We've been using Go to Meeting and it seems to be problematic.
Kim Potter
BI Brighton Model Club
Lisa Hernandez on
Our club uses Zoom. It was recommended to us shortly before the pandemic by a member using it for work, as we had one (now two) member who lives in California, while the rest of us are in NY. Once the pandemic started, I bought the annual plan, even though Zoom extended the time limit for the free tier.
Zoom's advantages:
it is now very well known, and practically platform neutral. We have members use it from Windows, from Mac, from Facebook devices, and from smart and dumb phones. There are also hooks into popular programs, so there's an excellent chance it will play nicely with your current set-up. Also, there are a number of e-books that are reference guides for Zoom, which are very helpful.
It is mostly a very easy download/installation, and mostly easy to connect. Many of our members are NOT very computer savvy. Some of them have family tech support (and me as chief tech support). They like the email invite with the link already set up. It finds already-installed cameras and microphones quickly and can even work with some "remote" cameras.
As host, I find the screen share function very good. You can allow anyone to share and you can control other computers with permission (very helpful when doing tech support). It gives you a choice on what program or screen to share.
Disadvantages:
I find it a little too easy to accidentally switch out of the meeting. You may still hear the meeting, but lose the video window. As host, tech support and frequent screen sharer, I am often losing track of the main Zoom window. However, other members have said they accidentally clicked out of the main Zoom window, and they are usually just listening, not presenting.
Screen sharing resolution: Don't use your big screen when presenting to the group -- some of your viewers will find that Zoom squishes down to fit their screen and you can lose some details. Zoom had to downgrade its video quality a bit during the pandemic to accommodate the enormous jump in users. I really wish Zoom could give us some AI and fix that on-the-fly. Ideally Zoom would make stuff look big for the viewer but also be sharp.
Upgrading: since I downloaded Zoom directly, I don't get auto notices about upgrading. I have to check manually. I have had to manually upgrade users during the meeting, and it's super annoying to lose meeting time to this issue.
Random Thoughts: (this probably applies to all video-conferencing)
Screen size -- between the main video screen and the other people video windows, Zoom really takes up a lot of space. Yes, there are some ways to reduce it, but everyone really needs to have a "big screen" for watching. Like big TV size. I thought there would be a big jump in TV manufacturers offering built-in Zoom or at least a lot of cheap and easy-to-install Zoom cameras for TVs, but there are still mostly only corporate priced video conference equipment. Maybe Zoom is offered on the "smart TVs" and I just don't realize it? My mom had a 35" TV hooked up to her Mac as a monitor, and it really felt comfortable to her (she does church services, and volunteer stuff through Zoom as well as our club meeting). I have often connected my laptop to my living room TV for the same reason when I'm not hosting a meeting.
Broadband internet: All our members live in areas where broadband is available. Even so, we do get audio and video issues at times. I think people connected wirelessly have the worst of it. I love wireless convenience, but I almost never do wireless for club meetings, and certainly recommend getting broadband if you can.
Co-host: DEFINITELY use co-hosts for club meetings.
Note that everyone is always a little distracted on Zoom meetings. We will always do Zoom as long as we have out-of-state members, but we used to Zoom at our local library so that we had in-person time.
Other features of Zoom: For other meetings (not club), we have experimented with the chat option, the add-on poll/vote option and the chat room options. Honestly, for our club, not worth the technical distraction. I have thought about recording our meeting, but haven't.
For those clubs having remote meetings - what program do you
use to do that? Pros/cons? Any thoughts?
We've been using Go to Meeting and it seems to be
problematic.
Kim Potter
BI Brighton Model Club
craigmc55 on
We use zoom but the free version. We let the meeting end after the 30 or 40 free minutes and then log right back in via the same zoom link for the next 30 or 40 free minutes... same zoom link. We'll do that 3 or 4 times for the meeting.
From: club_cafe@bivio.com <club_cafe@bivio.com> On Behalf Of Edward Kennedy via bivio.com Sent: Saturday, July 09, 2022 7:51 AM To: club_cafe@bivio.com Subject: Re: [club_cafe] Meeting venue
Zoom, attendance doubled from prepandemic.
Host allows others to share screen and pays about $15 per month for all uses (to exceed 40 free minutes).
We've use FCC for many years for our weekly 2 hour voice conference calls. FCC added screen sharing & video conferencing features (like Zoom) in the past few years. Still free, and it works very well.
People can join the call with any of the following: any phone, Mac/Windows computer, iPhone, iPad, Androids. Or any combination. You can start "hosting" the call from any of those devices, and it's not necessary for anyone to run the app unless you want to. I personally prefer to run the FCC app, even if I'm dialed on via voice phone call, because the app lets me see who is connected & who is talking at the moment. If necessary I can mute anyone who has a lot of background noise.
We use zoom but the free version. We let the meeting end after the 30 or 40 free minutes and then log right back in via the same zoom link for the next 30 or 40 free minutes... same zoom link. We'll do that 3 or 4 times for the meeting.
For those clubs having remote meetings - what program do you use to do that? Pros/cons? Any thoughts?
We've been using Go to Meeting and it seems to be problematic.
Kim Potter BI Brighton Model Club
Ann Dexheimer on
Our club has been using Zoom for quite some time now. One of our members has a business account so we have unlimited time. We are fortunate that when she is not able to attend, we have another member who has a business account that we can use. We love meeting remotely since we are spread out coast to coast.
For those who do not have a business account, Google Meet allows 60 free minutes whereas Zoom limits it to 40 free minutes. I like Google Meet about as well as I like Zoom.
