Fadeing in and out when broadcasting - isolated to single machine.

Mizpah · 07-24-2006, 08:59 AM

Hi guys'n'girls,

Any help here would be most appreciated as I am a raidleader for my guild and as such this driving me nuts! I should add that I have searched and found people with similar issues, but no solution as of yet!

Symptom: Whilst talking on vent I frequently 'fade out' to the point where I am inaudiable. This happens at random intervals, I am still transmitting (green icon with xmit). If I release push to talk and press it immediately I am still 'faded'. If I wait 5 seconds or so and transmit again I am at normal volume.

Details: This happens on a new Dell precision M90 laptop. Using the same microphone\server it does not happen on a desktop machine with a SB Audigy2 soundcard in. Hence the microphone and server are fine! The mic\headset uses a standard jack (as opposed to usb).

I am currently running the latest (beta) vent client, (I also use a G15 keyboard hence the beta version). I have tried using the release client (same issue), and changing the keybinding (same issue). Unfortunately due to guild rules and all using push to talk is manditory, thus I have not tested without push to talk.

The laptop uses a SIGMATEL STAC 92 C-Major HD Audio chipset and dell supplied driver (5.10.0.4995 A06) which is the latest suplied.

This has also been tested on the A05 driver, however the problem persists.

Can anyone shed any light on this ? I am trying to explain raid tactics and having to repeat myself every few sentances is getting a little wearing!

Many thanks,

Martin

Mizpah · 07-24-2006, 09:00 AM

Additional info!

If I record into another application (such as sound recorder) for an extensive period of time the issue if not apparent on playback - it only seems to occour within vent, and does not seem to be related to me being in a given game or just having solely vent runinng on the machine at the time.

Prog-Rocker · 07-24-2006, 03:35 PM

try these one at a time

1. vent > setup > input device > check 'use directinput'
2. vent > setup > input device > set to Sigmatel
3. vent > setup > misc > set priority class to 'high'

Mizpah · 07-24-2006, 07:12 PM

Hey Prog,

Many thanks for the advice, sadly the situation is still the same

I have tried all of the options independantly and together - no joy. Can anyone shed any technical light on whats happening under the hood that be causing this ?

Prog-Rocker · 07-24-2006, 08:07 PM

let's see if we can narrow this down. does the fading happen if you don't use the PTT?

Prog-Rocker · 07-24-2006, 08:33 PM

found this is the vent docs:

Additional: It has been discovered that Microsoft Office XP installs it's own Speech-to-text software and runs in the background all the time. It too is trying to monitor the microphone and seems to periodically adjust the hardware volume slider. This will effect Ventrilo and any other voice comm program especially relating to voice activation, or it could cause people to sound loud then soft then loud again. If you enable the mixer option in Ventrilo and run the program like you normally would then you can look in the log file and it will mention that the hardware volume is being changed by another program if you suspect such a problem exists.

Mizpah · 07-25-2006, 06:56 AM

Thanks Prog,

I will take a look at this tonight and will break (my own!

) rules about using PTT!

As soon as the raid is done I will then take a look through the logs and see if this is coming into play - in addiiton I will see if there is a way of disabling any background tasks in officer XP that could be affecting this.

Thoughts: Need to check config on other machine as it also runs office XP same services packs and patchs, but does not have this issue!

Mcpwnsauce · 07-25-2006, 11:52 AM

I also have this problem, as does my buddy on his laptop. I only get the problem on my Dell Inspiron e1505 (laptop), he has it on his Dell something or other aswell.

Only thing I could see it being is a problem or conflict with Dell's drivers / Sigmatel codec or something..let me know what works or what to try!

i'm at work right now so I'll check it out when I get home.

Thanks you guys who are already helping on the matter.

Mizpah · 07-25-2006, 12:52 PM

Thanks mcpwnsauce - that makes me wonder if there is a dell specifc issue at play here! Does anyone know of an official dell / sigmatel incompatibility ?

Am trting tonights raid without PTT to see what happens!

Mizpah · 07-25-2006, 07:41 PM

Hey Guys,

Another update, I can confirm the PTT has no impact on the issue, i.e. when not using PTT the issue still occours.

However I do see a line that says:

'Microphone input level has been altered externally' so something is happening!

So we have windows XP2 and officer 2003 that have been mentioned as culprits, yet I also have these installed on the other (non gaming) machine that works fine.

So anymore thoughts ?

