years, we’ve relied on video technology to stay in touch with family or colleagues. As we move back to the office, employees and customers want more flexibility with meetings to save time and money. As a result, meeting room software like Zoom Rooms is in very high demand.
Zoom Rooms is a software-based room system that provides an integrated experience for video conferencing, audio conferencing, and wireless screen sharing.
Zoom-based rooms are built-in meeting spaces like conference rooms, huddle rooms, and offices. A Zoom Room is designed to enhance communication, collaboration, and productivity in the office. In a Zoom-based room, you’ll have access to the following tools:
- Audio and video conferencing (with recording)
- Remote participation
- Chat features
- Integration with Google Calendar and Microsoft Exchange
- Interactive whiteboards
- Wireless screen sharing
- Scheduling module
- One-touch control to start, join and end meetings
How are Zoom Rooms different from Zoom Meetings?
Video conferencing services like Zoom have become mainstream in large and small businesses. Zoom is officially a verb now with several different features, including video conferencing, screen sharing and recording, calendar integrations and scheduling, and more. And the two core pieces of its technology are:
- Zoom Meeting
- Zoom Rooms
However, people often confuse them as one.
Zoom Meetings is Zoom's core product with an individual license. A standard Zoom Meetings video conferencing license allows an individual user to conduct online meetings using a PC, tablet, or smartphone with the Zoom Meetings software installed. Participants can join Zoom meetings from different locations as well. It turns nearly any computing device with a built-in camera into a virtual meeting space.
Whereas Zoom Rooms take Zoom meetings to the next level. This physical conference room software and Zoom hardware make meetings start seamlessly. Zoom Rooms use pre-configured hardware kits to run Zoom Meetings with a button tap. The video and audio are integrated into the conference room equipment and calendar systems. With Zoom Rooms, you can start meeting in one click, with effortless screen sharing and more.
In summary, Zoom Rooms is a specific type of meeting that is designed for use in conference rooms with dedicated hardware, while normal Zoom meetings can be held from any device and location.
Zoom Rooms and its features
A Zoom Room is a digital setup that allows you to use a PC, camera, microphone, and more to hold virtual meetings. It makes it easy to connect a group of people sharing one physical space with remote workers, connecting dozens or even hundreds of people. Zoom Rooms gives you everything you need to use the Zoom cloud-based software to its full potential and host engaging, interactive meetings.
Its kits offer unique features that go above and beyond what comes in a standard Zoom meeting:
- One-touch to start or join a meeting
Zoom Rooms allows you to start or join a meeting with a single touch, making it easy to quickly get a meeting started.
- Automatic device discovery and setup
Zoom Rooms can automatically discover and set up compatible devices in the conference room, such as microphones, speakers, and cameras.
- Support for dual displays
Zoom Rooms allows you to use two displays in your conference room, which can be useful for presenting content or displaying the video feed of meeting participants.
- Wireless screen sharing from any device
You can wirelessly share your screen from any device, including laptops, tablets, and smartphones.
- Calendar integration
Zoom Rooms integrates with popular calendar services, such as Google Calendar and Microsoft Outlook, so you can schedule and start meetings directly from your calendar.
- Customised branding
You can customise the branding of Zoom Rooms to match your company's branding, including the splash screen and meeting controls.
- Support for third-party room control systems
Zoom Rooms can be integrated with third-party room control systems, such as Crestron, AMX, and Extron.
- Integration with popular audio and video conferencing equipment
Zoom Rooms can be used with a variety of audio and video conferencing equipment, such as Logitech, Yealink or HP
- Ability to record meetings locally or to the cloud
You can record your Zoom Rooms meetings locally or to the cloud, allowing you to access the recordings anytime, anywhere.
- Support for up to 500 interactive video participants
Zoom Rooms can support up to 500 interactive video participants, depending on the plan you are using.
- Workspace reservation
For hybrid and co-working offices, Zoom Rooms’ workspace reservation system works as a booking system. It lets teams reserve hot desks, conference rooms, and personalised Zoom devices. It makes for easy device and room management for employees.
- Scheduling Display
Zoom Rooms comes with scheduling display software, which tells you how many people are in a room and when it’s available. The software simplifies the room booking experience as well.
- Smart gallery
Smart Gallery is an AI-based camera view that takes one view of everyone in a Zoom Room and separates them into up to three different video streams. The feature lets hybrid workers better see their co-workers in a large conference room and interact well.
- Control Zoom Rooms
No need for more devices! You can start, stop, and control Zoom Rooms meetings from your mobile phone or laptop. Zoom Rooms pair seamlessly for less hardware and are supported on Windows and Android devices, Mac OS X, and iPad devices.
Also, you don’t have to use a controller for most Zoom Rooms functions. The voice commands sometimes let you start and control the meeting.
