Zoom, Skype Technical Q&A here:

[Hugh O'D]

11 hours ago, serggio99 said:

Greetings! We are also planning on using zoom. We are trying to figure out the best process to have friends give their comments while at home? 

 

Thanks!

Hi Serge. We did two things in our meeting this evening. At first the Elders decided to only use prepared comments. But come the meeting they decided to say that people could just raise their hands if they wanted to give a comment. Both systems worked well tonight. If someone doesn't have a webcam then they can't raise their hands but that's where messaging in before hand to arrange an answer works. Hope that helps. Agape

[Amygdala]

So we set up Jitsi tonight with the group overseer. It worked fine conferencing the 3 of us. We'll be testing it also tomorrow with the other users until Saturday when we have our meeting. But so far, so good.

[➕👇 ꓤꓱꓷꓠꓵ🎵Tone]

Zoom has a 'raise hand' function the users all have access to. Then the controller can select them.

Just Older

[Old]

Anyone have Zoom experience with a large audience, congregation 180, say 70 connections?

[➕👇 ꓤꓱꓷꓠꓵ🎵Tone]

Anyone have Zoom experience with a large audience, congregation 180, say 70 connections?

We connected first time without incident... 180 pubs, 90 connections. This pic is from the controller:

Just Older

[lord-360]

Did the controller have an easy time with thise numbers?

[➕👇 ꓤꓱꓷꓠꓵ🎵Tone]

Did the controller have an easy time with thise numbers?

I'll ask him...

Just Older

[jwhess]

20 hours ago, Old said:

I like that "further official indications" what ever that means. 

It means they were specifically confidential from a source that is directed from the Branch.  They were indications to act not direct orders.  That is about all I am at liberty to say.

[molnarj]

If you schedule a Meeting in Zoom, You have two option for the Meeting ID. 

 

 

If you Choose Generate Automatically it generates a new ID for every meeting. Every publisher needs to enter that number in order to join the meeting. You will have to send him that number by email or Whatsapp. However, most probably you will have created an account for the congregation. There is a Personal meeting ID assigned to your account that stays the same. So if you choose Personal Meeting ID for every scheduled meeting the brothrers and sisters can use the same meeting ID for every meeting. There is no need to send an email to everyone. This will make it easier for the older ones to use Zoom. They will have to remeber only one ID. There will be no need to send messages for every meeting. Just make sure you have scheduled all the meetings in your congregation account with this number and everyone can join at the usual time with the same ID.

[➕👇 ꓤꓱꓷꓠꓵ🎵Tone]

Did the controller have an easy time with thise numbers?

I spoke with the controller. He did some practice runs beforehand. As there was no comments from viewers, it was just like watching a meeting, a small meeting at that!
They are using the paid version, and have learned how to mute all mics, and block their video, the 2nd meeting will run smoother.
The initial set-up was a laptop on a chair beside a Mic stand that had an $80 webcam attached.
Now that is working well, they are increasing the features. Now they are introducing the 'screen share' feature that will show the video in full screen for the off-site connections. (up to now it was from the webcam which showed the speaker and the TV behind him. The sound & picture quality suffered.)
Stage 3 is to introduce off-site participants. Zoom has a 'raise hand' feature. The speaker on the platform would benefit from a tablet to see who wants to comment. He also would need to press the screen to select someone.
Then either he or the sound brother (main controller) would 'reset' the raised hands.
At this moment the decision is for voice only on comments. No video will be streamed for comments.
In 2 weeks they will have the CO with remote talks and Field Service only. He will not be physically attending.
We live in interesting times!

Just Older

[ChrisC]

Sorry, I haven’t really got the head for reading all the comments here,

 

I have been invited to join a group w.t. study by Skype Sunday.

If I did then I would need to just be a listener/viewer. Will Skype allow me to ‘join in’ with camera and microphone access disabled in Settings?

[➕👇 ꓤꓱꓷꓠꓵ🎵Tone]

Sorry, I haven’t really got the head for reading all the comments here,

 

I have been invited to join a group w.t. study by Skype Sunday.

If I did then I would need to just be a listener/viewer. Will Skype allow me to ‘join in’ with camera and microphone access disabled in Settings?

Probably. You just won't be seen or heard (I think)

Ask the group OS to give it a test run. Then you won't have any drama on the day.

