Announced by Microsoft in their Teams Roadmap (Roadmap ID 402517), Microsoft Teams continues to innovate the way we connect and collaborate, both in-room and remotely. This latest feature (set to roll out in October 2024) is the Multiple Camera View for Teams Rooms on Windows (not yet announced for Android), which continually promises to revolutionise meeting experiences as the world continue to adapt to hybrid meetings.
A New Perspective on Collaboration
This new feature which will support the transmitting of up to four discrete USB camera feeds at once, breathe new life and create new deployment options to revolutionise the use of large(r) areas such as multi-purpose rooms and halls, classrooms, and executive boardrooms, enabling in-room users to switch between multiple video cameras from the console on Teams rooms on Windows.
Users using Microsoft Teams Rooms set up with multiple USB cameras attached to the MTR will see updated experience, in the form of a video select option on the Microsoft Teams rooms console. With this option, (when more than one video camera is attached to MTR), users will be able to switch between these cameras before and during a Teams meeting by selecting a camera from the list of available cameras.
This functionality aims to improve visibility and guarantees that remote attendees can smoothly keep up with the proceedings.
If the device does not have multiple USB cameras set up with Teams Rooms device in the conference rooms, there will be no difference in the experience.
Benefits for In-Room Participants
- Increased Inclusivity – Allows hybrid / meetings to cover more, angles and areas within large meeting spaces.
- Flexibility – Allows easy switching between multiple views during a meeting automatically or manually.
- Control and Personalisation – In-room participants can toggle the multiple camera view on or off with a simple button press or choose the best view for them.
Advantages for Remote Participants
- Inclusive Experience: Feel more connected to the in-room activities.
- Customisable Views: Choose which camera feed to focus on at any time.
- Engagement: Improved visibility can lead to better engagement and interaction.
Enabling or Disabling the Feature
This feature, when it becomes available, will need to be enabled and configured from the Teams Pro Management portal for each room.
This update is for Microsoft Teams Rooms for Windows only – there is no indication (if/when) this will be available for Teams Rooms on Android.
Conclusion
As we move towards a more hybrid work environment, features like the Multiple Camera View are essential in bridging the gap between physical and virtual meeting spaces, especially in larger meeting spaces.
Thanks for reading, welcome your feedback and stay tuned for more updates in this space.