Video Conferencing FAQ

If you are considering getting video conference equipment or you even recently purchased one- you probably have some burning questions you have been dying to ask.

Video conferencing has a lot of advantages. It saves businesses time, money and increases productivity.

Challenge is: Getting a video conference solution for your business is not as straightforward as it seems.

There are tons of things to consider.

In this resource, you will find answers to frequently asked questions about video conferencing.

Feel free to jump around, each of these links will take you to a different video conference FAQ.

Top Video Conferencing Frequently Asked Questions

1: What is Video Conferencing?

Video conferencing is a type of online meeting where two or more people engage in a live audio-visual call. Additionally, you will be needing a video conferencing system that suits your needs. It could be:

A: Telepresence Video Conferencing System so that telecommuters can feel like they are attending the meeting in person.
B: Desktop Video Conferencing System with inbuilt hardware and software for video conferencing.
C: Room-Based Video Conferencing builds on the conferencing technology in the room.

2: What is the Science Behind Video Calling?

The science behind video calling involves two processes: compression and transfer. In compression, the camera and microphone capture analog audiovisual input, and use the data as continuous waves of frequencies and amplitudes, representing brightness, depth, and shades. Codecs convert the data into digital packets, with compression to minimize bandwidth usage.

During the transfer, packets are sent to cloud service providers, then transmitted to conference participants combining voice and video from each participant. These packet data are decompressed by codecs once they reach the endpoint. Codecs convert it to analog audio and video, enabling speakers to view and hear the AV data.

3: How Do I Get Good Lighting for Video Conferencing?

To get good lighting for video conferencing, wear dark clothes, don't sit directly in front of the window, keep the light source above or behind your device's camera, use an adjustable desk or pendant lamp so that your device's line of vision is properly illuminated, a movable desk lamp provides good lighting angle, ditch harsh bulbs for warmer ones, warm light bulbs mimic natural light and softens harsh shadows.

For lighting balance, try the three-point lighting concept, where the primary light source is kept behind the camera, secondary light placed adjacent to it, and then you need a back source of light.

4: What Things Must Be Installed on Your Computer in Order to Have Video Conferencing?

NB: If you are using a video conferencing solution, you don’t need to install any software on your computer.

Things that must be installed on your computer for video conferencing include:

A standard video conferencing Solution that has secure data transmission, and file sharing, is browser-based and has a white-label or smart board that allows participants to customize identity.
A high-resolution webcam like Logitech.
External speakers and microphones.
Headsets.
Wifi, or modem for a stronger internet connection.
An HD television or projector for better display. As your laptop screen may not suffice if you're meeting with multiple people.
USB 3.0 for faster data transfer and receipt, it also ensures that anything playing through it will run smoothly.

5: What is the Cheapest Way to Video Conference?

If you are a one-person entrepreneur, or a small business video conferencing on a budget, then the cheapest way for you to video conference is to make use of free video conferencing software like Zoho, Zoom, Google Hangout, Google Meet, Skype, or RingCentral which offer standard service packages at affordable rates or entirely for free.

Another thing you could try is to check for websites where you can buy video conference equipment, sold at cheap prices that are still high quality. You could also reduce costs, by creating your conference studio by yourself using the equipment that you bought.

6: What Do You Mean by Video Conferencing?

Video conferencing is a type of live video meeting that allows multiple people in different geographical areas, to interact in real-time using video devices.

By using a technology that can transmit and harness audio, text, and video presentations via the internet, people can collaborate with each other face to face, without them needing to be in the same room.

The process of video conferencing is particularly helpful for big corporations with a large team on their payroll, and small businesses owners as well, as it effectively reduces the challenges that come with communication within a team and long-distance travel.

7: What Do You Mean by Audio Conferencing?

Audio conferencing is when people in different areas can talk to each other via audio call, using conference bridge technology. Unlike traditional phone calls where you can only speak to one person or few persons at once, the audio conference has certain provisions that allow it to contain the call capacity you will need for your team.

In this type of conference, participants can all call in into a central system that connects them directly to a single call, rather than them putting a call one after the other. The purpose of audio conferencing is to enable simultaneous communications and collaborations.

8: How Important is Video Conferencing Nowadays?

Nowadays, video conferencing is important as it has many benefits, especially to businesses like reducing costs, enhancing productivity, cutting down time spent on work, reducing travel costs, and smoothening communication and collaboration between teams. It is a vital part of the workforce as it is easy to use these benefits, without needing to travel for face-to-face communications.

