The Next Step in Video Conferencing: Collaboration, Crestron RL™ Now Available

Online, July 12, 2013 (Newswire.com) - Crestron today announced that Crestron RL™, its powerful new group collaboration solution for the conference room, is now available. Crestron RL™ is based on Microsoft® Lync® 2013, the popular server-based application that many companies already use on a daily basis. Lync enables video, voice, interactive content sharing, presence, and chat from a personal device such as a tablet or laptop. Crestron RL brings Lync from the desktop to the meeting room. In addition, Crestron RL links to all systems in the room and gives users control of the entire room from the same touch screen.

"We are pleased that Crestron will bring a Lync Room System product to market," said Giovanni Mezgec, General Manager for Lync Product Marketing at Microsoft. "Crestron's strong experiences in providing great conference room solutions across the world, combined with Microsoft Lync's powerful software capabilities, produce a groundbreaking solution that takes collaboration and communication to a new level."

Easy to use
With just one touch of a button, anyone can walk into a conference room and instantly start a collaboration session. Share your desktop with local and remote participants; view and annotate over Microsoft PowerPoint® or interactive whiteboard remotely or locally using the 65" touch display supplied. Remote participants can join via Lync on their desktop. Adding attendees on the fly in the conference room is just as simple and fast as typing in their names. Share ideas and notes collaboratively with colleagues, clients, and partners anytime, anywhere with any device.

Complete & scalable room solution
Only Crestron RL is designed to seamlessly integrate with Crestron DigitalMedia™ and all other Crestron enterprise control solutions and products to offer a complete room solution. Simply press the "RL" button to instantly access lighting, shades, thermostats, DigitalMedia, AV presentation, and much more - all from the same touch screen. Crestron RL rooms can be centrally monitored, managed and controlled using Crestron Fusion™ software for a complete Enterprise Building Management solution.

"As a scalable, appliance grade, turnkey solution, Crestron RL can be implemented in practically every conference room across the global enterprise," says Fred Bargetzi, Crestron Vice President of Technology. "Adding room control of other devices and systems, such as lights, shades and thermostats, is easy. Add Crestron Fusion software and remotely manage resources and collect data."

Easy to purchase, easy to install
Crestron RL is a complete packaged solution which includes the Crestron UC Codec for Lync, HD camera, microphone, 65" touch display(s), 10" tabletop touch screen, and more. Crestron RL connects over the corporate LAN which makes implementation easy and hassle-free. Simply mount the display, connect Crestron RL to the network, and authenticate. No system design or programming is needed. If you already have a Lync server, no additional licenses, fees, or infrastructure expenses, such as MCUs or gateways, are needed.

Qualified Crestron dealers can purchase Crestron RL directly through the normal ordering process. Crestron dealers who have not achieved Microsoft Gold Communications competency or completed the necessary training can still purchase Crestron RL through Crestron IT distribution partners. As a premier Crestron distribution partner, Ingram Micro enables Crestron dealers who are not yet trained on Microsoft Lync Server 2013 to take advantage of this new sales opportunity. Crestron is planning to add more distributor partners in the near future.