Conference Rooms: How to Use the AV & TV Equipment
Conference Rooms: How to Use the AV & TV Equipment
How to book the conference rooms is covered in Conference Rooms - How to Book. This article covers what to do once you're in the room and need to use the screen, TV, or presentation equipment.
Connecting Your Laptop to the Display
Most common setup: HDMI
- Locate the HDMI cable in the conference room (usually on the table or in a cable management tray)
- Connect the HDMI cable to your laptop
- If your laptop only has USB-C ports, you'll need a USB-C to HDMI adapter — there may be one in the room, or bring your own
- Turn on the TV/display using the remote
- On the TV, select the correct HDMI input (typically HDMI 1 or HDMI 2) using the remote's Input or Source button
- Your laptop screen should mirror or extend to the display
On Mac: Your screen should auto-detect. If it doesn't, go to System Settings → Displays → Detect Displays.
On Windows: Press Windows + P to toggle display modes (Duplicate, Extend, etc.).
If the Screen Won't Connect
- Check that the TV is on the correct input source
- Try unplugging and re-plugging the HDMI cable at both ends
- Restart your laptop's display connection (Mac: unplug/replug; Windows:
Win + P) - Try a different HDMI port on the TV if available
- If none of the above works, submit a HelpScout ticket with the conference room name and what you tried
Sound / Audio
If you need audio through the room speakers:
- Audio typically passes through the HDMI cable automatically when connected
- If there's no sound, check that the TV volume isn't muted
- Check that your laptop's audio output is set to the external display (not laptop speakers)
Video Calls (Zoom, Google Meet, Teams)
For video calls in the conference room:
- Use your laptop's camera and microphone unless the room has a dedicated conference camera
- Position the laptop so the camera captures you clearly — do not sit directly in front of a window (backlight kills the image)
- If the room has a dedicated conference camera/speakerphone unit, it will have its own USB connection — plug it into your laptop and select it as the camera/mic source in your meeting app
Leaving the Room
- Return the HDMI cable to where you found it
- Turn off the TV using the remote
- Do not leave equipment connected or powered on