Let's give this a try.

I will be online at 9pm GMT tonight, i.e. in 30 minutes time, when I've had some coffee and a bite to eat. See:

 http://templot.com/companion/templot_live.html

For best results try viewing in Microsoft Edge.

There is a chat room on there in addition to the live feed.

To find the room password, in Templot go to tools > metric calculator and note the word on a green background.

regards,

Martin.
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message ref: 22723

Hi Andy,

This is a sample of what I'm seeing on the feed:



How does your screen compare?

cheers,

Martin.

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message ref: 22725

Looks just about the same. The only difference is the feed goes fuzzy briefly during a refresh.
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message ref: 22726

Hi Martin,

Sorry missed you tonight. Had to pickup the wife from the mother's in Stafford. I will try and look in if there is any more live action later in the week as I know I am probably out Tuesday night.

Rob


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message ref: 22728

Hi Rob,

I have just closed it, but I can restart for half an hour or so if you wish. It takes a few minutes for the server to restart.

cheers,

Martin.

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message ref: 22729

This is now live again for the rest of the evening if anyone wants any help with Templot.

Reply here or enter the chat room so that I know you are there.

cheers,

Martin.

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Jeepers Martin , you're a gluten for punishment , next minute you'll be setting up a one man call centre !!
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message ref: 22753

madscientist wrote: Jeepers Martin , you're a gluten for punishment , next minute you'll be setting up a one man call centre !!I was hoping some live help might be a stopgap until I can get proper up-to-date tutorials done.

But it seems I was wrong. I posted details on 3 other forums in addition to Templot Club, but despite those posts receiving several hundred views there hasn't been a single reply. I can take a hint.

regards,

Martin.

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message ref: 22754

Martin,

The live help was a good idea, the issue is there isn't always somebody wanting it. People work away with Templot and post on the forum when they have an issue they can't resolve - it would be lucky if it happened to be a time when you have a live drop-in session open.

A number of web sites, for example car dealers, have a live help feature that asks you to click on a box to contact them. This request flashes up a message on the screens at the dealers and somebody will then open a session with you to provide the required help. I doubt very much if you are likely to want to provide this. You could try advertising in advance when you have a live help session planned, maybe people could work around the issue until then and you could do the on-screen dance at the advertised time. If people don't know if/when there will be a session they will just post on the forum and await a response.

I see your plan now - you get to experiment with broadcasting to the world as an excuse not to work on the documentation

Rob


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message ref: 22755

Hi Rob,

My intention was that when someone asks for help, I could say "I'm hoping to get an up-to-date tutorial done on that before too long", or alternatively I could say "if you can watch at xpm tonight I will show you".

But first I needed to see if it was technically feasible with a cheap streaming service, and to see if the idea was regarded as worth pursuing.

I agree that the situation is not ideal.

But I would just add that Templot is free for anyone to use or not as they wish. I'm not obliged to make it available or to provide any support for it.

regards,

Martin.

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message ref: 22756

Martin,

All the regular guys and gals on here realise the situation with regard to support for Templot and they all realise the massive debt they owe you for providing it to the model railway community. Most of the people who will use any new documentation will be just starting out and one day, with your help and of others one here, they will be expert track designers too.

Rob

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message ref: 22757

Rob Manchester wrote: Martin,

All the regular guys and gals on here realise the situation with regard to support for Templot and they all realise the massive debt they owe you for providing it to the model railway community. Most of the people who will use any new documentation will be just starting out and one day, with your help and of others one here, they will be expert track designers too.

Rob
Well said Rob!

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message ref: 22758

Thanks Martin for your efforts, but I for one am usually away from the computer or tablet from around 7pm til 7.30 am. I have usually had a look on the off chance at lunchtime.


Thanks
Phil
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message ref: 22759

Hi Phil,

The evening session isn't set in stone. A lot depends on the weather. If it is a nice sunny day I don't want to be on the computer in the middle of the day. See for example:

 http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/84769-days-when-you-know-why-you-live-in-the-british-isles/page-40#entry2919717

But if it is typical November weather, it doesn't make much difference when I'm on.

I tried to suggest a time which would allow the most number to watch, but if it turns out to be only one at lunchtime, so be it.

cheers,

Martin.

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message ref: 22760

It's not a bad area to be on a nice day. I will be in Stourport for a week starting next Tuesday, visiting my parents, so I won't be online much as they will probably have a list of jobs they can't manage themselves these days.
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message ref: 22761

Personally I don't see much point to a live chat session for applications like templot. There is little you can do in such sessions, other then field fairly generic Q&A.s.

If you are looking for " screen time " I would ( humbly ) suggest that a updated series of videos , on issues like tandems, and other more esoteric things are a better application of your time and your " adoring " fans can watch it at their own pace and time 
As regards documention , the trend in this YouTube scant attention world is to move to video blogging rather then written dcumention 

Personally I think that's the way to go for documentation 

Dave

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message ref: 22762

madscientist wrote: If you are looking for " screen time" I would ( humbly ) suggest that a updated series of videos , on issues like tandems, and other more esoteric things are a better application of your timeHi Dave,

Yes, I'm aware of that. Unfortunately producing smooth-running videos takes up days and weeks of my time. I do like to have a life outside of Templot.

The live sessions were intended to be a stopgap until better videos are available.

Also I'm getting a bit fed up with the constant request for help with tandem turnouts from folks who haven't yet got to grips with the basics of Templot. A viable tandem turnout is at the top end of track design. I have posted some guidance notes for tandems, see:

 http://85a.co.uk/forum/view_topic.php?id=2394&forum_id=22#p16119

I will make a new tandem video, but not yet. My priority is to progress the Templot Explained beginners section. I am also keen to find a usable lossless format instead of MP4. It hurts my eyes. I'm minded to stick with the FBR format and the native player.

regards,

Martin.

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message ref: 22765

Also I'm getting a bit fed up with the constant request for help with tandem turnouts from folks who haven't yet got to grips with the basics of Templot. A viable tandem turnout is at the top end of track design. I have posted some guidance notes for tandems, see:

Hello Martin,
                   You are  just too good to all us users of Templot at the expense of your own time.
It would be to your own benefit if you just stepped back a little and let others and things in general sort themselves out sometimes. If someone really wants to do such a thing as a tandem turnout I am sure there is already sufficient advice available already if one is determined enough and spends time looking.
Regards.
Trevor.


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