We are all familiar with the “Home Theater In A Box (HTIB)” product. Many of us own them ourselves. The idea was born of the desire to make it easier for the consumer to buy and operate a home theater system.
In an HTIB, the components are prepackaged, which means they are all designed to work together and look the same. End users are confident in what they have purchased is the best system for the price.
The same concept has made its way to the pro AV industry, and is used for web and cloud videoconferencing and media collaboration systems. ClearOne has a line of prepackaged media collaboration solutions, called COLLABORATE®, which hits key price points. Each solution is designed for a specific size room, and application, from cloud videoconferencing and small huddle rooms to full media collaboration and presentation options with integrated pro audio and large conference rooms. From plug-and-play, to a more sophisticated system, there is something for every application.
The idea of a “Conference-Room-In-A-Box” makes a lot of sense in today’s business environment. Integrators are often busy with multiple jobs at one time. Buying a one-brand system rather than piecing something together for each job saves time. When installing it, they can go in, feeling confident that everything they will need is included, and will work perfectly together.
But the most important aspect of this concept addresses the end user - who is probably not the person who has made the actual decision and purchase. It is more likely an employee of the company who may not have the technical skills of an AV/IT manager. Many times it’s the administrative assistant or executive who will be operating the system. For them, the system has to be uncomplicated. I believe most of us have been on the receiving end of a video conference where it took the other side 20 minutes to get the system going. When the meeting is scheduled for 30 minutes, a 20 minute set-up time is a huge waste, and can cost the company dearly, in many ways. Just like with an HTIB, the consumers (or end users) do not need to spend a lot of time familiarizing themselves with various components from different companies. They will be operating a system in which each component works in concert with each other.
One-brand solutions are an excellent way to specify, purchase, install, and operate a conferencing system.
That is why ClearOne has created the COLLABORATE videoconferencing and media collaboration solutions. They are easy to understand, easy to order, cost-effective, and easy to operate. They have been carefully matched, and aggressively priced to fit most any conference room. And when Spontania Cloud-based media collaboration is a part of the system, the end user will be able to confidently walk into a room and quickly get the meeting started.
What Home-Theater-In-A-Box has done for home entertainment, ClearOne's COLLABORATE has done for the conference room.