Video conferencing is becoming the simplest way to communicate and collaborate. The following 5 tips will help renovate your meeting space into the greatest video conferencing room possible!
- Prepping the room: The ultimate video conference room should not have any interior or exterior windows. The sunlight brings lighting issues and open windows cause distractions from people walking by the conference room. If this is unavoidable, purchase window coverings to help avoid glare and even out any lighting conditions. Make sure to angle the camera away from any windows.
- Locating the camera: If the camera has one screen it should be placed above the screen and in most cases placed in the center. If there are two screens the camera should be positioned above and between the two screens. The monitors should be situated somewhat above the conference table or at head height, so eye contact is initiated.
- Mic Placement: A table top microphone or conference phone usually does the job for a small video conferencing room. However, for a large video conferencing room ceiling mics are the best option, as they pick up voices only and not surrounding noises that can be a nuisance. Whatever your circumstances, try to use the 1 mic per 2 people ratio.
- Seating: Traditional conference room chairs can make it difficult to see everyone in the room, so try using chairs with lower backs. Additionally, using a round or oval table permits everyone to be better situated and to see and be seen, rather than a long rectangular table. This also prevents people from having to move in order to speak into a microphone.
- Data Sharing: While many solutions offer to use presentation sharing on the same display as the video, this actually excludes the idea of having a video call. A great resolution is to mount another screen to provide any data or visuals to be shared during the call without having to interrupt “eye contact” with the participants.
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