Custom AV for Zoom Rooms – A New Approach to Broadcast Spaces

Enhancement to Zoom Rooms adds broadcast capabilities to meeting rooms without the need for costly and complex additional AV equipment.

September 15, 2025

Estimated Reading Time: 15 minutes

Executive Summary

Many organizations want to host and manage their high-profile virtual events (town halls, webinars, quarterly updates, etc.) from their boardrooms, auditoriums, and meeting spaces.

Traditionally, this required the use of expensive signal capture, conversion, distribution, switching, and production management equipment.

The result is that standard meeting rooms become complex, custom deployments that cost tens of thousands of dollars, take weeks to design, install, and configure, and require teams of technicians to operate.

" Custom AV for Zoom Rooms reduces the cost and complexity of broadcast-enabling a meeting room. "

Industry analyst firm Recon Research was recently briefed on Custom AV for Zoom Rooms – an enhancement to Zoom Rooms (included at no additional cost with paid plans) that reduces the cost and complexity associated with broadcast-enabling traditional meeting spaces.

This study, which was sponsored by Zoom Communications but written solely by Recon Research, introduces the five key requirements of a meeting room broadcast system, and highlights the pros and cons of different approaches to broadcast-enabling a standard meeting room.

Meeting Room / Broadcast Suite Using Custom AV for Zoom Rooms

Meeting Room / Broadcast Suite Powered by Custom AV for Zoom Rooms

Check out this video discussion focused on the key challenges enterprises face when hosting virtual events from their meeting rooms.

Five Key Requirements of a Broadcast Meeting Room

Standard meeting rooms support in-person meetings and local discussions, and video conference rooms host remote collaboration sessions with participants in other locations.

These spaces are ideal for standard meetings and day-to-day communications.

Broadcast meeting rooms take things to the next level by enabling high-quality, polished experiences – such as webinars, town halls, and earnings calls – for large or VIP audiences.

These broadcast meetings often feature both local and remote presenters and require production elements such as titling, signal switching, transition effects, and more. Hosting production-level events, including local and remote participants, requires the following five capabilities:

Local Signal Acquisition

The ability to capture local presenters using multiple cameras and high quality microphone systems.

High Quality Remote Signal Acquisition

The ability to capture high quality video (camera images) and audio signals of each remote presenter.

Signal Conversion

The ability to convert the various local and remote video, audio, and content streams into the proper signal formats (e.g., NDI, SDI, and Dante) for use by the rest of the system.

Production Management

The ability to switch between the video and audio signals, mix the audio signals, create composite views, add video overlays and transitions, and route the signals to each device and location as needed.

Multi-Location Coordination

The ability to centrally manage and control the entire event, including selecting which video, audio, and content signals are transmitted from each location, which signals are received at each site, and what information is displayed locally in each participating meeting room.

Traditional Approaches Used in Broadcast Meeting Spaces

There are many ways to make a meeting space “broadcast-ready” – each with its own advantages and trade-offs related to cost, complexity, ease of use and management, flexibility, and other factors.

This study explores several common methods for using video conferencing to include remote presenters in production events and examines how each approach (solution) addresses the five core requirements outlined above.

Approach #1: Skype TX

Released in 2014, Skype TX was a professional broadcast solution developed by Microsoft for integrating Skype participants into live video productions. Skype TX was designed for studios and production environments and offers high-quality video and audio streams of the remote presenter(s).

Skype TX was available as a software-only solution for installation on a Windows PC or installed on broadcast-grade hardware from partners like NewTek, Quicklink, and others.

The table below highlights how Skype TX addressed each of the five core requirements for broadcast meeting spaces.

Core Capability	Supported?	Description
Local Signal Acquisition	No	Skype TX does not host the actual event / session.
High Quality Remote Signal Acquisition	Yes	Skype TX offers a high quality (up to 1080p) video. Software (Windows) version offers a single NDI output or SDI output (requires an SDI card / interface). Hardware version offers one SDI or NDI output per Skype call.
Signal Conversion	Yes	Skype TX provides either an NDI or SDI signal (depending on the third-party hardware in use).
Production Management	No	Skype TX offers no production management. It simply provides the video/audio signal of a remote presenter.
Multi-Location Event Coordination	No	Skype TX offers no multi-location coordination or user interface for virtual events or broadcasts. It simply provides the video/audio signal of a remote presenter. Each participating location must be managed separately.

Simply stated … Skype TX used Skype as a transmission medium to provide a high-quality video and audio signal of a remote presenter to another location.

Skype TX did not host the actual event, and a separate Skype call was required for each remote participant.

As a result, a Skype-TX based broadcast meeting room required significant additional equipment (e.g., an additional video conferencing system and calling platform, additional signal switching equipment, a production management system, and more.

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, Microsoft officially retired Skype TX in May 2025 along with the broader Skype platform. Microsoft encourages Skype TX users to transition to Microsoft Teams or seek alternative solutions.

The net is that Skype TX is no longer a viable option for broadcast environments.

