Equipment: Any Mac or PPC with a TCP/IP net connection
Needs: See below
Keywords: NET PHONE WEB AUDIO VIDEO
TYPE: 30-day demo of commercial software
LIBRARY: IC/New Files & Free Uploading
Final: IC/Net Clients
Note: At this time, the ClearPhone manual is only available via the web, at http://www.clearphone.com
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KEYWORDS: NET PHONE WEB AUDIO VIDEO
ClearPhone Minimum Operating System Requirements
Mac OS system: 7.5.3 (7.5.5 or higher )
Internet connection: Open transport 1.1 (1.1.1 or higher) Apple PPP 1.0 or FreePPP 2.5 or higher
Minimum Macintosh hardware: Macintosh with Plain talk or built in Microphone capability. To send Video requires an internal A/V card or Connectix black and white or color camera and the Connectix software for the camera (ver 2.1 or later).
Note: Audio from the internal Connectix microphone will not work properly with ClearPhone.
The ClearPhone program functions in either full or half duplex conversation modes with optional simultaneous video transfer. Multiple connections are supported and In addition to speech and video the user can send graphics pictures, text via the white board. Text can be sent on the white board and can be composed using any word processor program or the MAC Note pad. The text is then copied and pasted onto the white board for transfer. When using the ClearPhone program to converse over the Internet, the data transfer or data throughput of the internet varies and the audio delays are not always constant. ClearPhone always transfers clear audio and video by buffering the data until it can be sent. This process can result in changes in the time delay but does not affect the quality of the speech or the transferred video. If the network is slow due to data overload, data will get through although it may take a little longer. ClearPhone uses this variable time delay function to guarantee that you will hear and see clearly all data sent by the person you are talking to even when the network is slow. A delay indicator if provided for each connection that will show you how well your data is being received while you are speaking. If your transmission is encountering too much delay the red "delay" indicator will light and the data indicator bar will show the relative backlog of voice packets waiting to be sent.
You can talk and listen to others while ClearPhone is running in the background. Other program can be used at the same time such as Netscape or other applications. You can talk and listen while surfing the Internet at the same time. ClearPhone takes up a relatively small amount of memory (about 1.5 Megs) ClearPhone can remain connected to the Internet to receive calls from other MAC users while you are running other programs. The ClearPhone Status window shows the current status of your "Internet", and "Appletalk" Connections and the log on status to the Engineering Consulting active user PUB. Graphic Icons display the current status of these connections that keep your ClearPhone active. When connected and talking to someone, the Microphone (send) level is indicated.
