Short answer: most conference breakout rooms need a display or projector, a laptop connection at the lectern, a wireless mic or two with a small sound system, a clicker, and a technician who can reach the room within a minute or two. Add recording or a stream only for the sessions that need it. Breakouts fail because they are planned last, not because the gear is hard.
Why breakouts go wrong
The general session gets the rehearsals, the show caller and the best crew. Breakouts get a projector, a cable and a sign on the door. Then a presenter shows up with a laptop that has the wrong port, the room is too big to hear without a mic, and the nearest technician is two floors away. Spending a little planning time on breakouts protects more of your attendees’ day than any upgrade in the main room.
The standard breakout package
- Display. A projector and screen, or a large monitor for small rooms. Check it from the back row with a real slide, not a logo.
- Laptop connection. HDMI at the lectern plus USB-C adapters. Better still, a show laptop with every deck preloaded so presenters do not swap computers.
- Audio. Rooms over about 40 people need a mic. A lavalier for the presenter and a handheld for questions covers most sessions.
- Clicker and timer. A wireless presenter remote and a visible countdown keep sessions on schedule.
- Power. Power at the lectern and for panel tables.
Recording and streaming breakouts
Recording every breakout is expensive; recording none often means losing your best content. A common middle path is a simple record kit (one camera, direct audio, slide capture) on the sessions you plan to reuse. Streaming breakouts to a virtual audience needs the same essentials as the main room at a smaller scale: hardwired internet, direct audio and someone monitoring. Our guide to live streaming a conference covers the setup.
Staffing multiple rooms
Simple breakouts with preloaded content can share a rover technician across neighbouring rooms. Panels, hybrid sessions and recorded rooms need a dedicated technician. Whatever the ratio, every room should know how to reach help, and the rover should walk each room before every session starts.
Who should run breakout AV: the venue or your production company?
Hotels and convention centers often push breakout AV through their in-house department. It can work, but you get a different standard in the breakouts than in your general session, and the in-house crew may be covering other groups too. Keeping breakouts with the same company that runs your general session means one plan and one point of contact. Read our take on hiring an outside AV company. If the venue’s team is running some rooms, we can support in-house AV teams with extra gear and technicians.
Breakout room checklist
- Room list with capacity, setup style and session format
- Which rooms need mics, recording or streaming
- All decks collected and loaded the day before
- Adapter kit and spare batteries in every room
- Technician phone number on the lectern
- Room check before every session block
For a full conference, see our conference AV service, or rent breakout kits through AV equipment rental.
FAQ
Do small breakout rooms need a microphone?
Under about 30 to 40 people in a quiet room, usually not. If the session is recorded or streamed, yes, regardless of size.
Projector or TV for a breakout?
For rooms under about 25 people a large display is brighter and simpler. Larger rooms need a projector and screen or a small LED wall.
How many technicians do we need for breakouts?
It depends on how many rooms run at once and how complex they are. Simple rooms can share a rover; hybrid or recorded rooms need their own technician.
Get a quote
Running a conference with breakouts? Send us the date, venue and headcount and we will come back with a plan and an itemized quote, same day on most events. Request a proposal or call John at 248-949-1141.