Live Feed to Zoom Meeting

[MelissaFPMA]

We are interested in the possibility of using our Zoom account to host a "classroom" style meeting.

Our presenters would be in one location broadcasting back to one Zoom meeting to attendees in a classroom. The "live" presentation would be broadcast on a large screen at the front of the classroom. We would like to make it interactive. Can this be accomplished on Zoom Meetings or would we need Zoom Webinar? Can we use a GoPro? If not, what equipment would we need?

Thanks for any help. 

[Rupert]

This is all certainly possible.

Webinar would be the right choice only if you do not want to see your remote participants and if you do not want them to see each other. They would just be an audience with Webinar - with only Chat and Q&A available.

Webinar can also be suitable for very large audiences. 

But if you want an interactive "classroom" style meeting, you will want to stick to Zoom Meeting (rather than Webinar).

Depending on your budget, using a "Zoom Rooms" setup for your classroom would be ideal - but that would be an extra set of equipment.

You could use a GoPro - you will need a way to convert its HDMI output to a USB source to connect to Zoom. This can be done with something like an Elgato Cam Link USB adapter.

But buy far the most challenging element of these hybrid interactive scenarios is AUDIO.

You will need good quality microphone and speaker system for your classroom. One that is intended for room-type environments. What size of room are you dealing - and with how many people?

All your remote participants should ideally be using at least headphones (trying to avoid speakers) and even better a headset with a microphone. Try to avoid them using speakers and microphones built-in to laptops and so on.

Everyone should stay Muted in Zoom unless they are speaking.

How many remote participants will you have?

[MelissaFPMA]

Thanks Rupert. Here's what we expect. 

Thirty to fifty participants set up at rows of tables with a large screen at the front to the room to project to. We didn't plan on everyone using their own laptop and they probably won't have them.

Here's what the event entails, so you know what we're trying to accomplish. We'll be at a conference in a hotel. We're a small trade association for pest management professionals and the hotel agreed to allow us to spend time at various locations in the hotel, like the kitchen, the bar, a room, etc, so that we could have our presenters demonstrate how to do commercial extermination in each area. We contracted for this before COVID and are afraid that the hotel will let our presenters but not attendees into those areas. So, we want the presenter to be able to go into the areas and connect with the class live to do the demonstrations while they watch in the classroom.

Does that make sense? We own a GoPro and could probably get anything else we need from the hotel's AV department.  In addition to the Zoom end, it would be really helpful to get an idea of what type of equipment we'd need. I've been guessing but it would be nice to be certain before we start renting things that we don't need or are the wrong choice.

[Rupert]

Hi @MelissaFPMA 

This sounds like an interesting project.

Do the presenters need to see the audience while they are roaming - or would this be useful? Or are you anticipating audio-only, or text-chat, back to the presenters from the room.

Will there be different presenters in different locations - or will it be one team or person, going between locations?

Will you have a person available to follow the presenters, to act as a camera person?

Will there be anyone joining the event from outside the hotel location?

Do you need to record the event?

The amount of equipment you will need will depend on some of the things above, and really on the level of richness and interactivity (and quality) you want to provide. There are options from top to bottom.

Let me know on the points above and I can help narrow it down for you.

Rupert

[MelissaFPMA]

The presenters do not need to see the audience while they roam but it would be nice. I think we'd like to do audio-only to keep it simple.

There will be multiple presenters in different locations but not at the same time.  We will have a camera person available.

There will be no one attending from off-site.

I suspect we will want to record the event.

Thanks!

[kenlaise33]

Would be interested to hear any update in this. A person has pronounced dropping access to hosting controls and screen freezing in 2 out of their 3 conferences this week for renovation guide.