SAL/ON

A Blog of Seattle Arts & Lectures

Tech Tips for Words Matter 2021

April 22, 2021

Welcome to your step-by-step guide to accessing Seattle Arts & Lectures’ Words Matter 2021 livestream program on Friday, April 23 at 7:00 p.m. (PDT)!

The SAL team is happy to assist you with any trouble you may encounter in connecting to our live program, but before you reach out, we recommend reading this troubleshooting guide first—your question is likely answered below.

Steps 1 and 2 will help you learn how to go to the event as well as provide tips for how to optimize your live viewing experience. The FAQ section at the bottom of the article answers other event-related questions.

Find Your Event Link
Video Settings
Other Frequently Asked Questions

Step 1 – Go to the Words Matter Event Page

Go to the Words Matter Event Page at lectures.org/WordsMatter2021. We’ll link to the event page directly in your pre-event email as well. Scroll down slightly past the section with the event title and date to the section that says “Stream Event Here.”

Step 2 – Optimize your viewing experience

Once you have access to your video, make sure you get the best experience possible! To view the highest video resolution, select the “Settings” gear icon and adjust the resolution to 1080. Maximize or minimize the video by clicking the “full screen” icon on the lower righthand corner at any time.

Captioning will be available. You may click the “CC” button on the lower right-hand corner of the video to view autogenerated captions.

To participate in our live chat with other Words Matter 2021 guests, scroll just below the video on lectures.org/WordsMatter2021 to see the chat box (pictured below). To enter your first comment, you will be prompted to choose a name for yourself and click accept. Then you can go ahead and post. You can disable the chat or open it in a separate viewer window by clicking the three dots in the upper right-hand corner. The chat will end once the event ends.

Additional questions you may have:

I’m experiencing a delayed, fuzzy, or otherwise imperfect connection. How do I fix that?

SAL will be broadcasting at maximum speed, so the quality of your live viewing experience is dependent on the strength of your own internet connection. To ensure you’re using one of the correct browsers and operating systems, and to check the required minimum bandwidth to watch a stream, please see this Vimeo Customer Support page.

How do I turn on captioning?

Click the “CC” button on the lower right-hand corner of the screen to view autogenerated captions. You may also use this link to access the event transcript after the event has passed.

How do I watch the event after it has passed? Can I rewatch it?

You can pause, rewind, and rewatch your event after the event is scheduled to begin. A full recording of the event will be available after approximately 9:00 p.m. (PDT). You may find the stream again on the event page where you originally registered or donated.

What if I join the live event after it has already started?

If you’re unable to make it to the beginning of the live event, once you start the stream, it will begin from the point at which we are currently broadcasting, just as if you joined an in-person event late. If you would like to start the event from the beginning, you may wait to view a recording of the event in full once we’ve finished streaming. Check your video around 9:00 p.m. (PDT) to view the event in full.

How do I watch this event on my television?

There are many different options for watching on your TV, depending on the kinds of devices you own. We recommend testing these options in advance so that you’re ready when your event is set to begin. Here are some of the ways you can watch on your TV:.

  • Use an HDMI cable from your computer to TV. Most desktop and laptop computers have an HDMI port that you can connect directly to your TV. (For newer Mac laptops, HDMI ports are now included in USB multiport adaptors, rather than built into the laptop itself). Connect the HDMI to your TV prior to booting up your computer to avoid sync issues. Once connected, use your computer browser to access your SAL event, and your computer’s display will be mirrored on your TV.
  • AppleTV. “Airplay” from iOS devices or “Mirror” from your Mac browser.
  • ChromeCast. “Cast” from the Google Chrome browser on your PC or Mac.
  • SmartTVs. Find more information on mirroring to your specific TV at these links: FireOS, RokuTV, AndroidTV

The sound isn’t working—how do I fix that?

First, make sure that the volume on your computer system or other device is turned up, and that any external speaker system you may have is not muted. Then, check that the video is unmuted by ensuring that the volume icon in the lower left-hand corner of the video is turned up.

If your volume is turned up everywhere and you’re still encountering sound issues, it’s likely your web browser is experiencing a temporary glitch. Restarting your browser and reloading the web page—or trying a different web browser—should solve the issue.

Have another issue that’s not addressed here?

If you’re still experiencing any trouble with a SAL event after reading this, please contact us at [email protected] or leave a message at 206-621-2230 x10, and we’ll get back to you promptly.