Choosing the Right Crestron Multi-Camera Solution for Your Space
Crestron offers two multi-camera solutions that offer intelligent 
video switching — here’s how to find the perfect fit
September 11
Choosing the Right Crestron Multi-Camera Solution for Your Space

The most recent Gallup® poll on “Work Locations for U.S. Employees With Remote-Capable Jobs” — updated in February 2025 — reveals that 52% of staff have a hybrid schedule, while 27% are fully remote. The big takeaway: Despite all the headlines about some larger organizations pushing employees to return to the office, 79% of those who are remote-capable are joining meetings virtually at some point during the week.

The data buttresses something Crestron has been speaking about for years: achieving “meeting equity,” a state where everyone can be seen clearly by everyone else, no matter their location. In a meeting where everyone is on-site, such equity occurs naturally — we can turn our heads to see every gesture and nuance from our colleagues as they speak. That’s more challenging in a setting that brings in remote participants via video conferencing. Many of us have had the experience of remotely joining a meeting that connects us via a single camera in a large conference room — that “view down a bowling alley” perspective just doesn’t cut it.

The solution: A multi-camera system that can provide full room coverage and dynamic, automated switching. Crestron offers multiple products, including solutions that can easily integrate with features offered by Microsoft and Zoom.

Finding the Right Solution for Your Needs

Crestron offers two multi-camera options for intelligent switching: 1 Beyond cameras and the Automate VX multi-camera speaker tracking solution. Each is designed for different needs and room types, and both are platform-agnostic.

Intelligent Switching with 1 Beyond Cameras

1 Beyond cameras provide a flexible, cost-effective multi-camera solution featuring automatic intelligent switching using zone-based visual cues — or custom control for switching between cameras in your space.

A solution that leverages 1 Beyond camera switching is perfect for medium to large flexible spaces like collaborative meeting rooms and classrooms where zone-based or manual camera switching is sufficient. It’s a cost-effective, plug-and-play solution perfect for informal meetings and active learning.

How it works ...

In a room outfitted with 1 Beyond cameras, the primary camera provides a switched output between itself and up to four companion cameras. There are two switching options here: automatic, which switches views using visual cues when someone enters or exits a predefined zone; or custom control, which allows people in the room to switch between cameras using a touch panel, or with other triggers. 1 Beyond cameras offer Presenter Tracking and Group Framing options.

The benefits of a 1 Beyond camera system include lower up-front costs and simplified deployment and cabling with a single USB connection. It’s also UC platform agnostic.

Intelligent Switching with the Automate VX Solution

The Automate VX solution is a premium, fully automated multi-camera system with advanced speaker tracking.

The Automate VX solution is an excellent choice for large, high-impact spaces like executive boardrooms, high-impact lecture halls, and bigger spaces where you need automated speaker tracking, dynamic layouts, and a polished, professional video experience. It’s ideal for environments that demand hands-free, high-production quality output.

How it works ...

The Automate VX system directs, composites, and switches up to 12 1 Beyond cameras based on a spatially aware room design using information from the microphones in the room. The cameras are linked to a single video conferencing appliance. This provides the user with industry-leading multi-camera speaker tracking: Visual AI functions for presenter framing and tracking which enable precisely framed shots, reframing if a person moves while speaking, and switching cameras if they change the direction they are looking, so that a remote viewer also gets a head-on view of the speaker.

Want to see the solution in action?

Check out our blog post on the Automate VX solution at work — or have a look at the Smarter Spaces podcast on the subject.

The Automate VX solution offers dynamic composition layouts, with settings for conversation mode, picture-in-picture, or customized designs. You can tailor the installation based on a room’s layout and the shots you need for that space. The solution also gives you recallable Room Scenarios for flexible use cases and support and setup features (like proximity check and other tools — find more info here) for perfecting a room. The technology’s fully supported by Crestron with our Professional Services team and CTI training courses.

The results: Remote meeting attendees are given a broadcast-quality experience with a system that’s spatially aware of cameras, microphones, and people. The system also features recallable presets for flexible room configurations, and, of course, it’s UC platform agnostic.

Quick Facts: Intelligent Switching with 1 Beyond Cameras or Automate VX

What is the difference between a Crestron Automate VX solution and a 1 Beyond camera solution?

A 1 Beyond camera solution is a simple, cost-effective setup that can leverage up to five cameras in a room. It’s perfect for medium-to-large spaces that don’t demand complexity, as the intelligence and switching capabilities are in the primary camera. The Crestron Automate VX solution is a system that controls 1 Beyond cameras and can handle big, high-impact spaces. Additionally, the Automate VX solution is driven by the microphones in the room for advanced speaker tracking, while intelligent switching with the 1 Beyond camera solution can be triggered by visual cues or a control system.

How many cameras can Automate VX support vs. 1 Beyond?

 A setup leveraging 1 Beyond runs with a single primary camera driving up to four additional cameras (for a total of five) in a space, while the Automate VX system can handle up to 12 cameras in a room. In addition to its built-in switching software, the Automate VX solution can control external Blackmagic® ATEM® switchers for deployments of more cameras.

Can 1 Beyond be upgraded to Automate VX later?

Yes! Existing 1 Beyond cameras can be easily integrated into an Automate VX solution.

