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Hi all- I've got some work coming up with a client where I am delivering some live online learning content online using Zoom. Obviously I want to deliver the highest quality experience possible so what would you suggest from a hardware perspective. Current setup includes 2 screens, laptop with built in webcam and good broadband but is there anything else I should be considering?
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Replies
Hi Anita,
Great question!
LOVING the two screens. Screen real estate is definitely a must.Â
If you haven't yet seen my post about sharing in PowerPoint, even with two screens, this will help you out.Â
I think the other thing you'll need to consider is audio. Michael Cook will be able to answer better than me on microphones.Â
Lastly, do you have a second computer or device (phone/tablet)? You can use this as a backup for yourself and as an attendee view to check what's going on and also give you confidence in your delivery.Â
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Over to you
Everyone else, what other suggestions do you have for Anita, what has worked well for you, or what do you wish you knew!?
Hi Anita!
2 screens is a great place to start. I will say if you can get a screen which is 24" or bigger this will help. The Main reason I say this is so that you can have chat and the participants panel at a size that will work well for you. With sessions of 12 or less I like to be able to see every attendee in the participants panel.
For audio you will need the best quality microphone within the budget you can set aside for this project. You can't go that wrong with a "Blue Microphone". From a cheaper "Snowball" or the slightly more expensive "Yeti". Getting a cheap pop filter to connect to this will make a big difference for a low additional cost. These microphones sit on your desk, so keep in mind you might need to get them at the right height and distance to you so that you sound good.
You can get good microphones on a headset but they are often very expensive. The benefit is that as you move around the mic goes with you. You would need to really check the reviews for these as often the audio quality is good for what you hear but the microphone quality is bad. You can see some posts from our Members for what they recommend HERE.
I hope this helps and good luck with the project!
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I forgot!
You will likely want to get a standalone webcam! The laptop webcam can often be the wrong height and does not have good quality.
I see people all the time on webinars looking down at their webcam to see it on the laptop and it's not great.
You can get some webcams for £30-£99 which are very good quality and plug and play, connect to a USB slot and you are ready to go.
This will allow you to have better quality in a position that is better for you. You should have the webcam facing you directly. At an even height with a few inches above your head and the majority of your torso.
A better quality webcam will also pick up light better. If you have a window behind you then you might find you come across as a silhouette. You might need to play around with some lights to get a better display.