With video conferencing, teams can function better and brainstorming sessions can go over easily, without any hindrances like location or time zones. It is a sure way to keep every member of your company whether they are working remotely or not connected.

9: How Can I Use My TV for Video Conferencing?

To use your TV for video conferencing, it has to be a smart TV that enables you to video call with it using a webcam, apps, screen mirroring, screencasting, or fire TV stick to video call with it. Some Smart TVs already have their own webcam or are compatible with external cameras you can attach to the TV.

Additionally, you could get the Amazon Fire TV stick and plug it into your TV's HDMI port, you could also install a video conferencing software of your choice. You could also mirror your screen from your laptop or tablet to the Smart TV.

10: What Are The Advantages of Video Conferencing?

The advantages of video conferencing are endless and can be attested to by various businesses who have adopted it as part of their company communications systems. Some of those benefits include live product demos, video conferencing that can be used for holding meetings, negotiating, and closing deals, hosting classes and webinars, and for conducting interviews.

Other advantages of video conferencing are it improves communication within an organization, it ensures collaborations are done uniformly, it saves money spent on travels and training, it saves time, increases productivity, builds strong relationships between team members, improves attendance, and employee presence, it structures meetings.

11: How Do I Set Up Video Conferencing?

To set up video conferencing, things you'll need are:

A connected TV or multiple display systems: This is dependent on the size of the room you will use for the meeting. But keep in mind that large rooms will require a larger display and if you are meeting with multiple participants, you will need a large screen as well.
A video conferencing system: that includes an HD camera, video processing codec, and one that can send and receive encrypted video information and decode it as a live video.
A conference phone: has standard features that let you navigate calls efficiently.

12: What Is Good Internet Speed for Video Conferencing?

A good internet speed is an essential part of video conferencing, for starters it lets you see the other participants clearly and ensures the meeting progresses without hitches.

To choose a good internet connection, check the download speed, it ensures that you can see video sent by participants, upload speed determines how others will see your video stream, and the latency, which is how well your speech syncs with your video.

Internet speeds to consider for video conferencing are 1 Mbps, 1.5 Mbps, 3 Mbps, 200 Mbps to support Skype calls, or 4 Mbps. A higher Mbps is better.

13: What Are The Types of Video Conferencing?

The types of video conferencing are:

One-on-one video calls, between managers and employees, to effectively monitor employees' work.
Internal video meetings are used to keep team members, especially remote workers updated, and ensure that every teammate works together as one unit.
External video calls/ customer and vendor relationships, are calls between you and customers or you and your vendors.
Large / all-hands meetings are made occasionally to give updates about important company events and milestones.
Desktop video conferencing is for professionals on the move, and office workers.

14: What Are the Basic Requirements for Video Conferencing?

The basic requirements for video conferencing are essentials like a high-quality webcam to ensure a better display and that other participants can see your face and read your expressions, a good network bandwidth to easily stream video calls, download files, share screens, and host multiple participants without hitches, a good video conferencing that has features which facilitate smooth video calling, microphone for clear audio and speakers for better sound.

Other requirements for video conferencing are cloud-based mobility that enables your team to make and receive video calls in a few clicks simultaneously, a centralized platform where information on past calls is stored.

15: Why is Video Conferencing Important in Education?

Besides the fact that it is convenient, video conferencing is important in education because it enhances collaboration and communication between students and instructors, it allows for the invitation of guest lecturers globally, students can record lessons and rewatch in the future enabling them to learn at their own pace, it connects students from all over the world, lecturers can engage students who are in the same time zone with them or outside it.

Video conferencing in education also lets instructors share files, study materials, and assignments in real-time. Moreover, students can also ask questions as the classes are going on.

16: What Are the Dos and Don'ts of Video Conferencing?

Do's and don'ts of video conferencing:

Do ensure you look presentable and put together. Do take care of your hygiene. Don't show up for your meeting looking unkempt. People can still see you.
Do use the appropriate body language, maintain eye contact, sit straight, nod occasionally to show you are listening, and ask questions when necessary.
Don't fold your arms.
Do choose a plain background for your meetings.
Do choose good lighting that isn't too harsh.
Don't set up your conference in a dark or noisy area. Ensure your face is showing and you can hear others and be heard.

17: What is the Purpose of Video Conferencing?

The core purpose of video conferencing is to empower easier face-to-face discussions between multiple people in different locations. It was created as an alternative to traditional phone conferences and offers businesses a cost-effective solution to connecting with employees, stakeholders, and clients.

