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===================================================================
InterCom - Frequently Asked Questions V2.02
Written and maintained by Jonathan Tew and Stephen Berg
Copyright (c) 1995-96 by Revolutionary Software and Jonathan Tew.
All Rights Reserved.
===================================================================
Contents :
[i] Information about this document.
[1] Introduction or What is InterCom?
[2] InterCom Features.
[3] System Requirements for InterCom.
[4] Where do I get InterCom?
[5] Commonly asked Questions and the Answers.
[a] Why can't the other person hear me once we are connected?
[b] Is InterCom compatible with other internet telephones?
[c.1] Why is there only one ICTalk server to log into?
[c.2] What is this ICTALK.EXE file?
[d] When will InterCom move up to full-duplex?
[e] Why does my Thinkpad have problems with InterCom?
[f] My soundcard is 100% compatible, why won't it work?
[g] Everyone I talk to says I sound funny but my end still works OK.
[h] Does talking via the ICTalk server slow the connection down? Does it
take alot of system resources to run an ICTalk server?
[i] What limitations will I encounter if I'm behind a firewall?
[j] Why is InterCom is using 100% of my CPU while I'm connected to
someone else?
[k] Why does my IBM MWave card have trouble with InterCom?
Why is my audio on my ThinkPad 755 stopping and giving errors?
[6] Future Features.
[7] Features Wish-list.
[8] Who made this program?
[9] Contacting the author of InterCom or this FAQ.
[i]
Information about this document
===============================
This document was written as an introduction to InterCom for OS/2 by Jonathan
Tew. It is based on copies of E-mail messages that Jonathan provided to me,
experience using the program during the beta testing phase and beyond, and
discussions with Jonathan. It is not intended to be an end-all be-all list
of technical support for InterCom, but rather a short introduction to the
program and source for solutions to some of the more common problems users
experience. While I have tried to ensure that the information in this
document is accurate and timely, sometimes things get missed, so if your
puter blows up, don't blame me, Jonathan or this document. =:-)
[1]
InterCom Introduction
=====================
[December 17, 1995]
InterCom is a telephone for the Internet. It allows you to communicate with
anyone around the world for free via the Internet.
[2]
It's features include
=====================
- 32-Bit multithreaded PM application
- 16-Bit audio
- Video
- Real time compression
- Runs on anything from a 14.4K modem or faster
- Customizable settings to improve performance
- Caller ID
- Quick Dial
- Call Blocking
- Dialing Directory
- Answering Machine
- Electronic telephone book server
- Connect to multiple talk servers around the world
- Online help
- Easy installation
[3]
System Requirements for InterCom
================================
- OS/2 Warp running on 8MB or more RAM (12MB recommended)
- 8 or 16-Bit sound card capable of PCM audio
- MMPM/2
- TCP/IP Internet Access Kit
- 14.4K or faster connection to the Internet (28.8K recommended)
- Connectix QuickCam (optional for video)
[4]
Where do I get InterCom?
========================
(a) The latest release can be found on Hobbes in the /incoming
directory or /os2/network/tcpip directory. The file name will be
"icxxx.zip", where "xxx" is the version number. You can also find the
package on revsoft2.is.net in the /ic directory.
Note: The archive on Hobbes will eventually be moved to the
/os2/network/tcpip directory.
(b) For more timely information about InterCom point your web browser to
"http://revsoft2.is.net/ic/intercom.html".
(c) InterCom is available from BMT Micro. Visit their WWW page at
http://www.wilmington.net/bmtmicro
[5]
Commonly asked Questions and Answers
====================================
[a]
Q: Why can't the other person hear me after I have connected to them
and said something?
Q: Once I have called and connected to the other person I say something,
but they can't hear me. Why is this happening?
A: These things should be done to insure proper setup.
1) Is the microphone plugged into the correct port on the sound
card. To test this record your answering machine message and
then choose review and see if you hear yourself. If you hear
yourself than your side is configured correctly.
