User guide
3
1. Room Design Considerations
When designing the room in which you are going to install a VidyoRoom, you should take a number of
factors into consideration such as the placement of the windows, the noise level in the room, the lighting,
and so on. This document describes these factors and provides recommendations to help you design an
effective VidyoRoom.
WINDOWS
Because windows create audio reverberation, less than 20% of the room should have windows or other
vertical glass walls. Also, natural light coming from windows varies considerably, which can affect the
quality of the video. Therefore, if your room does have windows, you should install acoustical window
treatments or blackout curtains.
FLOORING, WALLS, AND CEILINGS
A room where the floor is carpeted, the walls are composed of drywall, and the ceiling is suspended
typically provides the best acoustics. Of course, you can select a room with different surfaces (such as tile
floors or concrete walls), but these are often more reverberant, and therefore, may affect the sound quality.
A cost effective way to improve acoustics is to add carpeting or rugs if your floor is not carpeted. You may
also want to consider adding acoustical sound panels to the walls.
NOISE AND TEMPERATURE
When selecting the room in which to install your VidyoRoom, keep these noise and temperature
considerations in mind:
The room where the VidyoRoom is located must be equipped with Heating, Ventilation, and Air
Conditioning (HVAC) equipment. Remember, however, that HVAC equipment can raise the noise
level in the room.
You should consider which rooms are nearby and try to select a room that is not adjacent to
frequently noisy areas, such as cafeterias or reception areas.
ACOUSTICS
The quality of the sound is just as important as the quality of the video. You want the dialogue between
participants to sound like everyone is in the same location, a trick that involves quality microphones placed
in the right spots. In your Vidyo room, you can hang microphones from the ceiling, embed them in the table,
or place them on the table.