Anyone here use "Zello"?

[Tim Xpedites]

So I follow some trucking related sites on Facebook, YouTube etc. & one of the members/founders of a particular site I frequent spoke of Zello, being back up & invited all the members to come in so I followed. I must say, perty damn cool! So I been using it the past week or so & I havent really seen a flaw in it yet, gonna give it a week or so & keep tabs on my data & see how bad it eats thru it but I thought it was pretty badass for the simple fact those late night runs or bored hours you have listened to the entire 60's, 70's, 80-2000's music collection & all the talk radio before my ears start bleeding I can handle.

But this gives me a room or channels to talk to folks and keep me going because I dont know about you but when I'm TALKING to folks it gives me a boost so to speak, im no longer bored, tired etc. So its an App. for your smart phone, kinda like the old nextel phones or walkie talkie, c.b. radio etc. and its FREE, but it does use your data but im told by multiple people that say they use it every single day all day they never go near 300-500 megs a month if that. So on that, I made a room that I'm keeping up for the duration as I test this thing out to see if i'm gonna be a long time user or short term so far as data is concerned. Because as we all know data is a precious commodity out here on the road, lol. I'll be reporting back my findings on data usage/consumption.

So Admins imma leave my Zello room info if its ok? If not delete this next part, So download Zello, Search Channels for "ADX" minus the quotations. Once you find it submit a request to join the room & I or other moderators will authorize you as you cannot talk or listen in the room until your authorized. If interested get in touch w/ me & ill walk ya thru it, cheers!

 

[Bako12thMan]

Definitely keep us posted. I'd be interested in it, if the data use isn't severe.

 

[Tim Xpedites]

Definitely keep us posted. I'd be interested in it, if the data use isn't severe.

most definitely sir.

 

[Slo-Ride]

Zello is commonly used for gaming comms. Some folks tell me they use it @ work also. Once a channel becomes so large with a decent number of users it can become sort of a pain as more and more people try to key up at the same time. For us (Gaming) its stressed not to use the channel during a op for idle chat. Keep it all business if on a large channel and it works well.

 

[Tim Xpedites]

gaming? Why would you use something that consumes data? Why not use mumble or ventrilo etc.? Unless your referring to gaming while on the road as well? But I dont know how big it will or would become as of yet, I'm not doin a ton of advertising on it as of yet til I see the data consumption first hand.

 

[Turtle]

Conversations are encoded with the Opus codec and kHz constraints which is designed specifically for voice. Sending and receiving is going to be encoded at 12 kbits when on data and up to 45 kbits on WiFi. That means, when you're on data, it's going to use at most 110 Kb per minute of data while talking. If you're astonishingly chatty and can talk constantly for a solid hour, you'll use 6.6 MB in an hour. In real world practice, it's more likely to be a third of that, or less, even for an extended conversation. When the app is running and at idle it won't use more than about 20 KB per hour. So, you'd be hard pressed to use more than 150 MB in a month. But if you have 3-4 hour conversations while driving down the road, every day, you might use as much as 250-300 MB in a month.

Bandwidth isn't really a concern, because it's not like streaming audio where you can use 100 MB or more per hour. The real concern with Zello (and other PTT apps) is the battery drain. It's very hard on the battery and will not only drain it rapidly, but it will, absolutely, dramatically shorten the life of the battery. If your battery is easily replaceable (mine is not) then it's not a problem. If you have a phone where the battery is permanent (thanks HTC) then you need to be ever vigilant when it comes to battery-draining apps. You're better off buying a cheap POS smartphone with a replaceable battery and use that for Zello and other high drain apps.

 

[scottm4211]

I'd pick up a Lumia 640 Windows phone at best buy or wal Mart for 30 bucks and use that over WiFi hotspot. Great battery management and replaceable battery. And zello app is available. That's my backup phone.

 

[Slo-Ride]

gaming? Why would you use something that consumes data? Why not use mumble or ventrilo etc.? Unless your referring to gaming while on the road as well? But I dont know how big it will or would become as of yet, I'm not doin a ton of advertising on it as of yet til I see the data consumption first hand.

