Hybrid Meetings

[molnarj]

Dear brothers.

 

Maybe we can be of help to each other. We have received the S-260 and S-261 forms about the setup for Hybrid meetings and the Technical things. However, there will be more practical things needed. There have been areas where the meetings were already held in the KingdomHall. How do you manage everything during the meeting? Do you use 2 Screens to manage Zoom and JWLibrary? What else did you encounter? How did you solve that?

 

Please, share any suggestions!

Edited March 9, 2022 by molnarj

[New World Explorer]

What cameras would you use for streaming from KH? 

[jwhess]

I noticed that there are differences between the S-260 and S-261 forms about the setup for Hybrid meetings and some of the picture we saw about "pilot" meetings.  So we need to adhere to the printed guidelines now going forward.  Lots of reading for the AV folks.

[Dages]

7 hours ago, New World Explorer said:

What cameras would you use for streaming from KH? 

We already have a webcam in our KH.

It's the classical Logitech C920 or something, it's nice.

Edited March 10, 2022 by Dages

[New World Explorer]

2 hours ago, Dages said:

It's the classical Logitech C920 or something, it's nice.

I am surprised with it, as I would consider this as a lower "budget" choice almost non suitable. 

I was thinking minimum  APS-C sensor based camera to gather more light. Maybe Sony due to their focus ability. (Sony a6400)

Camera needs HDMI port.

[JwSam]

Yesterday we installed an ELP H.264 varifocal usb camera with a ceiling grid track mount at the hall. I don't recall the resolution. It is the one recommended but we purchased it some time ago. I have to say I don't miss swimming in attic fiberglass insulation.  We still need to find a way to connect our homebound friends to zoom for the lecturn and the AV Booth, maybe a couple of tablets? A tablet with HDMI to a stage monitor? Unsure. 

[-Chris-]

6 hours ago, New World Explorer said:

I am surprised with it, as I would consider this as a lower "budget" choice almost non suitable. 

I was thinking minimum  APS-C sensor based camera to gather more light.

 

I would have liked to have installed something with better image quality but our instructions strongly suggested a specific low cost option. The instructions also specify not streaming in HD to minimize bandwidth concerns. Neither would be a problem for our congregations but I can see the wisdom in taking slow minimal steps into a streaming setup at each KH.

• The low cost varifocal cameras only require USB2 so running the extension is easy to do. Higher quality cameras tend to require USB3 or an HDMI run into a higher bandwidth converter, fine if you have the expertise and a recent computer but possibly difficult for some of our halls.
• Available bandwidth for the KHs can vary, it is only in the past 10 years that the internet connection has been suggested. There are even suggestions to turn off or change the WiFi password during the meeting so that participant device use doesn't interfere with streaming the program.

[molnarj]

So we did some testing today. We set JWLibrary to play the video on a second screen, which is a beamer in our hall. When we start Share screen in Zoom to show the video through JWlibrary on the extended screen, Zoom takes over Screen 2 and it shows the controls of zoom and a second desktop from Windows. The second screen in JWLibrary doesn't work anymore and needs to be restarted. 

 

Any suggestions?

[Dages]

1 hour ago, molnarj said:

So we did some testing today. We set JWLibrary to play the video on a second screen, which is a beamer in our hall. When we start Share screen in Zoom to show the video through JWlibrary on the extended screen, Zoom takes over Screen 2 and it shows the controls of zoom and a second desktop from Windows. The second screen in JWLibrary doesn't work anymore and needs to be restarted. 

 

Any suggestions?

Per the instructions from the S-261?

[-Chris-]

55 minutes ago, molnarj said:

When we start Share screen in Zoom to show the video through JWlibrary on the extended screen, Zoom takes over Screen 2 and it shows the controls of zoom and a second desktop from Windows. The second screen in JWLibrary doesn't work anymore and needs to be restarted. 

We have received some fairly specific and detailed instructions on using VLC alongside Zoom, I believe for this reason. VLC is configured to display on the second screen and Zoom shares this just fine. Other options include using OnlyM but all of these require downloading the photos and video ahead of time.

 

We encountered this issue in early March 2020 when we had our own version of hybrid meetings for a couple of weeks before transitioning fully to remote meetings. I suspect the cross-platform technologies that JW Library is using don’t fully integrate with Windows, I also have seen a subtle bug where plugging in an additional screen after JW Library has started will confuse it on where it should go full screen.

[molnarj]

We followed the instructions closely. The thing is that in the S-261 form there is no instruction yet for hybrid meetings. So no instruction on how to use Zoom in connection with JWLibrary.

[DarinS]

We originally setup a Logitech 930 for video and Audio - connected via USB and for our CO who lives behind KH

we have 2 large screens on Stage (left and right) 

and 1 monitor screen mounted to the ceiling (facing speaker)

we setup zoom to deliver the main input (camera) and then used the PC to share pics/video/songs to the 2 side monitors and ceiling monitor

 

we later used the branch recommended app - to deliver picture-in-picture

the CO would be at lower left corner - super imposed over the picture he was sharing

 

It was support heavy - originally used 3 brothers - then later we got down to 2 (1 dedicated to zoom kind of like co-host today) and the other managed media and sound

 

our updated instructions - re equipment - led us to purchase a PTZ camera and mount it on the “old” projector bracket area

it was preset to #1 the main speaker  #2 the reader #3 the table for sisters talks

we later changed to reflect 2 settings only  - #1 Speaker - #2 side of stage (used by both student assignments and reader)

(this is similar to the direction we received when setting up AV in the Assembly hall and using our camera systems)

 

We used the original settings for a few months with the CO - in March-May (early Covid)

the newest setup — we did not use it yet for in person meetings…we have tested numerous options

 

we learned

#1 it was was easier to juggle the ‘Sound/Video’ booth if you have multiple monitors

#2 - it was easier to have a different brother manage zoom on a different laptop/PC (this brother could manage attendees also)

#3 - our young brothers were very adept…..

