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Departmental Space Recommendations
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Departmental Space Recommendations

Supporting synchronous remote and mixed learning modes via Zoom in departmental spaces

These recommendations are intended for departments who desire to equip a room with a lower cost solution that does not require installation. These recommendations can generally be moved between different rooms and are intended to be shared resources. This page will regularly be updated as RTL receives and tests new equipment. 

Departments are expected to purchase their own equipment for non-General Assignment classrooms/departmental spaces. RTL does not have the capacity to provide technical support for these solutions, though we have strived to select items that are turn-key and easy to use.

There are two main scenarios under consideration within these recommendations. Both scenarios assume that the instructor is bringing their own laptop to facilitate the Zoom session and presentations, just like they would in a General Assignment room. They would then connect to the listed equipment using USB, HDMI and audio cables as needed. (An installed computer could be incorporated instead, but would require additional management around Zoom accounts and presentation materials.)

Scenario #1 - Traditional Lecture

Example - Instructor is at the head of the room presenting their material to a passive audience in a small classroom setting. Light Q&A may be involved.

Scenario #2 - Seminar/Conference

Example - group discussion applications in a conference room or classroom setting, often in the round.

Appendix Scenario #3 - Videoconference enabled devices

These are all-in-one appliances that do not require the user to bring a computer to use Zoom. They can also serve for Zoom Room installs with very little added technology.

Rooms are assumed to be either small or medium sized in these recommendations. Pay attention to the manufacturer’s specifications when evaluating these devices for your spaces.

Pricing given is contract pricing via B&H PhotoVideo and CDW, both of whom are available as punch-out contract vendors in BearBuy.

Test Kitchen and Checkout

Some of the devices listed below are installed in the RTL Test Kitchen in Dwinelle Hall and can be seen by appointment. There is also a Zoom Room installation that can be demonstrated. Please make a request for an appointment via the consultation request form here - https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScENCxsFewrxyp3HiMQ-ZOwn7Zg6XDE1flDdNAcsIJF6psEJw/viewform 

Some items listed below are also available for checkout for academic purposes or evaluation via RTL Classroom Technology. Requests can be made here - https://rtl.berkeley.edu/services-programs/instructional-equipment-checkout

360° Camera All-in-one

Owl Labs Meeting Pro

In a category of its own, this all-in-one solution uses a combination of AI sensing combined with a 360° camera to provide a different experience than a traditional camera. Suitable for all modes of instruction and rooms. Can be placed on the tabletop or on a tripod.

This has actually been the most popular choice for departments to accommodate conference and academic scenarios. RTL Classroom Technology has evaluation units available for checkout along with units in the test kitchen.

Owl Labs Whiteboard Owl

Owl Labs also has an Owl Whiteboard unit that can be seen in the test kitchen. It pairs with the Meeting Pro via bluetooth and integrates a writing surface with the Owl AI framing.

Video Bars -

Suitable for both scenarios (depending on the room), these are integrated all-in-one solutions that include wide angle camera(s), speakers and microphones. They can be placed on a table or attached to a display on a rolling stand or on the wall. Depending on the size of the room, a separate microphone may be needed for best audio.

Logitech Meetup

A basic video bar for a small room setup.

Logitech Rally Bar

A much higher end video bar for small to mid-sized rooms.  

Jabra Panacast 50 180° Videobar

A midrange videobar with a 180° AI driven camera (see below).

AI webcams -

Suitable for both scenarios, these webcams have super wide angle capability paired with active sensing technology that reframes the camera image to focus on the current speaker. An additional external speakerphone like the Jabra Speak 750 may be needed depending on the size of the room or your application.

Jabra Panacast

Huddly IQ

PTZ cameras

Best for larger rooms being used in the lecture scenario, Pan Tilt Zoom cameras are a more traditional video camera. They can either be controlled by presets or controlled remotely. Some have auto tracking capability that follows the presenter. These are best suited to a soft install on a wall or with a display rather than portability, though one could be placed on a table.

Aver TR313

(This is an auto tracking model. An external microphone and speakers would also be needed with this unit.)

AVer DL30

This is a lower cost auto-tracking alternative to the TR313 above. An external microphone and speakers would also be needed with this unit. Primarily, the camera is smaller and has less zoom and slightly lower image quality than the TR313, so is more suitable for small and mid sized rooms.

Logitech Group

An all-in-one solution with audio. Does not track.

Audio only devices

Jabra Speak 750

Small room speakerphone with full duplex audio. Connects via Bluetooth, wireless or USB. Highly recommended.

