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View Full Version : Taking callers on your Internet Broadcast



andrewzarian
04-10-2012, 11:32 AM
I have been searching high and low for a good call in system for my internet broadcast. We currently take skype callers but I was wondering if there is anything that screens calls for you?

Does anyone out there have any suggestions?

MyTakeRadio
04-10-2012, 11:37 AM
When I do live shows I use Blog Talk Radio's switchboard which is actually quite good. Wish they could sell that separate.

andrewzarian
04-10-2012, 11:40 AM
I feel the same way. I wish they offered better packages. They seem to do a good job when it comes to callers but the pricing is a little wacky for me.

mcphillips
04-10-2012, 11:40 AM
We're not using them, but check out CallInStudio (http://www.callinstudio.com). For a self-funded Internet broadcast of any length, it could get costly, but for a successfully monetized show, the cost is reasonable.

The best and most expensive solution is to add some telephone lines and get a multi-line Telos digital hybrid system.

It's also possible to use an unlisted call on TalkShoe (free unless you get a direct dial number) or BlogTalkRadio (monthly fee, low quality) as a telephone bridge - NOT as a show hosting medium.

andrewzarian
04-10-2012, 11:43 AM
Thanks for the link Mike. I knew I had seen something like this before just couldn't come up with the name.

My next question is How do you screen calls with Callinstudio?

MyTakeRadio
04-10-2012, 11:43 AM
I feel the same way. I wish they offered better packages. They seem to do a good job when it comes to callers but the pricing is a little wacky for me.
I use the $40 a month plan and that gives me everything I need with regards to running a 3hr call in show.

andrewzarian
04-10-2012, 11:44 AM
Rich can you screen the callers with Blogtalkradio? How do you control that aspect of it?

MyTakeRadio
04-10-2012, 11:48 AM
Yea one of our team members screens calls and adds notes to my viewing screen so I know what they are calling about. Runs very clean. When I get home tonight I'll do a screen cast and post it here for you to see how it works .

andrewzarian
04-10-2012, 11:50 AM
That would be amazing Rich. I think this is a topic that many of our members would be interested in hearing about.

MyTakeRadio
04-10-2012, 11:52 AM
I went to BTR headquarters to quality test their current switchboard so I will gladly share a walk through with you guys. If it wasn't for their shitty audio quality I would endorse them strongly.

mcphillips
04-10-2012, 11:53 AM
Andrew, the CallInStudio software has quite a few features built in, including call screening. There is a free $16 credit for new users. Give it a try. It seems that it will work a lot like the call screening function of BlogTalkRadio. Depending on how many calls you take, the CallInStudio option could be cheaper than BTR.

andrewzarian
04-10-2012, 11:55 AM
I think i might need to try it out this week. I'm surprised we have not seen more services like this

MyTakeRadio
04-10-2012, 11:57 AM
I like the concept but am not a fan of the per minute pricing. Flat rates would make it more appealing. I too will do some research. Mike, As always you bring something awesome and different to the table.

MyTakeRadio
04-11-2012, 07:17 AM
Here is the walk thorugh I promised. Battling some serious allergies so please excuse my terrible voice lol
http://youtu.be/deeYMtVceKA

andrewzarian
04-11-2012, 09:00 AM
Thats a great video Rich. you have convinced me to give it a shot. Maybe we can start using this for the AZ show and the Free for all.

MyTakeRadio
04-11-2012, 09:06 AM
If you are recording high quality audio then the switchboard can just serve as a bridge. While I use BTR to promote the live show. I record it in high quality and upload a 96k version to iTunes,Stitcher etc. I will post the newest episode in a thread so you can see the differences between BTR audio and our final product.

Spencer Kobren
04-11-2012, 10:35 AM
Great walk through Richard! Thanks so much for doing this!

MyTakeRadio
04-11-2012, 11:24 AM
No problem Spencer, It was just something quick I put together. As always if anyone has any questions I will gladly answer what I can.

Spencer Kobren
04-11-2012, 07:58 PM
No problem Spencer, It was just something quick I put together. As always if anyone has any questions I will gladly answer what I can.

This is what it’s all about man! Building a community of like minded people willing to freely share their expertise to help fellow internet broadcasters succeed. Don’t mean to sound all “Kumbya,” but this is going to be an important aspect of the IAIB.

Spencer Kobren
04-11-2012, 08:00 PM
Andrew, the CallInStudio software has quite a few features built in, including call screening. There is a free $16 credit for new users. Give it a try. It seems that it will work a lot like the call screening function of BlogTalkRadio. Depending on how many calls you take, the CallInStudio option could be cheaper than BTR.

Nice find Mike!

JakeKettle
04-11-2012, 08:33 PM
Interesting walk through, I might have to check that out. Thanks! Callinstudio seems interesting to, but for both I don't really have the budget.

andrewzarian
04-17-2012, 05:58 AM
Something that came to mind over the weekend.

We currently have 3 Skype phone numbers that we pay for. I wonder what would happen if we used google voice as a central number and had it forward to all those phone lines... Has anyone tried this ?

MyTakeRadio
04-17-2012, 09:53 AM
That should work actually. I have a google voice number I use for listener voicemails since I can export them as MP3's . Forwarding a call shouldn't be an issue plus you can create a custom number. I have one like this XXX-XXX-XMTR.

BradShoemaker
04-17-2012, 10:35 AM
Having used nothing but Google Voice for the past year and a half, you can do amazing things with it, including forwarding calls. The biggest issue might be whether it can push to all 3 numbers. It is set as "your" number. So the initial call will ring all 3 phones at the same time. When you pick one of them up, then the other two will stop.

Once you pick one up; however, then the next person calling will basically act like call waiting, not ring the next of the 3 lines.

Donovan
04-17-2012, 12:28 PM
This should definitely work. Plus you can put all 3 Skype numbers in your call list for the GV number and select at different times of the day where the number actually forwards to if you don't need all of them ringing at once. This can be done with a schedule or, right before a show, you can log in and manually change where it forwards to.

Curiously, why do you have 3 different Skype numbers?

mcphillips
04-17-2012, 09:10 PM
Back in the old days, before there were digital hybrids, we used to modify AT&T speakerphones. The speaker output went through a transformer into the balanced input of the broadcast console. If the only voice to be transmitted to the caller was the announcer, we let the speaker phone do its thing. It's possible to wire a mix-minus signal into the input circuit of a speakerphone, but it's very tricky. The level is very low (or it will distort), and the cable on the high impedance side of the audio feed needs to be very short to prevent noise from being picked up.

Amnon
04-26-2012, 06:45 PM
Once you pick one up; however, then the next person calling will basically act like call waiting, not ring the next of the 3 lines.
We used it in the beginning but found out that the second person calling, drops the first one. Couldn't find a solution to that.

ScottyBrown
05-01-2012, 12:00 PM
I've been using BTR's switchboard exclusively for call-ins for about two years now (I stream live Flash video) and haven't had much issue with it. For $39/mo having that capability is completely worth it for me. The bonus of having audio archives of my broadcasts and then the RSS feed of them is just an added bonus, IMO.

Spencer Kobren
05-01-2012, 03:06 PM
I've been using BTR's switchboard exclusively for call-ins for about two years now (I stream live Flash video) and haven't had much issue with it. For $39/mo having that capability is completely worth it for me. The bonus of having audio archives of my broadcasts and then the RSS feed of them is just an added bonus, IMO.

Do you call into BTR or Skype in? How do you like BTR?

ScottyBrown
05-01-2012, 03:11 PM
Do you call in to BTR or Skype in? How do you like BTR?

I Skype into BTR. I have a dedicated machine in my broadcast rig that records all of the audio from my soundboard and other machines that I use. This allows the other people on air with me who have Skyped into my rig to hear the callers and interact with them, as well as putting them into the stream to be broadcast.

Spencer Kobren
05-01-2012, 03:22 PM
I Skype into BTR. I have a dedicated machine in my broadcast rig that records all of the audio from my soundboard and other machines that I use. This allows the other people on air with me who have Skyped into my rig to hear the callers and interact with them, as well as putting them into the stream to be broadcast.

Very cool! It seems like most BTR broadcasters call in, which I guess is easy, but with the ability send much better quality audio via Skype...it seems like a no brainer to utilize it.

ScottyBrown
05-01-2012, 03:27 PM
Very cool! It seems like most BTR broadcasters call in, which I guess is easy, but with the ability send much better quality audio via Skype...it seems like a no brainer to utilize it.

I do a bit of premixing of the audio as well, I'm pretty happy with the results.

Spencer Kobren
05-01-2012, 04:05 PM
I do a bit of premixing of the audio as well, I'm pretty happy with the results.

I'll take a listen...

ScottyBrown
05-01-2012, 06:25 PM
I'll take a listen...

Cool, thanks.

My audio-only feed (and daily podcast) is at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/rootzlive

My archive video channel is at http://www.youtube.com/rootzwikitv <--just look for any of the RootzLive! archives.

Formulatech
05-08-2012, 11:06 AM
Has anyone tested OnTheAir yet I sore Leo use it the other week for callins

Podnutter
10-15-2012, 07:43 PM
Has anyone found anyhting that works well?> Is there any program that can take like 4 skype lines into one?

sunkast
10-16-2012, 02:22 PM
Has anyone found anyhting that works well?> Is there any program that can take like 4 skype lines into one?

There certainly isn't any program like that. But you can add callers into a conference call on Skype. You can also run2 instances of Skype on a single computer by launching it with the /secondary switch. IE: Start > Run > "C:\Program Files\Skype\Phone\Skype.exe" /secondary.

There are also web sites such as Talk Shoe that offer a professional type of service for you to take calls.

andrewzarian
10-17-2012, 08:42 AM
What would be great is for someone to develop an application that allows you to log into multiple Skypes on one machine and run everyone. didnt skype open its API a while ago? Surprised no one has created anything like that. guess it comes down to demand

mcphillips
01-15-2013, 06:43 AM
Amnon Nissan and I have been testing a system that actually works. Believe it or not, it uses Blog Talk Radio. Amnon hosts a number of call-in shows, but one of them is particularly demanding for telephone calls. He dials into BTR as the host using Skype. From home, as the call screener, I dial into BTR as a guest. We both log into the BTR web interface as admins. Both of us can control the bridge.

When a telephone call comes in, I take the call into the screening room. There, I ask the caller his name and advise him to keep his computer speaker turned off so that there is no echo. When I have the caller's name, I type it into the label field on the web interface. Once I'm satisfied that the caller is ready to go on the air, I place him on hold. Amnon can see that the caller is screened and ready to go. When the host is ready for the caller, Amnon puts the caller on the air by click on the appropriate button on the web interface and by potting up the Skype call on the mixer.

BTR's quality is not the best, even for a telephone bridge. (The primary CDNs for the show are Bambuser and Stitcher.) There is a surprisingly high amount of latency between the host and the caller. However, the Studio (web) interface, as they call it, is very well done. It does exactly what's needed. The call screener can be anywhere in the world. He does not have to be at the studio. The dial-in number is local because we set up a Skype dial-in number (a local number) to forward to the dedicated telephone number for the BTR bridge.

Other than less-than-optimal audio quality, the other disadvantage with BTR is cost. It's $40 per month to be able to use the service for (at this time) a single, one-hour show. Therefore, if anyone is interested in sharing the BTR Premium account, let Amnon or me know. There can only be one two-hour show per day, and Sunday is taken. If someone here already has a BTR account that you want to share (and share the cost), let us know.

As a side benefit, the show is picking up listeners through BTR, although I don't advocate using the service for that purpose.

If you want to play with BTR as a telephone bridge with call screening capability, you can set up a free account. You're limited to 30 minutes per day with one show per day.

ericchilton
01-15-2013, 03:43 PM
I have used Skype Launcher for a year or so. I have two Skype accounts...therefore two Skype numbers and I use one as a call in line and one for me to call our guest on their phone. However I would love a screening type set up like a call in studio. But to answer the last question....use Skype Launcher. :)

andrewzarian
01-15-2013, 06:14 PM
What is Skype Launcher?

mcphillips
01-15-2013, 06:23 PM
It's a program that launches multiple Skype instances at once. Look here (http://www.skypelauncher.net).

ericchilton
01-16-2013, 06:42 AM
http://download.cnet.com/SkypeLauncher/3000-2349_4-10844575.html Here is the download link on CNET. It launches multiple Skype accounts at once. That way I can have one line for the guest and one call in line. BOTH run through my computer's audio so they are mixed down through my Berhenger mixer. (Sorry Andrew for the slow reply. Due to my work schedule I go to bed at 7:30pm)

andrewzarian
10-28-2013, 05:44 PM
Has anyone tried opening Skype up on multiple computers and taking callers that way. Would it be possible to put callers on hold or pot them down until you are ready to answer the call?

mcphillips
10-28-2013, 06:58 PM
You can do it, but it's a kludge. Here's what I'd like to see. The equipment is available, but I can't put my hands on it yet.



A softphone with multi-line buttons. That is, the softphone can answer multiple lines and put them on hold.
Four SIP telephone lines with "hunting" (such that when line 1 is busy, the call transfers to line 2).
One softphone at the studio, and one softphone for the screener, wherever he may be.
When the screener puts a call on hold, the studio sees the line flashing on hold.


That is, we need a SIP/VOIP key telephone system where the screener's phone and the studio's phone (both softphones) have a busy lamp field. I'm almost positive that Jim Castro can make this happen with the equipment he knows how to use. The two problems that I have not been able to solve are, line indicators that allow the studio to see a line on hold, and a VOIP service that sends a busy signal to the caller when the line called is busy. All of the services I've tested want to send them to voice mail.

Unfortunately, Blog Talk Radio's interface is the best yet. The performance of their telephone bridge is terrible. The quality is just telephone quality, but that's fine for telephones.

A company called TurboBridge has a nice telephone/SIP conference system, but they do not offer the ability to screen calls. I'm thinking through a setup that would allow a screener to answer a call on Skype and then transfer the call to the room that's on the air. The studio would not unmute the caller to put them on the air until he was ready. Since the caller is in the on air room, he would be able to hear the show.

andrewzarian
10-28-2013, 07:15 PM
Mike thats a really interesting and impressive setup. What would something like that cost to build out?

Donovan
10-28-2013, 07:53 PM
I think I've mentioned this before, but about 2 years ago, my youngest son wrote an application that connected with our Asterisk server that allowed us to take calls and automatically place them in a lobby area. The interface looked like a simple version of the BTR interface, allowing for one-click "unmuting" that would bring the caller on-air. I used a softphone client to dial into a special "room" into the Asterisk server, which is where I would bring the caller into once they were "unmuted". Callers sitting in the lobby would hear the show while they waited. The one part we never tested was a screening setup, but the way I asked him to design it, I figured I didn't really need it.

Since I managed the company that was providing my own VoIP services, it was easy to set myself up with a single number that allowed multiple appearances, basically your rollover idea, Mike.

The management app that my son wrote was written using Silverlight, so it would work on Windows and Mac OS. Since the show I was going to use it for wasn't all that popular, we never really got much use out of it, but the testing went well.

mcphillips
10-28-2013, 08:40 PM
Would your son be willing to do some additional work on the application and help out the podcasting community?

Donovan
10-29-2013, 03:17 AM
Would your son be willing to do some additional work on the application and help out the podcasting community?

He and I have talked briefly about it in the past. I'll discuss it with him again. I believe the issue was how to get it so the setup wasn't so kludgy. The management app works well, but there are certain items that have to be setup in Asterisk, etc. I'll see what he has to say. :)

sunkast
10-29-2013, 04:00 PM
I think I've mentioned this before, but about 2 years ago, my youngest son wrote an application that connected with our Asterisk server that allowed us to take calls and automatically place them in a lobby area.

I was thinking along the same lines that Asterisk would be ideal for something like this. Unfortunately Asterisk isn't user friendly.

There have been some hacks with Asterisk to work with Google Voice. But it's always a hack and can break easily.

PaulSaunders
10-29-2013, 08:16 PM
Is MagicJack worth looking at. Lets say I bought 4 magic jacks could i just use that somehow?

techzentv
10-30-2013, 08:29 AM
You would have to have a hybrid system to get the audio in from the Magic Jack into a sound board. You could look at something like DIDLogic for an inbound SIP connection and either a free or low cost SIP client on your computer to take the calls. No additional hardware is needed.

4 Magic Jacks and a hybrid would cost hundreds.

techzentv
10-30-2013, 08:33 AM
I was thinking along the same lines that Asterisk would be ideal for something like this. Unfortunately Asterisk isn't user friendly.

There have been some hacks with Asterisk to work with Google Voice. But it's always a hack and can break easily.

