Desktop Video Conferencing

Via Webcam

This image was snapped from my onboard webcam.  The addition of face-to-face in a conversation can make a world of difference.

enlarge

In Kevin Roberts book Sisomo, he makes the point that people connect with screens the same way they connect with people face-to-face.  If your church has a video venue, you know that this is true.  Congregations will laugh at jokes, show concern at tears, and frequently respond to questions asked just as if the pastor were right there in the room with them.

Just this week, I was in a converstation where a business associate lamented that the digital world takes away from the face-to-face; however, I'm not sure I agree with that. In many ways it makes a new face-to-face possible. And make no mistake, connection to faces is powerful.  In fact, my personal theory is that this is the reason Facebook eclipsed MySpace.  While MySpace celebrated avatars and customizable homepages, Facebook structured it's interface around people's actual faces.  And people are hard-wired to connect to faces.

With that in mind, you have multiple options for desktop video conferencing. The most popular apps are designed to automatically recognize your camera, microphone, and speakers, so you don't need to worry about configuration.  The following are a few of the free options that you might want to check out:

Windows Live Messenger, AIM, and other instant messengers.  Almost all the instant messenging applications allow you to add a video component.  And while there may be a bit of a lag depending on your connection, it is surprisingly effective for one-on-one conversations. I've even used it on an international conference call and the results were surpisingly good. Given that many people already have IM accounts, this may be the quickest option to set up a video call with someone in a mode they feel comfortable with.

Skype.  In my experience, Skype is the most popular option internationally.  A key part of the service allows users to make Internet-based VoIP (voice over Internet protocol) phone calls free to anyone in the world with Skype on their PC. It also allows for affordable calls from PC to landlines and cell phones worldwide. But the best part? Video calls are free.  Skype offers surprisingly high quality for video and is a great option for one-to-one conversations.

Adobe ConnectNow.  For video conferencing with multiple people where screen sharing is important, Adobe ConnectNow is an easy to use option and for up to five participants is free. With features such as video whiteboard, messaging (either to the group or privately to one participant), unique meeting room URL and teleconference call in, Adobe ConnectNow is one of the best options for collaboration. Before first use, you will want to give yourself a bit of set up time. The meeting organizer or "host" will need to set up an Adobe account and will be prompted to set up their meeting room URL. (Users logon as guests.)  All participants will be prompted to load a browser plug in, but all in all the set up is quick and easy.

TokBox. Tokbox is by far the best option for video conferencing with a volume of participants. (You can easily have 20-25 people in a  multi-party call.) There is no need to download anything making it easy to start and join a call. Only the person initiating a conference call needs to have Tokbox account (which is free and takes seconds to set up). Tokbox works with both Windows and Mac as well as all major web browsers (Firefox, Safari, Internet Explorer).  To get people on the call, simply e-mail or Tweet out the unique URL for the call.  People click on the link and join the call.  Visuals can also be viewed jointly. You can share a YouTube video or SlideShare presentation and watch it together. 

What equipment you will need? Most of your equipment decisions will be based on the quality you require. You can typically get a webcamera that is "good enough" in the $30 range and more and more laptops are coming with onboard cameras. If you are using an external camera, positioning is important.  You want to put it at the top center (or bottom center depending on height) of your monitor so that you look at the lens head on while viewing the other person on screen. You can improve your image by adjusting the lighting on your face. This is can be done with the simple angling of a gooseneck desk lamp, but the elimination of shadows can improve how friendly you look on screen. Many cameras come bundled with an earphone/microphone combo.

So, now all that's left to do is connect, and the results of adding video to an otherwise voice-only exchange can be powerful. Never underestimate the value of the face-to-face.  Even if it is on a video screen.

Post a Comment

Comment limit: 500 characters (about 100 words).
Inappropriate or offensive comments will be promptly removed.

Your Name/Handle: