As the exclusive global manufacturer of Philips professional displays, PPDS is dedicated to helping integrators learn about and test the latest technologies, products and opportunities that can help grow their businesses. Building on its strategy to bring seamless global business locally, PPDS has launched its first full-solutions showroom in Munich, Germany, featuring cutting-edge Philips professional displays and virtual collaboration systems from ClearOne.
The new 155-square-meter showroom (1,650 square feet) is designed to highlight new solutions for various spaces and client types, with dedicated rooms set up to demonstrate how new technologies can be integrated to optimize conference rooms, meeting rooms, retail spaces, classrooms, hotel guest rooms and even home offices. According to Christian Krela, channel manager for PPDS in Germany, the new Munich showroom is the company’s first demo space to focus on full-room solutions with collaboration and streaming technologies.
“Integrators trust PPDS to provide innovative display products for every kind of project, and the new Munich showroom demonstrates how leading third-party solutions like ClearOne’s collaboration gear can complement our Philips class-leading displays to meet the needs of modern businesses,” Krela said. “We designed this space to ensure local integrators and end customers can gain hands-on experience with whole-room solutions that include displays, cameras, microphones, speakers, and control systems to help them make decisions regarding room designs and technology solutions.”
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Each unique space in the showroom provides an example of an optimized technology implementation. The conference room, for instance, features a nearly invisible ClearOne BMA 360 in-ceiling beamforming microphone and a ClearOne UNITE 200 PTZ 1080p camera, which are connected to a ClearOne CONVERGE Pro 2 DSP without requiring any visible wires. Combined with a variety of display options including an 86-inch touch screen, multiple digital signage displays, and two digital picture frames, this solution provides stunning clarity and simplicity for all virtual collaboration needs. The entire room, including hidden in-wall speakers and a wireless presentation system, is managed by a Crestron control system.
Other rooms feature solutions scaled to various needs and budget ranges, such as the classroom, utilizing a Philips 86-inch interactive touch display in conjunction with a ClearOne UNITE 50 camera, CHAT 150 USB speakerphone and a wireless sharing and presentation solution. Several rooms also make use of the built-in Chromecast feature on the Philips B-Line 75BFL2114.
“We chose various ClearOne solutions for these spaces because they provide stellar performance, are compatible with all the other equipment and software, and can be installed with virtually no visible intrusion into a room’s aesthetic,” Krela added. “We also have employees who work in this building and meet in these rooms, so they needed to be fully functional and deliver superior collaboration experiences for daily use.”
Krela added that they considered other camera and microphone solutions but found that ClearOne was the ideal choice to deliver premium performance without requiring visible boxy components or wires, which would detract from the experience and could impact sales. This is particularly important when demoing to end users who expect a finished, polished design that they can adopt into their own businesses.
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“This new showroom is a stunning example of what can be achieved when two world class companies partner to create a state-of-the-art collaboration solution," commented Grifiths Zacharia, CTS, ClearOne associate vice president EMEAIO sales and global alliances. "This remarkable showroom is going to significantly elevate the conferencing experience for every type of business that utilizes the space. We’re proud to play a major role in bringing this showroom to life."
The showroom officially opened mid-April 2022 at the conveniently located Airport Business Centre near the Munich Airport.