Online Jamming with Hearme.com!!!

Subject: Online chat/jam with Hearme.com!!!
From: GutBucketeer
Date: 11 Dec 99 - 02:18 AM

I just joined a beginner banjo list at [e-mail]

They use an online AUDIO chat room to talk to one another and to play/jam/teach lessons in real time. It is accessed through www.MPLAYER.com and the service is www.hearme.com. You have to download and install some software, and it took me a couple of times to get it right. but WOW!

I just got through listening to an online country/folk song circle. What amazed me is that the delay was minimal, and I only have a 28.8 Mghz Modem.

Has anyone else explored these sites???? I think it would be really cool to pick a time and have Mudcatters all log in and chat/sing to one another. They describe even playing together though I don't see how this is possible with the response delay over the internet. However, technology is allways amazing me everyday.

Check it out!

JAB

Subject: RE: Online Jamming with Hearme.com!!!
From: Mary
Date: 11 Dec 99 - 02:56 AM

I knew the day was almost here...I am interested in knowing more...I have a new (and now obsolete) G3 Mac and don't know how to do diddly on it...but that is really what I want to do...oh did I say I have an accordian?

mg

Subject: RE: Online Jamming with Hearme.com!!!
From: GutBucketeer
Date: 11 Dec 99 - 10:07 AM

Check it out. at the above addresses.

I'm sure we can play for each other. Jamming may not be possible since it may be only one person transmitting at a time. I'll post more when I know more.

JAB

Subject: RE: Online Jamming with Hearme.com!!!
From: Banjoman_CO
Date: 12 Dec 99 - 01:05 AM

This would be great!! Keep me informed if you don't mind.

Subject: RE: Online Jamming with Hearme.com!!!
From: GutBucketeer
Date: 12 Dec 99 - 11:51 PM

It works in open mike or song circle format. I've only heard one person singing/playing at at time.

JAB

Subject: RE: Online Jamming with Hearme.com!!!
From: DOCKER
Date: 13 Dec 99 - 04:01 PM

KEEP ME POSTED IF LIVE JAMMING IS POSSIBLE.WHAT EQUIPMENT DO I NEED?

Subject: RE: Online Jamming with Hearme.com!!!
From: Max
Date: 16 Dec 99 - 03:21 PM

Checking this out. A little window should pop up. If you have the plugin you should see what seems pretty self explanitory, if not it will tell you how to get it. I like this idea if it works right. Let me know... Thanks JAB for letting me know.

Try It!

Subject: RE: Online Jamming with Hearme.com!!!
From: GutBucketeer
Date: 16 Dec 99 - 04:06 PM

OK its Thursday at 4:03 I'm on and can talk if anyone wants to.

JAB

Subject: RE: Online Jamming with Hearme.com!!!
From: GutBucketeer
Date: 16 Dec 99 - 04:20 PM

I just talked to Jeri with almost no delay. We found out that only one person can talk at a time. But you can talk and typechat at the same time.

Subject: RE: Online Jamming with Hearme.com!!!
From: Jeri
Date: 16 Dec 99 - 04:22 PM

Holy ****!!!! It's a voice chat room sort of thing. I was just in there talking to JAB. It seems only one person at a time can send, but it would sure make talking to folks in different countries easy! (Not to mention live singing/playing.) WOW!!!

Subject: RE: Online Jamming with Hearme.com!!!
From: alison
Date: 16 Dec 99 - 07:46 PM

there are a few of us in here testing it out now.. feel free to join..

slainte

alison

Subject: RE: Online Jamming with Hearme.com!!!
From: alison
Date: 16 Dec 99 - 08:32 PM

this works really well.. very clear..... you can only have one person talking / playing at a time...... you don't need a mic just to listen.....

much clearer than mediaring....... better than netmeeting... and you don't have to go through any of the registartion stuff if you don't want to...

slainte

alison

Subject: RE: Online Jamming with Hearme.com!!!
From: alison
Date: 16 Dec 99 - 09:03 PM

we have got..... jeri, jonfreeman, aine, kendall morse, alan of oz, and I doing a song circle at the moment...

slainte

alison

Subject: RE: Online Jamming with Hearme.com!!!
From: Jeri
Date: 16 Dec 99 - 09:24 PM

Warning -this probably depends on your machine. I haven't had any problems, but Alison's been in there and it crashed her system twice. The only way to fix it is to do a complete re-boot of the computer.

