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Frequently Asked Questions
Have a question? Check here for an answer before e-mailing us.
  1. What is Gabcast?
  2. How can I call Gabcast? Phone numbers, Asterisk, VoIP, etc.
  3. How do I know/get the RSS URL for a Gabcast channel?
  4. What is RSS? What is XML?
  5. How can I listen to episodes?
  6. How do I use Gabcast with iTunes and the iPod?
  7. How do I setup an RSS reader? How do I setup RSSOwl?
  8. How do I listen to Gabcasts using a Web Portal?
  9. What if I want to get new Gabcasts in my e-mail?
  10. I want to delete my account. How do I delete my account?
  11. What are Greetings? How can I use them? How do I use them?
  12. What is tagging? How do I tag episodes?
  13. What is the pound key?
  14. How can I control the playback when I'm listening to a Gabcast on the phone?
  15. Do you have a Privacy Policy?
  16. What are the Rules of Conduct?
  17. How can I integrate with my blog? Tell me about blog/journal integration.
  18. How do I integrate with my personal WordPress blog?
  19. Can I record a Conference Call?
  20. Tell me more about conference calls. How are conference calls charged?
  21. How can I promote Gabcast on my website/blog?
  22. Why do I sound like a chipmunk when playing back an episode I've uploaded?

  1. What is Gabcast?

    2. Gabcast.com is a podcasting and audioblogging platform that offers virtual communities, individuals and organizations an easy way to create and distribute audio content.

    Over 300 years ago the famous philosopher John Locke wrote:

    [Deity or Evolution], having designed man for a sociable creature, made him not only with an inclination, and under a necessity to have fellowship with those of his own kind, but furnished him also with language, which was to be the great instrument and common tie of society. Man, therefore, had by nature his organs so fashioned, as to be fit to frame articulate sounds, which we call words.

    Gabcast is the expression of Locke's idea in the Digital Age.
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  2. How can I call Gabcast? Phone numbers, Asterisk, VoIP, etc.

    3. You can call the Gabcast service in a number of ways.

    Telephone:

    • 1.888.887.3127 (US only)
    • 1.646.845.1850 (New York, US)
    • 1.647.723.3682 (Toronto, CA)
    • 1.403.775.9947 (Calgary, CA)
    • 3537.6670.9691 (Dublin, IE)
    • 203.318.2690 (London, UK)
    • 6129.037.1938 (Sydney, AU)
    • 6186.365.4411 (Perth, AU)

      International access numbers courtesy of:

    SipBroker:

    SipBroker is a free service that allows you to call Gabcast from many countries around the world. Please click for the complete list of phone numbers.

    After calling a SipBroker number, you will be prompted to enter the code for Gabcast: *652 422#

    FreeWorldDialup:

    Our FreeWorldDialup number is: 702681

    Other VoIP providers:

    Many VoIP providers provide access to dial Free World Dialup numbers. For a listing of these VoIP providers, and what you need to dial, visit Free World Dialup and click on "special access numbers" under the heading Access Numbers.

    Gizmo Project softphone:

    You can call Gabcast using the SIP URI sip:422@sip.gabcast.com . You can download the Gizmo Project softphone here . Please note that under Advanced Options you need to select "Enable Out-of-band (rfc 2833)" from the "DTMF Tones" drop-down box.

    Express Talk softphone:

    You can call Gabcast using the SIP URI sip:422@sip.gabcast.com . You can download the Express Talk softphone here (Windows only). During installation of the Express Talk softphone on the "Account Setup" dialogue box select "I don't want to sign up. I will use my computer IP directly (Advanced)". Further, when prompted on the "Sip Account Details" dialogue box to enter account information click "Cancel".

    TelTel softphone:

    You can call Gabcast using the SIP URI sip:422@sip.gabcast.com . You can download the TelTel softphone here (Windows only).

