From managing remote teams to closing business deals overseas, video conferencing has become a critical need for businesses of all sizes and functions. This means that successful firms and agencies will need to provide their clients and employees with a suitable solution for high-quality video conferencing, which is the pinnacle of remote work and communications.
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No longer do companies have to subject their clients or employees to subpar interactions. With HD video streaming and clear, noise-reducing audio, the best video conferencing tech can transform your business operations by bringing an in-person experience to your digital meetings.
Video conferencing definition
Video conferencing is a meeting with two or more participants who are participating from different locations. They use a computer connection, audio, and video to connect. Video conferencing can be used for team meetings, webinars, product demos, job interviews, and more.
The main purpose of video conferencing is to help people connect, regardless of where they're located. For a successful video conference, you need a few tools.
What kind of video conferencing equipment is needed?
Here’s a list of some of the most commonly used video conferencing equipment:
Types of video conferencing systems
Depending on your needs, there are different types of video conferencing systems you can choose from.
Telepresence video conferencing system:
Multiple screens or monitors are used to make everyone feel like they're joining the meeting in person.Desktop video conferencing system:
All the video conferencing hardware and software is built-in to a computer or laptop.Room-based video conferencing:
The video conferencing technology is built into the room itself.
No matter which type of video conferencing you choose, there are numerous use cases for video conferencing systems. It helps you connect with colleagues, clients, and prospective employees.
Top uses for video conferencing technology
- Team meetings
- Webinars
- Product demos
- One-on-one training + support
- Job interviews
1. Team meetings
Tired of being left out, talked over, or misheard during digital meetings? The basic video conference call experience isn't suitable for a productive business meeting environment. One forward-facing camera cannot capture an entire conference room full of people.
A standard microphone will also fail to produce loud and clear audio on the receiving end of the conversation. Your team's time is too important to have to repeat themselves constantly. The information being discussed in meetings is too important to risk questionable sound quality. Your remote folks deserve the same experience as your in-office team, so give it to them!
A 360-degree video conferencing device with high-resolution cameras and high-quality audio recording equipment can instantly upgrade your team's digital meetings and equalize the playing field for remote and in-person teammates alike.
2. Webinars
The entire premise of a webinar requires high-quality visual and audio input. Your viewers are watching because they need the information you have. If your video doesn't support the sharing of HD visuals or doesn't sufficiently capture the room you are in, then your watchers become listeners.
If your audience wanted to listen to information, they would have just selected a podcast on the topic. Likewise, if your participants can't understand what you are saying, you' aren’t fully engaging with them.
When you take the audio aspect away from your presentation, you enter a vast pool of competing visual and audio-visual content. To provide a complete AV experience to your webinar participants, you need to be equipped with the right set of equipment.
3. Product demos
Every aspect of your company is represented in your products. Just think about all of the brainstorming sessions, design work, and manufacturing hours that have been spent to launch your merchandise.
Now imagine that a sales pitch flopped, and all of that hard work was for naught because you didn't have the proper video conferencing equipment to truly capture the full detail of your product. This scalable solution will also save your business money if virtual demos can replace costly onsite visits (or at least partially replace them).
4. One-on-one training + support
Whether you're providing onboarding training for a new employee or offering real-time support for a major client, every digital interaction your company conducts can either be choppy and unproductive or as seamless and efficient as an in-person meeting.
The difference lies within the video conferencing technology you invest in. Unless you have high-quality video conferencing equipment, your company won't be able to provide a top-notch 24/7, anytime, anywhere communication stream between teams and customers. You will also widen your applicant pool for support representatives by offering remote roles that can be done from anywhere.
5. Job interviews
The typical hiring process can be laborious. Each day you go without your new hire, you're not only missing out on that position's productivity, but you're missing out on the productivity of any interviewers involved in the hiring process.
High-quality, instant communication solutions, like video conferencing tools and tech, allow both current team members and potential new hires to quickly conduct an efficient yet substantial interview.
Not only will remote meetings be convenient, but through the use of video conferencing tech, interviewers will be able to obtain key visual cues from the interview that offer the same insights as an in-person interview.
Best video conferencing software
The success of your video conferences depends on high-quality audio and video connections, and picking a video conferencing software is an important decision. Owl Labs' mission is to make teams and remote employees feel more connected (in our case, via our 360° video conferencing camera), and so we must understand which software solutions support our customers best.
Here is an overview of the best video conferencing software with a breakdown of features video conferencing users care about the most.
Best video conferencing hardware
Good video conferencing hardware can make a big difference in the quality of your meetings. A high-quality camera that captures clear and sharp video, even in low-light conditions, is ideal for any conference room. Pairing this with a quality microphone and speaker will ensure that all your meeting attendees are seen and heard no matter where they are located.
Another great thing to look for in your video conferencing hardware system is ease of use. With hardware that’s plug-and-play - even for people who are not tech-savvy - you’re ensuring that anyone can start a meeting with minimal issues.