Many of the other programs do not offer captions. I feel strongly, being deaf, that all clubs should have a way to make their meetings accessible to those who might rely on captions. GoToMeeting and FreeConferenceCall do not offer captions unless you pay for a third party to do the captioning. Most clubs and organizations are not willing/able to pay for this, which is why I recommend Google Meet and Zoom over any of the others.
Sadly, BetterInvesting's website has always been discriminatory as most of their webinars do not have a way to access captions. Many people with hearing loss were also excluded from watching the recent BINC conference remotely for the same reason. I have been asking BI to please include captions for many years; I was recently told that they were aware of the problem and are looking into feasible options by the end of this year. Somehow I am not optimistic that this will happen.
We've use FCC for many years for our weekly 2 hour voice conference calls. FCC added screen sharing & video conferencing features (like Zoom) in the past few years. Still free, and it works very well.
People can join the call with any of the following: any phone, Mac/Windows computer, iPhone, iPad, Androids. Or any combination. You can start "hosting" the call from any of those devices, and it's not necessary for anyone to run the app unless you want to. I personally prefer to run the FCC app, even if I'm dialed on via voice phone call, because the app lets me see who is connected & who is talking at the moment. If necessary I can mute anyone who has a lot of background noise.
We use zoom but the free version. We let the meeting end after the 30 or 40 free minutes and then log right back in via the same zoom link for the next 30 or 40 free minutes... same zoom link. We'll do that 3 or 4 times for the meeting.
Our club has been using Zoom for quite some time now. One of our members has a business account so we have unlimited time. We are fortunate that when she is not able to attend, we have another member who has a business account that we can use. We love meeting remotely since we are spread out coast to coast.
For those who do not have a business account, Google Meet allows 60 free minutes whereas Zoom limits it to 40 free minutes. I like Google Meet about as well as I like Zoom.
Many of the other programs do not offer captions. I feel strongly, being deaf, that all clubs should have a way to make their meetings accessible to those who might rely on captions. GoToMeeting and FreeConferenceCall do not offer captions unless you pay for a third party to do the captioning. Most clubs and organizations are not willing/able to pay for this, which is why I recommend Google Meet and Zoom over any of the others.
Sadly, BetterInvesting's website has always been discriminatory as most of their webinars do not have a way to access captions. Many people with hearing loss were also excluded from watching the recent BINC conference remotely for the same reason. I have been asking BI to please include captions for many years; I was recently told that they were aware of the problem and are looking into feasible options by the end of this year. Somehow I am not optimistic that this will happen.
We've use FCC for many years for our weekly 2 hour voice conference calls. FCC added screen sharing & video conferencing features (like Zoom) in the past few years. Still free, and it works very well.
People can join the call with any of the following: any phone, Mac/Windows computer, iPhone, iPad, Androids. Or any combination. You can start "hosting" the call from any of those devices, and it's not necessary for anyone to run the app unless you want to. I personally prefer to run the FCC app, even if I'm dialed on via voice phone call, because the app lets me see who is connected & who is talking at the moment. If necessary I can mute anyone who has a lot of background noise.
We use zoom but the free version. We let the meeting end after the 30 or 40 free minutes and then log right back in via the same zoom link for the next 30 or 40 free minutes... same zoom link. We'll do that 3 or 4 times for the meeting.
For those clubs having remote meetings - what program do you use to do that? Pros/cons? Any thoughts?
We've been using Go to Meeting and it seems to be problematic.
Kim Potter BI Brighton Model Club
Ann Dexheimer on
The American with Disabilities Act has been pretty clear on this for some time but it has been more challenging to get web-based settings to be in compliance. There is, however, a strong moral obligation for inclusiveness of members or potential members. Years ago when I attended BINC I was always accommodated with preferential seating and an FM system connected to my hearing devices. Captioning, however, has never been provided, which has probably excluded more individuals than BI acknowledges.
I hope that this brief discussion may encourage others to ask BI about the lack of accessibility for those with hearing loss. It might pressure BI to get it figured out all the sooner. Thanks.
Our club has been using Zoom for quite some time now. One of our members has a business account so we have unlimited time. We are fortunate that when she is not able to attend, we have another member who has a business account that we can use. We love meeting remotely since we are spread out coast to coast.
For those who do not have a business account, Google Meet allows 60 free minutes whereas Zoom limits it to 40 free minutes. I like Google Meet about as well as I like Zoom.
Many of the other programs do not offer captions. I feel strongly, being deaf, that all clubs should have a way to make their meetings accessible to those who might rely on captions. GoToMeeting and FreeConferenceCall do not offer captions unless you pay for a third party to do the captioning. Most clubs and organizations are not willing/able to pay for this, which is why I recommend Google Meet and Zoom over any of the others.
Sadly, BetterInvesting's website has always been discriminatory as most of their webinars do not have a way to access captions. Many people with hearing loss were also excluded from watching the recent BINC conference remotely for the same reason. I have been asking BI to please include captions for many years; I was recently told that they were aware of the problem and are looking into feasible options by the end of this year. Somehow I am not optimistic that this will happen.
We've use FCC for many years for our weekly 2 hour voice conference calls. FCC added screen sharing & video conferencing features (like Zoom) in the past few years. Still free, and it works very well.
People can join the call with any of the following: any phone, Mac/Windows computer, iPhone, iPad, Androids. Or any combination. You can start "hosting" the call from any of those devices, and it's not necessary for anyone to run the app unless you want to. I personally prefer to run the FCC app, even if I'm dialed on via voice phone call, because the app lets me see who is connected & who is talking at the moment. If necessary I can mute anyone who has a lot of background noise.
We use zoom but the free version. We let the meeting end after the 30 or 40 free minutes and then log right back in via the same zoom link for the next 30 or 40 free minutes... same zoom link. We'll do that 3 or 4 times for the meeting.