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Team Speak

by Giuseppe Di Biase — last modified 2016-07-15 10:16
  • Quickstart:
    • Step 1: Connect a headset (can probably be your phone headset)
    • then...
    • Get the software from http://www.teamspeak.com/?page=downloads
    • Preferences -> Capture -> Capture Device: Phoenix (or headset); Playback -> Playback Device: Phoenix (or headset)
      • do this each time you start up the program! or make the Phoenix the default audio device in your computer OS
    • Click on Microphone Symbol with red 'X' to mute microphone (it starts 'live')
    • Connections -> Connect -> Server: teamspeak.ego-gw.it password: ego2014
      • Default Channel: VDASC
      • Other Channel:
        • DetChar ;
        • Commissioning;
        • Computing Dept;
        • VIRGO-EPO;
      • AdV weekly meeting ; no password
    • Double click on the channel (meeting) of choice.
    • ...read on for more details, tuning, etc.
  • Please read about setting up the Capture (microphone) system below.
  • Voice and Chat only -- no video or screen sharing.
    • To share documents, paste URLs to the DCC in the chat window; they are hyperlinked
    • Can use EVO/SeeVogh to screen share (mute speaker and microphone in the EVO/SeeVogh application).
  • There is no phone bridge associated with the application; several options:
    • there is a now excellent iPhone app for sale (TeamSpeak3?; costs a few dollars), and an Android one which is usable I believe. The 'hands-free' mode on the iPhone serves as a Phoenix box for echo-free hands-free use with high fidelity. Neat!
    • the Phoenix or equivalent box can be put near an ordinary conference phone and one dials into a conference telephone service; The ClearOne? interfaces used at the LIGO Lab can be used to bridge as well (Vern Sandberg has a technique).
  • The software can be downloaded for free from http://www.teamspeak.com/?page=downloads, for Windows, Mac, Linux, and Free BSD; also Apps (not necessarily free) for iOS and Android.
    • Mac users: If you see an error when mounting the .dmg that it is "not recognized", go to System Preferences -> Security & Privacy -> Allow applications downloaded from: Anywhere. (You can change it back to your previous setting after installing TeamSpeak).
    • Fedora 18 users: you may have to work a bit to get 32 bit parts to fit in the 64 bit OS; Salvatore Vitale has worked it through for one implementation.
  • If your lab blocks some ports, you may have difficulties and may need to request exceptions from your IT staff. These are the default ports used by TeamSpeak 3:
    Default voice port (UDP in): 9987
    Default filetransfer port (TCP in): 30033
    Default serverquery port (TCP in): 10011
    Default weblist port (UDP out): 2010
    Default tsdns port (TCP in): 41144
  • As usual, an anti-echo box (e.g., Phoenix) or a headset/microphone is needed to keep echoes under control (or not as convenient: use 'push to talk' under Preferences -> Capture)
    • You can change the volume of each participant separately in your channel by right-clicking on a participant and selecting Volume from the menu
    • Stereo headphones will allow you to take advantage of the ability to place the participants left-right, close or far from you in the sound-stage; right-click on the channel name (e.g., SYS), select 'Setup 3D sound', and move people on the polar plot.
  • To connect, select the Connections menu --> Connect; The EGO server is at teamspeak.ego-gw.it and the password is ego2014
    • Please use your real name (in a recognizable form - initials, first name ok if unambiguous) to join
  • Setup going to Options in Windows or Preferences on Mac; please check when starting!
    • On one person's Mac, it works to press the Option key while asking an increase in speaker volume. This opens the selection window for input and output, and allows setting the Phoenix as the default for both microphone and playback, and the TeamSpeak's default action to select...Default as the audio selects the right interface. Or...:
    • Playback --> set Playback Device; then Apply. Play Test Sound to ensure you have the device set up and the volume adjusted
    • Capture --> set Capture Device; select Continuous Transmission (or Voice Activation, see below); select Advanced Options, and DE-select Automatic voice gain control. Begin Test to check level; adjust microphone sensitivity in the Operating System (not TeamSpeak) if needed.
      • To set the Voice Activation level if this mode is selected, while in a conference with others speaking, open the Preferences or Settings --> Capture menu, and click on 'Start Test'. This mutes your mic for others, and allows you to see the signal arriving, and when it exceeds the turn-on level indicated by the vertical bar the indicator light will turn light blue. One can slide the bar to the point where it is rarely exceeded by background. Try speaking (you are not transmitting to the meeting with the Test On) to ensure your voice is loud enough to turn the light on with even quieter syllables. Once set, click 'Stop Test', and the mic will be live again.
    • Profiles can be set for Capture and Playback (separately, unfortunately); click the green '+' at the bottom of the Profile box, make a profile named e.g., 'Phoenix', select the Phoenix in the pull-down menu. Then the top bar 'Self' menu will offer this as a Profile, and then select the Phoenix...separately for Capture and Playback. Not great.
    • On Mac computers, pressing Option and a volume key will bring up the Audio System page, allowing the Phoenix to be made default pretty easily.
  • Please note: the microphone is 'on' by default! Remember to click on the mute icon (top bar, red X over microphone) when you start the system up if not speaking immediately.
    • Consider Capture --> Push to Talk mode if you will be speaking rarely or do not have an anti-echo or headset.
  • To join one of the standing channels or 'virtual meeting rooms', double click on it. To start a new meeting room, Right click on TeamSpeak]|[ Server, Create New Channel, and give it a name. Try to avoid substantial meetings in the Default Channel; make yourself a named channel (it goes away when you leave).

    • New channels: Easy to make, easy to remove once no longer needed. If we have too many permanent channels, it gets hard to find one in particular, so there is some reluctance to create a persistent channel which is only used rarely or to add hundreds of channels.

    • That said, there seems to be no problem of overload of the system, and more channels can be supported in terms of the infrastructure.
  • There are no practical moderator tools, like mute individuals or all. Need to teach people how to use the application instead.
  • If you are having difficulty, take a look at the chat at the bottom of the window, and/or ask a question there. Click on the tab (if there are several) for the meeting channel you are currently using.
  • To turn off the vocal announcements you can either disable all audio notifications via Preferences --> Notifications --> Sound Pack: Sounds Deactivated,
    • or if you want to just disable the "user joined/left your channel" messages you can modify Preferences --> Notifications --> Sound Pack: Client/Connection/Connected/Current channel and similarly Client/Connection/Disconnected/Current channel.