Choosing the Right Solution for Your Needs

Still undecided as to which solution best fits your needs? Ask yourself these key questions:

Is your space more about executive presence or team collaboration?

“A great example of a space suited for 1 Beyond intelligent switching is a collaborative meeting space designed for brainstorming and team interaction,” says Cara Shannon, senior manager of product marketing at Crestron. “This type of room typically features a central table, a front-of-room display, and a whiteboard or interactive screen. A single camera can be positioned to capture the entire group in a wide shot, while additional cameras can focus on specific zones like the whiteboard area or the front of the room for presentations.”

The solution can automatically switch between these views based on visual cues, such as someone approaching the whiteboard, or through manual triggers like a touch panel or voice detection. “This setup supports fluid, real-time collaboration and ensures that key moments, like sketching an idea or presenting a concept, are always clearly captured and shared,” says Shannon.

If your meeting space is designed to impress, whether it's a high-stakes boardroom, an executive training center, or a customer-facing environment where every interaction matters, then executive presence is your priority. For that, Automate VX is the right solution. “These hybrid rooms are often complex, with flexible layouts and many participants who need to be clearly seen and heard when they speak,” says Shannon.

Are you looking for a tailored AV experience or a plug-and-play solution?

Intelligent switching with 1 Beyond Cameras works best for simple setups. “For example, if you just want the camera to switch between a speaker at the podium and someone asking a question from the left or right side of the audience, it’s a great solution. It’s easy to set up, easy to explain, and easy to support,” says Shannon.

“It’s also easy to tell someone, ‘This side of the room uses this camera, and that side uses that one.’ That kind of setup is intuitive and makes sense to most people.”

“But when you’re dealing with a more complex space (like a boardroom or classroom with 25 or more individual seats, each needing its own camera angle or preset), it becomes much harder to manage,” she adds. “You might also have different meeting formats to account for. At that point, it’s no longer a simple system.

“You can’t just look at the room and know which camera is doing what,” she adds. “Instead, you’re relying on detailed programming behind the scenes to make it all work. That kind of setup requires a skilled programmer to build and maintain.”

“In short: 1 Beyond cameras with intelligent switching are great for straightforward, zone-based camera switching. But once you go beyond that, especially with lots of targeted areas in the room and multiple scenarios, it becomes a custom solution that’s harder to support and service,” says Shannon.

Case Study: Itoki Corporation

At its Tokyo headquarters, Itoki set out to transform two key collaboration spaces — the Decision Room and The Studium — into live showrooms for over 20,000 annual visitors, serving as models to showcase the future of hybrid work. Learn how Crestron’s intelligent video and control technologies bring Itoki’s vision of “quiet innovation” to life.

If you’re specifying intelligent video for an educational deployment, is this for a high-end hybrid learning environment or a cost-effective classroom?

In addition to the factors listed above, “Intelligent Switching with 1 Beyond Cameras is a great option for classrooms that need reliable video coverage without a high cost,” says Shannon. “It works especially well in simple, predictable setups (like a teacher at the front of the room and students seated in rows). You can easily define a few zones (e.g., front of the room, left side, right side), and switch between them either based on a button press on a touch panel or based on audio zones in the room.”

“This kind of setup is easy to install, easy to explain (‘this side of the room uses this camera,’ for example), and doesn’t require complex programming,” she adds. That means lower installation costs, less need for technical support, and a smoother experience for instructors and staff. It’s a practical, cost-effective solution for schools looking to enhance classroom technology in lower budget rooms.

Automate VX is a strong fit for classrooms that are more complex and dynamic. “It’s designed for environments where multiple people may speak from different locations, where seating arrangements change frequently, or where there are a lot of individual seats that need clear camera coverage,” says Shannon. “This is especially helpful in settings like executive education, where sessions often involve active student participation and hybrid attendees. Automate VX handles these scenarios automatically, managing multiple microphones and camera angles seamlessly to deliver a consistent, professional experience without the need for custom programming.”

Intelligent Switching with 1 Beyond Cameras
Automate VX Multi-Camera Solution

Do you need precise speaker tracking or basic camera switching?

“If you’re looking for individual shots in a really large room, like a 50-person boardroom, Automate VX is going to be actually probably more cost-effective since the Room Designer does all of the programming,” says Shannon.

The best way to satisfy the needs of modern hybrid collaboration and learning is to leverage a multi-camera solution. They bring unparalleled meeting equity to hybrid collaboration, increasing engagement, improving visibility for every attendee, and maintaining the kind of professionalism modern work demands. Explore Crestron’s intelligent video solutions to find the right solution to transform your meeting and learning spaces here, or talk to one of our experts.

featured products

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Automate VX

Automate VX employs multiple optical zoom cameras and voice-activated switching to ensure remote participants enjoy a clear, crisp view of everyone in the room and in-person participants never have to think about where to look to follow the conversation.

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New 1 Beyond Cameras - Clearly capture everyone in the room.

Crestron is introducing a new line of 1 Beyond™ cameras, each designed to perfectly capture every participant in the room — even those up to 60 feet away from the lens.

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Crestron Intelligent Video

From small rooms to multi-purpose rooms, from lecture halls to town halls, Crestron’s portfolio of intelligent video solutions brings everyone closer together and keeps them fully engaged.

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