Studying Online;Succeeding through Distance Learning at University

122 Studying online 
resolution, the more frames per second (fps), the more data that 
needs transmitting. Tat can be a problem when you are involved 
in video conference calls. Many of the more expensive cameras 
provide software that allows you to adjust the frame rate. Ideal-
ly, get a camera that lets you change the frame rate depending 
on your activity. Streaming your webcam needs lower frame rates 
than recording videos. 
field of view 
Another critical factor for students studying online, particularly 
if you are home, is the feld of view. Tis is a representation of 
how much of your surroundings will be visible. Te feld of view 
is measured in angles which show the angle from the camera to-
wards you. Many webcams have wide felds of view of 90 degrees. 
Tat means a large amount of your surroundings will be visible 
during the call. Tis may not be appropriate as you may have 
elements of your home that you do not want to be displayed to 
others. Equally, with a wide feld of view, your face becomes pro-
portionally smaller, making it tougher for the other participants to 
engage with you. Ideally, you need a webcam with a narrow feld 
of view of 60 degrees. 
Webcam fxing 
Tere are many other features that the webcam manufacturers 
will want to promote. However, there is really only one other item 
that is crucial for you. Tis is how the webcam will be fxed. Many 
webcams come with attachments that allow them to be fxed to 
the top of a monitor. However, these can be too wide for use on 
thinner laptop screens. So, you will need to check to make sure 
that the fxing is appropriate for laptops. Alternatively, you could 
get a desktop tripod. Most webcams come with the option for 
them to be mounted on a tripod. You can get pretty cheap desktop 
tripods, and you could then put your webcam onto one of these 
and position it behind the screen of your laptop. Tis could be of 

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