We had a few glitches in setting up and running, but overall it was
a success.
I had posted to the organizers list to focus on audio/video quality
for ZOOM concerts before the event.
What I've heard from a couple people I trust (musician, sound
person) is that the concert
audio and video was good.
My sense of what made ZOOM audio good, i.e. audio didn't jump or
break up or ...:
original sound "on"
and followed Yale School of Music recommendations for those
settings
Gigabit Internet to host's home
wired connection to Internet provider's router (avoided WiFi)
no one else running ZOOM off the host's Internet
i.e. reduced competing bandwidth apps
not sure of this next piece, but believe RME's driver for
Fireface UFX+
takes over CPU to provide industry best latency
my running dedicated ZOOM on new-ish Lenovo T14
with a lower CPU demands interface passing sound to/from
Lenovo T420s running TotalMix FX for the UFX+
Note the UFX+ supports 188 channels at 24/192 which may
explain
it's driver taking over CPU cycles from other programs
but I cannot guarantee that that was, indeed, a necessary
precaution
to ensure no ZOOM audio hiccups.
Good ZOOM video came from:
high quality Internet noted above
high quality digital camera in auto mode
rigged to run off AC for any length of time
(pro grade zoom lens, constant f2.8, pan and tilt fluid
head)
digital camera to HDMI to HDMI capture card
DIGITNOW USB Video Capture Card
4k/60Hz HDR10
which provided HDMI pass through (not used, insufficient
setup time)
and has aluminum case to help dissipate heat --crucial w/
sun and afternoon temps
I had asked pro videographer and pro photographer friends to
run camera but they were busy
this would have helped, e.g. when audience had their cell
phone flashlights on
and were waving them back and forth our MC panned the
camera to them, but that was awkward
Odd gotcha:
setup outdoors, sun on laptops while rigging sound/video
when turned on, laptops immediately shut down from overheat
(sun)
taped umbrellas to mic stands and position fan on sound table
pointed at laptops ... got temp down
hosts setup 3 shade 'sails' for my table and for the musicians
Not wanting to bore or off-topic this list.
But getting a good ZOOM concert is *not* trivial.
I'll be glad to answer questions off line or via phone.
770-654-5098
____________________
Related, the silent auction was setup on Facebook and that worked
out ok.
I believe 150 or so folks signed up for the silent auction and a
couple thousand
was raised off it.
Whether we get to it or not, the intent is to write up what we
learned
and make it available within our community.
_____________________
Sincerely,
Heitzso