The Liberty Remote Conferencing facility is an optional component of the Liberty Court Recorder. To use the Remote Conferencing facility, the Court must purchase this component from their authorized Liberty Recording supplier and the Recorder application must then be licensed to utilize the Remote Conferencing facility.
Anyone assigned by a licensed Court may download, install and use the Liberty Remote Agent software, at no cost.
Follow this link for download and install information on the Remote Agent software.
Courtroom Setup
Providing the Recorder application is licensed, then the Court may allow remote connections from users who have downloaded and installed the Remote Agent software. The Court should take the following steps to configure the courtroom, prior to scheduling remote user connections.
- Provide a suitable mixer with an available output for the audio from the Remote Agent.
- Provide courtroom speakers that are configured to minimize echo.
- Test the Internet connection to the Conference Server.
- Configure the Recording application.
- Provide Video Equipment, if required.
Follow this link to download a two-page pdf that documents working with the Remote Agent facility.
The diagram below provides an overview of the required setup. The Liberty Remote Agent software must be installed on the PC used at the remote location. The remote user must connect to the Conference Server over the Internet. The courtroom must have an appropriate mixer and speakers, to allow the remote user to be heard in the courtroom. Other facilities, such as cameras and video support, may optionally be installed and used.
The court must have and specify a courtroom userid and password for use with the Conference Server, and the courtroom computer must be able to connect with the Conference Server over the Internet with a high-speed connection.
The remote agent must have and specify an agent userid and password for use with the Conference Server, and the agent computer must be able to connect with the Conference Server over the Internet with a high-speed connection.
Both the remote agent and the court must obtain their respective userids from Liberty Recording, at the time the courtroom is licensed for remote conferencing. Please contact your Liberty Recording representative for further details.
Suitable Mixers
Use of the Remote Conferencing facility requires a mixer with at least one available audio output, that may be used by the Liberty Recorder.
Mixers such as the Motu 8Pre and the Presonus 1818VSL have audio outputs that can be used by the Liberty Recorder.
Using the Motu 8Pre USB
The Motu 8Pre USB connects to the PC using a standard USB cable.
The Motu has two 1/4 inch plugs on the back labeled “Main Out L – R”. These 1/4 audio outputs should be used to output audio from the remote agent into speakers that can be heard in the courtroom. The Main Out “L” is accessed by specifying “Motu-1 Audio ASIO” and Main Out “R” is accessed by specifying “Motu-2 Audio ASIO”. You must specify one of these Motu outputs into Primary Output of the Remote Agent tab of the Recorder Options.
Using the Presonus 1818VSL
In the case of the Presonus 1818VSL, the mixer must be configured for each user who will use the Remote Agent facility.
The 1818VSL settings are saved into two xml files that must be stored into the following folder setups:
The “Scene” xml must be saved into: C:\Users\\ Documents\Presonus\AudioBoxVSL\Library\AB1818\Scene\LCR1818VSLSetup.xml and into
The “Roaming” xml must be saved into: C:\Users\\ AppData\Roaming\Presonus\AudioBox VSL\AB 1818.xml
If this is a new recording PC and the users have not previously logged into the PC to establish their local “Windows Desktop Settings”, then the administrator can save both of the configuration files into the system Default user account folders, as below:
- Extract the “Scene” xml file into: C:\Users\Default\Documents\
- Extract the “Roaming” xml file into : C:\Users\Default\AppData\Roaming\
If this PC has been used previously, and users have previously establish their local “Windows Desktop Settings”, then the administrator must save both of the configuration files into the individual users user account folders, as below:
- Extract the “Scene” xml file into: C:\Users\\Documents\
- Extract the “Roaming” xml file into : C:\Users\\AppData\Roaming\
In either instance, you may download the required xml files from the links below:
Download the required “Scene” xml configuration file to for the Presonus mixer.
Download the required “Roaming” xml configuration file to for the Presonus mixer.
Courtroom Speakers
The biggest challenge when introducing Remote Conference sessions into the courtroom, is to minimize the effects of echo. Echo occurs when the words spoken by the remote user are sent to the courtroom speaker(s) and subseqently captured by the courtroom microphones. Once captured by the courtroom microphones, this audio is then heard by the remote user. It can be disconcerting to the remote user to hear their own voice, with a one-second delay. It can cause significant problems for the remote user to the extent that they cannot focus on what they are saying, or what is being said by others in the courtroom.
To minimize the echo effect, the audio from the remote user must be kept as low as is reasonable in the courtroom. Additionally, instead of one or two speakers that provide audio over the entire courtroom, we suggest the idea of 2 sets of speakers, that localize the audio to specific points in the courtroom. Two sets of speakers would involve four speakers in total. One speaker can be used at the witness box. One speaker can be used at the Justice. And the last two speakers can be used by the opposing lawyers. Be sure to point the speakers and the microphones in the same direction, as shown below.
Your Liberty dealer can provide various speaker arrangements allowing for the localization of the audio in various parts of the courtroom. Regardless of the exact number and location of the speakers, the court must always:
- Keep the volume of the remote user as low as is reasonable.
- Do not point the speakers directly at the microphones.
- Try and keep the speakers as far away from the microphones as possible.
Courtroom Internet Connection
The Courtroom computer must be able to initiate UDP traffic with the Conference Server. These communcations are always initiated by the courtroom staff. By default, communications take place on Port 2469. The connection to the Conference Server must be tested, prior to actual courtroom sessions. If there are any problems connecting to the Conference Server, then please contact your network specialists.
Port 2469 must be available for outgoing UDP traffic as our server is UDP based. To be sure, the system does not need the port to be completely open, or set to do port forwarding. But the port does need to allow UDP traffic that is initiated from inside the firewall.
Recorder Application Configuration
The Remote Agent options tab in the Recorder Application options must be completed. The Court must decide and must specify:
- The Conference Server, www.HighCriteria.com, with appropriate sign-on details.
- Whether the Remote Agent will receive video from the courtroom.
- The audio output playback channel on the mixer device.
The configuration settings should always specify Windows AEC for Echo Cancellation, unless specified otherwise by your Liberty representative.
See the screen capture below for details.
Optional Video Equipment
The Remote Agent facility allows for the sending of video between the courtroom and the Remote Agent. If video is required, then cameras and video display monitors must be provided. The Recording PC must also include support for dual monitors in Windows. One of the monitors can be a TV style monitor that may be watched by those attending the court.
Courts must be aware, video can be presented between the courtroom and the remote user, but the court may decide if this video is captured into the recording file, or if this video should be discarded and not captured into the recording file. A checkbox option in the Recorder configuration determines if the video data should be saved.
Your Libery representative can guide you to the available options for video cameras, including webcams, analog cameras and IP cameras.
Direct Sessions
Follow this link to download an exe file to eliminate direct session attempts.