Skyping at depositions. Anyone know how to do this?

[Kelli Combs (admin)]

I've noticed lately this is becoming more popular to do.  I like to keep up on technology and want to be able to provide this service, but I have never used Skype and not sure what you are supposed to do.

Anyone know how to set this up on depositions?  I went to Youtube to watch some videos, but the videos are more on a personal nature talking to friends and chatting through the computer (typing) at the same time.  That's not quite what I'm looking for.

I'm sure there are others of us that would love to learn how to use this feature.  I'd love to hear from any reporters that have used Skype on depositions. 

I know lots of job offers lately are going out on CSRnation looking for a reporter that can Skype.  I want to learn more about this.

[Janiece Young]

When I have done it they usually just have a Skype screen for the witness and the attorneys that are in another location.  Reporting it is similar to reporting on a telephone deposition.  It was so the attorneys on the other end could watch the face of the witness.  I think the audio came in via a telephone line.

A paralegal set up the Skype so I can't help you with that, but I have Skyped with my sister.  It's really easy to set up.

[Kelli Combs (admin)]

I mean when the reporter provides the laptop and the reporter sets up the Skype session.  That's what I wanted to know about.  I've done something similar when the audio did come over the phone.  Not sure if it works that way with Skype or not.

[William Krone]

If you do not want to record the audio and/or video, you may operate Skype as usual, with the exception you are going to want the audio to have a microphone/s placed on several people, the deponent for sure, and the questioning attorney.  Unlike a casual face to face (one on one) Skype call, there will be multiple speakers and the audio needs to be clear.  This means an audio mixer and several microphones instead of the built-in laptop or omni-directional small mic. many CSRs use today.

If you want to record the audio and/or video of the Skype session, you need to purchase and install the record application offered by Skype on their website (http://shop.skype.com/apps/Call-recording-audio-video/SuperTintin-V...)

Best solution is to hire a video depo. professional and ask them to handle the Skype session.

Hope this helps...Bill Krone with Deja View Video SF Bay Area.

[Kelli Combs (admin)]

Wow, what a pain all that sounds like.  I assumed the witness would be with me at a designated conference room and the attorney asking the questions would be in some remote location using/needing the Skype. 

When you say use Skype as usual, I don't know what "as usual" is since I've never used it.  That's what I'm trying to find out.  Do you hit some key to start a session?  Do you have to put in some phone number of the person on the other end?  Is there some HTTP or URL you need?  I don't know how that part works.  I'm beginning to think I am not being all that clear about my question and I'm sorry for that.

[William Krone]

Kelly, if it is just you and the witness, the built-in laptop microphone, or that little omni-directional microphone on it's little tripod, I see many CSRs use, would be adequate.

But if you want to record the session's audio and video, you need to purchase the Skype application.

Now, just to use Skype, you need an account setup (free) and the person on the other end needs an account already setup and accessible by them telling you their Skype user name.  It is very easy to download Skype's software and setup an account with your user name.  And it's FREE.   This is what I meant by "usual".

Then after you have the software and an account, you just click on the desktop icon and enter the user name of the person you are calling, and wallah!!...magic in picture and sound!!  And it's FREE!!

Try it, you'll like it

[Kelli Combs (admin)]

Thank you, William!!

[Mary Jo Cochran]

You have a Skype account, right.  Wherever it is sat up from needs a Skype account.  It also needs to be paid for.  I would go to Skype's website and review their information. 

[Kyung]

Unless you're hardwired in via T-1 or something else, depending on where you are, the Internet speed might not be high enough to accommodate voice and video at a rate that doesn't end up with a lot of buffering.

I find that it's best to do the voice over telephone and only do the video via Skype.

[Kelli Combs (admin)]

That makes total sense.

[Jane McGill]

I had a lot of feedback without using phone on my last depo, so we stopped it and he called in via phone for audio on his end.  Worked great after that.  I have a Skype set up just for work account.  It's really pretty easy, so don't stress it.  Just mess with it a bit first.  If you need a guinea pig, you can PM me.

[Laura Renke]

Kelli, you may already have all the info you need from the other replies, but I'll share my experience.  I did a Skype deposition for the first time a few weeks ago and had all the same questions you have since I'd never used Skype before.  It's super-simple to use.

The attorneys were remote; I was local with the witnesses and setting up Skype on our end.  The evening before the job, I installed Skype on one of my netbooks.  You need a computer with a webcam, and most netbooks will have one.  You'll want to have Skype running on a separate computer, not on your CAT computer.  I set up a free Skype account, which involved downloading and installing the software.  You'll have no problems doing any of that.  It really only takes about five minutes to get everything loaded and up and running.  You don't need a pay account; the free one is fine.  And you shouldn't have to fuss with the built-in webcam.  That should just start working when you run Skype.

At the job location, I connected my netbook to the Internet with an ethernet cable instead of using the guest wireless.  I then started Skype using its desktop icon.  There's a box on the left side of the screen to put in the name of the person you want to connect with, and I did that.  The person on the other end can initiate the call as well.  Of course, that person needs to have Skype already installed on his or her computer.  Once you've found the user name for the person you want to call, you click on "video call" (going from memory here), and the person on the other end gets a popup notifying them of your call coming in.  I had all the other parties together at one location, so I don't know if there's anything different you'd do to bring people at multiple remote locations into the call.

Once the Skype call is connected, mute the computer speakers and call the other party on speakerphone for your audio.  You really don't want to rely on Skype for your audio.  If I do another Skype job, I would plug a set of earbuds into the headphone jack on the netbook because Skype automatically unmutes the speakers when it starts up.  We lost our connection a couple times during the job, and I had to reach over in front of the witness to click "reconnect," and that reactivated the computer speakers.  The speakers will cause feedback with the phone.  It would also have been helpful to have had an external mouse for the netbook so I wouldn't have had to reach for the netbook's touchpad.

The witnesses enjoyed the whole Skype experience and told me so afterwards.  We could see the questioning attorney on the computer screen in a large main window and a thumbnail of the witness in the corner of the screen, so we were able to see what the remote people were seeing and adjust the angle of the computer lid to line the webcam up for the best shot.  I didn't appear on camera at all except for when I was starting the Skype call and chatting with the attorney before we got started.  Overall, I thought Skype was very simple to use and a helpful addition to the typical phone dep.

[Kelli Combs (admin)]

Thank you so much, Laura.  That's exactly what I needed to know.  Did you get ahead of time the number to put into Skype to connect to the attorney?  I assume you did.  The rest of it sounds super simple.  I'm going to have to try it sometime.