Welcome to the A T Show!
The Assistive Technology Show is a weekly round table-style forum to discuss all things assistive technology, or technology related. Whether you have a question, want to talk about technology you’re finding useful, or just want to learn something new, the Assistive Technology Show is for you. The program is very informal with users generally helping one another. I try to have guest speakers join the program to present new products and services, however, there is ample time during each show for questions and discussions. If you’re unable to take part in the show, or would just like to hear it later, feel free to check out our archives, or feel free to subscribe to our podcast.
How to join?
For windows users
In order to join the Assistive Technology Show, you will need to install and configure the Ventrilo client. Should you prefer, you can access an audio tutorial which takes you step by step through the following instructions.
Here’s how to get up and running. First, download Ventrilo. Clicking the above link will take you to Ventrilo’s download page. Choose the first Ventrilo client which is the Windows version. A Macintosh client also exists and directions for getting it running are similar to those written here. After choosing your version, you’ll be presented with an agreement page basically warning you that it’s illegal to export the software to Iran, Cuba, etc… Simply hit agree and the download finally starts. You can choose to either save, or run the downloaded file — I chose to run it as I didn’t think I’d be needing to reinstall it again. Either way, you’ll be presented with a standard installation wizard, the same one you’ve probably seen countless times when installing other software. Simply “next” your way through the wizard and choose finish when prompted. Ventrilo will have placed an icon on your desktop, simply choose it to run the program.
When running Ventrilo for the first time, you’ll be asked if you want to read the beginner tutorial. If you’re curious, choose yes, otherwise, choose no to just get started. This is now where things get a wee bit tricky. Fear not, you’ll only have to do this once. You’ll be on a user name field, actually it’s a combo box. Hitting tab once will take you to an unlabeled button. Press space to activate this button. Basically, what we’re doing here is creating a new user profile. The users, once created, appear in that combo box, but in order to create them, we need to use the user manager i.e. the unlabeled button. Choose new to create a new user and type in your name. Tab to ok to create the user. You can now set options for your newly created user, although the defaults are perfectly fine. Tab to OK, unless there’s something you really do want to change. After choosing OK, you’ll be placed back on that unlabeled button, press tab. You’ll now be on a server field, yet another empty combo box. Pressing tab again will take you to yet another unlabeled button, this is the server manager. Choose this unlabeled button and as before, choose new to create a new server entry. Once created, the server entries will appear in the combo we just skipped over. Although this may seem complicated, the advantage is that you can define multiple servers and simply choose the one to which you wish to connect. After hitting new, you’ll be asked for a name. call the server whatever you wish — I called mine A T Maine, but you can put whatever you’d like here :). Press ok to create the entry. You will then be able to define settings for the newly entered server profile. The first attribute we need to define is the server’s host name, or address. In the case of my server, the address needed is: v45.darkstarllc.com . I have my Ventrilo server hosted which is why we have a darkstarllc address and not an atmaine one. Pressing tab will take us to the “port” value. By default, 3684 will be filled in, we need to change this in our case to 5881. Although 3784 is the standard Ventrilo port, mine is different because it’s hosted by another company. Pressing tab will move us between additional options — the defaults are fine. Press ok to finish adding the server. Now that we’ve got our user profile created and our server added, we can simply tab to connect and hit space. That’s it! You’ll be connected, you’ll hear a really cool sounding connect sound and you’re in. From then on, in order to use the server, you need only start Ventrilo from the desk top, tab to connect and hit space… You don’t even have to go back to the A T Maine web site.
In order to talk, simply use your left control key. You can change this hotkey, but I think I’ve caused enough confusion for one day :).
As always, if you have any questions, pleas feel free to contact me. Email me, or call me at (207) 512-2387.
For Mac users
Please note, an audio tutorial exists to help guide you through the download, installation and configuration of the Ventrilo client. You may listen to the audio tutorial either by following this link, or by looking at the Assistive Technology Show podcast episodes from within iTunes.
Mac users are able to take part in the Assistive Technology Show as a Ventrilo client for Mac exists. Simply go to Ventrilo’s download page and download the Mac client. Mount the image and copy the Ventrilo application to your applications folder.
Ventrilo on the Mac looks and behaves similarly to its Windows counterpart described above. After running Ventrilo for the first time, You’ll find yourself on a user name drop down field. Navigating to the right using VoiceOver will take you to an unlabeled button. Use vo-space to activate this button. Basically, what we’re doing here is creating a new user profile. The users, once created, appear in that drop down, but in order to create them, we need to use the user manager i.e. the unlabeled button. Choose new to create a new user and type in your name. navigate to ‘ok’ to create the user. You can now set options for your newly created user, although the defaults are perfectly fine. Navigate to OK, unless there’s something you really do want to change. After choosing OK, you’ll be placed back on that unlabeled button, continue navigating right. You’ll now be on a server field, yet another empty drop down. Navigating further right will take you to yet another unlabeled button, this is the server manager. Choose this unlabeled button and as before, choose new to create a new server entry. Once created, the server entries will appear in the drop down we just skipped over. Although this may seem complicated, the advantage is that you can define multiple servers and simply choose the one to which you wish to connect. After hitting new, you’ll be asked for a name. call the server whatever you wish — I called mine A T Maine, but you can put whatever you’d like here :). Press ok to create the entry. You will then be able to define settings for the newly entered server profile. The first attribute we need to define is the server’s host name, or address. In the case of my server, the address needed is: v45.darkstarllc.com . I have my Ventrilo server hosted which is why we have a darkstarllc address and not an atmaine one. Navigating right will take us to the “port” value. By default, 3684 will be filled in, we need to change this in our case to 5881. Although 3784 is the standard Ventrilo port, mine is different because it’s hosted by another company. Further navigation will move us between additional options — the defaults are fine. Press ok to finish adding the server. Now that we’ve got our user profile created and our server added, we can simply navigate to connect and activate it. That’s it! You’ll be connected, you’ll hear a really cool sounding connect sound and you’re in. From then on, in order to use the server, you need only start Ventrilo from your applications folder, navigate to connect and activate it. You don’t even have to go back to the A T Maine web site.
One more thing worth noting is that by default, Ventrilo uses the control key as it’s “push to talk” key. For VoiceOver users, this creates a bit of a conflict as whenever you attempt to navigate, Ventrilo will think you’re wanting to say something. The default hotkey can be changed, however, by performing the following actions:
#1 Navigate to and activate the settings button.
#2 Vo-shft-end to move the VoiceOver cursor to the bottom of the settings screen — this is a very important step.
#3 Navigate left until you encounter the OK button.
#4 If mouse tracking is disabled, route your mouse pointer to the OK button.
#5 disable mouse tracking with vo-shft-f3.
#6 Navigate to the top of the settings screen using vo-shft-home.
#7 As you navigate right, you will eventually encounter an edit field for the default hotkey. Anything typed in this field becomes the new default hotkey. Problem is, as you attempt to navigate away from this field, you’ll change whatever you had intended to be your default hotkey. Since we know our mouse pointer is in the correct place, simply press whatever you’d like the default hotkey to be, I chose the function key, and physically click your mouse. Physically clicking the mouse will activate the OK button and your new default hotkey will be saved.
As always, should you encounter any difficulties, or if you would like assistance getting on to the program for the first time, feel free to contact me.
Thank you for visiting the Assistive Technology Show.
Server status
