Short Guide

How to join our coaching server.

1. Download Teamspeak at: http://www.goteamspeak.com/index.php?page=downloads

2. Install Teamspeak

3. Go to our coaching Area. » Coaching Area

4. As soon as a coaching starts, you will see this sign . You just have to click on and Teamspeak will open automatical and you will get connected to the right coaching server.

5. In case this shouldn't work it could be because your member status is not high enough to join the explicit coaching.

6. Anyway you can also join our coachings manual. Therefore see the server adress below:

Basic/Bronze: teamspeak.pokerstrategy.com:9001
Silber: teamspeak.pokerstrategy.com:9002
Gold: teamspeak.pokerstrategy.com:9003
Platin: teamspeak.pokerstrategy.com:9004
Diamond: teamspeak.pokerstrategy.com:9005

Foreword

Pokerstrategy.de's live coachings are done exclusively with TeamSpeak. TeamSpeak is a program that allows multiple users to take place in voice conferences over the internet. It is free for non-commercial use. This article presents a short introduction into the configuration and use of the TeamSpeak software with a view to taking part in the live coachings. I will not explain functions unrelated to this task.

The requirements for using the TeamSpeak software and taking part in the live coachings consist of a PC with a soundcard and speakers. This is enough just to listenn to the coach. If you want to take an active role in the conference, you'll need a microphone. The most practical variant is a headset. Few coachings, however, will give you the opportunity to speak yourself. The coach decides this himself, but the sheer number of participants makes it hardly sensible and disruptive for all of them to talk. Questions directed at the coach or other members are typically done using TeamSpeak's chat function. Therefore, a mic or headset is not necessary.

You can download the TeamSpeak software at the following site: http://www.goTeamSpeak.com/index.php?page=downloads

You need to pick the file TeamSpeak 2 Client (RC2) for your platform - Windows or Linux. For Mac users there is an unofficial version available. You can install the software to an arbitrary directory.

Access Data

You will get access data for the Pokerstrategy.de TeamSpeak Server by email as soon as you are permitted to take part in live coachings as per your membership status. Should you have problems or questions about this, please turn to Pokerstrategy.de support.

How to join our coaching server

As soon as a coaching starts, you will see this sign . You just have to click on and Teamspeak will open automatical and you will get connected to the right coaching server.

Join our TeamSpeak server manual

For Bronze Members (anonymous access):

· Server Address: teamspeak.pokerstrategy.com:9001

· Nickname: your Pokerstrategy.de handle

· Choose anonymous

· Server Password: aceofspades

· check Auto-Reconnect


You don't need to fill in the other fields.



For members with at least Silver status (registered users):

· Silber: teamspeak.pokerstrategy.com:9002
Gold: teamspeak.pokerstrategy.com:9003
Platin: teamspeak.pokerstrategy.com:9004
Diamond: teamspeak.pokerstrategy.com:9005

· Nickname: your Pokerstrategy.de handle

· Registered auswählen

· Login Name: your Pokerstrategy.de handle

· Password: the password you got by email

· check Auto-Reconnect


You don't need to worry about the other fields.



Clicking on Connect will connect you to the Pokerstrategy.de TeamSpeak server. The settings you entered above will be saved so that you don't have to repeat that step every time. When logging in again it's enough just to pick the server from the list and click on Connect.

Configuring the TeamSpeak Software

In this chapter I will explain the settings that are pertinent for participating in the live coachings with TeamSpeak. I will ignore those settings that are irrelevant to this task. I assume that you have connected your soundcard, speakers, and microphone/headset properly.

Sound Input/Output Settings

You can get to this dialog through Settings -> Sound Input/Output Settings. Here you must set options pertaining to the volume and type of speech input and output. You have the following options:


Output Volume: Controls how loud you hear others (i.e. the coach) speaking.


Voice Send Method:

Push to talk: If you activate this option, you will only send speech data when you press and hold a certain key. Clear deletes this key setting.

Voice Activation: Activating this option will send your speech only when the volume into your mic exceeds a certain limit. This is useful for supressing noise and sounds like breathing or background noise.

Voice Activation Level: Here is where you determine how loud you have to speak to have the mic pick it up and send it. Set it as high as possible (in the direction of "shout")! Otherwise you'll send breathing sounds, background noise, keyboard taps and mumbling the whole time. This can be especially important with headsets, which don't have any particular quality of tone, leading to the other listeners hearing pops, cracks, or other noise. If you hear feedback you must also push the setting higher. This occurs most often with a mic and speakers. Otherwise the other listeners might hear themselves coming through your mic, which can be very disturbing.

