Help me find a video-conference suite in Troy (or Albany), New York

February 25, 2016 8:18 AM

Dear hivemind, I need your help! For some reason, Google Fu is failing me, and I am extremely short of time. Sometime today, I need to find a hardware-based videoconferencing suite in Troy, NY or Albany, NY, for a job interview I'll have on March 8 while visiting the area for a separate interview on March 7. To make things more complicated, I'll need to do one meeting at 5:45am EST and another at 9:45am EST. The (foreign) institution that is interviewing me, has not been very helpful. All they've said is that I'll need to find a suite that is compatible with a Tandberg Edge 95MXP system. And they want to do a test run on March 1.

I've used Skype and other software videoconferencing solutions a hundred times, but the whole corporate IP-based hardware video conferencing world is new to me. When I search videoconferencing suite albany, I get lots of hits for software solutions. That doesn't help me!


Arghh. I barely have time to prepare for either interview, let alone spend all my time figuring this out. I was hoping that for someone familiar with this world, this might be an easy question.

Thanks!

posted by betsbillabong to Technology (9 answers total)

I can't personally vouch for them, but googling sent me to Proximity, which has a facility in Albany and claims to be "network agnostic." It appears to be open 24/7. My search terms were "rental videoconferencing albany ny."
posted by slmorri at 8:23 AM on February 25, 2016

Universities often have this type of setup and will sometimes make them available for rent. SUNY's page doesn't mention commercial use, but if you strike out with other options, you might give them (or other universities) a call. They might at least know who in the area offers commercial use.
posted by Candleman at 8:38 AM on February 25, 2016

Response by poster: Thanks - maybe SUNY is a good idea. I'll be right at RPI, but it's a little tricky since I'm interviewing with them the day before!
posted by betsbillabong at 8:42 AM on February 25, 2016

If you run into a complete lack of other options, Polycom does offer desktop software that will work with their Tandberg. I would not recommend any of the free H.323 videoconferencing programs for something as important as an interview.
posted by Candleman at 8:58 AM on February 25, 2016

hotels that cater to the business meeting crowd are another possibility.
posted by smokyjoe at 10:13 AM on February 25, 2016

I'm not familiar with the technology, but to elaborate on smokeyjoe's response, does it look like the Hilton Garden Inn in Troy might have what you need?

Hudson Valley Community College in Troy also has some facilities.
posted by Kriesa at 10:15 AM on February 25, 2016

Response by poster: Still looking if anyone has any further suggestions. I would have thought this to be much easier! Have found something half an hour away but there must be something in Albany - it's the state capital!
posted by betsbillabong at 10:11 AM on February 26, 2016

Sprint/Kinko's used to have videoconferencing rooms for rent, though I believe they've either discontinued or at least reduced the service.
posted by Candleman at 2:42 PM on February 26, 2016

Also, most Cisco telepresence systems will be able to connect to their endpoint, so you might use that as a keyword for searches rather than videoconferencing.
posted by Candleman at 2:44 PM on February 26, 2016