Kingdom Hall Audio - video and VLC

[Golfguy74]

Hello Friends

 

I am in the process of updating our Kingdon Hall PC. Old one is Windows 7 and is slower than molasses in the wintertime.

 

Having issues setting up VLC for media displaying. Anyone have any new tips on setting this up? Or maybe a better media program?

 

I followed the instruction and this new PC doesn't seem to like it.

 

 

 

[johnsmr]

Hi,

 

I found that VLC was quite frustrating to use and setup for us and training the other brothers to use.

I'd go straight to using the newer playlist feature in JW Library. You can add any images or videos straight into the program and play them through JW Library. So it cuts down on programs to use which is great. There's a great article on jw.org on how to use playlists - https://www.jw.org/en/online-help/jw-library/use-playlists/
I think the instructions will most likely be updated in the future to include this (but thats just me guessing).

Another option which we used before the new update on jw library is OnlyM - https://github.com/AntonyCorbett/OnlyM.

You can again put any videos/pictures in and display them through this but it also has the advantage of being able to display PDF's & websites which is sometimes handy depending on whats needed at the meeting.

We have OnlyM installed on the computer as a backup in case JW Library playlists stops working for some reason but haven't had any problems yet.

 

Hope this helps a bit! 🙂

Edited December 5, 2023 by johnsmr

[Pabo]

OnlyM is the way to go.

 

It is a primary way for us to display foreign media (ie, public speaker pictures, videos not within JWL or any other media format), and we've had issues with JWL playlists in the past. Thus it is always at the ready.

[Korotkiy]

Hello,

VLC is Society recommended software according to S-144.

1. I have set VLC to play video on a display2

2. Associate non-JWLibrary video and images (jpg, png etc) with VLC

3. Set VLC to play images 3 minutes before stopped

 

[Golfguy74]

thank you, friends. Part of our problem is brothers who like to tinker.

Edited December 6, 2023 by Golfguy74
more inclusive

[Korotkiy]

forget to set "Fullscreen" checkbox on a first screenshoot.

[Pabo]

4 hours ago, Korotkiy said:

forget to set "Fullscreen" checkbox on a first screenshoot.

 

Also, disable the setting for holiday mode, otherwise you may have a little red hat with a white fluffy headband and pom-pom icon on the window border during this time of the year. 😉

 

 

[Golfguy74]

Finally installed a new PC. The one we had was an old Windows 7 and was having issues. Got everything working yesterday and everything was working well. Today at the meeting no sound was going out to Zoom. HAs anyone experienced this? Wonder if it is some setting? Anyone ever experience this?  

[Qapla]

When you share the screen on Zoom, there is a box that must be checked for the sound to be included - this is easy to overlook

 

To just include the meeting sound to the Zoom feed, you must have the output from the sound system connected to the computer and that source set as the "microphone" in Zoom

 

[JkentBZ]

VLC and OnlyM are viable options. 

VLC has long been recognized by the branch, it's a bit cumbersome for less technical users.

OnlyM is very easy to use.

VLC is shown on the s-144 but the latest version of that is from 4/21. With the updates to JW Library and the ability of it's Playlists I am pretty sure we will soon see instructions to solely use it, eliminate the need for 3rd-party apps.

For convention last year all media was on JW Library for the first time, it was so awesome. We have shifted to only using JW Library for all media, it has really simplified in meeting operations and it's drag & drop function for loading the media is very easy.

Then you can put the opening song, outline provided pictures and speaker pictures in a Playlist. Smooth! A gift from Jehovah 

[Golfguy74]

It ended up being a PC issue. I moved to where the need was great and have become the techy at the hall, well the only one who is a techy that does fiddle with knobs during the meeting. We installed a new PC and for some weird reason the PC wasn't letting me download files from JW.org. Then I noticed there was some sort of odd "TVKH media serve, No one knew the administrator password. So, I could not remove this media server.  I took the new PC and reset it. Created a new administrator, made sure the media server did not show back up and low and behold all is good now. It was weird, the media server kept coming back. Not know more. We only have DSL at our kingdom all, that is the only service available where our hall is located. Was taking hours to download all the media. So, I brought it home as I have Mediacom's 1GB lightning service and download all media in about 5 minutes. All is good now, just need to keep the fiddlers from fiddling. Biggest issue now is people dragging applications and Zoom's control bar around and disrupting the meeting. I am considering putting in another display so one if for Zoom and the other JW Library. I think the operators will move anf organize applications in numerous windows and mess up the second display function in JW Library. 

