Video Conferencing
Google Rooms
About rooms and group conversations
You can use rooms or group conversations in Google Chat to communicate with one or more people.
- Rooms: A central place where people can share files, assign tasks, and stay connected.
- Group conversations: Chat directly with a group. For example, use group conversations to have a quick discussion after a meeting.
Tips:
- You must use a Google Workspace account to create a threaded room.
- Group conversations are unthreaded.
Should I use a room or group message?
| Rooms | Group conversations | |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Collaborate on long-term projects with teams or specific groups. | Direct message with 2 or more people. |
| Message history |
Threaded rooms: History is always on and is kept based on your organization’s policy. Unthreaded rooms: History can be turned on or off:
Note: If no one joins a room and the creator leaves, a room created by a personal account is deleted after 5 days. |
If you use a Google Workspace account, history depends on your organization's settings. History can be:
Note: If participants leave a group conversation created by a personal account, the conversation is deleted after 5 days. |
| Name |
The room creator chooses a room name. Notes:
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Member names are listed. |
| Default Notifications |
Members are notified for conversations they're in or when @mentioned. These are default settings and can be changed. Turn Google Chat notifications on or off. |
Members are notified for every message. These are default settings and can be changed. Turn Google Chat notifications on or off. |
| Membership | Members can leave and rejoin. |
Members can leave and rejoin. Tip: For group conversations created before December 2020, members may not be able to leave. |
| Multiple chat spaces with the same people | Can have 2 or more rooms with the same group. | Can have 2 or more conversations with the same group. |
| Create and assign tasks | Can create and assign tasks to other room members. | Unnamed group conversations don’t have task features. |
| Shared files | Can share files and view a list of files shared with the room. |
Can share files with the group, but can’t view a list of the files. |
All DCU staff and students have a DCU licensed Zoom account. The licence for this account allows users to hold an unlimited number of Zoom sessions with unlimited duration, with a maximum attendee limit of 300.
This licence is a ‘meeting’ licence. It contains features that promote interactivity, discussion and collaboration. It is therefore appropriate for virtual classroom activities within DCU. For numbers larger than 300 Zoom provides a different licence referred to as "webinar" licence. DCU has a limited number of webinar licences. This document provides an overview of "meeting" versus "webinar" licences in Zoom.
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DCU Account Here is a link to a guide on setting up your access to Zoom using the DCU Account: Link |
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Troubleshooting: Link
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Frequently Asked Questions: Link
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The following is a comparison of the various video conferencing tools available to DCU staff.
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Zoom Conferencing |
Google Rooms |
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Website Link |
Google Rooms |
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Price |
Free - core DCU Apps service |
Free - core DCU Apps service |
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Max. Participants |
300 |
400 Unthreaded 3000 Threaded |
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iOS App |
Yes |
Yes |
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Android App |
Yes |
Yes |
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Screen Sharing |
Yes |
Yes |
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Record Session |
Yes |
Yes |
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Requirements |
Web browser |
Web browser |
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FAQ’s |
Google Rooms |
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*Details for Zoom Webinar can be found here: Link
For any questions not covered above contact the ISS Service Desk