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Video calls - which is best ?


ChrisF

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Zoom, definitely Zoom.

 

Skype is OK but needs bandwidth (struggles in Africa).

 

We had endless problems with MS Teams and this option was generally disliked by users, even when we managed to get it working.

 

WhatsApp works for voice and video but needs a stable connection or voice quality can be iffy.  It appears to be more data efficient than Skype but i am no IT expert.

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I havent used it but I see lots of security concerns over Zoom

https://www.google.com/search?q=zoom+security&oq=zoom+security&aqs=chrome..69i57j0l7.3521j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

 

Anyone have any personal experience on this aspect?

 

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I did some reading last night about the "zoombombing" security issues. Basically what's happening is that people are having public video presentations and not disabling the share screen option. Public meaning they post the URL on social media to allow anyone to join.

By default a zoom meeting allows any participant to take over screen sharing (remember it was developed as a business solution). Trolls are joining these public meetings/presentations and then taking over screen sharing often broadcasting dodgy porn.

This is easily avoided by just disabling (in settings) the ability for any member of the call to take over screen sharing.

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I have limited experience with "video calls" (one-on-one) and "video meetings" (multiple people on the same call).  I have sat in a few of these, but never gave the technology a second thought ..... never considered the logistics behind it.

 

 

Last week we had to quickly set up systems to work remotely, including remote meetings.  Our clients and architects use the following :

- Skype

- Teams (these would be a natural step up on the projects where MS Teams is already used to share information and documentation)

- Zoom

 

Nobody asked to use WhatsApp calls.

 

We have since setup these on the PC's and phones of all our staff.  From a work perspective we will try to accommodate the client/architect's requests for a particular technology.

 

 

 

With all this technology readily available I have been wondering about using it to stay in touch with friends and family.  And now I am left with more questions than answers .....  :wacko:   :ph34r:

 

For AUDIO calls:

- which of these are the "smoothest" (I dont like the lag on WhatsApp calls)

- use the least data

 

For VIDEO and AUDIO calls:

- which of these are the "smoothest" 

- use the least data

- what type of data use for 15 minute call (many business calls may drag on longerrrrrr...  :wacko: )

 

 

Any other technologies worth considering ?

 

 

 

 

 

MODS - sorry if this in the wrong sub-section.  Please move if there is a more appropriate sub-section.

Teams works the best. It has been made free for 6 months by MS and allows not just video but to share files and screens.

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We use Teams at work.  Works well as we have office in Canada (Vancouver) and Aus (Brisbane).  Quality and latency is good but I have no bandwidth issue.  I have a 100 Mbit line.  Very seldom use Skype as not many other people use Skype but Skype and Teams is pretty much the same thing.  I think Microsoft actually bought Skype.  I hate Whatsapp because of the latency.

 

Wrt to your question about data.  It does not care who make the call.  You use data and you pay for that.  I do not know which of the products use less data, once again I am not bothered because I do not have capped data.

 

I do not know Zoom at all.

Microsoft have owned Skype for ages now, Skype for business is being sunset in favor of teams.

I use a Mac so the Skype for business client is absolutely terrible, the teams one is great though.

 

I also cant comment on connections, also using 100mb fibre but we have lots of people in the organization using 3G connections and they do fine with it.

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Zoom for the win. Tried Webex and have used the tools for a long time and it's really simple. MS Teams is pretty cool but you need an Office 365 subscription.

 

There are some public domain ones but you need to be security aware.

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Microsoft have owned Skype for ages now, Skype for business is being sunset in favor of teams.

I use a Mac so the Skype for business client is absolutely terrible, the teams one is great though.

 

I also cant comment on connections, also using 100mb fibre but we have lots of people in the organization using 3G connections and they do fine with it.

Skype for business was terrible even on windows!

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I had a Skype for Business telecon to Sweden this morning, and it is not even close to MS Teams. MS Teams was forced on us by our ICT team, but my colleagues who worked with Slack reckon it's much better. I read in the week that the folks behind the curtains are working on a seamless integration between the two competitors.

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I had a Skype for Business telecon to Sweden this morning, and it is not even close to MS Teams. MS Teams was forced on us by our ICT team, but my colleagues who worked with Slack reckon it's much better. I read in the week that the folks behind the curtains are working on a seamless integration between the two competitors.

 

I found that some functions of my Webcam don't work on Teams which works well under Skype.  Functions like zooming among others.

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I do a lot of my business over web meetings and i have tried many different options but i always land up going back to Skype. there are some other options that have not been mentioned such as Google Duo which are pretty good. What i find important is the ability to use the platform on laptop and Cellphone, the ability to share screens and share files and the ability to use video or just voice. If i had to rate them it would go as follows: 

 

 

1. Skype (Seems to be the most stable on low bandwidth calls)

2. Webex

3. MS Teams

4. Zoom

5.Google Duo

6. Slack

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I found that some functions of my Webcam don't work on Teams which works well under Skype.  Functions like zooming among others.

 

I am using Skype for Business on yet another darn meeting as I type this (I am sitting listening to folks blah blah blah-ing away). Funnily enough I am using the zoom function on screen sharing, and ja, it's very useful. Teams does not have this cool tool.

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Just had my first MS Teams meeting from home.

 

SUPER impressed !!!!

 

 

 

Looking past the obvious advantages of the technology :

 

- at one point 19 people in the meeting !!  for once the key role players were in attendance !!!

 

- I could listen to the meeting in the background when it dealt with parts of the project that requires zero input from me.  Giving me time to carry on with work on the PC ....

 

- had a good few technical item emails going on the PC with other members at the same time.

 

 

Frankly a MUCH better use of time than the typical poorly attended coffee sessions .... it takes the absence of 1 or 2 key people to make a meeting very ineffective, in our industry ....

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Just had my first MS Teams meeting from home.

 

SUPER impressed !!!!

 

 

 

Looking past the obvious advantages of the technology :

 

- at one point 19 people in the meeting !!  for once the key role players were in attendance !!!

 

- I could listen to the meeting in the background when it dealt with parts of the project that requires zero input from me.  Giving me time to carry on with work on the PC ....

 

- had a good few technical item emails going on the PC with other members at the same time.

 

 

Frankly a MUCH better use of time than the typical poorly attended coffee sessions .... it takes the absence of 1 or 2 key people to make a meeting very ineffective, in our industry ....

 

Glad to hear it works for you.

 

I just came out of a 3 hour Teams session this morning, and I have another starting in 10 minutes. It works well.

 

Some best practice I would suggest is for only the person hosting the meeting having their mike unmuted, and this way you can ask people to speak, else they end up speaking over each other, and you also cut out all the background noise.

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