Technology has revolutionized the way that we communicate. E-mail, instant messaging, and mobile phones have replaced letters, answering machines, and landline telephones. Video conferencing also showcases the latest video and Internet gadgets on the market. We should never forget, however, that video conference is about conferencing, and conferencing is about communicating. So when planning and setting up video conferencing facilities, remember that machines are useless without humans to operate them.

The Rise of Video Conferencing

In our constantly moving and changing society, video conferencing has become increasingly popular as a communication tool for businesses. Video conferencing facilities are also given more and more attention. In fact, in recent years, companies have realized the importance of investing in video conferencing facilities. Video conferencing facilities have a direct impact on the kind of video conferences a company is able to hold between key members.

The Room before the Equipment

Good video conferencing facilities take into consideration the effect that walls have on video conferences. For example, a room with good acoustics can reduce feedback and echo problems. For this reason, square rooms should typically be avoided when planning or searching for video conference facilities. Also, objects such as tiles and carpets have different degrees of sound absorption. Some other considerations that should be made include the room's paint color, lighting, and how the windows are decorated. As a side note, it is wise to turn off a room's central heating and cooling systems during a conference, as a microphone can easily pick up their sounds.

Talking Tools

After selecting a facility for the equipment, it is time to position the equipment in the facility. The camera should be positioned at an angle where speakers would not have problems focusing on it. Microphones should be positioned in relation to the speakers' location. Lastly, the microphones should be arranged according to the design of the room itself.

Other objects that that can be included in video conferencing facilities include:

* A VCR

* A document camera, which functions like an overhead projector

* Tiny microscopic cameras

* A virtual whiteboard that allows everyone in the conference to view and add to it

* Codec, which is a hardware that converts audio and video signals into a digital compressed format.

Shared Services

In addition to objects that can be included in video conferencing facilities, several services can be used as well.

* Participants in the conference can access and contribute to the virtual white board.

* Surveys and polls allow participants to provide important feedback.

* Playback allows participants to view past meetings.

* Internet co-browsing makes it easier for everyone to be on the same (Web)page.

* File sharing allows all conference participants to view the files of others, regardless of their location.

Room Rental

The next best thing to designing ideal video conferencing facilities is to rent them. Do this when you need a better or bigger facility. Many of the requirements and procedures for designing a facility are the same for renting a facility.

Video conferencing facilities can be built or rented, and then filled with various things and services. We must never forget, however, that ultimately, the objects need their users more than the users need the objects.