Microphone Troubles

cryformecryforme Join Date: 2004-03-12 Member: 27295Members
in Tech Support
<div class="IPBDescription">it sounds like crap!</div> Heres my dilemma. My microphone sounds like crap. Yes, this is a common problem, but i dont think i should be having it! I have a brand new computer and a brand new altec lansing ahs-502 headset that i paid 45 bucks for. Altec Lansing offers no drivers for the thing. I'm using the default SoundMAX digital audio setting for Voice Recording in windows (no other setting is there). I tested it in windows before I installed HL/NS on the computer and it sounded like gold. Then after I installed HL, ran it and then installed NS, i tested it in HL, sounded like garbage. Retested it in windows and it sounded like garbage. Its nothing with the mic itself since that whole process took place in less than an hour and i had it on my head the whole time. I play a great deal and everyone knows the obvious advantages of the mic over typing, so i'd like to get this fixed. I'm tired of having people tell me "dude, your mic is ****ed up!" Help plz <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
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Comments

  • MrRadicalEdMrRadicalEd Turrent Master Join Date: 2004-08-13 Member: 30601Members
    Okay list exactly what your problems are.. in details. Like does the speach break up constantly or seem to stutter.. etc.. etc..

    by default servers uses a low bandwidth Miles codec which sounds like crud basically. Then you have the highbandwidth Speex codec that sounds closer to your actual voice. These codecs are set server side so you have to find a server that utilizes the Speex codec.. I also recommend staying as close to the original voice settings as possible..
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  • MrWizardMrWizard Join Date: 2002-11-02 Member: 4860Members
    edited January 2005
    guessing you have WinXP

    ctrl + alt + del and go to processes

    find steam, right click -> set priority-> low

    edit - do you have the latest drivers for your soundcard? This is all assumption agian as you havn't specified your system specs, but make sure your onboard soundcard isn't doing all the work if you've got a PCI sound card.
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  • DepotDepot The ModFather Join Date: 2002-11-09 Member: 7956Members
    <!--QuoteBegin-MrWizard+Jan 25 2005, 11:35 AM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (MrWizard @ Jan 25 2005, 11:35 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> guessing you have WinXP

    ctrl + alt + del and go to processes

    find steam, right click -> set priority-> low <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
    How exactly will this affect the sound, and more importantly Steam?
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  • SolusSolus Join Date: 2003-05-02 Member: 16015Members, NS1 Playtester
    This is just an assumption, but basically setting Steam to a low priority means that Natural Selection will use the CPU power if needed before Steam does. Although I didn't think steam used that much of your CPU, but I'll try what was suggested anyway <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
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  • cryformecryforme Join Date: 2004-03-12 Member: 27295Members
    edited January 2005
    The exact problems are as such as i've gathered from voice loopback and other players input: The microphone quality is horrible, basically sounds like im talking with the microphone covered by a pillow. I've tried various volume settings and distances from my mouth and it has no effect.
    edit:
    to clarify, even though my voicecomm sounds like garbage, everyone else's voicecomms sound great in the servers i play in, so i dont think its a server side problem.
    Next problem, when i push the voicechat button, for some reason it mutes all game sounds for other players while im talking. No clue why this is. According to people it happens to, its not that the mic is extremely loud or anything, but all other sound stops while i have the mic active.
    Like i said, the whole thing is brand new. I have the updated sound drivers, i checked with the manufacturer and windows update to confirm. Setting the steam priority to low does jack for me, i'm running a 3.6ghz p4 with 4gb DDRII, it could handle running 5 copies of NS all at the same time and not flinch, i've never gone over 10% processor usage and my resource meter shows me at using less than 3% system resources, so im POSITIVE its not a performance issue.
    If anyone has any other ideas, plz let me know.
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  • MrRadicalEdMrRadicalEd Turrent Master Join Date: 2004-08-13 Member: 30601Members
    Okay have you edited any of the voice communications settings at all?

    By default when using voice communications the game sound shouldn't be muted.

    How do you sound running the HL voice diagnostic utility? Are your volume levels okay?
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  • cryformecryforme Join Date: 2004-03-12 Member: 27295Members
    havent messed with anything. voice levels are fine, nobody complains about volume being too high or low and i sound like crap in the HL voice utility.
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