RDSS Online Group - Live Play

[Hoof 11]

I find that to be a little odd that it couldn't handle the conference call. Seeing that you can make video calls with Skype, i would think that would be a lot more bandwidth intense, especially with two video feeds at the same time. Maybe the time of day had something to do with it, who knows.

Hey Patrick, how does it work when you Skype with the HSH guys?

[Ted Craven]

My understanding from reading Skype support groups is that video and screen sharing constitute the most bandwidth, then voice, then text chat/SMS as the least bandwidth.

We had 5 participants, no video, 5 screen sharing channels, 4 audio channels (I muted one of mine) - I think that's a lot of bandwidth for Skype.

Maybe I misunderstood, but I thought the HSH Skype group was a text chat only. I'm sure someone can clarify.

Ted

[Hoof 11]

I was watching my network meter while we were talking and it was humming along pretty good, for the small amount of time we were on we used 20 MB. Even when Skype is idle, it's chewing up data.

In the past I have used it to make long distance calls with my cell phone, and to sum it up, it's awful! Flaky connections most of the time with dropped calls, i was never impressed with it.

[Ted Craven]

After we were done, Patrick and I connected using TeamViewer and worked a few races. It was a technically satisfying experience (for 2 people), including making a recording, and I would like to try that again tomorrow.

Here is a link to join a meeting scheduled for 1pm Eastern Time tomorrow Wednesday December 19:


http://go.teamviewer.com/v8/m73174874


This will prompt you to either Run, or Save then Run (depending on your browser) a small program - the TeamViewer Quick Join utility which will connect you to the meeting which begins at 1pm tomorrow.

We will share computer screens running RDSS (ADW screens, and whatever else) and use the built in VOIP (voice over internet) to talk to each other. This will be a test to help see how this tool works for random Live Play sessions which anyone can organize whenever they feel like it. I will record the proceedings and post later (if it is not too disjointed or raucous ). This is also a test to help me understand the moving parts of what I have to do (i.e. what computers, recording issues, meeting moderation issues) to hold the live Online RDSS Clinics I had planned, and which I expect to begin again starting in January.

Thee is room for up to 25 participants. It might be a chaotic event, but let's see what happens - just click the above link to join. Voice will be enabled by default for everyone, so everyone can talk to everyone. For starters, let's try that rather than me control who can speak in the meeting (but which might be a good idea for later, and for the Online RDSS Clinics). If that's too chaotic, we'll work something out.

In a follow up post to this, I will post a few screen shots of the TeamViewer Control Panel widget you will see when you join, and how to enable voice over internet so you can hear what people are saying. Also so you can speak in the meeting if you want to. To speak, you'll either need a plug in microphone or the built-in microphone on your computer to be enabled.

You can also download and install for free the full TeamViewer software if you like, rather than simply use the above Quick Join utility: http://www.TeamViewer.com

Let's see what happens tomorrow!

Ted

BTW, Dick and Gil: Patrick says he cashed on that nice $15 mutuel in PRX Race 3, which came up on top in RDSS but which we were too confused by what we were trying to do to capitalize on!

[Hoof 11]

Nice work Patrick! On a side note.... i was not aware that Patrick played right wing for the Chicago Black Hawks, i know i know, it's probably not the first time you have herd that.

See you gents tomorrow.

[pktruckdriver]

Originally Posted by Ted Craven

My understanding from reading Skype support groups is that video and screen sharing constitute the most bandwidth, then voice, then text chat/SMS as the least bandwidth.

We had 5 participants, no video, 5 screen sharing channels, 4 audio channels (I muted one of mine) - I think that's a lot of bandwidth for Skype.

Maybe I misunderstood, but I thought the HSH Skype group was a text chat only. I'm sure someone can clarify.

Ted

Yes Ted , HSH groups are Type Only,

Teamviewer may be what we need, great choice Ted, as always.

HSH , uses Goto Meeting, very similar to Teamviewer for multi gatherings of voice and screen sharings, both seem more capapble than Skype.

patrick

What Track , I think Tampa ???

[Ted Craven]

TAM, GP, FG -whatever. All are good for me.

Ted

[Ted Craven]

For anyone interested in joining our test today at 1pm Eastern of Live Play using TeamViewer, here are some instructions:

Join the meeting by clicking on this link: http://go.teamviewer.com/v8/m73174874

Your browser will prompt you to either Run, or Save then Run (depending on your browser) the TeamViewer connection utility. If your Security software warns you about the file you are running or downloading, just accept it and let it run or download.

You will automatically be taken to the meeting room. If the meeting has not yet started, you will get a waiting page, otherwise you will simply join the meeting in progress.

A TeamViewer Control Panel will appear on the right side of your screen.

To hear the meeting audio, click the 'headphones' icon and the Voice over IP section in the Control Panel will expand.



If you want to speak in the meeting, click on the microphone icon in that section to un-mute it. You may need to check your audio settings to make sure you have the correct microphone and speakers identified for TeamViewer to use. Click the 'gear' icon at the right side of the Voice over IP section.





If you can't hear or can't speak (i.e. the group seems to not hear you), you can send a text chat message and I'll try to respond. To chat, click the 'chat icon' at the top, which opens the Chat section of the Control Panel, then type a message.



FWIW, I recommend folks do not enable video for this test session - it eats up a certain amount of bandwidth which I'd prefer we reserve for audio and screen sharing.

I will use my screen to display RDSS and whatever else we need, and perhaps hand the controls over to other presenters if they wish to make points from their own screens.

I'd like to participate for about an hour and see what happens.

Again, this is just a test session today and we may or may not get much useful handicapping or betting done. But it might be a useful dry run for folks to do Live Sessions like this whenever they want, and it will help me better understand how to set up online RDSS Learning sessions in the near future.

Good luck to us - see, and hear, you all this afternoon!

Ted

[Ted Craven]

If anyone has any problems connecting, you can also post them here and someone will try to help you. After the meeting is done, any helpful suggestions to make it easier for people to connect in the future can also be posted here.

People may also want to consider downloading and installing the full version of TeamViewer for future meetings and for remote tech support for RDSS.

Ted

[JimG]

I can't find my headphones with microphone this morning and was hoping to check it out. Will I be able to type if I have anything to say or is it voice only?

Jim

PS...Never mind you answered my question already.