WILLIAMSAV BluePOD Conference Mate User Guide

: June 7, 2024
: WilliamsAV

Table of Contents

Installation Procedures
- Physical Installation
- Speakers, Microphones and Other Components
Network Setup
Adjusting Settings

WILLIAMSAV BluePOD Conference Mate User Guide

Installation Procedures

Setting up the BluePOD system will broadcast HD Bluetooth audio from phone calls, music, or more to your conference room speakers, as well as mix in microphones, music and other audio for an improved conference experience.

Physical Installation

The two components of the BluePOD — the Controller and the Bluetooth Wireless Access Point (B-WAP) — will need to be physically installed within the room.

Controller
The BluePOD Controller will need to be installed in a safe location within the room where the device will be used. Rack mounts are available if the device will be stored in a server rack, or it can be easily fit into a convenient location within the room.

The power supply will need to be attached to the Controller and plugged into a power source.

Bluetooth Wireless Access Point (B-WAP)
Williams AV recommends that the B-WAP is installed on the ceiling near the center of the room, preferably above where the BluePOD system will be most frequently used. Other locations may work, such as on a wall. The B-WAP’s Bluetooth signal has up to a 50 ft (15.24 m) radius, which should adequately provide coverage for most rooms.

Caution: An 8″ (20 cm) separation distance must be maintained between the B-WAP and the user’s body at all times. Do not install the B-WAP where this distance is not feasible.

The Bluetooth Wireless Access Point (B-WAP)

The B-WAP will be connected to the Controller via a CAT5e or CAT6 cable. Williams AV recommends the use of CAT6 cable. The CAT6 cable should be connected from the RJ45 port on the back of the POD into the B-WAP port on the back of the Controller.

Note: Do not connect the B-WAP to the Ethernet port on the Controller – only connect it to the B-WAP port.

Note: Some models of the BluePOD may have a different appearance. See user manual for more details.

The B-WAP is powered via the CAT6 cable and requires no other connections.

Connection inductions

Speakers, Microphones and Other Components

Most 4 or 8Ω speakers, 48V phantom microphones or other sound components can be used with the BluePOD system – there is no need for a specific sound system configuration.

The BluePOD system automatically provides Acoustic Echo Cancellation (AEC) for microphone connections. This feature cannot be disabled and does not apply to line input sources.

Phoenix style connectors are available on the back of the BluePOD Controller, with specific labels for the type of input.

There are two speaker connection ports and 4 USB ports also available on the Controller.

Caution: Do not plug in or unplug microphones while the BluePOD is powered on.

The BluePOD Conference Mate Controller

Network Setup

A network connection is required to use the settings menu. The network connection must be hardwired, and cannot be done over a wireless network connection.

Note: A DHCP connection is required for the initial setup of the device, although a static address can be assigned later.

Plug an Ethernet cable into the back of the BluePOD controller.
The network system will use DHCP to automatically assign an IP address to the BluePOD system.
Configure additional network information by using the Network Settings menu accessed from a browser.

Finding Your Device on the Network
When a BluePOD system is set up on the network correctly, the Bluetooth connection name will include network information.

Use a device such as a cell phone with Bluetooth functionality to look at the list of available Bluetooth connections.
The BluePOD system will be named similar to bluepod-[ABCD] [IP Address]. For example, bluepod47de_192.168.100.165 may be the connection name displayed.
The last section of the connection name is the IP Address. The middle section is the last 4 characters of the BluePOD system’s MAC address.
If the information in the connection name appears to be incorrect, you may need to run the Restore Bluetooth command to update the connection information.
Use the IP address or MAC address to find the device on your network. Use the Network Settings menu to adjust the network details further.

Adjusting Settings

Sound, network and other settings can be adjusted from any web browser. The computer will need to be connected to the same network as your BluePOD system.

Enter the IP address of the BluePOD system into your browser to access the menu system.

Network Settings

When first connected to the network, an IP address will be automatically assigned.

The IP Address, and other network settings can be adjusted from the Network settings menu.

Under Type, select whether your device is using DHCP or static network management.

If you are using a static configuration, enter the correct information for each field then hit the Enter button.

Once finished editing all network information, press the Apply Settings button.

Restore Bluetooth

If the BluePOD is being moved to another network, and the host name is not displaying the correct IP address, clicking the Restore Bluetooth button will rename the hostname to include the updated IP address. This will let the user see the correct IP address when they create a Bluetooth connection from their personal device. Alternatively, plugging a keyboard into the USB ports on the back of the device, and pressing alt+q will work similarly to pressing the Restore Bluetooth button from a browser. This may be necessary if the old IP address is unavailable.

Connecting your Personal Device

To connect your phone or other personal device to the BluePOD system, follow the instructions from your device manufacturer to establish a Bluetooth connection.

These instructions will differ per device.

The BluePOD will be listed as an available device. Ask your IT administrator the correct name of your BluePOD Bluetooth network connection.

Only one Bluetooth device can be connected to the BluePOD system at a time. Additional sound sources will need to be connected via hardwired connections.

Disconnecting your Device

The BluePOD system will not remember device connections once an audio broadcast has ended. The next time you use the BluePOD system again, you will need to reconnect your device.

Phone calls will automatically be disconnected once the call has ended, preventing unwanted and unexpected audio broadcasts from private phone calls or other potential issues.

A timeout can be set up to disconnect all devices after a specified amount of time in silence has passed. Streaming music or other audio will not be automatically disconnected unless the timeout is hit.

To manually disconnect devices from the BluePOD, follow the instructions for your personal device to shut off a Bluetooth connection.

For Additional Information

This manual is a quick start guide for getting your BluePOD system up-and- running. Most features and customization options are not documented in this manual.

For additional information, feature instructions, commands, warranty information and more, please download the full user manual from the BluePOD system’s product page on Williams AV’s website.