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[[hybrid_meeting_notes]]
===== Hybrid Meetings =====

Information pertaining to the LCTG's desire to move from a totally on-line (via Zoom) weekly meeting to provide for a hybrid meeting, which would allow people to attend either in-person (at Lexington Community Center, for example) and on-line (Zoom for example).

This is a work in progress and is not complete as of its last change: ~~LASTMOD~~.

The committee formed on 7/14/2021 consists of (in order I added them to my list), thank you for volunteering:

  * Steve Isenberg
  * Rich Moffitt
  * Bob Eckert
  * Peter Albin
  * Harry Forsdick
  * Bob Primak

==== Concepts ====

  * Presentation is in-person
      * Presenter uses their computer to present
      * Presenter's computer is connected to Zoom
      * Presenter's computer is displayed on room's screen
        * This will show presentation, presenter video(maybe), and video of online attendees talking
      * Presentation is available to online attendees via presenter's zoom connection
  * Presentation is online
      * Show zoom meeting on room's screen
  * Attendees are online
  * Attendees are in-person
      * Attendee audio & video (when comment or ask question)

==== Challenges and Mitigations ====

^Challenge^Mitigation|
|Software bugs / usability issues preventing screen sharing|Appoint a moderator to present material as a backup option|
|Mute / unmute issues|Appoint a moderator to mute / unmute participants as appropriate. Assign roles to participants (e.g. presenters vs. attendees)|
|Keeping on schedule with long meetings|Moderators can present an agenda slide when speakers are not presenting. Make use of a meeting timer (e.g. [[https://blueskyapps.org/pricing|BlueSky]] or share a window with a countdown timer)|
|Using social communication channels|Consider archiving meeting chats. Out of band channels (e.g. Slack / discord) that are not well integrated with the meeting tend to be underutilized during the meeting, but chat windows provided by the meeting client (Zoom / Teams / Webex chat box) are easily lost unless someone archives the conversation for future reference.|

==== Capabilities ====

^Capability^Solution^Example Equipment^Example cost|
|Present in-room content and connect to online meeting|Laptop (2014 model or later if possible)| | |
|Camera view of in-room presenter|webcam (on laptop or USB)| |??|
|Capture audio of in-room presenter|lavalier microphone / dynamic USB microphone|wireless lavalier USB mic ([[https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074C125TN|https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074C125TN]])|$45|
|Camera view of in-room audience for online attendees| \\ cheap: wide angle webcam (more expensive auto zoom conference cameras exist)|wide angle webcam ([[https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07TDQ8NL3|https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07TDQ8NL3]])|$50|
|Capture audio of whole room for online attendees|omnidirectional condenser microphone / room with built-in microphone array|USB microphone ([[https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075HTKBNP|https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075HTKBNP]])|$25|
|Capture audio of individual audience speaker|Low / fair quality: omnidirectional condenser microphone. High quality: wireless microphone (to hand to participant when speaking)|Wireless microphone ([[https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07SHDRNCQ|https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07SHDRNCQ]])|$40|
|Display online attendee view for in-room audience|in-room screen or portable LCD TV| |??|
|Amplify audio of online attendees for in-room audience|powered speaker|lots of choices, portable Bluetooth / aux in speaker ([[https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0837DX77S|https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0837DX77S]])|$40|
|Switch between in-room presenter and audience video/audio|Switch sources in conferencing app during presentation or use 3rd party software (Manycam / OBS Studio). Can set "scene" buttons for easy switching or mix sources into a single feed| |free|
|Equipment stand| | | |
|Portability / storage| | | |

==== System Requirements ====

  * Laptop should have multiple USB ports or use a USB hub
  * Laptop CPU should support Intel AVX2 instruction set (any machine after 2014 has this) for smoother video processing

==== Equipment possibilities ====

  * USB Conference Microphone. $24. [[https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075HTKBNP|https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075HTKBNP]]
  * Manycam software. Switch between multiple cameras. Free to try. [[http://manycam.com|http://manycam.com]]

==== Setup Possibilities and Comments ====

**From Steve Isenberg**  I've used a computer connected to a zoom meeting with two webcams and Manycam software. I would turn the cameras as needed during the presentation (to point towards person speaking) and switch cameras live (from presenter to speaking person) using the Manycam software. This provided a solution, but was manually intensive.

**From Harry Forsdick**  I agree with the use of Zoom as a platform for both presentation of material as well as for group interactions. Not sure if we have a strongly moderated meeting where leader recognized speakers wishing to talk we can't use Zoom's normal speaker is spotlighted mechanism to replace manycam which as you say requires a lot of work to manage.

From Rich Moffitt a possible configuration diagram

{{https://i.postimg.cc/P5DghTkD/hybridmeeeting.png?nolink&499x800|configuration diagram}}

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