Changing the Screen View of Your Videoconference

One of the advanced features of the CVS Scheduling Desk is the opportunity to set the view of your conference to something other than single view (voice switching) via the online scheduler. This allows for a split screen for up to 9 participants. The following are important guidelines and information for using the split screen option. Please review before making changes to any of your conferences. Please contact the CVS Scheduling Desk with questions by phone at (714) 220-3465 or by email to SchedDesk@cenic.org.

How to Change Your View

Login and begin scheduling a conference as normal via the CVS Online Scheduler. If you have not set up your account for the CVS Online Scheduler, contact the CVS Scheduling Desk via email to SchedDesk@cenic.org for information.

To use the split screen option, click on the "Advanced Settings" button in the middle of the scheduling box. A new box will pop up and you will see "Select the Template for this conference" and a drop-down menu. Select the view you would like from the menu. You can use the key provided here to see the layout of each available view. Please note: In all cases, these views do not permit the participants to view their own room. For participants who need to see themselves on screen, codecs must support and use the "Picture In Picture" (PIP) function.

Click "OK" and the "Advanced Settings" box will disappear. Make sure you have selected all of your resources and set the date and time correctly. Select "Create Schedule." That's it! When the conference begins you will see the view layout you selected.

Important Considerations

Be sure to take into account the size of each participant's codec/monitor.

Your personal monitor may have the ability to show nine or more participants on one screen, but on a small screen the result could be disastrous! If any of the participants in your videoconference do not have codecs/monitors that can accommodate a split screen you are better off with single-view voice switching.

If you plan to utilize a split screen, be sure the view you choose corresponds with the number of participants in your conference.

You can add resources and make changes to the view up until the conference begins. Once the conference begins the view cannot be changed and if you have more participants then the view you have chosen, not everyone will be visible on screen and voice switching will be applied. If you have fewer participants then the view you have chosen, you will see blue or black screens in the unused area.

Glossary of Terms

Single-view voice switching:

All participants receive video from the current speaker, who is determined by both the length and strength of the audio coming from his/her endpoint.

Continuous presence:

This mode allows you to see all (or a reasonable number) of end point sites at the same time. This is sometimes referred to as "Hollywood Squares."

If you require a more specialized view, for example, an instructor wishes his/her view to be split screen but would like the view at all other locations to be single view, please contact the CVS Scheduling Desk at (714) 220-3465. Exceptions will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

The following key shows the layout of each of the available views. You will only see the written descriptions as shown below each illustration in the CVS Online Scheduler.

Please note: In all cases, these views do not permit the participants to view their own room. For participants who need to see themselves on screen, codecs must support and use the "Picture In Picture" (PIP) function.

View Key: Screen Display Options

The screen display options for your videoconference are as follows -- 384k is the standard call rate:

384k/Single View

384k/3 participants/2 Squares

384k/3 participants/2 Rectangles

384k/4 participants Rectangle and two squares

384k/5 participants Four Equal Squares

384k/5 participants Rectangle and three squares

384k/6 participants Rectangle and four squares

384k/7 participants Large square w/5 small squares

384k/9 participants Large Square w/7 small squares

384k/10 participants Nine squares

384k/10 participants Rectangle and eight squares