How to register and use our Chat System

Transcription

1 How to register and use our Chat System Why this document? We have a very good chat system and easy to use when you are set up, but getting registered and into the system can be a bit complicated. If you follow these instructions you should be online very soon and this is a one off task. Register Out Chat system is integrated with our on-line training platform, so you only need to register once to use both systems. Registration is via the training site, though we have a shortcut to the signup page: Think about what username to use, this will be visible to everyone on the chat system. Your first name and last initial is a good choice though you might want more anonymity. For the Chat system, your full name is not visible though it will be visible to other participants if you enrol in courses. Also, note that the password has to be at least 8 characters and contain an upper case character, a lower case and a character, such as $. When you are done, click create my new account. If you filled everything out correctly you should get a confirmation something like this. Just click on the link and your account on our system should be confirmed and ready to use.

2 After you have clicked that link, you are signed up both for the training site ( and the Chat system. Using Chat Web based or Desktop? The SMART Chat system can be used from a web browser, simply visit A few people have had problems getting sound to work properly with the web browser chat. If you want to participate in meetings (which use Audio), rather than just the text chat, you should strongly consider installing the desktop chat software instead. You should only do this if you are on your own computer, or get permission to install software. The Desktop SMART Chat is a piece of software that you install on your computer to access the Chat system, instead of using your web browser. The advantage of this is that it comes pre-configured, so you can avoid some of the configuration and compatibility issues we have found with some web browsers. The software is for Windows only, Mac or others will need to stick the browser solution. Installing the Desktop Chat Download the software by typing clicking this link -2-

3 Depending on your browser, you might need to give permission to download so look carefully at any messages in your browser. You need to 'run' the software after you have downloaded it. Just follow the instructions for the installer and accept all the default answers. Depending on your computer, you might need to login as an 'Administrator' to be able to install the software, speak to the person who manages the computer for you! After the installation is complete, you should have a new program installed, click the start menu / programs - and probably also a new icon on your desktop. 'Double' click this to run. When this is running, it looks identical to the web based version. Use your user name and password that you used on registration to enter chat. If you have a microphone plugged in, it might ask you to confirm permission to use these when you click the 'web-cam' button, though is otherwise the same as the web version. Using Chat So either run the Desktop Chat software, or go to in your web browser. Firstly, you need to login. Use the user-name and password you used when registering. Note that these are case sensitive, so you need to use capitals in the same way. Now we are ready to join a chat room. To get started, we will join the Open room. The first room is open meaning anyone who has logged into the system can enter the room. Lets look at some of the features of the room. Using this screen-shot of the room, we have numbered some of the main things you need to know. 1) you enter text that you want to send to other chat room participants. Just click here, type what you want and press return (or click the send button). 2) This is a list of participants. If you click on the name of another participant, you can go into private chat so your discussions will not be visible to others. 3) The picture of the running person is used to exit the room, when you are finished chatting please click this to exit properly rather than just walking away. 4) This is a SMART Recovery video, we may vary what is shown. Click the > button to play. -3-

4 Advanced Topics Sound and Video The first room is text only and open 24 hours a day for general discussion. SMART Recovery meetings are held at scheduled times in the second room, though these use voice chat as well as text. To participate in these meetings you will need to set up a microphone and headphones. Setting up the Chat system to use your microphone is slightly different for the web browser and desktop chat versions. Configure Desktop Chat version The desktop Chat version comes pre-configured and should detect whether a microphone is available. When you enter a room supporting sound, you might see a window like this: Simply click the allow and remember box and close. Now see using voice chat below -4-

5 Configuring Web Browser Chat For security reasons, web browsers do not automatically allow any old web page to access to your microphone we must tell our web browser that we are happy for the Chat system to listen to the microphone and (if you use one) the webcam. You should only have to do this once per web browser (so if you move to another machine you would need to do this again. What you need to do is click with the right hand mouse button (might be left button if you are left handed) anywhere in the chat window. A small menu will appear, please click Settings. This widget will appear. There are tabs along the bottom on one tab (probably second) is the privacy page as shown here. Select the Allow option and tick Remember and then click close. Hopefully, your web browser can now make use of your microphone. In theory we won t have to use that gizmo again. The microphone tab on this gizmo can also be useful to adjust the microphone volume, if people say you are too loud or quiet. Using Voice Chat At the top of the browse is a little button (looks a little like pacman but supposed to be a webcam!). Click this. This pops up a little window: Make sure the Audio On/Off is ticked. You should never tick the Hands free option. Tick video on if you want to use your webcam. To actually talk, you simply click and hold down the Talk button. When you have finished talking let go of the button. In fact, it is better to keep it held down for a second or two after you finish speaking which seems to make it less likely to cut off your sentences. When you have the button held down, you will notice that the little microphone symbol next to your user name goes orange. You only know whether this is working if there is -5-

6 someone there to hear and tell you, you should therefore organise an equipment check if possible. Troubleshooting You would not be the first to have problems... You cannot hear anyone else This is much less common than microphone problems and is almost certainly nothing to do with the chat system. 1. Check your speakers / headphone is plugged in properly. 2. Check the volume is turned up enough and is not on mute. On many windows systems there is a volume / mute control in the bottom right hand corner. 3. If that does not work and you use Windows, visit this page: this provides a diagnostic system that should be very safe as it is part of the Microsoft support. Click the Diagnose and fix sound playback issues. Others cannot hear you? This is more likely and unfortunately trickier to fix. But taking the following steps one at a time should get to the bottom of this. 1. If you are using the Web Browser chat, consider switching to the Desktop Chat which should solve things for most people. 2. Check your microphone is properly plugged in. 3. Shutdown your web browser, restart it and re-enter the room (this really can work). 4. Check the permission settings as described in the previous section. 5. Shutdown and restart your computer, sometimes works. 6. If you have Skype, use the echo / test to confirm your microphone works. There is an equivalent in some other chat systems. 7. Visit Click the Diagnose and fix audio recording issues. 8. Richard rphillips@smartrecovery.org.uk Richard updated 28/11/