UBC AV Project Case Study; a Two Camera Zoom Room System for a 40 Seat Classroom

At the University of British Columbia, there is an extensive demand for hybrid meeting rooms, classrooms, and lecture theatres. Recently, the UBC IT AV Project Services team was tasked with finding an innovative and cost-effective hybrid solution for a medium-sized classroom (40 seats). The requirements included having an intuitive, easy-to-use interface for an AV system where both instructors and audience members are captured by web conferencing cameras, and all attendees need to be picked up by the room’s microphone(s).

The AV design that was developed and implemented includes a new laser projector and screen, a confidence monitor at the back of the room, both front and rear-facing cameras, and one ceiling-mounted microphone that is configured to pick up all attendees, instructors, and audience alike. Utilizing the Zoom Room interface (controlled via a wall-mounted touch panel), the session organizer can easily adjust settings to suit their needs, whether it's setting single camera or multi-camera mode, adjusting the volume level, or muting/unmuting the mic.

This session will explore the AV design in detail and explain why we chose the specific components that were utilized. From a Project Management viewpoint, we will also provide an overview of the typical UBC IT AV project process and delve into some of the unique challenges this specific project encountered.