Portal
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Owing to the ongoing current situation our two daughters have thoughtfully ordered to be delivered to us a Portal so that we can see them and the grandkids (I have only got a flip-up phone and the tablet hasn’t been very successful with video calls) does anyone have any experience of using one and have any tips on the subject? (That’s assuming I fathom out how to work it!!)
How lovely- I do not have one so no experience to help except that I googled
How to use a Portal
and it has come up with various help websites
Good luck and enjoy x
Yes, thank you C/Mum I did find a couple of Youtube instruction videos as well. I just asked as sometimes those that have used something before might have some tips that they found useful. Thank you for looking.
Must admit, I had to Google too, Fruitcake, as I’m not tech savvy at all. Hope that you don’t have to much to do to be up and running. 🤞 I’m grateful for Skype and Facetime for face to face and there wasn’t any real setting up for them.
Neither am I tournesol! Even when I watched the step by step guide on Youtube I thought “Hmm I’ll wait and see!”
Your Barty will hopefully be along soon or some other techno minded bod, to give you a clear and easy run through. 🤞
I’ve discovered what it was with your post, so can’t help you either. I’m using messenger for video calls
Sorry Fruitcake, I’ve never used one.
Set it up and have a play. Take some time to make sure you get it nice and solid and pointing so that you’re well framed when you’re in you favourite chair and check that there’s nothing behind you that you don’t want your kids to see.
I have only seen these advertised on TV. They appear to be a camera which you clip on top of your TV which gives a wider angle of cover so you can get more people in the picture. It says you need a facebook or whatsapp account to use it so if you are going to use your TV in conjuction with it, I think you would need a smart TV for it to work as intended. I would assume alternatively you could plug it into your PC or Laptop in which case it would be no advantage to you but the person the other end would be able to see the wider camera view.
I am only saying what I have gathered from the adverts so I may be inaccurate but that is my interpretation.
I have whatsapp and it works well on my smartphone, it gives a good picture and is free to download and use.
Ooooo it’s way more than a camera John. It’s a “smart” device in it’s own right, so it connects to the TV by HDMI and only uses the TV as a display and for sound. It can do may of the things that other devices do and it’s an Alexa device so you can talk to it.
(Sadly I have no friends and/or don’t want anyone to see the state of my house so I won’t be getting one)
Thanks folks for all your input, I think it’s going to be a case of ‘suck it and see’!!
Barty wrote
don’t want anyone to see the state of my house so I won’t be getting one)
Don’t worry Barty, it will only be the kids and grandkids and they already know what the state of our house is!!!
I will let you all know how I get on (or not!) once it arrives!
Babeth wrote
I’ve discovered what it was with your post, so can’t help you either. I’m using messenger for video calls
So have I been Babeth but after a couple of minutes I can still see them but they can no longer see me (not that that is a bad thing!) and then the sound breaks up, so not very successful, hence them buying me the surprise present of a Portal. (I do hope they haven’t wasted their money!!)
Ooooo it’s way more than a camera John. It’s a “smart” device in it’s own right, so it connects to the TV by HDMI and only uses the TV as a display and for sound. It can do may of the things that other devices do and it’s an Alexa device so you can talk to it. (Sadly I have no friends and/or don’t want anyone to see the state of my house so I won’t be getting one)
I bow to your superior knowledge of such things Barty
Ooooh….an advert for the portal has just been on.
Looked easy enough.
We’ll see tournesol!! They’re going to make it look easy for the advert I guess but on the other hand, a dear friend, who is much less technically minded than I (her own words) has one and can use it, albeit set up by her son-in-law, so I’m optimistic!!!
The Portal has arrived, I was able to set it up myself and I have just had a wonderful conversation with one daughter and children in her house and the other daughter in hers all at the same time – brilliant!!
(No TV needed just all parties have to be on FB messenger or Whatsapp)
Well done, Fruitcake, that is great, I am very happy for you! 😎 Technology has proved to be very handy during these weird times.
Very nice for you Fruitcake, I’m glad that it makes you happy.
Not for us , we have the same connection with our children through our Ipads , Jen on facebook and myself on Skype.
I am a little dubious about facebook and their “raison d’être ”
Very nice for you Fruitcake, I’m glad that it makes you happy.
Seeing my daughters and grandchildren certainly makes me happy Deboer, I’m sure it does most people and as I haven’t got such a thing as an ipad my daughters thought this would be a good way for me to see them so bought it for me and they were right, bless them.
An update on the Portal, I can now video help our youngest granddaughter with her French lessons, I have had a video chat with my younger brother, our family in Australia and in Canada, none of which I could have done before so I am well pleased.
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