The videoconferencing system is starting the summer semester of 2023 with an update. The current version 2.6, which was introduced on April 21, once again offers many new features.
Settings
- The echo-test is omitted with this version. Thus, the number of interactions to participate in a conference is reduced. In addition, a new volume indicator for the audio signal appears automatically. This allows TNs to see whether the microphone is active, and the microphone volume is sufficient.
- Users can upload individualized background images for their own webcam under webcam settings, adjust the brightness and activate dark mode in the options (three small dots at the top left).
- The layout selection can now be done via the blue plus button (+) Actions -> Layout Settings, which is located in the bottom toolbar.
- Up to four different webcams can be pinned by moderators.
Interaction
- The new whiteboard offers many new drawing functions: (re)edit, move, delete, change object sizes and copy & paste objects to other slide.
- Multi-user mode is now located in the bottom toolbar of the presentation.
- Shared notes can be moved to the presentation area or to the whiteboard.
- Optimized polling area: polls can be prepared in advance using the custom input option.
- There is an option to download the presentation with whiteboard annotations.
- Participants can now change the status emojis using the small arrow in the "raise hand" button.
- Presentations for upload can now be up to 100 MB in size.
Collaborations in group-rooms (breakout rooms)
- In the new version, the moderator can easily move participants between the different breakout rooms.
- Shared notes and whiteboard annotations from breakout rooms can be loaded into the main room presentation.
Recordings
- The Display which shows if your recording of the conference is working has grown.
- The recorded contents can be downloaded in different formats.
- Download: Video version but without the chat.
- Podcast: Audio-file of the microphone recording
- Presentation: Compilation of the individual contents (Presentation, Webcams, Chat and screen shares) in one browser window, whereby, deviating from the timing, individual slides and screen shares can be selected.
- Screenshare: PDF-file with shared notes.
- Video: Synopsis of the content in a video including the chat history. The Video will be played in the browser.
Leaving or ending conferences
In the new version the two options have been rotated to avoid ending a conference to soon.
- Leaving Conference is now the second to last menu option.
- Ending Conference for all is the last menu option. Additionally, it is marked red.
Video Tutorials for the new features
- The VCRP has made an own video regarding the new features from the 2.6 version: https://www.vcrp.de/digitale-lehre/tools/videotutorials
Background information
Many of the new features have been demanded by the German community under the management of the association “Zentren für Kommunikation und Informationsverarbeitung” (ZKI) in cooperation with Blindside Networks, the company which developed and implemented BBB.
The BigBlueButton project thanks ZKI, the German association of Higher Education IT centers, for its members that have collectively supported the project and improvements in this release. These improvements included scalability and stress testing of the client, selecting different webcam backgrounds, pinning multiple webcams (for accessibility), and testing of the new whiteboard and recording formats.
Source: https://github.com/bigbluebutton/bigbluebutton/releases/tag/v2.6.0
Learn More
Website of the developer: https://docs.bigbluebutton.org/new-features/