Tech and Web Help

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Tech Tips For Therapists

Voice Recording of Sessions
Recommended Recording Equipment
Getting the best sound possible from the Playtouch
Using the Kodak Playtouch and the Zoom mic
How to use the Zoom mic
Preparing Videos to Send
Downloading Video
Concerns and Answers for using Adobe
File Transfers/Filing Sharing
Free Programs I use all the time
Using Skype and HIPPA

 

Recommended Recording Equipment

See my note on the Product page for my latest recommendation – just click here to be taken to it.

NOTE: I don't recommend the Playtouch any long, but you might have one, and if you do this section will help you. (for my current recommendations..tech changes quickly…please go to Resources -> Tech Recommendations) How to get the best sound possible from the Playtouch

The Playtouch has an audio setting for increasing mic sensitivity – mic gain.

It defaults to a medium position. Each time you start the camera to get the best

use of the microphone you need to adjust the gain to high.

To do this go into the camera settings, choose the microphone icon, adjust to high.

Remember for the best audio quality you have to do this each time.

 

For setting up the Zoom Microphone see those instructions on this page.

Voice Recording of Sessions:

Question: Using the Zi8 (or the newest model the Kodak Play Touch), which you recommend, it seems the built-in microphone does not pick up well enough (particularly my voice when I am soft, slow, and low). I have tried a couple of external mics (Audio-technica models). One did not improve the sound at all, the other led to NO sound! I am either doing something wrong or have a bad mic. The Kodak people online were of no help. Any ideas?

Answer: I have the zi8 and I go in to the camera and set the volume to high each time I turn on the camera. If I do that it picks up just fine even if I speak softly. Each time the camera is turned off it resets to the mid range, so remember to turn it up to high each time or it won't pick up the voices well enough.

I also recommend the Zoom mic. It's pricey, and worth it. See my product recommendation page for purchase.

How to use the Zoom mic:

1. Connect one end of the stereo cable into the “microphone” hole on the camera.

2. Connect the other end of the stereo cable into the “phones/line out” hole on the microphone.

3. Make sure the microphone has fresh batteries (I never use the A/C power cord for the microphone – batteries last a while).

4. Power on the microphone

5. Set the “mic gain” switch to “High” on the microphone (this adjusts the microphone sensitivity)

6. To activate the microphone, press the red “record” button in the center of the microphone. The red light under “play/rec” should now be blinking. If you pushed it too many times and it goes solid red, press the “Play/pause” button to start over.

7. Power on your camera and begin recording video.

Thanks to Jean Shirkoff for the photo.

Preparing videos to send for supervision:

Question: The process of preparing the videos to send to my supervisor is long
(several hours) and sometimes doesn't work. I'm not sure whether I'm doing
that correctly, and somehow it seems like it shouldn't be this hard or
lengthy. Can others share with me how they do that and how long it takes?

Answer: I used to use pando and then switched to “you send it” which seems to download faster and easier. The other option I find much easier is to upload the session to icloud (an apple product which used to be mobileme). I can upload quickly and set a password so my supervisor can watch.

Downloading Video without taking up too much space:

Question: I download the videos to my laptop in order to get them ready to send,
and they take up enormous space. This makes it hard to download more,
because I get the prompt that I'm out of space. Any great solutions to that
problem?

Answer: I use a separate hard drive (they are relatively cheap) and I download my session onto my hard drive and plug that into my computer. That way it doesn't take up space on my computer. It also makes it really easy to organize the sessions.

Thanks to Jean Shirkoff for providing much of this Q/A

 

Instructions for how to use the new zoom mic as an external mic, not as a recorder.

Instructions begin at 1:48.

Problems with the PlayTouch freezing up? It could be your SD Card. You can try reformatting the card, or replacing it.

Online Meetings with Becca in Adobe

Trouble Shooting

Concern:

I'm having trouble viewing the video. I can hear everything in the meeting room, until the video starts playing, then I just hear choppy pieces and only see a bit of the video every few seconds, and it seems I'm lagging behind the tape discussion.

I'm missing a lot of the meeting when the video plays.

Answer:

1. Ensure your flash player is the most recent version.
2. Close down the window and reopen it. Make you you allow the add on to be installed.
3. Use an Ethernet cable (hard wire), not WiFi (wireless).
4. Have your internet upgraded to a faster speed. (do the speed check as recommended above)
5. Call adobe support at the number below for your area:

Trouble connecting, need assistance during a meeting? Call our expert In-Meeting team.

Country	In-Meeting Support	Technical Support
United States	800-42-ADOBE (800-422-3623)	800-422-3623
Canada	800-42-ADOBE (800-422-3623)	800-422-3623
UK	800-800-ADOBE (00 800800 23623)	020 7365 0735
Ireland	800-800-ADOBE (00 800800 23623)	01 242 1552
France	800-800-ADOBE (00 800800 23623)	01 712 30854
Germany	800-800-ADOBE (00 800800 23623)	0695 007 1407

Country	In-Meeting Support
Australia	1800 016 837
Austria	00 800 8002 3623
Belgium	00 800 8002 3623
Brazil	0800 761 0861
China – Netcom	10800 744 0415
China – Telecom	10800 440 0397
Czech Republic	800 700 695
Denmark	8060 1098
Italy	800 924655
Korea	080-950-0880
Luxembourg	800 27468
Malaysia	1800-88-1037
Netherlands	0800 029 2054
New Zealand	0800 310 318
Philippines	1800 1441 0436
Portugal	800 84 47 33
Russia	810800 23521044
Singapore	800 448 1640
Sweden	00 800 8002 3623
Switzerland	00 800 8002 3623
Thailand	1800 4418119

File Transfers/File Sharing

Ipad users – Dropbox www.dropbox.com and Hightail www.hightail.com both have good apps that are easy to use.

Free Programs I Use All the Time:

AVS (video and audio conversion and editing)

Express Scribe

 

Other Free Programs I Hear are Good:

FreeMake video converter

 

Using Skype and HIPPA

Question: I hear that Skype is not secure, and not HIPPA compliant – is that true?

Answer: When you're acting as a consultant and the video you're watching is for advanced clinical training it doesn't fall under HIPAA regulations for Tele-Health Security requirements. HIPAA is for treatment.

Additionally, (if you weren't using it for clinical training [vs treatment] full fee solo practices (not billing insurance) do not trigger any security event that requires HIPAA compliance (Security Rule Pg 4)
Skype is encrypted at a more than high enough rate to be secure. You can comply with HIPAA (even though as a full free solo practioner, doing clinical training you are not required to) by managing any transaction concerns through informed consent, confidentiality practices and data encryption practices.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]