Seven Questions IT Teams Should Ask Before Choosing a Video Bar 

Key Takeaways:

• Choose a video bar based on the room layout and real-world performance, not specifications alone.
• Consider how easily the solution can be used, secured, managed, and supported across an enterprise deployment.
• Think beyond purchase price to long-term value, including deployment costs, maintenance, updates, and ongoing IT support.

Video bars can simplify meeting rooms by bringing essential meeting room technology together into one solution. But specifications only tell part of the story, so IT teams should also consider how a video bar performs in the room, how intuitive it is for users, and how easily IT can manage and support it over time. Before standardizing on a video bar solution, IT teams should ask these seven questions:

1. Does the Video Bar Fit the Room?

Choose a video bar with camera and microphone coverage that matches the room’s size, seating layout, and participant seating positions. Video bars are designed to provide an all-in-one, front-of-room audio and video solution, making coverage an important consideration. When evaluating a solution, test whether participants can be clearly seen and heard from different seats throughout the room, not just those closest to the video bar.

2. How Well Does the Bar Capture Audio and Video?

When determining audio and video needs, look beyond basic specifications and consider speaker framing, speech clarity, and noise reduction. Consistent high-quality capture helps create a more inclusive meeting experience by giving remote participants a clearer view and voice into the room.

Real meeting spaces can have challenges such as background noise, reverberation, and varying speaker distances. Solutions such as the IntelliMix Bar Pro bring these capabilities together while providing better inputs for transcription, translation, meeting summaries, and other AI-powered features. Before choosing a solution, test video bar performance under realistic conditions, including typical background noise and participants speaking from different areas of the room.

3. Will the Experience Be Intuitive for Users?

An intuitive meeting experience lets users walk into a room and quickly start or join a call without IT assistance. Choose a video bar with simple controls and a familiar experience that aligns with the collaboration platform employees already use.

Consistency is equally important when video bars are deployed across multiple rooms or offices. A similar experience from room to room can increase user confidence while making it easier for IT teams to support meeting spaces at scale.

4. How Easily Can IT Teams Manage It?

Look for a video bar that IT teams can easily monitor, configure, update, and support throughout its lifecycle. Centralized remote management can reduce the need for on-site troubleshooting, which is increasingly important as organizations expand deployments across more rooms and locations.

With solutions like the IntelliMix Bar Pro, remote management through ShureCloud can give IT teams greater visibility across devices, making it easier to manage configurations, install firmware updates, and address issues remotely without visiting every meeting space.  

5. Is It Secure Enough for Enterprise Deployments?

Choose a video bar with a platform and security approach that aligns with your organization’s IT environment. Consider the operating system, security updates, device management, and how the solution fits within existing infrastructure.

Platforms like Microsoft Device Ecosystem Platform (MDEP) are designed with enterprise deployment and security in mind. Look for a manufacturer with a clear approach to long-term support which can help devices continue to meet enterprise security requirements over time.

6. What Support Is Available After Installation?

Evaluate the support available after installation of the video bar, including manufacturer assistance, warranty coverage, documentation, firmware updates, and ongoing product support. These resources can make it easier for IT teams to maintain meeting spaces throughout the product lifecycle.

Ongoing firmware improvements can also help keep meeting spaces future-ready as technology and collaboration needs evolve. The IntelliMix Bar Pro can gain new features and enhancements through remote updates, extending the value of the hardware investment.  

7. What Is the True Lifecycle Value?

Compare the total cost of deploying, managing, maintaining, and supporting the video bar, not just its initial purchase price. Together, these factors can significantly influence the total cost of ownership. This provides a more complete picture of long-term value than comparing upfront costs or specifications alone.

Find the Right Video Bar for Your Meeting Rooms

Use these seven questions as a framework for comparing shortlisted video bars based on how they will be deployed, used, managed, and supported. Before standardizing on a solution, determine the most important requirements to make sure the video bar meets the needs of both users and IT.

Discover how the IntelliMix Bar Pro delivers an all-in-one approach to collaboration for enterprise environments.