Webex Camera view is too small

[RobertMalak5465]

Hello,

We've been struggling since the last Webex update to figure out how to make the image of our webcam video larger on the screen. It used to be able to go full screen and now is just a tiny postage stamp. We plug in a camera and have to show things on our whiteboards as well as around the room to our meeting attendees online. I can't even aim the camera correctly anymore because the on-screen video is now so tiny. Surely, there must be a way to increase the size so you can actually see what the camera is aimed at?

Thanks for any help!

[WEBEXBRO]

Hi Robert.

Could you do like this.. 

Use the Windows 10 Camera App, point your camera wherever you need and share the app.. it will solve all the issues you are having.

Regards

R

[Andrew Nathanson]

Is there an intention by WebEx to change this any time soon?

As a company we're looking to switch to Microsoft Teams or Zoom due to this one issue. 

The image is about 1cm across on our 4K screens. It is impossible to see if the camera is pointed at our face or our shirt. It seams that the control of the self view is bad for no reason, including it amongst the other participants is easier, is it not?

[Ashish Patel]

Coming in 40.8 release
https://help.webex.com/en-us/xcwws1/What-s-New-for-the-Latest-Versions-of-Webex-Meetings
our self-view is now shown as part of the other participant videos for a more natural experience. If you prefer to float your self-view instead, simply click "Show my self-view in a floating window." For more information see Change Your Self-View Video Preference During a Webex Meeting or Event. https://help.webex.com/en-us/sltkbs/Change-Your-Self-View-Video-Preference-During-a-Webex-Meeting-or-Event

[BillShiphrrr]

I am really interested in the solution of this trouble too. Thanks for the suggestions

[Leri2000]

Totally agree the self view should be allowed to be expanded either to grid size or full size and fit within the grid of users.  I find it difficult on video meetings view all the participants in a grid and also view the shared content, easily.  Either the grid view is integrated in the desktop app and I have to go to this when there is shared content (no grid view of users then) or the windows are floating around and it is difficult to control where all the panels are.  Control over the self view though is the main feature the needs improvement and seems fairly easy enough, as other video applications have this feature.  The other day the window actually got smaller for me.  I had to toggle self view on and off to correct back to standard small window!  The idea of using a second phone could potentially work for the gridview issue because I would then have to "host" from my cell, no video and then join on desktop with and be part of the grid of users.  There will be a square with my phone call and no video but at least I could see myself in the grid.  Will keep watching blog for a real solution. 

[_Micha_]

Yes, It shouldn't be that hard... Webex needs to enable the ability to resize that small selfview to the user preference and that's it.

The small self view is super annoying for folks that like self awareness...

[Trustmakers]

Spoiler

Spoiler

I've read this entire thread and am glad I'm not alone. I have the latest version of Webex (40.8.2.17) and have the same problem. I'm surprised something basic like this (being able to see your own camera feed in the grid along with other participants) ever made it past their user testing during the development process. It is weird we have to discuss this at all. Clumsy workarounds and snide comments from maladjusted techies are all nice on a user forum, but it still leaves us with a basic problem: when you're on a simple video call you want to see yourself as well as the other participants. The postage stamp self preview is too small to see. I am now actively discouraging my clients from requesting Webex for our training sessions and we won't be renewing our annual plan when it comes due, specifically and only for this reason. I hate to say it but, because of the app changes, Zoom is now superior to Webex. Sigh...

[Stoyan Stoitsev]

this is being released with version 40.8 in August https://help.webex.com/en-us/xcwws1/What-s-New-for-the-Latest-Versions-of-Webex-Meetings#id_137328

[nsabato]

Thank you for adding to this thread. Out school district had asked us to
use webex but after seeing the interface, there was NO way I was going to
use it. I really hope they fix it at some point.

[Stoyan Stoitsev]

If I understand this correctly, you would like to see your self-view in full screen so that you are sure what you are showing to the other side.
When the meeting starts go to the top middle of the screen and press the pin button, then just select to pin your own video. Done. Bonus, you can pin it for everyone if you are the host.
Note that this is available only when using the desktop app - gives you all the features ;)

[MarleeDelarosa98155]

I just want to be able to see myself so if I have something on my face or there is something in my screen in the background that I wouldn't like to be seen, I can easily notice it. The tiny screen that my face is on is not effective. Is there a way I can expand my view of myself? Note that I am never the meeting host.

