Technical Information
What system do I need to install CTalk phone?
- A PC or Mac running Windows 2000/XP/Vista
- About 20MB of free disk space
- A working internet connection (CTalk phone works on Dial-up connection, too!)
- A headset with speaker and a microphone or a USB Handset. You can use normal speakers and a microphone, but the sound quality will not be as good as with a headset and you might get some echoes. You can buy a headset at your local computer store.
What internet speed do I need?
To use the CTalk phone you will need a minimum internet speed of 28 kbps (kilobits per second).
You may want to close down all other programs while you’re on a call to keep the voice quality high.
How much bandwidth does CTalk use?
Like all Internet based applications, CTalk is going to use some of your Internet traffic - mostly when you are making calls. Compared with other internet phones the CTalk phone uses very low amount of bandwidth, around 1kB/s. If you're on a call with CTalk phone for an hour, you'll use about 4MB of bandwidth.
Can I use the CTalk phone if I have a dial-up connection?
Yes, the CTalk phone works perfectly well with a dial-up connection. You may want to close down all other programs while you’re on a call to keep the voice quality high.
How is this phone better than Skype and other internet phones?
Although other internet phones (like Skype) appear to be free, they cost you a lot because they use a lot of internet bandwidth. CTalk phone uses about 1kB/s and sounds like a normal phone!
The calls from the other internet phones are often choppy with lots of echo. Is it frustrating and you wouldn’t use them for business calls. CTalk phone provides Carrier quality audio so it sounds like a normal phone.
Other internet phones can’t be used everywhere. They can’t be used where internet access is poor or in high demand, like airports. CTalk phone is designed for use in places with Minimal Internet Bandwidth.
Other internet phones can’t be used with a dial-up connection. CTalk is one of the few that can!
I already have an internet phone. How do I put CTalk on it?
If you already have a physical internet phone like AASTRA you can still use CTalk service.
- First you need to sign up to get you username and password.
- The domain server to point your internet phone to is thor.concerotel.com
- The port is 5060
- We accept the following audio codes: G729, G723, G711 and ILBC
- RTP ports 15000 to 20000
How do I add my Microsoft Outlook Contact list to CTalk phone?
To add your Microsoft Outlook Contact list, click on Menu then Options then Enhancements and select to enable the toolbar and/or show Outlook contacts list. You will need to restart CTalk phone for the changes to take effect.
The Outlook Contacts will be displayed in the Outlook Contacts group. This will only appear if you have Outlook running. If you have categorized your contacts in Outlook, these categories will appear in CTalk as Groups.
Note: If a single contact has multiple Categories in Outlook, only the first Category is recognised.
Back Top
How can I choose the audio device to use with CTalk?
From CTalk, go to Menu > Options > Audio, and set the Audio In and Audio Out device to the desired audio device.
How can I see which version of CTalk I'm using?
In CTalk, go to Menu > Options > About. We recommend always using the latest version of CTalk.
Any other tips or tricks?
- A good quality headset or USB Phone will sound much better than using your computer’s external speakers and microphone.
- Some onboard soundcards, particularly in laptops, can have very poor audio quality even when using a good headset. In these cases its best to try a USB Audio Device such as a USB Handset/Headset.
- CTalk phone contains advanced Echo Cancellation and Gain Control that is enabled by default. You shouldn’t turn this option off unless you’re using an audio device with built-in hardware echo cancellation and the two are conflicting.
- There is no software limit on the number of calls or Conferences you can have running at the same time – but each uses some of your PC resources and Internet bandwidth. Depending on your PC specifications and Internet speeds, too many simultaneous calls may diminish the audio quality.
- If you have a slow internet connection, you may want to close down all other programs while you’re on a call to keep the audio quality high.
Back Top |
