Zoom
or other Remote Video Conferencing within a live event room
Zoom will be mentioned throughout and stands in for any other video conferencing software (google meet, teams)
DISCLAIMER
CE21 VIDEOGRAPHERS are not responsible for any audio or transition issues that may result bringing in remote speakers into a presentation room.
It is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED that FT audio engineer/AV is arranged for event room to expedite the transition and operate/troubleshoot any potential audio and/or connection issues.
CAN IT NOT BE DONE LIVE?
The cheapest / easiest way for a remote presentation to enter be part of a live in-person event is to have the speaker prerecord their presentation and submit the file to the Client to simply play on the presentation laptop in a media player.
If for some reason the presentation absolutely needs to be live....follow the steps below:
REMOTE PRESENTATION ONLY - LIVE
No Interaction with in-room audience
No Interaction with in-room audience
This process describes a remote presenter that has zero interaction with the in-room audience - just with client/av in getting situation. No Q&A or interactions. Thank you and good bye type situation.
See disclaimers at top of this page where arranging for FT audio is recommended when working with remote presenters / video conferencing within a live event room.
BEFORE EVENT DAY ESSENTIAL ARRANGEMENTS
Client should engage/inform venue AV (or 3rd party AV) on what the needs are.
Client must arrange for Laptop Audio package from the venue.
Client should arrange for presentation laptop to be on hardwire ethernet connection with at least 5Mbps download/upload. Laptop should have a working ethernet port or usb hub with ethernet port.
NO WIFI unless it's the absolutely ONLY option and then ask for premium WiFi! If there's going to be a problem in the remote presentation, it's going to be because the presentation laptop is on the venue WiFi!
Zoom client should be installed/updated on the presentation laptop.
BEFORE START OF PROGRAM
AV should configure and test audio, including a fake remote participant to confirm audio levels from remote test speaker are solid, no echo's / feedback or other audio anomalies. This test should also go to the videographer to confirm all is 100%.
REMOTE PRESENTATION TIME
Client and/or AV should go to presentation laptop and enter the correct Zoom meeting
Zoom (on presentation laptop) should be unmuted and can communicate with Speaker to get situated.
The speaker should be instructed to have their:
Microphone UNmuted
Video ON
Zoom (on presentation laptop) should then be set for:
Microphone Muted
Video Off
REMOTE PRESENTATION ONLY - LIVE
No Interaction with in-room audience - WITH Q&A
No Interaction with in-room audience - WITH Q&A
This process describes a remote presenter that has zero interaction with the in-room audience - just with client/av in getting situation and Q&A. Zero interaction with the audience.
See disclaimers at top of this page where arranging for FT audio is recommended when working with remote presenters / video conferencing within a live event room.
BEFORE EVENT DAY ESSENTIAL ARRANGEMENTS
Client should engage/inform venue AV (or 3rd party AV) on what the needs are.
Client must arrange for Laptop Audio package from the venue.
Client should arrange for presentation laptop to be on hardwire ethernet connection with at least 5Mbps download/upload. Laptop should have a working ethernet port or usb hub with ethernet port.
NO WIFI unless it's the absolutely ONLY option and then ask for premium WiFi! If there's going to be a problem in the remote presentation, it's going to be because the presentation laptop is on the venue WiFi!
Zoom client should be installed/updated on the presentation laptop.
BEFORE START OF PROGRAM
AV should configure and test audio, including a fake remote participant to confirm audio levels from remote test speaker are solid, no echo's / feedback or other audio anomalies. This test should also go to the videographer to confirm all is 100%
REMOTE PRESENTATION TIME
Client and/or AV should go to presentation laptop and enter the correct Zoom meeting
Zoom (on presentation laptop) should be unmuted and can communicate with Speaker to get situated.
The speaker should be instructed to have their:
Microphone UNmuted
Video ON
Zoom (on presentation laptop) should then be set for:
Microphone Muted
Video Off
REMOTE PRESENTATION LIVE Q&A TIME
When it's Q&A time the person in charge (typically with association) should do the following
Be standing directly in front of the presentation laptop running Zoom
Be mic'd up - such as holding a wireless handheld or wearing a wireless lavalier. Talking into this microphone is so that folks in the event room can hear your question.
Unmute Zoom. Double check/verify Unmuted. Talking into this laptop microphone is so that the remote speaker can hear your question.
You may not need to mute Zoom in between questions and the speaker answering but if any audio issues (speaker saying things are ringing / feedback) or want to be 100% safe, after asking your question, mute Zoom while the speaker answers
Unmute Zoom to ask another question. Rinse and repeat.
REMOTE PRESENTATION ONLY - LIVE
Interactive back and forth with audience
Interactive back and forth with audience
FT Audio engineer should definitely be arranged for this type situation.
***INCOMPLETE / INCORRECT*** - ZOOM IN-ROOM BIDIRECTIONAL AUDIO / ZPW - ***INCOMPLETE / INCORRECT***
Remote speaker(s) audio comes into in-room Presentation laptop Zoom and outputs via 1/8" headphone port via direct box to the venue mixer / room audio
Direct box audio mixer channel should be muted/turned 100% down via Aux Send routed to Videographer. Otherwise double audio will occur in remote Zoom Only!
Success: Videographer should not hear any remote Zoom audio in camera/headphones
Videographer mutes/unmutes their Zoom Panelist microphone (tied to capture device) based only on in-room microphone moments (unless venue AV is managing this feed during remote Zoom panelist "have the floor" moments). ZPW Host can mute participant if any issues.
Side Note: AV/Videographer can use a venue microphone to communicate with ZPW Host
RESULTS:
In ZPW (and therefore the viewer), the audio is:
Panelists within Zoom with their Zoom microphones unmuted (normal) chatting as normal.
Videographer XLR feed is in-room audio MINUS remote Zoom audio (Due to direct box channel turned down to Videographer Aux Send)
BIDIRECTIONAL ZOOM ASSUMPTION
If venue enables presentation laptop microphone to ON for remote speakers to hear in-room q&a / comments
Venue AV routes mixer audio into audio INPUT in the presentation laptop and assign as Zoom microphone
The presentation laptop audio output from the direct box is a mix minus and does not include presentation laptop in-room microphone audio INPUT
Aux send from venue AV mixer to presentation laptop FOR IN-ROOM AUDIO is presumed to be via Aux Send and have direct box channel turned 100% down (muted). Thus the entire in-room audio, minus remote presentation audio is fed into the presentation laptop Zoom mic input.
No double audio impact on Videographer Audio as a panelist in Zoom
Aux Send to videographer with direct box channel turned down 100%
Audio to Videographer via Aux Send is in-room AV only (Can hear through camera headphones)
Remote Zoom audio is muted via Aux Send (Cannot/should not hear through camera headphones)