 

Just Older

 

 

 

[➕👇 ꓤꓱꓷꓠꓵ🎵Tone]

CO Visit using Zoom.
The CO will be 'broadcasting' over zoom from the '2nd school' room without an audience.
(Australia launched new laws today. 1 person per 4 square meters when indoors. Also recommend 1.5m (5') min distance between people.)
Any that attend the hall will watch on the main monitors, as will remote connections - all on zoom.
At this point anyone that wants to comment or participate will need to do so over zoom.
[so if you are in the main hall, you must have you phone/tablet on zoom with earpiece connected. This will stop feed back. Speaker will select comments from tablet on his stand in the back room. The Mic on the earpiece will transmit sound so all can hear. Speaker needs earpiece to hear the comments as well.]

{Currently, the main Mic and all secondary mics in the hall are not connected to zoom. Just the webcam Mic is used.}

Hopefully it will get streamlined shortly.

Just Older
 

Edited March 20, 2020 by Maʹher-shalʹal-hash-baz
Add pics

[➕👇 ꓤꓱꓷꓠꓵ🎵Tone]

You can tell one of the brothers involved is on the AVS team.

Just Older

[Foxes53]

I've setup Zoom on my desktop computer but it appears my computer has no built in mike. I guess I'll have to look at using mt smartphone. Any other suggestions would be welcome. 

[serggio99]

14 hours ago, Hugh O'D said:

Hi Serge. We did two things in our meeting this evening. At first the Elders decided to only use prepared comments. But come the meeting they decided to say that people could just raise their hands if they wanted to give a comment. Both systems worked well tonight. If someone doesn't have a webcam then they can't raise their hands but that's where messaging in before hand to arrange an answer works. Hope that helps. Agape

Thanks for your help. We did a rehearsal of the meeting yesterday and worked out some issues. For some reason when the participants commented their voice could not be heard by the conductor, so the conductor is using an earpiece to dial in and hear the commentors and to prevent feedback. We really appreciate this thread, we will have our first live meeting on Saturday! 

[molnarj]

2 hours ago, Foxes53 said:

I've setup Zoom on my desktop computer but it appears my computer has no built in mike. I guess I'll have to look at using mt smartphone. Any other suggestions would be welcome. 

You can use a PC/Laptop/Tablet with built in mic and camera. Or you could buy a webcam with built in Mic. 

[Hugh O'D]

10 hours ago, serggio99 said:

when the participants commented their voice could not be heard by the conductor,

Was the conductor also the one controlling the whole system? At on point the brother on whose laptop this was all running, but who wasn't the conductor the whole time, decided to mute his mike, except he muted the sound for everyone listening in.

 

Otherwise, could everyone be heard before the meeting began? The AV Elder decided to make sure each person could see, hear and be heard as they were connected and wouldn't move on until each person was ok. Otherwise, sounds like a bug we haven't had yet, but probably will. Jehovah's blessing on this. Agape.

[➕👇 ꓤꓱꓷꓠꓵ🎵Tone]

Note:The Zoom 50% discount (post #50 above) works in Australia.

Discount code for 50% off Zoom Pro until June:  ZOOMTOGETHER

Just Older

[luisenriquereyes]

Success.  We had 62 in attendance for our congregation Bible study tonight. Our CO joined in also 😁

 

Edited March 21, 2020 by luisenriquereyes

[Old]

Just now, luisenriquereyes said:

Success.  We had 62 in attendance for our congregation Bible study tonight😁

 

Congregation Bible Study kinds of throws us. We assume you are referring to the mis-week meeting ? correct?

[luisenriquereyes]

14 minutes ago, Old said:

Congregation Bible Study kinds of throws us. We assume you are referring to the mis-week meeting ? correct?

No.  This being our fist time and also this week we were going to have our Circuit Assembly on Sunday but it was canceled, we only did the Congregation Book Study part of the mid week meeting.

Edited March 21, 2020 by luisenriquereyes

[➕👇 ꓤꓱꓷꓠꓵ🎵Tone]

.... We assume you are referring to the mis-week meeting ? correct?

I guess you mean MWM?
(Mid-Week Meeting)


Just Older

[Dantheman136]

On 3/19/2020 at 1:06 PM, More4me2do said:

Just in case some of the friends need some assistance with working the Zoom app.

 

https://www.notion.so/Using-Zoom-for-Our-Congregation-Meetings-e18afe78404c41f791902867e6d7c94e

That's a great help. Is there any way to get a .pdf file of it?   Thanks

[Dantheman136]

23 hours ago, jwhess said:

It means they were specifically confidential from a source that is directed from the Branch.  They were indications to act not direct orders.  That is about all I am at liberty to say.

"And I clearly cannot choose the wine in front of me"  Sorry just had to add a princess bride quote. I'll stop now. I really mean it.