In our particular game there are operation leaders, team leads, clearing teams, blocking teams, throwing teams,and various folks on the ground doing all sort of activities and at times spread across several counties, cites, states or in some cases other countries. Zello works to bring all these people into real time at one time. You will find a great deal of gamers are the last to worry about data. We are going to eat it.
This game we play is know as the most expensive free game you will ever play.

 

[Tim Xpedites]

In our particular game there are operation leaders, team leads, clearing teams, blocking teams, throwing teams,and various folks on the ground doing all sort of activities and at times spread across several counties, cites, states or in some cases other countries. Zello works to bring all these people into real time at one time. You will find a great deal of gamers are the last to worry about data. We are going to eat it.
This game we play is know as the most expensive free game you will ever play.

Annnnnnd that would be??? what game? But w/ Zello only one person can talk at a time so what if in a particular scenario your talking about nothing and something in the backdrop is happening and your too long winded and your guys cant tell you? Unless they are admins/mods of the channel.

 

[Tim Xpedites]

Conversations are encoded with the Opus codec and kHz constraints which is designed specifically for voice. Sending and receiving is going to be encoded at 12 kbits when on data and up to 45 kbits on WiFi. That means, when you're on data, it's going to use at most 110 Kb per minute of data while talking. If you're astonishingly chatty and can talk constantly for a solid hour, you'll use 6.6 MB in an hour. In real world practice, it's more likely to be a third of that, or less, even for an extended conversation. When the app is running and at idle it won't use more than about 20 KB per hour. So, you'd be hard pressed to use more than 150 MB in a month. But if you have 3-4 hour conversations while driving down the road, every day, you might use as much as 250-300 MB in a month.

Bandwidth isn't really a concern, because it's not like streaming audio where you can use 100 MB or more per hour. The real concern with Zello (and other PTT apps) is the battery drain. It's very hard on the battery and will not only drain it rapidly, but it will, absolutely, dramatically shorten the life of the battery. If your battery is easily replaceable (mine is not) then it's not a problem. If you have a phone where the battery is permanent (thanks HTC) then you need to be ever vigilant when it comes to battery-draining apps. You're better off buying a cheap POS smartphone with a replaceable battery and use that for Zello and other high drain apps.

Where in tarnations you been? aint heard from you in a minute, you been in the backdrop stalkin toitle!?? lol j/k how goes it!

 

[Slo-Ride]

Annnnnnd that would be??? what game? But w/ Zello only one person can talk at a time so what if in a particular scenario your talking about nothing and something in the backdrop is happening and your too long winded and your guys cant tell you? Unless they are admins/mods of the channel.

And that's the importance of keeping a conversation sterile during a operation. Idle chat stops once op is started.

 

[Tim Xpedites]

Reports are In.

Ok, so I been using this App. for round about a month or so (3 weeks) and i have used a total of 0.59gig for those 3 weeks and thats leaving zello on at all times unless im sleeping & even then i found an option to mark myself as AWAY and it doesnt make a sound, so now i leave it on nonstop 24/7.

So theres my results guys, hope this helps you determine wether or not you would like to try it, we have had a few guys from here on EO come in and support our channel (Thanks Guys). So if yall get a chance, come stop by, pull up a chair and shoot the sh** w/ us. later guys, hope all is well and safe out there, cheers.

 

[RoadTime]

Once you find it submit a request to join the room

Tim, how do I submit a request to join the room? I added the room, but don't see any submit a request to join things.
Thanks

 

[Bako12thMan]

I love it, but haven't been active in my subscribed rooms because my codriver sleeps to light.

 

[Tim Xpedites]

Tim, how do I submit a request to join the room? I added the room, but don't see any submit a request to join things.
Thanks

Room name has officially been changed to "Transportation Life WWR" minus quotes. We had a good showing/following so we decided to go full speed ahead w/ it. Just find our room, come in and wait to be "Authorized" to participate.