Virtual meeting applications have recently exploded in popularity due to the COVID19 pandemic and the need to work from home. The kitchen table is now the office desk. This new work environment creates unique technological challenges. I frequently hear, “my WebEx experience stinks” or “other people in my meeting are saying my audio and/or video is poor”. I hear you! I know how it feels when trying to understand and hear others, and hope they are hearing and understanding you too. In this article, I will teach you how to get the most from this technology so your next virtual meeting will be an awesome experience!
There are many different virtual meeting services available today. WebEx, Zoom, and Microsoft Teams are popular virtual meeting providers. Each provider offers their own flavor of experience in hopes that you’ll like the way they do it and use more of their product. Regardless of how they do it, the process on the back end is the same. As a virtual meeting attendee, your PC is responsible for capturing your voice and video, turning this information into digital data, and then finally transmitting it over the Internet to all the other meeting attendees. So, first and foremost, you need to use a modern PC or Mac running the latest version of MS Windows or Mac OS. You will also need a quality Internet connection with enough speed to handle bidirectional audio and video streaming. Most DSL and cable Internet service providers can provide this level of service. You must also have an ample wireless signal if using WIFI in your home. I do not recommend using cellular hotspots.
Next, you will need a quality microphone and set of speakers. There are many different types of microphones. You will need a microphone that is directional and sensitive enough to pick up your voice, but not ambient background noise. A good example of a bad microphone for this purpose is the one built into most laptops. These microphones are omnidirectional and designed to pick up all sounds. This usually results in poor audio quality for voice meeting purposes. The same goes for speakers. You will need speakers that can produce quality sound at an acceptable volume. There are two ways to design this. You can use a set of external speakers and an external microphone to achieve a speakerphone like experience. Or, if you require something more private, you can use headsets with an integrated mic like the ones commonly used for gaming. Believe it or not, the ear buds that came with your mobile phone will work perfectly for this purpose. Just plug them into the speaker/mic combo port on your laptop. That is unless you have the new Apple ear buds with the lightning connector. These will not work. You can also use Bluetooth ear buds. Just pair them using Bluetooth to your laptop. Apple Air Pods work great when connected via Bluetooth to your laptop.
Finally, using video during your meetings is recommended and creates a richer experience than audio alone. If video is desired, you will need a video camera capable of at least 720p resolution at 15 frames per second. 1080p at 30 frames per second is ideal. Newer built in laptop cameras are capable of this and would be acceptable. Make sure you have ample light and that you are practicing good ergonomics to protect your head and neck. Also, be mindful of what meeting attendees may see other than you. It can be a security risk if items in your personal environment are viewable around you.
I have found virtual meetings to be a valuable tool to enable remote collaboration with other team members. The following are components that have worked well for me:
For a speakerphone like experience:
- Logitech c920 webcam with built in microphone
- Bose Companion 2 Series III Multimedia Speakers
Or, for more private situations
- Logitech c920 webcam
- Jabra Engage 65 headset
No comments:
Post a Comment