Patching Calls Via Zello (SDS100)

swfluncensored

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Hi. I am currently looking into getting rid of my APX900 and purchasing myself an SDS100. As much as I do not favor the cosmetic look of the scanner, it has an AMAZING set of features that truly put me in a state of awe.

Now, is there a way for me to patch the radio into a Zello channel? Somehow hooking up the scanner to my PC, and allowing all the radio calls it picks up to automatically transmit into a Zello channel?
 

a417

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Now, is there a way for me to patch the radio into a Zello channel? Somehow hooking up the scanner to my PC, and allowing all the radio calls it picks up to automatically transmit into a Zello channel?
[gross oversimplification]
audio out (filtered RX audio on the brand i usually use - variety of different names based on brand) --> "mic in" line on a PC with the legacy zello app --> set the program for VOX --> and out it goes.

This is how many people utilize it. Most of the differences you will see stems from what people use to recieve whatever they are listening to.
 
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Firebuff66

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Hi. I am currently looking into getting rid of my APX900 and purchasing myself an SDS100. As much as I do not favor the cosmetic look of the scanner, it has an AMAZING set of features that truly put me in a state of awe.

Now, is there a way for me to patch the radio into a Zello channel? Somehow hooking up the scanner to my PC, and allowing all the radio calls it picks up to automatically transmit into a Zello channel?
I run 16 Zello channels. I use a combo of scanners and 2 way radios. I have 12 Broadcastify feeds and every one is a Zello feed also.
I use the Sound Blaster USB sound cards so I can use 1 computer to run them all, I rarely have any issues
 

swfluncensored

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I run 16 Zello channels. I use a combo of scanners and 2 way radios. I have 12 Broadcastify feeds and every one is a Zello feed also.
I use the Sound Blaster USB sound cards so I can use 1 computer to run them all, I rarely have any issues
Do you think it would ever be possible to use one scanner and one PC to run numerous simultaneous Zello channels?
 

a417

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Do you think it would ever be possible to use one scanner and one PC to run numerous simultaneous Zello channels?
one scanner can only listen to one thing at one time, see your issue?

if you used something that processed and output multiple audio streams at one time - you could do that.
 

va2dg

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I run 16 Zello channels. I use a combo of scanners and 2 way radios. I have 12 Broadcastify feeds and every one is a Zello feed also.
I use the Sound Blaster USB sound cards so I can use 1 computer to run them all, I rarely have any issues
ok if you run 16 Zello channels, does it mean you have 16 instance of Zello.exe runing of same PC. How to you to get that to work.
I have installed Zello once then in program files x86 i cut and paste the Zello directory into Zello-2 and rename Zello.exe to Zello-2.exe.
After strugling for awhile with Database pop up i finally have it going.
The PC already has a Broadcastify Feed, so first Zello is using same input, then i installed a new USB fob and got the second Zello to use it.
But so far is i stop one of the zello and close it completely and restard is i get issue that is is look for wrong channel,.

Is there a tutorial on how to run multiple instance of Zello on same PC?
Also have in AppData Roaming 2 directory Zello and ZelloDesktop. Seem that data for both instance is using ZelloDesktop. The other directory Zello only has stuff for one day prior.

Aren't we supposed to have on directory for each instance in AppData Roaming?

03-Sep-23 10-28-12 AM.jpg03-Sep-23 07-41-31 PM.jpg03-Sep-23 10-25-17 AM.jpg
 

DC31

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if you used something that processed and output multiple audio streams at one time - you could do that.
i do just that with a raspberry pi/ Trunk Recorder on a P25 digital system

using the Simplestream plugin on TR it sends the audio for a specific talkgroup to a specific UDP port. Then the zellostream python program is configured to listen on the specific UDP port and stream to a specific Zello Channel. I think that I have done four or so talkgroups to individual channels from a single RPi with a single sdr stick. With more computer, you could probably expand on this.

if you are going to try multiple Zello Channels with scanners/radios for sources, you are going to need one radio/soundcard for each channel.
 

DC31

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ok if you run 16 Zello channels, does it mean you have 16 instance of Zello.exe runing of same PC. How to you to get that to work.
I have installed Zello once then in program files x86 i cut and paste the Zello directory into Zello-2 and rename Zello.exe to Zello-2.exe.
After strugling for awhile with Database pop up i finally have it going.
The PC already has a Broadcastify Feed, so first Zello is using same input, then i installed a new USB fob and got the second Zello to use it.
But so far is i stop one of the zello and close it completely and restard is i get issue that is is look for wrong channel,.

Is there a tutorial on how to run multiple instance of Zello on same PC?
Also have in AppData Roaming 2 directory Zello and ZelloDesktop. Seem that data for both instance is using ZelloDesktop. The other directory Zello only has stuff for one day prior.

Aren't we supposed to have on directory for each instance in AppData Roaming?

View attachment 147785View attachment 147786View attachment 147787
Have a look at the zellostream python program. That can be easily configured for multiple sound cards
 

va2dg

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a417

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ok if you run 16 Zello channels, does it mean you have 16 instance of Zello.exe runing of same PC. How to you to get that to work.
I don't use windows for this, and I have a standalone linux box that runs the aforementioned zello python program and does it without all the GUI nonsense. Multiple instances, multiple feeds. If you're a windows person, I wouldn't recommend it until you get your feet wet on an open source operating system.