Look at elastix. It has all of the tools to help manage asterisk from a gui. That is what I use along with DIDLogic. I still have some SIP trunks from Broadvoice too but am moving them to DIDLogic slowly.

You can also look at VOIPo. I am moving our Vonage over to them but they have a fixed 2 year price of $149 for home and business.

sunkast
10-30-2013, 04:27 PM
Look at elastix. It has all of the tools to help manage asterisk from a gui. That is what I use along with DIDLogic. I still have some SIP trunks from Broadvoice too but am moving them to DIDLogic slowly.

You can also look at VOIPo. I am moving our Vonage over to them but they have a fixed 2 year price of $149 for home and business.

How does Elastix compare to PBX in a flash? I've used PiAF before.

jamesdelfresco
10-30-2013, 08:21 PM
Sunkast how do you guys take calls at gfq?

sunkast
10-31-2013, 03:11 PM
Sunkast how do you guys take calls at gfq?
On GFQ's side its just a single Skype line. When Spencer is part of the show, he has an actual hybrid from Telos that allows us to handle multiple calls at once.

andrewzarian
11-10-2013, 06:46 PM
On this weeks free for all we used Blog Talk Radios call in system (Thanks to Amnon Nissan). I was very impressed with the software. There is some latency with the caller but they sound as good as a regular Pots line. the interface is very cool and it allows you to integrate Skype.

also it allows remote call screening and thats always a plus.

PaulSaunders
05-23-2014, 09:41 PM
Have there been any new services out for taking calls on an internet radio show? Its amazing to me that Blog talk radio is the only player in the game

mcphillips
05-24-2014, 06:54 AM
There are some work arounds that I'm still testing. It's not a big priority at the moment. It involves using a VOIP service with the ability to transfer a call into a telephone conference bridge. It provides screening, but it's a little clunky. Once the call is transferred, there is no way to get it back.

Richardpell
03-15-2015, 11:04 AM
would it be possible for set up 3 different skype phone lines on one computer? I am trying to figure out a system that would work well and be inexpensive

Amnon
03-15-2015, 11:14 AM
would it be possible for set up 3 different skype phone lines on one computer? I am trying to figure out a system that would work well and be inexpensive
What for??? If you have one Skype incoming line, you can have multiple callers connect to it at the same time. We do it all the time.
If you could run three instances of Skype on one machine, and have 3 different sound cards, and three channels on your mixer, you could use three different lines. Are you trying to impress people with three different numbers, or are you trying to get three callers to connect at the same time?

Richardpell
03-15-2015, 11:19 AM
What for??? If you have one Skype incoming line, you can have multiple callers connect to it at the same time. We do it all the time.
If you could run three instances of Skype on one machine, and have 3 different sound cards, and three channels on your mixer, you could use three different lines. Are you trying to impress people with three different numbers, or are you trying to get three callers to connect at the same time?

What I would like to do is have the ability to adjust each callers audio if need be. I would also like to be able to put callers on hold while on the line with another caller.

I am not trying to impress anyone with having multiple lines.

Amnon
03-15-2015, 11:27 AM
Then you need to have three sound cards on that machine, like a Delta 1010 or two additional USB sound cards. And I am not at all sure about running three instances of Skype. There is no 'Hold'. You could pot them down on the mixer though.
Hope this helps Richard.

Richardpell
03-15-2015, 11:37 AM
Thank you Amnon. I have heard Mike mention the Delta 1010 in the past on the forum. I will make another post in the appropriate sub forum

RobertTheiss
04-01-2015, 10:17 AM
I use the Zoom.us webinar feature, which allows me to take callers using their chat panel or in a video format. For audio only, the caller just needs to turn off their camera.

PaulSaunders
04-01-2015, 04:07 PM
If you want to take calls and dont mind spending a few dollars check out Blog Talk Radio. for 40 dollars you get to use their phone system and get your own phone number.

RobertTheiss
04-01-2015, 05:03 PM
I use to work with Blogtalkradio but after a couple years of waiting for the the promised HDaudio, I gave up and made the switch to a video/audio format.

andrewzarian
04-01-2015, 05:08 PM
I use to work with Blogtalkradio but after a couple years of waiting for the the promised HDaudio, I gave up and made the switch to a video/audio format.

I actually had a long phone call with them today. HD Audio seems to be coming really soon :)