OpenVCE

These checks are also available at this short form URL: http://tr.im/slchecks

Teleconferences and on-line meetings are plagued by set up problems for participants.  This is most often the case with audio. Even experienced users find that their setups and equipment chnages and previously well set up systems stop working or give echo, feedback and problems for others.  Worse... the participant causing the problem is usually the only one who cannot hear it.  To help prepare for an event, and so that time is not wasted by all participants, it is suggested that a few simple checks are done by all participants BEFORE taking their place at the designated meeting space.

In some larger events, or where participants may be from many environments, an "Event Reception" area will be designated, at which all participants will be asked to arrive.  A few simple checks may be done there, to warn you of issues so you can help others during the meeting, and only use appropriate communications methods for those facilties you know are working.

A good place to start is to get the Second Life Quick Start Guide [PDF Format] which is also accessible via the easy to remember http://tr.im/quickstart

Quick Tests

A note may be made of avatars failing one or more tests to guide the meeting organizers and to allow them to propose remedies, e.g. by pointing back at this web page.. which is also accessible via http://tr.im/slchecks

1. Can Sit on Designated Seating:

Make sure you can sit down.  Select the surface of a specific seat that you wish to occupy, right Click (PC) or ... (Mac) to get the object pie menu, and select the "Sit" action.  Note that if are wearing Animation Overriders (AO) or other scripted objecst that contrio your avatar's position, these may override the position you adopt in the seat.  Turn AOs off when stiing in chairs, etc.

2. Can Redirect Camera When Seated:

The camera in the Second Life viewer can be moved quite independently if moving your avatar,.  The default camera position is usually slightly behind and above the avatrar looking over the avatars shoulders. You can refocus on any position, and swing the camera across or up and down, and zoom in and out for clearer views of screens, posters, or other avatars. Keyboard keys can be used, or there is a camera control panel that can be shown (via View -> Camera Controls). Note that your avatar's head will move to show the direction you are looking.

3. Can Receive Video Streams:

See this setup and advice on toubleshooting

4. Properly Setup for SL Voice:

Unless you are experienced, and know the effects of open to air microphones, and know that your setup allows for proper sound cancellation (almost all open to air mics do not) do not try to use a separate microphone and speakers, or even separate microphone and headphones.  As all sorts of ambient sounds, computer fan noise, your clicks on typing, etc will be very disruptive indeed for the other participants (even though you may not hear them).  Use a good headset with close up mic and all should be well.

Check SL Voice settings in Edit -> Preferences -> Voice Chat and enable the voice chat facility if its not already on.

When its on a small white dot appears over your avatar.  If you speak, and your voice levels are set correctly green sound bars will show around this white dot.  You want to achieve the most green bars you can when speaking a little louder than usual.. but not see any red bar at all. The try shouting and it should just go red.  If you see red marks near your avatar's white voice dot the your mic is set to too high a level (its "over-attenuated in the jargon"), so you will sound distorted to others.

The default setting is that you must push the "Talk" button (usually near the bottom right of the SL Viewer) to speak.  Hold it down whiile you speak, and make sure you release it when not speaking.  Don't lock it except in exceptional circumstances, such as when you are the main speaker in a lecture, and don't check the "Use Push-To-Talk in toggle mode" in the settings, as that may mean you forget to switch off you mic after you have spoken in an event.  This is all very important, and failure to do this is the primary cause of communications problems in teleconferences including in Second Life.

If you cannot hear through your headset or see any green marks on your avatar's voice white dot when spekaing into your microphone (remember to press the "Talk" button), then your device setup may not be correct. Check or change this via Edit -> Preferences -> Voice Chat -> Device Settings.  if necessary select the correct deveice for audio I/O, and you can test the mic levels by speaking and adjusting the slider bar. Try to achieve a level of about 3 of the 5 available bars when speaking a little louder than usual.  You do not want to see any red when speaking a little louder than usual, but if you shout it just go red.

Remedy: Temporary muting of SL voice by other participants for the participant causing feedback or who is over attenuated. Right Click (PC) or ... (Mac) on an avatar to get the avatar Pie menu, and then select "Mute".  Near the end of the meeting you might wish to select "Unmute", so that the next time you meet this person they can be heard again.  [Note that "Mute" also means you will not see chat or hear IM form the participant involved - to be checked.]

More information on setting up and using SL Voice is in the Linden Labs Getting Started With Voice Guide

Event Reception Area

Arrival area for people attending events where they will get their event credentials, meeting tags, links to web pages for information on the event (usually a short form url e.g. http://tr.im/openvceiroom) and be asked to go through a quick test (tailored for PC and Mac users key differences) they were properly set up (can sit, can see text chat and IM (not set busy), can redirect camera from seated position, can received Quicktime video streams, are properly set up for voice without open mic, feedback or over attenuation). A note may be made of avatars failing one or more tests to guide the meeting organizers and propose remedies (such as temporary muting of SL voice from a participant causing feedback).