Introduction
Established in 2009, Texas A&M University-San Antonio (A&M-SA) is a public university which currently serves more than 7,300 students. A&M-SA is part of the Texas A&M University System but operates independently from the flagship campus in College Station. Through the University’s 37 undergraduate degrees and 19 graduate degrees, students can pursue a wide variety of in-demand fields, such as education, business, information technology and cybersecurity, criminology and biology.
The Requirement
The A&M-SA campus houses 20 conference rooms that facilitate presentations and hybrid video meetings across various departments. The university’s existing conference room systems relied on ageing and overly complex technology, creating challenges for smooth, user-friendly operation. Recognising the need for a streamlined and modernised solution, A&M-SA turned to the expertise of specialist integrator, Cinos.
The university’s objective was to simplify and enhance the conference room experience with technology that could provide an intuitive, reliable foundation for hybrid meetings moving forward. Versatility was a key requirement. With a diverse user base—such as professors favouring Zoom and other teams opting for platforms like Microsoft Teams or Google Meet—the chosen solution needed to offer compatibility across multiple conferencing platforms. Furthermore, users had to be able to share presentations with ease, whether that was from the room PC or their own device.
Cinos was commissioned to implement a proof-of-concept (POC) in the Provost Conference Room, a 10-person meeting space located on the fourth floor of the Central Academic Building. As a hub supporting academic excellence, the Office of the Provost plays a central role in guiding academic programs and coordinating accreditation and compliance efforts across the university. Selecting this conference room for the POC underscored the importance of creating a user-friendly, seamless conferencing environment to support both academic discussions and administrative meetings.
This POC would set the standard for future room upgrades across the campus, demonstrating the benefits of an intuitive, flexible, and fully compatible system in a high-use setting.
The Solution
Cinos decommissioned the ageing meeting room technology in the Provost Conference Room, paving the way for a modern solution which would enable video meetings and presentations to be conducted with ease.
A 75” Samsung BEC-H Series 4K Pro display was wall-mounted at the far end of the conference room, providing a high-quality visual centrepiece for presentations and hybrid meetings. With features like PurColor for an expanded colour range, High Dynamic Range for enhanced brightness and detail, and Contrast Enhancer for improved depth perception, the BEC-H display enhances the experience for in-room participants, making every presentation and meeting visually engaging and impactful.
To ensure the conference room could effectively accommodate hybrid meetings, Cinos equipped the space with the Yamaha CS-800 Video Sound Bar, strategically mounted above the Samsung display. Featuring a 4K camera, 75dB full-range speaker, and two-dimensional Hexa-Microphone array, the CS-800 has been designed to deliver the most accurate, real-time hybrid collaboration experience.
Utilising Yamaha’s newly developed SoundCap Eye™ technology, the CS-800 provides a seamless tracking experience by precisely locating and following participants’ positions around the room. Leveraging Yamaha’s Face Focus Beamforming, Self Silence, and Self Volume Balancer, SoundCap Eye™ automatically frames speakers for remote viewers, mutes the microphone when participants are silent, and adjusts volume levels based on ambient noise for consistent audio quality.
Furthermore, the CS-800’s multi-function remote, positioned on the conference room desk, provides convenient control options for in-room users. Its large mute button offers an easy way to silence the microphone, while additional features—including volume adjustment, manual camera framing and zoom, smart frame mode selection, and access to the on-screen display—allow users to fine-tune both audio and visual settings for an optimised meeting experience.
To support flexible presentations and video conferences, meeting room users can either use the room’s dedicated PC or connect their own laptop. Cinos ensured smooth functionality for both options by integrating the Lightware Taurus TPX transmitter and receiver bundle into the system.
The Lightware transmitter was positioned underneath the meeting room table and connected to the receiver at the far end of the room via a Cat6 cable. Cinos provided HDMI and USB connections from the room PC to the Samsung display and Yamaha video bar. A second USB-C cable was provided for laptop connectivity and charging.