Additionally, video conferencing serves the purpose of a cost-reducing substitute to existing methods of keeping in touch with people, it is aimed at reducing travel costs, cost of hotel rooms to lodge employees on company assignments and meeting rooms as well, plus it increases profits for businesses as it helps them run their daily company operations smoothly.

18: How Does Video Conferencing Compare to Face to Face Conferencing?

Both video conferencing and face-to-face conferencing are effective methods of holding a conference, and both of them come with their own set of problems, however, video conferencing is much more efficient.

While video conferencing serves any organization size whether small or large, face-to-face conferencing won't be as effective for larger corporations with offices around the globe.

Video conferencing doesn't require much scheduling, you don't have to wait for everyone to be in the same place before you hold a meeting, unlike face-to-face conferencing where everyone has to be present and in the same location.

19: What is the Difference Between Audio and Video Conferencing?

The major difference between audio and video conferencing is, that audio conferencing participants rely on voice and hearing to communicate, video conferencing participants use visuals, audio, and voice to communicate.

Audio conferencing is a conference where attendees can only hear each other’s voices. While video conferencing has both audio and video which means participants can see and hear each other.

An audio conference is suited for brief meetings as it is easy to lose focus if the meeting is longer. While video conferences are better for longer business meetings so that the participants can focus because they can all see each other.

20: Is Video Conferencing Appropriate for Business Meetings?

Yes, video conferences are appropriate for business meetings. Video conferencing is better for hosting business meetings as it offers several benefits and quality, audio or face-to-face meeting won't give you. For one, it saves time as you don't have to wait for everyone to arrive in one location before you can start the meeting.

Video conferencing is more efficient when it comes to communicating in meetings, as you can read the participants' facial expressions and body language. You could also use it for product demos, brainstorming sessions, and share screens to keep your team apprised of project progress.

21: What Is The Most Popular Video Conferencing Solution for Business?

The most popular video conferencing solutions for businesses whether large or small are software like - Zoom Meetings, Skype, Google Meet, Google Hangout, GoToMeeting, and Microsoft Teams.

They are important because they ensure convenience for businesses to connect online with their employees for video calls and meetings. They use cloud-based technology, which makes them accessible and affordable to modern workplaces that need it to manage their daily operations.

The work-from-home working style adopted by more companies is possible because of these video conferencing solutions because businesses' productivity and profits aren't affected whether everyone comes to the office or not.

22: How Do I Set up Video Conferencing for My Business?

To set up video conferencing for your business, you need video conferencing solutions that cater to your business needs.

Next, get equipment like a TV or multiple displays; the size of the TV or displays you get depends on the size of the meeting room, video conferencing system which consists of an HD camera and a full video processing codec and can send and receive encrypted video information and decrypt it as live video on your meeting room display, and for audio, a touchscreen conference phone that has features like echo cancellation, automatic gain control, and automatic noise reduction.

23: Is Video Conferencing Hard to Use?

Generally, video conferencing is not that hard to use, with the proper training and the right video software, anyone can use video conferencing to host meetings, classes, or long-running webinars.

The ease of using video conferencing depends on the type of video conferencing software you choose, some video conference systems are easier to use than others, they are quite self-explanatory and provide guides on how to use them once installed. To find the easiest video conferencing for you, experiment with some popular video conferencing software until you find the easiest one that works best for you or your business.

24: How Do I Prepare for a Video Conferencing?

Ensure all attendees have the proper bandwidth for the meeting - The right network bandwidth prevents delays and disruptions in calls.
Test your equipment - before the meeting, test cameras, microphones, displays, speakers, and ensure your laptop or desktop isn't lagging behind on updates.
Do a mock call - you can video call a friend or another coworker to ensure that everything is working as it should.
Invite all participants on time - to avoid lateness and last-minute delays.
Open meeting channels early - this gives attendees time to settle in and set up properly before the meeting starts.

25: What Are the Advantages of Audio Conferencing?

The advantages of audio conferencing are:

It is flexible - audio conferencing doesn't require excessive setup like internet, cameras, and displays. It is also accessible, more straightforward to communicate with because people are already familiar with it, and easy to use.
Efficient - audio conferencing is efficient and quicker.
High-quality calls - unlike video conferencing, audio conferencing doesn't involve the transfer of large amounts of data, it only focuses on passing across information, which means you get high-quality calls not disrupted by slow networks.
Security - Audio conferencing is more secure than video conferencing, and can't be hacked by perpetrators who disturb participants.

There you have it. A list of the most common video conferencing questions. Looking for recommendations on video conferencing equipment to buy.