Approach #2: Microsoft Teams Rooms (MTR)

Released worldwide in March 2017, Microsoft Teams is a communications platform able to host live virtual events including audio, video, and content.

The Microsoft Teams desktop client is a dedicated app installed on a PC or mobile device that allows individuals to participate in Teams meetings. The Microsoft Teams Rooms (MTR) app adds video conferencing capabilities to meeting rooms and is available on both Windows and Android platforms.

The table below highlights how Microsoft Teams Rooms (MTR) addresses each of the five core requirements for broadcast meeting spaces.

Core Capability	Supported?	Description
Local Signal Acquisition	Limited	MTR offers native support for USB cameras. NDI and SDI signals are not natively supported.
High Quality Remote Signal Acquisition	No	MTR does not provide a high-quality video / audio signal of each individual remote participant. Instead, MTR offers a single 720p (or 1080p with proper license) stream for the entire meeting. Microsoft Teams desktop (not MTR) provides up to 9 NDI streams, including streams for up to 6 separate participants. However: The resolution of each NDI stream will change mid-call when participants join or exit or when content is shared. The resolution of each NDI stream depends on the number of participants in the call. E.g., if the call has 5 or more participants, the resolution drops to 540p or lower.
Signal Conversion	No	MTR does not support NDI, SDI, or Dante signals or the use of SDI cards in MTR host PCs.
Production Management	Limited	Although MTR / Teams supports a few production elements (e.g., participant name labels and layout control), it does not support broadcast event features such as signal routing, titling, overlays, and audio mixing.
Multi-Location Event Coordination	No	MTR / Microsoft Teams offers no multi-location coordination or user interface for virtual events or broadcasts. Each participating location must be managed separately.

Essentially, while Microsoft Teams Rooms can host the virtual event, it does not offer access to high quality streams of each remote presenter and does not support the standard AV signals (NDI, SDI, Dante) used in broadcast / production environments.

And while Microsoft Teams desktop (not Microsoft Teams Rooms) can be used to capture NDI streams of remote presenters, the video resolution of those streams may change during the session and the resolution may drop as low as 540p. These limitations can severely impact the production quality of the event.

As a result, a broadcast meeting room powered by Microsoft Teams Rooms will require additional hardware and software, including a desktop running the Microsoft Teams desktop client to capture individual streams of remote participants, signal converters, signal switching equipment, a production management system, and more.

The takeaway is that Microsoft Teams Rooms lacks many of the core capabilities needed to host production-level events in broadcast meeting spaces.

Approach #3: Traditional Video Conferencing Systems / Platforms

Another common approach is the use of a traditional hardware video conferencing system to capture the video and audio signals from remote participants.

Some of the most advanced video systems even offer multiple audio and video inputs and basic signal switching. However, the switching capabilities are designed for installation flexibility – not for live event production purposes.

The table below highlights how traditional video conferencing systems address each of the five core requirements for broadcast meeting spaces.

Core Capability	Supported?	Description
Local Signal Acquisition	Limited	Some traditional video systems, and especially integrator-friendly systems, support multiple USB or HDMI cameras. Some systems even support a single SDI input. However, these systems do not typically support NDI signals.
High Quality Remote Signal Acquisition	No	Traditional video systems do not provide a high-quality video / audio signal of each individual remote participant. Instead, such systems offer a single 720p or 1080p stream for the entire meeting. Isolating the signal for an individual participant would require additional signal processing equipment and would yield low resolution video streams and a single mixed audio stream.
Signal Conversion	No	Traditional video systems do not typically support NDI, SDI, or Dante signals.
Production Management	No	Traditional video systems do not offer production features, such as real-time signal switching, titling, and image overlays.
Multi-Location Event Coordination	No	Traditional video systems do not offer multi-location coordination capabilities or a user interface for virtual events or broadcasts. Each participating location must be managed separately.

While some traditional video conferencing systems support multiple cameras and an SDI input, they do not provide access to high quality streams of each remote presenter, do not support the AV signals (NDI, SDI, Dante) used in broadcast / production environments, and offer no real-time production management capabilities.

Thus, broadcast meeting rooms powered by standard video systems will require significant additional hardware and software (switchers, converters, control systems, etc.) and will likely offer a sub-optimal experience due to the lower resolution of each remote presenter.

The takeaway is that traditional video systems just aren’t designed to power production-level broadcast events.

Approach #4: Custom AV for Zoom Rooms

Custom AV for Zoom Rooms is a set of features and tools designed to integrate professional audio and video (AV) workflows directly into Zoom Rooms.

Stated differently, Custom AV adds broadcast-quality signal capture, switching, and production management to standard Zoom Rooms deployments, allowing organizations to host production-grade live events in their meeting rooms.

