Four Easy Steps to Look Your Best in a Video Conference

My job often requires me to speak to clients, vendors and others via the internet, using online video services like Skype, Go To Meeting and others that make use of a camera and microphone plugged into the computer so the people on the other side of the meeting can see and hear me clearly. That part is easy. I can just use the built-in camera and mic provided by Apple for my iMac and be done with it.

But my 22+ years in video production simply won't allow it. Oh, it hurts me when I hear a voice echoing like they're standing in an empty bathroom or see the face of a client silhouetted like a mob boss in the witness protection program. Why is this a problem? For some, it isn't. But we use our visual senses to form our perceptions of each other and a a dark, shadowy figure who's hard to hear won't build trust as easily as a sharply focused, well-lit person with the voice clarity of a network announcer.

The good news is, the fix is an easy one, and it doesn't cost a lot of money to fix although you certainly can invest (and I chose that verb on purpose) in equipment to change your first impression from murky to marvelous. Here are a few ideas covering the basics of video conferencing so you can look and sound better every time. Let's cover the low end choices and conclude with higher end selections. Mix and match them to achieve the best effect for you.

Camera

The whole point of videoconferencing is to see each other, after all. The camera that came with your laptop or camera works, but just barely. If you're going to invest in anything, a better camera would be the best choice. Third party cameras have better resolution, sensitivity to light, placement options and can be taken from computer to computer for a consistent picture. 

Almost anything is better than the
factory camera for better video.
(Logitech)

Choices are almost endless and not too bad on the wallet. So, this is a category where quality trumps price when selecting your camera. The Logitech HD Pro Webcam C920 is my webcam of choice. For about $68, everything will suddenly be brighter, colors bolder, focus crisper and the overall quality stunning. 

If you buy one thing to improve your video image, make it an external camera. 

Lighting

Good lighting choices can often make the difference between being seen and not seen. Often, all it takes is turning off a switch in one place and turning on a different switch somewhere else.

Who would YOU rather see?
(http://www.cc.gatech.edu/~cynthia/)

The quickest and easiest thing you can do is place a light source somewhere in front of your face. A desk lamp, open window, under-shelf fluorescent or other light source turned on can flood your face with the light required to permit the camera to have as much light as it requires for the best possible image.

Help out the lights in front of you by turning off some or all of the lights above and behind you. The idea is to make the image of you brighter than the background. Experiment with different combinations until you see a look you like. Make a note of what was on and off so you can replicate it when needed.

To better control the light, invest in light specially designed and constructed just for video conferencing:

On the definite high-end, the Videssence Viewme  is especially designed to mount on a computer monitor (or on either side of it with two stands) and provide two-point lighting for the best result possible. At nearly $200, it might be difficult to justify on your expense account, but the excellent results are undeniable.

When appearance matters
more than price.
(Videssence)

Priced in the mid-range, the Webstar II is a circle of LED lights surrounding your external webcam that you mount within the ring. The light also comes with a dimmer to adjust the amount of light required. It uses a USB plug to provide power so it's portable too. It retails for $50.

Simple, easy and not too pricey. Nice.
(Stellar Lighting)

On the lower end, it becomes time to adapt lights that may have been created for a somewhat different purpose, but achieve a good result nonetheless. Here are two choices to consider:

- The Goal Zero Luna LED light mounts into a USB port and illuminates 10 lights across a long, thin bar. It's position is adjustable via an extended snake-like arm that can wrap around objects to keep it secure. You don't have to plug it directly into the computer. You can use a USB extension cord or a battery with a USB port (like the kind that charge cell phones). Not bad for less than $10. 

Look how well lit his face is and it's not
even angled toward his face.
(Goal Zero)

- The Mitaki-Japan 30 LED light doesn't need a USB port at all. It uses 3 D-cell batteries, but will last a very long time as LED lights use battery juice at a miserly level. It's advantage is that each side of the lamp "splits" into two wing-like halves, simulating the two-point lighting of the pricey Videssence. Downsides? It's somewhat tall at 9 1/2 inches and needs a level surface like a shelf or stack of books. It's around $14 at Amazon.

