How to Prepare // How to Troubleshoot // How to Fix Problems

Important: Make sure you have a Chrome or Firefox or Safari browser installed on your computer, and it's up to date.
Suggested: Have a comfortable hands-free headset, with a good mic. Or use your computer speakers & mic, but please ensure you don't introduce feedback/noise into the mix. And, please please please, no speakerphones.
Suggested: Have a powerful computer (desktop or laptop), with good graphics, good video camera, and large screen.
Audio troubleshooting wizard knowledge: move your speakers (just your tweeters, no need to move subwoofer if you have one) to be close to your microphone, maybe 1-3 feet away from mic... but not pointing at the mic. Why? Because the echo cancellation algorithm gets confused if too far away; too close and sound intensity overwhelms microphone. Download handy cheatsheet. )
Good news: If you've been doing lots of video meetings on Zoom, Webex, or Microsoft Teams during the pandemic, you likely have everything you need all set up already. We'll be using the snazzy new "Google Meet" platform (evolved from the older "Google Hangouts" platform) which has the great security feature that it *only* runs in the browser, and *never* requires any downloads. For our graphics geeks, the good news is that we'll be using the waaaay cool WebRTC W3C Open Standard that's built into Google Meet. And for our punnsters, who know that when life gives your lemons, you make lemonade, but when life gives you covid you make covideos, we offer appropriate groans.