Wed Jun 1 14:46:29 PDT 1994 This is a beta release of the LBL audio tool `vat', available from ftp.ee.lbl.gov in the directory ``conferencing/vat''. Binaries for several architectures are available: sun-vat-*.tar.Z sun-vat-*-dyn.tar.Z Any version of sparcstation (1, 2, 10, SLC, ELC, IPC, IPX) running SunOS 4.1.x or Solaris-2.y (y>1). (Solaris-2.[23] require that you run the dynamically linked version, *-dyn.tar.Z. We have been led to believe that Solaris-2.4 will run either version.) Note that the audio buffer size used by the stock SunOS 4.1.x kernel is too large for good interactive response. This can be fixed with a kernel patch -- instructions are in the MBONE FAQ, ftp.isi.edu:mbone/faq.txt. This is not a problem under Solaris-2 or if you use the BSD audio driver since vat can specify the correct buffer size & override the system default. Vat does not work in unicast mode under Solaris 2.3 due to a kernel bug. There is a workaround in ftp://playground.sun.com/pub/solaris2/unicast-vat-workaround.tar. dec-vat-*.tar.Z decalpha-vat-*.tar.Z DEC 3max (5000 series), running Ultrix 4.2 or above, and DEC Alpha running OSF/1 v2.0. On these architectures, vat requires the DEC CRL AudioFile audio server (available via anonymous ftp from crl.dec.com in pub/DEC/AF). Vat-3.2 and earlier requires the Release 2 AudioFile server, while vat-3.3 and later requires the Release 3 server. hp-vat-*.tar.Z Any version of HP Snake with built-in audio hardware (has been tested on 710s, 715s & 735s). sgi-vat-*.tar.Z SGIs running IRIX 4.0.x or later. (It has been tested on an Indigo running IRIX 4.0.5F and Indy's running 5.1.* and it doesn't do anything exotic so it should run on other SGI machines.) i386-vat-*.tar.Z i386/486 PCs running BSD/386 1.1 or later. You need the BSD audio driver installed in your kernel and a pc audio card (currently a SoundBlaster or PAS-16 although we hope to support better sound cards in the very near future). The driver is in ftp.ee.lbl.gov:bsd386-sb-*.tar.Z. This port is very experimental -- see the README accompanying the audio driver for a warning about PC audio cards. The i386 binary also has been reported to run under NetBSD (using a modified version of the LBL sound driver) and FreeBSD (using the Linux sound driver with additional support for /dev/audio). Amancio Hasty reports that under FreeBSD vat can operate in full-duplex mode with the Gravis Ultrasound (and that the quality is very satisfactory). Not all of the IP Multicast changes made it into BSD/386 v1.1. In particular, the in_pcb fixes that bring the network code into conformance with the Host Requirements RFC were left out. Apply the kernel source patches in ftp://ftp.ee.lbl.gov/INPCB-bsd386-v1.1-patch if you'd like your kernel to properly demultiplex multicast packets. Source code will be released "soon" but we have a few loose ends to finish first. Vat is primarily intended as an audio conferencing tool. To make use of the conferencing capabilities, you really want to run vat on a workstation that supports IP multicast. Steve Deering of Xerox PARC has done complete IP multicast support for Sun OS 4.x which can be ftp'd from host gregorio.stanford.edu, file vmtp-ip/ipmulti-sunos41x.tar.Z. Patches and binaries for Ultrix 4.2a are available in vmtp-ip/ipmulticast-ultrix4.2a-*. The patches reportedly work for Ultrix 4.3 as well. Solaris, IRIX, BSD/386 1.1, and DEC Alpha OSF/1 v2.0 all have built-in support for IP Multicast. (IRIX 4.0.x has an old version of the multicast code; you can update your kernel with objects available via anonymous FTP from ftp.sgi.com in the /sgi/ipmcast/encap directory.) HP may one day figure out how to release their internal HPUX 9.* multicast port (tell your salesperson you're going to buy Alphas unless HP gets it act together). If you are new to these conferencing tools, you might also want to grab a copy of the Session Directory, sd, on ftp.ee.lbl.gov directory ``conferencing/sd'', the LBL Whiteboard, wb, also on ftp.ee.lbl.gov, directory ``conferencing/wb'', and the Xerox PARC network video tool, nv, in parcftp.xerox.com:pub/netreseach/nv*. There is a FAQ about the IP Multicast Backbone (MBONE) in ftp.isi.edu:mbone/faq.txt. Since this is a beta being released for testing by Internet packet audio researchers, we BADLY want to hear about bugs and problems. In other words, if you ftp & use vat assume you owe us at least one bug report. Please send all vat related correspondence to vat@ee.lbl.gov. Thanks. - Van Jacobson (van@ee.lbl.gov) Steve McCanne (mccanne@ee.lbl.gov)