Just level out the "wings" and you're
ready to light 'em up!
(Amazon)

Sound

Nothing is worse to me than hearing that dreaded echo of a poor microphone that came with the camera. Barely audible, it seems the mic was purchased more for its low price than it's quality. Not to worry, because this is an issue that can be solved in seconds. Here are two types of microphone for better sound: 

Fee standing- 

Lots to pick from in this category. One great choice that occupies the higher spectrum is the Blue Yeti. It appears like a classic, old-timey mic you might have seen on Johnny's desk, but the insides are all new-tech. It plugs directly into a USB port and is specially designed to pick up the spoken voice. No more echoes and it's adjustable so you get a "say" into how your voice sounds. For $106, you'll have to spend thousands more to beat the results. 

1950's look, 2015 technology in the Blue Yeti
(Yeti not included)
(Blue Audio)

You can do nearly as well for $36 with the Sampson Go Mic. The quality is unquestioned and it's portable too. With a few less adjustments and smaller size, it is still a huge improvement over the factory supplied mic. 

Sampson Go Mic
(Sampson)

Headphone Mic

This type looks like a receptionist headphone set. Basically, it's a set of headphones with a long plastic arm attached to one side and the mic rests in front of the speaker's mouth. The good news is that the sound is great and you can hear everything just fine. 

A classic never goes out of style.
(Logitech)

The bad news is that you may appear awkward and unnatural. But, if it solves your poor sound quality issue, then it might be the solution you need. The classic product solution is the Logitech ClearChat Comfort. For less than $20, it boasts an in-line mute button and a good reputation for solid performance. 

Tips for a better video/audio result

- Is your LED light too bright and not adjustable? Just get to the grocery store and buy a roll of Glad Cling Wrap. Pull down a few inches worth and press it (stick side down) against the lights. The "foggy" finish of the plastic will reduce and diffuse the light for a softer effect. Don't worry, it won't melt. LED lights produce no heat. If possible, you can also move the light away from you (make sure you still get a good result!).

- Experiment and preview your look. "Skype" yourself with a separate computer. Looking at your image, adjust lighting, camera angles, background clutter, etc. until you see a result you like. 

- Once you've determined light settings, background clutter, audio placement and so on, make a detailed diagram with all the extra notes you need to replicate this look when needed. This will eliminate guesswork and save precious time. 

- Place the camera at eye level or slightly higher (no more than two inches either way). This is normally the most flattering angle and keeps the camera from looking up your nostrils. 

- If possible, keep the microphone out of sight. Although it shouldn't matter, we are all children of television and a visible mic can be a distraction. 

- If practical, rehearse your presentation. Tape meeting notes on either side of of the camera, out of sight of your audience. Keeps notes just that- notes. A word-for-word script might cause you to read it like one and could sound odd or disingenuous.

It seems like a lot to do for a powerful, positive effect, but it really isn't. If you take some simple steps to improve three areas: camera, lighting and audio, you'll be far ahead of 99% of your competition.

And that's not a bad way to look at it.

The 2012 Fisker Karma- A test drive that proves being green never looked so good.

Last week, I told you about the Tesla Model S and the all-electric luxury it had to offer to the well-heeled buyer looking for something different to park in front of the country club.

Easy on the eyes and easy on the Earth
(Fisker.com)

This week, the theme continues with the test drive of the 2012 Fisker Karma by the knowledgeable scribes at MotorTrend.com. Not a true all-electric car, the Fisker uses a hybrid system to squeeze as much efficiency as possible from the high-tech chassis. The Fisker combines the best a high torque electrical motor can provide with the long-range of a reliable gasoline engine. For most short-distance journeys (under 30 miles or so), the Fisker runs on nothing but the state-of-the-art battery power. But should the distance grow, the batteries run out of juice or your lead foot happens to get a whole bunch heavier, the two systems work in parallel to maximize horsepower and efficiency.

But, the Fisker isn't a Toyota Prius with chrome rims. It's a completely new "clean paper" design built in Southern California in an attempt to provide green customers with a little extra green in their pockets a reason to part with more than $100,000. One interesting aspect of the engineering of the Fisker is that the gas engine never powers the wheels directly like a "normal" car would. Instead, the engine works with the vehicle's internal generator to create electricity that powers the electric motors and they turn the wheels.

