Just like with ANY Virtual Event there will be technical things that come up through Big Buzz and 99% of these will be user error. Be confident in the platform, I have had people say ‘there is no buzz button’ when it is clearly there in front of them.
The steps below are best to work through when you are told people are having issues:
Sign on Issues
When you are told by another person in the group that someone is struggling to sign in etc. these are the questions/troubleshooting to work through:
- Are they using Chrome
- If not Firefox is ok and only LATEST version of Edge
- Internet Explorer and Safari DO NOT WORK
- Close browser and re-open
- Did they choose ‘enable camera and mic’ when the pop up came up
- If they said no then they need to sign in through incognito window and the pop up will come up again
- Have they shut down other teleconference software (zoom, teams etc.). Not just close window, SHUT IT DOWN!
- Otherwise the two ‘fight’ for access to camera and speakers
- If their mic or audio suddenly stop working usually this is because of some Bluetooth models glitching, best headphones are wired in. First port of call is turn off headset then turn back on, next try and plug in to computer, failing that unplug headphones and go without.
- Final step is restart computer, re-click the link in chrome and try signing in that way, ‘clears’ the computer
Issues During Game
- As above headphones sometimes connect in and out.
- If people keep dropping in and out then it is either:
- Internet – not much we can do here unless they get closer to their router OR plug in directly. Big Buzz requires a more intense internet bandwidth then standard teleconferencing. Also ask them to disconnect other devices from their wifi.
- Camera Fight – ask again if they have closed all other teleconference software as sometimes again there is a constant conflict between the two (if happening regularly restart computer and log back in)
- If an entire group seems to be having some internet issues, reduce the potato down to 6, keep it minimal for them (and you)
- If someone says they cannot see a drawing that you know has started OR their buzz button is already pressed, get them to refresh their browser, it is just stuck on their end.
- If you know someone is having issues and has left the game, go to lobby, click on them and then ‘dismiss’ thus they will not keep coming up as scribe.
- If you have a person who is definitely having internet issues, keep an eye out for when they are scribe, if they suddenly disappear, just click their team, double click someone else and let them know they are the scribe. Keep an eye out for when they come back as likely they weill still be scribe so you will have two for that team, just double click the ‘bad’ one and away you go.
