Speakerphone is a hands-free communication device, consisting of multi-directional microphones, speaker, noise and echo cancellation system and external interfaces. It is used for the organization of group audio and video conferences. Speakerphone makes it is much easier to manage communications mobile phone and computer communications. The speakerphone acts as a voice command transmitter.
Speakerphones have been used by many companies for many years. However, they have grown the most popularity in video conferencing systems. That happened due to the emergence and active introduction of software and hardware solutions for audio and video conferencing to the market.
The main characteristics and features of a speakerphone
Speakers
The more speakers are built-in, the wider is hearing range and the distance at which you can easily capture the voice of video conference participants. Video conferencing speakerphones usually have one or several built-in speakers.
Microphones
A speakerphone with a built-in microphone suits for a video calls and video broadcasts, which involve a dialogue between two people (video broadcasting works on a “One speaks – others listen” system). For group video conference, which is attended by several people, or during a virtual meeting (with hundreds of participants, who are divided into those who are simply watching the process, communicating via chat and audio comments, and those who have the opportunity to see, hear and talk) the number of microphones should be as high as possible.
Noise and echo cancellation system
Provides a clean and clear sound. If a video conference involves several people, the system eliminates echoes and noises that interfere with people’s communication.
Recording calls on an SD card
Allows you to save important information.
Full duplex
Guarantees a proper operation of the speakerphone by the fact that data transmission and reception is carried out simultaneously during a video conference.
Volume control
Buttons that switch sound and turn microphones on/off on a particular speakerphone, or on a whole chain of linked intercom devices. Microphone disabling is used in case you want to hide fragments of the conversation and not to overload a channel.
The greater the number of speakers, microphones and echo cancellers a speakerphone contains, the more expensive it is.
Most speakerphones may combined into a single system to cover larger conference rooms. It happens this way: all speakerphones are connected in series to each other, forming a so-called chain, so that a wider communication area could be covered.