Tonecast: high quality radio broadcast over a local area network

Getting started with Vypress Tonecast

Vypress Tonecast presents the new stage of online communication. It is designed for real-time delivery of sound messages over TCP/IP networks. Supporting broadcast IP addressing, stream sound compression and DirectX technology makes Vypress Tonecast ideal for business communication, local phone systems, broadcast advertising and for other network messaging systems.

One good use of Vypress Tonecast would be as a paging system in a large office where all employees are sat behind PCs.

Index

• Installation
  • Installing Broadcasting Module
  • Installing Receiver Module
• Configuring The Broadcasting Module
  • Setting Up For Multiple Subnetworks
  • Setting Up The TCP & UDP port
  • Setting Compression
  • Selecting Audio Source
  • Adjusting The Volume For Transmissions
  • Suspending Audio Output
• Configuring The Receiver client
  • Adjusting The Volume For Playing
  • Suspending Audio Output

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Installation

Tonecast utilises two modules one for Broadcasting audio and one for receiving the audio:

Installing The Broadcasting Module

Run the Tonecast setup package (Tonecast13.exe)
Decheck the Install Vypress Tonecast Reciever Client
The option Also create shortcut to the Receiver in the “StartUp” group will automatically be disabled.

Click the Next Button to start the installation.
You will now be presented with a window which shows a report of what will be installed. Click the Next button if this is to your satisfaction, otherwise click the Back button and make the necessary changes.

The required files will now be copied to your computer, after which you will be shown an Installation Complete window which asks you if you would like to launch the application now.

Decheck the option if you do not wish to run the application.
Click the Finish button to complete the setup program.

Installing The Receiver Module

Run the Tonecast setup package (Tonecast13.exe)
Decheck the Install Vypress Tonecast Broadcast Module
The option Also create shortcut to the Receiver in the “StartUp” group is self explanitory — dechecking this forces Tonecast not to create a Start Menu shortcut.

Click the Next Button to start the installation.

You will now be presented with a window which shows a report of what will be installed. Click the Next button if this is to your satisfaction, otherwise click the Back button and make the necessary changes.

The required files will now be copied to your computer, after which you will be shown an Installation Complete window which asks you if you would like to launch the application now.
Decheck the option if you do not wish to run the application.
Click the Finish button to complete the setup program.

Configuring The Broadcasting Module

The Broadcasting Module sends the audio out on to the network — this is where the audio source will be played from so you could think of it as your own personal radio station.

In order to send audio out on to your network it must first run through your sound card — so ensure your sound card is a fairly recent one, for the purposes of the tutorial we used a Sound Blaster 16 which was quite adequate.

Directing Audio To The Receiving Modules

The next step is to inform the Broadcasting Module where to send the audio. If you haven’t already done so run up the Broadcasting Module and click on the Settings button.

The Vypress Toncecast Properties window will be displayed, click on the Network tab.

There are a number of input fields:

• Current IP address(es) — this is the network address of your machine (the one you are currently using).
• Use protocol(s) — TCP UDP, these are networking protocols — both should be checked.
• TCP & UDP port — the Broadcasting Module transmits the audio out through a channel, consider this to be the frequency you would tune your radio in to find your favourite radio music station.
• Broadcast address(es) — this is the list of subnetwork addresses the Broadcasting Module will send the audio to.
• The number of routed network segments to be covered — Specifies the scope over which multicast transmissions will occur.

If all of the computers on your network are located on the same subnetwork you will not need to change any of the above settings.

Setting Up For Multiple Subnetworks

Your network may have been divided up by your network administrator into several smaller subnetworks.

Take for example a typical scenario:

Factory Floor: 10.x.x.x

Accounts Office: 11.x.x.x

Engineering Office: 12.x.x.x

Production Office: 13.x.x.x

All the computers are still connected together by means of a hub/router and network cables but have been grouped together into smaller, more managable collections.

Installing the Broadcasting Module onto say a computer in the Accounts Office means that by default only the computers on that particular subnetwork will be able to receive the audio output.

To correct this, set The number of routed network segments to be covered field to 5, this will enable all computers on all subnetworks to receive the output.

TCP & UDP port

As we mentioned before this is akin to the frequency you would tune your radio in to find your favourite radio music station, by default it is set to 30000. Should you find that this value is currently being used by another application you may change it — you may a use any value from 5000 to 65535

REMEMBER the value that is set in this field must also be set on each of the machines using the Vypress ToneCast Receiver.
If a radio station changed its’ frequency everyone would need to retune their radios, it’s exactly the same principle.

Setting Compression

Vypress ToneCast allows you to compress audio before being transmitted - this naturally reduces bandwidth on your network.

Click on the Settings button.

The Vypress Toncecast Properties window will be displayed, click on the Compression tab.

You will see three fields:

• Compression Algorithm — this determines how the audio will be compressed.
• Psychoacoustic Model — instrument tone and all of its harmonics retain their natural sounding loudness relationships. Basically you get to hear the metallic timbre of harp strings, the richness of violins, and the distinctive harmony of brass — in short you get to hear all of the individual sounds in the audio.
• Bitrate — this is the data transmission rate.

You may need to experiment with the compression algorithms as some sound cards on your network might not support all of the compression methods.

Enable Joint Stereo Mode — this aids in the compression of stereo signal compression.

Selecting Audio Source

Vypress ToneCast allows you to use audio from a variety of sources.

The source is naturally set on the Broadcasting Module, click on the arrow located next to the From: field.

From here it is a simple case of selecting which of the options suits your requirements.

Selecting Custom from the list of options will display the Recording Controls window for your particular sound card.

Here you can do further adjustments to the volume and source properties.

Adjusting The Volume For Transmissions

You may set the maximum level of volume for audio transmissions — what this means is that receivers will not be able to go beyond this level of volume. This will prevent receiving clients from playing the audio at such a level that it may become distorted.

To set the level of output volume use the Gain sliding adjuster.

Suspending Audio Output

You may suspend audio output during a transmission by simply clicking the On/Off button — this acts as a toggle, click the button when audio is playing will cause the audio to be suspended, clicking the button again will resume the transmission.

Configuring The Receiver client

Once you have installed the Receiving client correctly you must congiure it to hear any transmission from the Broadcasting Module.
If you haven’t already done so run up the Receiving client and click on the Settings button.

The Vypress Toncecast Properties window will be displayed, click on the Network tab.

There are a number of input fields:

• Use protocol(s) — TCP UDP, these are networking protocols — both should be checked.
• TCP & UDP port — the Broadcasting Module transmits the audio out through a channel, consider this to be the frequency you would tune your radio in to find your favourite radio music station.
  The value in this field MUST match the value set in the same field on the Broadcasting Module.

Adjusting The Volume For Playing

You may adjust the volume of audio being received to the Receiving client.
To set the level of output volume use the Gain sliding adjuster.

Suspending Audio Output

You may suspend audio output by simply clicking the On/Off button — this acts as a toggle, click the button when audio is playing will cause the audio to be suspended, clicking the button again will resume playback of the audio.