- Hey everyone. I'm Alexa.
- And I'm Shannon.
- Using Microsoft Teams
individuals and work groups can chat, make audio
and video calls, meet, share and collaborate
in real time using Microsoft 365 or other apps
and workflows that a business or school may rely on.
- Needs of people, actually 115 million active daily users
are using Teams to get work done
many of them at home, and there are a variety
of Teams devices that can make doing that even easier.
Today, we're going to talk
about great hardware that can be used with Teams
to enable better audio experiences
and help people look their very best
on video at home or on the go.
So let's talk about some of these devices.
(upbeat music)
- Microsoft is collaborating
with device manufacturers to make available
an ever expanding variety of cameras, microphones
dedicated display devices, speakers, headphones
that are designed to work seamlessly with Microsoft Teams.
Well, oftentimes non-certified devices
will work with Microsoft Teams.
We recommend purchasing devices that are Team certified
as they enabled the highest quality Teams experience.
You can check out the complete list
of Team certified devices at the link shown below.
- There are a few scenarios
where Teams devices can be helpful.
First, working at your home desk.
Chances are you already have a laptop with a camera
and microphone and using that for Teams' calls
can be just fine.
However, there are a few things to consider
when using a laptop.
You may experience the following issues
awkward eyeline angles,
always needing to reconfigure your setup
when preparing for a video call
poor audio quality, no way to limit background noise
or no means of having a private conversation.
- To improve audio,
a good headset will allow you to easily hear and be heard
on Microsoft Teams while keeping conversations more private
since those around you won't be able to hear
the other meeting participants.
Noise canceling headsets that block out
distracting background noise can make it easier
for both you and others to focus on the conversation.
Most headsets have easy to use mute
and volume buttons for those times
when you need to be really quick on the mute button.
- If you do a lot of calls, a wireless headset
maybe a great option as it will allow you to stand up,
walk around, make lunch or do anything you want
while still maintaining the call.
A great option to check out
is the Sennheiser EPOS Adapt 660.
This headset leverages AI for personal audio
to provide great call quality and features a button
that instantly connects you to the Teams app.
Another option if you have a private office at home
and your microphone and speaker aren't great
is a dedicated speaker phone.
Speaker phones are great as they provide clear audio
and offer high quality conferencing experiences.
One to consider is the Poly Calisto 3200M.
It has a 360 degree microphone
so you can be heard from anywhere in the room.
- Next, let's take a look at external webcams.
Using an external camera gives you better audio quality
and flexibility in placement, meaning that
at you can put the camera exactly where you want it
independent from your laptop.
For example, placing it on top of an external monitor
so you can have a better eye line angle.
- The biggest advantage of an external camera
is that it will usually offer far superior quality
to an integrated camera
because there is more space to house all the camera optics.
Full HD, 10 ADP or better should be the target
when selecting a camera.
For a high end experience
check out the new Logitech BRIO 4k webcam.
It is Logitech's premier 4k camera
and is packed with features such as 4k resolution,
a 5X digital zoom, great low light performance
and HDR support.
- And for people who prefer to take calls
independently of their computers,
such as on dedicated communication devices
like speakerphones, a Teams display device
would be a great option for them.
These devices are all in one.
Dedicated Teams displays featuring a touchscreen
and a hands-free experience powered by Cortana.
They offer all the standard Teams features
such as chat, meetings, calls, calendars
and files on a single device.
The Lenovo ThinkSmart View is a great example of this.
It's a standalone device with a speaker, mic
and camera built-in that lets users join meetings
see and collaborate on shared content.
If you're working on the go
or just want another way to work on Teams
Microsoft has great apps available
for both Android and iOS devices.
Using the Microsoft Teams mobile apps
you can access all your Teams context,
content, conversations, apps and meetings
right from your mobile phone.
The apps support office 365 tools
such as Microsoft word, PowerPoint, Excel
and enable access to all of your files
so you can continue collaborating just like you do at home.
This means you can use the integrated camera and microphone
on your phone for a good Teams experience
while away from your desk.
- Finally, let's take a minute to talk
about some ways to look and sound your best
when on video calls or when filming videos
through Teams like we're doing right now.
Using a great microphone will make a huge difference
in how you sound and getting a great camera
will make a huge difference in how you look.
- A couple of our favorite options when optimizing to look
and sound great in recorded videos
are the Blue Yeti Nano microphone
that offers velvety broadcast sound quality
and a budget text stream cam
which provides excellent video quality
specifically optimized to give a filming look
for streaming and recording.
However, beyond a microphone and speaker
you really do need to think
about how to set up your workspace for video.
If your space doesn't have the right lighting
or is an echo chamber, even great hardware
won't fix these issues.
- One of the biggest things you can do
to look great on camera is to have lighting
coming from in front of you.
If you have a bright light behind or above you
the camera can see it and will adjust
to the brightest source of light making you look dark
or out of focus.
Avoid being backlit by making sure you're facing
toward not away from a light source or window.
- And for your microphone
remember to keep it close to yourself
and make sure the correct side is facing you.
And when placing your camera
keep it slightly above your eye level.
This will offer a more flattering angle
than up through your chin and nose.
And if you need to read a document
place the document window near your webcam,
so that you appear to have more direct eye contact
with your audience.
- When you're framing yourself
remember to keep yourself centered
and allow some room between the top of your head
and the top of the frame.
Finally, remember that if you want to look good on camera
do your hair and dress like you would
if you were going into work
and are ready to make a great impression.
And if you are going to be all business on top
and casual on the bottom, please don't stand up on camera.
Thanks for watching this episode of Tech Trends.
Check out the link below to see a complete list
of Team certified hardware that's available now.
- Thanks for watching.
We'll see you on the next episode of Tech Trends.