To connect a ceiling microphone to a video bar, use a ceiling mic the bar's maker supports for that system, or route a third-party ceiling mic through a DSP into the room PC with the bar in USB mode. Most video bars can't take an analog ceiling mic directly, so check the bar's supported-accessories list before buying.
Your three options
| Option | How it connects | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Same-brand ceiling mic | Network or proprietary cable to the bar or codec | Simplest setup; certified as a system |
| Pendant-mounted expansion mic | Bar's expansion mic hung from the ceiling | Systems with table mic pods |
| Third-party ceiling mic + DSP | DSP to room PC over USB; bar used as camera only or as speaker | Large or custom rooms |
1. Use a ceiling mic built for your system
- Yealink CM20: 16-mic beamforming ceiling array with PoE and AES67, for Yealink Teams and Zoom room systems.
- Poly IP Ceiling Microphone: white 360° PoE ceiling mic array for the Poly G7500.
- AVer FONE700: ceiling speakerphone plus DSP hub, daisy-chain up to 4.
Check the product page for which bars and codecs each mic supports.
2. Hang an expansion mic from the ceiling
The Logitech Mic Pod Pendant Mount hangs a Rally Mic Pod from the ceiling. The Rally Mic Pod 2 Mount supports table or ceiling mounting for Mic Pod 2. Extend runs with the Rally Mic Pod Extension Cable.
3. Use a DSP
For third-party ceiling mics (for example from brands we don't carry, such as Shure or Sennheiser), a DSP handles mixing and echo cancellation and connects to the room PC by USB. The bar then serves as the camera and possibly the speaker. This is a design job: the DSP must see the speaker output as its echo-cancellation reference.
Steps (same-brand network ceiling mic)
- Confirm compatibility with your exact bar or codec and firmware version.
- Plan placement. Put the mic over the table, not over the display or speakers. Follow the maker's height and coverage guidance. See ceiling microphone conference room.
- Run the cable. Use a plenum-rated cable where code requires it, back to a PoE switch port.
- Mount it with the ceiling kit, keeping it level and away from HVAC vents.
- Pair or discover. In the bar's or codec's admin settings, add the mic. Network mics usually need to be on the same network segment.
- Disable unused mics if the design calls for it, such as the bar's own mics in a large room.
- Update firmware on the bar and the mic.
- Test from every seat with a remote caller. Check pickup, echo and noise.
Common mistakes
- Buying an analog ceiling mic for a bar with no audio input.
- Running two separate mic systems, so echo cancellation can't work.
- Mounting the mic over the display, where it picks up the speaker.
- Putting the mic near an HVAC vent.
- Putting network mics on a VLAN the bar can't reach.
Background: ceiling microphone arrays, Dante audio, best ceiling microphones and how to improve audio in a large conference room.
Not sure your bar supports a ceiling mic? Send us the model and room size and we'll confirm the options.
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