Show Notes
A/V Setups for Virtual Working
Hey, Chad here.
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00:00:06]Welcome back to the virtual workplace podcast, a podcast where we explore what it means to be working in this new virtual world. And today I wanted to talk about audio visual setups for virtual and remote working. I know many of you have probably stumbled upon these insights yourself or seen, other, videos or, you know, emails are shared about how to look your best while on Zoom, and so I wanted to briefly touch on some of the basics and then hopefully share less well known, things that you can do.
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00:00:47] The first and biggest difference that you can make while working virtually is to turn your camera on. I know for some of you that may seem quite a blasphemous or impossible to do, but, I can't tell you how different the working experience is in a virtual space with cameras on versus camera's off.
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00:01:13]It only takes maybe like three or four individuals to have their cameras on, I think as kind of critical mass to get everyone else to turn their cameras on. I would encourage and cheerlead all of you to be those people that turn their cameras on by default when joining the meetings.
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00:01:32]I know that means we have to, put. actual clothes on and, prepare ourselves in in a way that we've been a little bit lazy the past few weeks. Being able to see facial expressions and be able to express yourself, with body language adds so much to the meetings. As leaders of meetings, it also helps you understand when people are engaging or not and,
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00:02:00] It also, keeps people on their toes to be called on to contribute, and be more participatory in the meetings. That's a very hard and fast rule of mine. I always have my camera on. It's the single greatest thing I think you can do to enhance your virtual working experience.
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00:02:21]Many times, you know, we're stuck working with our webcams built into our computers . In order to make yourself look better, you can just raise your laptop or a computer screen. as high as is possible or is comfortable for you so that the camera's pointing a little bit more down,
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00:02:39] in the language of cinema, the villains are often shot from beneath, so the lower your webcam is the more you appear to be a villainous character
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00:02:49] The nice thing about raising the cameras. It just highlights, your best features, and diminishes, maybe some that don't look quite as good on camera.
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00:02:58] Lighting is also really important to make yourself look your best, and if you can be looking into a window, with the camera facing into the room, that can make a huge difference. if you are sitting with your back to a window or really bright light source, it can mess with the brightness settings of the camera, and just not make you look your best. Another thing you can do is just turn the lamp on on your desk, bounce it off the wall and that creates a nice soft light rather than the pointing a light directly in your face. Sometimes you can even use the screen brightness of your laptop to to increase your lighting.
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00:03:41] Using a set of headphones with a mic is the single best thing you can do to eliminate echo and noise on your virtual meetings. Yes, you can use Bluetooth, but you should always have a backup pair of wired headphones. Many, a times I've been on calls with people on Bluetooth headsets and right in the middle of talking, the Bluetooth headphones will cut out and they find themselves scrambling to figure out how to be heard again.You can use just the simple earbuds that come with most smartphones nowadays Nothing too fancy is necessary
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00:04:19] If you don't have a pair of headphones with a microphone, you can still use the headphones to listen to everyone speak and use your internal mic on your computer. J ust get really good at using the mute button because microphones on laptops, pick up a lot of clicking and keyboard noises.
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00:04:39]Those are some of the quickest and easiest, tips I have for you as far as, increasing the fidelity of your audio and visual setup, and these next tips are relying a little bit on you having access to pieces of technology. Some you can scrounge up from others and others you may have to purchase. My only advice there would be, you know, don't go overboard and buy everything all at once. Test out a new piece of gear, whether that's a a webcam or a microphone. There is no perfect setup. It's just whatever works best for you.
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00:05:14] I've had a lot of good luck with simple, a hundred dollar or less podcasting microphones with a USB interface. You just plug it into your computer via USB and nine out of 10 of them will show up automatically in your call or video chat software of choice. Some of them have, the ability to control the volume and the input volume, with knobs. Others, you have to go into your computers, sound settings to set those, but most applications will allow you to test out those settings before joining a meeting so you can troubleshoot.
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00:05:51]External webcams are also really great. It makes it easier to put it on top of a monitor or even a makeshift tripod to elevate the camera. And it also allows you to just stream your video in better quality, most, external webcams in the 50 to a hundred dollar range are, in HD, and all of them are better than the built-in webcams on your laptop.
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00:06:18] Two of my favorite USB microphone manufacturers are Rode and Blue Rode is spelled R O D E, any of their microphones in the 50 to $150 range with USB interfaces will be more than perfect for what you need. You can also look at picking up a small miniature tripod or a Gorilla pod, or, even a selfie stick sometimes can be rigged up to mount your your microphone. You just want to be able to set it on the table or clip it to something, while you're speaking.
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00:06:48] Rode also makes a wired level layer mic that you can clip onto your lapel. Something you might use if you're going on to stage to speak or doing a video interview. That's also a really good microphone that you can use to plug into your computer, for video chat meetings, you can also use, any of these microphones to record podcasts either on your phone or on your computers.
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00:07:16] Getting an external webcam is pretty easy as well. Most of your available options from Logitech will do great. Due to supply and demand issues. the prices of many of them have gone up and the stocks have gone down, but if you see anything coming to stock in the 50 to a hundred dollar range, from Logitech. Any of the options will be an improvement from your internal laptop cameras. You can also Mount those on makeshift tripods or or actual tripods, to give you a little bit more height and flexibility in your your video setups.
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00:07:51] I could do entire episodes on a sound for virtual meetings or video for virtual meetings. so let me know what you're most interested in. You can get in touch directly at 917.719.3737, and let me know tools or, Or pieces of hardware that have worked for you or maybe where you're getting a little bit stuck With your AV setup for virtual meetings.
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00:08:15] Thanks again for listening. Until next time.