It's fun though - I'm in there with Aine, Kendall, longhair and Jon Freeman. Alison and Alan of Oz were in there until Alison's computer crashed, singing and talking - it's amazing.

Subject: RE: Online Jamming with Hearme.com!!!
From: alison
Date: 16 Dec 99 - 09:47 PM

this is fun.. we have just had a multinational "Drunken sailor" verses from UK, US, and Oz....

great program even if it does crash my entire system when it crashes....

slainte

alison

Subject: RE: Online Jamming with Hearme.com!!!
From: Willie-O
Date: 16 Dec 99 - 09:48 PM

I downloaded the software, and I get the list that says you all are there (I'm your old buddy Guest920) but I don't hear anything. I'm going to try rebooting and reconnect.

Bill C

Subject: RE: Online Jamming with Hearme.com!!!
From: Willie-O
Date: 16 Dec 99 - 10:17 PM

I did. Same deal. I can't hear anything, can't type into the text box...don't know what the problem is, I am over the system requirements.

Ah weel...anuther toime mates.

Bill C

Subject: RE: Online Jamming with Hearme.com!!!
From: alison
Date: 16 Dec 99 - 10:33 PM

we can see you.. we have musicman too.. I had that problem earlier.. I had real audio open.. and no other voices could get through.. had to completly shut down real audio... try that.....

slainte

alison

Subject: RE: Online Jamming with Hearme.com!!!
From: alison
Date: 16 Dec 99 - 10:37 PM

I don't know why.. but coming into this thread automatically opens up the program.. if you come back in again... it can mess up what you are listening to then you need to reconnect to the "hearme" program.. you can do this by reclicking on your name..... then pretend to change your name.. although you don't have to... the hit enter and reconnect......

I lost all voices again when I wrote my last post.. that's how I got them back,......

Subject: RE: Online Jamming with Hearme.com!!!
From: Barbara
Date: 16 Dec 99 - 10:58 PM

I loaded it, and I'm just getting a grey box now. no info or anything. Did have a double cross thing in it I was to click on, but I wasnt fast enough I guess. I'll try rebooting.
Blessings,
Barbara

Subject: RE: Online Jamming with Hearme.com!!!
From: Alan of Australia
Date: 17 Dec 99 - 12:11 AM

G'day,
Try clicking on "Powered by Hearme". Seemed to work for me first time.

I just got home after trying this on Alison's computer. Quickly set mine up & found Jon & Mark still there. We managed to sing about half a song each before getting cut off. There seems to be a time limit for each person to "talk". Either that or net congestion intervenes. Or something. It didn't seem possible to get right through a song.

Cheers,
Alan

Subject: RE: Online Jamming with Hearme.com!!!
From: GutBucketeer
Date: 17 Dec 99 - 12:38 AM

Here is another similar product called firetalk. This is a copy of a messge from the BgnrBanjo list on Onelist.com

Has anybody checked out Firetalk? It's like Hearme.com, but it's a little more usable and allows for 1 on 1 or group chat without going through a bunch of steps. www.firetalk.com

It looks like it also has a voice pressence on a web site feature. It may have less bugs, just don't know.

JAB

Subject: RE: Online Jamming with Hearme.com!!!
From: alison
Date: 17 Dec 99 - 02:15 AM

the big problem I have with it(hearme).. is that it automatically mutes my mic everytime I push the button to speak...... and sometimesit then jams "on" after I finish speaking......

Subject: RE: Online Jamming with Hearme.com!!!
From: alison
Date: 17 Dec 99 - 02:21 AM

I'm there now if any insomniacs want to try

Subject: RE: Online Jamming with Hearme.com!!!
From: Max
Date: 17 Dec 99 - 04:12 PM

I changed it from loading when the page loads to a link. This should solve one of alison's problems about leaving and coming back.

Try It!

