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EVO : General Installation and First Use for all Operating Systems

This page covers installation and use of EVO in regard to the aspects of this that are common to the three main operating systems (Linux varieties, Mac, and Windows). Additional pages will cover issues that are specific to any of the operating systems.

It is hoped that users will download the official documentation from the EVO site for a more in-depth guide to this client. That said, it should be possible to get things up-and-running without too much fuss, and a certain amount of the functionality may be discovered by exploration...

Installation and Use

Apart from ensuring that Java is installed on your machine, there is no installation of software as such. However, there are various settings which need to be configured at the first use of EVO.

Before running EVO :

  1. Java needs to be running on the user's machine. Go to http://www.java.com/ and download and install Java to your machine.
  2. You will need a camera of some sort, be it a USB webcam or something more elaborate. As there are so many variables here, the details will not be discussed. See here for a guide to operating systems and cameras; not all cameras work with all versions of all operating systems.
  3. You will need both an audio source (microphone of some description), and hardware for audio playback. The simplest case is a headset, combining a microphone and headphones in the one unit. Other systems are described on the Audio Devices page. It is VITAL that there is no feedback path between the microphone(s) and the audio replay harware (e.g. speakers); alternatively, ensure that there is echo-cancellation in place.
  4. If possible, check independently of running EVO that your video and audio hardware are working as they should.
  5. Start a web browser, and go the EVO site.
  6. You will need to register before being able to run EVO. Click on "Register" and follow the instructions.

From this stage on, Mac users may face specific issues related to proxy authorisation; refer to the Mac-specific page(under development) (or the official EVO Documentation and FAQ) for more information.

To run EVO :

  1. At the EVO site, click "Start", and follow along... until you find the EVO client "Koala" downloading.
  2. Once Koala has started, from the "Universe" community tab, click on the "Testing" meeting, and join it.
  3. Once Koala starts, it should appear much like this:

    4. NOTE: 14/7/2008 Under Windows, the control functions of vievo have been integrated into the video display window, resulting in a substantial change to the appearence of the video aspect of EVO under Windows. Notes on this will be added presently. This has not affected EVO on Mac OS, and the general notes below still apply in that case.

  4. You will also see the "vievo" video control window open. However, video and audio are, by default, not set to transmit, so you will initially not see your own video stream anywhere. At the bottom of the "Current Meeting" tab, note the buttons which appear as below, and note the lines through the camera (1st from left) and microphone (4th from left) symbols.
  5. Click on each of these in turn to enable video and audio transmission :
  6. After video transmission has been enabled, your own transmitted video stream will appear in the video control window "vievo", along with that of anyone else who may also be in the Meeting, and who is actually transmitting video. Using "vievo", you can select your camera/video source, adjust the video bandwidth and quality, and select which video stream/s you're receiving from external sites to display. Please download and read the official EVO Doucumentation for more detail. Shown here is the vievo window with some related control windows opened :
  7. In Koala, there is a tab for "AV Controls"; select it, and you will then have a tab for Video and another for Audio, as below:

Particularly important are the settings in the Audio tab. You should adjust the gains, and select the correct Input and Output devices to transmit and receive audio through the correct paths. The level meters will give an obvious indication of audio activity.

As a suggestion, click on the "Advanced" button in the Audio tab, and adjust Quality; turn off Silence Suppression; turn off AGC, as shown below. Check to see if these settings improve your listening and sending quality.

This should get you at- or very near- the stage of a first use of EVO, with two-way audio and video. The Testing Meeting is always open, and there is a chance that you will find someone else in there at some time, who may be able to assist with checking your audio and video. If you know someone who has EVO working, arrange a time for a test session between you.

In the Universe community, there is an open meeting called "EVO TV" which is broadcasting all the time, barring technical problems. This is a useful source for testing your video/audio display and reception, but note that the audio levels from there can vary somewhat, so be ready to adjust your audio-receive level.