CER CER Audio Technology & Sound Quality Management 2

Question 1

When multiple speakers talk simultaneously during a court proceeding, what is the BEST immediate action for an electronic court reporter?

Accepted Answer

Annotate the timestamp in the log noting simultaneous speech and continue recording

Answer

Pause the recording until speakers take turns

Answer

Increase microphone gain to capture all voices equally

Answer

Switch to a single omnidirectional microphone to capture all voices

Question 2

What is 'room acoustics' and how does high reverberation negatively affect courtroom recordings?

Accepted Answer

Room acoustics describes how sound behaves in a space; high reverberation causes echoes that overlap speech and reduce intelligibility

Answer

Room acoustics refers to temperature and humidity; high reverberation overheats equipment

Answer

Room acoustics refers to the electrical wiring layout; high reverberation causes ground loops

Answer

Room acoustics is a software setting; high reverberation increases file size

Question 3

A CER is setting up equipment in an unfamiliar courtroom. Which preliminary check is MOST important for recording quality?

Accepted Answer

Performing a test recording and reviewing it through headphones to identify noise issues before proceedings begin

Answer

Confirming the court's preferred font for transcripts

Answer

Verifying the number of attorneys present

Answer

Ensuring the judge's bench camera is operational

Question 4

What does 'bit depth' determine in a digital audio recording?

Accepted Answer

The dynamic range of the recording, or how quietly and loudly sounds can be accurately captured

Answer

The number of audio channels (mono, stereo, surround)

Answer

The frequency range captured by the microphone

Answer

The speed at which audio data is transferred to storage media

Question 5

Which of the following BEST describes a 'redundant recording' practice in court electronic reporting?

Accepted Answer

Running two independent recording systems simultaneously so that if one fails, the other preserves the complete record

Answer

Transcribing the same session twice for accuracy

Answer

Backing up transcripts to both a USB drive and the court server

Answer

Having a second reporter present to take notes

Question 6

What is the primary purpose of a 'gain staging' check before recording a court session?

Accepted Answer

To set microphone and preamp levels so the signal is strong enough to be clear but not so loud it clips

Answer

To verify that the recording software has the correct case number entered

Answer

To determine how many microphone channels to activate for the session

Answer

To synchronize the recorder's internal clock with the court's official clock