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 <hasty@netcom.com>
	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)

