ESDi user guide
Hardware & OS requirements
386 PC or better. Windows 95 or better. Input source(s) (e.g. microphone/ CD/ mono mix/ line in/ phone line etc), speaker/headset, sound card, local area network (LAN). It is free to try the trial version - if it does not work then it could be one of many things - click here for troubleshooting.
Installation
Before running the SETUPi.EXE program, you can install the IPX protocol on your system. Click here for instructions.
If you can get 'sound recorder' (which is supplied with windows) to record and play back your voice, then this means your sound card is set up properly. See START then HELP on your computer for more on sound recorder.
Run SETUPi.exe. Follow on screen prompts. This will install ESDi on your computer and create a desktop icon. Double click this icon to start ESDi for the first time.
For multiple users simply log on as each user & install. ESDi takes very little disk space, so a unique installation per user will not cause a shortage of disk space. Each user on a single machine has the same license key.
Anti-virus and firewall software will ask about ESDi. Most will allow you to create a rule so that you are not asked again in the future.
ESDi works on the local area network (LAN) only. If you have more than one LAN then you will have to set up a bridge/router to connect them. Note that Windows XP has a software bridge - see windows help for details.
Installing using XP’s remote desktop click here
Remove
To remove - Open 'My Computer', 'control panel', 'Add/Remove Programs'. Select 'ESDi' and click 'Add/Remove' button.
Version 1.15 or better - can be removed by start-> programs-> esdi-> uninstall ESDi
Also advise ESDi be removed from your anti-virus and firewall software exception lists.
Operation
Change 'Your ID' then press 'Set button'. Each ESDi must have a unique ID. If two IDs are the same, then those machines will not be able to talk to each other, as they will think the data is coming from itself. Example configuration-
Choose who to talk to by using the drop down list - 'TALK TO'. As others start ESDi, their ID and any groups they belong to, will appear in this drop down list. When they shut down, their ID and groups will be removed.
To talk simply click 'TALK'. A tick will appear. To stop just click 'TALK' again.
You can belong to 9 groups. Everyone belongs to 'BROADCAST'. To make a new group, it is best that one person keys in the name into the 'Group' text box. Now press Add. In seconds this new group will appear on other computers running ESDi on your LAN. Anyone else can now select that group, and if so desired, add it to their list of groups. Click 'Copy to Group' then click 'Add'. Note: You do not need to belong to a group in order to talk to the people that do, but, they will only be able to talk back to you via 'your ID', or, any group you do belong to.
Hotkeys - In the pictues above and below, Tom in IT has been assigned the hotkey '7'. Holding the 'windows logo key' and then pressing 7 will change the 'talk to' to 'Tom - IT'. When ESDi is minimised (as below) the 1st character after the 'windows logo' shows which hotkey has been selected. Following this a '*' indicates that ESDi is transmitting. Hotkey T will talk and H will Halt transmission. Hotkey and P gives press to talk - transmission will only continue whilst P is held down - as soon as it is released transmission will cease. Hotkeys can be used from anywhere - you could be editing a document or playing a game - no need to switch to ESDi - just use the hotkeys instead. (You may need to turn off hotkeys in other applications) From v1.16 F11 acts as a single ‘press to talk’ key - does the same as Hotkey and P, except with a single key.
First come first served. If Joe is talking on the group 'marketing', and you are part of that group, then you will hear what Joe is saying. If someone else tries to talk to you, before Joe is finished, then they will fail to be heard.
GMS compression - Uses 10 times less network bandwidth if active. On the down side the quality is poorer for music. It is really designed for speech. See sub folder GMS\copyrite for copyright information, warranty and credits. (Open with Notepad)
Audio hardware source & output selects different sound devices. Most computers will just have one to choose from.
IPX/IP option and the port numbers must be the same on every computer, in order for them to be able to talk to each other. You could use this to further sub divide who can talk to whom. Port value must be above 1023.
Clicking the X at the top right of the main window, selecting close from the window menu or pressing Alt+F4 will send ESDi to the tray. Once in the tray it will continue to run - use hot keys to control operation. Clicking on the icon in the tray will give to the option to close ESDi down. Answering no will open the main window again.
If you wish ESDi to start when windows does, then set the 'Auto Run' check box in the configuration window, this is accessed via the CFG button on the main dialog screen. Unchecking will cancel the 'Auto Run' feature.
To Set up pre-talk and pre-recorded sounds click here.
TIPS
Once you have ESDi set up the way you like, you can resize the window, so it does not take up so much of your desktop..
When you leave your computer - close ESDi, your ID will be removed from the 'talk to' list on other people's computers.
Altering values in the configuration window can improve reliability and efficiency. Click here for more details.
Technical
ESDi applications use broadcast packets to talk to each other. (address 255.255.255.255) This makes it easy to set up as you do not need to know any IP or IPX addresses. However, routers, switches and servers may require configuration before such packets can be used.
Interface for other applications