[manual for version 1.33 not finished, will be delivered later] Service Area Frontend for P, Ver 1.2 (c) Ponton European Media Art Lab, Hannover 1994 * Introduction Service Area a.i. is a telematic landscape based on computers and networks. It's accessible in different ways: via Telephone, Modem, Fax or TV. The visitors of Service Area a.i. inhabit and design this world and therefore represent a virtual society. Hundreds of people could get access in realtime, they have several communication possibilities like talking to each other, exchange text- and artwork, they could even transmit movies. The visitors can visualize themselves with the Service Area Frontends, they could travel through the cyberreality, get in touch with other people, make music and much more. The software is the key to the virtual world of Service Area a.i.. If you'd like to know more: just dial in and try it or write an e-mail to service@ponton.hanse.de for more information first. * Hardware Requirements You need at least a PC with a 286-CPU, a 386 with 33 MHZ would be much better and a 586 is the absolut choice. - eine RAMDISK with at least 1 MB. You create one with 4 MB by writing this command to CONFIG.SYS: DEVICE=C:\DOS\RAMDRIVE.SYS 4096 512 1024 /e You can choose any capacity for 1 to 16 MB, depending on your hardware. - MS-DOS 3.3 or higher - 640 K standard-memory - VGA-Graphics - Mouse - a Modem with at least 9600 baud, 14400 is the better choice. Optionals: - Soundblaster 2.0 - Microphon (required for the upgrade to PC Frontend 2.0) - AVIS-Videodigitizer (with Camera) * How to install the Frontend? First create a directory PIAZZA. Copy the program "FRONT_PC.EXE" to it and execute the exe-file. All necessary files will be unstuffed. Here's a list of them: FRONTEND.EXE the program EGAVGA.BGI Grafiktreiber USER.DDD your profile PIAZZA.DDD USER.SHP MAKEUSER.EXE User shape's compilation tool PIAZZA.SHP FM.IBK BUTTONL.BMP BUTTONR.BMP BUTTONM2.BMP AVIS0000.API several AVIS-Pictures README.TXT this file LIESMICH.TXT this file in german FHISTORY.TXT AVIS-History file LITT.CHR TRIP.CHR F.BAT batchfile Store your parameters (COM-Port and modemspeed) in "F.BAT". The Frontend is freeware, please feel free to spread it to all your friends and good BBS systems. But be sure to keep the file "USER" with you, because it stores your personal data. You don't need to worry too much if your user file has been spreaded by accident. Service Area a.i. stores no personal data like mails or addresses and no password is required for access. * Modemsettings Your modem should have the following settings, there's the possibility to define an initstring at the first start of the PC-Frontend. If you want to change it later, use any ASCII-Editor to change the file "USER". Your modem should use RTS/CTS flow control (often AT&R2&H1) and the serial port rate should be fixed (mostly AT&B1). The Modem should hang up on DTR down and should execute normal DCD-operations (AT&D2&C1). Please choose the following options with a connected AVIS-cheese: ignore DTR and disable command echo (AT&D0E0). Your serial cable should support all handshake and all pins from 2 to 8 and 20 should be connected. For people with 9-pol cables: TD,RD,RTS,CTS,DSR,GND,DCD and DTR. * starting Frontend You can start up either with "F.BAT" or directly with "FRONTEND". Calling Frontend directly gives you the ability to handle some parameters directly. E.g. "FRONTEND 1 19200" tells: use COM-port 1 with 19200 baud. The software searches first for a RAM-Disk to create a directory for temporary items. It asks for a partition to store the scratchfile, if the RAM-Disk search fails. You can specify any disk and directory for the temporary file, confirm your choice with a . Although it's a good idea to create a RAM-Disk because of speed reasons. Here's an example how to create a 4MB-Disk: add the following command line to your CONFIG.SYS and reboot: DEVICE=C:\DOS\RAMDRIVE.SYS 4096 512 1024 /e The Service Area Frontend asks first for the desired COM-Port, if you haven't passed any parameters after launching the program. The standard devices COM1: to COM4: are accessed with <1> to <4>. If you'd like to use other ports: pass the parameters in the following form "$""/" ein. For a Unix-card something like: "1A0/5". It's necessary to specify the Modem speed. Just type an if you're using an AVIS-cheese, because AVIS is working with one speed only and requires a special port handling. You could store these parameters in "F.BAT" to access them automatically next time. You're asked for a username and some personal data at first login. Please give them to us or access to Service Area a.i. will be denied. We collect these data for adminstrative use and won't pass them over to other persons or organisations. You've added some wrong data by accident? Just delete the file "USER" and restart the programm, it will create a new file for you. You can add an initstring for your modem afterwards, please have a close look at "Modemsettings" for all necessary information. The modem commands are stored in the "USER"-file, you could change it easily by using a simple text editor. Last but not least, the phone number of Service Area a.i. from within Germany. Please change it to 511-631030 and don't forget to add the german country code. Then the frontend comes up and tries to reach us in Hannover, Germany. Have fun. * The Piazza Your first look at Service Area a.i. goes to the main piazza, called "Public", straight ahead are the four forums that belong to it. There are seven other piazzas, each one has four forums. Every piazza has it's own theme of global interest, the themes of the forums are more specialised. Every theme is displayed in big blue letters. Just step around, take place in discussions or do whatever you want. A status line is displayed at the top of your screen. Your ID (received automatically at login) is at the left, followed by the dialed number. The mode is shown in red: "TEXT" means a normal Text-Capture and "AVIS" stands for Video-Captures. "AVIS" changes to "Sendig" while you're transmitting your own pictures into Service Area. If you've choosed the sound-mode, your instrument is shown in white letters. The green "X" or "O" is an indicator for sending permissions. An "X" means too much data received, shut