Jason Frasca
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I’ve been working remotely for more than 10 years. I’m comfortable and productive in the work from home environment Covid-19 has created. In fact, I prefer to work from home.
Over the years I’ve used many video and audio conferencing technologies. Unfortunately, my workflow has become fractured. Most people have their own preferred conferencing software. I am left to wonder which tool is best for each meeting type and audience plus downloading and installing…
As all university instruction has moved online, the need to convey lectures and workshops range from synchronous to asynchronous. We choose different methods based on the audience.
I found myself, along with my partner and co-proefessor Iain Kerr, wanting to deliver some content in podcast format.
I am not a podcaster and this medium does not interest me (I believe it is going to fall like a house of cards without any commuters.) I wanted to avoid investing in more software. So I looked into what conferencing software I currently use to see if the audio recording is available. Here are the ones I use and explored:
Zoom otherwise known as Facebook malware is a new tool for me. I’ve not used it until the Corona virus changed the work from home landscape. At the university, we use it for most meetings and is a way to teach classes.
It is high powered and feature-rich - great for large environments. I prefer more nimble, lightweight software tools, however.
While Zoom does video recording I have not found an exclusive audio recording function.
Has tight integration with the university G-suite accounts, plus I am familiar with the tool from my Google Plus days.
I am seeing hangouts used more lately. Unfortunately, ubiquity and ease of use are moot because it is a resource hog; Also lacks audio recording.
Whereby is my preferred light and nimble video conferencing software. Best when my attendees are technologically challenged. Very easy, browser-based, nothing to install.
It does not record audio though.
UberConference is my goto bridge for audio conferencing. The software is excellent and frictionless. Turns out they now also offer video conferencing too. I was not aware…
I found that UberConference does offer audio recording.
The audio recording was just a simple setting change. After the recorded meeting, the audio is easily downloaded from their online interface.
With the new video and audio features I discovered in UberConference, I will likely eliminate Whereby in favor of UC for my small to mid-sized virtual meetings.
