Yale Club of NYC is housed in a 100-year-old building in the heart of midtown Manhattan, with a treasured architectural history and dignified design elements throughout the facility. When existing equipment for video conferencing proved unsatisfactory, a longtime Macktez client and past YCNYC board president contacted us to consult on the design and installation of a video conferencing solution that would fit seamlessly into the club’s aesthetic.
The client wanted to make sure the video conferencing solution would be easy to use, flexible enough to allow multiple conferencing protocols and presenters, and have cameras that captured individual participants’ faces around the table, not just a wide shot of the room.
The classic boardroom featured detailed moldings, custom carpets, and chandelier, and an array of artwork displayed over rich wood paneling. Technical systems needed to be discreetly incorporated without compromising the room’s elegance or functionality.
Approach
Macktez met on site with the architect and furniture maker who have regularly partnered with the Yale Club, the building electrician, and the club operations representatives so that everyone could get on the same page about the goals and qualities of a successful project. We reviewed equipment options and made decisions together about device positioning and color. We agreed that a back box behind the TV would hide cables, power supplies and hubs, and a custom frame would further help an 85” TV match the artwork on the walls and better blend in with the room. And we were able to agree that the new board room table would be built specifically to mount microphones and a 360° camera.
Once we had decided on and procured the equipment to use, we connected all the components at the Macktez office to test different configurations: standard Zoom call, Google Meet and Microsoft Teams calls from a separate laptop, presentations to the room via Zoom’s wireless connection and, again, from a separate laptop.
We also demonstrated these same options to the Yale Club’s staff that would be responsible for maintaining the boardroom and running video meetings, to make sure that the different processes were clear and covered all the scenarios they could imagine.
One big challenge was that the device we selected for the 360° camera was a new item, and Logitech revised its list of compatible equipment in the middle of our procurement process. Working with Logitech support, and testing the devices thoroughly ourselves, we were able to confirm the final configuration.
We delivered cut sheets and drawings to the Club’s architect, furniture maker, and electrician. We installed equipment over the course of two days, tested everything again in place, prepared a laminated instruction sheet to be kept in the boardroom, and also trained key members of the Club’s staff so there were no questions about how to operate the system.
Solution
We selected a set of conferencing equipment based on many previous, favorable experiences with these vendors.
- Logitech Rally Bar (unified camera and speakers)
- Logitech Mic pods (table-mounted microphones)
- Logitech Sight (table-mounted 360° camera)
- Logitech Swytch (connection for external laptops)
- Apple iPad (touch controller for the meeting room)
- Samsung Frame 85” TV
We neatly mounted the Logitech hubs and power supplies in the TV’s back box. (This is all hidden from guests and participants, of course, but we take pride in clean deployments even in hidden areas.)
Mic pods were positioned and mounted down the center of the table with the help of the furniture builder.
We mounted the iPad inside an iPort dock to make sure the device was always powered, and situated this on a side table that was convenient for starting any meeting but that kept the table uncluttered.
When not in use for video conferencing, the low-profile Samsung Frame TV displays an archival photograph from the Club’s collection, and the custom-built picture frame allows the display to blend in with other artwork hanging around the room.
We pride ourselves at Macktez on our ability to communicate and collaborate effectively with clients to achieve our mutual goals. When we deliver results like this: a professional and robust solution which successfully improved and modernized the conferencing capabilities of this elegant space while honoring the classic aesthetic sensibilities of the organization, we feel satisfied knowing we’ve succeeded.