    FreePBX (prior to version 2.1):

    If you are using FreePBX (formerly AMP; included in Asterisk@Home), then simply create a Trunk and a Route:

    	Create a trunk 
	-------------------------------
	Enter "Trunks" Section

	Click "Add IAX2 Trunk"

	For "Trunk Name" enter:
	  gabcast

	For PEER Details enter:
	  host=iax.gabcast.com
	  type=peer

	Click "Submit Changes"
	----------------------------------

	Create an Outbound Route
	----------------------------
	Enter "Outbound Routing" Section

	For "Route Name" enter:
	  gabcast

	For "Dial Patterns" enter:
	  422

	For "Trunk Sequence", select "IAX2/gabcast"

	Click "Submit Changes"
	---------------------------

	Click the red APPLY bar at the top of the page.
	---------------------------

	That's it, pick up a phone and dial 422 (G-A-B)

    FreePBX (version 2.1 or greater):

    From the Tools menu click on the "Module Admin" interface and "Connect to Online Module Repository". Under the heading of "Modules Available (online)" select the Gabcast module and with "Download and Install selected" present in the drop-down box click on the Submit button. The Gabcast module should appear in the list of "Enabled Modules".

    From the Setup menu click on the "Gabcast" interface. Click "Add Gabcast Channel" and fill out the corresponding fields to map a Gabcast Channel Number to an Extension. Once the mapping is set dial "*422" from that extension to record an episode!

    FreePBX also let's you define a Gabcast channel as a destination for other modules. For example, you can target a Direct Inward Dial (DID) number or Interactive Voice Response menu option directly to Gabcast. This is ideal for group and public podcasting!

    Asterisk:

    We heart Asterisk! If you aren't using FreePBX, then:
    	Create a Dial command in extensions.conf like: 
		
		Dial(IAX2/iax.gabcast.com/gab)
		
	If you want to dial 422 to access gabcast, 
	then you would add something like this:
    
	
		[internal]
    
		exten => 422,1,Dial(IAX2/iax.gabcast.com/gab)

    Auto Login!

    Here's a cool tip for VoIP callers. Rather than dialing "422", dial your channel number + * + password. So if you have channel 124 and a password of 4321, then you can dial 124*4321 to be automatically logged onto the system!

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  3. How do I know/get the RSS URL for a Gabcast channel?

    4. Click the click to subscribe button. Then right click on the icon to copy the URL to the clipboard. Paste the URL into your RSS program.
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  4. What is RSS? What is XML?

    5. RSS = Really Simple Syndication

    RSS is a simple method to get changes or updates from websites or blogs to your computer. Every so often, your RSS reader will connect to the website and see if there's anything new available. If so, it pulls it down to your computer and notifies you.

    XML = eXtensible Markup Language

    RSS reads XML files from the website. The XML file contains keywords in a specific format that your RSS reader interprets and then presents you in a readable format.
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  5. How can I listen to episodes?

    6. There are many different ways to listen to episodes. From our website, click on the Play button beside any episode to listen to it. Using iTunes, you can automatically sync your iPod with the newest episodes. Using an RSS reader installed on your computer, you can get and listen to updates right from your desktop. We also support a multitude of web portals.
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  6. How do I use Gabcast with iTunes and the iPod?

    7. iTunes is an excellent way to listen to Gabcasts. You can even sync Gabcasts to your iPod and listen to them on the go!

    1. In the iTunes menu bar, click the "Advanced" menu:
    2. Select "Subscribe to Podcast":
    3. In the Subscribe to Podcast window, enter the URL of the Gabcast you would like to subscribe to and click Ok:

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  7. How do I setup an RSS reader? How do I setup RSSOwl?

    8. There are plenty of RSS clients available for all types of operating systems. If you're already using an RSS client, simply enter the address of the XML into your RSS reader and away you go.
    If you don't have an RSS client installed, follow these simple steps to use RSSOwl. Don't worry, it's free! These instructions are for Windows, but RSSOwl is available for Linux and Mac too.

