Whole-family calls
How to set up a TV so grandma can see the whole family on a video call
Put a wide-angle camera on top of the TV, sit the family back on the couch facing it, and light the room from the front, and grandma will see everyone at once instead of one face at a time. The setup below takes about 15 minutes and works in almost any living room.
Updated October 26, 2026
The goal
From "pass the phone" to "everyone wave"
You know how most family video calls go. One parent holds the phone. The kids take turns squeezing into frame, then wander off. The toddler grabs the phone and grandma gets a close-up of the carpet. Everyone hangs up feeling like they talked to a slice of the family.
What grandma really wants is to sit with all of you, the way she would at your kitchen table. That means a camera that sees the whole room, a big screen on your end so the kids can see her too, and a little thought about where everyone sits. None of it needs special skills.
Step by step
Set up your TV for whole-family video calls
- 1
Use a camera with a wide view
A wide field of view is what fits a couch full of people. The Samsung Slim Fit Camera, for Samsung TVs, lists an 85 degree diagonal view and Full HD 1080p video.
- 2
Mount it top center
Put the camera on the middle of the TV's top edge. When people look at grandma on the screen, they are almost looking into the camera, so she feels looked at, not looked past. Samsung warns the Slim Fit Camera may fall if the TV is tilted or rotated, so keep a swivel mount straight.
- 3
Set the couch at a comfortable distance
Sit where you normally sit and check the camera preview. If heads are cut off at the sides, move back a little. If everyone looks tiny, move forward or bring in a footstool or floor cushions for the kids in front.
- 4
Make two rows
Adults on the couch, kids on cushions on the floor in front. Everyone's face is visible, and the little ones are closest to the screen, which is where they want to be anyway.
- 5
Light the faces
Turn on a lamp near the TV, pointed at the room, or open curtains that face the couch. Close curtains behind you. A bright window behind the family turns everyone into dark shapes.
- 6
Quiet the room
Turn off music, the dishwasher if you can, and anything else on the TV. The camera's two built-in microphones pick up the whole room, which is great for voices and not so great for the blender.
- 7
Test it before the big call
Make a short test call to a sibling or a second phone. Check that you can see everyone and hear each other clearly at a normal speaking volume.
Quick fixes
Common problems and how to fix them
| What grandma sees | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Dark faces, bright window | Light coming from behind the family | Close the curtains behind you and turn on a lamp in front. |
| Only half the family | Sitting too close, or camera off center | Move back a step, center the camera, use two rows. |
| Echo or loud background | TV or music playing, hard empty room | Pause the TV, turn off music. A rug and cushions soften echo. |
| Picture freezes | Weak Wi-Fi at the TV | Use a network cable to the TV, or put an extender nearby, and pause big downloads during the call. |
| Kids wander off | Nothing for them to do | Give them a job: show grandma a drawing, sing a song, read a page. |
When little kids are on the call
Help the youngest ones connect
The American Academy of Pediatrics calls video chatting with family "relationship time," not screen time, and offers tips for making it work with babies and toddlers.
Nothing else on the TV
The AAP suggests not having a TV playing in the background. On a TV call, the call is the only thing on.
Point and name things
The AAP suggests the parent point and label what is on the screen: "Look, there's Grandma! There's her cat!"
Play together
Peek-a-boo, songs, a book read aloud by grandma. Interactive play works much better than "say hi to Grandma" on repeat.
Grandma shows her place
The AAP notes toddlers may think the person is inside the device. Grandma showing her kitchen or her garden helps them understand she is at her own home.
Where FamilyView comes in
The whole room, on her TV
FamilyView makes this setup the everyday way your family calls. It turns a Samsung smart TV (2022 models and newer) into a family video phone with the Samsung Slim Fit Cam, about $100, which clips onto the top of the TV, plugs into USB, and belongs to you. FamilyView is an app, not a box: nothing to rent or return.
Put FamilyView on your TV and grandma's TV, and your living room can call hers, TV to TV. Both families sit on their own couches and see each other life-size. If grandma does not have the TV setup yet, she can join from any web browser at familyviewtv.com, and family can also call from the FamilyView Android app. When a TV rings, the person there presses OK on the remote. Pair each TV once with a short code.
Between calls, photos from everyone's phones land on the TV and play as a slideshow when it is idle, and video messages up to 2 minutes play full screen. Only family members can call. One-to-one calls are end-to-end encrypted, there are no ads, and nothing about your family is sold.
Calls to the TV come with the Family plan, $14.99 a month for the whole family, month to month, cancel anytime. Families spread over several homes can choose Multi-House, $34.99 a month for up to 4 households. See FamilyView for families or compare plans.
Whole-family call questions
How do I get everyone in the picture on a video call?
Use a wide-angle camera on top of the TV, sit back, and put kids on cushions in front of the couch. Check the preview from where everyone sits before the call.
Where should the camera go on the TV?
Top center. That way people look close to the camera when they look at the screen, and the person on the other end feels looked at.
Why does my family look dark on video calls?
Usually a window or lamp behind you. Close curtains behind the couch and add light in front of the family, near the TV.
Do we need a microphone too?
The Samsung Slim Fit Camera has two built-in microphones, according to Samsung. In a quiet room, normal speaking voices come through from the couch.
Can grandma see us on her TV too?
Yes, with FamilyView on both TVs. The two homes call TV to TV, and each family sees the other's whole room.
Sources
- Samsung Australia: Slim Fit Webcam, 85 degree diagonal field of view, Full HD 1080p, two omnidirectional microphones
- Samsung Canada: Slim Fit Cam, magnetic mount and the warning about tilted or rotated TVs
- American Academy of Pediatrics: Tips for Video Chatting with Infants and Toddlers, "relationship time," no TV in the background, point and label, showing surroundings
Everyone on the couch. Grandma sees it all.
Start free, pair your TV with a short code, and make Sunday's call the first one where nobody passes a phone. Cancel anytime.