ZOOM advice for everyone
For advice on cameras, microphones, headsets, tripods, and much more, see professional photographer Michael Brochstein's recommendations: http://www.michaelbrochstein.com/misc/Videoconferencing_improve.htm
ZOOM help for users
If you're getting started with ZOOM
- ZOOM support is here: https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us They even have live training.
- Our experience with ZOOM email support is that it can take months for them to reply with a useless answer. We no longer try.
- There is a ZOOM "subreddit" (like a discussion forum), but be aware that you use reddit advice at your own risk: https://www.reddit.com/r/Zoom/
Joining a ZOOM meeting by telephone (no video)
- Dial the phone number
- Enter the Meeting ID and press #
- When asked for your Participant Number, just press #
Unreliable connections
The biggest single problem with ZOOM is unreliable connections. People report that they cannot connect to a meeting, get kicked out of meetings, lose their audio, or have their video freeze up. It is our opinion that the culprit is usually their WiFi connection. WiFi is notoriously slow and fragile. If your next door neighbor decides to make some popcorn in the microwave . . . Boom! You're out of the meeting! There are no easy solutions but you could:
- Connect your computer to your router via an Ethernet cable (best solution)
- Move your computer closer to your router
- Buy a better router.
- At TeleTefila World Headquarters, we've installed a wireless mesh network, thanks to the sage advice of Menachem. Drop us a note if you want more info.
- Try a different computer — all computers have hardware to receive the WiFi signal and the hardware quality varies from device to device. So, if your laptop computer isn't playing nice with ZOOM, try a tablet. And vice-versa.
- In a pinch, connect to your ZOOM meeting via telephone by dialing a ZOOM phone number. It's kind of old school but it will often work when nothing else does.
Bad audio — people cannot hear you
- Increase the volume
- Try using a phone to dial into the ZOOM meeting
- If you're a loud singer, your sound may get interrupted so that others cannot hear you. Try backing away from the mic or laptop. If you are using a headset with a boom mic, you may be able to swivel the mic away from your mouth. Note that the host of your ZOOM meeting cannot control your volume.
Some use their smartphones as hotspots.
Ellen's info on setup before Shabbat: When will you sign in? We have set this up so that people can log in to the Zoom session as early as 8PM Friday, before Shabbat begins. Then, if you disable your computer's sleep function, the call will still be there the next morning. We will begin tefillah itself promptly at 9:45am.
How to use the info on the connex page.
- If you have the Zoom app on your tablet or smartphone, you can just tap on a link like this: https://zoom.us/j/000000000
- Alternatively, you can open the app and enter the meeting number (and a password if required)
Priofile pic (must chg bef joining mtg)
Virtual background (not on my machine)
Lois Nyren 6-8-2020: And I’d be correct in telling Ruth NOT to open Zoom app first but to click on the link in email to join a service. And for AC things, she can connect through the AC website, but again, not to open Zoom first.
Subject: Soundjack - Play music/rehearse together with others in real time online - YouTube
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=DJ5C5VlCm48