Free Video ‘Phone Calls’

Presented to SIR Area 2 CATby

Barry Brown & Derek Southern16 January 2014

How many people?• 1:1 you have several free choices

– FaceTime– Skype

• 1:1, 1:2 or more; free choices– TeamView/TeamMeeting (up to 25)– Google+ Hangouts (up to 10)

At Home, or Mobile• Windows

• Mac

• iPhone

• Android

• Other

Software• Browser based - cloud

• Installed on your computer

Usability• Must be easy to set up

• Must be easy to use

• If more than 1:1 you need management controls eg scheduling

• Multi-OS is an advantage

• Support – documentation

• Video plus call-in audio

Webcam factors

#1: Image sensor

•CCD– For high quality video– Lower video noise– More expensive than

CMOS

Webcam factors -2• Definition

– 320x240 pixels OK for Skype– 640x480 pixels OK for small video

clip for uploading to YouTube– 1920x1080 pixels is the highest

definition– 1080p or 720p?

Webcam factors -3• Sensitivity of image sensor – low

sensitivity degrades video quality dramatically

• Microphone – noise cancelling is useful

• Autofocus – tracks and focuses on the face (look for OFF switch)

• 360° rotation or fixed• For video: how many FPS? High

quality usually needs >30fps

Webcam lens• Glass or plastic

– Plastic lens sufficient for video chatting

– Glass lens for high quality output, up to broadcast quality

– Glass lenses are more expensive

TeamMeeting

My Video