Zoom, Skype Technical Q&A here:

[More4me2do]

8 minutes ago, Dantheman136 said:

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

Just click on the right side export and you can export it to a PDF.

[johnsmr]

Hi, does anyone know if it costs for someone to dial in to the zoom meeting?

[➕👇 ꓤꓱꓷꓠꓵ🎵Tone]

I've watched 2 zoom linked meetings in the last week. I use my phone data as I have no fixed line connection.
After the meeting yesterday afternoon (3-5pm) I get 3× automated warning emails at 6:30pm, 7:46pm and 9:16pm to say I've hit 80%, 85% and finally 90% of my data allowance.
I assumed as the picture quality was low, that the data usage would be low.
Does anyone know what data usage could be expected with Zoom?
How much data would be needed for 2 meetings per week?
TIA

Just Older

[Myew]

In the Settings of the PC version of Zoom, there is a Statistics tab that details exactly how much bandwidth the audio and video use. I tried starting a meeting with my video and audio on, but since there was noone else there, it wasn't showing how much I was sending or receiving and I can't remember exactly how much it used when I was testing with the hall. I believe most of the cameras are around 360p or even half that, at low framerates, so it shouldn't be too high.. but there are several of them. I think when I was testing it it was around 1000 kbps or less, but let's assume that you are using around 1500 kilobits (1500 kbps)/1.5 megabits (mbps) per second download. According to Google's conversion formulas, dividing by 8000 equals 0.0001875 Gigabytes per second. Multiplying that by 3600 (60 seconds * 60 minutes = 1 hour) equals .675 or about 2/3 of 1 GB in one hour. However, since Zoom is also using your camera to upload, you're using more bandwidth than just downloading alone. It's very hard to know without looking at your individual stats, but I would guess there is the possibility that it could use up to 1 GB of data per hour. Many cheaper phone data plans only have around 2-3 GB of high speed data per month, after which it slows down to around 200-300 kbps, so you really want to use WiFi if possible. It's often far far cheaper to pay for unlimited phone data or WiFi internet than pay for phone data extensions. I'm currently using low income Access from AT&T $10/mo DSL, not super reliable but cheap.

Edited March 21, 2020 by Myew

[➕👇 ꓤꓱꓷꓠꓵ🎵Tone]

Thanks for the zoom data calculations. Unfortunately in Australia we do not have affordable cell phone data plans. Even unlimited fixed line plans are overpriced compared with the States.

 

Old Tone

 

 

 

 

[Old]

1 hour ago, johnsmr said:

Hi, does anyone know if it costs for someone to dial in to the zoom meeting?

Not unless it is long distance. The congregation or KH pays for the phone connection.

[luisenriquereyes]

1 hour ago, Myew said:

In the Settings of the PC version of Zoom, there is a Statistics tab that details exactly how much bandwidth the audio and video use.

Is this option only during the meeting?   I found this page but it seems like you can view statistics only during the meeting.

 

https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/202920719-Meeting-and-phone-statistics#h_aa6d1360-948c-4301-8d56-c950654c0ccb

But I would like to view the statistics after.

[Myew]

I can't find any logs or records of anything like that in the zoom account settings, because that's all individual to the device. You'd do better looking at the data/wifi record on your phone's operating system. But you can see on that support page the Overall tab has the Bandwidth for send and receive. That makes it pretty easy to add up over time. For example, if it's 100 up (audio only I believe) and 900 down, then you're using 1000 kilobits per second, that's 125 kilobytes of data sent, 450 megabytes per hour, .45 GB.

"Bandwidth: Displays the current amount of data being transmitted by Zoom. Visit Speedtest to check your current bandwidth. Generally, we recommend 1.2Mbps upload/download for HD video." So they recommend 1200kbps minimum on download and upload speeds. That's pretty doable on most modern dsl/cable/cell broadband.. if not for the stupid data caps.

Edited March 21, 2020 by Myew

[➕👇 ꓤꓱꓷꓠꓵ🎵Tone]

We can use our young tech experts to help our older ones...

Old Tone
 

Edited March 22, 2020 by Maʹher-shalʹal-hash-baz
Add pic

[Myew]

I just spent 3 hours on the phone / remote support on her phone with one sister who really struggles due to brain damage. It's frustrating for sure at times. I could not remote into her tablet which would be better for Zoom because that stupid model does not allow it with TeamViewer except for commercial licenses or some other junk. Sigh... I hope she's good to go for tomorrow. 

Edited March 22, 2020 by Myew

[Hinata]

If you are audio/video servant, please note that you must use “optimise share for full screen video clip” feature or the video will be buffered a lot to viewers. (If you are in a congregation and the video gets “delayed” a lot, try suggest this to your brother.)

 

It is recommended that you use crop feature to crop any other unnecessary part of your monitor screen, especially something like your desktop. No excessaries like even the timers. I am sure they can get very distracting to viewers.

[➕👇 ꓤꓱꓷꓠꓵ🎵Tone]

If you are audio/video servant, please note that you must use “optimise share for full screen video clip” feature...
It is recommended that you use crop feature...

Much better option this way.
Good tip for the advanced class!

Old Tone

[SUNRAY]

Interesting way to see who has an answer..saw it on Instagram.

