• Conducting a Video Conference
• Preparing Your Conferencing Room and Equipment

BEFORE the Conference:

• Notify all conference participants of the scheduled date and time. (If you selected our Prenotification service, then we will remind the participants for you.)
  
  
• Distribute materials in advance.
  
  
• Designate a facilitator to control the flow of the conference by following an agenda.
  
  
• Turn on your video conferencing equipment at least twenty minutes before the scheduled conference time.
  
  
• Be present at your desk or conference room at least five minutes prior to the start of the conference.

DURING the Conference:

• Look straight into the camera (when speaking), and minimize background movement.
  
  
• Speak clearly and distinctly.
  
  
• If your site is not participating in the conference, it is best to mute the audio feed from your location. (Remember that your video microphone is very sensitive and picks up noises such as rustling papers, whispering, and external conversations.)
  
  
• Identify yourself when you speak, or when you conduct a roll call to introduce the other participants.
  
  
• Do not interrupt other speakers. The facilitator should ask for feedback from one site rather than from many sites at once.
  
  
• Remember that a Conference Specialist is never far. You may signal us by selecting "*" and "0" on the dial-pad of your video conferencing equipment. Some systems may have an on-screen menu which you may use to signal us.

For common questions on video conferencing, please see FAQ.

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Acoustics
If you are setting up a conferencing room, make sure you design for "broadcast studio" quality. For example, you might not be aware of the noise coming from the fan of an air-conditioning unit located in your room. This type of background noise may be relaxing and rhythmic, but to the other participants of a video conference, it simply sounds like static from an unknown source.

Lighting
Participants should have lighting from the front as well as from the back. If possible, avoid natural lighting since it is unpredictable and may cast shadows upon the conference participants.

Camera and Microphone
Position the camera so that conference participants at other sites will receive the best view of your location. Especially with desktop equipment, be sure to place the camera as close to the screen as possible so your image to other participants is displayed as if you are looking at them. Also, remember to place the desktop unit's microphone within the direct sound of your voice.

Equipment
Become familiar with your video conferencing equipment. Know the placement of the controls, how to maneuver the camera, and how to use the auxiliary equipment. At least one conference participant at each site should know how to mute the audio feed. Be aware of the phone numbers assigned to the equipment you are using.

Movement
Minimize the background activity in your conferencing room since this may be very distracting for you as well as for the other participants. Also, speak clearly, and try to avoid rapid and constant movements. If you are video conferencing at a speed less than 384 kbps, quick movements are "strobed;" that is, the frame transmission rate cannot keep up with the movement. The wider the bandwidth, the better the frame rate and resolution.

These are simple suggestions that will greatly improve the quality of your video conference.

For common questions on video conferencing, please see FAQ.

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