Good day!
I cannot but mention one of the communication services that has rapidly gained (and is gaining) popularity over the past few years. (especially when I am asked about Skype counterparts ) ... In today's article we will talk about this service - about Discord (original name Discord).
I'll start with one popular question: "What is Discord anyway?" This is a free program for exchanging text and voice messages (in fact, you can use it as an Internet phone, a kind of Skype analog). Moreover, if some of the functions in Skype (or another analogue program - TeamSpeak) are paid, then in Discord almost everything is free (unless, with the exception of some additional "priblud", which the majority do not need).
In general, initially the program was positioned as a chat for gamers. But now, as it develops, in my opinion, it has already outgrown it - it is suitable for solving a wide variety of tasks!
Judge for yourself, here are the main dignity of Discord:
- creating rooms (chats) with various access rights and roles (moreover, a personal chat with a friend can be created with 1 mouse click!);
- voice communication: both in person and in conference mode (all participants in the room can speak);
- the ability to work with the service both in a browser and in applications from under Windows, Android, Mac, Linux, iOS (i.e. the service is available both from a PC and from tablets, phones, netbooks, etc. devices).
- well-developed engine: the sound does not stutter, does not shake, fast connection, fewer problems with the connection, the program does not hang on any of your actions (the same Skype often loads the CPU up to 50% or more, especially in case of network failures);
- evaluation of any message in the chat (helps to express an attitude to a person's thoughts);
- previews of images, videos, animations when inserting links (this is very convenient!);
- adding bots to chat;
- the ability to pin multiple messages in a chat;
- creating invite links (that is, invitations that you can send only to the people you need);
- allows you to broadcast your screen (with everything that happens on it) to other users. You can also make video calls (note: if you have a webcam);
- synchronization of groups with telegram, and much more!
I think that even what I have mentioned above is more than enough for the appearance of a motive to get to know the program better ?! Especially if you have problems with Skype or TeamSpeak ...
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The basics of working in Discord
Registration and Login
Registration page: //discordapp.com/register
Registration on the service is standard: you must specify your working e-mail (you will receive a registration confirmation code), username (i.e. your login) and password. The registration form is shown in the screenshot below.
Discord account
After filling out the form, your profile window will automatically open (i.e. you will enter the site), however, some of the functionality will not be available until you confirm the e-mail. At the top of the window there will be a message about the need to do this (example below).
Check e-mail
By the way, for a faster search for friends, you can link your Facebook account to Discord.
You can immediately link your Facebook account
Applications for Windows, Android, etc.
Can be downloaded to the official. page: //discordapp.com/download
Google Play Link: //play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.discord
If, working on a PC, it is convenient to use both the browser version of Discord and the application, then on the phone you need to install a special. attachment. In general, the installation is standard, nothing complicated from itself (the link to Google Play is given above).
Applications
How to find and add friends to favorites
In principle, the Discord service is very friendly, the interface is simple and not intrusive (besides, it is completely in Russian). By the way, many consider him "teenage" (in my opinion, everything is quite serious).
And so, you can add a friend / friends in a variety of ways. Below are a couple of the most popular.
Option number 1
Let's say you and a friend have registered on Discord. How can you find each other now?
1) Please note that your nickname and ID are indicated at the bottom of the window (on the left side). For example, in the screenshot below, the nickname is "alexandr_br", ID is "# 6527". This data must be transferred to your friend (for example, by SMS, social networks, etc.).
User nickname and ID
2) Next, your friend on his PC clicks on the "Friends" section, clicks on the "Add friend" button and enters your username and ID. Example: "alexandr_br # 6527" (without quotes). See screenshot below.
Friends - add a friend (Discord)
3) Next, you will receive a request from him to add to friends: if you confirm the request, then you are friends with each other (in favorites). Such a security measure is necessary so that spammers are not added to your friends.
We agree to add a friend to favorites
Friend added
Start communication (create a chat for 2)
4) To start communication (create a chat for two), just click on the friend's nickname.
To start a conversation - just click on your friend's nickname
5) Then you can write messages, talk over the network (if you have a microphone installed). By the way, Discord, when receiving a message, makes a small sound notification (so that if your browser window is minimized, you will still know that someone is bothering you ... ).
Chat with a friend
Option number 2
If you have already been invited to a group / room, then on the left you will see a list of members of this community. You can add any of them to your friends - just right-click on it and select "Add to friends" in the menu that appears.
Adding to friends (nicknames overwritten)
How to create and connect to a server (chat rooms by interest)
The server is needed so that you can gather all your friends in one place (ie in a single "room"). This is a kind of general chat in which everyone can communicate with each other. Moreover, different channels can be created on the same server (that is, in addition to the main channel, where, for example, general topics will be discussed, you can create mini-channels for narrow interests). In general, it is very convenient! Below I will show you how to create a server, how to send an invitation and connect to it.
1) After entering Discord - click on the button to connect to the server (on the left in the menu it looks like a "plus").
Create server
2) Next, select the "Create Server" option.
Another server
3) After specifying the server name, select a characteristic icon (you can use any of your pictures), and click on the "Create" button.
Server name
4) Further in the menu on the left you will see the created server. Hovering the mouse pointer over it - you will be presented with its name (see screenshot below).
Server created
5) Until you invite other people (friends, acquaintances, like-minded people) no one will know about your server. To invite, select a server and click on the "Invite People" button. See example below.
Invite people
6) Next, you will have a short link by which you can go to your server. Copy it (the "Copy" button is presented opposite it).
