In today’s rapidly changing technology front, video conferencing has evolved into “easy to use” cloud-based services. You no longer need expensive hardware, ie video cameras, video switching systems and monitors placed around a conference table. All you need is a desktop or laptop computer with a webcam and a good Internet connection for you and your speakers, and you’re ready to go. These new services are called desktop video conferencing services, and there are a few features to consider when choosing one of these services.

First of all, you want to make sure the video is HD or high definition quality video. HD quality is a much brighter and sharper video image. It is not blurry or washed out in color. The colors are vivid and it seems more like you are in the room with your lecturers.

Second, you want to see how the audio is handled. Do you have to call a separate conference bridge or is audio included in the desktop service? Actually, both solutions are viable. Voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP) audio is a nice feature to have in a video service, but you’ll probably find the quality to be better for conferences with a small number of participants, say five to ten participants on each call. As you add more parties, the chance that one of the parties has a lower Internet connection becomes greater, leading to a greater chance of noise or instability on the audio portion of the call. With VOIP audio, the service should be able to be completely recorded in one recording.

Using conference bridge audio provides the best audio quality even with a large number of participants. A call of a hundred or more can be perfectly handled by the use of a conference bridge.

The next feature to look for is web conferencing tools. The service you select should have common web conferencing tools, such as PowerPoint slideshows. There should be a link to allow PowerPoint slides to be uploaded and stored in the cloud for current and future use. Also, desktop sharing should be included, allowing you to share files stored on your desktop. You can open a document and allow conferees to make changes and collaborate on changes. Annotation tools should be available to help mark contracts and documents. A live chat feature should also be included to chat privately with individual speakers or with the group. Polling should also be included as another feature.

The last tool you select should contain all three teleconferencing technologies, HD quality video, VOIP audio, and all web conferencing tools, all in one recordable cloud service. The service allows you to see all your speakers on your monitor simultaneously, hear what everyone is saying, and be able to collaborate on documents and presentations. These services are generally priced at a flat rate, unlimited use, based on the number of conferees on your calls.

There are many desktop video conferencing services available to choose from, so when you do your due diligence, make sure these features outlined above are present in the service you select.