Reshape Your Meeting Rooms with These 6 Video BarsReshape Your Meeting Rooms with These 6 Video Bars

Image: Andrey Popov - stock.adobe.com As more organizations look to dip their toes in the world of videoconferencing, video bar devices have emerged as a simple way to get started. Video bars are all-in-one, plug-and-play devices that include speakers, mics, cameras, and sometimes the compute power in a single device and come compatible out of the box with one or more of today’s popular videoconferencing services. Outside of providing a convenient way of getting started with videoconferencing, video bars allow organizations that already have some video-ready meeting rooms to add more video easily. For example, video bars are also particularly useful for huddle rooms and ad-hoc meeting spaces. While video bars have found a home in meeting rooms for many reasons, three stick out to Ira Weinstein, founder and managing partner of Recon Research, and chair of the Video Collaboration & A/V track at Enterprise Connect 2020. First, video bars “move the technology to the front of the room” and off the table, Weinstein said during a No Jitter briefing. While this might seem trivial, being able to do so prevents things like mic blocking and the mic picking up background noise like paper ruffling – creating a better listening experience for meeting participants, he said. Second, these devices often provide high-quality audio and performance from wherever they’re placed in the room, Weinstein went on to say. And lastly, video bars are “cheap, cheap, cheap,” allowing organizations to test videoconferencing out on a relatively low budget, he added. Video bars can be particularly effective, too, in helping companies nurture a collaborative culture… allowing video setups in the huddle spaces they are becoming characteristic of modern workspaces. In this slideshow, we look at six video bars -- four currently available and two on the way. Click through for product information, along with further insight from Weinstein on these solutions and strategies for picking the best solution for your organization. Flip through this slideshow of six all-in-one, plug-and-play devices that make setting up video meetings a breeze for any employee