Ports, Devices & Configurator
For items that connect to other equipment or sense the room — mainly the AV & video collaboration family — a 3D model isn't enough on its own. The platform also needs to know where the connectors are and where the active parts sit. That's what the 3D Equipment Configurator captures.
The configurator sits on the item's 3D model and holds two kinds of information: ports and placed devices.
Ports
A port is a physical connector on the item. Each port has:
- Name — a label, e.g. HDMI 1, Power 1
- Type — the connector kind, e.g. HDMI, Power
- Direction — In, Out, or both
Ports drive cable routing. When two items are connected in a design, their ports determine which cables are needed and how they run. Outlets are modelled the same way — their ports appear in the Cable Guide as the room's connection points.
Placed devices
A device is an active component positioned on the model — a camera, microphone, speaker, or screen. Placing a device records where on the item it lives, so the platform can reason about what it covers.
Placed devices drive coverage overlays in BMR Studio:
- a camera contributes a field of view,
- a microphone a pickup range,
- a speaker a coverage area,
- a screen a visibility zone.
How it's configured
Ports and devices are positioned directly on the 3D model using the configurator: pick Place Port (or the device type), then click the point on the model surface where it belongs. Each placement is saved with the item, so every instance dropped into a room carries the same connectors and coverage.
Like the rest of an item's data, ports and placed devices are configured by the BMR team when the item is added to the catalog.
Which items need this
| Family | Ports | Placed devices |
|---|---|---|
| AV & Video Collaboration | ● | ● |
| Connectivity (Outlets) | ● | — |
| Acoustic, Furniture, Mounting | — | — |
See Requirements by Category for the full picture.