2) Do both people have the master audio level (configured through
multimedia folder) and the InterCom audio level (configured
from volume under the InterCom menu) set to or near 100.
[b]
Q: Is InterCom compatible with other internet telephones?
A: InterCom is a native OS/2 32-Bit Application. It was designed
from the ground up to run specifically on OS/2 and is not based
off any other previously written products. This allows you to
take the greatest advantage of OS/2. The power of an OS/2 based
product can not be contained in a single threaded application. This
means that versions for Windows, Macintosh, and other single
threaded operating systems is impossible. Another reason that
compatibility can not be achieved is the lack of specifications
available on internet telephones. These products are evolving at
a rapid pace so a set standard at this time would simply limit the
functionality of the products and their ability to change with new
technology. Maybe as time passes the products will evolve to a
point where a good standard could be published, but this isn't the
time. There might also be plans to port InterCom to other platforms
once the OS/2 version reaches a final stage.
[c.1]
Q: Why is there only one ICTalk server to log in to?
Q: Is revsoft2.is.net the only available ICTalk server for InterCom?
A: At the time of this writing yes it is the only one. The InterCom
package includes the ICTalk server executable free of charge. If
you have a static IP address and/or hostname and wish to run an
ICTalk server to serve other InterCom users feel free to do so.
If you inform us of it's existance we can include it in next
release of InterCom and we can also update our web pages informing
users of it's presence.
[c.2]
Q: What is this ICTALK.EXE file?
Q: Do I need the ictalk.exe file for it to work?
A: The ICTALK.EXE file is only needed if you want to run your own
ICTalk server. You don't need anything except INTERCOM.EXE to run
the product. So if you aren't going to run an ICTalk server then you
can safely delete that file and save a bit of HD space.
[d]
Q: When will InterCom move up to full-duplex?
Q: One question I have is when you will be supporting asyncronous
mode, where both people can speak at the same time. This is
now a standard feature in the Windows-based products. I'm hoping
you will be adding it soon.
A: One of the problem is the lack of full duplex sound cards for the
OS/2 environment. Either the sound card or the drivers for it make
most audio devices half duplex. I urge you to pressure the makers
of your sound card to create full duplex drivers if the hardware
is full duplex, but the drivers currently aren't. Support for
full duplex will be added in the future.
[e]
Q: Why does my Thinkpad have problems with InterCom?
Q: I am running a thinkpad 755c3 with 24megs of ram. My CPU is a 486DX.
I am using OS2 Wrap. The thinkpad uses Mwave and I have installed
the 2.00 drivers. When I try and record with the answering machine
message I get an error in Module INTERCOM.CPP, error is unsupported
sampling rate action unknown. Any help you can offer?
A: Some sound cards including the one in the IBM ThinkPad can't support
sampling rates like 8000. Adjust the sampling rate to 11025 and you
should have no problem. The answer to this question also applies to
other sound cards that have the unsupported sampling rate problem.
[f]
Q: My soundcard is 100% compatible, why won't it work?
Q: I have a (Brand X) 16-bit Soundcard, it says it is 100% SoundBlaster
compatible, but your program tells me it is in 8-bit mode. Why
can't it figure out what my card is?
A: InterCom reports whatever MMPM says your card is, so if your OS/2
system tells InterCom that your card is 8-bit, that's what InterCom
sees it as. Another thing to check is what sound blaster drivers
OS/2 is using to run your compatible card. If the driver is the
one for the SB Pro than it is running your card in 8-bit mode even
though it might be a 16 bit card. You should have the Sound Blaster
16 drivers installed in order to run the card in 16-bit mode. One
way to check to see if you are using 8 bit drivers with your 16 bit
card is to see it sbpro.sys is found in your config.sys
[g]
Q: Everyone I talk with says my voice sounds really strange on
their end, I can still talk with them though.
A: You have probably selected a sample rate that is too low. It
tends to make your voice sound as if it is a 78 RPM record being
played at 33 RPM. Simply raising your sample rate should fix it.
