Crestron launches Collab Engine for improved remote business activity

Superyacht owners increasingly see their pleasure palaces and work domains coming together at sea. An all-important business meeting can be as likely to happen on a superyacht as a Scuba excursion. In the first quarter of 2027, Crestron Electronics is launching Collab Engine, which brings content, collaboration, and control together in one device. The company says the system can be installed in a superyacht environment where there may be a dedicated office onboard. 

Certified for Microsoft Teams® Rooms, Collab Engine powers virtually every space on one platform, removing the need for a room-by-room approach with a core device that can scale across an entire global footprint.

“The idea behind it is fairly straightforward,” says Joel Mulpeter, senior director of product marketing at Crestron. “We wanted to create a platform that could turn virtually any room into a collaboration space via a single, standardised device.” He adds: “Collab Engine brings a complete stack into one solution: deployment, core, and peripherals. It brings technology into rooms consistently and delivers intelligence at the edge, including AV and compute, making it the heart of an ecosystem of devices that could adapt to just about every room type and workflow.” 

^{Collab Engine is designed for compact deployment}

Collab Engine features native integration of Crestron Intelligent Video and Intelligent Audio, with each space designed around the use case. Camera coverage keeps participants in frame as the conversation moves around the room, and audio is tuned to the layout and acoustics so remote participants can always hear clearly.

Collab Engine is based on the Android operating system and a device built on the Microsoft Device Ecosystem Platform (MDEP) for enterprise security and delivering familiar IT management frameworks. With two operating modes, IT teams can choose between a native or an open experience to support the preferred approach of their users. Microsoft Teams Rooms mode brings a native Microsoft Teams experience with one-touch join. Crestron’s AirMedia technology delivers wireless presentation and conferencing for bring-your-own-device (BYOD) connections across platforms.

Collab Engine is available in two models: the Collab Engine 4100 and the Collab Engine 4200. Beyond video conferencing support, both models include a Crestron 4-Series Control System providing full room automation. The XiO Cloud technology operations management platform adds further support for centralized deployment, monitoring, and management at scale. Additionally, DM NVX AV-over-IP distribution is available on the Collab Engine 4200 for network-based distribution.