Questions, V6 To V7

[kyrrin]

Tech support folk,

 

Two questions, actually. First, is there any advantage for me in upgrading from V6 to V7? (Assuming there's a cost involved).

 

Second: Regardless of what version I end up with (currently a happy V6 user), I want to be able to, on demand, manually activate the recording of a call between myself and another party. Is this feature already included, or is it an add-on?

 

Looking forward to hearing back. Thanks...

 

 

[SupportTeam]

Version 7 has better sound quality then v5/v6.

 

Also it runs natively as a Windows Service, making it easier to manage.

 

V7 also supports Speech Recognition should you wish to use this in the future.

 

2-line recording option is included in the Enterprise+Dialer v7 - you call a COM command from either within VG or from an external program/script to start the 2 line recording.

in v6 the 2-line recording option is an extra add-on (contact sales@voiceguide.com for pricing).

[kyrrin]

Version 7 has better sound quality then v5/v6.

 

Also it runs natively as a Windows Service, making it easier to manage.

 

V7 also supports Speech Recognition should you wish to use this in the future.

 

2-line recording option is included in the Enterprise+Dialer v7 - you call a COM command from either within VG or from an external program/script to start the 2 line recording.

in v6 the 2-line recording option is an extra add-on (contact sales@voiceguide.com for pricing).

 

Thank you. Unfortunately, I have just learned that (apparently) V7 cannot run under Windows 2000 due to the fact that the .NET 3.0 framework is required, and that will not load under 2000.

 

I really don't want to "upgrade" servers that are perfectly functional, and doing everything that they need to do, under W2K. Is there any way that you can have V7 working with Windows 2000 Advanced Server? You've certainly listed it as compatible with W2K in the System Requirements.

 

If not, I don't see any real advantage in the upgrade for our installation. I have no doubt that at least a few others will feel the same way.

 

Perhaps this is something you should have thought about before releasing V7?

 

 

 

 

[SupportTeam]

VoiceGuide v7 is designed to take advantage of the new features available in the new Windows operating systems: Win2008 server and Vista. Microsoft chose to make those features available to Win2003 and WinXP as well (via the .NET3.0 download), but they did not make those features available as an upgrade/Service pack to Win2000 and prior.

 

VoiceGuide v6 can be used on the older operating systems: Win2000, Win98, WinMe, Win95, as well as on the current Win versions: Win2003, Win2008, WinXP, Vista.

[Guest TheyCalled Paul]

Dear Lane,

 

I think to make sure an application is backwards compatible with an 8 year OS is a bit much. Many companies have not embraced vista so w2k for the desktop is the corporate favorite. We have both v6 and v7 systems running and are relucant to upgrade the v6 to v7 platform (with 48 ports on V6, this is a very expensive upgrade). We like the com and new features in V7 and use them in our new developments. We also paid for the ability to record tromboned calls for our v6 and think the VG team did a nice job with including this into V7. The world of telecom is changing with SIP / VoIP and speech to text without spending an arm and a leg. I am certain you can find 2003 on ebay if you needed to.

 

 

Paul

[kyrrin]

Dear Lane,

 

I think to make sure an application is backwards compatible with an 8 year OS is a bit much. Many companies have not embraced vista so w2k for the desktop is the corporate favorite. We have both v6 and v7 systems running and are relucant to upgrade the v6 to v7 platform (with 48 ports on V6, this is a very expensive upgrade). We like the com and new features in V7 and use them in our new developments. We also paid for the ability to record tromboned calls for our v6 and think the VG team did a nice job with including this into V7. The world of telecom is changing with SIP / VoIP and speech to text without spending an arm and a leg. I am certain you can find 2003 on ebay if you needed to.

 

 

Paul

 

Finding 2003 is not the problem, Paul. The problem I have is the idea of fixing something that's not broken just to take advantage of better audio quality and running VoiceGuide as a service. In other words, sure... I could buy the upgrade to V7 -- And then in order to even use it, I'd have to spend probably two or three times as much "upgrading" servers that are perfectly OK!

 

As for my OS being "8 years old," I really don't see that as relevant, any more than I would consider it a problem that much of my lab's test equipment consists of instruments from the 70's through 90's. The point is that what I have on the computer side works well, and it does so without ever bothering me about "Product Activation" or "Windows Genuine (dis)Advantage" or any similar crap.

 

Windows 2003 Server requires both, if I recall correctly, and I have a big problem with that on principle. Specifically, I find the idea that I'd have to beg Microsoft for permission to run software that I've legally purchased (an activation key), and to beg them again for a fresh key if I make hardware changes that 2003 thinks are above-and-beyond, repugnant in the extreme.

 

Quite frankly, it's none of Microsoft's damn business WHAT system or hardware I run their stuff on once I've bought it.

 

As for VoiceGuide: I'm no programming expert, but I truly have to wonder if Katalina absolutely HAD to go to .NET 3.0 in order to make V7 what it is. I have to wonder if they could have applied the same upgrades to V6, which is working quite well in our application (except for a bit of fuzziness on the voice files), and preserved compatibility with W2K server.

 

Katalina Tech Support: If you have no plans to make V7 workable with Windows 2K, you really need to REMOVE 2000 from the 'Compatible With' list. To leave it in is behavior that I would consider deceptive.

 

I will continue my search for a VoiceGuide alternative. I'm beginning to regret ever having bought into the thing...

