After several weeks of using Skype Multi-Point Video connections for a three-location community-based Chair Tai Chi/Yoga program, we’ve come to some conclusions and “possible best” practices.
1. Skype multi-point video is available as part of the Skype business offering at $9.00 per month. Since multi-point connections are set up on via a single computer, that machine must be able to accommodate multiple video streams. The internet connection used for that machine must also accommodate multiple video streams. Skype has published minimum and recommended bandwidth requirements. So, for example, a 3-way video connection has a recommended bandwidth requirement of 2Mbps/512Kbps (upload/download) speed. This is usually within the nominal speed of a low-end cable connection, and most DSL connections.
2. In our case, we wanted to call the outlying machines, and have them auto-answer with video. The Skype settings for this, (version 5.x) are:
Under General Settings
Start Skype when I start Windows. check
Under Privacy
Allow my online status — to be shown on he web — uncheck
Accept Skype browser cookies — uncheck
Allow Skype to use non-personaly identifiable information about me when saving third party ads. uncheck
Other odd things that happened…
1. For some reason, we kept losing our sound. Since I hadn’t had this issue before, I attributed it to a faulty sound module on the DocBox motherboard. What I had forgotten was that we have a blue-tooth microphone that we’re using on the unit that the instructor uses. If the instructor simply removes the bluetooth dongle the DocBox doesn’t automatically reset to a default sound configuration, using the on-board sound card. Instead it simply shows that there is no sound hardware available. This is easily remedied by rebooting the DocBox.
2. Multi-point video performance with a wireless connection is anywhere from sub-par, to completely unworkable.
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