 

Is there a setting in the PC so someone cannot drag the Zoom control bar onto the second screen? 

[Golfguy74]

On 12/12/2023 at 11:43 PM, JkentBZ said:

VLC and OnlyM are viable options. 

VLC has long been recognized by the branch, it's a bit cumbersome for less technical users.

OnlyM is very easy to use.

VLC is shown on the s-144 but the latest version of that is from 4/21. With the updates to JW Library and the ability of it's Playlists I am pretty sure we will soon see instructions to solely use it, eliminate the need for 3rd-party apps.

For convention last year all media was on JW Library for the first time, it was so awesome. We have shifted to only using JW Library for all media, it has really simplified in meeting operations and it's drag & drop function for loading the media is very easy.

Then you can put the opening song, outline provided pictures and speaker pictures in a Playlist. Smooth! A gift from Jehovah 

That is what I did, there are still some hard noses that want to use a third party app. IS there a scripture that tells us not to fiddle? Well Eccl 3:1 says there is a time for everything, so the time for fiddling is when you are at home! lol.....

[JkentBZ]

21 hours ago, Golfguy74 said:

It ended up being a PC issue. I moved to where the need was great and have become the techy at the hall, well the only one who is a techy that does fiddle with knobs during the meeting. We installed a new PC and for some weird reason the PC wasn't letting me download files from JW.org. Then I noticed there was some sort of odd "TVKH media serve, No one knew the administrator password. So, I could not remove this media server.  I took the new PC and reset it. Created a new administrator, made sure the media server did not show back up and low and behold all is good now. It was weird, the media server kept coming back. Not know more. We only have DSL at our kingdom all, that is the only service available where our hall is located. Was taking hours to download all the media. So, I brought it home as I have Mediacom's 1GB lightning service and download all media in about 5 minutes. All is good now, just need to keep the fiddlers from fiddling. Biggest issue now is people dragging applications and Zoom's control bar around and disrupting the meeting. I am considering putting in another display so one if for Zoom and the other JW Library. I think the operators will move anf organize applications in numerous windows and mess up the second display function in JW Library. 

 

Is there a setting in the PC so someone cannot drag the Zoom control bar onto the second screen? 

I have unwittingly become our techy too. The only thing I have found helpful is we have a quarterly A/V training (elders decided) during this I emphasize not changing any settings. If we are all following the same best practices if there's a problem we can quickly determine what happened and resolve it.

[Qapla]

Some years ago, I was asked to go to a KH to troubleshoot their sound issues - this was through the RBC [now LDC] as an official assignment. There were three congregations sharing this particular KH. I attended a meeting to hear what the issues were during the meeting firsthand. I discovered two main problems:

1. A couple brothers bought cheap sound equipment from eBay to save money instead of following the Branch recommendations and what they bought was not up to the task.
2. Each congregation sound brothers were changing the settings on the mixer to what they thought it should be instead of leaving it set the way experienced, qualified brothers has set the equipment when it was installed.

Over the years, all too often, I have found these two things to be the problems with sound/video issues when I am asked to inspect a KH to troubleshoot their problems. In more recent times, I would have to add "favorite" apps/programs and "I think this way works better" to this list when I am asked to troubleshoot misbehaving A/V issues with JWL and Zoom.

 

There are usually reasons the Branch recommends the equipment, software and procedures they specify.

 

 

[Golfguy74]

7 minutes ago, Qapla said:

Some years ago, I was asked to go to a KH to troubleshoot their sound issues - this was through the RBC [now LDC] as an official assignment. There were three congregations sharing this particular KH. I attended a meeting to hear what the issues were during the meeting firsthand. I discovered two main problems:

1. A couple brothers bought cheap sound equipment from eBay to save money instead of following the Branch recommendations and what they bought was not up to the task.
2. Each congregation sound brothers were changing the settings on the mixer to what they thought it should be instead of leaving it set the way experienced, qualified brothers has set the equipment when it was installed.

Over the years, all too often, I have found these two things to be the problems with sound/video issues when I am asked to inspect a KH to troubleshoot their problems. In more recent times, I would have to add "favorite" apps/programs and "I think this way works better" to this list when I am asked to troubleshoot misbehaving A/V issues with JWL and Zoom.

 

There are usually reasons the Branch recommends the equipment, software and procedures they specify.

