Hey guys, whether you want to schedule a Google video chat meeting, or you have been asked to join a Google hangout meeting, this tutorial will help to get you up and running.
System Requirements
- Connect with up to 10 people
- Each participant needs a computer with a microphone, and Internet connection, a webcam is optional.
- Attendees can be added to the hangout (voice only) by dialing a phone number
What you will need
- Install the newest version of Google Chrome:
- Install the Hangout App
- Ensure you join the hangout from Chrome and not Safari or Windows Explorer
Scheduling a Hangout Video Call Through Google Apps:
1. The host creates an appointment on their Google calendar, and invites attendees by entering their email addresses in the right-hand column that says Add guests.
2. At the start of the meeting, each guest will go to their calendar appointment. Just underneath the Where field is another field called Video call. Next to it is a green video icon and a link that says Join meeting: yourname. Click on that link to launch the Hangout and join the call.
Hangout Video Call Features:
Once you connect, you will see an image of yourself, and an image of the person(s) who are on the video call. If you move your cursor to the left of the screen, a bar with icons should appear:
Chat – click on the blue icon with lines to open a chat field on the right side of your screen. When other participants have their chat screen open at the same time, you can type notes or share links to documents from the chat window.
Screenshare – click on the green icon that looks like a video monitor to share your screen. If you have multiple programs open at the same time, you will be presented with choices for what to share.
- You can share your entire desktop (background, menus, all programs) exactly as you see it. If you have multiple programs open, or alert windows that pop up from time to time, this can be distracting.
- You can also choose just one file to share. For example, if you have a PowerPoint document open, you can choose to display only that PowerPoint. This is often a cleaner and more professional image.
Audio Video Settings
- You can choose where your audio and video sources from two places.
- 1st within system preferences within the Mac OS
- 2nd within the audio video settings within Google Hangout Environment. Move your mouse to the top of the hangout screen and the following choices will appear.
- To Choose which microphone to use in the hangout, you will see this. I choosing where I want my audio to be routed when speaking on a Google Hangout. Here I would like to set my headphones. If you have a room full of people on the call, you could choose send the audio to airplay. While this is cool, there will be a delay in the audio.
I hope this tutorial gets you started in using Google Hangouts.
If you have any tips or tricks of your own please leave them in a comment below.