Right then, I need some pensioner-proof video conferencing software.
Key is ease of use and ease of set-up.
10 people, using a combination of iPhones, Android phones and Window's PC's.
I'd like to be able to set something like a WhatsApp group up where I don't have to add everyone anytime people want to talk.
Any ideas?
I use Teams and Skype for work, but the radio chatter is all about Zoom as it is cross platform etc.
I cant recommend it as I have not used it myself, but thought I would start the ball rolling....
I use teams and skype for work. If you have Apple tech then facetime seems a good option. alternatively Whatsapp video calling seems easy.
My Mum sent a message earlier to say my Dad (aged 69) was using Zoom for a meeting. I don't think it was going too well.
Hangouts is easy and cross platform and does groups
I just set my parents up on Google Duo, which seems to work well. I think it is optimised to work on low bandwidth networks as well, if that is important for you.
Been using Zoom for a bit at work. Everyone has found it easy. Works for voice only or video. You have to keep quiet when not speaking (or mute yourself) as it works out who is making the most noise and puts them on the screen.
Had a play with Hangouts as this seemed the easy option.
Do you need everyone to have registered and have an account or can they just login from an email?
Whatsapp is fine for 1 to 1 but can’t work out how to do it in groups. FaceTime would be fine were it not got Android and PC users.
Zoom looks great but 40 mins max without paying may not be enough.
Someone suggested Discord, any views?
Been trialling the free Zoom before we decided which way to go at work. The 40 mins max has been enough and if more has been needed just come out and gone back it. Bought 20 licences last week as it seems the best option for us on ease of use for use and clients
This is personal, family coms, don’t want to pay if I can avoid it.
Its just the inconvenience of re signing in after 40 mins for the free one
If both on iPhones, we usually use Face time, if we organise with a client - then usually Zoom, if others organise it then often Microsoft Teams. We use all on iPads, iPhones and Macs, connecting to others on PCs, all work well and easily. Wasn’t keen on Skype but haven’t tried it in quite a while.
Another Zoom user here. Really simple to setup and use
Zoom looks great but 40 mins max without paying may not be enough
Duo is free and works out of the box on a phone. Just download, register and off you go. In my experience nothing is pensioner proof ("How do I install an app?") but Duo doesn't add any particular hurdles to the process.
Isn't the Zoom 40 minutes for calls with more than 2 users on the basic package?
We've used this for my Mum as it's easier for her to just click on the email invite. She did have Skype for contacting my sis but hadn't been able to logon for a while; hence we used Zoom. She then managed to find her logon for Skype and said that she found Zoom a lot easier than that.
I was talking to my daughter about this and suggested Skype, as I know nothing else. She's on iPhone and iPad, we're on Android and Windows 10 laptop.
She said Hangouts will be the way to go.
All I know of hangouts is my phone used to pester me to install it but that stopped months ago. Can someone simply explain what it does and how I should set it up and use it in this mixed environment? Should I add Skype into the mix?
Related but not quite, but rather than start a new thread -
I'm using Hangouts to give classes - the free version is OK but watching my son have his primary school classes via Hangouts on G-Suite Education, seems to go a lot smoother.
G Suite basic is 6eur a month* - I'd pay that but you seemingly need a domain. I don't need that or 'proper' email addresses, etc - Any way around it?
I know everyone is using Zoom but I'd rather not change everyone (80+ people) to another platform if I can help it
*free 30 day trial atm but still needs the domain, which is only like 12 dollars a year but just seems pointless
In this instance (video chat across mobile and PCs) Google Duo will do what you need
I bought my parents a facebook portal for their TV. Seems to work pretty well - works for group calls with whatsapp and facebook messenger. They've managed to get the hang of it.
Duo seems to have a max of 8; I've got a theoretical max class size of 10 including me.
Think I'll muddle on with Hangouts this week, then after the easter break I'll sign up for G Suite on the month's trial and get a ten quid domain
Skype always seems to be a massive ballache. Possibly due to how it tries to federate accounts - no-one ever has the right account details and they can never find them, or if they do there's some kind of problem with it.
Google hangouts just works, as does Facebook Messenger chat and apparently WhatsApp chat although I've only ever received calls not made them.
Can someone simply explain what it does and how I should set it up and use it in this mixed environment?
Hangouts is a Chrome extension so you just click a button to install it (if you have Chrome obvs) and then click the camera symbol to start a call. On Android it's an app which is similarly easy.
I was trying to set up something for my 87 year old dad last week. I thought hangouts would be the answer, but that fell at the Google id hurdle. I think he has an Android phone, so he must have a Google id, but he denied any possibility of this being so and in the end I gave up. Hangouts won't work unless you sign in with a Google id. Almost got Skype to work, but couldn't get his camera to send a picture.
Parents use both FaceTime and Skype, and have managed to communicate with child-free siblings using both.
Jitsi is simple and free. Can work in your browser, without installing anything. And no need for an account, just share the link.
Jitsi Meet is perfect for this
Put four words (or more) in the box and press Go and you get an url to a virtual space. Anyone, anywhere, with any web browser can go to that link ( http://meet.jit.si/<something>) and it will ask to use your microphone and camera. So you simply email the link to your family and tell them what time / day to log on. Works best on Chrome.
Pros: It is free and open source, for up to 50 people at a time. It works across any platform as long as you have a web browser. You don't need to 'moderator' to start a call or meeting; anyone with the web url can 'enter' the virtual 'room' at any time. The room stays active forever, so you don't have to keep sending out invites to meetings, just a time/day for everyone/anyone available to join.
Con: It is not secure, at all. Anyone who guesses the four words can join your space.
