Net2Phone  Internet Telephony Sound Questions

I am experiencing excessive echo.
You may have your microphone and speakers set too high within Windows. If so, you can lower the settings on both the microphone and speakers. Windows 95 users can do this by clicking on "START", "SETTINGS", "CONTROL PANEL", "MULTIMEDIA" and select the "AUDIO" tab. Remember when you are finished press "APPLY" and then "OK".

Telephone end is receiving tremendous echo
Reduce the PC speaker volume as low as possible (the voice from your speakers is probably getting picked up by the microphone and transferred back to the telephone end).
If your microphone recording level (which is found by clicking "START", "SETTINGS", "CONTROL PANEL", "MULTIMEDIA" and selecting "AUDIO") is set too high, your microphone will pick up the voice from your speakers and transfer it over to the telephone end. If so, try lowering, the setting.
Also, it is always a good idea to have a PC microphone as far away from the speakers as possible. This minimizes the feedback. In addition, you can try using a directional PC microphone.

Can I test the microphone and speakers before placing a call?
The software does not have the capability to test the microphone and speakers with the software before placing a call. We do recommend that you test it with your mixer.

The voices sound choppy, and are breaking up
There are a variety of reasons why you may be experiencing a poor quality conversation:

1. You are not using the minimum hardware required for the version of Net2Phone that you are using.
2. If your Net2Phone display shows "HDX" (which means you are using a half duplex sound card), please try turning your "VOX" option off and press the space bar to talk and release the space bar to listen.
3. If you are using a modem slower than 28.8 kps or are connecting to the Internet at a speed of less then 28.8 kps. Please check with your Internet Service Provider to find out what speed you are connecting at.
4. You are running non-essential applications that are using your memory.
5. Since your voice is carried in packets over the Internet, any interruption will cause packet loss. The packet loss can be minimized (and the quality of the call maximized) by using Net2Phone during times with less Internet traffic.

Please make sure that your web browser is closed at all times during your Net2Phone call.

With bad sound, would it help to lower the sampling rate on my computer in order to reduce the amount of digital packets?
No. Our software has fixed rates.

I hear the remote party but they cannot hear me.
If, when you make a Net2Phone call, you can hear the remote party but they cannot hear you, please make the following changes:

1. Some soundcard have two (2) connectors (for the microphone). A "line-in" connector and a "mic" connector. You need to make sure that the microphone is plugged into the "mic" connector ONLY.
2. If "HDX" appears on your net2phone dispaly (half-duplex mode), please first try using manual mode by clicking on the VOX button so that VOX ON should disappear from your screen. You will need to push either the "PUSH TO TALK" button, or the space bar when you speak (release to listen).
3. If there is no change please do the following: Look on your taskbar and see if you have a small yellow picture of a speaker next to your time clock on the bottom right (if you do not see it please go to step #4). Double click with your left mouse button on the speaker icon. Once the "volume controler" window comes up, please click on the "options" menu in the top left hand corner and select "properties". In the "properties" screen please select the "recording" option and click on "OK". You will now see a new "volume controller" screen. Please make sure that "microphone" or/and "recording" levels are up (preferrably about 75%), and that a check-box under the "microphone" bar is CHECKED. Close the window and try to place a call.
4. If you did not see the icon discribed in STEP #3 on your task bar, please do the following: Double click on "My Computer" icon, then double click on "Control Panel", in the "Control Panel" double click on "Multimedea" icon. In the "Multimedia" please make sure that the "recording" bar (the 2nd from the top) is up (preferrably about 75% to the right). Click on "apply" and close the window and try to place a call.

If none of the above help please check your hardware connections and make sure that your microphone is physically turned on.

The remote party can hear me, but I can't hear them
If you know that your call went through, but you can't hear anyone, please close all running and/or non-essential applications. It is possible that another application is using your sound card, possibly one that runs automatically. Net2Phone will only work effectively if it able to use your sound card.

If there is no change please do the following (under Windows 95):

1. If your speakers have their own volume control, increase the level.
2. Look on your taskbar and see if you have a small yellow picture of a speaker next to your time clock. Double Click with your left mouse button on the speaker icon. Once the "volume controler" window comes up, please make sure that none of the controllers are under the "mute" option, and that your "Wave" controller is up.