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Hey folks, this week I'm unlocking the feature topic from the latest Advisorator newsletter. I'd rather have more folks benefit from these video chat tips than put them behind a paywall.
If your situation at home is anything like mine, there's a lot of lockdown going on right now. At least here in Ohio, group events are canceled, schools are closed, restaurants are take-out only, and a lot more folks are working from home.
All of which means you could be—or should be— spending more time than usual on video chat. Even if your work isn't demanding it, a little more face-to-face interaction could help ward off the feelings of isolation that come from being stuck in your house.
To that end, I'm throwing together a list of tips that can make video chat more tolerable for work and more enjoyable for personal use.
Personal chat
Talk through your TV: Conducting video calls on the biggest screen in your house isn't quite the same as having friends and family in the same room, but it still beats staring into a phone or tablet. If you have an iPhone or iPad, you can use screen mirroring with an Apple TV or AirPlay 2-compatible television to display your conversations on the big screen. Just open Control Center and select "Screen Mirroring," then choose your AirPlay 2 device from the list. If you don't have an Apple TV or compatible smart TV, Apple's Lightning to Digital AV Adapter or a cheaper third-party adapter will allow you to plug an HDMI cable into your iOS device instead.
Got an Android device instead? You can use mirroring with either a Chromecast or Android TV device. Using the Google Home app, just tap on the Chromecast device you want to use, then select "Cast my screen."
Either way, you'll be able to use whatever video chat app you like, with your phone or tablet providing the camera and microphone. I suggest propping up your device near the base of your TV so that you're looking in the vicinity of the person you're talking to. (With AirPlay, I've found that this produces some echo, so you may have to reposition your device or turn down your TV's audio.)
Group chat in Facetime: You don't need fancy videoconferencing software to set up a group video call. With Facetime on iOS, you can host a call with up to 32 people at the same time. Just hit the + button at the top of the Facetime app, then add the names of whoever you want to call. Alternatively, you can tap the contacts at the top of any iMessage group, then hit "Facetime" to call them all at once. Once you're in a call, you can also add more people by tapping the screen, swiping up on the menu bar, then tapping "Add Person."
Group chat in Google Duo: Don't leave out your Android-loving friends, though. Unless everyone you know is an iPhone user, consider setting up a group call in Google Duo instead. After downloading the app for iOS or Android (or using the website), swipe up on your contacts list, then select "Create group."
Facetime stickers, filters, and such: When you run out of topics to talk about, you can always turn to cheap conversational gimmickry. In Facetime, tap on the screen, then hit the star icon to bring up a menu of video chat effects. You can turn your face into an "Animoji" character, add filters, and more. When you're done, slide down on the menu bar to return to the conversation, or tap the star icon again to remove the effects.
Don't forget Hangouts: Although Google seems to have soured on Hangouts as a personal chat app, it's still a great way to host video chats for large groups. You can have up to 25 people on a video call at the same time, and it's available on iOS, Android, or the web. At least in my local group of dads, this is most likely replacing our monthly bar nights for the foreseeable future.
Work chat
Hide your messy house: Don't want your colleagues getting a glimpse of your home during video calls? If you're using Skype on Windows or Mac, you can blur the background behind you by hovering over the video icon, then selecting "Blur my background." Microsoft Teams has a similar feature in the "Choose your audio and video settings" menu before you start a meeting or under "More Options" when the meeting's in progress.
Zoom, meanwhile, provides a virtual background feature that can replace your messy house outright, though you may need a green screen if your computer's not powerful enough. In the Zoom web portal, navigate to My Meeting Settings > Meeting > Virtual background.
Brush up on etiquette: ZDNet's Steven Vaughan-Nichols put together a helpful list of video conference tips last week, many of which tackle etiquette in particular. The most important tip of all: Mute your mic when you're not talking.
All-purpose enhancements
To look your most beautiful on conference calls, the key is to get your video camera up to higher ground, thereby ensuring that the angle on your face isn't mostly neck and chin. If you're using a laptop, throw a few thick books underneath it before the call starts, or better yet, repurpose a lap desk.
A bit of extra lighting can also help keep unsightly shadows away from your face. Consider taking calls in front of a window where you can take advantage of natural light. Or, if you want to splurge on a more portable solution, grab a lighting kit for around $40 on Amazon. I've been using one like this for about a year now, mainly to photograph review products, but it comes in handy for the occasional conference call or video interview as well.
With Google Duo, you can also lean on Google's computer vision skills to brighten up a dark room. During any conversation, just tap on the screen, hit the vertical "..." button, then select Low-Light Mode.
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