Tech: Help with Paltalk?

Subject: Tech: Help with Paltalk?
From: John Hardly
Date: 27 May 04 - 11:14 AM

I know this is asking a lot, but would one of you that is really familiar with the workings of Paltalk be willing to "come over" to another website/forum
and answer some questions about how the thing is set up and how it works?

Thanks,

John

Subject: RE: Tech: Help with Paltalk?
From: kendall
Date: 27 May 04 - 11:17 AM

It doesn't work for me at all. It just locks my PC and I had to dump it.

Subject: RE: Tech: Help with Paltalk?
From: GUEST,Jon
Date: 27 May 04 - 11:58 AM

Having wasted about 20 minutes registering firstly as a local user and then as a global user, I can't be bothered trying any longer. I'll just post the reply I was trying to make there:

I'm afraid you have a few bits wrong there Millring namely:

Paltalk did not give the other forum a free trial period as such. What happened was Hearme that we were using was starting to break up and a move to Pal was suggested. Various members from that forum signed up to try it (something free and anyone can do - though you can avoid popups if you pay) and overall an agreement was made by us to switch to Paltalk.

There is no cost involved in setting up a room unless you want a "premium type" room (at least how that is how it was). There was a limitation on a free private room of 10.

Dial up connections have not been a problem. I can get 28.8K at best here and can still participate, break up and lags seems to be related to other issues than the users connection speed - I hear most other users clearly. Problems I'm aware of from the other forum is that some had installation type problems and Pal is Win PC only (unless you want to try running emulators)

The number in a room has never caused a problem I'm aware of and I've been in rooms with over 70 in. Maybe you are confusing this with some not being comfortable with open rooms which at times can get crowded?

Jon

Subject: RE: Tech: Help with Paltalk?
From: John Hardly
Date: 27 May 04 - 04:25 PM

Thanks Jon,

And sorry for the difficulty with the other forum -- I wasn't aware that it was hard to post on, but, as I remember, several firewalls do have trouble with ezboard sites.

Again, I apologize for the inconvenience and really appreciate the information. I'll copy and paste it over there.

Thanks

John

Subject: RE: Tech: Help with Paltalk?
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 27 May 04 - 07:30 PM

There are other threads here about Paltalk hassles, they can be found with the search engine.

Subject: RE: Tech: Help with Paltalk?
From: John Hardly
Date: 27 May 04 - 08:19 PM

I'm not really trying to "troubleshoot". I am interested in obtaining the service for a guitar website where several of us would like to have online song circles.

I knew that those here at mudcat had done it -- I did it here for a very enjoyable but short time (during which I had the opportuity to hear the stunningly talented MargaretV) -- but I don't know how to go about "signing up for it" and I am a self-cofessed tech dunce.

As soon as tech talk begins I start to not understand -- like dylexic. I guess I'm "dystechsic".

Subject: RE: Tech: Help with Paltalk?
From: John Hardly
Date: 27 May 04 - 08:23 PM

self-confessed.

I don't proof-read too well either (obviously).

Subject: RE: Tech: Help with Paltalk?
From: GUEST,Jon
Date: 27 May 04 - 09:53 PM

John, the only current regularly run MC room I know of is operated by openmike but she is away as far as I know for some festival. Maybe in a few days time you will get more current feedback on PT.

About all I can say is that at the time the first room was started from here, operating the system was easy and I think admin controls and options as to how you want to set your room are good.

Perhaps the best suggestion of all I can make to you is just install PT and find out for yourself. Maybe click on the "adult" check box (doesn't mean there will be swearwords or vulgarity BTW) and look for music groups with the word "Live" in them. Take it from there and don't be put off if one or more don't meet your requirement - after all, you are looking for a room for your own group. Just try to get a feel for the place.

Jon

Subject: RE: Tech: Help with Paltalk?
From: GUEST,Jon
Date: 27 May 04 - 10:00 PM

Plus once you yourself are on you will have other people to help you set up a room - some of whom are likely to be able to give better advice than most of us here can.