YMMV.
 

va2dg

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Have a look at the zellostream python program. That can be easily configured for multiple sound cards
Hi DC31, i have install Python and all that was described in the Github readme.md
i have extract zellostream in c:\zellostream directory , i have modified the config.json, added my private key then i ran zellostream.py but
got these errors.

Also when running zellostream do we have a gui interface like running Zello.exe to see what is going on or who is logged in?


C:\zellostream-master>zellostream.py
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "C:\zellostream-master\zellostream.py", line 10, in <module>
import opuslib
File "C:\Users\admin\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python311\Lib\site-packages\opuslib\__init__.py", line 19, in <module>
from .exceptions import OpusError # NOQA
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
File "C:\Users\admin\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python311\Lib\site-packages\opuslib\exceptions.py", line 10, in <module>
import opuslib.api.info
File "C:\Users\admin\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python311\Lib\site-packages\opuslib\api\__init__.py", line 20, in <module>
raise Exception(
Exception: Could not find Opus library. Make sure it is installed.

Here is my config.json

"username": "My-Stream",
"password": "My-Pword#",
"zello_channel": "My Fire Dept",
"issuer": "My Issuer key",
"vox_silence_time": 2,
"audio_threshold": 700,
"input_device_index": 1,
"input_pulse_name": "alsa_output.pci-0000_00_1f.3.analog-stereo.monitor",
"output_device_index": 5,
"output_pulse_name": "fcdv1op",
"zello_input_sample_rate": 16000,
"audio_input_sample_rate": 48000,
"in_channel_config": "mono",
"audio_input_channels": 1,
"audio_output_sample_rate": 48000,
"audio_output_channels": 1,
"audio_output_volume": 1.5,
"logging_level": "info",
"TGID_in_stream": false,
"TGID_to_play": 58917,
"UDP_PORT": 9123
}

C:\zellostream-master>

I ran this to find the USB dongle #

C:\zellostream-master>list_devices_portaudio.py
*** Input devices ***
Microsoft Sound Mapper - Input: 0
Microphone (C-Media USB Headpho: 1
Mixage stéréo (Realtek High Def: 2
Microphone (USB Audio Device): 3

*** Output devices ***
Microsoft Sound Mapper - Output: 4
Haut-parleurs (C-Media USB Head: 5
Haut-parleurs (Realtek High Def: 6
Haut-parleurs (USB Audio Device: 7
 

a417

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it looks like you did not process the requirements in README.md. There is an entire section that specifically lists what you need to do, to run this in Windows. I do not use this section, but I do see a link with some info about Opus.
 

va2dg

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it looks like you did not process the requirements in README.md. There is an entire section that specifically lists what you need to do, to run this in Windows. I do not use this section, but I do see a link with some info about Opus.
I went thru all this GitHub - aaknitt/zellostream: Python script to stream audio one way to a Zello channel,

As far for running the zellostream.py is it fine in the c:\zellostream\zellostream.py
And once it is running how do we know? as i dont see any runnning GUI interface
 

va2dg

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I don't use windows for this, and I have a standalone linux box that runs the aforementioned zello python program and does it without all the GUI nonsense. Multiple instances, multiple feeds. If you're a windows person, I wouldn't recommend it until you get your feet wet on an open source operating system.

YMMV.
Ok will give it a try on linux them, but once running how to you know who is connected and it the stream is running.?
 

a417

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This is not a GUI.

This is a script that will take audio from your source, and send it when it meets your VOX criteria and sends it to the feed. You will not get the GUI you think you would if you were running the windows program. You do not see who is connected.

When your program sends audio, it will show you terminal output.

I use a specific username for streaming, and it's not the same one i log in to on my phone - so I can open the phone app and verify that the stream works. If i see the specific username on - I know it's connected.
 

DC31

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FYI, here is an example of the terminal output when zellostream is running. This is using linux on a raspberry pi. I have no idea if it would look the same on Windows.

IMG_2525.jpeg
 

a417

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FYI, here is an example of the terminal output when zellostream is running. This is using linux on a raspberry pi. I have no idea if it would look the same on Windows.
python is python, my guess is it would look almost exactly the same.

you see how most of those lines (after the time stamp) are preceeded with a "D"? This means you have "logging_level": "debug", set. Try changing it to "Info" or "Warning" if you want less verbose console output.
 

Firebuff66

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ok if you run 16 Zello channels, does it mean you have 16 instances of Zello.exe runing of same PC. How to you to get that to work.
I have installed Zello once then in program files x86 i cut and paste the Zello directory into Zello-2 and rename Zello.exe to Zello-2.exe.
After strugling for awhile with Database pop up i finally have it going.
The PC already has a Broadcastify Feed, so first Zello is using same input, then i installed a new USB fob and got the second Zello to use it.
But so far is i stop one of the zello and close it completely and restard is i get issue that is is look for wrong channel,.

Is there a tutorial on how to run multiple instance of Zello on same PC?
Also have in AppData Roaming 2 directory Zello and ZelloDesktop. Seem that data for both instance is using ZelloDesktop. The other directory Zello only has stuff for one day prior.

Aren't we supposed to have on directory for each instance in AppData Roaming?

View attachment 147785View attachment 147786View attachment 147787
You can run 8 instances per computer, I have 5 different computers running the 16
I use the same sound card input for Zello & Broadcasify
The SoundBlaster USB card comes with software to tweak the audio.
I take out some of the lows for Digital channels and boost the highs so it sounds better.


 
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