Exciting New Features Released for Digital Samba's Video Conferencing API and SDK Users

The past few months have been a thrilling period for Digital Samba's Video Conferencing API and SDK users, as we've rolled out a host of new features and enhancements to augment your virtual meeting experience.

In this blog post, we'll delve into the top features that were introduced recently, including improvements in User Experience (UX), Roles and Permissions, Custom Logo, Software Development Kit (SDK) updates, Dashboard Revamp, Onboarding, and Webhooks.

User Experience (UX)

1. Participant Name Badges on Recordings: We've added a new feature that allows you to control the visibility of participant name badges on recordings. When this feature is enabled, recordings will include participant name badges on tiles.

2. Layout Mode on Recordings: We've also added a setting that lets you control the layout mode on recordings. The Auto mode automatically magnifies the active speaker, while the Tiled mode renders a basic grid with participant tiles. Both modes will magnify any open content or shared screen.

3. Cleaner View in 'Tiled' Mode: We've improved the UX by providing a cleaner view of the layout in 'tiled' mode. Name badges and control icons will be hidden until hovered on the tiles area. This is particularly useful in rooms where there are multiple broadcasters, as it reduces visual distractions and provides a more focused experience.

4. Enhanced Participants Panel: We've also enhanced the Participants panel with a button to invite people. When clicked, a room link will be provided for sharing.

Roles and Permissions

1. Roles and Permissions Release: We're excited to announce the release of 'roles and permissions', empowering teams to add moderation to their rooms.

The Digital Samba Video Conferencing API now comes equipped with a set of three preset roles — Moderator, Speaker, and Attendee — designed to fit most use cases. Moreover, integrators can also create their own custom roles with unprecedented granularity and precision.

2. Range of Permissions: This release includes a wide range of permissions, from 'broadcast' and 'manage broadcast permission' to 'start session' and 'end session', among others. The release also includes SDK methods to programmatically grant and revoke broadcast permissions, remote mute, remote request to unmute, remove a participant, and end the session.

3. New Permission Addition: We've added a new permission to our dashboard and API allowing integrators to define what roles should be able to invite people.

Custom Logo

Custom Logo Setting: We've added a new 'Custom logo' setting to the default room settings. Customers in our paid plans may now display their own organisations' logos in rooms and recordings.

Software Development Kit (SDK)

We've added several SDK methods to enhance the functionality and user experience of Digital Samba Video Conferencing API and SDK. These additions include:

1. Methods to List Room Participants: This will allow integrators to render participants list programmatically and to trigger remote actions such as 'remote mute' without having to manually collect all the participant ids.

2. Methods to Remove Participants: Added an SDK method allowing integrators to programmatically remove participants.

3. Control Participant's Initial Settings: Integrators can now control through the SDK a participant's initial settings (username, microphone enabled by default, camera enabled by default, show toolbar, show captions and selected layout mode).

4. Grant and Revoke Broadcast Permissions: We've added SDK methods to grant and revoke broadcast permissions. The methods target remote participants. It will be a precondition that the granting or revoking participant has permission to 'manage broadcast permission'.

5. SDK Events: We've added SDK events that trigger when a participant raises or lowers their hand, and when the participant alters the state of their virtual backgrounds through in-room UI.

Dashboard Revamp

We've revamped the dashboard with improved stylesheets and reorganised the dashboard menu with added icons.

This release includes various improvements in the dashboard Stats page, including an 'export usage statistics' button, allowing team members to download data for further processing and analysis.

We've also made enhancements to the user experience on the rooms page and the Roles page.

Onboarding

1. Enhanced Onboarding Experience: Introducing a new welcome module on the dashboard stats page, allowing new customers to effortlessly initiate a session without the need to create a room. 

2. Notification for Single Participant: We've also implemented a notification with a suggestion to invite others and a "copy URL" button that will appear in the room when a single participant has joined.

Webhooks

Webhooks Capabilities Expansion: We've expanded the capabilities of our webhooks by introducing support for additional events related to recordings. This enhancement enables integrators to set up custom callbacks on their applications for various stages of the recording process.

Wrap up

The recent updates for Digital Samba Video Conferencing API and SDK bring exciting new features and improvements to make your virtual meetings more engaging, accessible, and customisable. With the addition of these new features, we're confident that your virtual meeting experience will be better than ever. 

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