#4 - our Spanish CO(who also lives on-site) choose a more simplified delivery - just 1 brother to juggle the AV

 

we know we will receive more instruction and will need to practice and test much more

- so dont expect to jump in and have it perfect with only 1-2 hours (setup&training)

 

it took many hours to get it working—and we still struggled and were worried 

 

I’m sure you will have MUCH FUN

 

[onBoard17]

On 3/12/2022 at 11:40 AM, -Chris- said:

We encountered this issue in early March 2020 when we had our own version of hybrid meetings for a couple of weeks before transitioning fully to remote meetings. I suspect the cross-platform technologies that JW Library is using don’t fully integrate with Windows, I also have seen a subtle bug where plugging in an additional screen after JW Library has started will confuse it on where it should go full screen.

We have a similar setup to post #12 - but we have 2 PTZ's installed (many years ago). We were streaming our meetings vis KHConf - Video. We'd use PTZ #2 for talks on the schools, demo's etc. We have a switcher installed to do this. Early in the pandemic (April 2020 I think) we streamed a funeral from the hall. Just 3 brothers were present. We launched Zoom from the KH PC and spotlighted the PTZ focused on the brother giving the talk. We didn't have any issues with JW Library when it came to the songs on screen #2. We use a program called JWLMediaWin to keep the output on the 2nd screen when screen sharing in Zoom. 

[-Chris-]

On 3/13/2022 at 5:14 PM, onBoard17 said:

We use a program called JWLMediaWin to keep the output on the 2nd screen when screen sharing in Zoom. 

Thank you! This works great! I really should keep an eye on what Antony Corbett is up to, so many useful tools.

[jayrtom]

On 3/12/2022 at 8:52 PM, DarinS said:

we later used the branch recommended app - to deliver picture-in-picture

What app is that?

[On the huh]

I got things set up as per the S-261.

What do you share when you share screen in the hybrid meetings?  When you share "Screen 2", which is what the media in on, the secondary zoom window jumps from screen 2 to the main screen, and fills the screen.  It goes back when you stop the share.  Its because JW Library and Zoom are both using the same screen, Zoom doesn't like it when you share the same screen.

I could share the JW Library app on the main screen, but that has its own problems.  I was thinking about using OBS and the VirtualCam as an alternative to screen sharing. 

[Eddie]

On 3/12/2022 at 10:33 AM, molnarj said:

So we did some testing today. We set JWLibrary to play the video on a second screen, which is a beamer in our hall. When we start Share screen in Zoom to show the video through JWlibrary on the extended screen, Zoom takes over Screen 2 and it shows the controls of zoom and a second desktop from Windows. The second screen in JWLibrary doesn't work anymore and needs to be restarted. 

 

Any suggestions?

When sharing screen have you tried selecting Screen 2 instead of JWLibrary Window? 

[On the huh]

When you share Screen 2 for the first time, move the Zoom share toolbar from screen 2 to your main monitor.

[New World]

Dear Friends,

 

I will appreciate your technical help and support here. Were have been using an old ahuja amplifier with a laptop and  microphones with XLR cables for our meeting. Now we just got a Logitech c920 webcam, a mixer and tripod for our hybrid meeting. We will appreciate all the help we can get in setting up the equipment's step by step. Have no ideas what extra cables we need and if we need additional software. We have been using vmix for screen sharing to the monitors.

 

Thanks

 

[DarinS]

We recently received 2 letters

s-260 and s-261 

they have information about running hybrid meetings and the technical parts and pieces

they should help answer many questions  you may have with your setup for AV and Hybrid meetings

[VAGNER BRASIL]

On 3/12/2022 at 4:33 PM, molnarj said:

So we did some testing today. We set JWLibrary to play the video on a second screen, which is a beamer in our hall. When we start Share screen in Zoom to show the video through JWlibrary on the extended screen, Zoom takes over Screen 2 and it shows the controls of zoom and a second desktop from Windows. The second screen in JWLibrary doesn't work anymore and needs to be restarted. 

 

Any suggestions?

 

Here in Brazil we are using a solution without JW Library just because of the screen closing. It works very well.

[Jonathan Martins]

As we are in sign language with a lot of video (for the songs, for all the verses and also for the images) with in addition the highlighting of the cameras of the participants in Zoom we use the virtual camera of OBS which allows you to centralize everything in a much more fluid way directly in Zoom.

Then just change the highlight in Zoom between the speaker on the podium and the virtual camera in OBS to show all the videos and images.

The advantage of this system is that you can also use another computer in addition which only takes care of launching the videos or images. You can also delegate this task to another person to lighten the work of highlighting in Zoom.