remote hearings during covid-19 sightlink technical

V12 August 2021 1 | Page

Remote Hearings during Covid-19 – SightLink Technical

Guidance – Updated August 2021

The guidance below sets out the technical options that will be provided by NICTS for

remote hearings via audio and video conferencing during this period using

SightLink.

Guidance on the operation of the courts during Covid-19 can be found on the

JudiciaryNI website - https://judiciaryni.uk/coronavirus-covid-19

Additional audio and video conferencing options (such as Cisco WebEx) are also

being used and separate guidance has been issue and is available on the NICTS

website https://www.justice-ni.gov.uk/publications/webex-virtual-hearings-guide-

external-participants

Telephone hearings are also being conducted via BT MeetMe.

SightLink

SightLink is a cloud based video conferencing solution that enables multiple parties

to meet using video and/or audio in a Virtual Meeting Room (VMR) from any type of

device. The solution facilitates video and telephone conferencing.

NICTS will use the following SightLink Virtual Meeting Rooms to facilitate

remote/hybrid hearings for court business and integrates with NICTS courtroom

technology:

Venue SightLink Address

Antrim SightLink 16

SightLink 17

SightLink 27

SightLink 53

https://my.sightlink.net/meet/52649305/




Armagh SightLink 35

SightLink 36



Ballymena SightLink 29 https://my.sightlink.net/meet/28146914/

Banbridge SightLink 62 https://my.sightlink.net/meet/10197694/

Coleraine SightLink 28

Sightlink 55

SightLink 68




https://protect2.fireeye.com/v1/url?k=079e3f60-593e850e-07990c2b-86b1886cfa64-1bac50019052dfe4&q=1&e=41f48f9f-73b4-4d07-badb-35d1d0ea58cb&u=https%3A%2F%2Fjudiciaryni.uk%2Fcoronavirus-covid-19

https://www.justice-ni.gov.uk/publications/webex-virtual-hearings-guide-external-participants

https://www.justice-ni.gov.uk/publications/webex-virtual-hearings-guide-external-participants













Coroners SightLink 43 https://my.sightlink.net/meet/40594957/

Craigavon SightLink 12

SightLink 22

SightLink 67




Downpatrick SightLink 23

SightLink 33

SightLink 61




Dungannon SightLink 3

SightLink 13

SightLink 57




Enniskillen SightLink 32 https://my.sightlink.net/meet/16673087/

Laganside SightLink 1

SightLink 5

SightLink 9

SightLink 10

SightLink 11

SightLink 20

SightLink 21

SightLink 30

SightLink 31

SightLink 40

SightLink 41

SightLink 42

SightLink 58

SightLink 65

SightLink 66
















Legacy Inquests SightLink 19 https://my.sightlink.net/meet/93632850/

Lisburn SightLink 2

SightLink 60



















https://my.sightlink.net/meet/79545995














Londonderry SightLink 4

SightLink 14

SightLink 44

SightLink 63





Newry

SightLink 24

SightLink 34

SightLink 56

SightLink 64





Newtownards

SightLink 15

SightLink 25

SightLink 54




Nightingale Lagan SightLink 59 https://my.sightlink.net/meet/56975619/

Omagh SightLink 37

SightLink 38

SightLink 39




RCJ SightLink 6

SightLink 8

SightLink18

SightLink 26

SightLink 45

SightLink 46

SightLink 47

SightLink 48

SightLink 49

SightLink 50

SightLink 51

SightLink 52













Tribunals SightLink 7 https://my.sightlink.net/meet/54834852/

Guidance will be updated as additional SightLink licences become available.






























The court clerk will manage the SightLink remote hearing with all parties.

Court Offices will advise participants of which SightLink is to be used for their

specific case and the scheduled time the case has been listed for. The information

on which Sightlink has been allocated to each court will be published on Court

Lists Online and Media Court Lists Online.

If a test of SightLink is required this this be arranged by the court office in advance of

the court hearing.

A test Sightlink VRM is available to test audio and video connection in advance of your

hearing - https://my.sightlink.net/meet/17113581/

How to Connect to SightLink

● Connecting From a Laptop

The easiest way to connect to SightLink from your laptop is to do so via a web browser (it is recommended that you should use Chrome if possible).

In the address bar enter one of the above web addresses, depending on what

Sightlink your case is listed into. It is important that you ensure you have

selected the correct SightLink

The link will take you to a page similar to below – in this example it is SightLink 64 that is being used. Check that you are connecting to the correct Sightlink meeting number for your venue and then click on “Join through browser” to join the

meeting.

If you use another browser, you may be prompted for a one time additional step to install a Pexip application before you can connect to the meeting. This will not happen if you use Chrome.

https://gbr01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fmy.sightlink.net%2Fmeet%2F17113581%2F&data=02%7C01%7CJoseph.Edgar%40ejudiciaryni.uk%7Cfdfa81432f5b4f52f79608d834d8702c%7Ca237a792589740c18329ecabbaf86f96%7C0%7C0%7C637317451492020532&sdata=YWmC8AMWmUmdFOivR86LXd9yn89Ka3d8BOwUNIJ5GAk%3D&reserved=0


You will be asked to enter your name. Once you have entered your name “Join Now”

Once you have joined the meeting, if you are the first person in the conference, you will see the following screen until the other parties connect:


● Connecting from a Smart Phone / Tablet

You can connect to SightLink using an Android or iPhone/iPad mobile device, but first you will need to download a free app called ‘Pexip (My Meeting Video)” to your mobile device. The screen shots below demonstrate how you can download the app and connect to SightLink for both Android and Apple devices:

GOOGLE PLAY STORE (ANDROID) APPLE STORE (IPHONES)

LOCATE THE

APP

INSTALL APP Once installed ‘Open” the App from here or the by selecting the icon on your phone (see below).

