Video calls

Video calls

Use Video calls when contributors join through a browser instead of a hardware encoder or desktop publishing app. This module gives you a managed room with enforced participant policy, then provides the join details the browser client needs at the moment a speaker or guest enters.

In production, it solves two problems: room control and join preparation. Room control defines how the session should behave: video or audio-only, participant limit, webinar restrictions, chat, screen sharing, and optional room-level recording. Join preparation resolves the active room name and issues the participant token used by the browser client.

What this module is for

• Remote guests joining from a web interface.
• Webinar-style events where audience behavior must be restricted.
• Rooms that may later feed recording, composite output, or restream workflows.
• Operationally managed sessions where room policy should be decided before anyone joins.

Room control and public join flow

Keep private room lifecycle actions on the server side. Use them to create, start, and stop the room. For browser access, use the public helpers in this order:

1. findLKRoomNameById resolves your Callaba room id to the active underlying room name and returns room-level flags such as webinar mode, chat, screen sharing, and recording settings.
2. createToken mints the participant token for that room.
3. The browser client joins with the resolved room name and token.

This separation keeps operators in control of room state while exposing only the minimum required data to clients.

Create payload presets

Start with the preset that matches the actual event format. These are practical defaults for common production scenarios.

Standard team room

Use for internal meetings, producer calls, or small panels where everyone can speak and share a screen.

{
  "name": "Team standup room",
  "user_id": "USER_ID",
  "mediaType": "MEDIA_TYPE_VIDEO_AUDIO",
  "max_participants": 20,
  "allow_webinar_mode": false,
  "allow_chat": true,
  "allow_share_screen": true,
  "record": false,
  "record_mode": "ROOM_COMPOSITE_GRID",
  "active": true
}

Guest webinar room

Use when hosts need full participation but the audience should have a more limited experience.

{
  "name": "Guest webinar room",
  "user_id": "USER_ID",
  "mediaType": "MEDIA_TYPE_VIDEO_AUDIO",
  "max_participants": 200,
  "allow_webinar_mode": true,
  "allow_chat": true,
  "allow_share_screen": false,
  "record": false,
  "record_mode": "ROOM_COMPOSITE_GRID",
  "active": true
}

Audio briefing room

Use for voice-only coordination calls, briefings, or low-bandwidth contributor sessions.

{
  "name": "Audio briefing room",
  "user_id": "USER_ID",
  "mediaType": "MEDIA_TYPE_AUDIO_ONLY",
  "max_participants": 50,
  "allow_webinar_mode": false,
  "allow_chat": true,
  "allow_share_screen": false,
  "record": false,
  "record_mode": "ROOM_COMPOSITE_GRID",
  "active": true
}

Recorded speaker room

Use when the room is expected to produce a composite recording and speaker layout matters.

{
  "name": "Recorded speaker room",
  "user_id": "USER_ID",
  "mediaType": "MEDIA_TYPE_VIDEO_AUDIO",
  "max_participants": 50,
  "allow_webinar_mode": true,
  "allow_chat": true,
  "allow_share_screen": true,
  "record": true,
  "record_mode": "ROOM_COMPOSITE_SPEAKER",
  "active": true
}

Production workflows

Create a speaker room before the live segment starts

Provision the room ahead of time and store the room id in your booking, rundown, or event system. When talent is ready, resolve the room with findLKRoomNameById and issue a token with createToken. This gives operators one stable room to monitor while keeping join access tied to the actual call time.

Run a webinar with controlled audience behavior

Enable webinar mode when presenters need full media privileges but guests or viewers should be restricted. Decide early whether chat stays on and whether screen sharing is allowed. Those two settings usually determine whether the room feels like a meeting or a managed event.

Use the room as the upstream for recording or output delivery

If the room will feed a composite output or recording workflow, set recording intent when the room is created and keep participant policy focused on how people should join. Delivery and archive steps can then be handled downstream without changing the browser join flow.

Operator guidance

• Do not expose private room control actions in the browser client.
• Issue participant tokens close to join time rather than long before the event.
• Choose record_mode based on the final viewing experience you need, not just the number of speakers.