    1. Go to the RSSOwl Home Page and download the Windows version of RSSOwl. Save it to your Desktop.
    2. Double click the RSSOwl icon on your desktop to install it. You can accept all the defaults when installing.
    3. If RSSOwl doesn't start automatically, start it from the Start Menu.
    4. From the "File" menu, select "New-->Favorite...":
    5. In the Add Favorite window, enter the URL of the Gabcast you want to subscribe to:
    6. Change the "Update Automatically" dropdown to something more appropriate (ex. 1 Day). It's unlikely that someone will update their channel more than once or twice a day!
    7. Click OK.
    8. Click the View menu and select Favorites:

    9. You'll see the new Gabcast in the RSSOwl. Right click on it and select Open to listen to it:

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  8. How do I listen to Gabcasts using a Web Portal?

    9. We support web based RSS reading too! Whether you use a traditional portal like Yahoo! or MSN, a web-based RSS reader like Rojo or Pluck, we've got you covered.
    Whenever you see this click to subscribe button, click on the service of your choice, and the Channel will automatically be added to your web page. If you use a portal that's not listed, fear not! Let us know what you use, and we'll do our best to include it!
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  9. What if I want to get new Gabcasts in my e-mail?

    10. To get newest Gabcasts delivered right to your inbox, select R|Mail from the
    click to subscribe drop-down list. If you've used R|Mail in the past, R|Mail will send you a confirmation e-mail, then new episodes will automatically be delivered to your inbox. If you haven't used it before, simply enter your e-mail address, and a confirmation e-mail will be sent to you from R|Mail. Easy as 1-2-3!
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  10. I want to delete my account. How do I delete my account?

    11. Under "Edit Account" there is a button to delete your account. Please note that you must first delete your channels before we allow your account to be deleted.
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  11. What are Greetings? How can I use them? How do I use them?

    12. Greetings are short audio clips that you can embed in your website or blog. To welcome a visitor to your website, set the greeting to autoplay. Or embed the greeting in your blog and tell your users a little about yourself! Or how about having an audio signature in your emails? Thanks to Gabcast Greetings, it's all possible!
    What's the difference between a greeting and a regular episode?
    If you create a greeting and two weeks later you decide to re-record it, you don't have to change the link on your website. Your new greeting will automatically replace your old greeting (your old greeting is deleted).
    The easiest way to make an audio signature is to paste the greeting html code into a file called "audiosignature.html". Then simply attach this file to your emails! When the recipient clicks the attachment, it will play your audio greeting!
    Note:
    Greetings do not show up on the Gabcast website. They are for your own personal use.
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  12. What is tagging? How do I tag episodes?

    13. Tagging episodes is a way of identifying episodes so that you (and others) can easily identify what sort of content the episode contains. Tagging is essential for your episodes to be searchable using our search box. To tag an episode, login to your Gabcast account and select "Edit Episodes" in one of your channels. A list of episodes in that channel will be shown. Click on "Tag" to tag that episode. Now you can give your episode a title, a description and keywords. Keywords help identify your episode so that they will show up in searches.
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  13. What is the pound key?

    14. The pound key looks like this: #
    The pound key is the key to the right of the 0 key on your telephone. It's underneath the 9. It has many aliases: pound, hash, number, sharp, box, tic-tac-toe and many others. Click here for more information.
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  14. How can I control the playback when I'm listening to a Gabcast on the phone?

    15. After recording an episode, you can listen to it before publishing it. If it's a long episode, you may want to skip over parts of it or rewind to listen to parts of it again. While listening to your episode on the phone, you can use the following keys:
    # - fast forward 4 seconds
    * - rewind 4 seconds
    1 - stop playback
    0 - pause/resume playback
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  15. Do you have a Privacy Policy?

    16. Yes, our Privacy Policy is available here.
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  16. What are the Rules of Conduct?

    17. Our Rules of Conduct are available here. You may report alleged abuse by sending an email to abuse <at> corp.gabcast.com.
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  17. How can I integrate with my blog? Tell me about blog/journal integration.