Subject: RE: Online Jamming with Hearme.com!!!
From: Áine
Date: 17 Dec 99 - 08:20 PM

Dear 'Catters,

Since this thing went over so big last night, does anyone want to set up another 'Mudcatter Sing Along' night? It would give us something to do when the Mudcat Radio isn't on, now wouldn't it? Talk amongst yourselves...

-- Áine

P.S. Of course, we can't schedule anything when it's Hockey Night at my house!!! (hahahahaha)

Subject: RE: Online Jamming with Hearme.com!!!
From: GutBucketeer
Date: 18 Dec 99 - 12:35 AM

It's 12:30 in the morning here in D.C. I'm here in the audio chat box.

In 5 minutes I'm going to try to setup a Mudcat room in the Hearme.com Entertainment section On Stage lobby.

The password will be Max.

This requires some software from Hearme.com to be loaded. It allows a lot more options.

JAB (on Hearme I'm BumDiDiBum)

Subject: RE: Online Jamming with Hearme.com!!!
From: The Shambles
Date: 18 Dec 99 - 05:08 AM

Do have to have your own web site to use it?

Subject: RE: Online Jamming with Hearme.com!!!
From: kendall
Date: 18 Dec 99 - 04:16 PM

I believe you do, but, its easy to set up a web site, and, its free.

Subject: RE: Online Jamming with Hearme.com!!!
From: Musicman
Date: 18 Dec 99 - 04:39 PM

If you just want to join in the group, you don't need a web site, just click on the link that max has set up above, download the plugin if you need to then join in....

Subject: RE: Online Jamming with Hearme.com!!!
From: Clinton Hammond2
Date: 18 Dec 99 - 07:18 PM

Great thing... but where do we meet??

Subject: RE: Online Jamming with Hearme.com!!!
From: alison
Date: 19 Dec 99 - 12:27 AM

Hi,

Just downloaded it and had a chat with JAB in the "hearme-mudcat room".....

Intitial impression... more whistles and bells than the little version, you get to have pretty pictures of yourself, you can draw on a white board and you have a choice of rooms you can go into.... plus you can "type" chat at the same time as you"speak"chat.....

But if you click on an option out of the room you were in.. it is hard to find your way back in.....

Down side..... the sound quality wasn't as good.... more distortion and breaking up... maybe because there is more traffic at the main site.

The main site didn't mute my mic like the smaller one does... I have no idea why.

I would say that at the main site the sound quality wasn't much of an improvement on netmeeting... whereas at the little one that Max set up.. the quality is much better......

Just my 2c worth.....

slainte

alison

Subject: RE: Online Jamming with Hearme.com!!!
From: GutBucketeer
Date: 19 Dec 99 - 12:39 AM

This was the first time I got in to the voice chat with a room full of people. It was great fun, especially talking to people from around the world.

If you are having trouble gettin in here are some of the things I have found out in the last week.

The full blown Hearme.com software doesn't work on a MAC. I'm not sure about the simpler voice presence plugin that Max installed here. Has anyone with a MAC gottin it to work?

Here are some messages as well from their support people.

Hello, Thank you for your interest in our service. Hearme.com requires the following minimum system requirements in order to fully utilize our service:

IBM compatible PC Pentium processor Windows 95/98 16 MB of RAM Internet Explorer, version 3.02 or greater 16 bit Sound Blaster-compatible sound card 28.8 kbps Modem Direct PPP Internet access*. (Firewalls and Proxy Servers may prohibit you from connecting)

*Please note that AOL, Prodigy Classic and CompuServe may not provide adequate connections for Hearme.com.

Sincerely,

Hearme.com Customer Support

AND

Hello, Internet Explorer 3.02 or better is required to run the Mplayer.com software. We strongly suggest using 4.01 as it offers better JAVA support and is a bit more stable for what we require. The new Mplayer.com software depends heavily on the re-usable browser control which is part of Internet Explorer and Windows 98. You don't have to use IE as your primary browser, but this component *must* be on your system for the new software to work. If Netscape made a fully featured re-usable browser control, we would consider using that too. Unfortunately, they don't at this time. We regret the inconvenience this causes.

Mplayer is not yet completely compatible with Internet Explorer 5, and installing this version can cause problems with your Mplayer.com software. If you do install the 5.0 version, make sure you do not install the privacy patch for 5.0, as it seems to be what is causing the problem. We are currently looking into this and we strongly suggest you use an earlier version until we sort things out.

