A “conference” system has even more capabilities, building on the capabilities of a discussion system, but with more features designed specifically for organizations like corporate boardrooms, city councils, and associations or non-profit organizations. These groups are often legally required to (or may just wish to) document their proceedings beyond audio capture, to include documented minutes on who attended, what was on the agenda, and the outcomes of discussion, including votes. A conference system automates those functions, and expands on discussion systems with even more scalability and expanded ability to prioritize microphones.

Attendees: Some conference units include a touch screen where participants can enter an ID using a PIN code, or slot for an identification card. Inserting the card or entering the code tells the system who is present and where they are sitting. When that person’s microphone is

activated, the system can keep track of who spoke and for how long.

Agenda: Before the meeting, the agenda can be entered into the conference system’s meeting management software via computer, typically using browser-based software. As the leader selects each agenda item for discussion, the system can keep track of who spoke

about that topic.

Voting: In corporate boardrooms, city councils, or other governing bodies, it’s often necessary to enable participants to vote electronically, and provide an automated means of recording and displaying the results. In training rooms and lecture halls, it can be useful for the instructor to have a means of polling or testing the students to check how well they understand the material being presented. Some conference units include a touchscreen or buttons for this purpose, and optional software that tallies and stores the results.

More Languages: While most meetings in North America can be accommodated with one or two additional languages, international conferences often require many more languages. A conference system generally can distribute 20 languages or more to each participant.

The unique features and capabilities of discussion and conference systems make them an outstanding solution for meeting rooms where everyone is both a talker and a listener, a situation that makes using a conventional sound system problematic. These systems are easy to install and use, offer great sound with virtually no chance of feedback, and offer the additional benefit of being fully compatible with any typical computer network.