The Irish Football Association (IFA) is a prestigious organisation that plays a central role in Northern Ireland’s football community. As the governing body, it is essential that the IFA maintains a professional and cutting-edge environment for both internal and external communications. To achieve this, the IFA tasked Fluid AV with upgrading their boardroom at Windsor Park Stadium. The objective was to transform the space into a state-of-the-art meeting room equipped with advanced audiovisual (AV) solutions for video conferencing, content sharing, and enhanced collaboration. 

This article provides an in-depth overview of how Fluid AV overcame technical challenges, implemented a bespoke solution, and delivered an easy-to-use system that met the specific requirements of the IFA. This successful project showcases how Fluid AV’s expertise can elevate professional meeting spaces through meticulous planning and the seamless integration of modern technology. 

The Brief: Enhancing Windsor Park’s Boardroom Capabilities 

The IFA’s boardroom at Windsor Park Stadium serves a multitude of purposes. It hosts various meetings with internal staff, external partners, and international guests. To extend its capabilities, the IFA required a system that would facilitate high-quality video conferencing, content sharing, and an intuitive user experience. 

Specific Requirements from the IFA: 

  1. Full Coverage of All Participants: The solution had to provide clear video and audio for everyone seated in the boardroom, ensuring that remote attendees could see and hear all participants, regardless of seating position. 
  1. Comfortable Viewing for All Seats: Video displays needed to be strategically placed to allow clear viewing from every seat in the room. 
  1. Ease of Use: The system should be manageable from a centralised location and operable by a single user—often the CEO. 
  1. Internal and External Use: While the system had to support external video conferencing, it was equally important to support internal meetings, content sharing, and presentations. 
  1. Multiple Displays: The IFA requested a centralised set of multiple displays for visual branding and to enhance the aesthetics of the space. 
  1. Microsoft Teams Compatibility: Given that the IFA operates on Microsoft Teams, the system had to integrate seamlessly with their existing Teams platform. 
  1. IT Integration: The system had to comply with the IFA’s existing network infrastructure and IT policies. 

Overcoming Challenges: Addressing Technical Constraints 

The installation project came with a set of unique challenges. As with many modern office refurbishments, the boardroom’s existing layout and construction presented obstacles that required innovative solutions: 

  1. Room Layout and Seating Configuration: The boardroom had a rectangular layout with fixed seating arrangements. This restricted the positioning of cameras and microphones, as all seats had to be retained, and a single front-facing camera would not suffice. 
  1. Structural Challenges: The boardroom’s flooring was concrete, complicating the installation of new cabling. Additionally, the left-hand side of the room featured a large glass wall, which could impact video quality due to light reflection and glare. 
  1. AV Hardware Placement: Given the fixed seating, cameras and microphones had to be positioned for optimal coverage without compromising on visual quality or ease of use. 

Fluid AV addressed these constraints by designing a bespoke AV solution that maximised the use of the existing space while enhancing the room’s overall capabilities. 

The Solution: A Tailored Microsoft Teams Room Integration 

Fluid AV’s proposed solution centred around a dedicated Yealink Microsoft Teams Room PC, ensuring full compatibility with the IFA’s existing Teams environment. This solution provided a professional, user-friendly experience, making it easy for the IFA to host meetings with both internal teams and external partners. 

Key Components of the Solution: 

  1. Dual Wide-Angle QSC Cameras: To provide complete video coverage, Fluid AV installed two wide-angle QSC cameras in strategic positions around the room. This setup ensured that all participants were visible, regardless of their seating position. Additionally, the cameras were configured to offer speaker tracking, automatically focusing on the active speaker to create a more engaging experience for remote participants. 
  1. Sennheiser Ceiling Microphones and QSC DSP: For high-quality audio capture, Sennheiser ceiling microphones were paired with a QSC Digital Signal Processor (DSP). This setup provided full-room microphone coverage, enabling clear and crisp audio from any seat in the room. The speaker-tracking functionality integrated with the cameras, allowing the system to focus on whoever was speaking. 
  1. Audio Enhancement with In-Ceiling Speakers: To complement the microphones, Fluid AV installed additional in-ceiling speakers, powered by a dedicated amplifier. This setup ensured that audio was evenly distributed throughout the room, allowing all participants to hear remote speakers clearly without disrupting the aesthetics of the space. 
  1. Multiple Displays with a Custom North-South-East-West Configuration: A central 86” anti-reflective NEC display was mounted at the front of the room, providing a main focal point for presentations and video conferencing. To address the IFA’s request for multiple branded displays, additional NEC screens were installed in a unique North-South-East-West configuration in the middle of the room. This setup created an immersive environment, visible from every seat, while also serving as a visually striking element for branding and aesthetic appeal. 
  1. Floor Cabling Solutions: Despite the concrete flooring, Fluid AV successfully routed new cabling under the floor to connect the displays and microphones. This approach minimised visible cabling and maintained a clean, professional look. 
  1. User-Friendly Control Panel: A central touch panel was installed at the seating location of the CEO, providing a simple and intuitive interface to control the entire system. This panel allows the CEO to start and end meetings, control the cameras, adjust the volume, and manage content sharing—all at the touch of a button. 
  1. Wireless Content Sharing: To support dynamic presentations, wireless content sharing adapters were integrated, allowing participants to share content from any device and location in the room. This feature minimised delays when switching between presenters and enhanced overall meeting efficiency. 

The Outcome: A High-Impact, User-Friendly Meeting Space 

Fluid AV’s solution transformed the IFA’s boardroom into a high-tech collaboration space that meets the needs of diverse users. The integration of Microsoft Teams, advanced audio-visual equipment, and user-friendly controls resulted in a room that is now frequently used for both internal and external meetings. 

Key Benefits: 

  1. Enhanced Room Usage: The flexibility and ease of use have significantly increased the room’s usage. Staff feel more confident operating the system, leading to more productive meetings. 
  1. Improved Audio and Video Quality: The high-quality microphones, speakers, and cameras ensure that remote participants feel fully engaged, reducing the barrier between in-room and virtual attendees. 
  1. Increased Professionalism: The branded display configuration and seamless integration have elevated the room’s aesthetics, providing a professional setting for external partners and stakeholders. 

Feedback from the IFA 

The IFA was extremely pleased with the results. They reported that the new system has improved their ability to conduct professional meetings, increased staff confidence in using the technology, and provided a much-needed upgrade to their boardroom capabilities. The solution has been well-received by international partners and is now a showcase space for the IFA’s modern, forward-thinking approach. 

Conclusion: Why Choose Fluid AV? 

This project highlights Fluid AV’s expertise in designing and implementing custom AV solutions that meet complex requirements. Whether it’s integrating Microsoft Teams Rooms, overcoming structural challenges, or creating unique branded configurations, Fluid AV ensures that each project delivers on functionality, aesthetics, and ease of use. 

If you’re looking to upgrade your meeting spaces with cutting-edge AV solutions, contact Fluid AV today to learn how we can transform your environment into a high-performing, professional space that enhances communication and collaboration.