[nsabato]

I have exactly the same question. Webex is useless to me if there's no way
to make myself larger so I can see myself the same size as the rest of the
participants.

[nsabato]

Just as a preface to my reply, I seem to have the latest version.  I guess what I need is a little different than everyone else on this thread?  I want the self-view to be the same size as the other participants in the grid (as Zoom does).  I don't need to see myself larger than everyone.  I just need to be the same size.  I'm an elementary school teacher, and I want my image to be the same size as my students.  I don't want to use the floating self-view because then I'm blocking some of the other images.  So as far as I can figure, Webex doesn't do what I'd need it to do?

[RobertMalak5465]

yes, that pin used to be there and work fine for us.  That's how this thread started.  They took that pin option away from the latest version Version 39.5.18.19 for windows.  My screen doesn't look anything like yours, so not sure which version you're running.

[Stoyan Stoitsev]

39.5 is a lockdown version. This means that your IT team has chosen to have your Webex site locked to an older version and to receive updates less frequent. The current Webex version is 40.2 and this is what I'm using. Please check with your IT team or your Cisco partner to get you off of that lockdown version so you can get all the new and exciting features.

[RobertMalak5465]

Interesting.  I did not know.  Thanks for the info.  I don't see them changing anything right now as they want more people using Zoom instead.

[MKob]

deleted...

[Fritz_H]

@RobertMalak5465 

As far as I understood, you complain that your non-standard use-case is not fully covered by Webex, right?

You want to share content that is:

1. analog (?!)

2. obviously pretty small since you mention that the camera-operator can not "see what the camera is aimed at".

Since the standard-usage is

a: to share digital content (e.g. Screensharing)

b: to share video of people/faces (1 - n) - which are pretty easy to aim at with a mobile camera.

As far as I remember there are several layout-options/views, but honestly I can´t remember if that
was a Webex-Meetings-Meeting (sp?) or a Webex-Teams-Meeting...

The other issue, regarding the "automatic speaker switching" (?), true, that may be annoying in situations where it´s unwanted.
But as far as I remember, there is an option to disable that and lock the participants view to your video-feed.

kind regards
Fritz

[RobertMalak5465]

Non-standard use case?  I wouldn't call it that.  What's non-standard about wanting to actually see what your camera is picking up?  The image is just too **bleep** small!  Who cares if it's focused on a person, a whiteboard or a room full of people.  How do you propose you aim a camera on stand at different people in the room if you can't tell what it's picking up?  We can't see it on the laptop we're presenting from so it's very hard to aim the camera!  Cisco recommended we purchase one of their camera's instead but we're not spending more money on Cisco hardware.

Yes, the content was analog because people were writing on whiteboards in the office so others could come into the room to view them at a later time, so digital whiteboard does not work here.  However, now that no one is in the office anymore due to Covid-19, this is no longer an issue.

I gave up on this and we're using Zoom now for most meetings.

[Fritz_H]

@RobertMalak5465 

Having a video-call where the camera is constantly moving around filming "whatever" but not the presenter

is not the standard use case of such software.
Just take a look at the Webpages of skype, webex, Zoom etc.: lots of smiling faces but no cameras wobbling around in a room showing analog whiteboards...

As you now see (not just) my understanding of a "standard use case", lets focus on the main issue:

You can not see, what the cam is pointing at and what is the difference between showing a face vs. a Whiteboard?
good question indeed: targeting a face is pretty easy - its that smiling round thing with 2 eyes - easy to target at, no big preview needed.

a Whiteboard: same thing: its big, white and rectangular. Since I don not see the problem in focusing on such a big target
I guessed, that you want to show small details on that whiteboard.. which can be tricky - no doubt.

Did you ever come across the idea to use a 2nd Computer, Smartphone or Tablet to join your own meeting/presentation?

By doing that, you can see the full-screen content of your camera.

yes - that´s a work-around - but soo easy...

...and a lot better than wasting energy by getting angry and posting **beep** words, isn´t it?

regarding the Cisco Employee suggesting Cisco Video-Devices?
well, as a European I can say: honestly, what else did you expect from a shareholder-value driven, US-Company? 

Conclusion: there is a work-around, lets try it!