A Custom AV for Zoom Rooms system requires the following elements (in addition to standard meeting room displays, cameras, mics, and speakers):

Zoom Rooms (ZR) – a software-based meeting room video conferencing system running on a PC or Mac that supports video and audio conferencing, content sharing, whiteboarding, and more in rooms with up to four displays.
Zoom Custom AV Controller – a software app running on a PC or Mac designed for production operators that provides advanced, real-time control over audio and video routing within Zoom Rooms, and centralized management of multi-location events.
SDI PCI-E Card (Optional) – a card installed in the Zoom Rooms-enabled PC (for Windows deployments) or in an external PCI-E / Thunderbolt enclosure (for Mac deployments) that adds SDI inputs and outputs (in addition to the native 4 x HMDI and 12 x NDI outputs) to Zoom Rooms systems.
Production Switcher (Optional) – a software or hardware solution (e.g., a Blackmagic Design ATEM production switcher) that provides signal switching, titling, overlays, wipes, and more.

The table below highlights how the Custom AV for Zoom Rooms solution addresses each of the five core requirements for broadcast meeting spaces.

Core Capability	Supported?	Description
Local Signal Acquisition	Yes	Zoom Rooms (the core of the deployment) offers native support for: Multiple USB video and audio inputs Multiple HDMI inputs (using external capture devices) Up to 4 NDI inputs Up to 8 Dante audio inputs Up to 4 SDI inputs (using a compatible PCI-e card)
High Quality Remote Signal Acquisition	Yes	Custom AV for Zoom Rooms provides individual 1080p NDI or SDI feeds of up to 12 meeting participants, each with a separate (isolated) audio feed.
Signal Conversion	Yes	Custom AV for Zoom Rooms can accept or provide various signal formats, including USB video and audio, HDMI video, NDI and SDI video, and Dante audio.
Production Management	Limited	Custom AV for Zoom Rooms offers some production features, including real-time signal routing, layout control, and the ability to build custom galleries with specific sizes and UI elements. However, Custom AV for Zoom Rooms uses standard AV signals (NDI, SDI, HDMI, etc.), so it works perfectly with devices like Blackmagic Design ATEM broadcast switchers.
Multi-Location Event Coordination	Yes	Custom AV for Zoom Rooms allows production operators to control the entire event experience from a single location and user interface. Using the Custom AV for Zoom Room Controller app, operators can switch and route signals in any participating Zoom Rooms location.

Custom AV for Zoom Rooms offers native (on-board) support for local and remote signal acquisition, standard broadcast signal protocols and formats, and centralized event management.

Upgrading a standard Zoom Rooms system into a broadcast-ready meeting room requires only an additional computer running the included Custom AV for Zoom Rooms controller app (plus an optional SDI interface card if SDI signals are to be used and an optional production switcher if needed).

In most cases, the upgrade for a Custom AV for Zoom Rooms system requires only a mini-PC and a small production switcher (total cost typically less than $5,000).

As a result, Custom AV for Zoom Rooms deployments eliminate most of the cost, complexity, and footprint (equipment racks) of the signal capture, conversion, and switching equipment (and custom AV control systems) required by alternative approaches.

And best of all, Custom AV for Zoom Rooms deployments offer the features, look, and feel of standard Zoom meeting rooms.

"Custom AV for Zoom Rooms offers a lower cost and simpler approach to broadcast-enabling meeting rooms."

Summary / Closing Thoughts

The table below highlights how Skype TX, Microsoft Teams Rooms, traditional video conferencing systems, and Custom AV for Zoom Rooms each address the five core requirements for broadcast meeting spaces.

Core Capability	Skype TX (End of Life)	Microsoft Teams Rooms	Traditional Hardware VC Systems	Custom AV for Zoom Rooms
Local Signal Acquisition	No	Limited	Limited	Yes
High Quality Remote Signal Acquisition	Yes	No	No	Yes
Signal Conversion	Yes	No	No	Yes
Production Management	No	Limited	No	Limited
Multi-Location Event Coordination	No	No	No	Yes

To be clear, each of the products and services discussed within this study offers a range of features, functions, and benefits. The table above simply highlights the degree to which these solutions support the signal capture, conversion, production, and management needs of today’s broadcast event spaces.

And yes, the table speaks for itself.

Overall, Custom AV for Zoom Rooms:

Eliminates the need for costly, complex, power-hungry, large footprint AV equipment
Works natively with a wide range of AV devices and protocols (NDI, SDI, Dante, etc.)
Captures high quality video and separate audio streams of each remote presenter
Provides a single user interface for managing the entire multi-location event

Organizations wishing to broadcast-enable their meeting rooms should take a careful look at Custom AV for Zoom Rooms. It’s powerful. Easy to install. Uses the familiar Zoom Rooms user interface.

And best of all … Custom Rooms for AV can be added to your Zoom Rooms deployment at no additional cost!

UPDATE — As this blog went live, we saw that Zoom won an Engineering, Science & Technology Emmy® Award for Zoom for Broadcast.

Kudos to Zoom for including Custom AV for Zoom Rooms (a key component of the Zoom for Broadcast ecosystem) within all paid Zoom Room licenses. Well done!