Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Technology Stocks : IDT *(idtc) following this new issue?* -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Steve Fancy who wrote (4969)	4/14/1999 12:26:00 PM
From: David Bauerle	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 30916

Steve, I think as IP telephony catches on, Net Phones (headsets) will be standard equipment with PCs. It already is with some PC makers. As the technology progresses, people will get the hang of it. But you are right. Short Term, a handful of people may get a bad impression until they understand the technology. I however think that many people will quickly understand that a microphone will pick up what's coming through the pc speakers, and the only way to prevent this is to listen through a cheap headset, or get a high quality directional mic. David P.S. Actually many people do understand this technology. Intel, Microsoft and many others have products that connect PC to PC. The complication of needing a headset exists here too.

To: Steve Fancy who wrote (4969)	4/14/1999 12:31:00 PM
From: Andrew H	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 30916

Steve, just read on the Yahoo board--that if you close all other applications before phoning on your PC, that sound quality is far improved. I think it is a problem that there are so many variables regarding calling from PC to phone--people should be receiving in depth instruction about how to maximize call quality before ever using Net2phone for calls from PCs. I suspect that over the next 6-12 months that higher quality multi-media computers and technological improvements will make the call quality much better from PC to phone. As these calls become more popular, both information and technological improvements will increase more rapidly, IMO.

To: Steve Fancy who wrote (4969)	4/14/1999 12:42:00 PM
From: David Bauerle	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 30916

Steve, You ,Andrew and Vinh make good points. I haven't had trouble with too many applications being open or a sound card that was not full duplex, so I didn't realize all the possibilites of problems. The question is - How does IDT effectively get this information out, and make the product still seem cheap. If I have to buy a new sound card, headset and then shut down all my applications, I probably would give up too. The one good thing, is this is Future technology. We are only in the beginning. Machines being bought now have full duplex sound cards. I would hope the processing power and memory of the new machines would prevent the user from having to shut down all applications before making a call. And headsets will become standard equipment with PCs as this technology progresses. In two to three years most people won't even think about how to optimize their system to make it work. David