Ventrilo Help!

[Dawgdoc]

Heya guys.

I am having a very very weird problem with ventrilo.

This might be a bit long, and I will add extra details at the end.

The main problem is with the sound output. Many people in vent tell me that when I speak, or even dont speak but push the "push to talk" button they hear a very fast "slapping" sound superimposed over my voice (or by itself if not speaking and pushing the button). I dont want to get graphic, but the sound creates major uproars of laughter because it sounds like what you would expect to hear in a movie from a man masturbating. Hey I know...but that is the common descriptor that I am told it sounds like!

The funny thing is, it ONLY happens when using my USB microphone. When I plug in a mic to the pink plug in my on-board sound on the mobo, or on the front panel sound everything is fine.

My system was originally:
Foxconn Mars, X3220, 4 x 2gb Mushkin Extreme PC8500, 2 X 320gb Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 perps, and a GTX 285. I was having some other issues with that system (other USB ports not working 100% properly - ie mouse needed to be replugged in usb port after reboot for it to be recognized) and just this weekend had windows issues with certain files not being recognized and not allowed windows to boot as well as corrupted Prefetch or other files. OS is XP x64.

So....I went under the assumption that my mobo had gone bad based on multiple USB problems, and other wierd issues. I have used this motherboard in the past for subzero benching so I just assumed its time had come.

I redid the system this weekend my replacing the motherboard with a P5K deluxe and a E8600. Reinstalled windows, and kept the HDs, memory, and GPU.

After all is said and done I still have the same damn issues!!!! The mouse does the same thing, and more importantly Vent still has the slapping sound!!!

Im experiencing other issues with this computer (tried to install Vista Ultimate x64 and it took 5+ hours to install and do updates, and now with the XP x64 install it hangs in all sorts of weird areas - no reboots and no freezes but takes FOREVER to install or open programs) so my next guess is perhaps a memory problem and I will be running Memtest 3.5 today to investigate that as a potential cause. The more I think about it the corrupt files and "missing" windows files smells like a memory issue, but I cant personally correlate the mouse or USB issues specifically to memory nor can i make a correlation to why the mic works with pin connection but not USB?

Any suggestions on the weird vent sound issue though? Why do you think it happens on a USB mic but not on a pin connection into the pink outlets? I have tested the mic in question on another computer and the sound is gone.

Do you think that the weird sound could be from a bum memory stick?

Some vent setting is off? Codex or something?

Any suggestions appreciated Im pulling my hair out over this. I would use my other mic (pin in pink connector) but this is obviously a sign of a problem that I want to resolve, and the other mic is very soft and a PITA to work with.

TY in advance for any advice.

 

[Dawgdoc]

Just for clarification.

1. The mouse might be just the mouse dying itself.

2. Regarding the OS installs - I installed Vista Ultimate x64 and it took forever and I was not happy with the performance, so I installed the XP x64 the same night which is the current install I am using.

 

[CGR]

I am more inclined to believe it is the USB mic. I had too many problems trying to get my USB mic to work with vent. Finally gave up and went back to normal plugs.

It would seem that vent is not USB mic friendly.

 

[Automata]

Do you have a nVidia chipset? If so, this is a known issue with the USB controller, I had the exact same thing happen except my was garbled garbage.

EDIT: I'm stupid, read read read.


Anyways, since it happens on the other system, that clearly indicates either the drivers or the headset is faulty.

EDIT2: Also, does it only do it through Vent or does it do it if you record it in Windows?

 

[Mr. Roboto]

I am more inclined to believe it is the USB mic. I had too many problems trying to get my USB mic to work with vent. Finally gave up and went back to normal plugs.

It would seem that vent is not USB mic friendly.

I'd have to agree. USB mics can be tough to get support for.

 

[ratbuddy]

The main problem is with the sound output. Many people in vent tell me that when I speak, or even dont speak but push the "push to talk" button they hear a very fast "slapping" sound superimposed over my voice (or by itself if not speaking and pushing the button). I dont want to get graphic, but the sound creates major uproars of laughter because it sounds like what you would expect to hear in a movie from a man masturbating. Hey I know...but that is the common descriptor that I am told it sounds like!

Sounds like you need to stop 'handling the microphone' while you are talking in vent

 

[Dawgdoc]

Small update.

There is more of an issue than a USB driver problems I think.

Booted this system about 1 hour ago, and after the POST I got literally 100 or more issues with what I think was Chkdsk?

I had a list of orphaned files at least 100 long, and when I got into windows I had several "recovered windows" files of which I cant recall the names.

IMHO this is smelling more and more like a memory issue. What do you think?

I make a Memtest version 3.5 disk on my laptop with Vista x64. I tried it on said laptop and worked fine. I used that same disk on the desktop in question, and I got to the "Loading Memtest" screen, and then nothing. Memtest with the blue screen never loaded.

I started trying to do it with 1 memory stick in slot #1 and I ran out of time.

Additional opinions?

 

[Mr. Roboto]

sounds like it could be your hard drive too if chkdsk came up.

 

[Dawgdoc]

Well its narrowed down to the hard drives or the memory thats for sure.....