Videoconferencing Enabled Devices

These are devices that can enable video conference technology like Zoom on their own, with no external computer required. They are also potential choices if you are considering Zoom Rooms, which they support natively.

Poly X50

All-in-one video bar with built in videoconferencing abilities.

NEAT Board

65” display with integrated video/audio bar, dual cameras and built in videoconferencing abilities.

Display Technology

Flat Panel Displays

Regardless of scenario, an ideal setup includes a display in the audience for the remote participants to be visible to the instructor somewhere other than their laptop. This lets remote participants be seen and helps to not split the instructor’s attention. This can be anything from a large computer monitor for a small room to a large flat panel display for larger spaces. Almost all of the above devices have mounts available to attach to a display on a stand or on the wall.

RTL generally uses Panasonic displays for this application. They are readily available from vendors like B&H PhotoVideo. The specific size and feature set of the display needed is going to be dependent on the size of the room and desired application.

Carts and Mounts

RTL generally uses Chief carts when a rolling display cart is needed. This is an example model (linked below); the specific size would be dependent on the size of the display. https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/518729-REG/Chief_PF_CUS_PFCUS_Height_Adjustable_Mobile.html

For wall mounting, RTL uses Sanus mounts like the VMPL50 (https://www.sanus.com/en_US/products/mounts/vmpl50a/).

This is an example model only. Like the carts, the specific mount needed is dependent on the size of the display. For safety, proper installation is extremely important with wall mounting a display and contacting Facility Services to have the carpenters install the mount is highly recommended if you are not working with an external contractor. RTL does not provide mounting services.

Projectors and Screens

There are many, many data projectors available at a wide variety of price points. The models that RTL checks out for use in departmental spaces are Epson units like this one pictured above, which is suitable for a small to medium room and very portable. https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1596612-REG/epson_v11h980020_home_cinema_1080_3400_lumen.html

ETS also checks out screens for rooms that do not have installed options. The model pictured here is a Da-Lite screen, but there are also many, many options in this space. The size of screen needed in your space is very much tied to the projector lens size and the size of the room, so be careful to make sure that the combination matches.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/314761-REG/Da_Lite_93983_93983_Deluxe_Insta_Theater_Portable.html

Projectors and screens very much depend on the room, so please reach out for a consultation if you have any questions about what might be best for your space.

Annotation

Many of the above solutions claim to be able to capture whiteboards with clarity, provided that the room is well lit and arranged properly. Our recommendation is to use a connected tablet or a document camera instead if possible. Zoom makes it very easy to share these devices as a second screen and this ensures that your remote participants can see what you are writing at all times.

Basic Tablet - Wacom CTL4100 Intuos Graphics Drawing Tablet

This is a standard pen drawing tablet. It connects via USB and provides a pen alternative to a mouse.

Use cases and pros/cons -

Pro - Very portable and uses very little desk space

Pro - Only requires a USB connection to the computer

Con - Requires some practice for quality results

Works well for drawing, equations and whiteboarding. Not recommended for on-screen markup of existing content.

Tablet Display - Wacom One

This has the same functionality as the standard tablet, except it also incorporates a small LCD monitor so you can annotate over your material.

Use cases and pros/cons -

Pro - The display makes it easy to use

Con - Requires HDMI as well as USB connections*

Con - Requires a fair amount of desk space

Con - May cause difficulty connecting an additional external display for Zoom.

Recommended for synchronous sessions and where annotation of on-screen materials is needed (slides, etc.) Generally not required for basic drawing, whiteboard or equation/formula writing but it’s very nice to have.

USB Document Cameras

These document cameras connect to your computer over USB and allow display of written materials, 3D objects, books. They require an available USB port and require a USB 3.0 connection to operate at the highest resolutions.

Recommended if you prefer to work on paper or if your instruction requires display of physical materials like books and 3D objects. Appropriate for both asynchronous and synchronous sessions.

Elmo OX-1

A basic model but it gets the job done.

HoverCam Solo 8 Plus Document Camera

A more sophisticated unit with powerful adjunct software. Hovercam has several models of document cameras but this is the one we have available for checkout.

Other Resources

Consultations are available via RTL for room specific questions - https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScENCxsFewrxyp3HiMQ-ZOwn7Zg6XDE1flDdNAcsIJF6psEJw/viewform

For an extensive list of Zoom-compatible recommended equipment, visit https://zoom.us/hardware.

**The base assumption with these recommendations is that Zoom will be used. If technology other than Zoom is in use to enable remote connectivity, it is likely that these items will also work with it. However RTL has only evaluated these devices based on Zoom usage, so independent research will be required to ensure compatibility with your technology. **