Troubleshooting Tips from VisionPoint’s Service Department
Yes, many of us are still experiencing issues with videoconferencing.
Our service team has tons of experience troubleshooting many issues over the phone with our customers, as well as troubleshooting issues remotely with customers who enabled remote monitoring and remote access.
On occasion during a call, you may experience difficulties hearing or seeing the far end, or vice versa. Usually, issues like these can be remedied by looking at the application settings on the PC you are using.
Here are some quick actionable steps on how to troubleshoot these issues yourself:
Consider using external microphones and cameras
First, check for some simple fixes. Typically the quality of audio and video are dependent on network connection and how your computer is receiving audio and video. A laptop with built-in microphones in today’s standard laptops can get you through a video call, of course they won’t be the greatest quality in the world.
We recommend using external microphones and cameras if you are video conferencing more than once a week.
Why?
The audio will be crisp, and much clearer for those on the receiving end. Video can be drastically better, and you’ll be asking yourself why you didn’t do that earlier.
Review Computer Settings
Since many people are using external mics and cameras so you have to make sure they are connected, set up and enabled through the video conferencing app you are using or your computer will most likely default to the standard built-in tech that comes with your PC or laptop.
Under settings be sure that the camera and microphone are pointed to the correct peripherals.
You can also check the quality of your audio in Zoom. Go to this link and check your own audio, and encourage others to check the quality of their audio before your team meetings.
Double Check your I/O’s
Typically the PC has defaulted to an internal mic and camera. One way to make the process simpler is to rename the external devices to one that is more easily associated with the equipment. Double checking the i/o’s is another simple fix that can take a few seconds.
Review your Network Connection
Some video conferencing apps offer a statistics page to show your network, video, and audio speeds. If you notice a poor network connection, deselecting HD video is a great first step to reducing your bandwidth usage and allowing the call to function smoothly.
If connection is good but your co-workers still say that your connection is poor, make sure you do not have any bandwidth sucking applications open. For example, photoshop takes up a lot of processing power, or any streaming going on in the background.
Other individuals who are on the same Wi-Fi might be streaming so make sure no one is streaming Netflix when you have an important meeting. You can also try an ethernet cable to hardwire your Laptop/PC to improve connection.
Get Help
If you are still experiencing major issues with the video and audio quality of your video conferencing, reach out to IT and encourage them to consult with an AV provider like VisionPoint to improve collaboration. Teams and business operations still need to continue so it’s always crucial to have technical support when you need it.
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