Local echo means that when you type text in a 'phonecall, the characters you type appear on your computer screen as well as being sent out over the telephone line (they are "echoed" to the local screen). Sighted users can therefore see what they are typing on the screen and quickly backspace to correct errors. The capability is generally less important to Braille users, who cannot in any case see what they are typing in real time and it is more convenient to have the Braille display

automatically stay at the end of their text than having to read it all afterwards, but having it there for review can still be useful.

Sometimes, however, the computer at the other end of the 'phone sends back (echoes) every character it receives from you. This situation is also referred to as "full duplex", the case where the remote computer is not echoing characters back is "half duplex". In a full duplex situation, WTC displays your typing when the characters are received back down the line, so if local echo is also working, characters will be doubled on the screen. Conversely, if local echo is not enabled and the remote computer is not echoing back, there will be no feedback at all.

When you make or answer a telephone call and WTC successfully connects it, the software determines automatically whether local echo is required. You should generally find that your text appears correctly as you type. Occasionally, however, WTC may incorrectly set local echo on or off at the outset of a call and you will either be getting double characters or nothing in response to your typing.

If you find that feedback to your typing is incorrect, you can manually turn local echo on or off to correct the problem. This is a toggle command on the communications settings menu that enables or disables local echo according to its status at the time of use. Press Alt+S then letter "l" to change the local echo setting and you should find that your typing is displayed correctly from then on. Note that setting local echo manually applies to the current telephone call only, when WTC connects another call at a later time it will set local echo again as appropriate.

From time to tome you may be talking on the 'phone to someone who tells you they cannot see what they are typing and do not know how to do anything about it. Sighted people in particular tend to feel disconcerted if they cannot see what they are typing. In such circumstances, the WTC user can be very helpful. Press Alt+S,E to enable remote echo. WTC will henceforth echo all characters received back over the 'phone line, providing feedback to the other person's typing. Next time you make or answer a call, you may have to turn remote echo back off to prevent the other person getting character duplications. Remote echo is a toggle command, press Alt+S,E to enable/disable it. The setting is not preserve when WTC shuts down, it is always off by default at program startup.

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Local Echo