3D Models / Prints for this project:
The conference rooms where I work are a mess of wires, hubs, adapters and power bricks for things that don’t work. Its a nightmare to service and I have been in situations where in front of C suite people, I have had to simply instruct them to move to another room because I needed a significant amount of time to find the issue. Its pretty embarrassing.
Fortunately, I have gotten permission to begin working on a version of what we have now but with significantly simplified hardware. It will move the setup to behind the TV instead of under the Table, so I don’t have to get on my hands and knees to fix things. At the bottom of the page is a wiring diagram and hardware list of what will be used.
This new setup will fix several issues that we have with the current one, here is a shortened list:
- Connecting the Camera directly to the Chromebox.
- This will lessen the amount of disconnects that occur, hopefully to zero. The disconnects are a large issue with the ethernet usb extenders currently utilized.
- It will remove the ability to use HDMI to connect a laptop to the TV in favor of using Google Meet’s Companion Mode to accomplish the same thing.
- This will remove not only a mess of hubs and adapters, but it will also get rid of the Extron setups we have in the walls currently. These things suck. I hate them.
- It will lessen the cost of the setups significantly.
- Removing all of the useless hubs, unnecessary tech and reducing the cost of the cameras – because why is a conference room camera hundreds of dollars??? – should be a nice benefit. Instead of thousands of dollars for each fully ‘purchased’ room setup, this should only be slightly over 1k.
Upgrade Cost Breakdown
- ASUS Chromebox 5 (i3, 8gb ram, 128gb storage) – $550
- Samsung Camera – $120
- New Remote (Asus Chromebox 3 Remote) – $90
- Power & Cables – $35
- 25ft USB 2.0 cable – Chromebox to SpeakerMic
- 6ft HDMI cable – Chromebox to TV
- (Optional Upgrade Parts (read below) )
- 2x 25ft HDMI Cables – $50
- Startech HDMI Switcher – $100
Optional Upgrade
- If HDMI connection to a local machine is necessary, you can add in the Startech 2 to 1 HDMI Switcher. The Switcher would sit mounted on the table. Instead of the 6ft HDMI cable from the Chromebox to the TV, two 25ft cables would go through the same conduit that the USB that connects the Chromebox to the SpeakerMic. One would connect the Chromebox to the 1st Switcher Input, and then the second would connect the Switcher Output to the TV. The other Switcher Input would use the 6ft cable previously used to allow local devices to connect.
