Room Arrangement

Simple video conferencing from a single computer can potentially take place in a wide range of environments, but when larger groups are involved more consideration must be given to the logistics of arranging people.

Rows/Desks

    • This reflects the common classroom arrangement where all the participants sit in rows facing the front
    • There is minimal disruption to the normal classroom
    • This arrangement allows the participants to easily view a projection or monitor
    • It is less easy to actually involve participants in the conference directly as placing enough cameras and microphones is difficult
    • A "hot spot" approach might be used where participants move to a nominated area in range of microphones and cameras in order to contribute

Horseshoe

    • Desks are arranged in a horseshoe shape around the monitor and camera
    • This works well for a relatively large number of participants who each get an unobscured view
    • Camera tracking can work well in such an environment, but consideration must be given to the coverage of microphones

Boardroom

    • A boardroom is a single table with a "virtual participant" taking up one of the places
    • This suits a small number of participants
    • A single camera able to pan and tilt, along with a single microphone are normally sufficient
    • This is the most suitable arrangement for "discussions" rather than "presentations"