Troubleshoot: Live Video Activities

Joining or hosting a live video meeting (group chat or interview) only requires a modern web browser and a reliable Internet connection. No additional software or browser extension is required. 

Note that the system requirements for live video differ from the general system requirements for accessing Recollective.
The following are best practices and solutions to aid you and/or your participant(s) when experiencing technical difficulties with live video.

Preemptive Practices

Letting participants know about the system requirements ahead of time will be key in ensuring a successful meeting. Verifying participants have access to an appropriate device and browser as early as the recruitment stage is recommended. Otherwise, providing this information in the meeting invite and again prior to the meeting Start time will ensure you don't run into last minute system requirements issues at the time of the meeting. 

Permissions

In order to participate in a live video meeting, Hosts and participants must grant permission for Recollective to access their camera and microphone. Gaining access to your computer’s camera, microphone, and screen varies across different browsers and operating systems. In most cases, you will be shown a request the first time such access is requested by Recollective. If you do not see the request, or you previously blocked such access, this article will guide you on how to restore those settings:
This article is participant facing and is available to participants directly within the platform when they click on the ? icon. You can also share this link with participants directly or copy and paste the information into a card on your studies Home page for easy access.

System Check

Anyone who will be participating in a live video meeting should be encouraged to complete a System Check several minutes prior to the scheduled start time.

Viewing result

The outcome of each System Check conducted by users is stored and made visible to administrators in two areas.

The most recent System Check Result for each participant will appear in the Participant Summary table for both the Live Group Chat and Live Video Interview activity types. 

A system check result can be Passed, Issues or Failed. The test outcome label can be selected to view more details and a downloadable report is available for advanced debugging requirements.

The second area where System Check outcomes are stored and made visible is a data table that can be seen by Analysts when editing a panelist or admin account in the Site Administration area. 

Firewalls

If you are accessing Recollective from a network with a strict firewall, it's possible that the firewall may be actively blocking WebSockets (which are required for Live Video Activities). If you see the error message below on the Activity Overview or Meeting Entry page, you will need to use a different network or device:

Firewalls are also checked during the Connectivity step of the System Check.

Troubleshooting in the moment

Even when all appropriate preemptive measures have been taken, audio and video issues can still occur. If either the Host or the Participant is unable to see or hear the other party, both users should:
  1. Close their browser entirely
  2. Restart their browser
  3. Return to Recollective and re-enter the meeting
If you, as the Host, need to reboot your browser in the middle of an interview, you can do this without officially "ending" the meeting as long as:
  • There is another administrator in the backroom
  • You don't actually "end" the meeting when rebooting, just close the window. (If the meeting officially “ends” prematurely, the only way to resume is to reschedule with the participant for a different day or time, so we want to avoid this!)

Restarting the web browser will solve most audio and video issues. If a browser restart does not solve the issue, the user experiencing the issue should

  1. Try an alternate browser
  2. Try an alternate device
  3. Try an alternate network connection

If these steps do not resolve the issue, the user should run a System Check to diagnose the problem. Select the Having Issues? button to run a System Check directly within a meeting.

The Having Issues? button will only be visible to a user if and when performance issues have been detected.

Audio and Video Quality

The quality of live video meetings largely depends on the users network connection/strength. Even if the person has a high speed connection, the more devices that are on that Wifi network, the slower/worse the connection is going to be. If the issue in the meeting is poor quality, the user should be advised to try an alternate network connection.

Other Technical Tips for Successful Live Video Meetings

  • If your WiFi router allows you the option of choosing between a 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz connection, go with 5 GHz (this option has a shorter range so you may need to set up closer to your router, but the connection is stronger).
  • Whenever you have time, close your browser window and open a new browser window in between interviews.
  • Try to have as few browser windows open as possible during the chat or meeting. This applies to both you and participant(s).
  • All users involved should wear headphones for the best audio quality possible.

Requesting Support

In most cases, the above suggestions will circumvent or solve audio and video issues. If technical issues persist, you can contact our Help Desk for additional support. When requesting support, please provide:
  • A description of the exact issue that’s occurring (e.g. Host cannot hear participant, participant cannot see or hear Host)
  • The URL for the Live Video Interview or Live Group Chat Activity
  • If applicable, any error messages that appear on the screen - either copy the exact text or take a screenshot and try to explain what actions you were trying to do prior to the message appearing
Please note that it may not be possible to receive a response from the support desk before the meeting is scheduled to end. If technical difficulties have lasted the duration of the meeting, you should also look to book a follow up meeting with the participant. 
Standard support is available from 9AM to 5PM Eastern time (excluding Canadian public holidays). Outside of standard support hours, we'll reply as soon as someone is available to help!
🗣️ Still have questions? Contact us or leave us some feedback on how we can do better!
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