07-24-2006, 08:59 AM	#1
Mizpah Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 17	Fadeing in and out when broadcasting - isolated to single machine. Hi guys'n'girls, Any help here would be most appreciated as I am a raidleader for my guild and as such this driving me nuts! I should add that I have searched and found people with similar issues, but no solution as of yet! Symptom: Whilst talking on vent I frequently 'fade out' to the point where I am inaudiable. This happens at random intervals, I am still transmitting (green icon with xmit). If I release push to talk and press it immediately I am still 'faded'. If I wait 5 seconds or so and transmit again I am at normal volume. Details: This happens on a new Dell precision M90 laptop. Using the same microphone\server it does not happen on a desktop machine with a SB Audigy2 soundcard in. Hence the microphone and server are fine! The mic\headset uses a standard jack (as opposed to usb). I am currently running the latest (beta) vent client, (I also use a G15 keyboard hence the beta version). I have tried using the release client (same issue), and changing the keybinding (same issue). Unfortunately due to guild rules and all using push to talk is manditory, thus I have not tested without push to talk. The laptop uses a SIGMATEL STAC 92 C-Major HD Audio chipset and dell supplied driver (5.10.0.4995 A06) which is the latest suplied. This has also been tested on the A05 driver, however the problem persists. Can anyone shed any light on this ? I am trying to explain raid tactics and having to repeat myself every few sentances is getting a little wearing! Many thanks, Martin

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07-24-2006, 09:00 AM	#2
Mizpah Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 17	Additional info! If I record into another application (such as sound recorder) for an extensive period of time the issue if not apparent on playback - it only seems to occour within vent, and does not seem to be related to me being in a given game or just having solely vent runinng on the machine at the time.

07-24-2006, 03:35 PM	#3
Prog-Rocker just tryin to help Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Local Space/Time Continuum Posts: 23,463	try these one at a time 1. vent > setup > input device > check 'use directinput' 2. vent > setup > input device > set to Sigmatel 3. vent > setup > misc > set priority class to 'high'

07-24-2006, 07:12 PM	#4
Mizpah Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 17	Hey Prog, Many thanks for the advice, sadly the situation is still the same I have tried all of the options independantly and together - no joy. Can anyone shed any technical light on whats happening under the hood that be causing this ?

07-24-2006, 08:07 PM	#5
Prog-Rocker just tryin to help Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Local Space/Time Continuum Posts: 23,463	let's see if we can narrow this down. does the fading happen if you don't use the PTT?

07-24-2006, 08:33 PM	#6
Prog-Rocker just tryin to help Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Local Space/Time Continuum Posts: 23,463	found this is the vent docs: Additional: It has been discovered that Microsoft Office XP installs it's own Speech-to-text software and runs in the background all the time. It too is trying to monitor the microphone and seems to periodically adjust the hardware volume slider. This will effect Ventrilo and any other voice comm program especially relating to voice activation, or it could cause people to sound loud then soft then loud again. If you enable the mixer option in Ventrilo and run the program like you normally would then you can look in the log file and it will mention that the hardware volume is being changed by another program if you suspect such a problem exists.

07-25-2006, 06:56 AM	#7
Mizpah Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 17	Thanks Prog, I will take a look at this tonight and will break (my own! ) rules about using PTT! As soon as the raid is done I will then take a look through the logs and see if this is coming into play - in addiiton I will see if there is a way of disabling any background tasks in officer XP that could be affecting this. Thoughts: Need to check config on other machine as it also runs office XP same services packs and patchs, but does not have this issue!

07-25-2006, 11:52 AM	#8
Mcpwnsauce Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 1	I also have this problem, as does my buddy on his laptop. I only get the problem on my Dell Inspiron e1505 (laptop), he has it on his Dell something or other aswell. Only thing I could see it being is a problem or conflict with Dell's drivers / Sigmatel codec or something..let me know what works or what to try! i'm at work right now so I'll check it out when I get home. Thanks you guys who are already helping on the matter.

07-25-2006, 12:52 PM	#9
Mizpah Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 17	Thanks mcpwnsauce - that makes me wonder if there is a dell specifc issue at play here! Does anyone know of an official dell / sigmatel incompatibility ? Am trting tonights raid without PTT to see what happens!

07-25-2006, 07:41 PM	#10
Mizpah Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 17	Hey Guys, Another update, I can confirm the PTT has no impact on the issue, i.e. when not using PTT the issue still occours. However I do see a line that says: 'Microphone input level has been altered externally' so something is happening! So we have windows XP2 and officer 2003 that have been mentioned as culprits, yet I also have these installed on the other (non gaming) machine that works fine. So anymore thoughts ?