Application Notes: Dante in Corporate AV Installations
Boardrooms, conference rooms, campuses, lobbies — real-world deployment scenarios Corporate AV is among the most practical deployment target for…
Overview
This guide covers deploying KanexPro COL-HUD switchers in small BYOD conference rooms — typically 2–8 people with one or two displays, requiring wireless-free laptop connection, USB peripheral sharing, and corporate network access.
Choosing the Right Model
| SKU | Inputs | Outputs | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| COL-HUD-21 | 1×HDMI + 1×USB-C (100W PD) | 1×HDMI | Single display, mixed HDMI/USB-C room |
| COL-HUD-21D | 2×USB-C (50W+50W PD) | 1×HDMI | Single display, both presenters use USB-C |
| COL-HUD-42 | 2×HDMI + 2×USB-C (100W PD) | 2×HDMI | Dual display, up to 4 sources, larger huddle rooms |
Typical Setup — COL-HUD-21 / COL-HUD-21D
- Place the unit on the conference table or mount under the table surface.
- Connect the HDMI output to the room display.
- Place USB-C and/or HDMI cables on the table for presenter access.
- Connect USB peripherals (webcam, speakerphone) to the USB 3.2 ports.
- Connect both LAN ports to the corporate network switch. One port is for device management and 802.1x authentication; the second provides a passthrough port for a laptop Ethernet connection.
- Power on. The unit auto-detects the active source and switches automatically.
Typical Setup — COL-HUD-42 (Dual Display)
- Connect up to 4 sources (2×HDMI + 2×USB-C).
- Connect HDMI OUT 1 to the primary display and HDMI OUT 2 to the secondary display.
- Use the front panel matrix buttons to route any input to either output independently.
- Connect USB peripherals to the USB 3.2 ports for KVM sharing across sources.
802.1x Network Authentication
Both LAN ports support 802.1x port-based authentication. The switcher authenticates to the corporate network independently of the connected laptops. The second Ethernet port provides passthrough access for a laptop that cannot perform 802.1x itself. See Network Setup: Dual LAN, 802.1x & Dante Audio for configuration details.
USB-C PD Charging
- COL-HUD-21: 100W on USB-C port — charges most laptops at full speed while presenting.
- COL-HUD-21D: 50W+50W split across both USB-C ports — charges two laptops simultaneously.
- COL-HUD-42: 100W on the primary USB-C port.
