Help: Chat
Chat
Redhead World members can chat with multiple members in multiple rooms simultaneously in main chat. Members can audio/video conference with multiple people as well as have private conversations.
Requirements
- Compatible Web Browser
- Adobe Flash Plugin Installed and Enabled (download)
The main chat has been tested with Internet Explorer and Firefox. Safari and Google Chrome users may experience issues for the time being.
Chat Application Sections
Room/Conversation Tabs
The tabs in the top-left show chat rooms and private conversations you are currently in. Click a tab to switch to that room or conversation. A blinking icon indicates there are new messages in the tab. Click the small "x" on a tab to leave that room or conversation.
Chat Display
The large white window in the center left is where all chat room or conversation messages are displayed.
Chat Settings Bar
The chat settings bar changes preferences for the chat session. From left to right are buttons for:
- Bold
- Italic
- Underline
- Font Color: your text will appear in this color to you and others.
- Smileys / Emoticons: click the button and click on a emoticon to place it in the text entry. Choose "change smileset" to choose a different set of smileys.
- Send to: select a chat member to send a directed message to. The member will hear an alert sound.
- Whisper checkbox: if you use "Send to" you can also select the whisper box to send a private message just to that user. The user will hear a different alert sound.
- Clear chat: clears the chat display window.
- Chat help: basic chat help
- Chat Settings (see section below)
- Status: choose between online, busy, or away. Your status icon in the top right user list will reflect the change to other members.
Text Entry Box
Type your message here below the Chat Settings Bar and either press the enter key or click the large triangle button to send your message.
Users List
In the top-right, the users in the currently selected chat room or private conversation are shown, along with online status. Small circles to the right of a username indicates that user is streaming audio and/or video; simply click the button to hear and/or see them. Click on a username to pull up a menu to see the member's profile in a new window, whisper, direct message, or start a private conversation.
Room Box
The names of all rooms are displayed along with the number of male and female members. Click on a room to enter it. This creates a new tab in the top-left.
Click "Create Room" and enter a new room name and description if you have a special topic or event chat. Please remember to delete the room after use by clicking the key symbol next to the room name and selecting "delete."
Who's Watching Me
This box appears on the right column between the Room Box and "My Video" box when you are streaming audio and/or video, otherwise it is not shown. All members who are listening and/or watching you appear in this list.
My Video
This box controls streaming your own audio or video. The main picture shows your profile photo normally. When streaming video, your video stream is shown in full quality. The quality of transmitted video may be lower resolution. There are 5 buttons on the left. From top to bottom:
- Play/streaming your video
- Pause streaming your video
- Stop streaming your video
- Toggle on/off streaming your audio
- Streaming Settings
Chat Settings
The chat settings box has 6 tabs, one of which contains an additional menu.
- General: change the language, toggle date/time stamps, icons, and other messages.
- Sound: adjust sound volume of beeps in chat, or mute chat.
- Fonts: change the font and font size that you type in. Other members will see the new font and size. To see all messages as black, bold font, uncheck "personalized styles."
- Skins: change the skin of the chat application.
- Smilesets: select the smileset. Also available from the smiley/emoticon button.
- Advanced: advanced settings menu for streaming audio/video and more.
Advanced Settings
This shows the Adobe Flash Player settings. There are five tabs.
- Display: leave the hardware acceleration enabled unless you experience video quality problems.
- Privacy: before streaming audio or video you will be prompted by this menu to "allow" access to your microphone and web camera for use with audio/video chat.
- Local Storage: we recommend setting this at 10MB.
- Microphone: select the sound source you want to use and adjust the recording volume. We recommend using "reduce echo." If other there is feedback with other members streaming audio, try using headphones, moving your microphone away from your speakers, or lowering their volume.
- Camera: select which video source to use for streaming video.
Video Tutorial
The video tutorial demonstrates how to use all chat functions including streaming audio and video. Also see the instant messenger video tutorial for more information on streaming audio and video.
Chat Tips
- If no one is in chat and you wish others were, enter chat and use other browser windows to do other work. Other members will see there is someone in chat on the Members|Online or homepage and join you.
- You can copy/paste hyperlinks into chat, but there are some known issues with this. We reccommend putting two spaces before the hyperlink followed immediately by a question mark and two spaces, "? ". If the hyperlink still doesn't display properly, try inserting spaces in the hyperlink. Other users will have to copy/paste the link and remove the spaces.
- If you have trouble reading the other fonts or colors, you can make all text black and bold by going into settings (grey gear button), selecting the Fonts tab, and uncheck the "Personalized styles" checkbox.
- If a user's video feed isn't showing in their box, try magnifying their window (magnifying glass button in lower right of video window). You can then minimize their window and continue viewing them.