For this kind of money, you know it's gotta be nice inside
(Fisker.com)

The Karma only gets better inside. With an interior befitting a car priced north of $100k, you'll find the finest leathers, real wood, brushed aluminum and more electronics than a NASA launch and the kids will benefit from the comfy rear seats so you can take the entire family to show off your eco-taste.

 To see a video of MT's test of the Fisker Karma, go to the magazine's website here. To see whether the Karma belongs in your driveway, go to Fisker's site here and pick out the model right for you.

It might not be cheap to be both stylish and environmentally responsible, but for those with the means and the desire to help help the earth, the Karma might be priceless.

The Roku Box- Cable programming without the cable cost?

The mysterious "Little black box" is legendary. Investigators look for it when a plane crashes and it seems to be the brains for all of the new cars made today. It sits there and we don't know really what it does, but it always seems to work for us and make our lives somehow easier.

Well, to add to that legend here is another black box called the Roku.

The Roku little black box.
(source: Amazon)

The Roku is an electronic appliance- a black box, no less-  that uses the wireless internet in your home to connect to thousands of sources of video content across the globe. It sits quietly near your TV and delivers full 108op High Definition quality video to any television (now, whether or not your TV is 1080p capable is up to you).

Set up could not be simpler: plug in the box to your TV's video and audio inputs, connect to your wireless internet and that's it! You now have access to Netflix, Hulu Plus, MLB, NHL, listen to your music on iTunes and thousands of other sources provided to you instantly. Some, like Netflix and Hulu Plus charge a small monthly fee, others provide their content for free and more providers are added all the time.

Lastly, the cost of the Roku is the greatest, best shock- Full 1080 HD television for under $100. Plus, a basic Roku with standard definition and fewer of the bells and whistles can be had for $69.99. If I were you, I'd pop for the extra $30 and get the best box with the most stuff. Amazon has all of the flavors of Roku for sale and you can find it here.

Ironically, the only reason you'll continue to need cable is for the internet connection to keep you Roku well fed.

The Shaper Image U Video Camera Review- For less than $15 is it worth it?

My wife took a a Christmas job at a local department store to earn some money for the pile of toys our kids expect Santa to bring on Christmas Eve. Along with the job she also got 20% off of anything in the store.

So, Christmas came and went as did most of the products the department store sells. Any remaining items were sold at extreme discounts- 50%, 60% or even 70% and that's where The Sharper Image U Video Camera comes into the (video) picture. Starting at a price of $99 a few weeks before the holiday, my better half managed to find one on clearance near her department for 70% off, plus a coupon, plus her employee discount, etc.. The final tally totaled less than $15 for a brand new video camera! By the way, in preparing for this post, I found the camera for $30-$49 elsewhere online.

In the box was the camera, a velevet-like carry pouch, a wrist lanyard and a cable that plugs into any TV for instant viewing. The camera itself weighs about 4 ounces and is the size of an average cell phone. It's powered by two AAA batteries which are easily replaceable with spares. This may be a better method of keeping constant power as built-in, non-removeable rechargeable batteries often die with no way to recharge until a wall-out let can be found- and this could mean missed memories- gone forever.



Minimal buttons mean minimal hassle.
(Credit: The Sharper Image)



Operation is quite easy. Press the large, red button below the LCD screen for a few seconds and the unit powers up and displays the image in front of the camera on the 2" LCD screen. Pressing the red button again initiates the record function. It's possible to "zoom" by pressing a rocker switch, but the effect is so minor as to be of no use. It's a better idea to simply walk closer to the object of your video and use your legs as a zoom instead.



Holding the U Video in your hand is not too bad- it simply feels like trying to take a photo with a cell phone. Construction quality is merely adequate. All plastic and a bit flimsy in places- but let's remember we're talking about a product that costs less than lunch for two.

We took the camera to record my son's basketball practice. We were indoors and he was approximately 10 feet away while he performed his passing drills. I was initially concerned because the image on the screen appeared really quite dark and I thought the video would be dark too. Once we returned home and I downloaded the video to a computer (quite easy with the unit's built-in USB port) we viewed the result of our work.



