Parallel's Access iPad app for remote access

KY6LA_Howard

Today (8/27/13) Walt Mossberg gave a great write up in the Wall Street Journal on the new Parallels Access Ipad App which allows you to use your normal iPad features/jestures to access your PC or MAC Desktop. Yes... I have been using both Team Viewer and Logmein for years to run PowerSDR on my iPad with some success but they are not that user friendly So I just tried out the Parallel's Access Ipad App with SmartSDR.... It seems to be a heck of a lot better, faster and much more user friendly than either Team Viewer or Logmein. What's more the audio is substantially better than either of those apps. (As a total aside.. I can now easily watch US TV on my iPad on my extended international travels) Now if Flex can only get VAC/DAX working, I can see that this would be a really great interim solution to remote operation ... at least until Flex allows true remote access over the Internet to a thin client on my iPad...

Kirk, K6KAR

Your post immediately caught my attention. So I went out to the apps section and grabbed a copy. Although I have yet to access my 6700 with it, my initial reaction to this app is, outstanding. I have accessed one of my computers with it and it really works great. Thanks for alerting us to its availability. Kirk, K6KAR

k0eoo

Howard, I need some help with Parallels Access on the iPad:

1. How do I move a slider back&fourth on the screen?
2. How do I connect to the ipad to do CW (you mentioned you can do CW in your first post 4 months ago)?

So far I can hear, push buttons and control my 6500 via W7 PC good except for the two items mentioned above.

Thanks in advance, Dennis k0eoo

KY6LA_Howard

While I have made 100's of SSB, PSK, RTTY amd JT65 Q's using 6700/iPad/Parallels, I have never done CW. U could use CWSkimmer to receive and some CWX program to transmit. No idea how u might interface a key To drag a slider, tap and HOLD it for at least 10 seconds. U should see a slight change in the image so you can then drag things. Hope this helps BTW. With my ipad I use a Logitech Bluetooth Headset with noise canceling mike ($24.50 on Amazon) for receiving audio and sending SSB. My audio reports have been superb. No need to spend a lot of $ on mikes. Most fun remote QSO...3 weeks ago. In a taxi. Drinking a ****, in Bali, Indonesia Pulled out the iPad, Worked W1AW/4 in KY. They told me I was a dup until I explained that the QSO in the morning was from Kuoala Lumpur and this one was from Bali.

k0eoo

Thanks for the tip on dragging the sliders, works good.....  QSL on CW, looks like I'll have to wait for CWX in the 6000.  My next step is to install Skype so I can transmit SSB and AM....

This afternoon at work I was testing running remote from my work network and was getting constant audio dropouts until I restarted Parallels, while at home, no such problem....  Looks like my upload speed via DSL (800kbps) may be the issue, any thoughts?  My work network can do 24bit/96kHz WiFi so its not the issue...

Have you tried Parallels on a PC laptop, something with a mouse, on any of your adventures?

Thanks for the help Howard!  Dennis, k0eoo

KY6LA_Howard

I think your DSL is slow.. which is clearly the issue with Parallels Audio

For SSB... I dial the frequency, etc under parallels on my iPad then switch to Skype for my Audio.. which works surprisingly well even when there is slow Internet......

People at the DXConvention who were using my iPad over 3G on SSB were surprised at the audio quality, minimal dropouts and minimal latency....

Skype Trick

... Set up a skype account Just for your 6700... have it auto answer ONLY from your regular Skype Account....  so then you are the only one who can connect to your 6500/6700 audio...

Probably about 50% of my Q's have been over the 3G networks while mobile in foreign countries... I have a unlocked MIFI box for which I buy local pay as you go local SIM's (About 1/10th the cost of AT&T Roaming Data Plans) and then connect via 3G...

Just picked up a 4G MIFI box.. my son will be testing it for me in Hong Kong next month

Laptops.... My current laptop is a Macbook Air running Parallels PC ....
Frankly the iPad works so seemlessly that I have not bothered trying to run a connection from the PC....  but I am sure it will work....