Subject: RE: Tech: Help with Paltalk?
From: GUEST,John Hardly
Date: 28 May 04 - 03:48 PM

Thanks again, Jon.

I spent about an hour-and-a-half this morning trying to figure out how to get a room but they don't have an email contact or a help link to tell me how. I tried every which way, but it seems a catch 22. You have to already know how to use their site in order to able to ask them how to use their site.

Well, I've got the software installed anyway. All dressed up and nowhere to go.

Subject: RE: Tech: Help with Paltalk?
From: nutty
Date: 29 May 04 - 11:53 AM

John ...... you have to click on "groups" in the first box and when that comes up showing all the different rooms you click on "admin" at the top of that box and that allows you to set up your own room

Subject: RE: Tech: Help with Paltalk?
From: GUEST,Jon
Date: 29 May 04 - 12:09 PM

Also John when you have the "groups" window open, you will find a range of Paltalk Help groups. As long as you are set up well enough to be able to type in text, someone should be able to help you.

Subject: RE: Tech: Help with Paltalk?
From: kendall
Date: 29 May 04 - 12:39 PM

It worked once then locked up. Screw it.

Subject: RE: Tech: Help with Paltalk?
From: GUEST,John Hardly
Date: 29 May 04 - 01:56 PM

thanks guys, I'll have another run at it.

Subject: RE: Tech: Help with Paltalk?
From: GUEST,Jon
Date: 29 May 04 - 04:15 PM

On and one more, I didn't realise existed, for you John:

http://forums.paltalk.com/messages/index.php

Subject: RE: Tech: Help with Paltalk?
From: GUEST,kuroosh
Date: 29 May 04 - 04:24 PM

hello friends,
I have a problem and i need help
I use InterNet in local AREA network with proxy I can not login to pal
server (paltalk).
how can i repair this problem
thanks
mailto:[e-mail]

Subject: RE: Tech: Help with Paltalk?
From: GUEST,Jon
Date: 29 May 04 - 05:44 PM

I'd suggest you follow the link I gave in my previous post and try thier help forums.

Jon

Subject: RE: Tech: Help with Paltalk?
From: John Hardly
Date: 29 May 04 - 06:31 PM

Thanks again, Jon and nutty. I'm getting there. I got through the registration for a room and understood everything as I was walking through it. I hit the "submit" and nothing happened so I'll have to try again later......but I have hope! Thanks.

Subject: RE: Tech: Help with Paltalk?
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 29 May 04 - 09:24 PM

The nastiest problem I had was with having to upgrade a system file for the 'RICHTEXT' problrm - all other hassles were due to my local PC.

Hang in there, the end result is worth it to many people!


Robin

Subject: RE: Tech: Help with Paltalk?
From: John Hardly
Date: 30 May 04 - 08:10 AM

Well,

in this on-going saga (of a very simple task I seem incapable of accomplishing!). I am registered. They tell me I have a room. I have an administration code and a password (cleverly chosen by me) and I was automatically directed to this page, where it says "click on "groups" and you will be able to chose a room" (where, I assume, my room awaits me).

If I click on "groups" it only ends up refreshing that page. I've done paltalk before so I sort of remember that there is a list of the rooms (for instance, I know from the thread that some of you are listening to the Texas Fingerpickers site). I cannot, by any means it would seem, get to the page that lists the room I set up.

Subject: RE: Tech: Help with Paltalk?
From: John Hardly
Date: 30 May 04 - 08:32 AM

....to add insult to injury, I found the paltalk help forum. I logged on (successfully) and yet, it tells me I am not allowed to veiw or post on the help forum.

Subject: RE: Tech: Help with Paltalk?
From: dwditty
Date: 30 May 04 - 08:35 AM

John Hardly, once you are signed onto paltalk, click groups which opens another withdow. Vlick "Admin" at the top of the window. Click "open or join a group as Admin," enter your code, and the room will open. Only rooms that are open appear in the groups window.

