Tune up your Internet

Source: Copilot Designer

How long has it been since you've had an Internet tune up? Are you using the same Internet router that you've been using for years? Are you getting the biggest bang for your buck on your Internet service package? In our online world where network services and work are interconnected, I recently did a tune up of my home network, and after numerous complaints of dropped Zoom calls and low network speeds, let's just say, it's been life changing.

It's faster and more stable and reduced the FOMO related to not being able to get online. For so many students who moved to online learning there has to be a solid stable Internet connection. For remote workers who’ve been working at home for years now quality of service is a must to get the job done. After tuning up my home network, I was able to get a significant boost in service. If you haven’t done a tuneup in a while, I highly recommend that you do this for yourself. Why put up with terrible service? Your family, your coworkers, your colleagues and managers will all be appreciate your initiative and your online video and live streaming experience will be better. 

As I was researching the subject based on my own experience, I found some helpful and practical tips in Nelson Aguilar’s article, “Boost Your Internet for Free: My Secrets to High-Speed at Home”. He talks about planning when you move do some research before you relocate and upgrade or shop around for The best service. 

For streaming, you may not know it, but you might be sacrificing quality for convenience if you’re using Wi-Fi rather than a wired, ethernet connection directly to your router. See this article from Hailee Seltzer’s article, “What I Discovered Testing Wi-Fi vs. Ethernet Performance in My New Place” for an in-depth review on why you should be using an Ethernet connection for video streaming. She found extremely higher rates and quality of service than Wi-Fi by using a wired Ethernet connection. 

Speed test by Ookla 

My home office Internet speed vastly improved with a new Xfinity XFi Gateway and upgraded service. My old router couldn’t even handle the amount of data throughput that I had been paying for which was just a big waste of money each month. I’m now getting download speeds over 900 Mbps and upload 40 Mbps on the wired connection. AT&T fiber is available in my service area with speeds up to 5 Gbps at the introductory cost which is more than my Xfinity triple play monthly service cost. So, I’m not ready to make that jump and switch services at this time. The one gigabit per second AT&T fiber service is the same monthly cost as my Xfinity package, which includes television and a landline service. This recent Forbes article compares the cost and services of broadband service providers, “ Best Internet providers of July 2024.”

While searching for a good thumbnail for this blog post I used copilot to search this topic which generated the following tips.

When it comes to tuning up your home network, think of it like giving your Wi-Fi a thorough checkup. Here are some practical steps you can take to speed up, stabilize, and secure your Wi-Fi:

1. Router Placement: First, consider the location of your router. Avoid hiding it in a closet or placing it in a far corner of your house. Instead, position it out in the open, as high as possible, with minimal walls obstructing its signal. If your router has external antennas, try pointing one vertically and one horizontally for better coverage1.

2. Upgrade Your Router: If your router is more than a couple of years old, consider upgrading to a newer model. Look for routers with 802.11ac support, which delivers faster speeds. Even budget-friendly 802.11ac routers can provide excellent performance1.

3. Check Wi-Fi Channels: Ensure that you and your neighbors are not all using the same Wi-Fi channel. Overlapping channels can cause interference. Use tools like Wi-Fi analyzer apps to find the least congested channel and adjust your router settings accordingly.

4. Optimize Wi-Fi Settings: Explore your router’s settings. Adjust the channel width (20 MHz for less interference, 40 MHz for more speed), enable Quality of Service (QoS) to prioritize certain devices or applications, and update firmware for security and performance improvements.

5. Secure Your Network: Change the default Wi-Fi password to a strong, unique one. Also, consider enabling WPA3 encryption for better security.

6. Position Access Points (APs): If you have multiple access points (APs), strategically place them to ensure strong coverage throughout your home. Measure signal strength where you’ll be using your devices to find the optimal spots2.

Remember, a well-tuned home network ensures smoother streaming, faster downloads, and reliable connectivity. Happy Wi-Fi tuning! 😃🛠️🛜

Sources:

Digitaltrends https://www.digitaltrends.com/home/how-to-make-your-wi-fi-faster/

Zoom Presenter AV Tech Checks – Are you ready for your close-up?

Virtual events aren't going anywhere any time soon and as companies have shifted to a full-time remote workforce over the last two years, most people have figured out how to join and participate in virtual meetings. While most meetings don't require you to turn on your camera, which can save you from a bad hair day or even getting dressed for your work day, there are many occasions when you have to start your video and smile at the camera. So, when the time comes for you to turn on camera, unmute your mic and share your big presentation in a virtual meeting on Zoom or Teams or any virtual event platform, are you ready for your close up? 

