Improving Audio Quality
Audio quality is the single most important factor for meeting recordings and AI transcription accuracy. Poor audio leads to garbled transcripts, missed words, and frustrating playback. Investing in proper audio setup pays dividends in transcription quality and meeting productivity.
Equipment Recommendations
Recommended Equipment:
- Use an external USB microphone instead of built-in laptop mics
- Popular options: Blue Yeti, Audio Technica AT2020, Rode NT-USB
- Consider a headset with boom mic for consistent positioning
- Audio interfaces bypass computer sound card limitations
- Noise-canceling software like Krisp enhances clarity
Microphone Positioning:
- Position mic 6-10 inches from your mouth
- Angle slightly to the side to avoid plosives (p and b sounds)
- Keep consistent distance throughout the meeting
- Use a pop filter to reduce breathing and wind noise
- Test positioning with a short recording before meetings
Environment Setup
Even the best microphone cannot overcome a poor recording environment. Background noise, echo, and reverb all degrade audio quality and transcription accuracy.
Environment Tips:
- Choose the quietest available room
- Close windows and doors to block external noise
- Turn off fans, AC units, and noisy appliances
- Avoid rooms with hard floors and bare walls (causes echo)
- Add soft furnishings like curtains and rugs to absorb sound
Noise Cancellation Options:
- Built-in platform noise suppression (Zoom, Teams, Meet)
- Third-party tools like Krisp or NVIDIA RTX Voice
- Hardware noise-canceling headsets
- Post-processing with audio editing software
Improving Video Quality
While audio is paramount for transcription, video quality matters for engagement, non-verbal communication, and professional appearance. Modern platforms support HD video, but you need to enable it and meet technical requirements.
Platform Video Settings
| Platform | Default | Max Quality | Requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zoom | 360p | 1080p | Pro plan or higher, HD enabled in settings |
| MS Teams | 540p | 1080p | Good bandwidth, adjust in meeting settings |
| Google Meet | Auto | 720p | Stable internet, Chrome browser recommended |
| Riverside.fm | 1080p | 4K | Records locally, uploads after meeting |
Lighting Setup
Best Practices:
- Position main light source in front of your face
- Use soft, diffused lighting to avoid harsh shadows
- Ring lights provide even, flattering illumination
- Natural window light works well (but avoid direct sun)
- Consider LED panel lights for consistent color temperature
Avoid These Mistakes:
- Backlighting from windows behind you (creates silhouettes)
- Overhead-only lighting (creates unflattering shadows)
- Mixed color temperatures (warm and cool lights together)
- Bright screens as only light source
Pre-Meeting Preparation
A quick test run before important meetings helps catch technical issues early. Most problems can be prevented with a simple checklist.
Pre-Meeting Checklist
Technical Checks:
- Test microphone input levels and quality
- Verify camera is working and positioned correctly
- Check internet speed (minimum 5 Mbps for HD video)
- Ensure sufficient battery or power connection
- Confirm adequate storage space for local recording
Environment Checks:
- Preview your background on camera
- Adjust lighting to eliminate shadows on face
- Silence phone notifications and desktop alerts
- Inform others to minimize interruptions
- Close unnecessary applications to free system resources
Meeting Etiquette for Better Recordings
Even with perfect technical setup, meeting behavior significantly impacts recording quality. Clear speech patterns and turn-taking make recordings more usable and transcription more accurate.
Best Practices:
- Remind participants the meeting is being recorded
- Speak clearly and at a moderate pace
- Pause briefly between speakers to avoid overlap
- Mute when not speaking to reduce background noise
- State your name before speaking in larger meetings
Common Mistakes to Avoid:
- Multiple people talking simultaneously
- Speaking too quickly or mumbling
- Rustling papers or typing loudly near microphone
- Leaving microphone unmuted with background noise
- Poor internet causing choppy audio/video
Impact on AI Transcription
Recording quality directly affects AI transcription accuracy. Most tools achieve 90-98% accuracy in ideal conditions, but poor audio can drop accuracy significantly. Understanding these factors helps you optimize for better results.
Factors Affecting Transcription Accuracy:
- Audio quality is the biggest factor - clear audio = better transcripts
- Background noise and echo confuse speech recognition
- Accents and technical jargon may reduce accuracy
- Speaker overlap creates challenges for all AI tools
- Internet-related audio drops cause gaps in transcription
For best AI transcription results, prioritize audio quality over video. Use quality microphones, minimize background noise, speak clearly, and avoid talking over each other. These improvements can increase transcription accuracy from 80% to 95%+.
Alternative Recording Solutions
Standard meeting platform recordings sometimes suffer from internet-related quality issues. These alternative approaches can deliver superior quality for important recordings.
Local Recording
Zoom and other platforms offer local recording options that save directly to your computer, avoiding cloud compression and internet quality issues.
Dedicated Recording Software
Tools like Riverside.fm record locally on each participant device in up to 4K resolution, then sync to the cloud after the meeting ends.
External Audio Recorder
For critical meetings, use a standalone audio recorder as backup. Devices like Zoom H1n capture studio-quality audio independently.
Professional Cloud Platforms
Services like Riverside, Zencastr, and SquadCast are designed for high-quality remote recording with separate tracks for each participant.