Leveraging its enterprise workplace technology business, Crestron has announced the launch of Crestron HomeTime in collaboration with Logitech and Zoom to deliver a video conferencing, home control, and unified communications (UC) experience.
Since the lockdown was put in place across the world in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, many people have been forced to work from home. Although remote working was on a slow incline pre-Covid-19, this pandemic has forced companies to think about how their staff can work from home and many are realising the cost benefits.
Due to this, it is likely we will see a bigger focus on home offices when customers are thinking about home automation installs, and with this, we will see commercial AV technology merging slightly with residential AV technology to give customers an office at home that has all the tools they would have in the office.
The first of many to come, Crestron is meeting the needs of our new remote reality with this new release.
Crestron HomeTime is the unification of the Logitech MeetUp conference camera with the Crestron UC Engine that seamlessly integrates with Crestron control to deliver the optimal Zoom Rooms experience.
Developed specifically for home use, Crestron HomeTime is a complete HD video and audio conferencing system with the size and scale to handle UC in any room. Crestron enables users to host and join Zoom meeting without a laptop while providing the simplicity of one-touch join from a Crestron remote or mobile app.
“It’s time to end the awkward conversations,” said John Clancy, Crestron’s vice president of residential. “No more crowding around a laptop talking over each other because you can’t follow who is speaking. The idea for HomeTime was created from the challenges experienced by families trying to socialise, learn, and work from home. We at Crestron knew we had a convenient solution that every living room deserved.
“By integrating Logitech MeetUp and Zoom Rooms software with the Crestron platform, we can help homeowners prepare for anything, whether that is working in the home office, remote learning in the playroom, or virtual happy hours in the family room.”
Video conferencing is very common in the workplace and is something Crestron has been working on for years. With Crestron HomeTime, that same experience can be brought into the home and homeowners can use their television in the living room to see participants in much larger video windows.
The MeetUp 4K camera with wide-angle lens captures everyone comfortably in the frame. The full range speaker delivers high-quality, intelligible audio, and the full-duplex, advanced beamforming microphone enables natural conversation among everyone in the group.
This solution does not have to be used just for work meetings; it is also a great solution to remote learning or teaching and long-distance socialising.
Jeff Smith, head of Zoom Rooms, Zoom Video Collaboration, added: “Crestron shares our commitment to seamless collaboration with high-quality technology. Crestron HomeTime raises the bar, bringing the conference room into the living room.”
Scott Wharton, general manager and vice president, Logitech Video Collaboration, said: “We’ve seen an exponential increase in videoconferencing from home as people and families shelter in place, not only for business use, but for personal use as well.
“Crestron is a leader in AV and residential systems for high end home, so this partnership is ideal for providing quality videoconferencing experiences and Logitech solutions people need right now as they continue to connect from home.”
Crestron HomeTime is available from today (1 June) through Crestron residential integrators.