BigBlueButton 2.7

User interface

• Grid Layout
  New grid layout in which all participants with and without an activated webcam are displayed as a tile. This makes it easier to see who is present and speaking. The view is sorted by name, 48 tiles are displayed on the desktop and 14 tiles on mobile devices before a new page is started.
• Timer
  Presenters and moderators can start a timer that is synchronized across multiple clients. This has two modes:
  • Stopwatch: Counts forward without a time limit.
  • Timer: Counts down from a self-set start time. An alarm sounds when the time has elapsed.
• Disable viewing your own video stream
  You can use "Disable self-view" to hide your own webcam for yourself. It is still visible to others.
• Reactions bar
  The raise hand button is now centered and opens a bar with emojis, making it easier to set a status. Emojis are also animated.
• Screen Wake Lock
  On mobile devices, an automatic lock of the display is prevented if the browser supports this. The function can be optionally deactivated by users.

Screenshare

• Presenters can share their own webcam as the main content in the presentation area.

Presentation/Whiteboard

• Download the original file
  The uploaded presentation can now be made available for download in the original file format, as a PDF or as a PDF with annotations.
• Lock viewers to not see others' annotations
  There is now a setting that allows viewers to see the viewers of other participants or not, so that their own annotations can be seen more easily.

Breakout rooms

• When creating breakout rooms, there is now an option to also send moderators an invitation to these rooms.

Notes for users

• All previous documents uploaded in the BigBlueButton portal in the rooms (Room settings - Add presentation) will be removed during the migration and must then be uploaded again.
• New access links have a different form, but existing links remain valid.
• In the updated portal, only one login is possible per ZIH login, i.e. when logging in in another browser, the previous session is terminated. It is still possible to start several rooms in the same browser.

New Features

Recordings

• Recording functionality is enabled so that conferences can be recorded without external tools.
• Recordings must be activated via the BigBlueButton Portal for the respective room.
• Recordings can be viewed and managed via the BigBlueButton Portal.
• Users additionally receive a notification if they join a conference while a recording is in progress.

Audio

• There is only one button instead of separate ones for microphone and audio connection before.
• The echo test shows the current volume.
• The audio connection may be established faster.

Webcam

• Own virtual background
• Up to 3 webcams can now be pinned.

Chat

• Emoji picker
• Automatic conversion of text to emojis

Notes

• Notes can be converted into a presentation.
• The note editor can now be displayed on the presentation area, allowing simultaneous access to the chat.

Polls

• Multiple choice polls are available.
• Polls can be generated from a free text field, which can also be used for drag & drop of prepared survey files.

Whiteboard/Presentation

• Completely new whiteboard: tldraw (GitHub)
• Download of a slide as PNG file (with annotations)
• Setting for viewers rights: show cursor of others
• The default presentation is now also available if a custom presentation has been uploaded in the BBB Portal.
• The multi user button is now located in the presentation bar.
• Downloading a presentation (with annotations) is now done by sending a link in the public chat.
• Video links on slides are recognized.

Screenshare

• Via the BigBlueButton tabletBigBlueButton Tablet app, screen sharing is also possible on iOS and iPadOS.

Waiting room

• The side panel is permanently displayed, so that changing the waiting room message is possible even without waiting users.
• Users in the waiting room can be sent a private message.
• The position in the queue is displayed for guests.

Breakout rooms

• The last assignment of the users to the group rooms is saved.
• The duration of the breakout rooms can be changed.
• The current remaining time is displayed in the sidebar.
• Users can be easily moved between group rooms.
• Notifications about the end of the group work phase appear 5 minutes and 1 minute before.
• Notes are transferred to the main room as a presentation after the end of the group work phase.
• Presentations are transferred to the main room after the end of the group work phase.

User interface

• The connection status has a new interface.
• Dark Mode
• Layouts can be set via the + button and have a graphical preview.
• Conferences can be transferred to the BBB app via a link in the menu. (iOS, iPadOS)
• Prompt when closing the browser tab.
• "Leave conference" is displayed in normal, "End conference" in red background
• Long names can be displayed in hand raising messages and the participants list by holding over them with a tooltip.
• Emoji statuses can now be set more conveniently using the arrow on the raise hand button.

Other

• Permissions of the browser (for microphone, camera, screen) must be set only once for the BigBlueButton of the TU Dresden.
• When corrections are made to closed captions, they are applied to users.
• Viewers with presentation rights can see and lower raised hands.
• Notification informs about role changes.
• In the BigBlueButton Portal, a profile picture can be uploaded, which will appear as an avatar in the conferences.