As follow up to my last two posts, Build your own Micro Studio and Your Virtual Production Home Studio – There's No Place Like Home, this post shares a checklist my team and I created for our Zoom presenters to help prepare them for virtual stage. We usually schedule a day or more of tech checks with each our presenters before the virtual events that we produce. The tech checks usually take only 15-minutes depending on the level of knowledge and comfort our presenters have with Zoom.  

Zoom Presenter AV Tech Check List

 

Internet Connection

• Use Zoom app not web browser (keep app updated)

• VPN off (it consumes too much bandwidth)

• Wired Internet preferred vs. Wifi (tether to mobile as last resort)

 

Communications

• Zoom controls (video, audio, chat)

• Host will ask to unmute/turn on camera (Host can’t turn on their cameras and need to ask)

• Intercom for communication with production team behind the scenes

 

Clock

• Timer counting down amount of time to present (available for produced events)

 

Audio & Video

• Video - controls, on/off

• Audio – sound check, use computer audio, USB mic or built-in mic vs. telephone

 

Content

• Share content using Zoom share or with video capture card 

• Pin “slide” window to see any Zoom video full screen for your local view

 

Background

• Virtual or physical background

 

Lighting

• Natural or artificial lighting (even lighting)

 

Camera framing

• Camera angle and eye contact (head and shoulders in view with camera at eye line)

Your Virtual Production Home Studio – There's No Place Like Home

Photo credit: Room Rater @ratemyskyperoom

As follow up to my last post, these pro tips come by way of @NewscastStudio from an April 2020 column There’s no place like home – your home studio simplified by Angry Badger Productions. While we've all been doing non-stop virtual meetings now for over two years – and most of us have our office or home  virtual production studio set up – there's always room for improvement. In this blog post, Angry Badgers' Director of Photography shares his Pro Tips for setting up your virtual production home studio or "at least to make improvements in your current set up."

The top ten topics are:

1. Color Temp - keep lights the same color temperature
2. Illumination Level - you should be the brightest part of the picture, use soft light, watch out for backlights
3. Camera Sensitivity/Dynamic Range - make sure you have enough light so your picture isn't too grainy
4. Contrast Ratios - don't over light, keep lights at medium brightness
5. Manual Controls - use manual controls, don't just use auto settings 
6. Camera Support and Placement - get camera a few degrees above eye line, that's the most flattering, stack books, boxes or anything you have to get the right angle
7. Monitoring - keep an eye on your stream, monitor on an iPad or other device
8. Framing and Composition - stay centered in the frame, use rule of thirds, keep background simple
9. Connectivity - use a wired ethernet cable directly to your router so you don’t have to rely of Wi-Fi, it's a more stable connections
10. Prompter - use an iPad or another laptop below the camera, printed scripts and index cards work too

Gear tips:

• Three-light kit with stand
• Compact light with great features from Moman
• Super compact light with great features from Supon
• A simple Joby GorillaPod works well in the home

@NewscastStudio The trade publication for broadcast production, including broadcast technology, engineering, production tools, set design, gfx, augmented reality and virtual.

#WFH Look better-Check out our #lighting #Protips for #homestudio from #AngryBadger via @newscaststudio https://t.co/exiBZFoJqi pic.twitter.com/O0hTeUBbDz

— Kathryn Mosher-Boule (@kmosherboule) April 17, 2020

Build your own Micro Studio

Over the last two years the rise in mini or “micro” studios around the world grew as the new economy of virtual meetings hit an all-time high. I don't mean micro-studio apartments, what I'm talking about is transforming small office spaces into a personal video production studio with enhanced audio and video technology that provide professional studio quality in a safe environment. 

As it's said, necessity is the mother of invention. COVID created challenges and opportunities for the video industry, and it forced us all to work differently and adapt, and regardless of what happened the need to communicate was our driving force and the show must go on. 

So, early in the pandemic my team and I created a series of micro studios within our regional headquarters by converting empty offices into small studio spaces we call micro studios. We did it by necessity, as we had to socially distance our studio presenters and talent since they couldn't be in the same space due to COVID restrictions. But in our micro studios, they could safely meet with each other over a video call from their own mini studios.

But why go to all the trouble of building your own micro studio if the built-in webcam and microphone on your laptop and just regular ambient light works fine for most meetings? 

Because production quality matters, and high-quality video content increases engagement. So, if you’re presenting important information, teaching a class, public speaking or if you're appearing on any virtual event or broadcast TV, and you want to stand out and look and sound the best you can, then this blog post is for you. 

