Stand-alone use
Out of the box, the NCH acts very much like any other SL restraint - clicking on it gives a menu to the wearer or to the avatar named as the NCH's "owner", and a helpful message (but no menu) to anyone else. The wearer's and owner's menus are very similar, except that only the owner's menu allows for resizing the headset, and for changing the owner (if the NCH isn't locked on). The bulk of both menus is for setting restrictions.
The supported restrictions on communication are:
- Silent - wearer may not speak in local
- IM block - wearer may not use IM
- Deaf - wearer may not hear local chat
- Lock - The headset may not be removed
The headset can be set to be invisible. Headset visibility is considered a restriction, so if the owner has selected "Visible", the wearer cannot make the headset invisible; if the owner makes the headset invisible, the wearer can make it it visible or invisible at will.
The Resize button allows the wearer to make the headset larger or smaller, either across the head, or up and down. "Std Height" and "Std Width" will reset the height and width to their initial values.
In addition, the NCH can relay chat spoken by the wearer in local to either IM to their owner, or to Mesmerizer chat (if a network-enabled Mesmerizer is worn) even if the Silent restriction is in effect.. When relaying is enabled, the LED on the earpiece that holds the microphone boom will light, and the color will indicate whether the wearer's chat is being relayed to IM (red), to Mesmerizer chat (blue), or to both (green). Relaying to IM and to Mesmerizer chat are also considered restrictions, so they can be enabled by either the wearer or the owner, but the wearer cannot disable them if they were enabled by the owner.
Control via a Mesmerizer
If the wearer uses a CSD CHAOS Mesmerizer, then all the controls described above can be accessed from the Mesmerizer (which acts as if it were the owner, in the sense that the wearer will not be able to remove a restriction set via the Mesmerizer). In addition, the Mesmerizer can change the Owner setting of the NCH (this operation is not available to an owner via the menu). All these operations use the pansend or pansendpars Mesmerizer commands.
The NCH will identify itself as a PAN station called "headset". The Mesmerizer pandir command will show the stations currently logged on to the PAN.
The following Mesmerizer commands are used to control the NCH:
| Command | Description |
|---|---|
| pansend headset lock | Lock the headset |
| pansend headset unlock | Unlock the headset |
| pansend headset show | Make the headset visible |
| pansend headset hide | Make the headset invisible |
| pansend headset silent | Apply the Silent restriction; prohibit the wearer from speaking in local |
| pansend headset nosilent | Remove the Silent restriction; allow the wearer to speak in local |
| pansend headset imrelay | Relay the wearer's local speech via IM to their owner |
| pansend headset noimrelay | Stop relaying the wearer's local speech via IM |
| pansend headset mesrelay | Relay the wearer's local speech to Mesmerizer chat |
| pansend headset nomesrelay | Stop relaying the wearer's local speech to Mesmerizer chat |
| pansend headset blockim | Prevent the wearer from using IM (except to their owner) |
| pansend headset noblockim | Permit the wearer to use IM |
| pansend headset deaf | Prevent the wearer from hearing local chat |
| pansend headset nodeaf | Allow the wearer to hear local chat |
| pansend headset noowner | Remove the owner |
| pansendpars headset owner <key> | Set the avatar whose key is <key> as the owner |
| pansendpars headset status <key> | Tell avatar <key> the current state of the headset |
| pansendpars headset help <key> | Send help on the headset commands to avatar <key> |
Since the Mesmerizer can be configured to work grid-wide, using the NCH with a Mesmerizer allows the NCH to be controlled from anywhere on the grid (or even from the web). This means that you can force-wear your sub's NCH remotely, and then have it apply whatever restrictions you like.
Uses
The headset's main purpose is to impose controls on a sub when you're not present, reinforcing your control over them. However there are a number of other interesting use-cases.
If you have a number of subs who share a single Communications Hub (or whose different Hubs are bridged together via The Enforcer), then the NCH can be serve as an easy-to use way for the subs to communicate with one another, simply by enabling Mesmerizer chat relay. This will allow all subs to hear one another's speech in local. Turning on the Silent restriction will mean that their speech is redirected to Mesmerizer chat as opposed to being copied there, allowing the subs to communicate with one another relatively privately. This use-case is something that the sub may want to employ for their own convenience.
Setting IM Relay, Silent and Deaf restrictions together provides for an interesting "isolation" effect. The sub will be able to communicate with you in chat (they will be able to hear your chat, and you will receive anything they try to say as an instant message). However, nobody around will hear what the sub is saying, and the sub will not be able to hear anyone but you.
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