Posted by Tricia Whenham
To get a great hybrid experience in larger spaces, multiple cameras are essential. But the right camera setup can require costly, complex equipment. Or worse — you might need someone to manually switch between cameras.
We solve this problem with our camera zones feature for the HDL410 system. It uses sound location data from Microphone Mist™ technology to make camera switching simple and effective with any brand of USB or HDMI camera. This solution joins our current camera tracking integrations available for AVer, Lumens and Extron and more.
To experience camera zones for yourself, watch this early demonstration video. It shows what remote participants see when camera switching is activated. The video was recorded in Microsoft® Teams without AV enhancements.
How it works
The automatic camera switching you see in this video is made possible by our patented Microphone Mist technology. Its sound location data not only brings full-room mic pickup to extra-large spaces — it also makes switching between any brand of USB or HDMI camera easier than ever.
To get started, you’ll need an INOGENI® CAM230 multi-camera selector connected to an HDL410 system and up to three cameras. Once everything is set up, just log in to Nureva® Console — our cloud-based management platform.
In Nureva Console, you’ll see a two-dimensional view of the room showing microphone pickup points — made possible by the HDL410 system’s unified coverage map. From there, it’s easy to click and drag to set camera zones. It takes only a few minutes, and you’re ready to go.
During a hybrid class or meeting, our sound location data activates the camera that’s mapped to the zone where someone is speaking. So, if an instructor is lecturing at the front of the room, the camera stays focused there. But when a student asks a question, sound location data tells the INOGENI CAM230 to switch to the camera covering the audience.
This feature works with any USB or HDMI camera, and there’s no need to standardize on the same brand. It’s ideal for Microsoft Teams, Zoom and other UC&C platforms that don’t natively support automatic camera switching. And you can still take advantage of any capabilities built into the camera, such as face and body tracking.
Why it matters
For hybrid meetings and classes to be engaging and effective, it’s crucial that remote participants can follow the conversation in the room. But traditional camera switching setups can be cost prohibitive for many organizations, or they may require you to only use certain brands of cameras.
Our camera zones feature is different. You can add camera switching to your spaces without any additional software or specialized technical expertise. And you get the flexibility of working with virtually any camera or UC&C platform.
With Nureva, a remote person joining a hybrid meeting feels truly involved — not like an afterthought. And instructors in HyFlex or hybrid classes can teach without worrying about remote students getting distracted by the wrong camera view.
It’s just one more way we’re making the HDL410 system the ideal, IT-friendly choice for extra-large meeting rooms and classrooms.
Editor’s note: This post was originally published October 2023 and has been updated.
