Pro AV Tips for the Home Office

With the massive shift in the way that we all work due to Covid-19, many of us find ourselves at home with antiquated equipment, and expectations of a flawless virtual experience on any call or event we join. That simply isn’t possible with the technology most people are using.

Bluewater has built a remote work kit that includes solutions for all of the potential considerations noted below. We have everything from displays, microphones, cameras, even furniture if it’s needed, that can be made into a remote-work-kit. We’d be happy to discuss your needs and the needs of your employees to potentially make ordering the work-from-home-kit part of your on-boarding procedures. Group rates are available, and we can customize these packages.

With this being said, let’s get into some of the Pro AV considerations and tips for the home office.

Audio and Video: The camera, speakers and microphone on your laptop can function well for a last minute solution if needed, but they cannot address all of the potential issues that can arise with a remote meeting such as:

Distorted or distant audio
Residual echo or feedback
Poor camera angles or video resolution. Maybe you’re looking to show yourself conversing face-to-face but instead the angle of the camera is not centered, or worse yet, it looks upward and into your nose! (Yes, we’ve seen it!)
Background noise in your house is also not filtered out.
You may also not have a screen surface large enough to work on multiple things at once. This makes it hard to share additional content or spreadsheets if you only have one monitor for instance.
We recommend potentially using one of our remote work kits that include an enhanced commercial grade microphone and camera to better the AV experience in your home office.

Lighting: Relying on your home-office lighting to provide sufficient light for video calls and presentations is a mistake. A good lighting setup provides backlighting and fill-lighting so that you are evenly lit. The last thing you want is to appear washed out, or have one side of your face appear bright, while the other side is dim. Lastly, you should avoid any windows or blinds within the frame of view if you can. The light emitted from these can create distortion. We recommend perhaps working with one of our AV specialists to discuss lighting options for your employees to try out at home

Background: While your video-conferencing software may have built-in backgrounds or even capabilities that can blur out or distort what’s behind you, these can look fake, or even distort you as you move your head or adjust in your chair. Using a green screen can help them appear more realistic or even an LED display behind you can help enhance the realism of a background, or showcase content that is important; as well as offer some additional lighting.

Acoustics: Most home offices are not designed with acoustics in mind . A simple acoustic panel kit can improve a room dramatically, and help audible sound to be clear and crisp

Ergonomics: Although not generally regarded as a technology related piece when working from home, working remote can put a strain on your body. Studies have shown work from home employees tend to sit longer than an employee in the actual office. Outfitting your home office with a simple to use sit/stand desk modification, and ergonomic chair can help with posture and prevent you from moving or adjusting to get comfortable during calls which can be a distraction. We have several furniture partners that are more than willing to help your employees find just the right piece for their home office.