USING A SKYPE LINK FOR A SMALL FOCUS GROUP

Roger — Tue, 03 May 2011 10:25:22 +0000

We had investigated the possibility of using Skype in the local community centre, but without a proper service it proved impossible.

Setting up Skype was a protracted process. My desktop computer is normally set up upstairs in a very small room quite unsuitable for this exercise. I had to live test my equipment and the link quality several days beforehand, and then on the day move the mess of wires and equipment down to the living room, and then test again.

SET UP

Speakers

Good quality LabTec extension speakers (see Photo) contributed to the success of the event. Sound from the speakers was picked up well by the recorder, though I did turn the speakers up and down a few times in the proceedings.

Input Microphone

Surprisingly, the mike from my headset was able to pick up sound from all around the room adequately, and there were no feedback problems. Certainly it did not seem to trouble the listener at the other end, except that the more out range Researcher 2 was less clear. In the original tests the mike range seemed to be up to 4 ft., but as a precaution participants were asked to keep with 2 ft. However, when trying to use the same set up 2 days later pick up was too quiet except close up (within 10 cm), including on a Skype test call. However the original participant reaffirms it was OK.

I don’t have the precise details of the headset I used, but it was one I had purchased with Skype in mind. The mouthpiece had a flexible stem (see photo) which made it easier to position for optimum.

Webcam:

I had recently acquired a more effective webcam, which it turned out had a wide enough field to get in all the participants if they were close together. This was a Trust Spotlight Webcam Pro which had cost me £13.39.

At the other end the participant was using a Mac Laptop with a built in webcam, and clearly a reasonable amount of Broadband. It could easily have been different however, as there had been problems with Wireless Router reception at that end – yet another factor that could go wrong on the day.

Picture & Time lapse

On the whole the setup coped well with the situation: there is a nominal 10mbs broadband, and the wireless router was closer by than usual (a few feet – see photo). Generally the sync was very acceptable and the sound good . At times in the evening there was some slowing, typical locally at that time in the evening, but even that was still acceptable.

HOME SETTING

Apart from advantages of Skype, the use of my front room was a significant advantage to the focus group. It was easier to provide food in a flexible way, generally fetch anything I’d forgotten, and the setting was cosy and comfortable and more relaxing than it would have been in the community centre.

Food was part of the promise made to make the event more attractive the busy young people and keep them there long enough to complete the exercise. But it also helped to keep the conversation flowing, and the feedback was positive on this.

The participant at the other end somehow managed to get some food as well, even though not away from the camera for long. That could easily not have been the case, so worth checking that the remote participant has arranged to get food too, as it would not have been comfortable to watch us eating without being able to do so too.