- Kiosk mode
With Kiosk mode, you can engage face-to-face with a virtual receptionist anywhere. Your executive assistant, receptionists, or managers can stand at the “kiosk” and manage guests directly. Moreover, you can brand the display and customise the message according to the environment and purpose.
- Digital Signage
For better internal communication, every Zoom Rooms license comes with unlimited digital signage. That, too, with no additional cost!
Advantages of Zoom Rooms
Increase Productivity and Collaboration
In a Zoom meeting, participants can easily switch their attention to something else. With the help of Zoom Rooms, you can ensure those who need to call in feeling a part of the meeting at all times with a full view of the meeting room and interactive content sharing.
This makes contributing to the meeting much easier. Thus, encouraging the remote attendees to get involved in a more productive session.
Impress Clients with Video Conferencing
In the digital era, your office must stay up to date with the latest technology so it doesn’t get left behind. Installing a Zoom Room is a great way to stay ahead of modern technology and present your business at its best.
Plus, with great audio and video quality, it will make a good impression. Thus, making remote communication even better.
Stay Connected
For businesses with offices around the globe, it can be hard to integrate the sites and encourage staff to collaborate. But now, working together from afar can be easy.
Zoom Rooms help keep your offices connected with quick and easy video conferencing, whether they talk daily or a few times per month. This easy way to stay in touch, allow collaboration between locations to be much more accessible, so your teams can work better and achieve more.
Improve Meeting Set-Up
With the recording feature of Zoom, you can archive the meeting and send recordings to colleagues and customers who could not attend. This also allows you to watch your meetings back and highlight ways to improve your remote meeting set-up. It gives you a unique insight into your meetings and allows you to see how you can make them more engaging and encourage collaboration.
Save on Business Travel
Gone are the days when your team had to travel across the country to talk to customers and prospects. Zoom Room allows the team to host or join a meeting from your office, reducing the need to travel for meetings.
How do I set up a Zoom Room?
Each meeting room requires at least a macOS or Windows computer that runs the Zoom Rooms software and an iPad, Android, or Windows 10 PC that runs the Zoom Rooms app. Additional equipment can include TV displays, speakers, cameras, microphones, and a touchpad that runs the Zoom Rooms Scheduling Display. So, setting up Zoom Rooms is easier than you might think, follow these steps to set up a Zoom room:
- Set up your hardware in the conference room
- Mount the TV, camera, and PC/Mac.
- Connect the cable TV, camera, audio components, and network.
- Turn on the PC/Mac and controller, and connect to the network.
- Upgrade the firmware of the TV, camera, and audio components (if required).
- Set up your operating system (OS)
- Configure your Windows or macOS for kiosk mode.
- Configure your controller's kiosk mode.
- Set up your Zoom Rooms software
- Download Zoom Rooms for Conference Room and install it on your macOS or Windows computer.
- Download Controllers for Zoom Rooms and install them on your iOS Controller and Scheduling Display, Android Controller, or Windows Controller.
- For Zoom Rooms, use Pairing Code for quick setup and an Activation Code to complete setup.
- Choose the default Camera, Microphone, Speaker, and Volume levels.
- Set up alerts and monitor in your dashboard.
Zoom Room Hardware
Zoom Room hardware is purpose-built to make it easier than ever to scale, deploy, and manage Zoom Rooms. They provide immediate enhancements for simplified installation and management of large-scale room deployments while setting the stage for a new wave of room intelligence, analytics, and manageability. Some of its best-fitting solutions are:
For Small/Huddle Zoom Rooms
- Neat Bar and Pad Bundle
- Yealink Meeting Bar A20
- DTEN D7X 55” Android and Windows Edition
- Logitech Rally Bar Mini
For Medium Zoom Rooms
- Logitech Rally Bar
- Poly Studio X50
- Logitech Tap Zoom Bundle
- Yealink Meeting Bar A30
For Large Zoom Rooms
- DTEN D7X 75” Android and Windows Edition
- Poly Studio X70
- Logitech Rally Bar and Logitech Tap Bundle
- Neat Bar Pro
Zoom Plans & Pricing
Zoom Rooms is the business-facing version of the Zoom video chat function. It is also compatible with third-party hardware for cameras, speakers, and monitors. Zoom Rooms allows for a flexible transition with your existing video conferencing setup.
And, rather than different plans with different features, Zoom Rooms each plan offers all features, with licenses available for each.
Zoom Rooms Licenses
A single Zoom Rooms license will cost you £411.24 per year per room. You'll be able to buy up to 49 rooms at that price, giving you access to all the features.
Zoom Rooms Enterprise
Zoom Room Enterprises costs you the same, i.e., £411.24 per year per room. But you need to buy more than 49 licenses for Zoom Rooms. You can also contact Zoom's sales department to assist with such cases. They will guide you through the large-scale deployment of an enterprise-level solution.
Free Trial
If you need more clarity about whether to use Zoom Rooms or not, the software comes with a 30-day free trial. Besides, it gives you access to all the features at no charge.