BTW...I love that $24.50 Logitech Bluetooth Headset... I get better audio reports from it than I get from my $450 RadioSport...which is still the best contesting headset

..... Hate my Heil Headsets...they are very poor quality..and I get by far the worst reports from their audio...

k0eoo

MiFi box, learn something new every day....  Never heard of such a thing, what a great idea.  And, cheaper than getting an iPad with 3g or 4g and buying service.

My next step is to setup Skype, as you did, and get the transmitting part going before my Parallels trial period expires.... ( I imagine I can ditch Skype when Flex supports a TALK tab in the PC audio panel....)

I like the $24.50 Logitech Bluetooth Headset idea too, but, what about plugging in a headset into the jack on the side of the iPad; is that possible?

For SSB you're saying I need to leave the SSDR screen and go to the SKYPE screen when I transmit??

Thanks again, Dennis, k0eoo

PS.  I lived on SD for the 4 years I was in the US Navy back in the late 60's, nice place....

KY6LA_Howard

Yes a plug in headset will work... i just find the Bluetooth more convenient as i can put down the iPad and walk about the room during a Q

Most MIFI Boxes sold in the USA are locked to a specific carrier which makes them useless for travel outside of the USA.

If you buy a MIFI Box... make sure it is UNLOCKED .... You can find them on Amazon.  I currently own an Alcatel Y580 for 3G and a Huawei  E5776 for 4G (International).  Note that International 4G bands are different than the USA 4G Frequencies. 

If you send me your email to KILO YANKEE 6 LIMA ALPHA @ KILO YANKEE 6 LIMA ALPHA DOT COM, i can send you a White Paper I wrote about

"GOING ON A DXPEDITION?  HOW TO SAVE A LOT OF MONEY ON INTERNATIONAL DATA ROAMING"

k0eoo

I have SKYPE connected on my PC and connected as you described; now, how do I connect the iPad microphone or Bluetooth headset to Parallels on the iPad end?  Do I need SKYPE on the iPad end too?  Dennis, k0eoo

KY6LA_Howard

Yes. Both ends Skype audio

KY6LA_Howard

You do all your controls and frequency stuff in Parallels. Activate VOX then use Skype for all audio.

k0eoo

I'll have to play with it after I get home....  I take it you have to switch from the Parallels view to the Skype view so you cannot see the radio screen when talking?

KY6LA_Howard

Actually you can run Skype in background while you run Parallels in Foreground... Of course, it depends on your network speed... if I am on WIFI... then I do it that way... if I am on 3G then I dial up the frequency on Parallels.. put it in background and just use skype

k0eoo

Thanks Howard, I don't do international traveling any more so the WiFi with Skype in the background and Parallels in the foreground would be the ticket.   Wonder when Flex will have the TALK tag in the AUDIO panel so we can skip SKYPE.  Regards, Dennis, k0eoo

Norm - W7CK

I installed Parallels on my Windows desktop at home, configured both the RX8 and TX8 for the Parallels Mic and Speakers.  Installed Parallels on my Android phone and then connected to the desktop of my Windows computer at home.

Everything works well except for the transmit audio.  Most of the time people tell me I sound like I'm underwater or in a hollow tube with a lot of echoing.  At other times, my audio is so distorted, the folks at the other end just can't understand what I'm saying.

I've tried Wifi as well as G4 network connections.  The transmit audio quality is about the same regardless of my internet connection.

I'm guessing that the Parallels Android phone app is not as fine tuned as the apple product?  I've sent an email to the folks at Parallels and reported the problem along with as many details as I could provide.  We'll see what they say.

Is anyone else using this combination?  (Windows 7 64bit at home and an Android phone).  My phone is the new Samsung Galaxy S5.

Today I'm going to see if the audio is better using Skype.

Norm - W7CK  

KY6LA_Howard

I don't have an Android to test this out but generally most Android Apps for remoting I have played with are usually inferior to iOS... why.. because iOS users are more willing to spend money so App developers get things working on iOS first then port it to Android..