Check Call Quality Before Video Chat in Google Green Room
Even though we’ve all had a few months of practicing working from home, some people still tinker with volume, lighting, and other technical settings before every hangout. There is nothing wrong; In fact, Google is leaning towards this preliminary “testing”, proposing a new feature in Google Meet: Green Room.
Just like real green rooms where actors and musicians prepare at the last minute before a show, Google Meet’s Green Room lets you get everything set up before a show. You can check the sound and picture quality or your network connection and make sure your devices are working as expected before every meeting you join.
Here’s how to use the Green Meet Room to check call quality:
- Start or join a new meeting (not visible if you are hosting an instant meeting).
- Click Test Audio and Video Pending on the Ready to Join screen. A new window will appear that guides you through the audio and video verification.
- On the first screen, use the drop-down menus to change microphone, audio output, and cameras as needed, then click Next.
- You can then record a short clip to see and hear the quality of your call. Click Next when you’re ready to record. Make sure you speak into the microphone clearly, like in a meeting. Recording will automatically stop after a few seconds.
- The clip will play on the last screen. If you are not satisfied with the volume and need to adjust the settings, or if the application reports that your connection or devices are not working, click “Check Again” to restart the process, or select “Tips and Tricks” if you need help. fixing a problem with sound or video.
- When you’re done, click the X in the upper right corner of the window to close the Green Room, then click Join Now to join the meeting. (Don’t forget to apply a virtual background or blur effect if you want to hide your cluttered home office.)
A green Google Meet room can help prevent people from joining calls with their microphones muted or accidentally turning off the camera (or turned on, as many have learned the hard way ). And Google Meet isn’t the only teleconferencing app that does this – you can also check your call quality with test calls in Zoom ( available online here ) or Microsoft Teams (under Settings> Devices> Make Test Call “ ).