You can easily check whether this setting is too low. Just look at the green button next to your name in the TeamSpeak window. If it is lit up, you are transmitting. If it's lit up even though you aren't saying anything, turn this setting up.


Local Test:

Activate Local Test Mode: This activates the test function. This lets you check whether the voice activation level is set correctly. This function lets you hear what you say as others would hear it in the conference.

External: the Windows volume control

To use a mic and take active part in coachings and conferences, you must configure your Windows settings properly in addition to those in the TeamSpeak software. To use a microphone or headset, you can use the Windows assistant as follows: Start -> Control panel-> Sounds und Audio devices-> Tab „Voice" -> test hardware. If things work properly here, they will usually go smoothly in TeamSpeak as well.

Furthermore, if you have problems you should check the Windows volume control directly for improper settings. You can open it either by doubleclicking on the speaker icon next to the clock in the taskbar or with Start -> Control panel-> Sounds und Audio devices->Tab "volume"-> expand

Des Weiteren sollte man bei Problemen direkt in der Windows Lautstärkeregelung überprüfen, ob alle Einstellungen korrekt sind. Die Lautstärkeregelung öffnet man entweder durch einen Doppelklick auf das Lautsprechersymbol neben der Uhr in der Taskleiste oder über Start -> Systemsteuerung -> Sounds und Audiogeräte -> Tab „Lautstärke" -> device volume advanced.



Here you should choose Options-> properties-> adjust volume for recording, and activate the microphone option in the list, then confirm with ok. In the dialog box, check to make sure the microphone is active and the volume is high enough. Clicking on advanced opens another dialog where you can check whether Mic Boost is active.

To check these settings, there is an option in the playback settings for un-muting the mic so that you can hear yourself over headphones or speakers.

Using TeamSpeak

The actual use of TeamSpeak works very intuitively and simply. The following functions are pertinent for taking part in the live coachings:

Entering/ switching channels

The TeamSpeak server is divided into different channels. The coachings take place over individual channels. You can see which channels are hosting which coachings under the current coaching plan and channel name. To join a particular channel or change channels, just doubleclick on the name of the channel you want.

Sending text messages to other users

To send text to other users, e.g. to ask a coach a question, you right click on the name of the user you want to message and choose Send Text Message To Player from the menu. A window will open, you type your text and confirm the entry with OK. The message will then be sent to the chosen user.

The „Self" menu

Here you will fine a few more relevant functions. They are:

Away: This will show you as being away in the list of channels
Mute Microphone: Mutes your own microphone. This prevents other users from hearing private conversations you may be having on the side.
Mute Speakers/Headphones: Mutes your speakers/headphones. Only data from TeamSpeak will not be heard. Other programs can still output to your speakers.

Troubleshooting / FAQ

If you have problems with TeamSpeak not addressed here, you should check out the following page. Here you will find answers to almost all questions and problems that might arise when using TeamSpeak: http://www.TeamSpeak-einstieg.de/index.p...display&ceid=48

The most common problems and questions are adressed in the following. I will make an effort to expand this list as needed.

TeamSpeak behind routers/firewalls

You don't need to do anything special to use the TeamSpeak client from behind a router, i.e. You don't have to free up any ports. If your router has a built in firewall, however, or if another firewall is active, you'll need to open the following ports for TeamSpeak:

· UDP Ports 1024 - 65535 for incoming connections

· UDP Port 9000 for outgoing connections

How can I turn off the notification sounds?

Constant notifications can be annoying on high traffic servers like Pokerstrategy.de's. You can deactivate them through the dialog Settings -> Options -> Sound Notifications. Here you can deactivate individual sounds or wipe them all out with the option Disable all Sounds.

My mic and headset/speakers are permanently muted.

If the TeamSpeak client mutes sound input/output, it cannot create a sound stream. The most common cause is a corrupt or wrongly chosen sound driver.

In the first case, a driver update from the website of your soundcard manufacturer will help. In the second case, you can try a few things in the options of TeamSpeak 2.

First, switch the Input Device and Output Device under Settings -> Options -> Sound Devices to the proper USB headset or soundcard.

Another possibility is to go to Settings -> Options -> Other and set the process priority to high. Other than that you can try to switch the sound driver under Sound Devices from Wave to Direct Sound.