Tech Forum

We participated in a regional stake conference broadcast from Church headquarters recently. In our stake center, we cranked the volume nearly all the way up to hear the broadcast, but in one of our other buildings, they had the sound all the way up and still could not hear well.

I reported the problem to the FM Group and they returned an answer that the broadcast itself was fed at such a low level that many of the stakes participating had difficulty hearing.

Are these broadcasts encrypted, and does that cause a generally lower level of sound? (General Priesthood Meeting always come through lower than the other sessions of General Conference.)

Did anyone call the satellite folks and let them know there was a problem? (I did not, since we could still hear. I am not aware that the other operator did. I think they just tried to get folks be be a little quieter. I will suggest that they call next time.)

In the past, I have called satellite support during broadcasts, and the answer has always been that the broadcast is going out at the proper level. This one was a good but quieter than general conference or the CES Firesides.

I think part of the problem may be that BYU-TV always comes through very hot, and it is possible our sound specialists are setting things based on that level, instead of the lower level we normally get for regular Church broadcasts.

In any event, I was wondering if others have had difficulty with the sound levels in other regional stake conference broadcasts, if anyone called satellite support during the broadcast, and if the levels changed as a result of the call.

Our roving sound specialist suggested we report the problem in a different way, but I would like to start here, first, to see if anyone else had trouble, or if it is local to us where, yes, we have regular sound system troubles.

The regional stake conference broadcast for today, 3 March 2013, was loud and clear. The sound level was low at the beginning, so I tried adjusting the volume at the podium without success. Then I walked over to the remote satellite sound switch and adjusted the volume there.
The stake president walked around the building, as did I, during the broadcast, and the sound was great, unlike a couple years ago.

My only complaint with these broadcasts is that they never tell us in advance the intermediate hymn number, so you never know if your locally-selected hymns are the same. I wish there was a way to know.

drepouille wrote:Then I walked over to the remote satellite sound switch and adjusted the volume there.

Is this on one of the boxes in the rack? I have left that to the FM group, but one of them is labeled volume, and I have been sorely tempted from time to time.

There is a magic point in one of our building sound systems where the volume from the satellite rack overpowers the off control at the podium. It is not good for members to have to listen to BYU TV during the passing of the sacrament, and for the bishopric not to be able to turn it off.

lajackson wrote:

drepouille wrote:Then I walked over to the remote satellite sound switch and adjusted the volume there.

Is this on one of the boxes in the rack?

In our sound system, there's up/down buttons for the main volume, but there's also a square red button that turns on the satellite sound and a separate knob that adjusts the volume of the satellite sound.

You can see the instructions here.

I think sometimes people play with that thinking "satellite" is remote speakers, not audio from the satellite broadcast system.

Didn't have any complaints in our stake of 9 meetinghouses, one on Internet, 8 on Satellite.

lajackson wrote:In the past, I have called satellite support during broadcasts, and the answer has always been that the broadcast is going out at the proper level. This one was a good but quieter than general conference or the CES Firesides.

I think part of the problem may be that BYU-TV always comes through very hot, and it is possible our sound specialists are setting things based on that level, instead of the lower level we normally get for regular Church broadcasts.

Sure sounds like the problem is at their end, not yours.

russellhltn wrote:

lajackson wrote:

drepouille wrote:Then I walked over to the remote satellite sound switch and adjusted the volume there.

Is this on one of the boxes in the rack?

You can see the instructions here.

Got it. We have a different, older system, with a simple volume knob that will click into an off position when it is all the way counterclockwise. It is on the console with the main pulpit and sound controls.

lajackson wrote:We have a different, older system, with a simple volume knob that will click into an off position when it is all the way counterclockwise. It is on the console with the main pulpit and sound controls.

Is the knob for main volume or satellite? If the latter, it sounds like a simpler system. (Although the light is nice.)

russellhltn wrote:Is the knob for main volume or satellite? If the latter, it sounds like a simpler system. (Although the light is nice.)

Satellite. Much older system. A light does come on when you click it out of the off position.

lajackson wrote:Satellite. Much older system. A light does come on when you click it out of the off position.

The difference may have more to do with the contractor who installed it. In my area it's Marshal Industries, but I've heard from others that they have a different one.