Much to our relief, the video was far brighter than it appeared on screen. The video is not of high quality, limited to a resolution (or sharpness) of 640x480. I would equate this to YouTube quality. Ok- but nothing special. The color was a bit washed out and the lighting exposure jumped around some, giving the video a "blinking" sort of effect. Audio quality sounded slightly tinny, but I could make out all sounds clearly.

It's possible to record up to 1 hour of video on 2 gigs of internal memory. After that, you'll have to keep the video on a computer hard drive (which can then be recorded to a DVD for long term storage).

So...the question in front of us is: For under $15, is this camera worth the money? I would say, for that amount, a solid yes. The camera is truly built to a price and feels like it. However, it does deliver on its promise of recording a certain level of video and makes it easy to download and share with family and friends. Plus, my wife now keep the camera in her purse for quick and easy recording of memories.

However, if I bought this camera at the originally listed price of $99, I would have felt like I spent too much for the end result of just OK video with low resolution and low-quality sound and I would have returned it.

But, I didn't pay $99- I paid less than $15 and for that amount, I think the purchase of The Sharper Image U Video camera was money well spent.

Netflix on demand explained...right now!

We gave up our television cable about two years ago and started watching only over-the-air TV. The main reason? Cost. I had better uses for the $75/mo. than watching "Project Runway" 4 times a day.

The XBOX 360 can play directly from  DVDs too

Soon, however, we were looking for an additional avenue of entertainment and we found it. For $8.95/mo. we were using Netflix to get our choice of DVDs from among tens of thousands of choices. Nice...and interesting, but it turns out there's more.

For that same $8.95, not only could we get our DVDs , but we were able to see an additional several thousand movies and TV shows via the internet. What was truly interesting was the method we used to get the internet video stream to our old TV: we used our XBOX 360.

This is how it works: by subscribing to XBOX Live, we can not only play other video game enthusiats around the world, but we can also access other services like Netflix. All of these services use our home's internet connection to "talk" to Microsoft, Facebook, Netflix and other online services.

The "little video covers" that show individual titles
in each category. Pick one and start viewing.

Simply select the Netflix box and about a dozen different categories of videos appears before your eyes. Topics like Drama, Romance, Comedy, Western, etc. Click on the category of your choice and about a hundred individual videos fitting that category appear (they look like little video covers), click on a box to see a description and a "play now" button.

If it's the video you want to see, press "play now" and after about 30 seconds of computer stuff (you know- whirring, buzzing and the like) your movie starts playing- full screen and as sharp as a DVD.

You can stop, play, rewind, fast forward just like a DVD. You use the video game's controller for a remote.

A note about the choices: Not every movie Netflix offers is available online. There is a great deal of blockbuster and hit movies available, but they may not be as recent as those on the DVD shelves, plus many of the TV shows offer full seasons for viewing, but some only offer one season (out of all of the seasons that show may have been on the air).

A good note about the choices: As you choose and watch more and more videos, Netflix "learns" what you enjoy and offers more precise categories based on your choices. For instance my wife always seems to have a category titled "British Romantic Comedies" (she has a thing for accents).

By the way, this method of viewing Netflix also works on The Sony Playstation3, Nintendo Wii and the Apple TV (see my previous post) as well as a few other special video appliances- but that's another post for another day.

That's why, in my house, we call Netflix our "poor man's cable". Go here to go to Netflix.

Free TV! 10,000 hours of programming- just for you.

There's a website for TV lovers called Hulu.com. They called it Hulu because of some Chinese words were combined, adapted, squished and otherwise jammed together to justify calling the site Hulu. Whatever, they should have just called it Hulu and left it at that. Whatever you call it, Hulu is still amazing.

Carrying shows from not only NBC, ABC and FOX, Hulu also offers programming from cable outlets like Comedy Central, USA Network, PBS, NFL Network, A&E, Bravo, Syfy and many, many others. The only catch? You have to sit through a 30 second commercial at the beginning, then the rest is for you to watch commercial free. More than 10,000 hours of your favorite shows, plus music and concerts.

Watching Hulu is as simple as watching YouTube- click on the clip you wish to see and within seconds, it starts playing. That's it. No software to download, no registration to complete and no special tools or knowledge needed.

So check out hulu.com and maybe you can e-mail me and tell me why in world they chose hulu over the 10,000,000,000+ other words in the world.