TeleVox Beta Version - August 1996 What is TeleVox? TeleVox is an Internet telephony application that enables you to talk to others in real time over the Internet. Your conversations are carried over the Internet, so there are no long distance telephone charges. You can speak with other TeleVox users anywhere in the world - for no additional cost, other than your Internet connection. When TeleVox is started, each user logs in to a server and their name is added to the server's Phone Book. Calls are established by selecting a name from the Phone Book. The server is used for directory services - it manages the list of currently active TeleVox users you can call. Your call does not go through the server. A free beta version of TeleVox can be downloaded from Voxware, Inc.'s Web site at http://www.voxware.com. You may wish to check our Web site periodically to see if a new beta version has been released. TeleVox includes the following features: - Easy to use interface - Server-based Internet phone system - Hands-free operation - Full duplex audio capability (if supported by sound card and driver) - File transfer capability - Text chat capability - Caller ID - Call blocking - Automated login/logout - User-defined groups - Netscape interface to Web pages associated with the announcements Table of Contents ----------------- I. Minimum and Recommended System Requirements II. Downloading TeleVox III. Installing TeleVox IV. Starting TeleVox V. Initial Configuration of TeleVox VI. Getting Started VII. Configuration Tips VIII. Groups IX. Known Limitations X. Contact Information I. MINIMUM AND RECOMMENDED SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS Minimum Recommended ======= =========== - 486DX-66 MHz PC - Pentium PC - Windows 95, Windows NT - Windows 95, Windows NT (Workstation 3.51), or (Workstation 3.51), or Windows 3.1 Windows 3.1 - 8 MB RAM - 8 MB RAM - 2 MB disk space - 2 MB disk space - 256 color monitor - 256 color monitor - 8 bit sound card - 16 bit sound card - Microphone and speakers - Microphone and speakers - Winsock 1.1 or higher - Winsock 1.1 or higher - Internet access (either - Internet access (either a direct connection or a a direct connection or a 9.6 kbps modem with a 28.8 kbps modem with a SLIP or PPP connection) SLIP or PPP connection) OPTIONAL: Netscape Navigator, if you wish to automatically access the Web pages associated with the announcements. II. DOWNLOADING TELEVOX The beta version of TeleVox is available to download free of charge from the Voxware, Inc. Web site at http://www.voxware.com. Using Netscape Navigator (or another Web browser), access the Voxware site. Follow the instructions for downloading TeleVox. III. INSTALLING TELEVOX After you have downloaded the file from the Voxware Web site, install TeleVox on your system. To install TeleVox: 1. Start the Windows Explorer or File Manager and view the directory in which the downloaded file is located. 2. Windows 95/NT users: double-click on the file named tx32bnnn.exe (where nnn is a number) or Windows 3.1 users: double-click on the file named tx16bnnn.exe (where nnn is a number) 3. Follow the instructions on your screen during the installation. IV. STARTING TELEVOX You must be connected to the Internet before starting TeleVox. 1. Establish your connection to the Internet. 2. Windows 95 users: click on the Start button in the taskbar, then select Programs, Voxware Programs, TeleVox (Beta 0.n) (where n is a number) or Windows 3.1/NT users: double-click on the TeleVox icon in the Program Manager. V. INITIAL CONFIGURATION OF TELEVOX The first time you run TeleVox, you will set up your user name and select a server to access. This is only necessary the first time you use TeleVox. After completing these configuration steps, TeleVox will use these settings every time it starts, unless Automatic Login is disabled in the Configuration window. To initially configure TeleVox: 1. Establish your connection to the Internet and start TeleVox, if it has not been started already. 2. In the Local User Information window, enter the requested information. (First and last names are required fields.) If desired, select New Password to set up a password. 3. Click on Add. 4. Click on Close. 5. Click on the Login button in the main TeleVox window. 6. In the Login window, a list of available TeleVox servers will be displayed. Click on a server name to select it, then click on Login. * Refer to the Troubleshooting section of the online Help if you are having problems logging in to a server. * VI. GETTING STARTED After you have installed and configured TeleVox, test the installation by calling yourself. To call yourself using TeleVox: 1. Establish your connection to the Internet and start TeleVox, if it has not been started already. 2. Click on the Users button in the main TeleVox window. 3. In the Phone Book window, the active TeleVox users are displayed. Double-click on your own name. 4. A window will be displayed, notifying you of the call. Click on Accept. 5. Begin speaking. 6. Adjust the microphone and speaker slider bars in the main TeleVox window. Adjusting the Microphone Level: When you use TeleVox, your voice is recorded and compressed before it is transmitted to the remote computer. You will need to adjust the microphone level for the recording. The microphone level is adjusted with the slider bar on the left side of the main TeleVox window. It is best to perform this adjustment during a call to yourself. When you speak, check the level meter in the display area. The colored bars of the level meter progress from green to yellow to red. When you speak normally, the level meter should be in the yellow area, not in the red area. If the microphone level is too high, the button in the slider bar will turn red. This indicates that you must lower the microphone level. If you see "XMIT" in the display area and your speech is echoed back to you, then the installation was performed properly. You will now be able to call other TeleVox users. Click on the Hangup button to end the call. To call someone else using TeleVox: 1. Establish your connection to the Internet and start TeleVox, if it has not been started already. 2. Click on the Users icon in the main TeleVox window. 