Solstice Conference Pod Setup

This setup topic will walk you through setting up Solstice Pods for to connect to a video conferencing application. This guide assumes that Solstice Setup has been completed for your Solstice Pods, you have connected your Pods to your enterprise network via Ethernet, and the Baseline Deployment Steps have been completed.

Pre-Deployment Considerations

  • Solstice-enhanced BOYM video conferencing is far more versatile and cost effective than a traditional room system, but there are some prerequisites to ensure a high-quality conferencing experience. Our Solstice Conference Checklist outlines those specifications and the requirements of the various system components – meeting host laptop, local area network, and audio/video peripherals – most of which are consistent with best practice IT methodologies.
  • Ensure your network has a minimum bandwidth of 50 Mbps per active Solstice video conferencing session/room, has an end-to-end latency of less than 50 ms, and allows peer-to-peer TCP connections. Note that bandwidth utilization is largely dictated by a combination of conferencing application and conference camera used.
  • Ensure required network ports are open. To connect Solstice to a video conference, open the default base ports +17. (For example, if 53100–53102 are the configured base ports, open TCP/UDP ports 53100–53119.) Other network ports are required for other Solstice functionality. For more information on network port requirements for Solstice, see Network Requirements.
  • Deploy and configure the Solstice Discovery Service (SDS) (strongly recommended, required for a one-step start for scheduled video conferences).
  • Solstice Conference drivers must be installed in addition to the Mersive Solstice app. These drivers require elevated permissions to install. If users do not have elevated permissions, administrators may centrally deploy the app using MSI or SCCM installers.

    Mersive recommends the version of the Mersive Solstice app always match the software version of the Solstice Pod. Some versions of the Mersive Solstice app may require the versions to match exactly to connect Solstice resources to a video conference. Starting in version 5.5.1, users will be warned about mismatching versions but will still be able to share the Solstice display and access room cameras and mics connected to the Solstice Pod.

  • If you utilize a tool that limits program access, such as an anti-virus program or device management service, you will need to whitelist the Mersive Solstice app program files (on Windows: SolsticeClient.exe, SolsticeConference.exe, SolsticeVirtualDisplay.exe, rsusbipclient.exe).

Enabling Solstice Conferencing

To share the Solstice content sharing space and room devices with a video conference, you must have a Gen3 Solstice Pod and the Solstice Conference capability must be enabled by a Solstice admin. Before enabling Conference capabilities, it is strongly recommended that you to upgrade the Pod to the latest version of Solstice. For information on how to update a Solstice Pod, see Updating Solstice.

In Solstice 5.5 and later, Solstice Conference drivers are perpetually licensed, making content shared to Solstice and connected peripherals available to video conferencing apps after a Pod's Solstice Subscription has lapsed.

The Solstice Conferencing functionality can be enabled in two ways: using Solstice Cloud, Mersive's cloud-based management portal, or in Solstice Dashboard, an on-premises management tool that runs on a Windows computer on the local network. Solstice Pods must have internet access for these settings to be applied.

  1. From the Solstice Cloud Home page, in the left sidebar navigation panel, click Manage > Templates > Room Intelligence.
  2. Create a new template, or edit an existing template.
  3. Select the Enable Solstice Conferencing checkbox.
  4. Click Save.
  5. In the left sidebar menu of the Solstice Cloud portal, click Manage > Pods. The Pod Template Assignments table displays.
  6. Select the Gen3 Solstice Pods you want to enable Solstice Conferencing for. You can select the box for each Pod individually, or check the box in the header row to select all Pods.
  7. In the Room Intelligence column for one of the selected Pods, select the name of the template you just created or edited from the list.
  8. Click Confirm to apply the changes. A green notification that the template was applied will appear.

If a Pod is offline, any changes made will be applied when the Pod is back online.

  1. Open Solstice Dashboard.
  2. From the list of Your Solstice Instances, select the Gen3 Solstice Pods you wish to enable Solstice Conference for.
  3. Go to the Appearance and Usage tab > Usage and Management section.
  4. Under Solstice Conference, select the Enable radio button.
  5. Click Apply.

Integrating a Room Calendar

Integrating a room calendar with the Solstice Pod allows Solstice to display information on upcoming meetings in the space. Users can simply enter the video conference information in the meeting details and invite the room to reserve meeting space. Versions 5.5 and earlier of the Mersive Solstice can then launch the scheduled video conference when the meeting host connects to the Solstice display. For more on room calendar functionality in versions 5.5.1 and higher of the Mersive Solstice app, see the Mersive Solstice app update note.

