Student Guides

Join a Video Conference
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CloudShare provides advanced, built-in video conferencing right from your class Viewer. There’s no need to configure or use any other external applications.

Note

Built-in video conferencing features are available only when using CloudShare's new class Viewer.

  1. During your class, click Audio/Video at the bottom right corner of the Viewer to start CloudShare video conferencing:

    VideoPlayerViewerClick_140421.png

    The CloudShare audio/video component will appear.

  2. At the left side of the video player, click Settings to configure your camera and microphone devices:

    VideoSourceSettingsDialogStudent_140421.png

    From the dropdown menus that appear, select the Microphone, Speakers and Camera devices that will be used for the broadcast. (If no choices are available for one or more of the options, check to ensure that all the hardware is connected and working properly.)

    Note

    On first use, you'll need to consent to allowing CloudShare's video conferencing function to access the camera and microphone on your browser.

    Test your microphone volume by speaking out loud while the popup is open. The volume bars underneath the Microphone setting will light up while you speak to help you determine the best volume level.

    Test your speaker volume by clicking Test next to the Speakers setting. A test audio clip will be played to help you determine the best audio volume level.

  3. When you have finished with all the settings, click Join. You will added to participants of the class video conference.

Working with the Video Component

The CloudShare live video component works like any other window. It can be resized and moved anywhere on screen at any time. It can also be 'popped out' of the Instructor Console window and even moved to a second monitor, when needed.

VideoPlayerStudent-annotated_070421.png

Player Sizing and Location Options

You can drag the player to the location you want in the Instructor Console.

In addition, use the buttons located in the upper right corner to resize and relocate the player:

VideoPlayerSizeButtons-annotated_020621.png

  • Click the Minimize icon to hide the player. Only a menu bar for the player will be displayed:

    VideoPlayerMinimized_070421.png

  • Click the Maximize icon to return to the player to its default size.

  • Click the Full Screen icon to enlarge the player to the full size of the currently active window. Using Full Screen mode also displays all current participants. The player uses your monitor resolution settings to determine the best fit.

    To return the player to its default size, click the Small Screen VideoSmallScreen_icon.png icon that is displayed at the upper right corner of the Full Screen.

  • Click the Popout VideoPopOutPlayer_icon.png icon to relocate the video player to a separate window outside of the Instructor Console. This feature enables you to view the video session without hiding or interfering with any other component of the Viewer. You can drag a popped-out window to any other screen location -- including to a second display monitor in your configuration.

    To return the player to its default location inside the Instructor Console window, click the Popback VideoPopInPlayer_icon.png icon that is displayed at the upper right of the popped-out window, or simply close the popped-out window.

Change Viewing Modes

(Full Screen Only)

Whenever you use the player in Full Screen mode, the view toggle button is displayed at the top right:

VideoViewModeButtons_280721.png

  • Speaker View displays thumbnail images of all participants in a single row across the top of the player.

  • Gallery View arranges thumbnail images of all participants in a matrix:

    VideoGalleryViewMockup_280721.png

    The actual size and arrangement of the thumbnails will depend on the number of participants.

    To scroll through a large group of thumbnails, click the arrow icons located at the left and right of the Gallery View page.

    You can maximize the display area for thumbnails in the player by clicking the Participants button at the bottom of the player. Clicking the button again will re-display the list.

Number of Participants (Full Screen Only)

Participant List (Full Screen Only)

To see the complete list of participants by name, in Full Screen mode, click the Participants button at the bottom of the player.

VideoParticipantsList_160621.png

The list also displays icons for the current status of each participant's microphone and camera, and whether they have raised their hand.

Raise Hand

Click the Raise Hand button at the bottom of the player to indicate that you wish to speak during the video session. After you click, a blue hand icon will be displayed next to your thumbnail image as an indicator for the Instructor and other participants.

When the Instructor responds to your request, the blue hand icon will disappear.

To manually turn off your own Raise Hand request, click the Lower Hand button located at the bottom of the player.

Stop Video

Turns off your camera and stops the video signal from being broadcast.

Mute Audio

Turns off your microphone and stops the audio signal from being broadcast.

Settings Menu

Opens the Audio and Video Settings popup, enabling you to view and change device characteristics.

Minimum Requirements for Video Conferencing

In order to use CloudShare video conferencing features, the following requirements must be met:

  • CloudShare's new class Viewer must be used.

  • CloudShare's video conferencing function must be allowed to access the camera and microphone on the participant's browser.

  • A compatible modern browser must be used (e.g., Google Chrome, Apple Safari, Mozilla Firefox, Opera and Microsoft Edge).

  • Video conference participants must be logged in to the CloudShare platform.

  • CloudShare uses Amazon Chime as the provider for video conferencing, which requires that port TCP/443 be accessible from the participant's browser to run the audio/video component. More specific information from Amazon Chime can be found here.

  • Minimum recommended bandwidth for highest quality performance:

    • Instructor: 1.2 Mbps upstream/downstream

    • Up to 4 Participants: 450 Kbps upstream, 400 Kbps for each participant downstream

    • From 5 to 16 Participants: 184 Kbps upstream, 134 Kbps for each participant downstream

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