What is "Virtual Meeting"?
"Virtual Meeting" is one of two videoconference modes, the other being Virtual Classroom (see below). In a Virtual Meeting, up to 4 individuals can participate in a videoconference. They can all write on the shared whiteboard, and text chat too.
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What is "Virtual Classroom"? "Virtual Classroom" is one of two videoconference modes, the other being Virtual Meeting (see above). A Virtual Classroom videoconference is a one-way broadcast, in which one person (e.g., a teacher) broadcasts a lesson to several students. Although students can view and hear the teacher, the teacher can not see or hear them. Students can ask questions via text chat. Students can view the shared whiteboard, but not write on it. Only the teacher can write on the whiteboard.
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Do we need to install special videoconference software for using Virtual Meeting or Virtual Classroom?
No. Virtual Meeting and Virtual Classroom work within the browser. The only plug-in you will need is Adobe Flash Player (Version 9 or above), which you probably already have. If not, download it here. If that link doesn't work, look for it in the Downloads section on Adobe's website.
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What do I need for videoconferencing?
You will need a webcam, and a headset. Some webcams have builtin microphones. Those will work too. Headphones are highly recommended (see below).
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Why do you recommend headphones for videoconferencing?
Headphones greatly enhance the quality of the audio during videoconferencing. They prevent audio feedback which happens when the sound coming out of your speakers goes back into the microphone, resulting in an annoying echo.
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What tips can you give for videoconferencing?
- Close any applications on your computer which aren't being used.
- Restart the browser. Browsers are notorious for consuming large amounts of memory after extended use, slowing things down. Restarting them periodically gets things working fast again.
- Ensure that no unnecessary applications are running in the background, even though you don't see a window opened for them. An example of this is a virus-scan or Windows Update which kicks off automatically at a certain time every day. It usually runs in the background without any user notification or windows popping up, but slows everything down to a crawl.
- If your webcam is being used by its own application (i.e. the webcam software or videorecording software which came with it), shut it down because the webcam can only be used by one application at a time. It can't be used by its own software and Channel Alpha's videoconferencing application simultaneously. So close all webcam applications before logging onto Channel Alpha.
- Use headphones. They help eliminate audio feedback, and enhance audio quality.
- It's best to use a wired network connection rather than a wireless one. Wireless ones vary in signal strength. Hence, even though your wireless connection may seem strong enough for e-mail and regular browsing, it may not be so for videoconferencing.
- All broadband connections are not alike. Two broadband subscribers could have vastly different connection speeds. Check if your broadband connection is fast enough. Go to SpeedTest to run a test to check what your connection speed is. A good broadband connection will have a download speed of at least 8 Mbps, and an upload speed of atleast 2 Mbps.
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What is the purpose of the shared whiteboard?
The whiteboard allows the sharing of content such as a PowerPoint presentation. All particpants in a videoconference can see the presentation as displayed on the whiteboard. In a Virtual Meeting, all particpants can annotate on the whiteboard too. Participants can delete only their own annotations.
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