Solstice administrators can integrate Microsoft Exchange, Microsoft 365, and Google Workspace room calendars with Solstice displays. There are two ways to integrate a room calendar: using Solstice Cloud, or using the Solstice Dashboard. Note that Solstice Pods must have internet access for these settings to be applied.

Solstice users who host video conferences in a Solstice room can also integrate their personal Microsoft Exchange or Microsoft 365 calendars with their Mersive Solstice apps to auto-launch scheduled web conferences. See the Mersive Solstice App topic for more information.

  1. From the Solstice Cloud Home page, in the left sidebar navigation panel, click Manage > Templates > Calendar.
  2. Create a new template, or edit an existing template.
  3. Select the Enable Calendar Feature checkbox.

  4. From the Calendar Type drop-down, select the type of calendar you are integrating (for the room): Microsoft Exchange or Office 365.

  5. If you are using Microsoft Exchange server, enter the Microsoft Exchange Server URL.

  6. In the Authentication type drop-down, select the type of authentication your server is using: Basic or NTLM.

  7. If you are a using an Impersonation Mailbox or a Delegation Mailbox, select the corresponding radio button.

    1. If you selected No, skip to step 7.
    2. If you selected either Impersonation or Delegation, you will need to enter the user name and password for the impersonation or delegation account (required).

      The login credentials for email accounts will need to be entered individually for each Pod on the Manage > All Pods page.

  8. If you wish to hide meeting titles or meeting organizers from being visible on the room display, deselect Show meeting titles and/or Show meeting organizers.
  9. From the Update Interval menu, select the frequency at which the Pod will update the calendar meeting information visible on the display.
  10. Click Save.
  11. In the left sidebar menu of the Solstice Cloud portal, click Manage > Pods. The Pod Template Assignments table will display.
  12. Select the Pods you want to integrate a room calendar for. You can check each Pod's box individually, or check the box in the header row to select all Pods in the table.
  13. Go to the Features column, click the value in that column for one of the selected Pods, then select the name of the template you just created or edited.
  14. In the pop-up asking to confirm the changes. Click Confirm. A green notification that the template was applied will display.

For Solstice 5.5 and earlier to auto-launch a scheduled video conference from the link in the body of a Microsoft 365 meeting invitation, the Microsoft Exchange server setting DeleteComments must be changed to $false for the room's Exchange or 365 mailbox account. When set to $true (default), the body of incoming meeting requests is removed, and the video conference cannot be auto-launched. For details on this Microsoft server setting, see the Microsoft documentation.

For more on room calendar functionality in versions 5.5.1 and higher of the Mersive Solstice app, see the Mersive Solstice app update note.

For more information about the additional Google Workspace configurations needed to integrate with Solstice, as well as how to obtain the necessary information for the fields below, see Google Workspace Settings for Integrating Resource Calendars with Solstice.

  1. From the Solstice Cloud Home page, in the left sidebar navigation panel, click Manage > Pods.

  2. Click the name of the Solstice Pod you want to integrate with a room calendar.

  3. On the Pod's Configuration Settings page, expand the Calendar settings section.
  4. Select the Enable Calendar Feature checkbox.
  5. From the Calendar Type drop-down, select Google Calendar.
  6. Click Upload service account credentials.
  7. Navigate to the location of the service account file you created for the Pod and select it.
  8. In the Room Email field, enter the resource email address.
  9. By default, the meeting titles and meeting organizers will be visible on the display. If you wish to hide these for all meetings, disable Show meeting titles and Show meeting organizers.
  10. From the Update Interval drop-down, select the frequency at which the Pod will update the calendar meeting information visible on the display.
  11. Click either Save as Unassigned or Save as New Template. A green notification will display to show the template was successfully applied.
  1. Open Solstice Dashboard.
  2. From the list of Your Solstice Instances, select the Solstice Pod you wish to integrate with a room calendar.
  3. Go to the Calendar tab.
  4. Select the Enabled option.
  5. From the Calendar Type drop-down, select the type of calendar you are integrating: Microsoft Exchange or Office 365.
  6. In the Server URL field, enter the Microsoft Exchange server URL if that is the type of calendar you are integrating.
  7. In the Authentication type drop-down, select the type of authentication your server is using: Basic or NTLM.
  8. Enter in the Username and Password for the room calendar account.
  9. If you are a using an Impersonation or Delegation Mailbox, enter them into the corresponding fields.
  10. By default, the meeting titles and meeting organizers will be visible on the display unless the meeting is marked in the organizer’s calendar application as “private.” If you wish to hide these for all meetings, disable the corresponding options under Privacy Settings.
  11. From the Update Interval drop-down, select the frequency at which the Pod will update the calendar meeting information visible on the display.
  12. Click Apply.

