How to Make Video Calls?

Before using video calls with Acrobits Softphone and Groundwire, ensure the Enable Video Calls setting is enabled. To place a video call, turn the camera on during the call. Or, touch and hold a contact or the Call button, then select Video Call.

Ensure that the camera permission is granted in your device settings for the application to use video calls. The following sections apply to both Acrobits Softphone and Groundwire.

Setting up Video Calls Mode

Before making your first video call, complete these initial setup steps:

  1. To open the SIP account screen:
    • Android devices - On the Main screen, select Android Settings icon > Settings > Accounts.

    • iOS devices - Open the Keypad tab, select iOS Setting icon > Accounts or SIP Accounts.

  2. Select the desired SIP account.

  3. Select Advanced Settings > Video codecs for Wi-Fi or Video codecs for mobile data:

    • Codec - Leave them as is.
    • Resolution - Select CIF or QCIF (default).
      Quarter CIF (QCIF) is lower quality and requires less bandwidth.
    • Bitrate - You may configure Minimum kbps and Maximum kbps, but we use an adaptive algorithm that adjusts to the network automatically.
  4. Select Back to return to the Advanced Settings screen.
  5. If disabled, toggle the Enable video calls switch to enable.
  6. Select a check icon or Done to save the setting.

After setting Enable video calls, you are ready to start making video calls.

Making a Video Call

If the called party's SIP client or device supports SIP video, the person receiving the call can accept the call in video format.

  • On the active call screen, select the Camera (1) icon to turn the front or rear camera on.
    Groundwire call screen with the Camera button pointed out
  • When the call is connected, the screen displays a large box with the received video and a smaller box showing the video sent from your device.
    If the other party is not sending a video, the screen displays the small box only. When you turn the camera off, the screen displays the larger box only.
    Groundwire video call on Android and iOS
  • By default, the following buttons display on the video screen:
    • Camera button - Tap to turn the camera on or off, and to switch the camera from back to front.
    • Tap the Back button to open the call screen.
    • Tap the End Call button to dismiss the call.
    • (Android only) Microphone button - Tap to turn it on or off. Tap the Back arrow to open the call screen, then tap the Speakerphone button to turn it on or off
    • (iOS only) Microphone and Speakerphone buttons - Tap to turn them on or off.

Tips

(iOS only) Tap anywhere on the screen once to hide these buttons, and tap again to make them visible. You can also pinch out or in to change the view to fill the screen or fit within the screen or rotate the device to switch to a widescreen view.

The following videos demonstrate how to initiate a video call on iOS devices. The procedures are the same for Android devices.

Groundwire

Acrobits Softphone