IOS Install the app by selecting “Get”, then open the app


LOCATE APP ON

YOUR PHONE

LAUNCH APP Select the “Join as a Guest” via the 3 dots on the top right of screen and Enter the relevant Sightlink Conference ID XXXXXXXX. then “Join Room” _________ IOS Select “Join room”

On the Next screen select “Video Call”

IOS Enter your name i.e “John Smith, Smith & Co Solicitors” (to identify to other conference users who you are), then enter the relevant Sightlink Conference ID XXXXXXXX. then “Join Room”

Enter your name i.e “John


Smith, Smith & Co Solicitors” (to identify to other conference users who you are), then select “Join”

IOS Select “Video Call”

Once you have joined the conference, you will see a screen similar to this. If required you can turn your screen to landscape and you will see a larger image. In this example, there were no other callers in the Conference. To hang-up, simply touch the screen and then press the red telephone symbol


● Connecting from a Standard Telephone

SightLink also allows for voice only telephone connections. From any standard phone dial the telephone number: 020 39174600, then enter the 8 digit conference ID (details listed below depending on which SightLink you are connecting to) followed by the #. It is important that you enter the correct code for the SightLink conference you are wishing to join.

If you are having issues connecting to SightLink via the web address the telephone

can be used as a good contingency option.

Venue SightLink Telephone Conference ID

Antrim SightLink 16

SightLink 17

SightLink 27

SightLink 53

52649305 #

48699353 #

56463742 #

10554211 #

Armagh SightLink 35

SightLink 36

34973056 #

85546148 #

Ballymena SightLink 29 28146914 #

Banbridge SightLink 62 10197694 #

Coleraine SightLink 28

SightLink 55

SightLink 68

80937370 #

36726409 #

98611094 #

Coroners SightLink 43 40594957 #

Craigavon SightLink 12

SightLink 22

SightLink 67

63078822 #

29463684 #

32148959 #

Downpatrick SightLink 23

SightLink 33

SightLink 61

90313027 #

81157794 #

91800449 #

Dungannon SightLink 3

SightLink 13

SightLink 57

79597546 #

68262058 #

11380519 #

Enniskillen SightLink 32 16673087 #

Laganside SightLink 1

SightLink 5

81369702 #

93391698 #


SightLink 9

SightLink 10

SightLink 11

SightLink 20

SightLink 21

SightLink 30

SightLink 31

SightLink 40

SightLink 41

SightLink 42

SightLink 58

SightLink 65

SightLink 66

37499202 #

29497682 #

26370282 #

79545995 #

95389553 #

55362460 #

33140400 #

57075545 #

72080713 #

59862471 #

44950218 #

30666287 #

70746552 #

Legacy Inquests SightLink 19 93632850 #

Lisburn SightLink 2

SightLink 60

94343518 #

63502662 #

Londonderry SightLink 4

SightLink 14

SightLink 44

SightLink 63

55762703 #

31457453 #

76467430 #

45166138 #

Newry

SightLink 24

SightLink 34

SightLink 56

SightLink 64

85747296 #

52504478 #

45071451 #

33157767 #

Newtownards SightLink 15

SightLink 25

SightLink 54

98190409 #

16907703 #

78504904 #

Nightingale Lagan SightLink 59 56975619 #

Omagh SightLink 37

SightLink 38

SightLink 39

67527811 #

71961756 #

19860603 #

RCJ SightLink 6

SightLink 8

SightLink18

SightLink 26

SightLink 45

70067665 #

19977080 #

95710336 #

70966269 #

30022698 #


SightLink 46

SightLink 47

SightLink 48

SightLink 49

SightLink 50

SightLink 51

SightLink 52

28890485 #

19667738 #

94645105 #

31565980 #

60027403 #

48255910 #

86678658 #

Tribunals SightLink 7 54834852 #

USING SIGHTLINK When you hover your mouse or cursor in the centre of the bottom part of the screen,

you will see the following three icons.

● Clicking on the microphone icon allows you to disable your microphone. No

other participant will be able to hear you. Use this icon to re-enable your mic

when you are required to speak.

● Clicking on the phone icon will end your participation in the hearing.

● Clicking on the camera icon allows you to disable you camera. No other

participant will be able to see you. Use this icon to re-enable your camera,

Other Sightlink Functions

When you hover your mouse or cursor to the top left of the screen, you will see the

following four icons.

This launches the Chat feature. Chat allows participants to send text

messages to other participants. However, unlike some other video

conference platforms this Chat function can only send global messages

viewable by all participants (i.e. there is no private chat facility)


Selecting this icon will launch the Presentation feature. This allow a video

conference participant to share content on their device with other

participants and the court – for example sharing a photo, video, document

or powerpoint presentation. After this icon is selected, the user is shown

active Windows on their device. Simply select the active window that you

wish to share with the other participants. It is recommended that if you

intend sharing content with others that before you launch Sightlink,

that you have the content that you intend sharing already open and

the Window minimised.

This icon is called “Enter full screen”. This option will allow you to

maximise the size of the conference call to the full screen of your device.

The remaining icon is the DTMF pad. This is not used by NICTS.

ADVICE TO PARTICIPANTS USING REMOTE HEARINGS

● Select a space that is quiet and private with no distractions

● Sit with light in front of you so your face is not in shadow

● Have device fully charged or plugged in so you are not cut off during the

hearing

● Microphone should be muted unless speaking

● It is advisable for participants to wear headsets as this will improve the

sound quality.

● It is an offence under the Coronavirus Act 2020 to record or transmit the proceedings.

SUPPORT AND ASSISTANCE

If you are having any issues with SightLink or have any queries please contact

NICTS Digital Services Team - [email protected]

NICTS Digital Services Team

August 2021

mailto:[email protected]

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