No callouts or tape sound

Sound is a big part of Scalpel: it says "Filled", "Stopped out" and "Out, in profit" so you can keep your eyes on the book, and the tape sound, inspired by Aggr.trade, lets you hear the buying and selling. Work down this page in order: each step rules out one cause.

Check the Audio tab

1. 01

   Open Settings > Audio

   Press Ctrl+, (Cmd+, on a Mac) and pick Audio.

   Settings

   ConnectionTradingStopsRiskSizingAppearanceAudioHotkeysIntelAbout

   Audio cues

   Enable audio

   Sound effects

   Voice callouts

   Volume80%

   Sound effects and voice can be muted independently. Master mutes both.

   CancelApply

2. 02

   Tick all three switches and set the volume

   • Enable audio is the master switch: off silences callouts, sound effects and tape sound.
   • Sound effects covers the short sounds, and tape sound needs it too.
   • Voice callouts covers the spoken words.
   • Volume at 0% silences everything, tape sound included. The default is 80%.
3. 03

   Click Apply and listen

   Apply plays a short chime with the new settings (it needs Sound effects on). If you hear it, Scalpel's sound works, and any silence elsewhere is one of the cases below.

Still silent: the output device

Scalpel opens your computer's default sound output when it starts and keeps it for the session. So:

• Plugged in headphones or a headset after starting Scalpel? Its sound still goes to the old device. Quit and restart Scalpel.
• Changed the default output in Windows (Settings > System > Sound) or macOS (System Settings > Sound)? Restart Scalpel to follow it.
• No output device at all at startup (a monitor's speakers asleep, a USB headset unplugged) means Scalpel has no sound for that session. Connect it and restart.
• Muted in the Windows volume mixer? Open Volume mixer and check Scalpel's own slider.

No tape sound

Tape sound plays a tone for each print on the tape: buys high and on the right, sells low and on the left, bigger prints longer and louder. It is off by default.

1. 01

   Open the Level 2 cog

   Click the cog in the LEVEL 2 panel's title bar. The Level 2 settings window opens.

2. 02

   Tick Tape sound under Time and sales

   Level 2 settings

   Time and salesDisplay min size0Color by aggressorSize barsDollar value instead of sizeTape soundSound volume60Sound min value ($)1000Big print value ($)20000Stereo: sells left, buys right

3. 03

   Check its own settings

   Sound volume (default 60) is tape sound's own level. Sound min value ($) (default $1,000) is a noise gate: prints worth less than that make no sound. On a $2 stock that is 500 shares, so a quiet tape of 100-share prints stays silent. Lower it to hear more.

Then the reasons tape sound can still be quiet:

• Only the focused desk plays. Click the desk you want to hear (or move focus with Left and Right). The others stay silent so four tapes never play at once.
• It needs Sound effects. Untick Sound effects on the Audio tab and the tape goes quiet too.
• Prints between the bid and ask are silent. Only trades at the bid (sells) or at the ask (buys) have a side to play.
• Nothing is printing. No live data, no sound. Check the desk's badge (guide 13.4).
• A fresh symbol starts silent. The prints already on the tape when you load a symbol are taken in quietly; new ones play.

Some callouts are missing

• Voice wins over sound. When an event has both a callout and a sound effect, only the voice plays. Untick Voice callouts and you hear the sound instead.
• Callouts never talk over each other. A callout that arrives while another is still speaking is dropped. In a fast burst you hear the first.
• Scanner announcements only come from scan panels that are open on a desk with their bell on (guide 10.2).

The full list of what Scalpel says is in guide 10.1, and tape sound in depth is guide 3.4.

Questions

Why can't I hear Scalpel's voice callouts?

Check Settings > Audio: Enable audio and Voice callouts ticked, Volume above 0%. If Apply's chime is silent too, restart Scalpel so it picks up your current sound output.

Why is tape sound silent?

It is off by default. Tick Tape sound in the Level 2 cog under Time and sales, focus that desk, keep Sound effects on, and lower Sound min value if prints are small.

Does the master Volume change the tape sound level?

Tape sound has its own Sound volume in the Level 2 cog. The master switch and Volume at 0% still silence it.

I plugged in headphones and Scalpel went silent. Why?

Scalpel keeps the sound output it opened at startup. Restart it to use the headphones.