- By: Bibi Fell
- Zoom
- September 9, 2020
- Comments (0)
We recently tried our very first Virtual Arbitration. It was such a different experience from being in a courtroom, or even in a conference room. The ease with which we show exhibits and point to demonstratives was replaced by the need for multiple clicks. The ability to show an exhibit or powerpoint slide at the same time that the audience could look at your face and body language was seriously hindered.
In the course of planning for and conducting this Virtual Arbitration, the right equipment was essential. I’ve been asked repeatedly for my shopping list. So, here it is:
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The IPEVO was an essential item. I grew up trying cases before lawyers used powerpoint. We used something called the ELMO. It was big. It was loud. It was expensive. The IPEVO is none of those things. It displayed with crisp clarity, sat unobtrusively on the desk next to me, and cost less to buy than renting an ELMO for trial. The IPEVO is a clear improvement and allows the Arbitrator to watch you interact with a piece of paper. In my opinion, it’s a leg-up from linking a drawing tablet, which will not show your hand, but instead has letters appear out of nowhere (and with a delay). You can pick up the one I use here.
We purchased two webcams. One was stationed on me as I sat in front of my computer. The other was stationed in front of my touchscreen TV. This is the one I used, but it lacked the ability to adjust for changes in light. It works wonderfully for depositions, but not for conducting an argument in front of the touchscreen TV while displaying PowerPoint because of the fluctuations in light.
This camera theoretically has the ability to adjust to changes in light, but in full disclosure, I have not tried it. It’s designed for YouTubers and Gamers and has software to run all fo it’s features like focus, exposure, white balance and such.
These are the tripods I used. I thought they worked just fine and I liked the flexible soft legs, which allowed me to get just the right angle and positioning.
I like this ringlight for three reasons: (1) It is powerful; (2) it clips onto your desk and the flexible neck allows you to position it out of the way and at the right angle; (3) it has three light quality options – warm, cool, and mixed.
I went through several green screens before finding this one. I love how easy it is to collapse and expand. It tucks away nicely under my bed or in a corner. It is sturdy. I’ll never use another green screen again.
If you’re a do-it-yourself or more handy type, this heavy polyester backdrop is great too. It’s big enough that you can drape a full wall and stand in front of your slides. The polyester material doesn’t get dirty quickly and doesn’t stain with coffee.
I love using slides and video in opening, closing and even during witness testimony. This is a good quality TV and is the one we use for trial. All of the newer Samsung LED TV’s are AirPlay and Android compatible so you can throw your iPad or tablet right up on screen.
If you try to purchase a touchscreen TV, you will pay a fortune. This kit allows you to turn any TV into touchscreen.
I needed a TV stand that was sturdy enough to wheel over ramps and into the courtroom, as well as one that had a place for me to put my laptop. This one does the trick.
We wanted to be able to move the TV stand around both at home to get it out of the way and also for when we go back into the courtroom. These heavy duty wheels do the trick and can handle the most uneven downtown sidewalks.
The compositing software we use is ManyCam. It is way more versatile than the Zoom or WebEx virtual background functions. With this I can place myself in front of my PowerPoint slides, have my slides in a box over my shoulder, my IPEVO running in a split-screen with my video, or anything else. With a few clicks you can composite any media into any other media. It works with every video software we’ve seen since it shows up in Windows as it’s own webcam.
I hope this helps all of you working on equipping your homes for our new virtual world.