Here is how I get on pal:
1.        Go to www.paltalk.com and click "Sign Up"
2.        It has changed since I did it, but it will eventually download a small software program which you will then install.
3.        Once you are signed into pal (as it is called), you will see a window with several icons on the top. Sound should work automatically but you may have to go through "Setup." In any even, click the "Groups" icon. When the next little window open, check the "Show Adult Rooms" box and hit refresh. Find the category called "Music" and double click it.
4.        Now you have a list of all the rooms that are open. The ones with little padlocks are private and you can't get in. Look for a room with the word "live" in the name (usually). Double click and you are in.

5.        Advanced topics: On the main Pal window (the first one you saw), click "Add Pal" and add dwditty to your pal list. Now whenever you sign on, you will see if I am on or not. Further, if you right click on a pal's name there are option including private conversations. That is great to make outrageously funny observations about the other people in the room

dw

Subject: RE: Tech: Help with Paltalk?
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 30 May 04 - 08:51 AM

At the very bottom of the page you quoted 'http://www.paltalk.com/PalTalkSite/groups.html'

it says

"Want to create your very own PalTalk group? Click on the "create" button situated on the bottom of the Group Category window. A form will be displayed in which you may specify the parameters of your new group."

I'm not sure if that opnes the so-called 'free' room that you set up, or if it allows to open a room with another name 'on the fly'. it popssible to have the admin codes for many rooms (if y9ou swap with friends) and open each one singly as an admin.


If you explore the menus at the top of the group (that you have joined) window cautiously, you will find that you can click on a line that says 'Add to Favourites' and you will then have added it to a list of groups that you can just click one to go to it - but only if it is already open.

Also right clicking on a group name in the list of groups that opens as mentioned in dwitty's step 4 above, gives you useful options too.

You can normally only be in one room at a time, but I have found some few rooms that have red borders let you open a second room.


Robin

Subject: RE: Tech: Help with Paltalk?
From: John Hardly
Date: 30 May 04 - 09:13 AM

Yeah,

Thanks for trying. I really do appreciate the help. I've gotten as far as the page that tells me to click on "groups". It says it will open another page (dwditty's #4). Unfortunately, for some reason, even if I right click and command "open in new window" it will not open. It will not show me the groups from which to double click on "music". I get nothing.

At least yesterday I got a (unusable) help chat room, so I know I could hear the paltalk if only I could get to the rooms.

I may try to shut down my computer (AGAIN!) and see if by restarting I can do something (doesn't that fix everything on a computer?). I've tried everything else I can think of.

Subject: RE: Tech: Help with Paltalk?
From: John Hardly
Date: 30 May 04 - 11:26 AM

odd thing.

I can log on but I cannot register.

If I double click the desktop icon I get a window that says I am unrecognized but if I go to the site and log on it doesn't change anything.

So I went back to the site and clicked on "register" and I cannot get a page to come up to register.

It would appear as though I am not alone in this. Google already has, near the top of it's page, a link that purports to by-pass paltalk registration (it doesn't, by the way) so apparently others cannot register either.

bummed.

I'm about ready to call it quits. I just cannot believe that paltalk itself offers no tech help.

Subject: RE: Tech: Help with Paltalk?
From: John Hardly
Date: 30 May 04 - 12:49 PM

I'm getting there!

I can get to some of the rooms and I can set up a room. Now I just have to figure out how to get my friends to the room (I'm assuming that, since my room does not appear on any of the room menus, that my friends, even if they do log on, will not be able to find my room.

Subject: RE: Tech: Help with Paltalk?
From: nutty
Date: 30 May 04 - 01:03 PM

Your friends can log into your room if they have the password. You can also invite them in if you have them set up as pals.
Your room won't appear unless you have opened it.

