Crestron Electronics, Inc.

Crestron Control integrates on any vendor’s platform running Zoom Rooms software and Microsoft Teams Rooms — and now Cisco Webex platform and Google Meet software

July 10, 2024 - In the early 1970s, in a small room over a New Jersey deli, George Feldstein founded the company that would become Crestron Electronics, Inc. As we wrote when Crestron celebrated its 50th anniversary last year:

In the company’s early days, Feldstein cold-called various firms, pitching his services as tinkerer, repairman, and problem-solver. But there is a through-line that runs back to the company’s first big “hit” to the present day: a drive to make technology easier to control — wirelessly.

At that time, most business presentations were limited to slide projectors — the idea of videoconferencing had only been hinted at in “The Jetsons,” and GUIs and VUIs were the stuff of “Star Trek” and “2001: A Space Odyssey.” Feldstein did what he could with what he had: He set about making that slide experience more elegant, adding controls that could fade or dissolve from slide to slide and synchronizing multiple projectors in timed presentations.

From there, Feldstein and the team worked to expand control into other functions of the room: lighting, shading, HVAC, and so on. In the 1990s, Crestron introduced its first touch screens, eventually adding features such as color and video windows to the display. Crestron was among the first to add features such as Ethernet ports, HDMI® connectivity capability, and advanced security protocols — all the while focusing on creating a single, intuitive interface that could control an entire room.

Fast forward to 2024 — and the world of hybrid work — and there’s a new set of challenges afoot.

Refining Control Solutions for UC Platforms

The fundamental issue that specifiers have been facing is fairly obvious: While Crestron Control was a key part of Crestron Flex solutions from the outset, some organizations use other platforms — and those platforms simply aren’t built to control all the technology in a room from a single interface. That can lead to inconsistent user experiences, difficulties with deployment at scale, and less-than-optimum security features. Adding any kind of room control to those platforms demands coding knowledge, too.

To solve those issues, Crestron Control has integrated with industry-standard platforms to deliver end-to-end room solutions that are easy to deploy in any meeting space — and even easier to operate. With that integration, meeting spaces with platforms such as Zoom Rooms® software, Microsoft Teams® Rooms, Cisco Webex® platform, and Google Meet® software now have a control solution that provides AV functionality, shades, lighting, HVAC, and more in a single user interface. Regardless of pre-installed brands, any new or existing UC room system can natively use Crestron Control to go beyond conferencing to expand its capabilities.  

Crestron has experience with all four of those solutions — and experience with devices from many vendors that “work and play well” with each platform. Couple that with the knowledge of control systems we’ve developed over five decades, and you can rest assured that Crestron Control solutions will handle any deployment, anywhere, at any scale.

All these technologies and devices are now controllable from a single screen.

The Details

Crestron Control on Zoom Rooms Software

Crestron Control, integrated with Zoom Rooms software, controls all your meeting room technology from a single interface — beyond conferencing. What’s more, it’s easy to create drag-and-drop UI designs with the Crestron Construct™ UI editing tool.

Once that’s created, it can handle AV switching, lighting, shades, environment controls, and more, offering real-time interaction and room functionality from within the Zoom Rooms® controller. Crestron devices — including 1 Beyond cameras with intelligent video and optical zoom, Crestron lighting, DM NVX® AV-over-IP solutions, and many more — work brilliantly with Crestron Control, but it’s just as easy to integrate hardware from Logitech, Poly, Neat, and Yealink.

Crestron Control on Microsoft Teams Rooms for Microsoft Windows OS

Crestron Control is also available on Microsoft Teams® Rooms running on the Microsoft Windows® OS — across all hardware vendors, offering the simplest and most powerful way to bring enhanced meeting room experiences to more spaces for those who prefer this platform. Crestron Control runs alongside the Microsoft Teams Rooms experience, with a simple button press to toggle between the two.

Like Zoom Rooms software control, this solution’s easily scalable: From a small tabletop Crestron Flex device for a small huddle area all the way up to your biggest, high-impact spaces outfitted with Crestron’s intelligent video and, say, Crestron Flex Pods audio devices, you’ve got an answer for every room. And it’s a snap to integrate solutions from Logitech, Poly, and Yealink as well.

Crestron on Webex by Cisco

Now that Crestron Control is available on Cisco® Room Navigator, everything’s been simplified to run from a single interface. As with other solutions, room and platform controls run alongside one another, and one touch allows the user to toggle between each.

Crestron Control on Google Meet Software

We’ve applied everything we’ve learned by integrating other solutions and put it to work with Google Meet software. Again, a single button allows a room’s user to switch between the two control systems on a single interface, one for the platform and one for room controls. Solutions from Logitech and Poly are also easily integrated into any space running Google Meet software.

But remember: There’s an incredibly robust range of solutions within the Crestron ecosystem. Crestron Flex products offer video conferencing for any space, with maximum control and security. Crestron intelligent video solutions track and frame every speaker in a meeting for remote attendees. Crestron’s commercial audio products ensure everyone can hear and be heard. Our AirMedia® wireless presentation and conferencing devices work well without the need to download extra software or apps. DM NVX AV-over-IP and DM® Essentials content distribution platform solutions make content sharing a breeze. And room scheduling, lighting, and a host of environmental controls round out the experience.

Crestron Control for our third-party partners seamlessly connects all devices and users across any organization, no matter the size of the deployment. It allows you to go beyond conferencing with complete control of every piece of in-room technology — all within a single interface.