Zoom, Skype Technical Q&A here:

[➕👇 ꓤꓱꓷꓠꓵ🎵Tone]

With all the talk about inhouse congregation video broadcasting, I would like to research:

1. what 'just' works (min cost)

2. Approx list of items ( etc)

3. $ Cost of above $US

4. what works really well

5. Items for above (4)

6. $ Cost of topshelf system (4)

 

I also would like step by step connection and setup guide.

 

Guide to include setup options ie

Camera height

Lighting adjustments

 

How to connect extra users

How do users give assignments

 

TIA for your input. Our cong resolved to get this working last night, now we just got to make it happen.

 

 

 

Just Older

 

 

[Qapla]

For the time being, our Congregation is going to have "participant only" meeting at the Hall and use the KHConf system we already have for the tie-in.

[rocket]

42 minutes ago, Qapla said:

For the time being, our Congregation is going to have "participant only" meeting at the Hall and use the KHConf system we already have for the tie-in.

That is what our Congregation is getting set up to do also.  We didn't have the camera or KHConf system but do now and should be ready in a week or two.  With so many not so tech savvy elderly it is going to be a challenge to get the apps setup for all to see and hear the meeting.

[luisenriquereyes]

Here in the Dominican Republic we don't have the option for KHConf.

 

I wanted to start the evaluation of Zoom or Skype to allow for others to comment for the meetings.

 

Another system that came to my attention is Jitsi Meet

 

https://jitsi.org/jitsi-meet/

 

Opinions if this would be a good alternative to Zoom and Skype?

 

Edited March 18, 2020 by luisenriquereyes

[➕👇 ꓤꓱꓷꓠꓵ🎵Tone]

For the time being, our Congregation is going to have "participant only" meeting at the Hall and use the KHConf system we already have for the tie-in.

Does this mean you have voice only? So no video / picture to watch?

Just Older

[➕👇 ꓤꓱꓷꓠꓵ🎵Tone]

Here in the Dominican Republic we don't have the option for KHConf.
 
I wanted to start the evaluation of Zoom or Skype to allow for others to comment for the meetings.
 
Another system that came to my attention is Jitsi Meet
 
https://jitsi.org/jitsi-meet/
 
Opinions if this would be a good alternative to Zoom and Skype?
 

It looks like a good option. I'm going to research this one a bit more.

Just Older

[Myew]

Within the past week, I've set up KHVideo on the PC and our overseers been contacting everyone to get onto a KHConf App. Tonight we had almost everyone in our congregation hooked up via the KHConf app and about 15 or so via video. We interspersed the prayers and announcements locally via a webcam (old android smartphone I hooked up via USB and a cheap $17 tripod) with a JW Stream recording.

We plan to be trying out Zoom as it was recommended within the next few days with the goal of maintaining interactivity, inciting to love and fine works. Looking forward to learning more about it and any input anyone has. I've used Discord and Google Hangouts and Skype before, I assume it's pretty similar.

Edited March 18, 2020 by Myew

[molnarj]

We have been talking about using Zoom since it was more or less advised in the letter from yesterday. We are certainly going to use it for our Eldersmeetings. The interface is easy to handle and quickly to learn. Tonight we are trying to setup our first Eldersmeeting and will discuss whether we want to use it for the entire congregation as well. So for benefits:

 

Easy to set up.

You can approach it through your browser or install the app.

Good sound and video quality.

Even those who have no internet but just an old-fashioned phone can tie-in. 

The one who sets up the call can control the microphones on the device of those who are joining the call. With one click they are all muted so no one can hear what is being said in the room but everyone can hear the chairman or the one giving a talk or those who are giving a comment. 

The disadvantages of the free version is it only works for 40 minutes. So you need a paid version. But it is only $ 13,99 per month. I think you can register with a name related to the Congregations name and then everyone who will be chairman can log in with that name and thus has the ability to have the options as owner of the call and be in control.

Great advantage is that you can show the pictures from the Publications to everyone. So they see it on their screen. You can easily sing along since you can show the lyrics and play the music the way it is done in the hall.

You can also let someone else be in control. For instance, if you are not so well with computers, you might use the kingdomhall to start your call from and someone else could also be there who is handling the video screens, starts the music, opens the mice's for those who want to comment, shows the pictures etc. This will enable the chairman to concentrate on his notes/papers etc.

When someone wants to comment, he or she can use the option raise hands. A small hand is shown in his screen and the chairman or the one conducting the study sees who wants to comment. He asks some one to comment, his mice is opened and he/she can comment. Everyone hears the comment and his view is shown on the screen so everyone can see hem/her. As soon as the conductor starts talking again his view is shown again on the screen. The one in control can lower all hands with one click.

It looks like it you can also record the entire meeting and store it in the cloud for a certain period of time so you can easily look to the meeting another time. 

We are also thinking of starting with the fieldservice groups to setup everything. Help everyone to get used to it. 

 

This is what we found out so far. If you have any suggestions, please share.

