There is quite understandably a big buzz surrounding video in the UC industry at present. Much of it is to do with the sense that, a decade and a half after Skype first brought peer-to-peer video communication into the mainstream, we have finally cracked the quality issues that have long dogged video communication technology.
We’ve all experienced it - video calls which descend into a blurry pixelated mess. Live stream webinars where there is a latency gap of seconds between audio and video. Group video conferences which buffer endlessly.
Slowly but surely, with new standards like H.323, SIP and WebRTC, and better software codecs, we’ve got there, so you can now enjoy large-scale video meetings in HD quality without the need for hugely expensive specialist hardware.
But video conferencing is not just about visuals. The quality of audio matters just as much. Which is why VCaaS provider BlueJeans has gone as far as team up with audio specialist Dolby to ensure that its clients can hear as well as see what is going on in crystal clear quality.
BlueJeans points to research from Wainhouse which indicates that as many as 82 per cent of video conference participants say they have problems with audio during virtual meetings. More than a quarter pinpoint the problem as simultaneous talkers, while a similar proportion report issues with muted audio from mobile participants.
These problems with audio are enough to potentially undermine the whole point of holding video conferences. Poor audio can make it difficult to follow the thread of conversations and understand what is being discussed. Overlap between speakers makes interactions awkward and unnatural. And the sum of these issues is that people taking part either tune out of what is happening, or experience cognitive fatigue because of the extra concentration they need to put in.
In order to eliminate these problems from its own conferencing solutions, BlueJeans uses Dolby Voice technology across its entire product range. In this review, we will take a look at exactly how BlueJeans is pushing the envelope on HD audio in video conferencing.
What can it do?
BlueJeans offers three video conferencing products:
- BlueJeans Meetings: A flexible video collaboration platform which offers simple multi-participant video calls, screen and file sharing from any desktop, mobile and H.323 or SIP-compliant meeting room system. It can be accessed via a web browser as well as through a dedicated app.
- BlueJeans Events: A managed large-scale webinar and virtual conferencing solution for up to 15,000 global participants. Device agnostic, BlueJeans Events allows for live streaming via Facebook Live, audience participation tools, moderator controls and single-click access.
- BlueJeans Rooms: A conference room hardware system that can connect up to 100 remote participants and includes wireless screen sharing and integration with Microsoft Outlook and Google Calendars for scheduling.
BlueJeans’ work with Dolby Voice has resulted in two solutions. On its Meetings and Events services, Dolby has provided the expertise to develop best-in-class audio for all participants, no matter what device they are using to take part. This includes the latest noise cancelling and volume balancing technologies, so background interference from any microphone is removed from the signal, and differences in mic volumes are levelled out to provide a consistent, crystal clear signal.
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BlueJeans Meetings offers agility in video conferencing[/caption]
But Dolby has also provided technology which achieves more natural results for audio reception and conversation flow. One of these solutions is spatial audio, which means the listener hears voices come from different directions, as you would do if you were sat in a room with a group of people. Not only does this make for a more immersive, realistic experience, it also aids comprehension, as it matches your brain’s expectations for how we receive audio in a natural environment.
BlueJeans Meetings and Events also benefit from innovations to allow conversations to flow more naturally. We are used to miscues and overlaps in natural conversation, but deal with them because they happen in real time. Part of the problem with video conferencing is that any delays in the signal can lead to different speakers being unsure of where the cues are to start speaking. So by eliminating lag, the chances of speakers stumbling over each other are reduced.
