The camera's physical position will affect what the far site can see. Depending on how many people are in the meeting room the camera will need to be a certain distance from the participants. For every participant in the room, the camera should be moved back about 2-3 feet. This will give you a portrait view of the participant(s). (Example: for 3 people, the camera should be at least 6 feet away. This will ensure all participants are within view of the camera.)

If you wish to have a broader/wider view, simply position the camera further back about 4-6 feet, this will give you a broader/wider (about half body shot) view of your environment. If longer camera cables are required, AVer offers a HDMI adapter solution, which allows the use of standard HDMI cable to connect from our camera to the codec.

Before the meeting, use the test function (Setting ->Test -> Video/Audio Test) on the system to view yourself. Review the image you are presenting to the far site. Think to yourself: is this the image you want the far site to see?

Omni-directional microphone

The microphone provided with the H300 and H100 video conferencing systems is an omni-directional mic. It is designed to pick up sound from any direction. We recommend placing the microphone at the center of the table, equidistant from all participants in the room. Ideally, the microphone should be 5'-10' away from the table top hub or external speakers. If you are using external speakers, avoid pointing them directly at the microphone.
We also offer a 10M microphone cable if a longer mic cable is needed.

Directional microphone(s)

The microphone(s) included with the HVC310 and HVC110 systems are directional mics, designed to pick up sound from a particular direction or side. We recommended placing the microphone at the edge of the table, pointing towards all the conference participants (the wired end should be pointing away from the participants). Try to place the microphone equidistant from all speakers in the room, while ensuring the capture side of the mic faces everyone without needing to be adjusted. If you are using multiple directional mics, each mic can be pointed at a subset of the conference participants (for example with two mics, each mic can point to a different set of the people seated at a table).

Audio is equally as important as video, and setting the proper audio level will reduce echoing, feedback sounds, and random audio pitches. It is good practice to check your audio level before a meeting to ensure you are not screaming/whispering to the far site.

Proper lighting will ensure the far site will see you and not your silhouette. Make sure the room is properly lit with sufficient light from above and in front of the participants. While AVer systems automatically adjust white balance and light exposure settings, these can also be manually adjusted for fine tuning in a given situation. There are other factors that should be considered before setting up lighting. Please see the "Know your environment" section to get a better understanding of how to improve image quality.

When conducting a video conference session, any changes to the environment's brightness or color will cause the camera to compensate.  Try to avoid overpowering sources, such as:

1. Windows / Direct light – Windows should either be behind the videoconferencing system or be covered (blinds, window coverings, etc.).  Having the camera pointed directly at a window or direct light source may cause the camera to overcompensate on white balance, brightness, and/or contrast. This provides an image with a bright background and a dark foreground.
   
   
2. Glossy/Mirrored surfaces – Any glossy or mirrored surfaces may affect the camera's visibility.   Depending on how light is reflected from the surface, this may cause unwanted distractions.
3. Environmental sounds – Avoid placing the microphone near / underneath devices that emit loud sounds.   This can cause unwanted sounds during a session. 

The choice of clothing can also affect your video conferencing experience. "Busy" patterns on clothing, along with excessive motion may cause the camera to perform unwanted auto focusing. Fine stripe pattern can also produce a "moiré" effect. Bright colored clothing may cause the camera to dim your skin contrast. When possible, wear solid, neutral colors.

Conducting a video conference meeting in front of a cluttered background/backdrop can cause distractions during your meeting. During a video conference session, it is important to maintain the focus on the participants and not background distractions. It is ideal to keep the background/backdrop as simple as possible.

It is good practice to be properly prepared for a meeting. 

1. Entering IP addresses of far sites into your phonebook will help reduce your dialing time the next time you call to the same location.  Giving the far sites an easily recognizable name will help alleviate confusion as well.
2. Upload the data you planned to show during the meeting to make sure it is displaying properly.  Make sure the data content(s) are in an easily accessible location during the meeting.
3. Run thru a mock test meeting session to make sure everything goes as planned

When possible, perform a test connection before the meeting begins to ensure all components are working properly. Check the connection status and make sure there are limited to no packet lost during a conference session. This will also help identify any unexpected issues that may arise during a video conference.