Hybrid Meeting Setup

A successful hybrid meeting requires a welcoming environment for both in-person and remote (Zoom) attendees. That means that in-person attendees must be able to see and hear remote attendees, and remote attendees must be able to see and hear in-person attendees as well as other remote attendees, and all attendees must be able to view all content being presented. These requirements require special attention to the AV (audio-visual) equipment and setup.

Since our club is presenting stereoscopic (3D) content, we have additional requirements beyond those that other organizations may require for their hybrid meetings.

• We use a 2018 Mac Mini running Ventura (13.5.2), connected to two UHD (4K) displays: an LG 65-inch passive UHD OLED 3D-TV with 3840 horizontal x 2160 vertical native resolution (model OLED65C6P) used for displaying 3D content (full screen in side-by-side half-width format), and a second 4K display on which the Zoom window is displayed. This enables all in-person attendees to view remote attendees, provided they have enabled their video camera. A third display (1920 x 1080) is used when we need to share our screen. We use side-by-side half-width (anamorphic) rather than over-under format for viewing on our 3D TV in order to support streaming stereoscopic content to the Lume Pad 2, since that device does not support over-under format.
• Audio output uses HDMI to the LG TV, which is played through a surround sound system. This enables all in-person attendees to hear remote attendees, provided they have not muted their microphone.
• We initially tried the j5create 360 Degree All Around Meeting Webcam. Although this webcam offers six display modes, we used the 120° Wide Angle View mode, since all attendees face the TV in the front of the room. Here is the Quick Installation Guide.

  Note that this webcam has a built-in conference microphone, but it did not deliver satisfactory audio performance.

• We have since switched to the NexiGo N970P 4K Webcam, which provides a slightly narrower 90° view. Here is the User Manual. The video quality is better, and the camera features digital zoom and pan.

  Either of these webcams enable all remote attendees to see all in-person attendees. Note that the room is not (and does not need to be) fully darkened, since the 3D TV and the second UHD monitor are very bright.

• We use the Martel Zoom USB Multiple Microphone System with four microphones (one near the left front, one near the right front, one near the left rear, and one near the right rear) to capture audio from every part of the meeting room. Here is the Martel User Manual. The microphones are mounted on tripods using 3D printed tripod mounts. This enables all remote attendees to hear all in-person attendees.
• We use Stereopix ROOMS for displaying 3D photos for both in-person and remote attendees. In-person attendees view the Stereopix ROOM in Side-by-Side Parallel anamorphic view on the 3D TV in 3D mode using RealD Polarized Glasses. Remote attendees view the Stereopix ROOM on their own device in their preferred viewing format. During the meeting, remote attendees would normally Change image with the presenter. Following the meeting, attendees as well as those who missed the meeting can visit the ROOM to view the images at their leisure (until the following month's photos are loaded into the ROOM).
• We use a Red Star Powerpoint Remote to control Sterepix ROOMS (but any PowerPoint Remote should work just as well). Note that the remote will have no effect unless Stereopix Presenter Window is the active window. We normall resize the Stereopix Presenter Window to the minimum size and leave it active in the lower right corner of the second display to enable the PowerPoint Remote.
• The most significant remaining problem is showing stereoscopic videos, since we want to play these in Side-by-Side half-width format in 3D on the 3D TV, and in a different format (Anaglyph or Parallel on a shared screen for remote attendees). This requires running two viewers, muting the audio on one of the viewers, and starting the two viewers simultaneously (or as close to simultaneously as possible) in order for the audio to be synchronized.