 

 

Edited March 18, 2020 by molnarj

[molnarj]

Mice is mic of course. 😉

[➕👇 ꓤꓱꓷꓠꓵ🎵Tone]

Thanks@molnarj
This is the feedback I was after.
Someone said zoom has not enforced the 40 min limit. That it is currently free.
Can anyone confirm this is true?
TIA


Just Older

[lord-360]

Looking online zoom has a lot of power. From what i know so far, it seems like a pc is best for host.

1 minute ago, Maʹher-shalʹal-hash-baz said:

Thanks@molnarj
This is the feedback I was after.
Someone said zoom has not enforced the 40 min limit. That it is currently free.
Can anyone confirm this is true?
TIA


Just Older
 

https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/201363173-Account-Types

Their site says its for when more than 3 are on that you get a 40 min limit.

[molnarj]

It looks like the 40 min. lift is only free for Schools;

 

https://blog.zoom.us/wordpress/2020/03/13/how-to-use-zoom-for-online-learning/

 

[Intercore]

We use OBS for a while. No problems with that.

[Zebra555]

Anyone with a Skype setup?

 

[Dages]

48 minutes ago, Intercore said:

We use OBS for a while. No problems with that.

OBS ? For streaming one's computer ? But where do you stream it ?

[Amygdala]

Quote

 

Another system that came to my attention is Jitsi Meet

 

https://jitsi.org/jitsi-meet/

 

 

 

My husband and I tested it on our devices last night. It seems to work with multiple video chats, a little slower response on receiver end, but I think that's normal for any video conferencing system.

Many service groups had their MDM last night as smaller conferencing groups. We are working on it still for our group, and will hopefully have our's ready to go for the weekend.

 

Thanks for everyone's feedback. I will send the info to hubby.

[Amygdala]

Jitsi doesn't require sign-up usage either.

[molnarj]

1 hour ago, lord-360 said:

https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/201363173-Account-Types

Their site says its for when more than 3 are on that you get a 40 min limit.

That's 3 levels of authority. With the free version 100 people can join the conference. The free version is limited to 40 minutes.

[molnarj]

There are 3 types of users: 

• Basic: A basic user is user without a paid license. A basic user can host meetings with up to 100 participants. If 3 or more participants join, the meeting will time out after 40 minutes. They cannot utilize user and account add-ons such as large meeting, webinar, or conference room connector. 
• Licensed: A licensed user is a paid account user who can host unlimited meetings on the public cloud. By default, they can host meetings with up to 100 participants and large meeting licenses are available for additional capacity. Licensed users have these additional features available:
  • Customize Personal Meeting ID
  • Record to the Zoom cloud
  • Be an alternative host
  • Assign others to schedule and schedule on behalf of
  • Utilize account add-ons such as conference room connector
  • Be assigned user add-ons such as large meeting, webinar, or personal audio conference
  • Customize Personal Link, if on a business or education account
• On-prem: A on-prem user is a paid account who can host unlimited meetings with the on-premise meeting connector. On-prem users have these additional features:
  • Customize Personal Meeting ID
  • Use the recording connector, if configured for their account
  • Be an alternative host
  • Assign others to schedule and schedule on behalf of
  • Utilize account add-ons such as room connector
  • Be assigned user add-ons such as large meeting, webinar, or personal audio conference
  • Customize Personal Link, if on a business or education account

[Dages]

1 hour ago, Lieblingskind said:

Jitsi doesn't require sign-up usage either.

That's super convenient !

[Hugh O'D]

Just got call from an Elder asking me to set up Zoom for my group. I'm a technological imbecile. Please pray for me.

 

[Intercore]

3 hours ago, Dages said:

OBS ? For streaming one's computer ? But where do you stream it ?

I don't know all the details how and where exactly it's being streamed because I didn't work on that setup. We have the link where you have to write username and password (which are set beforehand) to access the stream. 

[Hugh O'D]

Re: Zoom. Ugh. Lots of Zoom's out there. Be sure to go to https://zoom.us/download . Some of the others may contain malware (certainly set off Windows Defender).

 

What we're doing is using Whatsapp as well, when you start a meeting there's an option at the bottom of the screen to invite participants. On that you can click Copy URL. Paste that into WhatsApp to send to people, they click on that and it brings them to the Zoom account. This will happen even if they haven't loaded up Zoom yet, although its faster if they have because they'll have to download Zoom either way.

 

I've more experimenting to do (and working 2 to 10 today). The Share Screen option looks simple enough for when showing part of the meeting from JwStream, whoever is coordinating  will need to be on the ball to ensure thats at the right spot. If anyone else is using Zoom and can give some more tips I'd really appreciate it. Agape.

Edited March 18, 2020 by Hugh O'D
Clarification

[Qapla]

10 hours ago, Maʹher-shalʹal-hash-baz said:

Does this mean you have voice only? So no video / picture to watch?

Just Older
 

 

Our KH does not have a video setup at this time ... not sure if that will change. We are supposed to have the CA this Sat by connection to the KH - have yet to receive additional details

[michelle]

7 hours ago, molnarj said:

Even those who have no internet but just an old-fashioned phone can tie-in. 

Hi. Thanks for all the help.

How does that work, some can phone in using landline? Not sure how that works. Thanks