Edited March 22, 2020 by SUNRAY
spelling

[Loopy]

I love that idea! ♥️ 

[MCTDonna]

We are going to use this method today at our meeting. 

Does anybody know how to lock the menubar on android, I try to find this feature but couldn't find it in settings, a brother with aple device showed this option. 

This would be easier because know you have to tap the screen first wich is a bit difficult for my parents. 

I hope everyone will enjoy their meeting this weekend 

[Dages]

Great idea ! I'm communicating this to my BoE.

[Foxes53]

Had a zoom meeting with 12 or 13 yesterday. I am using a Samsung 9 smartphone. I can only see 4 on my screen. To see others I need to scroll and see another 4 etc. Could not find any gallery type feature where I could get everyone on the same screen. Any suggestions from others who are using a smartphone.

[➕👇 ꓤꓱꓷꓠꓵ🎵Tone]

Had a zoom meeting with 12 or 13 yesterday. I am using a Samsung 9 smartphone. I can only see 4 on my screen. To see others I need to scroll and see another 4 etc. Could not find any gallery type feature where I could get everyone on the same screen. Any suggestions from others who are using a smartphone.

My phone and tablet only show 4 on screen. PC monitor shows more. The very last page has a participant list. This is a list. Raise Hand moves name to top of this list. Speaker can call out a name from this list. He does not need to search, just stay on the list. When he calls a name, the controller can unlock their mic.
We'll all get used to it...
I expect many will answer later - as they get used to the system.

Old Tone

[Hinata]

We simply raise the hand the typical way. The conductor can see who raised hands through the camera. Sometimes the most primitive way is the easiest way—and it is definitely much better than the “raise hand” button.

 

1 hour ago, Foxes53 said:

Had a zoom meeting with 12 or 13 yesterday. I am using a Samsung 9 smartphone. I can only see 4 on my screen. To see others I need to scroll and see another 4 etc. Could not find any gallery type feature where I could get everyone on the same screen. Any suggestions from others who are using a smartphone.

 

I don’t think you can view more than 4 on a mobile phone. You need to use PC or laptop, or iPad.

 

From Zoom Help Center: “[On Android/iOS,] You can view up to 4 participants' video at the same time. You can keep swiping left to view more participants' video.” https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/360000005883-Displaying-participants-in-gallery-view

[Thesauron]

We simply raise the hand the typical way. The conductor can see who raised hands through the camera. Sometimes the most primitive way is the easiest way—and it is definitely much better than the “raise hand” button.
 
 
I don’t think you can view more than 4 on a mobile phone. You need to use PC or laptop, or iPad.
 
From Zoom Help Center: “[On Android/iOS,] You can view up to 4 participants' video at the same time. You can keep swiping left to view more participants' video.” https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/360000005883-Displaying-participants-in-gallery-view

It works if you can see everyone, but many devices do not allow for seeing 100+ publishers. And some might only have sound switched on. So a digital way of raising hands is a good solution.

[jwhess]

Just remember, the Society wants us top feel "connected" to these remote brothers.  If you make them just listen and they can't "see" the other publishers it diminishes a benefit in these trying times.  The whole point to Zoom or Skype over just listening was to be able to view your brothers.  If you can't get 150 on the screen, have the elders consider reducing the meeting size by having two programs.  One congregation nearby has all of the meetings by one or two Field Service Groups so they can all see.

[BLEmom]

Quickly, anyone know how to get the shared song to sound better?  We are getting ready to start and the brother said he doesn’t know how to get it to sound better. 

[Friends just call me Ross]

39 minutes ago, BLEmom said:

Quickly, anyone know how to get the shared song to sound better?  We are getting ready to start and the brother said he doesn’t know how to get it to sound better. 

Speaking from experience, (Our Sunday meeting just ended and the song was too broken up to sing)

I am pretty sure the problem is some homes have two or more devices and they all have their sound 

volume turned up and all their mic's on.   The reason I believe this is, as people joined the meeting today,

the elder in charge of invitations and all the tech' stuff advised them to only have ONE mic' and ONE device's

sound on, or there would be feedback.   The sound broke up every time someone joined who hadn't received

the one mic' one device sound on message.

 

Well, one couple tuned in about two seconds before the meeting started so they didn't get the message

and they must have had two devices on with two sound volumes and two mic's because, immediately after

they joined the meeting, our sound started to break up.  The music and lyrics didn't match up and it was

unsing-ible.

 

Just sayin...

[Hinata]

5 hours ago, Thesauron said:

It works if you can see everyone, but many devices do not allow for seeing 100+ publishers. And some might only have sound switched on. So a digital way of raising hands is a good solution.

 

I understand how that can be a case for such congregation. Here, we decided to do this way because we have a lot of elderly publishers. And I mean a lot — our circuit overseer would say our congregation is the one with the most old publishers in entire Seoul. So many are not even accustomed to trying to navigate JWLibrary or even of their phone.

 

So, we simply instructs everyone to have their cam on and put their hands up the typical way. It also is a factor that some people are gathered at a specific house, (under Branch recommendation, of course) and using only one device. So if you just press “raise hands” button, we do not know who it is out of many people. Each congregation would have to decide what is the best option themselves in the end.

[Loopy]

I had to plug in a pair of earphones to “silence” the awful “breakup” sound the music played. 
 

Sounded like some were ahead and behind the others. 🤷‍♀️