Preparing a Videoconferencing Room

A little planning will help to make your video communication experience more effective and satisfying. Most of these tips are geared toward a conference room setting, but the same ideas can be applied to improve your desktop video experience as well.

Displays
Display selection depends upon the average distance participants will sit from the display. The following table shows display sizes and typical viewing distances assuming a 16:9 aspect ratio.

Virtually any room can be used for video conferencing. The most important factors are:

• Lighting
• Décor
• Acoustics
• Layout

Lighting
Lighting is the most important factor to consider.

The best lighting is diffuse fluorescent, because it is important to minimize shadows and to create an evenly lit environment. If possible, focus all the lighting on the participants and have as dark a background as possible. The key is to equalize the available light on the participants while eliminating shadows and bright spots in the center of the conference table.

Ideally, the room should not have any exterior windows. If it does, they should be covered with room-darkening drapery or blinds.

Décor
The best décor is plain and simple. Keep the area within the camera's view uncluttered and as free as possible of extraneous objects (e.g., mirrors, artwork, plants and fans). The best wall color is a matte, neutral, non-white color such as light gray, light blue, or beige. Avoid wall treatments with patterns.

Acoustics
One item of particular concern is reverberation, which is the effect of sound reflecting off hard surfaces. The best way to minimize reverberation is to coat floors, ceilings and walls with sound-absorbing material.

It is important to isolate the room from external noise sources such as fans, duct work from heating and cooling systems, water pipes, office machines, telephones, and street noise. A Noise Criteria rating of 35 should be met.

Microphone placement is also an important influence on audio quality. Microphones need to be installed at least six feet from the system speakers and 10 feet apart from each other. A microphone cannot be farther than seven feet from a speaking participant to ensure maximum audio quality, and no more than three microphones can be used in a room.

Room Layout
The conference table must be "U" or "V" shaped to ensure equal access to the camera for each participant. To ensure visibility, the farthest participant cannot be more than 25 feet from the lens of the camera. The rear wall of the room cannot be more than 40 feet from the lens of the camera. The seating must be laid out so that all participants can be seen in the camera's field of view.

Presenters
Wear solid, neutral colors. Bold, bright colors or complex patterns can confuse the camera, causing the monitor screen to darken, blur, or vibrate with distracting visual effects.