For Solstice 5.5 and earlier to auto-launch a scheduled video conference from the link in the body of a Microsoft 365 meeting invitation, the Microsoft Exchange server setting DeleteComments must be changed to $false for the room's Exchange or 365 mailbox account. When set to $true (default), the body of incoming meeting requests is removed, and the video conference cannot be auto-launched. For details on this Microsoft server setting, see the Microsoft documentation.

For more on room calendar functionality in versions 5.5.1 and higher of the Mersive Solstice app, see the Mersive Solstice app update note.

For more information about the additional Google Workspace configurations needed to integrate with Solstice, as well as how to obtain the necessary information for the fields below, see Google Workspace Settings for Integrating Resource Calendars with Solstice.

  1. Open Solstice Dashboard.
  2. From the list of Your Solstice Instances, select the Solstice Pod you wish to integrate with a room calendar.
  3. Go to the Calendar tab.
  4. Select the Enabled option.
  5. From the Calendar Type drop-down, select Google Calendar.
  6. In the Room Email field, enter the Calendar ID email address from the Google Calendar settings.
  7. Under Load service-account credentials, click Clear and then Yes if necessary.
  8. Click Upload.
  9. Navigate to the location of the service account you created for the Pod and select it.
  10. Click Test Connection. If the your configuration and credentials are correct a success screen will appear.

  11. On the Success screen click OK.
  12. By default, the meeting titles and meeting organizers will be visible on the display unless the meeting is marked in the organizer’s calendar application as “private.” If you wish to hide meeting titles or organizers for all meetings, disable the corresponding options under Privacy Settings.
  13. If want the calender information to update at a slower interval, select the new interval from the Update Interval menu.
  14. In the bottom corner of the Dashboard screen, click Apply. Calendar information will display on the Solstice Pod after the designed amount of time set for the Update Interval.

Enabling Screen Key (Optional)

Enabling the screen key verifies that users are in the meeting space and connecting to the correct Solstice display. It also allows quick connections to a Solstice display and Solstice-enabled video conferences by simply entering a display's 4-digit key in the Mersive Solstice app. Note that the Solstice Discovery Service (SDS) is required for this quick connect functionality.

When the screen key is not enabled, users can connect in one step by entering the Solstice display's URL. The screen key can be enabled in Solstice Cloud and Solstice Dashboard.

  1. In the Solstice Cloud left sidebar, navigate to Manage > Templates > Features.
  2. Create a new template, or edit an existing template.
  3. Under Solstice Feature Options, select the Enable screen key checkbox.
  4. Click Save.
  5. In the left navbar, click Manage > Pods.
  6. In the Pod Template Assignments table, select the Pods you want to enable a screen key for. You can check each Pod's box individually, or check the box in the header row to select all Pods.
  7. Go to the features column for one of the selected Pods, then select the name of the template you just created or edited from the drop-down list.
  8. Click Confirm to apply the change. A green notification will display to show the template was successfully applied.
  1. Open Solstice Dashboard.
  2. From the list of Your Solstice Instances, select the displays you wish to enable a screen key for.
  3. Go to the Security tab.
  4. Select Screen key enabled. A pop-up warning may appear.
  5. If you agree with the requirements of the warning, click Yes, enable Screen Key.
  6. Click Apply.

Centrally Deploy the Mersive Solstice App

To use the Solstice video conference connection functionality, users will need to install the Solstice Conference drivers with their Mersive Solstice app. These drivers wirelessly connect room audio and video devices to the host laptop and allow the meeting host to share the Solstice display to remote participants through their video conferencing app.

In Solstice 5.5 and later, Solstice Conference drivers are installed separately from the Mersive Solstice app on Windows and macOS. After the user has installed the Mersive Solstice app, the option to install the Solstice Conference drivers appears in the Room Camera + Mic tab. A user must have administrator privileges on their laptop to successfully install Solstice Conference drivers. These drivers are optional; Solstice can be used for in-person wireless content sharing and collaboration without installing the additional drivers.

For most enterprise users of Solstice conferencing, Mersive recommends pre-installing or centrally deploying the latest version of the Mersive Solstice app and Solstice Conference drivers through the use of centralized management (MSI or SCCM).  Administrators can pre-install and configure Solstice conferencing functionality on user devices without giving users elevated privileges. (Note that these admin-installed versions of the Mersive Solstice app and Solstice Conference drivers cannot be auto-updated by users upon connecting to a Pod running a newer version of Solstice.) Learn more about deploying Solstice with MSI or SCCM.

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Solstice Conference Physical Setup