Two of our favorite pieces of video conferencing hardware include the award-winning Meeting Owl and the all-new Owl Bar.
Meeting Owl 3
The Meeting Owl 3 is an intelligent 360° video conferencing camera, microphone, and speaker that enhances the hybrid meeting experience. It captures 360° video in 1080p HD and 360° audio up to 18 feet, ensuring that everyone in the room is seen and heard clearly. The Owl's AI-powered features, such as automatic speaker tracking and smart zooming, focus on the active speaker and keep the conversation flowing smoothly.
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Owl Bar
The Owl Bar is a versatile 4K video conferencing device designed to enhance collaboration in meeting rooms. The Owl Bar's built-in microphones and speakers deliver exceptional audio quality, even in large meeting rooms, while its noise-cancellation technology eliminates background distractions. Pairing the Owl Bar with the Meeting Owl 3 ensures that remote attendees can see every angle of the room and never miss a thing.
Video conferencing tutorials
The 2023 State of Remote Work Report found that 80% of workers experience lost time due to technical difficulties during online/hybrid meetings. This is valuable productivity time that's being lost due to ineffective tech that can be freed up so that teams are better set up for success.
To help your meetings start smoothly, use these tutorials and learn how to run your own video conferences and use technology without needing to call for extra help.
When it comes to technology, it's easy to say, "I'm terrible at tech," or "I'm not tech-savvy; someone else can do it." But what happens the day that your techie coworker is out sick, and you have to handle the call? Or are you at home without access to IT? Start learning how to be your own tech genius with these video conferencing tutorials.
Video conferencing is live, visual connection between two or more remote parties over the internet that simulates a face-to-face meeting. Video conferencing is important because it joins people who would not normally be able to form a face-to-face connection.
At its simplest, video conferencing provides transmission of static images and text between two locations. At its most sophisticated, it provides transmission of full-motion video images and high-quality audio between multiple locations.
In the business world, desktop video conferencing is a core component of unified communications platforms that also include calling and messaging capabilities. Standalone on-premises and cloud-based video conferencing platforms are also available from numerous vendors who support desktop- and room-based video, as well as the ability to embed video conferencing into business applications, such as Telehealth, customer service and distance learning.
The widespread availability of cloud-based services enables organizations to implement video conferencing with minimal upfront investment and to take advantage of rapidly emerging AI-powered features to improve audio and video performance.
How video conferencing works
The video conferencing process can be split into two steps: compression and transfer.
During compression, the camera and microphone capture analog audiovisual (AV) input. The data collected is in the form of continuous waves of frequencies and amplitudes. These represent the captured sounds, colors, brightness, depth and shades. Once captured, codecs convert data into digital packets, typically with compression to minimize bandwidth usage.
During the transfer phase, packets are sent over the network, typically to the cloud service provider, which then transmits them to other conference participants (and combines voice and video from multiple participants).
Once packets reach the endpoint, the codecs decompress the data. The codecs convert it back into analog audio and video. This enables the receiving screen and speakers to correctly view and hear the AV data.
Components of video conferencing systems
The components of a video conferencing system include the following:
- A network for data transfer, such as wired/wireless local area network, wide area network, cellular wireless and residential broadband.
- Two or more video cameras or webcams that provide video input.
- Two or more microphones -- either an external microphone or one built into the accessing device.
- A computer screen, monitor, TV or projector that can broadcast video output.
- Headphones, laptop speakers or external speakers that can be used for audio output.
- Codecs, which can be hardware- or software-based, to reduce bandwidth by compressing and decompressing AV data. They typically include acoustic echo cancellation capabilities, which reduce audio delays to support real-time communication. Codecs may also include features like noise cancellation and acoustic fencing to minimize background noise during conferences.
Benefits of video conferencing
Video conferencing services carry many benefits. In businesses, they can increase productivity among employees, as well as provide an improved way of communicating and interacting with colleagues, partners and customers.
For businesses, the tangible benefits of video conferencing include lower travel costs -- especially, for employee training -- and shortened meeting and project times as a result of improved communications among team members. Businesses can also increase revenue through higher quality virtual sales meetings.
The intangible benefits of video conferencing include more efficient meetings with the exchange of nonverbal communications and a stronger sense of community among business contacts, both within and between companies, as well as with customers.
On a personal level, the face-to-face connection enables participants to develop a stronger sense of familiarity with individuals they may never actually meet in person. Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, many companies now use video conferencing for community-building activities and social gatherings, including lunch and learns, health and wellness activities, happy hours and games.
Disadvantages of video conferencing
While video conferencing provides numerous benefits for businesses and individuals, it also has several disadvantages. For example, high-quality video calling and conferencing demands a consistently reliable high-speed internet connection with minimal latency and jitter. Only a strong internet connection can guarantee the voice audio and visuals will be reliably and smoothly communicated. Any issues with bandwidth or internet connectivity could cause the audio and/or video displays to be interrupted or lost, so quality of service measures may be required for important calls.
