Synchronous Competition Guidance

WHAT TECHNOLOGY DO I NEED TO HAVE?

(1) An active and linked Tabroom account, which will allow you to access pairings/schematics and to enter the competition room.

(2) A computer, tablet or phone ("Device") that has a camera and microphone. You will need to be able to see and hear others and be seen and heard by others.

(3) Google Chrome or the Jitsi Meet android/iOS app to access the competition room.

WHAT DO I NEED TO DO WITH MY TECHNOLOGY?

(1) Set it up.

(2) Practice with it. Can you see and hear? Can you be seen and heard? Do you know how to send a message in chat? Do you know how to share a file (for debaters)? Do you know how to send a message to tournament administrators if there is a problem?

(3) Ensure that you internet is working and your signal is strong (12 to 25 MBPS). Internet connections, not your hardware, are the most frequent cause of technology failures.

HOW DO I GET AN ACTIVE AND LINKED TABROOM ACCOUNT?

Follow the directions for creating and linking an account on Tabroom.com in the following video: https://www.speechanddebate.org/creating-linking-account-tabroom/

IF YOU CANNOT CONNECT INITIALLY:

Make sure you have the following whitelisted:

Meet.jit.si

Web-cdn.jitsi.net

Meet-east.speechanddebate.org

Meet-west.speechanddebate.org

Meet.speechanddebate.org

Campus.speechanddebate.org

Make sure the following ports are opened:

80 TCP: HTTP

443 TCP: HTTPS

 10000-20000 UDP: RTP

HOW DO I TEST MY INTERNET CONNECTIVITY:

Go to: https://campus.speechanddebate.org/

Click on Test Competition Room

Ensure that your video and audio can connect and are working well.

HOW DO I IMPROVE MY INTERNET CONNECTIVITY?

The following are some frequently provided recommendations for improving your internet connectivity.

(1) If possible, connect to your Device to your router using an ethernet cable or cord, rather than using Wi-Fi.

(2) If using Wi-Fi, move your Device near your router or, if possible, your router near your Device.

(3) If using Wi-Fi and a dual-band router, use the 5 GHz band, instead of the 2.4 GHz band.

(4) Enable WME/WMM on your router. (This prioritizes video/VoIP over other data.)

(5) Minimize interference. Remove items between your Device and the router and between the router and any antenna.

(6) Minimize multitasking. Do not open too many browser tabs or run other programs that use video heavily. Also deactivate auto-updates.

(7) Minimize others' video use. Reduce other devices using the same Wi-Fi and that might compete with your Wi-Fi use.

(8) Consider relocating to a place with better internet connectivity.

WHAT ARE BEST PRACTICES FOR COMPETING IN ROUNDS?

(1) JUDGE: Ensure that the competitor(s) can see and hear you and that you can see and hear them before they begin.

(2) ALL: Turn off all notifications that produce sounds on all Devices in your vicinity (e.g., from telephone calls, text messages, social media) and silence your cell phone.

(2) ALL: Mute yourself when you are not speaking.

(3) COMPETITORS: Find a stable place for your camera and ensure that you know when you are outside of camera range.

(4) COMPETITORS:  Avoid competing in a space that produces a significant echo or has poor acoustics (e.g., a garage). In that regard, small spaces often work better than large rooms.

(5) COMPETITORS: Remove any distracting background items.

(5) COMPETITORS: Add lighting (in front of you, not behind you) if the room is dark. If the room has a window, face it when speaking.

(6) COMPETITORS: Avoid distracting noises (e.g., audience members/background conversations/heels on a hardwood surface).

(7) COMPETITORS: Make eye contact with the camera.

HOW SHOULD COMPETITORS AND JUDGES REACT IF SOMEONE LOSES CONNECTIVITY?

If you are speaking and note that someone has lost connectivity, pause your speech.

If you are a non-active speaker or the judge and suffer a significant degradation of audio, attempt to pause the active speaker. (A 1-second latency does not warrant pausing a speech.)

Submit a message about the issue to wvsdahelp@gmail.com, which can be done from inside or outside the competition room. Add your telephone number if you want tournament administrators to contact you.

No one should prepare during a tech downtime.

HOW DO I TROUBLESHOOT AN INTERNET CONNECTIVITY ISSUE?

In addition to contacting wvsdahelp@gmail.com, we recommend doing the following:

(1) Closing completely out of Google Chrome and then trying to come back into the competition room;

(2) Unplugging USB devices like microphones and cameras and then plugging them back in;

(3) Exiting and re-entering the competition room;

(4) Rebooting your Device; and

(5) Rebooting your Router.

HOW WILL THE TOURNAMENT HANDLE CONNECTIVITY ISSUES?

(1) In speech events without significant preparation periods, students should be allowed to compete in the round as long as they resolve their connectivity issues before the round ends. (If one student is having connectivity issues, a judge should move on to another competitor while the student works to resolve the issue.) A student who is unable to compete in a round will receive last place in the round but may compete in succeeding rounds.

(2) In events with thirty-minute preparation periods, students will be allowed to compete as long as they can resolve a connectivity issue within 10 minutes of the time they are scheduled to speak. A student who is unable to compete in a round will receive last place in the round but may compete in succeeding rounds.

(3) In debate events, students will be allowed to compete as long as they can resolve a connectivity issue within 10 minutes. Students who are unable to compete in a round will receive a forfeit but may compete in succeeding rounds.