ABSTRACT
Video-mediated communication (VMC) is becoming more widely used in workplace and conference settings, with a variety of different systems available. This paper reviews the effects of system quality and set-up, discussing how VMC can be used to its full potential to maximise communicative success. The implementation of VMC systems is based largely on the assumption that visual cues improve human interaction. Despite the obvious advantages of larger screens, most VMC systems are limited by cost and bandwidth. System quality and set-up factors in VMC have important practical and psychological implications, not only individually but also interactively. Ideally, a VMC system will have good audio and image quality, with minimal delay and clear views of speakers to create the best possible sense of face-to-face communication. The common aim of these different VMC systems is, in most cases, to replicate the benefits of face-to-face communication as fully as possible.
