Mic for in-person plus virtual meetings

[Ernie]

Hi everybody.

I have a Bible study each week in our yard where we sit in a circle with a diameter of about 8-10 feet. There are people who want to join our Bible study virtually. So I need a mic/speaker unit to place in the center of the circle that will pick up people's comments but not pick up road noise, etc.

What do you recommend?

[Josh]

Hi everybody.

I have a Bible study each week in our yard where we sit in a circle with a diameter of about 8-10 feet. There are people who want to join our Bible study virtually. So I need a mic/speaker unit to place in the center of the circle that will pick up people's comments but not pick up road noise, etc.

What do you recommend?

An omnidirectional mic will pick up road noise. Is there a way you can meet more in a half circle with a unidirectional mic aimed at a building (with your half circle between it) so that you don’t get road noise?

Incidentally, one of the reasons we meet with an audience facing the preacher instead of in a circle is for audio related reasons. Personally I think meeting on a circle is a lot healthier.

[mike]

This is a USB conference mic I use for meetings and also for video streaming church services where I want to pick up the conversation in the room, and it works really well.



I don't know what it would be like outside where there is road noise.

[Josh]

The ideal solution for people outside is that everyone wears personal mics (or you pass a normal microphone around, which isn't quite as ideal).

A physical action to pass around a mic can be helpful because it reminds everyone participating in-person that they are also participating with other people virtually.

[joshuabgood]

The ideal solution for people outside is that everyone wears personal mics (or you pass a normal microphone around, which isn't quite as ideal).

A physical action to pass around a mic can be helpful because it reminds everyone participating in-person that they are also participating with other people virtually.

It also keeps people from talking at the same time.

[Neto]

Some of these later comments lead me to go back and re-read your initial post. You used the word 'virtually'. Is this audio only? (If this is a video connection, then do you have a camera you focus on each live participant as they speak?)

[Ernie]

Some of these later comments lead me to go back and re-read your initial post. You used the word 'virtually'. Is this audio only? (If this is a video connection, then do you have a camera you focus on each live participant as they speak?)

The webcam gives a view of the group and the screen shows the virtual speakers. Speakers in the group do not show up on the screen particularly.

We've tried using individual phones, but when using Skype, we can't turn the volume off completely on our phones, so there is sound coming through on multiple phones.

[ohio jones]

Some of these later comments lead me to go back and re-read your initial post. You used the word 'virtually'. Is this audio only? (If this is a video connection, then do you have a camera you focus on each live participant as they speak?)

The webcam gives a view of the group and the screen shows the virtual speakers. Speakers in the group do not show up on the screen particularly.

All the more reason to form an arc rather than a circle (with a mic that has some directionality, as Josh suggested) so that the webcam can show who's speaking. Virtual participants may have more difficulty following if the speaker is behind the camera or facing away from it.