To streamline usability, the transmitter at the table automatically switches between sources without requiring external controls. The room PC, set as the default source, is easily accessible via a wireless keyboard and mouse, allowing users to log in with their A&M-SA credentials. A USB dock connected to the PC further simplifies sharing, enabling quick access to presentations directly from USB drives.
Alternatively, when users connect their laptops via the USB-C cable, this source instantly takes priority, offering full BYOD functionality. This setup allows users to launch video conferences from their device, on any platform whilst leveraging the CS-800’s high-quality audio and video for an exceptional collaboration experience.
The Benefits
The swift completion of this proof-of-concept in the Provost Conference Room has enabled users to start realising the benefits of the new system, enhancing productivity and collaboration whilst providing a streamlined, intuitive meeting experience free from the complexities of outdated technology.
Ease of Use
The new system, designed and implemented by Cinos, drastically improves ease of use, addressing A&M-SA’s challenge with its previous complex setup. With automated source switching, users no longer need to interact with external controls, they can either login to the room PC or use the simple plug-and-play USB-C connection to run the meeting from their own device without any additional steps. Furthermore, the Yamaha CS-800’s intuitive remote offers convenient access to key settings like volume control, camera framing, and Smart Frame mode selection, making it easy for even first-time users to navigate and control their meetings.
Overall, this user-focused approach eliminates complexity and allows users of all technical levels to effortlessly conduct presentations and video meetings. By consolidating essential controls and minimising setup time, Cinos has delivered a meeting room experience that prioritises simplicity and convenience.
Reliability
Reliability was a crucial objective of this upgrade, driven by A&M-SA’s frustrations with their previous setup, which involved a complex digital matrix switcher and an intricate control interface. These components, though intended to support connectivity, created ongoing challenges for users attempting to navigate a simple room system. Cinos addressed these issues by implementing a simplified, reliable solution that maintains high performance while eliminating unnecessary complexity.
The upgraded system now delivers consistent performance across all use cases, minimising technical issues and improving the user experience. The Lightware Taurus TPX transmitter-receiver bundle provides stable, hardwired connectivity, significantly reducing the risk of lag or connection drops during video meetings and presentations. Automated source switching further simplifies usability, allowing users to connect their devices without needing to navigate complicated control menus.
This robust setup guarantees that users can depend on the technology to perform smoothly every time, reducing disruptions and maintaining the flow of meetings. Reliability in system components and design instils confidence in users, fostering a productive and consistent meeting environment.
Seamless Hybrid Meeting Experience
The solution provided by Cinos delivers a truly seamless hybrid meeting environment, aligning with A&M-SA’s requirements for a versatile, platform-agnostic conferencing system. The technology in place enables users to easily drive the meeting from the room PC or their own device. They can join video calls on any conferencing platform whilst taking advantage of the Yamaha CS-800’s exceptional audio and video quality. Remote participants feel fully engaged and included, thanks to Yamaha’s SoundCap Eye™ technology, which uses AI to precisely track in-room attendees and ensures their voices can be heard with exceptional clarity.
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From initial discussions right through to project completion, Cinos truly understood our key requirements. The new system has transformed the Provost Conference Room into a seamless, user-friendly space that meets the exact needs of our university. By modernising our technology, Cinos removed the complexities we previously faced, ensuring that both in-room and remote participants can enjoy a high-quality, immersive meeting experience. |
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Moises R. Carlos
Customer Care Team Manager – Texas A&M University-San Antonio. |
Yamaha CS-800 Video Soundbar
The Yamaha CS-800 Video Soundbar provides the most accurate, real-time hybrid collaboration experience, utilising AI technology to combine voice and video data for vastly improved unified communications. Featuring a 4K camera, 75dB full-range speaker, and two-dimensional Hexa-Microphone array, the CS-800 comes with Yamaha’s newly developed SoundCap Eye™ technology which automatically frames speakers for remote viewers, mutes the microphone when participants are silent, and adjusts volume levels based on ambient noise for consistent audio quality. With a multi-function remote for convenient in-room control, featuring a large mute button and additional features to fine tune the meeting experience, the CS-800 enhances collaboration and productivity in your meeting spaces.
