Q: How do I access/use the Chat?

A: You can access the Chat from three main locations.  First, from anywhere in the site you can enter the Chat by clicking on the Chat icon in the Top Menu.  When that is not visible, a Chat icon is also located in the Bottom Member Menu.  Chat is at the far right.  The third location is on your Dashboard, which is your account page.  This can be reached from the Dashboard icon in the Top and Bottom Menus.  The Chat is the third link in the "Quick Links" section.

To use the text Chat, click on one of the Chat links mentioned above.  You will be in the "Lobby" of the Chat, with your username listed in the "Users in Lobby" column on the right.  To participate in the discussion, simply type in the text area along the bottom of the Chat screen and click on the arrow at the right to submit your comments.  They will be sent to all users in the room you presently have active.  It is possible to send a private message to a specific user.  Type your message, select the user from the pop-up list next to "Send to," and check the "Whisper" box.  This MUST be done for each private message.

Many "Special Events" will be held in separate rooms.  "The Bridge of Truth" room is reserved for discussions with our guests after the show.  Rooms can be either open to all members or private.  You will need a password for admission to a private room.  These will generally be provided by the event planner.  To enter a room simply click on its name in the "All Rooms" section.  The users persently in that room will be listed at the top of the right column.

All members have the ability to create their own room to conduct a chat with friends, colleagues, or for other specific purposes.  In the "All Rooms" panel on the right side of the Chat screen, simply click on "New Room" and fill in the details in the pop up menu.  HOWEVER, ONLY IMPERIAL MEMBERS CAN CREATE A PRIVATE ROOM.  (Premium memberships are discussed in the FAQ page.)

The features of our chat rooms are quite sophisticated.  It is possible to "be" in multiple rooms at the same time.  Each time you click on a room to enter it, the name of that room will appear in a tab along the top of the chat window.  All users begin in the "Lobby," which will appear in the first tab.  To leave the "Lobby," or any other room you happen to be in, before entering another room, click on the small box in the upper right corner of the tab for the room you want to close.  You can open and close rooms at any time.  However, you will only be able to send text in the room you have active.

Program resources limit the total number of chat rooms available to members.  Therefore, WE ASK THAT YOU DELETE THE ROOMS YOU CREATE AFTER USE.  This way, if members are mindful and considerate of each other, rooms will always be available when you need one.  ADMINISTATION RESERVES THE RIGHT TO DELETE INACTIVE ROOMS IF NECESSARY.

Q: Can I use a webcam?  How?

A: Text chat is available to all members.  Anyone can use a webcam in the chat rooms, but to do so it is necessary to enrole in one of our Premium memberships.  These are available for as little as $6/mo.  (Premium memberships will be discussed in the FAQ page.)

To use a webcam, first make sure you have one properly installed on your computer before you log into "Enter The Bridge."  Then, go to the Chat from any avaliable link.  At the bottom of the right column, below "Users" and "Rooms," you will find the "My Video" section, with your Avatar.  The controls for your webcam are along its left side.  Click on the bottom control, "Camera Settings."  It opens with the first setting from the right, where you select your Camera.  The next setting is for Microphone.  You also set the level here.  The middle setting is for Local Storage.  The default setting should be adequate, and allows for storing the user information required to use the Chat.  The fourth setting is for Privacy, which you need to set to "Allow."  Checking "Remember" is recommended so you don't have to do this each time you use the chat.  The last setting, on the far left, is for Display.  Ckeck "Enable hardware acceleration" if your computer allows for it.  Most modern computers capable of running a Flash chat application do.  (Uncheck if you notice a problem.)  Once all settings are made, click close.  You can now cast your video and audio with the remaining controls next to your Avatar.

Basic instructions for viewing another member's webcam is posted in the chat "Lobby."  You can do this regardless if you have a webcam connected.  HOWEVER, IF YOU DO AND INTEND TO USE AUDIO DURING YOUR CHAT, CONNECT A SET OF HEADPHONES TO YOUR SYSTEM SUCH THAT THE EXTERNAL SPEAKERS ARE DISCONNECTED.  OTHERWISE, A FEEDBACK LOOP WILL BE CREATED.  Also, be aware that your webcam will be accessible to all rooms you presently have open, SO IT IS ADVISABLE TO CLOSE ALL ROOMS EXCEPT THE ONE YOU WANT TO CHAT IN.

It is possible to have multiple webcams open in the bottom viewing area at the same time.  Double-clicking on any open webcam will expand it into a larger, separate viewer, which has fullscreen capability.  HOWEVER, DOING SO WILL CLOSE ALL OTHER OPEN WEBCAMS, SINCE THE SYSTEM HAS THE ABILITY TO PROCESS AND DISPLAY ONLY ONE AT A TIME IN THIS MANNER.  Audio will not be affected.

Q: How can I conduct my own webinar or other private chat event?

A: A webinar can be in the form of text only, or Audio/Video.  A public text webinar can be conducted by anyone,  at any time.  The casting of audio and/or video is available to all Premium members.  However, a private webinar may only be conducted by an Imperial member.  (See the FAQ page.)  The advantage is that one can control who can see the event.  In the process of creating a new room, you would specify the room to be private and then submit the password.  BE SURE TO RECORD YOUR PASSWORD.  You may then distribute the password for your event either to specific members on our site through Mail, or to people on your personal mailing list, who must either be or become Standard (free) members to view it.

Due to this program's current resource restrictions, please limit your subscribers for a given event to 50 viewers.  FOR ALL ON-SITE CHAT EVENTS, CHECK OUR EVENTS CALENDAR TO MAKE SURE THERE ARE NO USAGE CONFLICTS.  Please post your event so other planners will be aware of it and schedule their events accordingly.  (See the FAQ page for instructions.)  This is obviously "first come, first served."  (All members should post their events, whether on-site or off-site, to receive the best possible advertising and exposure for them.)

Q: What is the difference between an Avatar and a Profile Photo?

A: An Avatar is a picture or graphic that you choose to identify yourself throughout the site.  The photo or graphic you upload during the Join process automatically becomes your Avatar.  You may add Avatars to your account, but only one is displayed at any given time. To add or change an Avatar, click on the Dashboard icon in the Top Navigation Menu, and then select Avatar from the drop-down list.

A Profile Photo is a photo that you add to your Profile page to be displayed in the upper right panel.  These photos are uploaded to your primary photo album and will be displayed in the "Public Photos" section of our site.

"Enter The Bridge" was designed such that Avatars and Profile Photos are separate entities.  Thus, a photo or graphic uploaded during the Join process is not automatically added to your Profile Photos.  Should you wisk an Avatar to also be included in your Profile Photos, simply upload it again, this time to your primary photo album.  (This can be accessed from your Profile page by clicking on the Photos link.)  While an Avatar needs to be cropped when added, a Profile Photo can be any size.