up a moment. "O" everything allright pass over all data. The time is displayed in UTC (Universal Time Code). Underneath your window to Service Area a.i., as described already. All Piazzas are in blue or orange color, you appear as a green object, if you haven't changed the parameters in USER.DDD. Every user carries his name. You can create your own shape by modifying the file USER.DDD. We recommend that you now the basics of 3-D-Programming to do this. Compile your edited file with MAKEUSER.EXE. The last part of the screen is the navigation window. It's divided from the WorldView of Service Area through a status line for system informations. All users, that are currently connected are displayed here, this list will update every time a user loggs out or comes in. You'll get a message also if you've entered a forum. * Navigation through Service Area a.i. You could wander through the world of Service Area with the mouse. There's a compass at left top to make orientation a little bit easier for you. All buttons could be activated also with the numeric keypad and the cursors. All buttons on the right are belonging to the numeric keys and the buttons on the left to the cursor pad. Every move is collected and displayed from your own frontend. That's why you are able to fly everytime, even when you're not connected to Service Area. This feature gives you the ability of true navigation. You can enter a forum directly and talk to the people there. All communication that takes place in other forums is suppressed then. Just fly directly to the forum until its name is displayed in your status line. Then you're in. You leave the forum by flying away via the side border. This is the layout for your three dimenisional navigation.Sure you could execute it also with your mouse. 1 /\ straight ahead 2 v down 3 \/ backwards 4 <- left 5 o Home returns to the login position 6 -> right 7 <@ turn left 8 ^ upwards 9 @> turn right * Communicationmodes of Service Area a.i. You can use several media to communicate with others on our piazza. Choose between text, pictures or sound with a mousclick on the icon-buttons displayed on the left. Use: 'T' for text, piano for music microphone for speech (not implemented in this betaversion) CamCorder for AVIS-pictures brush for painting (not implemented in this betaversion) the clear button for nothing (sure, it hasn't been implemented yet). Text make a discussion with the other participants. You can read the text communication in your actual forum in the lowest window between the navigation blocks. Your own contributions are edited in the green line below, send it with . Your username is added automatically. Music just make music. The text window changes to a piano after a mouseklick on the music button. You receive one of 128 instruments automatically. The icons above are not initialised with special instruments by now, but you can move to another instrument by pressing them. The icon with the note on it loads a new bank. You can enjoy the whole variety of the orchestra by using a soundblaster device. Playing is very easy: just press the piano by using your mouse or use the keyboard. The second and forth row contains the tone and the first and third the halftones. You could hold every sound for 10 seconds, afterwards it will be ignored by the WorldEngine to avoid getting on all others nerves. Brush paint with your partners, these function will be added later on. Microphone speek to everyone. With a Soundblastercard you'll be able to hear all voices in the next version of Service Area Frontend. Camera make photographs and films at Service Area a.i.. You have access to full functionality if you have an AVIS-Cheese. If not, you can watch what other people are transmitting. The display changes to black and white by pressing the camera button. All received pictures are stored in the gallery. You could step from one frame to another with the cursor-keys. The F-keys have the following functions: F3 send this picture (play) F4 save next received picture to gallery F9 send live-pictures from home (AVIS-Cheese required!). This keys between "start transmission" and "stop transmission". Its helpful to press it after 2 seconds again to transmit only one picture. You can't participate in the chat, during a transmission of AVIS-pictures. You'd like to obtain an AVIS-Cheese? Please look at the order info at the bottom of this text. * Orange Keys same as F-keys 1 to 4 Info (F1) Map of Service Area, you look at the world with all users from above. Change the view with the "+" and "-" on the numeric keypad. Toggle Connectionmode (F2) pressing this key with the mouse terminates your visit to Service Area. The Frontend tries to connect you if you're not logged in. Auto-Redial included. Play (F3) Plays a file to Service Area, which kind depends on the chosen media mode. Record (F4) starts recording: a capture if you're in the text mode, a snapshot in the video mode and so on. * Navigation Keypad travel trough Service Area a.i.. Buttons are described from left to right: turn right upwards turn left left Home returns to the login position right straight ahead down backwards * Keyboard Commands del disconnect from Service Area but don't drop the line ins reconnect to Service Area (Connection Reset) tab cycles through the media modes shift-tab cycles back shift-F1 testmode: shows all incoming messages with headers ---------------------------------------------------------------- AVIS Order Info: AVIS is a simple, easy to use videodigitzer for video- conferencing, fun, interactive TV. It converts PAL/ NTSC/SECAM video to serial RS232 and allows transmission of video and text with standard 14.400/V.42bis modems on analog telephone lines. AVIS can be used on the following computer platforms: PC, Mac and Amiga. It has a resolution of 96x72 pixel, 16 levels of grey, and automatic gain control (AGC) for best possible quality, picture update every 2 seconds. AVIS is shipped with Manual, Software for Mac, Pc, Amiga and Mac-to-modem-cable. Please send a written order to: PONTON EUROPEAN MEDIA ART LAB Lister Str. 17 D-30163 Hannover Fax: +49-511-621799 You'll receive AVIS after wiring DM 190,- plus DM 22,- for shipping and handling in Europe (worldwide plus DM 43,-) to our account "Ponton Verlag" at Deutsche Bank, Hamburg