 

 

That is exactly what is going on here, one scriptural principle is being ready to obey. As this world displays the attitudes on 2 Tim. 3, we will have to learn patience. I found the issue today; it comes down to fiddling. The video operators were dragging the Zoom control bar and some of it moved to the stage displays. Then the daily text would hide, and you would have to click on the JW app icon to get it back. We started using sister as we are a small congregation with very few brothers. An elderly congregation.  Some do a great job and others fiddle. Just needs some training. When I am operating the A/V I use my tablet not the monitor for the A/V. Some are using the A/V monitor and move things around and cause the issue I mentioned. 

 

I was looking into a setting to keep Zoom off of the second display. Know of any?

 

 

[Golfguy74]

1 hour ago, JkentBZ said:

I have unwittingly become our techy too. The only thing I have found helpful is we have a quarterly A/V training (elders decided) during this I emphasize not changing any settings. If we are all following the same best practices if there's a problem, we can quickly determine what happened and resolve it.

Thank you. Sounds like a good idea.

[Golfguy74]

On 12/6/2023 at 2:20 AM, Korotkiy said:

Hello,

VLC is Society recommended software according to S-144.

1. I have set VLC to play video on a display2

2. Associate non-JWLibrary video and images (jpg, png etc) with VLC

3. Set VLC to play images 3 minutes before stopped

 

Been working with using the favorites option in the JW app. Have using it with pictures and videos. With the latest update in JW Library it works great.

[Witness1970]

On 12/10/2023 at 5:46 PM, Golfguy74 said:

Finally installed a new PC. The one we had was an old Windows 7 and was having issues. Got everything working yesterday and everything was working well. Today at the meeting no sound was going out to Zoom. HAs anyone experienced this? Wonder if it is some setting? Anyone ever experience this?  

We had this problem for a while.  I was asked to look into it.  I found out that Zoom had been updated and had a filter to remove background noise.  The music was filtered out.  I found out that by going into audio settings and setting it for original sound for musicians (under audio profile) everything started working.  It says recommended for studio environments, but the Kingdom Hall is a lot like a studio environment.  Everything has worked since.

[Golfguy74]

58 minutes ago, Witness1970 said:

We had this problem for a while.  I was asked to look into it.  I found out that Zoom had been updated and had a filter to remove background noise.  The music was filtered out.  I found out that by going into audio settings and setting it for original sound for musicians (under audio profile) everything started working.  It says recommended for studio environments, but the Kingdom Hall is a lot like a studio environment.  Everything has worked since.

Thank you, will look into this. 

[Witness1970]

On 12/17/2023 at 8:24 AM, Golfguy74 said:

Thank you, will look into this. 

Did it work?  Or, is there some other problem?

[Golfguy74]

5 hours ago, Witness1970 said:

Did it work?  Or, is there some other problem?

Purely operator error. We have a couple of fiddlers who will always blame someone else, not that they fiddle. Had two new sisters who are need greater's move in and I gave them some training and we had no problems. Having the A/V operators share the second screen that is on the stage. That way there is no need to move windows around during the meeting.

[Jmystro]

Our Windows computer system was installed within the past 2 years by LDC.  LDC did not install VLC.

 

JW Library -  All our media including images for visiting public speakers

OnlyM - Not used anymore since we use JW Library, it is more like a back up

OnlyT  - Back monitor timer

OBS - We use it to transition the Zoom screen share instead of using Zoom directly 

Zoom - share sound

[Qapla]

We have been using OnlyT for several years. The monitor for it sits back on the sound desk pointed towards the stage and is easily seen by those with parts ... we use the largest digits it will display.

 

Since we did not have a third video connection, the timer monitor is connected by a USB-to-DVI adapter.

Edited December 19, 2023 by Qapla

[Golfguy74]

All is good now, thank you all for you support. We have a HDMI to coax adapter. Has anyone ever experienced the SDI format convertor and once in a while the second displays are not detected?

[Korotkiy]

 

 

Yes, sometimes when we use HDMI - SDI convertor displays are not detected.

When I`m moving SDI contacts - video appeared again.

I think it is because of cheap SDI connectors - those we have got with TV`s from the Branch are too large and have a corner on TV socket.

On my work (TV engineering) I see professional SDI connectors, they have different look, they contains from 2 parts (BNC connector + jack) I never see any problems with them. But cannot find them on a market yet.