With so many rumors surrounding web conferences, it’s hard to know what’s true. So, let’s debunk the 3 most common video conferencing myths.
For a tool as essential as video conferencing has become, it’s important to understand it and put to rest untrue myths you’ve heard. In this blog post, we’ll go through some of the most common video conferencing myths and set the record straight.
It’s nothing new that video conferencing is one of the most important communication tools the internet has to offer. From online teaching or broadcasting, to even just internal meetings with coworkers, this feature has become a part of people’s daily lives. So, it’s only natural for opinions and misconceptions to arise.
Rumors and misunderstandings can pass on from person to person and quickly become universally believed. Unfortunately, these misconceptions might be holding you back regarding your video conferencing quality and overall success, so it’s important to put some of them to rest.
Keep reading to find out the most frequently quoted myths about video conferencing and why they’re not true.
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3 video conferencing myths demystified
1. Video conferencing require a lot of bandwidth
It’s probably safe to assume that we’ve all fallen victim to dropped calls, frozen frames, and lagging audio. As a result of this, video conferencing platforms like Zoom and Google Meet (to name a few) have gained a reputation for being data hogs.
In reality, these platforms don’t require that much bandwidth compared to today’s connections. For example, Zoom’s listed bandwidth requirements are 1.2 megabits up and down for 720p video in a 1-on-1 video call. This resolution is common to most modern laptop webcams. While this is below the maximum throughput of your average cable modem, it is easily within the realm of capabilities of your average LTE or 5G mobile connection.
You have to keep in mind that larger group calls will be a little heavier. For example, some group video calls might use around 2.6 MB.
The actual connectivity issues arise from other external factors, such as other people in your house streaming videos or you being far away from the router. For instance, thick walls can affect transmissions, so it’s worth considering taking heavier calls closer to your router.
Zoom does, however, provide some suggestions for managing calls in low-bandwidth settings, and Microsoft Teams includes a low-bandwidth setting.
2. Every meeting should be a video conference
Video conferencing gained widespread prominence when everyone was making the switch to studying and working remotely. So, it’s understandable that teachers and managers relied on the tool as they got used to not monitoring their students and employees.
It is great to be able to see a person on video in real-time. Video calls are indeed crucial in building trust and rapport, particularly in early client meetings and weekly team meetings. But, not everything needs to be done over video.
When should you include video in your remote meeting:
- Starting phase of building a relationship with a client or employee
- Business presentations or anything that requires visual elements or demonstrations
- Topics that need you to gauge the reaction or emotion of the group in real-time
Other meetings, such as updates, quick decision making, and consensus-building, might be more efficient as an audio-only call or even via chat message or email. It would save everyone time and unnecessary frustration.
3. Preparing for and setting up a video call is time costly and not worth it
One source of stress for many people is preparing for a video call. These days, however, video conferencing platforms have made it easier for you to do so – by offering features such as blur and virtual backgrounds.
Of course, you still have to make yourself somewhat presentable for a video call, which means something different to each one of us out there. But, as a rule of thumb, you can follow the dress code you would if you were going to the office, and the same goes for an important client meeting.
Video call backgrounds
As for your environment, gone are the days of scrambling to put away clutter that could be distracting in the background. Instead, video calling software apps offer virtual backgrounds that quickly solve this. Plus, if you use a software like ManyCam as your virtual webcam, you can always leave your customized virtual background settings ready to cut your preparation time quite substantially.
The technical side of a video call
Regarding the technical aspect of video calls, platforms like Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Skype, and Google Meet have simple user interfaces (UI). So, getting the hang of setting up a call is easily understandable. Not to mention that, compared to all the digital world’s possibilities, learning how to set up a video call is definitely a skill everyone should acquire.
Here is how you can connect ManyCam to any video calling app.
Final Thoughts
In conclusion, don’t believe everything you hear regarding video conferences. There’s no need to be intimidated by video calls! Things are set up so that everything is easy for you to research, understand, and get the hang of these days. With these video conferencing myths debunked, it’s time to utilize these online tools to your advantage.