Another disadvantage is the cost of high-quality video conferencing systems. While many companies adopt video conferencing services to reduce business travel costs, they will still end up spending large amounts of money on a video conferencing system, especially for larger offices. In addition to all the costly equipment and technology, companies will often also need to pay for the installation, deployment and maintenance of endpoints and on-premises servers if using an on-premises platform.
History of video conferencing
The first developments in video conferencing can be traced back to the 1920s, when AT&T Bell Labs and John Logie Baird started experimenting with video phones.
In the 1930s, early video conferencing experiments were also conducted in Germany. This early technology included image phones that would send still pictures over phone lines.
In the early 1970s, AT&T started using video conferencing with its Picturephone service. However, the widespread adoption of video conferencing began in the 1980s with the computer revolution. The revolution brought about the invention of codecs, as well as the rise of broadband services, such as Integrated Services Digital Network, enabling the sending of visual images to become possible for personal use. The later introduction of mobile phones further enabled the popularity of video conferencing.
Webcams started appearing on college campuses in the 1990s. In August 1994, the QuickCam -- the first commercial webcam -- was introduced. However, it was only compatible with Mac, so a Windows-compatible version was released in 1995. In 2010, Time magazine named QuickCam one of the top computer devices of all time.
In 1992, Cornell University IT department personnel developed the CU-SeeMe video conferencing software for Mac. They developed the software for Windows in 1994. The CU-SeeMe software was commercially released in 1995; it introduced the first internet radio stations.
In 2004, many businesses started adopting video conferencing systems for the first time, because broadband technology was finally more affordable and widespread. Video conferencing adoption grew throughout the 2010s, but rapidly accelerated as the COVID-19 pandemic drove the vast majority of employees out of their offices and into their homes, requiring an improved video meeting experience.
Video conferencing vendors
Consumer services -- like, Apple's FaceTime, Google's Meet and Microsoft's Skype -- have made video conferencing ubiquitous on desktops and mobile devices that have an embedded camera. Facebook also expanded its reach from consumer video into enterprise video with Workplace Rooms. In the enterprise space, video conferencing platforms include those offering conferencing applications, personal or room-based conferencing endpoints, or both applications and endpoints.
Other video conferencing vendors and their products include the following:
Adobe Connect
FreeConferenceCall.com
Neat
Amazon Chime
Fuze
Owl Labs
Angekis
GoToMeeting
Pexip
AudioCodes
Jabra
PGi
Avaya
Join.me
Poly
Blackboard Collaborate
Konftel
RingCentral
BlueJeans by Verizon
Lifesize
TeamViewer Meeting
Cisco Webex
Logitech
Yealink
Dialpad
Microsoft Teams
Zoom
DTEN
Mitel
ZTE
Video conferencing and remote working
Video conferencing is particularly useful for remote workers, who likely rely on these services to host the majority of their work-related meetings. As remote workers typically do not make use of companies' traditional office spaces, use of video conferencing can provide simulated face-to-face contact between team members and colleagues. Furthermore, augmenting video conference tools, such as screen sharing, can make video calls far more useful for employee collaboration than being limited to voice communications.
Not only can video conferencing provide better communication and productivity, but it can also foster the development of important coworking relationships, as it is more engaging than simply hearing voices over the phone or corresponding via email.
However, the increased use of video in remote work has also led to the rise of video fatigue. Users who are frequently on video meetings can experience symptoms including eye strain, exhaustion and headaches.
Video conferencing trends
Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, remote working became the "new normal" for many companies. Companies look to video conferencing technologies to maintain business operations, while enforcing the recommended social distancing protocols, as video conferencing provides the closest approximation to an actual, face-to-face meeting. Beyond use for intraorganizational meetings, video conferencing has been adopted for job candidate interviews in lieu of on-site interviews.
Zoom, a widely popular video conferencing vendor that experienced explosive growth in 2020, became the face of pandemic video conferencing to many. As a result, the name Zoom is eponymous for video conferencing in general, giving rise to popular terms such as Zoombombing and Zoom fatigue. Factors that contributed to the rise of Zoom include an intuitive user interface, as well as offering its users free one-on-one conferences with no time limit and group conferences for up to 40 minutes long and 100 users.
As organizations prepare for a post-pandemic workplace, many are turning to a hybrid workplace setup. Video conferencing will continue to be the preferred method of communication, as most meetings will contain at least one remote participant. Video conferencing providers are enhancing their services to support hybrid meetings and create an equitable experience for remote and in-office participants.
Zoom, for example, launched in 2021 a public beta of Smart Gallery, which displays remote and Zoom Rooms meeting participants in individual frames. Microsoft also rolled out a similar feature for Teams Rooms meeting participants.
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