3. In the Phone Book window, double-click on the name of the person you would like to call. NOTE: They must be running TeleVox, or you will not see them listed in the Phone Book. 4. After they accept your call, you can begin your conversation. 5. When you are finished talking, click on the Hangup button. VI. CONFIGURATION TIPS Playback Delay -------------- Playback Delay is a parameter which controls the amount of time before speech is played back to you. The value of Playback Delay can range from 0 to 2 seconds and is set using a slider bar in the Configuration window. Access this window by selecting Options, Configuration from the menu bar. You may wish to increase the value of Playback Delay if your conversations sound choppy. Normally, the default value will not need to be changed. Pause Window -------------- Pause Window is a setting that controls how quickly TeleVox will stop transmitting when you finish speaking. A high value indicates a longer period of time to pass before TeleVox stops transmitting. A low value will enable TeleVox to stop transmitting quickly. If you are using TeleVox in half duplex mode and have set a high value for Pause Window, you may experience a delay before it switches into listen mode. The value of Pause Window can range from 0 to 2 seconds and is set using a slider bar in the Configuration window. Access this window by selecting Options, Configuration from the menu bar. Experiment with different settings until you like the response. Trigger Level ------------- Trigger Level is a setting that allows TeleVox to adjust to the sensitivity of different microphones. If your microphone is very sensitive and picks up a lot of background noise, you may want to set Trigger Level to a high value so TeleVox will only transmit when you are speaking. If the Trigger Level is set very low, TeleVox will transmit with very little microphone input. NOTE: You can tell if your voice is transmitting if "XMIT" is in the display area. Trigger Level is controlled by a slider bar in the Configuration window. Access this window by selecting Options, Configuration from the menu bar. Experiment with different settings for your environment until you like the response. "XMIT" should be displayed whenever you are speaking. Ringer On/Off ------------- You can set a configuration parameter to turn the audible ringer on or off. 1. Select Options, Configuration from the menu bar. 2. In the Misc area, select On to hear the ringer; select Off to disable the ringer. 3. Click on Apply. 4. Click on OK. Automatic Login --------------- The Automatic Login feature enables TeleVox to use the same server and user name each time it is started. If you want to select a server and user name every time TeleVox is started, (for example, if multiple people share a computer), you can disable Automatic Login from the Configuration window. Auto Accept ----------- To automatically accept incoming calls, select Options, Auto Accept from the menu bar in the main TeleVox window. Setting this option will allow TeleVox to automatically pick up a call you receive. VIII. GROUPS Groups are used to create private chat areas for TeleVox users on a server. No other TeleVox users will know that the group exists, unless you tell them about it. If you know the group name, you can add it to your group list and then access the chat area. If you don't know the name, you won't even know the group exists. If you do not select a group when you start TeleVox, you will be in the default group called VoxWorld. When you are logged in with any group, only other TeleVox users who are logged in with the same group will be able to call you. TeleVox users who do not know of the private group you created will not even know you're logged in. TeleVox also features a group named Family. Users of all ages participate in this group and everyone is encouraged to keep their conversations appropriate for this group. Voxware Guidelines for Use of the Family Group ---------------------------------------------- Voxware wishes to promote the use of new and innovative ways for people everywhere to communicate economically. The Family group is a way for audiences such as parents and their children to communicate in an environment in which conversations are appropriate for users of all ages. Please enjoy this group in the spirit of family-oriented dialogue. To add a group: 1. Select Options, Group Info from the menu bar in the main TeleVox window. 2. In the Groups window, click in the field above the buttons and type a group name. NOTE: Group names are case-sensitive. 3. Click on Add. Your group name will be added to the Groups box. 4. Click on Close. You can select your group from the Login window the next time you log in to a TeleVox server. IX. KNOWN LIMITATIONS - TeleVox does not currently support the Netcom Netcruiser Internet dialer for Windows 3.1. - Sound Blaster16 and AWE32 sound cards: Speech may sound choppy when these sound cards use full duplex mode on Windows 95 systems. This problem is a result of a bug in the beta versions of Creative Labs' full duplex drivers. As of 4/29/96, Creative Labs released new drivers. You can download them from Creative Labs' at http://www.creaf.com:80/wwwnew/tech/ftp/ftp.html. - Windows 3.1 users who uninstall TeleVox must manually edit their SYSTEM.INI file and remove the line, device=...rt32vox.vxd (rt32vox.vxd will be preceded by the directory in which TeleVox was installed). If this line is not removed, an error message will be displayed when you restart your system. You can edit SYSTEM.INI with Notepad or run sysedit.exe. We suggest you make a backup of SYSTEM.INI before you edit it. - Users who uninstall TeleVox may need to delete some remaining files in the directory where TeleVox was installed. The uninstall program may not delete files which TeleVox automatically creates after it is installed. Examples of these files are: blocking.bin, config.bin, event.bak, event.log, groups.bin, televox.gid, and users.bin. X. CONTACT INFORMATION You can contact Voxware and receive technical support via email by filling out the form on our Web site at http://www.voxware.com. Voxware, Inc. 305 College Road East Princeton, NJ 08540 USA Phone: (609) 514-4100 Fax: (609) 514-4101 END OF FILE