A/V Backup For Stake Conference Webcast

[RichPhillips]

We use zoom for our Stake conferences. We use a telephone line and conference calling for an audio backup to our five remote meetinghouses.

I am considering using a cell phone hotspot as an A/V backup in case we lose our landline based internet service or the hardware (firewall, router, computer) during a conference webcast. I am thinking of using a laptop
connected to the cell phone hotspot as the host for the webcast, and the existing desktop we have as a cohost. I would start the webcast from the laptop, set the desktop as a cohost, then spotlight the desktop to run the conference session.

I would use A/V splitters to feed both the desktop and laptop. The audio on the laptop would be muted. If the normal internet or desktop failed, the laptop would remove the spotlight and take over the hosting of the webinar.

We are a small Stake, so typically do not have any remote speakers or remote A/V. Our setup is pretty simple. We would still keep the audio backup in place to cover internet or hardware problems at receiving sites.

We have not had any significant problems with internet service at any of our meetinghouses. We have had a few outages, but not often, and no conferences have been delayed or interrupted. Maybe such a backup is so unlikely it is not worth the effort. I say effort because member(s) can provide the laptop and hotspot at no cost to the Church, and we have enough cables and splitters on-hand to take care of the A/V inputs.

I would very much like to hear of any A/V backup you may be using in your Stake; and in general, what your thoughts may be about this approach.

[edwardwhite442]

The odds of Zoom going offline are quite low, in my experience. The odds of our local Internet service going offline are much higher. In the event of our Internet going down, the laptop running zoom is set up to hot-spot off my I-Phone. The downtime during the switch-over to my hot-spot is only about 20 seconds.

I can live with a 20 second interruption, and the meeting presses on.

[RichPhillips]

Thanks for the input. I found that much simpler and actually faster than trying to have a back-up and fumbling with spotlighting a panelist or co-host. We can certainly live with 20 seconds or so downtime while we get the desktop connected to the hotspot and zoom resumes. I did have to get a different usb-wifi dongle. The netis one I had would not recognize the hotspot for some reason.

We are good to go. Again, thanks