    18. We can automatically post new Gabcast episodes to your blog site of choice. Simply click on "edit channel" then "Add new blog" and select your blog site. Fill in the required information. Now, whenever you create a new episode in that channel, your blog/journal will automatically be updated.
    With some blog sites, we offer the option of embedding a flash player directly into your blog. Readers visiting your blog can simply click on the player to listen to your episode right within your blog. If you choose not to enable the flash player, we will instead insert a link into your blog that links directly to the episode on the Gabcast website. Note that some sites do not allow embedded objects, like flash players. LiveJournal does not allow this, which is why we don't offer the flash player option for LiveJournal.

    What is the Blog ID? Some blog sites allow you have multiple blogs using one username. For these sites (such as Blogger and BlogSpot), the Blog ID is the id of the blog you'd like your episodes to be posted to. You can usually find the blog id in the URL of the specific blog. For example, http://www.blogger.com/posts.g?blogID=1234567890, the blog id will be 1234567890. Have a look in your blog site's control panel.

    If you use a blog site not listed, please let us know! We will be happy to include it, if possible.
    We make use of the Blogger or Atom API. If your site is not listed, you can use the Custom option.
    Alternatively, if you don't wish to have your Gabcast episodes automatically uploaded to your blog/journal site, we provide the HTML code that you can just drop into your blog/journal, and the link will show up. Login to your account, go to the "My Account" page, and select "manage episodes". You'll see a new link, "player html", that pops up a new window. Simply copy and paste the code for either the flash-based player or the direct link to your blog/journal!
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  18. How do I integrate with my personal WordPress blog?

    19. Once you are logged into your account click on "edit channel" and select "Custom" from the "Add new blog" drop-down box. Provide the username and password that you use to log on to your WordPress blog to post. Enter your server in the blog server field and provide the app path (e.g. /wordpress/xmlrpc.php). Important: Leave the "blog ID" field blank! Optionally embed the Flash player (recommended). Click "Submit".
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  19. Can I record a Conference Call?

    20. "Conference Casting"? You bet, just follow these steps:

    1. Visit your "My Account" page, and edit the channel you would like to Conference Cast on.
    2. Set the Channel Conference Password to a numeric password. Guests on your conference call will use this.
    3. Arrange a time with your guests to have a conference call.
    4. You, being the host, will call into Gabcast and log in with your regular Channel Password.
    5. At the main menu, you will have the option to "press 2 to join a meeting".
    6. Enter the maximum number of callers (including yourself) that can be in the conference. This is used to determine the maximum length of the conference, and once this limit is reached, new guests will not be allowed to get into the conference.
    7. You will then be placed in the conference.
    8. When your guests call in to Gabcast, they will enter your Channel Number, and your Channel Conference Password.
    9. Prepare yourselves and press 1 to begin recording.
    10. When your conference call is complete, press # for more options. Your guests will be disconnected.

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  20. Tell me more about conference calls. How are conference calls charged?

    21. Conference calls are charged per minute, per caller. The timer starts when a caller enters the conference and ends when the caller leaves the conference.
    Please note:
    1. The owner must press 1 to start the recording of the conference. Anything up to the point the owner presses 1 is not recorded. (Note that billable time starts when each user enters the conference, not when recording starts.)
    2. Guests are not allowed to enter a conference until the owner is present.
    3. A conference may only have one owner.
    4. When the owner leaves the conference, the conference is over. All guests are kicked out.

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  21. How can I promote Gabcast on my website/blog?

    22. If you'd like to help promote Gabcast, you can display one of the following images on your website. Just copy and paste the html code provided. We'll be forever grateful!!


    Alternatively, here's a Gabcast chicklet image you can use on your website:
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  22. Why do I sound like a chipmunk when playing back an episode I've uploaded?

    23. This FAQ assumes you didn't inhale a balloon full of helium before recording!

    If you have uploaded an MP3 to your channel, and find that it plays back very fast and high-pitched, then you need to resample your MP3 file. The audio player that Gabcast uses is built using Macromedia Flash. Flash has a problem playing back MP3 files that are encoded at a rate that is not a multiple of 11.025 kHz. (the MP3 will still play back fine in iTunes, or any other non-Flash client).

    Solution: encode your MP3 at 11.025, 22.05 or 44.1 kHz (or use our episode creation features)

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