Manual for using IchessU Video and Audio features
Minimum System Requirements:
- PC running Windows 2000 or XP
- 400 MHz processor
- 128 MB RAM
- 15 MB free disk space on your hard drive
- Sound Card, speakers and microphone
- Internet Connection (either dial-up: minimum 33.6 Kbps modem, or any broadband: cable, DSL, etc.)
Recommended System Requirements:
- PC running Windows 2000 or XP
- 1 GHz processor
- 256 MB RAM
- 30 MB free space on your hard drive
- Full duplex sound card (most sound cards made after 1998), headset
- Cable, DSL or equivalent broadband connection to Internet
To get the best possible sound quality, we highly recommend you try the following:
� Use a headset with a built in microphone.
Headsets are available for purchase at most computer retailers
and will dramatically improve sound quality.
� Tell your friends to get a headset.
Note that voice quality is affected by the equipment on both sides
of the conversation.
The best way to ensure high quality sound is to have
a headset on both ends of the conversation.
� If you don't have a headset, you are still likely to improve sound quality if:
- Use headphones instead of your computer speakers
- Try moving the microphone closer or further away from your mouth
- Use an external microphone (note that most laptops use low-quality microphones)
- Update your soundcard drivers
Sound and Audio Set-Up
PC Running Windows XP or Windows 2000
How to Get to the Audio Settings
Click on the Start button and continue to the Settings section of the Start menu
Inside of the Settings section click on the Control Panel tab
The Control Panel Window will appear
In the Control Panel window find the Sounds and Audio Devices section, click on it
How to Change Playback Options
The Sounds and Audio Devices panel will appear
Find the Audio section tab (top line of buttons), click on it
The Audio Settings section will open
In the Sound Playback section from the drop down menu, select the device that your chess application uses.
You can see what is chosen in your chess Learning Platform, by choosing Settings->Audio and Video from the menu:
Click on the Volume button below the drop down menu
The Volume Control panel will appear
Find the Options menu button, click on it
Click on the Properties section
The Properties panel will appear
Find the Show the following volume controls: section
Check all the unchecked boxes
Click the OK button
Make sure that Microphone volume controllers for playback are muted in the
Volume Control panel
All the other volume controllers should be unmuted
Open the Options menu, click on Exit section
How to Change Recording Options
Find the Sound Recording section of the Sounds and Audio Devices panel
In the Sound Recording section from the drop down menu, select the device that your chess application uses.
You can see what is chosen in your chess Learning Platform, by choosing Settings->Audio and Video from the menu:
Click on the Volume button
The Recording Control panel will appear
Click on the Properties section of the Options menu
The Properties panel will appear
Find the Show the following volume controls section
Check in all the unchecked boxes
Click the OK button
Make sure that Microphone volume controllers is checked in the Recording Control
panel
Find the Options menu, click on it
Check if the Advanced Controls section is checked in, if not, check it in
Find the Advanced button under the Microphone volume controller, click on it
The Advanced Controls for Microphone panel will appear
Find the Other Controls section
Microphone Boost must be checked off
Click the Close button
In the Recording Control panel find the Options menu, click on it, click on the Exit section
FAQ
My headset is not working. What's wrong?
We recommend you to check that the headset is correctly plugged-in. you should also try to record a voice in order to see whether the mic works, Open Start->Programs->Accessories->Entertainment->Sound Recorder.
I don't hear anything! What's wrong?
Sorry to state the obvious, but please make sure you have a microphone and speaker connected to your computer and that they are working properly.
Also, please make sure you can use the same sound devices in other applications.
Please check our Sound and Audio Set-Up part as well.
My firewall has frequent problems with IchessU application.
Very restrictive corporate firewalls: IchessU currently works with most standard firewalls and gateway configurations. However, some very strict corporate firewalls which only allow TCP connections on a restricted number of ports may not allow IchessU to connect at the moment. We are working on resolving this issue and hope that IchessU will be able to function on the majority of firewalls with no configuration required. If your firewall does not allow you to use IchessU, please inform us about that so that we could allow the appropriate access necessary for IchessU to run.
I set up Video but it doesn't work?
To set up your webcam, please follow these steps:
- Download and install the most recent drivers for your video device
(You can get those at the webcam device's manufacturer's site).
- Select your video device in IchessU under Settings >Audio
(Note: firewire devices are not supported at this time)
- The recommended system requirements for IchessU video calls are a 1GHz CPU,
512MB RAM a video card with at least 16MB of memory and a 512/256kbit
(down/up) connection. Video and call quality may vary greatly in environments
with conditions below those recommendations.
- Please be sure, that your webcam is connected and not in use of another program
Video Setup in IchessU
To make the most of the IchessU video experience, you will need a webcam (in addition to your speakers and a microphone).
Your webcam should have come with an installation disc. Just pop the disc in your computer, before plugging the camera in, and follow the on-screen instructions.
Now you are ready to plug in your webcam. Find the USB port on your computer; it's the one with the matching USB symbol.
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