Subject: RE: Tech: Help with Paltalk?
From: nutty
Date: 30 May 04 - 01:07 PM

Sorry ...... I should have made it clear that a password is needed ,by your friends, if you want the room to be private.

Subject: RE: Tech: Help with Paltalk?
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 30 May 04 - 06:53 PM

Paltalk regularly give warning about fake paltalk site - these steal your info or give you mal-ware and/or spyware or viruses etc - they warn you about trying to bypass their processes.

Some of these sites can do things like install dialers, steal your credit card info etc.

Robin

Subject: RE: Tech: Help with Paltalk?
From: John Hardly
Date: 30 May 04 - 07:52 PM

Thanks for the warning! And again, thanks for all the info. I seem to be up and running and I couldn't have done it without the help I got here.

.....now I gotta look up this Texas Fingerpicker room and see what the hoopla's all about! :^)

Subject: RE: Tech: Help with Paltalk?
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 30 May 04 - 08:25 PM

Please post the info about your "Live Acoustic" room in the thread Mudcatter's PalTalk Music Rooms if you want to run it regularly, so we can find it and join in.

Subject: RE: Tech: Help with Paltalk?
From: open mike
Date: 02 Jun 04 - 04:21 AM

your room probably will not be listed on the groups page unless it is open. you can get a page that is always displayed there, but i think that costs extra...and the room title is blue...let us know what the toom is and when if you want any mud cats to join you there!
I am glad you found the live help room...the folks there have been very helpful to me.
try stopping by my room or another mud cat's room and see how it goes!
and if you want to let us knoe your nick name, please do!
when you get to know folks who you would like to share tunes and songs with, be sure to put them on your PAL list so you can contact them and they you. also remember to put favorite rooms in the faves list, so you can find them easily again...or if you have problems, you can just
invite folks to join you in "my" room and have a good time there!
(mudcat live acoustic jam room)
i choose to disable cameras in this room because my connection is slow and does not cope with the visual images well, and because people tend to go ga ga about the pictyures which seems to detract from the sounds
of the music being sung and played. Let us know how it is going with you and your room! Laurel

Subject: RE: Tech: Help with Paltalk?
From: John Hardly
Date: 20 Jun 04 - 05:48 PM

Just a final word of thanks for the help in this project. I just tried out my room with a friend from across the country. Everything worked like a charm -- I heard him loud and clear and with very little delay. Wonderful!

Thanks again,

John

Subject: RE: Tech: Help with Paltalk?
From: GUEST,Sonaliii
Date: 02 Mar 06 - 03:21 AM

Hi,

When ever i log into pal after evry 10 mnts or so i get disconnect from pal.please help me
thank you

sonaliii

Subject: RE: Tech: Help with Paltalk?
From: GUEST,Abu-Hannah
Date: 06 Mar 06 - 01:49 PM

I have been trying to login to Paltalk for over 2 weeks now...and keep seeing the same messege, that the user cannot find it. I never had this problem with Paltalk 8.1 so I upgraded to 8.2, same problem. Someone help me please.

Subject: RE: Tech: Help with Paltalk?
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 06 Mar 06 - 07:17 PM

I'm still using version 8.0, (which I like less than previous versions) which I was forced to go to as I got a message when logging in on my old version that it was now incompatible. In the past I've had all sorts of hassles with different versions, with ages mucking around with various fixes.

Subject: RE: Tech: Help with Paltalk?
From: open mike
Date: 06 Mar 06 - 09:36 PM

You may have to go to the firewall program
and make an "exception" for Paltalk.
Also there is a place you can go,
if you are able to log on,
where you can test your audio
settings.

i had major problems as soon as i
installed "service pack 2"

and these were not resolved until
i upgraded to the new version of
"PAL"

the best place to get specific help
is directly from paltalk..
you will not be able to get on via
MAC--there is no program for that
yet. If that is your problem, I am
afraid there is no fix for that, yet.

good luck.