Working virtually has been an adjustment for everyone. For the legal community, we’re fortunate to be able to conduct virtual depositions from the comfort of our homes; however, technology isn’t always friendly, and it can become a major stressor when it doesn’t work the way you want it to.
To help your virtual depositions run smoothly, Elite Court Reporting has compiled face-saving troubleshooting tips to help you navigate common, yet stressful glitches.
1. Slow Internet Speed
When you’re experiencing slow internet, it’s very difficult to listen in to the deposition. Prior to the deposition, check your internet speed by using an online speed test. Several internet providers have their own; however, if you’re not sure if your internet provider has one, check out www.speedtest.net. Zoom recommends a minimum bandwidth of 1.5Mbps/1.5Mbps (up/down) for group video calling with gallery view and/or 720p HD video.
2. WiFi Connectivity Issues
A strong internet connection is key when it comes to virtual depositions. So what can you do when your WiFi is struggling to connect? Be sure to try the following:
- Connect to the ethernet or hotspot. If your WiFi is failing, you can always call your internet provider to troubleshoot the issue. Another option is to connect to your ethernet cable or a hotspot. This can eliminate the connectivity issues you’re facing with the WiFi.
- Dial-in from your phone instead. If the WiFi, ethernet and hotspot are all causing you problems, Zoom allows you to join the call from your phone. Download the Zoom app to your phone and join as a regular participant. If you only need to be heard and not seen on the call, each Zoom meeting invite includes a dial-in phone number that you can call to audibly join the meeting. You are not able to see everyone on the call, but you are able to hear them and they are able to hear you.
3. Echoing Audio
Experiencing some feedback or strange echoing noises during the virtual deposition? There are a few different reasons why this might be happening:
- You have multiple audio input sources open. When you join the call, you have the option of connecting to the audio through your computer’s speaker or through your phone. Whichever one you choose, please only select one. When you are on the line using both, an audio feedback is created which makes it difficult to hear you.
- There are multiple meeting participants in the same room on separate devices. If you are in the same room as another meeting participant and they are on the call as well, yet on a separate device, this can cause some irritating audio feedback. To fix this issue, display the Zoom meeting on just one of the devices and share that device. If that doesn’t work for your setup, the participants will have to be in separate rooms so that the close contact audio issue no longer occurs.
Working remotely doesn’t always go as planned; however, we hope that with these troubleshooting tips, you feel prepared and confident to conduct a virtual deposition. At Elite Court Reporting, our team of highly qualified court reporters are ready to help your deposition run smoothly and effortlessly. To schedule one of our court reporters for your next virtual or in-person deposition, click here.