Ill be playing with the memory this evening and trying to memtest/fiddle with individual memory sticks.

I may just decide to say the heck with it and order 2 new HDs and completely redo the RAID array in this computer.

I have had issues with chkdsk coming up in the past from a bad stick of memory. The rationale (in my mind) is that the faulty memory didnt know where to look or couldnt functionally find the files in question.

But.....how would a hard drive issue cause a USB microphone problem? THATS a bit of a stretch for me.

I was unaware of the issues with drivers and USB mics so that could very well be a separate issue entirely?

 

[Dawgdoc]

Also, does it only do it through Vent or does it do it if you record it in Windows?

Im not sure. Ive never done any recording through windows. How would I test this?

The weirdest thing (well maybe not weirdest but weird IMHO) is that when I use vent and "test" my settings I can listen to my own voice. Its sounds perfectly fine! Then I log into vent and start talking to people and I get massive user feedback about how funny/horrible my sound is.

 

[Automata]

Do you hear yourself through your speakers? If it works through Vent, it is probably working...

You could use the built in recorder, or (if you know how), let the mic come through your speakers directly.

 

[Dawgdoc]

Yes I can hear myself through the speakers and it sounds 100% normal and fine, but when others hear me over vent is when they describe the "slapping sound"

 

[Automata]

Yes I can hear myself through the speakers and it sounds 100% normal and fine, but when others hear me over vent is when they describe the "slapping sound"

That is quite odd, can you have the admin either create another channel with a different codec or change the current one?

I could also give you my Teamspeak server info and see if it does it in that program...shoot me a PM if you want to.

EDIT: Is this Weesta Doc?

 

[Dawgdoc]

1. Different Codecs - completely foreign to me. I obviously see the term used when speaking about vent but......yea Im clueless.

2. Regarding the Teamspeak...I think I will prob take you up on that, but the goal for tonight is test each stick of ram and see what the heck I need to do in order to get memtest to even start, much less actually test any memory.

3. OS is XP x64. Originally had XP x64 with the issues described. Swapped out the mobo (Mars to P5K dlx) and reinstalled with Vista Ultimate. Had issues with the install (90 min install and like 4 hours to get the updates!!!!) and the system was SO slow and laggy I thought it could be a Vista issue so I reinstalled with XP x64 within an hour of finished the massive download of updates.

And that brings us to now, XP x64 which is a clean reinstall of less than 48 hours, slow as mollasses and with all kinds of boot/chkdsk errors.

At this point, Im just hoping for a bum stick of memory so I can RMA it and just be done with all of the fiddling. If not, I may get some new hard drives and do another clean reinstall on this same system, or I may just say the heck with it and purchase all of the "guts" for a new I7 system in its place, in addition to 2 new HDs

 

[Automata]

Interesting, strange it followed the system like that. I actually had to reinstall because my mic was so screwed up I just turned it off. Reinstalled XP and I think it works >.>

We can test together!

 

[Dawgdoc]

On another note....whats your "quick and dirty" take on I7 procs compared to S775?

Im not sure I see enough of a performance boost to warrant a full upgrade at this time, but Im thinking about it.

X58 would be nice...but I could always do that later this year and just get a few new HDs or a stick of ram or 2 and be done with it....

Decisions decisions....

 

[Automata]

On another note....whats your "quick and dirty" take on I7 procs compared to S775?

Meh, I'll stick with my QX9650, it is blazing fast for what I use it for.

Im not sure I see enough of a performance boost to warrant a full upgrade at this time, but Im thinking about it.

Exactly my thoughts

 

[Dawgdoc]

Any suggestions on why memtest wont work?

Getting a tad frustrated...

Burned an iso disk with Memtest on it. Tested it in my laptop and booted right into the typical blue screen memtest and started running..

Moved it to my desktop (the one we are discussing) and so far it loads into a black screen with 3 options:
1. Boot v3.5 Single CPU (Default)
2. Boot v3.5 Multi CPU (Experimental)
3. Boot v3.4 (Previous Version)

I click on any of the options and it says "Loading memtest......ready."

And then nothing. Just sits right there on that same dang black screen.

3rd stick and still no memtest at all! You dont need to run them dual to get memtest to boot do you? Should be able to run on just 1 stick was my understanding.....

 

[ratbuddy]

Any suggestions on why memtest wont work?

Getting a tad frustrated...

Burned an iso disk with Memtest on it. Tested it in my laptop and booted right into the typical blue screen memtest and started running..

Moved it to my desktop (the one we are discussing) and so far it loads into a black screen with 3 options:
1. Boot v3.5 Single CPU (Default)
2. Boot v3.5 Multi CPU (Experimental)
3. Boot v3.4 (Previous Version)

I click on any of the options and it says "Loading memtest......ready."

And then nothing. Just sits right there on that same dang black screen.

3rd stick and still no memtest at all! You dont need to run them dual to get memtest to boot do you? Should be able to run on just 1 stick was my understanding.....

Bad memory slot(s) on the mobo?

 

[Dawgdoc]

Perhaps, but it appropriately shows my 8gb on the POST, as well as in CPU-Z, etc....