Hi Magdalena,

For Zoom meetings and similar, a large TV monitor tends to be only one part of a jigsaw. If you simply connect a laptop to a large TV screen, you may find that those joining remotely may struggle to hear what's being said in the room, unless people walk over to the laptop to speak. A cheap solution would be to connect an external USB microphone to the laptop. When we started with blended Meetings for Worship in Bradford on Avon back in July 2020, I plugged an old sound recorder (Zoom H2n bought in 2012 or so) into the laptop and used it as a USB microphone. It picked up the sound quite well. Back in autumn 2021, we splashed out on our current kit. This consists of a wall-mounted 65-inch Toshiba TV screen (550 pounds including wall-mounting bracket) and a Logitech MeetUp soundbar/camera (around 700 pounds). The Logitech MeetUp is a combinaton of good quality wide angle camera (covering almost the entire meeting room), microphones and speakers. It easily connects to most laptops via USB. I've seen other Meeting Houses and Friends House use it as well. It can be securely fixed to the wall. However, we take it away each time and put it back onto the wall when we use it. It's also got a stand for using it on top of a table.

The TV screen is very popular with our hirers for things like Powerpoint presentations and showing videos. When we considered how to make the Logitech MeetUp available to hirers, we ended up scratching our heads on how much to charge, whether to charge a deposit, etc. and eventually came to the conclusion to keep this particular piece of gear to ourselves, as it's quite expensive and easy to lose/steal/damage. Luckily, we haven't had many requests from hirers for Zoom meetings and such like.

Be prepared that hirers may wish to book 'dry runs' before their events to make sure their laptop works with the TV screen. I've got one 'dry run' happening this afternoon when someone wants to make sure the technology will be working when trying to show our local MP a presentation on Friday morning.

Best wishes,

Klaus Huber

Resident Warden, Bradford on Avon

On Wed, Feb 7, 2024 at 11:55 AM Helen Whittington <manager@darlingtonquakers.org> wrote:

Hi Magalena,
Yes, we have a large Bush TV screen (97cm wide) with built in sound
which connects via HDMI cable or USB to a laptop. Its very well used
both for blended Quaker events and also increasingly by hirers instead
of the cumbersome projector and screen. We've had it a couple of years,
it came from Argos I think and cost around £150 as I recall so not a big
outlay. It is large but quite light to lift around the building to any
of the rooms; hirers need to ask to borrow and I generally move it into
the room required in case of any accidents or damage. It connects pretty
easily - many hirers manage themselves but if Im around & feeling kind,
I help the less confident. The built in sound is loud enough for most
uses though it could connect to a PA/speak system if needed. Definitely
recommend - its very popular!
Hope that helps. Others may have more high tech suggestions but this is
budget entry and works very well.
In Friendship,
Helen Whittington
Freelance Manager
Darlington Quaker Meeting

On 2024-02-07 10:41, Magdalena Szklarczyk wrote:
> Dear Friends,
>
> Does anyone use a TV monitor in their Meeting Houses that allows you
> to hook up a laptop to it so that Members are able to remotely log in
> and attend meetings, to see and hear what is going on.
>
> And it is a system that also allows any hirers to also use it for
> business meetings and be able to have Zoom & Microsoft Teams Meetings
> on it as well, so that everyone can see and be heard through the TV
> monitor that is connected up to the laptop.
>
> We want to get one for our Meeting House in Hammersmith but don't know
> what to get and were wondering if anyone has such a system that they
> could recommend, or knows a great techie that could help us, as we're
> all more at the Luddite end of the scale here!
>
> In friendship,
>
> --
> Magdalena Szklarczyk
> Premises Manager
> Hammersmith Quaker Meeting House
> 30-32 Bradmore Park Rd, London W6 0DT
> manager@hammersmithquakers.org.uk
> Tel: 020 8259 6187 Mob: 07889841158
> Flexi working hours
> _______________________________________________
> wardenship mailing list -- wardenship@lists.quaker.eu.org
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--
Helen Whittington
Freelance Manager
Darlington Quakers
Urgent contact 07941 338169
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