Mic and Webcam Communication guide

Online Rooms:
Student Guide
Communication
Microphone and Webcam Use
Author: Kev Lavery
Last Updated: 26/05/2016
In this guide you will learn about:
 Enabling microphone and webcam usage for Participants
 Setting up audio via the Audio Setup Wizard
 Enabling and muting microphones
 Webcam sharing
Communicating in Online Rooms
By default Hosts and Presenters have permission to use their microphone or their
webcam. Participants can be given permissions by the Host by selecting either Enable
Video or Enable Microphone.
If you know in advance that your session will utilise these tools arrive early enough to set
everything up before the session begins; 5 – 10 minutes should be plenty of time. The first
thing you need to do is ensure you have a webcam and microphone and that they are
connected properly.
If you have these, enter the meeting and you will see these icons in the top left hand
corner of your screen.
If you cannot see these icons you should check you have connected your equipment
properly and also check, if you are not the Host, that these permissions have been
enabled for your use. Hosts can enable these for a whole group at once enable
microphone or webcam on an individual user basis.
Before the session begins check your sound by using the Audio Setup Wizard. This is a
really simple step by step process that ensures your speakers are connected and set at
an appropriate volume, your microphone is connected and levelled, and that your location
is appropriately quiet. It takes under a minute to complete. This is something that EVERY
user (Hosts included) should do in EVERY session. It means you know whether or not
your equipment is working and at an appropriate level. It can also limit the amount of time
spent in a ‘can you hear me?” loop with other Attendees.
The Audio Setup Wizard will take you through four steps. The first checks your speakers
by playing a repetitive piece of music.
If you can’t hear anything you should start to investigate possible reasons for this. Your
speakers could be muted, not plugged in or possibly something else. This guide takes you
through a range of possible problems and solutions.
Next you will select your microphone from those available.
And test your microphone is connected and set to an appropriate level.
When you press Record you will likely be asked to Approve or Deny permission for Online
Rooms to access your camera and microphone. You should select Allow.
If you cannot hear anything when you record you may need to go back to the previous
step and select a different microphone or check that your microphone is connected and
turned on.
The last step is to test that you are in a location appropriately quiet for using your
microphone in a web conferencing session.
Once you have completed the Audio Setup Wizard you can begin using your microphone.
To enable your microphone to speak you simply need to select the microphone icon.
If it glows green it is active and you can speak and be heard.
When you are not speaking you should mute your microphone. This can be done by
simply clicking the icon again. If muted it should have put a line through the microphone
symbol (which should still be glowing green).
To start streaming your webcam select the webcam icon. You can also check here that
your chosen camera is selected (if you have more than one webcam connected) and, if
so, select Start my Webcam.
Your webcam won’t start broadcasting straight away. You will first get a preview window
so you can refine your setup and ensure you can be seen.
When you are ready select Start Sharing to begin broadcasting your webcam to your
audience.
With your microphone and webcam now both active their respective icons will be glowing.
You can pause your webcam at any time by selecting the pause icon in the Video Pod.
This will pause your webcam and broadcast a static image instead of the live feed.
You can stop your webcam at any time by selecting Stop in the Video Pod.