[EN] web conferences with BigBlueButton

deutsche Version

Service description

The computing centre provides its own web conference solution based on the open source software BigBlueButton (BBB). This service enables audio/video conferencing with webcams, presentations and screen sharing. TU employees and students can set up a room and use a link to invite colleagues, students and/or external participants, for example, from projects. BBB is integrated into the learning management systems Stud.IP and Moodle via plugins and can thus be used for online or hybrid teaching. According to the Executive Committee decision of March 30, 2021, BBB is the preferred platform for online lectures.

Link/URL

You can find our BBB server at https://webconf.rz.tu-clausthal.de - but please continue to read the instructions: you will receive important information on more ergonomic use as well as on possible malfunctions and errors.

Improvement of the picture and sound quality

Before starting a videoconference, check the settings of your system, especially the sound quality. Use the echo test when entering a room and adjust the volume settings if necessary.

If you do not want to speak for a long time, turn off your microphone with the microphone icon at the bottom of the screen.

Avoid sources of interference and background noise (mute the telephone, close windows and doors, etc.)

A headset offers significantly better speech comprehensibility than built-in microphones in laptops because these microphones often pick up a great deal of ambient and background noise.

Ensure that your workplace is adequately lighted. Avoid backlight situations such as a window or a white illuminated background.

Place the camera above or directly beside the screen to maintain the line of sight and avoid irritating perspectives.

If possible, use a wired LAN connection to your end device. If only WLAN is available, make sure that the signal strength is good and that there is little traffic from other users or other data transmissions.

If you want to use the service at home, your connection should have sufficient bandwidth. Important for the quality of your transmission is the upload speed: In this case there should be continuously more than 1 MBit/s free. (For test see: Broadband measurement)

If necessary, change the video quality from medium (default) to low to save network bandwidth.

Suggested room configuration

Please check the settings when creating a room: Usually set an access code or set the second switch to „Approval by moderators before the room can be entered“. This way you prevent unwanted guests. The first switch („Mute participant when entering“) should also be set to „on“.

Please also refer to the application scenarios shown under Create conferences in BigBlueButton.

Further Information

Detailed tutorial videos on how to use the service can be found at https://bigbluebutton.org/html5/ (Englisch)

If you have questions or problems please contact us via e-mail to the colleagues in the computing centre.

Further instructions on the topic BigBlueButton in the RZ documentation