Copy link to server
7) After this link, you can also drop it into the Discord chat, or in the social. networks, in various messengers. Then just go to it (click the "Join" button), and you are on the server. In general, everything is simple ...
Join
8) As for creating channels: it's even easier. It is enough to click on the name of your server in the top menu and select "Create channel" from the menu. See example below.
Channel creation
9) In general, after specifying the name of the channel, it appears in the list of available ones (see at the bottom of the window, above your nickname).
Different channels
About adding emoticons to chat (emoji)
Once upon a time, at the dawn of creation, Discord had a problem with emoticons (and they had to be re-installed separately in all sorts of clever ways). Now the developers have added them.Now, with the help of them, you can express almost any of your emotions and states: sympathy, laughter, tears, love, anger, etc.
If you are using an old version of the application that does not have emoticons (or a limited number of them), just update it. Or, use the browser version of the service.
For example, as a demonstration of hundreds of available emoticons, I will show the screen below. Please note: to add a smiley to a message, just click on the "face" icon in the message writing line and select an emotion / action (you don't need to install anything extra!). After pressing Enter - the message will be sent along with all the added emoticons.
Adding an emoticon to Discord chat
By the way, one more thing. From personal experience, I can say that the developers have optimized Discord best for the Google Chrome browser. If some function does not work for you (including emoticons), try running the web version of the service in Chrome.
Addition!
If standard emoticons are not enough for you, you can upload additional emoji to your server (exactly to your own!). It looks very unusual and cool: it gives your server a certain uniqueness!
An example of various cool emojis
To install them: go to the server settings (see example below).
Server Tuning
Next, open the "Emoji" tab and click on the "Download emoji" button. See screenshot below.
Download emoji
How to talk with friends (working mode is similar to Skype)
I will assume that you have already connected and configured the microphone and headphones. By the way, here is one instruction on this topic to help: //ocomp.info/kak-podklyuchit-naushniki.html
1) Then everything is quite simple! From the list of active friends (those who are online), select the one you need, then click on the phone (start a voice call).
Start a voice call
2) Next, your interlocutor will have a message that they want to talk to him. He is required to click on the "join the call" button (if he agrees to the conversation ).
Join the call
3) In general, if the interlocutor agreed - you can talk! Please note that the first time you talk, the microphone is turned off (you must give permission for Discord to use it).
By the way, Discord allows you to broadcast your desktop (with everything that happens on it). When it comes to games or learning, this is a mega useful option. Alternatively, you can enable live streaming from your webcam - i.e. make video calls.
Turn on camera or screen sharing
4) By the way, I note that the screencast option is only supported in the Chrome browser (this is for those who use the browser version of Discord).
Note: you can broadcast not the entire screen, but only a specific window (in some cases - a mega-useful option).
Giving access to the screen
If the microphone does not work in Discord (you cannot be heard)
The most common problem with Discord. The fact is that the operation of a microphone depends on many "points": on the availability of drivers, on Windows settings, parameters in Discord, on the volume level, etc. In general, a rather capricious thing ...
Below I will indicate the most popular causes of the problems.
1) The first thing I recommend to pay attention to is the call window. The fact is that when you first talk to the Discord service, the microphone is turned off by default (see the screen below - it is crossed out with a red line).
The microphone is disabled by default
2) Next, I recommend going into the user settings (link to the parameters next to your nickname, see the example below).
User Settings
Then open the "voice and video" section and check:
- whether the input device is correctly selected (especially if you have connected (or have been connected before) several microphones);
- check the microphone volume (turn it up to maximum);
- adjust the sensitivity.
Voice and video - Discord (clickable)
3) If the above did not help, I recommend opening "Sounds" and checking the microphone settings in the Windows control panel (for this, just right-click on the sound icon in the tray, see the screen below).
Sounds
Further, in the "communication" tab, pay attention to whether you have to decrease the volume of the sound during a conversation. Try rearranging the slider and choosing an option between 50-80%.
Setting up communication during a conversation
In the "Recording" tab, select your microphone and open its properties. By the way, if you have several microphones in this tab: note which one is selected by default (note: it is marked with a green check mark) .
One important point! If you do not have a single recording device displayed in this tab (and the microphone is connected to a PC / laptop), it is possible that you do not have the drivers installed. Utilities for auto-updating drivers here: //ocomp.info/update-drivers.html
Microphone properties
Next, in the "Levels" tab, try to amplify the microphone signal, check its volume.
Microphone gain
4) If you have Windows 10 - I recommend going to Windows settings (you can use the Win + i button combination), to the "System / Sound" section. Then scroll down to the microphone check point: there you can run the troubleshooter (see screen below). In some cases, it helps to quickly solve the problem!
Troubleshoot audio problems
Addition! (a couple more instructions to help)
Microphone not working in Windows 10 [solution] - //ocomp.info/ne-rabotaet-mikrofon-windows-10.html
How to check the microphone on headphones: I can't hear at all - //ocomp.info/kak-proverit-mikrofon.html
PS
To summarize the comparison of Discord with Skype, I will say that in terms of functionality and convenience, Discord is an order of magnitude higher (and in terms of the quality of the transmitted sound and network operation, at least for today). But there is one big "BUT" - Skype is much more popular and is installed on almost every PC, laptop ( ).
In addition, if you only use Discord exclusively for Internet calls, then its capabilities are identical to Skype (unless the connection is more stable in some cases).
Conclusion: Skype is still out of competition, but worthy analogs have long been there (both for phone and PC. The same Discord ). And if you have a problem with the connection with one of the programs, you can replace it with an analog ...
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That's all. Happy settings and good communication!
Good Luck!