Crestron has announced Collab Engine, a device that combines content distribution, collaboration and room control.

Certified for Microsoft Teams Rooms and featuring an AirMedia mode for BYOD connections, it is designed to scale from small meeting rooms to training spaces across an organisation's global locations. 

The challenge: every room has different needs

Organisations designing hybrid work environments and modern learning spaces need to deliver a consistent, high-quality experience across all their facilities. However, rooms differ in shape, size and purpose, from small spaces for quick meetings to classrooms designed for hands-on training workshops.Collab Engine aims to replace the approach of configuring each room individually with a central platform that can be deployed across all types of spaces.

Thanks to the native integration of Crestron Intelligent Video and Intelligent Audio, each room can be configured according to its specific needs. Camera coverage keeps participants in frame as the conversation moves around the room, while audio is tailored to the layout and acoustic characteristics of the space to ensure remote participants can hear clearly.

IT teams are managing a wider variety of spaces than ever, and on top of that, user expectations for how these spaces should operate continue to grow. More than anything, organisations need a foundation they can trust, said Brad Hintze, EVP of Global Customer Success and Marketing at Crestron.

Two operating modes: native Microsoft Teams or BYOD

Collab Engine is based on the Android operating system and built on the Microsoft Device Ecosystem Platform (MDEP), which provides enterprise-grade security and familiar IT management tools.IT teams can choose between two operating modes:

• Microsoft Teams Rooms: delivers a native Teams experience, allowing users to join meetings with a single touch.
• Crestron AirMedia: enables wireless presentations and video conferencing through BYOD (bring your own device) connections, using personal devices across different platforms.

Two models with built-in room control

Collab Engine will be available in two models: Collab Engine 4100 and Collab Engine 4200. In addition to video conferencing capabilities, both incorporate a Crestron 4-Series Control System, enabling room automation.

The XiO Cloud operations management platform adds centralised deployment, monitoring and administration capabilities, making it easier to manage multiple installations at scale. The Collab Engine 4200 also incorporates AV-over-IP distribution via DM NVX, integrated directly into the device.

Collab Engine will be available in the first quarter of 2027 and will join Crestron's Collab family of products, following the introduction of Collab Compute earlier this year.

Image credits: © Crestron