 

 

Oh, FWIW... Lane is my last name. Note the signature block.

 

---

Bruce Lane, Owner & Head Hardware Heavy,

Blue Feather Technologies

 

[SupportTeam]

I truly have to wonder if Katalina absolutely HAD to go to .NET 3.0 in order to make V7 what it is.

.NET30 WCF gives us tools to easily create WSDL WebServices through which VoiceGuide itself can be controlled, or which can (soon) be invoked from within VoiceGuide scripts, and looks like we may be going with WPF and possibly WF in the v7 script designer. Also we also want to include support for LINQ at some future stage. We have people requesting to use the latest technology available, and it is not possible to have a 'cut down' version of the new software which does not offer these new features. These new features are why there is a new version.

 

In the first and the previous posts of this thread you say that you are happy with using v6 and that it is working quite well in your application, and all that you require is to have 2-line recording.

 

We confirmed that 2-line recording is available for v6. So sounds like you can get what you require without upgrading to v7.

 

We'll modify the System Requirements listing to indicate that v7 will not work on Win2000.

[kyrrin]

I truly have to wonder if Katalina absolutely HAD to go to .NET 3.0 in order to make V7 what it is.

.NET30 WCF gives us tools to easily create WSDL WebServices through which VoiceGuide itself can be controlled, or which can (soon) be invoked from within VoiceGuide scripts, and looks like we may be going with WPF and possibly WF in the v7 script designer. Also we also want to include support for LINQ at some future stage. We have people requesting to use the latest technology available, and it is not possible to have a 'cut down' version of the new software which does not offer these new features. These new features are why there is a new version.

 

In the first and the previous posts of this thread you say that you are happy with using v6 and that it is working quite well in your application, and all that you require is to have 2-line recording.

 

We confirmed that 2-line recording is available for v6. So sounds like you can get what you require without upgrading to v7.

 

We'll modify the System Requirements listing to indicate that v7 will not work on Win2000.

 

Well... Thanks for the explanation, though I have absolutely no idea what 'WCF,' 'WSDL,' 'WPF' or 'WF' is. As for 'LINQ,' I've never heard of it either.

 

Yes, I'm OK with V6, but I'm still irritated that your backwards compatibility for 2000 is not there in the new version. It would have been nice to get the audio enhancement at least.

 

With that said, I have three other questions for you.

 

(1) My current version is 6.0.3335. Please confirm that this is the last/latest release for V6. If not, please let me know where I can download the last update.

 

(2) On the call recording: My goal is to be able to manually trigger it for either of our two lines, on demand, from the server where VoiceGuide is installed. Will a script be required, or will there simply be a 'Record' button available?

 

(3) When call recording is active, will there be any decrease in line audio level? We're using a Dialogic D/4-PCI card.

 

Thanks much.

 

[SupportTeam]

(1) My current version is 6.0.3335. Please confirm that this is the last/latest release for V6. If not, please let me know where I can download the last update.

There is a later version available. It can be downloaded from our Downloads page.

 

(2) On the call recording: My goal is to be able to manually trigger it for either of our two lines, on demand, from the server where VoiceGuide is installed. Will a script be required, or will there simply be a 'Record' button available?

The recording can be done from either the VoiceGuide script itself, or from and external program through the COM interface. The "2-line call recording" option enabled a COM interface function which can be called to start the recording.

 

(3) When call recording is active, will there be any decrease in line audio level?

No.

 

We're using a Dialogic D/4-PCI card.

Sounds like you are not doing 2-line transfers after all, as the D/4PCI cards cannot do 2-line Dial-and-Conference transfers...

 

Are the calls being transferred using hookflash transfers? A hookflash transfer takes the call off the system and you would not be able to do any recording as the call is not routed through VoiceGuide any more.

 

A hookflash transfer instructs the PBX/Switch to route the call internally, with the VoiceGuide leg of the call being then disconnected as it is no longer used. This then frees up that line for another call.

[kyrrin]

I have downloaded the current V6 build. Due to server requirements and budget, I've made the decision to stick with V6.

 

As for call recording -- It appears that doing so from within VG may be more complex than I had imagined. With that in mind, I will seek a separate product to do this.

 

Thanks again for all your help. I only wish there had been some way to allow the audio quality enhancements for V6.

 

 

 

 

[SupportTeam]

In v6 the best sound quality is achieved when playing professionally recorded ADPCM (.VOX) files, so you may want to try using ADPCM to see if there is an increase in quality.

 

It makes a big difference to have any sound files used to be professionally recorded as well. Best way is to listen to the system sound files supplied with VoiceGuide.

 

NB.

 

Any PCM .WAV files in v6 are converted internally to ADPCM before playing and that's why there is a slight degradation in quality on the line. Using ADPCM allows the for the older cards to slow down or speed up played back sound and change the playback volume during play, and that's why ADPCM is used internally.

 

In v7 the files are played without first converting to ADPCM. This allows you to use not just ALaw or uLaw files but also 11kHz 16bit PCM .WAV files, and all will be played without any internal conversion.

 

On Digital and VoIP lines we recommend using ALaw or ULaw - whatever the Digital lines themselves are setup to use.

 

The same applies for analog systems as the Telco will eventually be carrying the phone call internally over ALAw or ULaw digital lines. Some people have however found that 11kHz gives better quality on analog-only systems.