To download Internet Explorer of any version you can visit http://www.microsoft.com/windows/ie/download/windows.htm or http://www.browsers.com/. The installer from this site requires an internet connection. Please stay online until the installer asks you to restart your computer.

Sincerely,

Hearme.com Customer Support

That is all I know

Subject: RE: Online Jamming with Hearme.com!!!
From: The Shambles
Date: 19 Dec 99 - 06:40 AM

I did have a little experiment with Hear ME, last night and I have to say how pleasent it was to hear the voices of people that you already feel you know quite well. There were a few 'glitches' but It was a pretty impressive set-up. Thanks to you all.

Subject: RE: Online Jamming with Hearme.com!!!
From: lajka
Date: 19 Dec 99 - 03:50 PM

Hello! I´m trying, god know i´m trying. I can´t find the page you are talking about.

Subject: RE: Online Jamming with Hearme.com!!!
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 19 Dec 99 - 04:08 PM

lajka,

Search for a post made by Max in this thread and click on Try It.

Jon

Subject: RE: Online Jamming with Hearme.com!!!
From: GutBucketeer
Date: 20 Dec 99 - 11:39 PM

Here is a review of a Hearme.com alternative that was posted to the bgnrbnjo@onelist list by Joel West.

"It was suggested that we check out the firetalk program recently and we have done so. Julio and I checked it out and found it to be easy and fast to download, fairly user friendly, and pretty easy to find your contacts. When you compare it with the capabilities of the Hearme.com software, it falls a little short. Although regular verbal sound transmits pretty well, playing your banjo across the firetalk program results in a distorted mess. Also there is no way to hold the talk button down if you were to play your banjo. It does have a nice feature that allows you to render it "voice activated". In this mode, when it hears your voice, it automatically "holds" the talk button for you. Although this is a nice feature, it only allows one person to speak at the same time, drowning anything the other person is saying while you are speaking, out. The Hearme.com software allows many to talk at the same time, by buffering any data it recieves while you are talking, and transmitting it to you after you are finished speaking. Also, Hearme transmits the banjo sound pretty well too. Personally I think that due to the fact that the firetalk software has the voice activated feature, and transmits verbal sound so well, that it is a great replacement for Icq. It does virtually everything that icq does and more. Two thumbs up for using it to replace Icq, and two thumbs down for using it as a replacement for Hearme.com. Anyone interested in hooking up as a replacement for Icq let me know, and we can exchange firetalk numbers."

JAB

Subject: RE: Online Jamming with Hearme.com!!!
From: momnopp
Date: 22 Jan 00 - 12:04 AM

Good news - I found it just by accident that there's a brand new Hearme for ICQ users!!

go to http://download.cnet.com/downloads/0-10061-108-56285.html?bt.dl-10013.hearme..10061-108-56285 to download it. I haven't tried it yet, but that's only because I don't have anyone else to try it with. . .yet.

Talk to you soon!!

JudyO

Subject: RE: Online Jamming with Hearme.com!!!
From: Amos
Date: 22 Jan 00 - 06:22 PM

If it won't run on a Mac I'll pass, thanks; this sort of elitism just doesn't do anything for me.

A

Subject: RE: Online Jamming with Hearme.com!!!
From: momnopp
Date: 23 Jan 00 - 09:16 PM

JAB and I tried it out yesterday and it works pretty well (Hearme for ICQ, that is). Sorry if it doesn't run on a Mac - some developers just don't know what an important segment of the market they're missing by excluding Mac users. . .

Subject: RE: Online Jamming with Hearme.com!!!
From: GUEST,Bill D
Date: 23 Jan 00 - 10:18 PM

if the world were sane, we'd ALL be on MACs...I am on a PC only because I can go more places...and if I could afford it, I'd have a MAC too!...There just aren't enought MAC programmers to re-write all the neat stuff for MACs...I would love to see MAC become THE standard...but...*sigh*

Subject: RE: Online Jamming with Hearme.com!!!
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 23 Jan 00 - 10:35 PM

I noticed that hearme were looking for MAC programmers.

Jon