Troubleshooting Video Conferences

A guide on the best practices that should be followed when having a video conference. This will help eliminate some of the harsh feedback that sometimes occurs during meetings.

About

When setting up a video meeting in a room, it is important to follow these best practices that should optimise the audio quality.

Steps

• Move the microphone closer to the sound source
• Reduce the number of open microphones 
• Avoid feedback loops by muting your microphones when in a room with speakers.
• Use headsets or earphones to avoid echo.
• Mute your microphones when not speaking.
• Do not introduce multiple laptops and desk speakers into the same conference room.
• Do not use the speakerphone on mobile devices. Not all devices have built-in echo cancellation as it can result in a poor audio experience.

Tips to improve a video conferencing meeting if you are remote

If you participate remotely in a video conference, follow these instructions to ensure the best experience:

1.  

• Make sure you have a reliable internet connection.
• Ensure that you have a camera, microphone, and headphones or speakers available. Earbuds or headphones are preferable to avoid audio feedback and echo. Most modern laptops and all-in-one desktops have a headphone jack, microphone, and speakers built in. Using a device with noise cancellation technology built in ITS recommends: Jabra Speak. A portable speakerphone, which allows for clearer conversations and more efficient meetings.
  • Call from a quiet location with no background noise. 
    Hint: Please mute yourself when you are not speaking to avoid echoing during the meeting.

     

• Close blinds on windows so that you are easier to see on video.

2.  

• Open your meeting early

• Allow time to test your atmosphere before you begin

• Test your speakers and microphones

• Make sure your audio connections are audible to your participants

• Distance microphones from speakers

• Keeping microphones away from speakers will limit echo and feedback

• The use of a headset with a microphone is highly recommended, especially for presenters

• Cycle through all content

• Once all participants have joined, click through each document in your content list

DURING THE MEETING

• All participants should keep their sound muted while listening to the presentation

• Use the built-in chat function to raise any questions or issues about your connection

• Please consider leaving your meeting and then rejoining it if you are experiencing any connectivity or audio issues.

Additional Resources:

Please see this link for more best practices and troubleshooting tips: Video Conferencing Best Practices and Troubleshooting

Partially reposted from:  A Video Conference in Real Life https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JMOOG7rWTPg