Dave WarnockDec 20, 2022
News Announcement: PrayerOfHannah
1 Samuel 2:8
"He raises up the poor from the dust;
he lifts the needy from the ash heap"
I have been frustrated for a long time with the various software choices for worship. While individuals can do great things with software they know well, it all becomes fragile in Churches where there is typically old hardware and a rota of people who don't do things often enough to be confident.
Show threadDave WarnockDec 20, 2022
Then there is the, everywhere does it differently, of preparing worship and transferring it to the church computer which is running different versions, different screen resolutions and has varying projection, video and audio hardware attached.
Installing systems and upgrading is complicated and expensive with issues such as long and difficult cable runs.
Show threadDave WarnockDec 20, 2022
There is rubbish support for accessibility. We should be providing tablets to people with visual impairments with custom colour schemes and fonts that work best for them. We should do much, much better than the rubbish hearing aid loops that frequently go years without anyone without hearing impairment knowing if it is working. We should be providing something much better for people who are housebound especially if they too have accessibility challenges.
Show threadRuthSmart
@Dave42W
As a hearing aid user we have discussed hearing aid loops and they are no longer required for modern hearing aids.
If the audio is clear enough for those without hearing aids it will be audible for those with hearing aids.
In my experience the main audio issues are if the microphone is not working or being used appropriately or if a 2nd audio channel is open.
#HearingLoops
Dec 21, 2022 at 6:43amWeb
Show threadRichardDec 21, 2022
@RuthSmart @Dave42W G'day Ruth, me too :).
Otherwise to make things more accessible for hard of hearing ppl. have verbal information supported by visual information. Eg: verbal announcements are shown on a screen, bible reading is shown whilst being read in the same translation, captioning for video.
Have soft surfaces in social areas (eg: if morning tea is in a hard wooded floor hall. Cheap ways to improve it would be to put down rugs, put up wall hangings fabric partitions will also absorb background noise.
Show threadRuthSmartDec 21, 2022
@Aslanmane @Dave42W
Hi Richard. A absolutely agree with reducing the number of hard surfaces in church buildings, as the echo chamber causes huge problems for my hearing aids.
Modern hearing aids include a crowded room setting to reduce high frequencies but there is a limit to how well that compensates for the echo.
Also agree with having a written version of the service, either on screen or printed out.
Show threadDave WarnockDec 21, 2022
@RuthSmart @Aslanmane thanks I agree with the direction. Hopefully will reach the point of not needing loops.
That will take longer in poorer communities.
Sound beyond playing audio with hymns is a set of features that will come later.