Robotic Sound Issue Continues

[Jaycyn]

I had high hopes with the last update that the robotic sound issue would finally be corrected but alas, it continues. :-(

The issue is: After using Ventrilo for a while (usually after a 1/2 hour or so) outgoing sound (me talking) sounds robotic to anyone else in the channel and gets to the point where others cannot understand what I am saying.

If I stop talking, after a few minutes the issue seems to correct itself - which is a vast improvement over what it used to do.

Also, if I quit vent and relaunch the app, it works fine for a time as well.

Duplicated on both 10.6.7 and 10.7 on 8 different Macs ranging from a MacMini to and iMac 27" i7 to a MacPro. The Macs are at different locations and use different internet providers. Other folks from around the country that we work/play with have reported the same issue.

Issue is 100% duplicatable, just takes time. If you just sit and listen it won't affect you because it's outgoing only, so you have to speak frequently - like during a brainstorming session or leading a raid.

[Prog-Rocker]

yes, i have also been able to get this problem on my mac now, but just not very often. i have sent recordings to the Devs.

[Jaycyn]

That is excellent news! Thank you for persisting.

I did spot a post Apple's discussion forums that lends some insight into the issue.

Quoted from that thread

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(Apple) Engineering has determined that this issue originates with a 3rd party.

Why it is not a common issue before Mac OS X 10.5.7
On Mac OS X 10.5.6 & prior, the USB audio driver publishes 2 audio engines, one for input stream and another for output stream. Applications could change sample rate on one audio stream without affecting the other stream. On 10.5.7 & onwards, a change in the USB audio driver publishes only 1 audio engine for both input & output streams. Changing sample rate on one stream will affect another stream (technically, the sample rate resides on the audio engine, so changing the sample rate naturally affects both streams). So in this case, changing the sample rate causes the input stream to run at a different rate that originally when Ventrilo launched. Ventrilo doesn't handle the sample rate change properly, resulting in the audio corruption (robotic/garbled, etc).

(a) This problem actually could occur on Mac OS X 10.5.6, depending on the USB audio device used. If the device can only support one sample rate, then this problem will also occur after the USB audio driver switches the sample rate on both streams when it detected one stream is falling behind.
(b) This problem is not specific to USB audio driver. Using Ventrilo for example with Firewire audio device also exhibits similar issue. The Firewire audio driver also puts input & output audio stream on the same audio engine.
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[Flagship]

In 3.0.9 there is a new bind function call "Reset sound input device". As a test can you bind a key for that and when some one complains about it just press your bound key.

This is not a fix. Just curious if it does make the problem go away. If so, then it leads me in a direction that I think will fix the problem. Pretty sure I know what the problem is but feed back using this feature would help confirm it.

--Flag

[jdp10101]

So i believe I have the same issue described here. I'll be in vent possibly talking for a few minutes and then other people will complain about my voice being very static-y. The temporary fix I have found is to just open the set-up menu then close it. My voice will go back to normal for the next few minutes. This persisted through updating to the latest version of vent.

Also I tried to bind a key as the reset sound input device and it did not seem to work.

[Korwin]

Ive been suffering through this issue with two different USB adapters from plantronics... both have the same issue.

Today I bought a Sound Blaster X-fi Pro USB adapter... the box did not list any OSX support... plugged it in, the Mac recognized it, and been using it for hours without issue.

Here is the info provided under device info:
Sound Blaster X-Fi Go! Pro:

Product ID: 0x30dd
Vendor ID: 0x041e (Creative Labs)
Version: 1.71
Serial Number: 00092593
Speed: Up to 12 Mb/sec
Manufacturer: Creative Technology Ltd
Location ID: 0x1d100000 / 2
Current Available (mA): 500
Current Required (mA): 120


The device info for the 2 units that do not work without 30 min robot issues are:

C-Media USB Headphone Set :

Product ID: 0x000c
Vendor ID: 0x0d8c (C-MEDIA ELECTRONICS INC.)
Version: 1.00
Speed: Up to 12 Mb/sec
Location ID: 0x1d200000 / 3
Current Available (mA): 500
Current Required (mA): 100

Composite Device:

Product ID: 0xad01
Vendor ID: 0x047f (Plantronics, Inc.)
Version: 1.00
Speed: Up to 12 Mb/sec
Location ID: 0x1d200000 / 3
Current Available (mA): 500
Current Required (mA): 500

[kaoskat]

I continue to have this issue on OSX 10.6.8. Someone above said that 3.0.13 fixed the problem for them, but it is still happening for me. Actually, I reverted to 3.0.12 because the problem seemed to be more frequent in 3.0.13 according to my guildies. Is his an issue that is still being worked on? Or has it been marked as fixed because some people don't have the issue anymore?

[Prog-Rocker]

@kaoskat

can you provide more info on your audio hardware plz. onboard sound or usb plug-in ?

in vent setup, is the output set to the name of the audio device you're using?
what is the mic volume level set to?

[kaoskat]

Sorry, I should have given more specifics in my original post. If it will help to post the entire computer configuration, please let me know, but I didn't want to make a long post here if it's isn't necessary. But here are the details you asked for with some basics on the computer:

iMac 27" (2010), Intel Core i7 4-core, OSX 10.6.8, 16Gig memory.

I'm using a USB plug-in headset: Logitech "Premium Stereo Headset with Noise-Canceling Microphone" (I can't find the exact model number, but that is the "name" of it). It has a USB connector with two line inputs on the connector, one for microphone and one for output. I have tried 4-5 different headsets over the past couple years but none seemed to make any difference. But they were always USB headsets.

When I'm using Vent with the headset I always use the headset only for input / microphone and have the output audio coming through the computer's onboard speakers because it's not comfortable to wear a headset over my ears for hours at a time.

For Vent I'm currently using 3.0.12. I tried 3.0.13 which seemed to have the problem more frequently. But that's just from what I've been told so I don't actually know that for certain whether it's worse or not. I always use the PTT hotkey. The Sound Input is set to "C-Media USB Headphones". Sound Output is set to "C-Media Headphone Set".

In Sound Input the volume is set to the 6th tick. In Amplifiers the Outbound is set to 7 and Inbound is set to "0" (right in the center).

I assume the audio setting are cumulative so in the System Preferences on my iMac the Input is also set to "C-Media Headphone Set" and the Input Volume is set directly in the center of the slider.

If you need additional information on my configuration please let me know what I can provide you with that may help.

Thank you for your response. I'm hopeful that we can figure out what could work with this setup.

[Flagship]

Please install 3.0.13