As we built our micro studios, we tested a lot of different equipment and set ups and developed an affordable solution that we could replicate. We've successfully connected them to Zoom, Teams, WebEx, Vmix call, OBS, Restream, and many other virtual event platforms. Several of our regional leaders use our micro studios on a regular basis for their important board meetings and high-profile external events. I'd also add that we instituted and follow COVID workplace safety procedures to keep our staff and guests safe by wearing masks and disinfecting workspaces and equipment.

Here are the main components of our micro studios:

1. Computer - The Apple Mac mini M1 model 16 GB RAM, keyboard, mouse, is great if you’re using it primarily for virtual meetings and lighter streaming applications this model works great and runs, Zoom, Teams OBS, and all productivity apps with ease. 

2. Monitor - This is a real subjective choice, depending on what other work you do an inexpensive LCD monitor with HDMI inputs will work. We use the LG 29WN600-W 29" 21:9 UltraWide and the Acer B277 27" LED LCD Monitor.

3. Speakers - The Yamaha NX-50 Premium Computer Speakers were recommended by my audio engineers for their great sound at an affordable price. They work well and sound great although for most applications we prefer the in-ear monitors for very conversational sessions. This helps avoid any sort of audio slap back that isn’t eliminated by the echo cancellation in the video call software. 

4. Webcam - Logitech Brio 4K Webcam is the industry standard to get HD quality and look really great on camera. There are plenty of other options for higher quality with DSLR‘s, Blackmagic Pocket cinema cameras, but the Brio is a workhorse for your business meetings and webinars. Logitech has the Logi Tune app you can download that controls the settings from the Brio like your zoom ratio, white balance, focus, brightness and contrast. Logitech Capture app is also a content creation tool you can use with your webcam.

5. Audio interface - We handle audio differently than regular meetings, which usually are fine with just an inexpensive USB headset or Bluetooth earbuds. We use professional studio sound equipment that includes an audio interface, an omnidirectional lavalier microphone and an in ear monitor. In the micro studios we use the Focusrite Scarlett Solo 2x2 USB Audio Interface, and for our travel audio kits we’ve developed for our senior leaders we use the Shure X2U XLR-to-USB Signal Adapter. Both devices have professional XLR inputs and headphone jacks to monitor your audio input and output and a USB port to connect to your computer. The Scarlet has quarter inch 6.35 mm (1⁄4 in) outs which helps integration with other professional audio equipment. 

6. Microphone & in ear monitor - While more inexpensive options are available, we go DPA all the way. We use the 4060 Series Miniature Omnidirectional lavalier microphones and DPA Microphones d:fine In-Ear Broadcast Headset. We use DPA microphones in studio and these amazing mics have withstood the rigors of space travel and exploring the sounds of Mars. More inexpensive options are available like the  Sennheiser XS Lav USB-C Lapel Mic or any of these USB Lavalier Microphones.

7. Lighting - Depending on the room and size of the space, we use a similar approach but have several different lighting instruments with both ring lights and soft light panels. We don't use three-point lighting in our micro studios since that would be too dramatic and overkill. The key is to have flat even lighting on your subject so that there are no shadows. Soft incident light helps create that look and a simple way to achieve this look is to bounce your lights off your office walls. You can also position your lights to avoid those round ring light circles or lighting reflections in glasses. We use a few different lights in our spaces, like the VL-200T Portable LED Video Ultra-Thin Dimmable Lighting Panel with the Neewer Mini Set of Two Aluminum Photography Back Light Stands. We also use the more expensive Litepanels Astra 6X Bi-Color LED Panels. For ring lights, we use the CLAR Luminous Pro 19" Bi-Color Ringlight Plus which has actually been discontinued, so a good alternative is the CLAR LF-Y500 Double Arm 3000-6500K LED Light or the VidPro RL-18 LED 18" Ring Light. 

8. Green screen - Using a green screen with your virtual backgrounds on Zoom calls will enhance your quality with a professional looking chroma key. We use the FUDESY Collapsible Chromakey Panel Green Screen-77 x74 Backdrop with great results.

There are so many other equipment options out there as the market shifted to remote work and home studios over the last two years. We've tried out many solutions and found this collection of products work best in our environment. I'll be sharing more detail on some of the individual components and devices in future posts.

I'd love to hear what technology and solutions you're using in your own micro studios. Let me know if you have any recommendations or what you're doing to get the best audio and video quality for your virtual events.