We have all experienced the frustration of not being able to hear someone who is speaking. Our reliance these days on technology for moments of connection raises the stakes, making any sound quality or volume issues not only a frustration but a loss. St. Anne’s has a team working to ensure consistent, clear sound on Sunday mornings, but it will never be perfect. There are simply too many factors involved.

So here are some things we can try at home if we are experiencing sound issues.

Watch the service through Facebook instead of the church website. Anecdotal evidence suggests that people are usually happy with the sound when watching that way. Don’t worry, you don’t need an account.
If volume is the issue, make sure you’ve turned up the volume on the video feed (at the bottom of the video) and the volume control on your device.
Try watching on another device. Some technology comes equipped with better speakers than others. For example, I know I won’t be able to hear well if I use my laptop, but will hear just fine on my tablet or phone. I realize everyone doesn’t have multiple options, but if you do, give them all a try.
Attach speakers to your device. Speakers come in all sizes and price ranges. Some plug in and others connect through Bluetooth. Some families link their computer to their television and take advantage of the television’s speakers.
If you are watching alone you may get better sound quality using headphones. They deliver the sound directly to your ears and block at least some of the ambient noise.
Technology has made so many previously impossible things possible. We can watch parishioners reading lessons in their homes and our priest giving a sermon as easily as watching Downton Abbey reruns. When I can’t hear well or there is an echo, I remind myself this is not a show, it is a conversation. Just as I might ask someone in-person to speak up or to face me while talking, I can try the tips listed above. And if that doesn’t work, just as in a face-to face conversation, I can sit with it and catch what I can because it’s just nice to be together and maybe it will improve, or I can excuse myself and try again another day.

—Tricia Crockett