Ding

About Ding

Ding is a system for simulated bellringing over the Internet. Designed for use during the current Covid-19 outbreak. It allows ringers who are remote to each other to ring as a band. Up to 12 bells can be rung as a band.

Ding also has an automated ringer, Bob. Bob will ring as many bells as you want, to any method you want. This allows a small number of people to practice ringing on a large number of bells, or even one person to practice with all the other bells being rung automatically.

Getting Started - Ding Standard

There are two ways you can use Ding. The first is "Ding Standard". This is the original way to use Ding. The bells are represented by buttons. Press a key and your bell's handstroke rings. Press again and the backstroke rings. You can ring multiple bells if you wish. Ding Standard is the best way to get started with Ding.

Ding Standard and Ding Bob are both Windows applications which must be downloaded and installed on a PC in order to be used. To start, download and install Ding and Bob.

More Options, More Platforms - Ding Unity

"Ding Unity" is a more advanced client. As with Ding Standard, you can ring on Ding Unity using buttons. However, it also has "ropes" mode. In this mode, you are in a 3D ringing chamber with fully animated ropes. Press a key to pull your rope, but as with real bells, the sound is delayed until the correct point in the bell's swing. The full animation means you can practice your ropesight as well as your ringing.

Ding Unity also has more interfaces. As well as ringing by pressing keys, you can also use the mouse wheel (rotate one way for the handstroke, then back again for the backstroke), or by moving sliders on the screen (which works well on a touchscreen).

As well as running on Windows, Ding Unity also works on a Mac, on Linux, or an Android or Apple device. Ding Unity also has an automated ringer, which unlike Ding Standard, is built in to the main software.

Which Version Should I Use?

If you're new to Ding - and especially if you're ringing by yourself, or in a band where everybody is new to Ding, start with Ding Standard. Because it is a lot simpler, you can get started a lot more quickly, and so can find out what Ding is all about.

Once you've got the idea, give Ding Unity a go, and try out all the additional features. Ding Standard and Ding Unity can be installed on the same PC at the same time, so you can easily try both, and switch between them at will.

Of course, if you're on a Mac, Linux or an Android device, then Ding Unity is the only option available.

Find more Dingers

Ding has it's own Facebook group. There you can find other Dingers, and receive information about the latest updates and new features. And there is an open Dinging session every Saturday, starting at 7pm. All abilities (of ringing and dinging) welcome. Zoom details are on the opening screen so that you can talk to us as well as dinging with us.