[h]
Q: Does talking via the ICTalk server slow the connection down?
Q: Does it take alot of system resources to run an ICTalk server?
A: The ICTalk server simply maintains a list of people who are
currently running InterCom. Since the amount of data transmitted
to maintain this list is very minute it doesn't take a very
powerful system to run the server software. If you connect
to someone by clicking their name from one of the ICTalk server
lists then the connection is no slow. The connection between
you and the person you are talking to is direct. No data passes
through the server.
[i]
Q: What limitations will I encounter if I'm behind a firewall?
A: The firewalls that are commonly found in large companies such
as IBM will prevent TCP/IP from receiving connections. This
means that you will not be able to receive calls. A way of
circumventing this is being looked in to, but nothing for
sure has been decided. If two people are behind different
firewalls then connection between them will be impossible
at this time. Another solution to this problem is to setup
your own ICTalk server behind the firewall. The server
software is ICTALK.EXE and it is located in the InterCom
directory. By running a server it will provide everyone
behind the firewall a place to connect to.
[j]
Q: What is the Connectix QuickCam and how does it work with
InterCom.
A: The Connectix QuickCam is a black and white video capture
device that attaches to the printer port. The camera
retails for about $99 at the local computer stores. For
more information on purchasing the QuickCam visit the
Connectix WWW page at http://www.connectix.com
The QuickCam is very easy to use and setup. There is
no hardware cards to install in the computer or drivers
to install in OS/2.
[j]
Q: Why is InterCom using 100% of my CPU while I'm connected to
someone.
A: Because InterCom does not do a detection routine for the Connectix
QuickCam you must make sure it is connected. If it isn't connected
and InterCom tries to take a snapshot it will simply be stuck in a
high speed loop that will use all the CPU time. The reason a
detection is not done is because Connectix's routine will cause
trash to print on the printer and the other way of detecting it
which is used from the QuickCam page takes a little while and isn't
flawless.
*** This only applies if you have Video Camera Enabled set to yes
on the video page.
[k]
Q: Why does my IBM MWave card have trouble with InterCom?
Why is my audio on my ThinkPad 755 stopping and giving errors?
A: According to some people of the people at IBM who have ThinkPads
and have used InterCom, there is a problem with the MWave based
cards. All of the MWave cards are DSP based cards that do audio
and have a modem built in. Supposedly the DSP can not execute
enough MIPS (millions of instructions per second) and the DSP for
audio shuts down. There is a fine line to what will overload this
DSP. A simple solution has been to run the modem at 14.4 instead
of 28.8. It was also mentioned that IBM might have some really
internal drivers that could correct this problem, but they have
not released them yet.
[6]
Future Features.
================
Well many features are being planned and/or considered. But until they
actually get implemented, tested and released it wouldn't be prudent to
talk about them here.
[7]
Features Wish-list.
===================
See [6]. If you have ideas for future improvements please feel free to
send them to us. We are always willing to listen to the wants of our users.
[8]
Who made this program?
======================
Jonathan Tew wrote InterCom which means, he did all the hard work!
Other contributors:
Stephen Berg, did Beta testing, ideas and suggestions, Web Page designer,
and wrote this FAQ with help from Jonathan. Part time OS/2 fanatic, and
net surfer, full time USAF Instructor. He can be reached at
sberg@southwind.com for mail, http://www.southwind.com/sberg/ on the web.
Alan Fronshtein did Graphic Design on the logo for the web page.
Jason Jordon did Beta testing, ideas and suggestions.
Chuck Oxier (Lyfsux on IRC #os/2) for beta testing and ideas.
[9]
Contacting the author of this FAQ
=================================
The authors of this FAQ, Stephen Berg and Jonathan Tew, can be contacted
via e-mail at sberg@southwind.com or jtew@revsoft.is.net See the above
section for more information about reaching Stephen or Jonathan.