Thread Subject: Re:

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From: Bruce Maguire
Date: Tue, Nov 13 2007 10:40 PM

Hi Everyone

Being from Australia, it wasn't possible for me to attend this meeting in person, which is unfortunate because it's clear that some very important issues that have far-reaching implications are being discussed. The experience of using the conference bridge yesterday was very unpleasant: the volume varied between being inaudible to being so loud as to be painful. In addition to the (sometimes painfully loud) reverb tones, there was a recurring sound that reminded me of a large mechanical butterfly circling around the room emitting loud clicking sounds. This may be the GSM interference that Debbie mentioned, but in any case it made comfortable listening virtually impossible.

I'll join the conference bridge again for day 2, but if the situation isn't any better I won't stay long. Because of the time difference, the meeting doesn't start until 1am here, and these extra challenges make it impossible to concentrate and unrealistic to participate effectively.


I do understand that we're pushing technology to its limits here, and I commend the Access Board for providing mechanisms to allow remote participation. But I do also hope the situation can be improved, because this is a crucial meeting.

Thanks
Bruce


-----Original Message-----
From: " = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = " < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = > on behalf of "Debbie Cook" < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = >
Sent: Wednesday, 14 November 2007 10:02 AM
To: "TEITAC Committee" < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = >
Subject: [teitac-committee] The Conference Bridge

Hello Everyone:
I'm very sorry not to be with you in person for this important meeting.
Unfortunately family medical issues are keeping me away.
I plan to write a specific note to the Access Board, per Bruce's suggestion
to me, regarding the deplorable state of the Conference Bridge, but
meanwhile I'll give you all some info that might help. I understand things
may not be much better in the meeting room.
First, there is a lot of clipping so that if you are not speaking into the
mike people on the Bridge will hear about one of every five words. Place the
mike between your tonsils. If you don't have tonsils, well you'll know what
to do.
Second, you were noticing the problem when one of us would mute. There's a
reverb from the tones that echos back several times. This also happens when
you open a mike and your cell phone is on. If you're not using your phone,
please turn it off. The sound created from the reverb of GSM phones which
rises in volume for at least 30 seconds will completely drown out the
speaker.
And finally, I'd use the captioning to assist me with following the
conversation accurately, but as we've discussed before, the technique to
display the captioning used by the federal government is not accessible to
screen reader users.
I am concerned that we've been meeting over a year and still cannot manage
to have a useable conference bridge.
Believe me, I'd be there if there was any way to have done so.
Thanks to all of you for any help and consideration on this.

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