microphone tips?

[Dioxin]

Hey everyone,

It seems as though mic problems are recurring. Some people have tricks that work and others are looking for ways to get theirs running. Maybe we can use this thread for trouble shooting.

1 - When I first join, I can rarely hear anyone. It is dead silent and no one can hear me. I go into the player list and rotate through TALK/LISTEN to everyone/no one/current tem, etc. You get the idea. After doing this, I can almost always hear everyone right away.

2 - Mute your mic when not in use. Although this may not help you, it will help those who are trying to get theirs running and figure out if someone is unable to hear.

3 - For my logitech headset, if I try plugging it in after the pS2 is running, it usually cuts out during the match. However, if it is plugged in before I hit the power button, I rarely lose sound during a match.

4 - If sound cuts out during a match, I first do a check to see if people are just being really quiet. If no one responds (and you know they are out there), I repeat steps described in 1 and resolve my issues.


I'd like to hear what everyone else thinks. Mic issues can really interrupt a game.

Dioxin

[norm]

I've noticed when my ping is fluid (moves from a low ping to a high ping) i'll have issues with my mic.

Also turning off my PS2 and coming back after that helps.

I live in an apartment and someone new has moved in with a wireless router that isn't protected. I know when their's si up and running I'll have issues.

Dioxin's first step will solve 90% of whatever mic issues I may have. I'll follow his 2nd step a lot. In fact I'll start talking and wonder why noone is tlaking back before I realize my mic is on mute.

[Zabka]

I used to be like Tomahawk--the guy who could hear and talk to EVERYONE. Then I moved--and I could still do it while I had my console plugged into my router. Then I got unpacked and moved my ps2 to teh basement. I tried a powerline ethernet bridge only to find that it didn't handle gaming protocols after 20+ hours working on it. I could have gotten the next version to try, but at that point, it was the same cost to go wireless and get a wireless gaming adapter. Now with a new router (my old router was probably 10 yrs old and not wireless) and a wireless gaming adapter costing me more than my ps2 and some games, I can connect fine, but can only hear and talk to about 6 people at the same time. If they aren't on my team, i am screwed.

Interestingly, it is often the same people I can hear. I can communicate with:

Tomahawk, Ratix, Reaver, RegentOne, Kerry, and MajinTony every time.

I have been able to talk on occasion with jeter, shocker (for like 10 seconds), Helmet, spock, phoenix.

I have NEVER been able to talk to or hear from some people since I had this new setup.

this is very frustrating and proved disastrous at the battle royale. I wonder if there is an issue like there was in swbf1. in swbf1, there were times when a person would freeze (black screen of death) and then come back in, they couldn't hear most people unless they unplugged and replugged and then it would only last for like 30 secs. Ratix figured out that when somebody restarted or left teh game, their voice port was switched over to a different port than the others in the game. When we did practice and that became an issue, we simply had other members of the team leave and come back--that would fix the issue.

I only raise this here because at a practice a week or two ago, i couldn't hear shocker--he left and came back and I could hear him again. then I left and came back and couldn't hear him anymore or ever since.

Something is screwy. I have opened up all the voice ports (and all the ports I know of for socom, swbf1, etc). i have DMZ'ed my ps2's static IP address. Nothing works. Anybody have any thoughts?

[Dioxin]

zabka, that is so strange. I've never played ps2 online WITHOUT using a wireless router and I don't usually have problems. From day one, I've used the wireless game adapter. I wonder if it is the specific router and not just the fact that it is wireless.

I'm also using DSL, so that does slow things down here and there. My connection is less than perfect, but it usually only consists of the flashing ethernet plug symbol and no loss in game capacity. Sometimes voices are just echos because of slowed internet speeds (or if I get a phone call with my VOIP). I think voice takes up much more band width than just regular game play.

[Mace]

Actually, while I have no idea just how much bandwidth the game play is taking up exactly, you can bet the VoIP is very, very small in comparison depending on the compression techniques in use. The voice could be anything from 64k on down to 32k, 16k, 8k. Insignificant if you're using a broadband connection like DSL or Cable. Chances are this game is written in such a way that changes in the game are what are being transmitted back and forth in order to conserve bandwidth. Anyway, I'm guessing on that part but certain clues lead me to believe the voice receives some kind of priority in a game because if you ever notice when the server gets ready to crash, you still have a few moments where you can talk to people even after the game play completely stalls out and I always find that interesting.

On Zabka's point, I don't think he's talking the same lingo in terms of wireless. He's using some kind of wireless gaming adapter of which I am completely ignorant and Dioxin is talking about a wireless router (although I just reread the post and Dioxin made a distinction between the two components so I'm editing this post).

I have no idea why Zabka's having the mic issues but I will tell you in the world of networking that keeping your setup simple seems to get you through more hurdles than adding excessive layers of complexity especially when those additional layers don't give you any additional features.
Rather than pick apart your setup, is there a compelling reason why you bought the $$$ wireless gaming adapter thingy?

I basically run a wireless router right next to where my TV, PS2, and Cable Modem are. Laptops in my house are all wireless but my PS2 is directly cabled to the wireless router which is in turn is directly cabled to the Cable Modem. Sure, there's more wires do deal with but my biggest issue is making sure Charter's Cable Modem is working properly and that's an 800 number call away. The rest of the setup seems to work well and I can hear most everyone in every setting (talk/listen to everyone, talk/listen to buddies, talk/listen to current team, or any other combo).

You may want to walk through your setup from the ground up and simplify where possible. It may be the only way to get voice working properly. When it does work, it is VERY cool. Also, I've been right there with you in terms of trying to set things up right after a move. MOVING SUCKS!!!

The only time I experience problems is when the other person has mic issues. Norm's suggestions almost always work. Set the game initially to talk/listen to everyone, listen for mic chatter, and then tweak to whatever setting you like. If you're voice ever goes down in a game, goof around with the settings and then restart the PS2 if all else fails. There should never be a reason to physically unplug/replug the headset you're using. You're only gonna goof things up worse if you start messing with that.

And if you want to sing the National Anthem while you play, for goodness' sake, MUTE YOUR MIC!!!

Later,

Mace

[MajinTony]

I bet Zabka's eye's get huge when he reads this as he shouts:

"Finally!!! Tech answers!!!!!!!"

Damn mace, network engineer?

[Mace]

Majintony,

Network engineering is part of what I do. The other part is Sales but I tried to keep the lies to a minimum in my post. Some Network Engineer though, I still don't know what a wireless gaming adapter is.

Mace

[Zabka]

A wireless gaming adapter (I think there are only two on the market--DLink and linksys) is a wireless ethernet bridge that supports gaming protocols. People who use normal ethernet bridges find that they can't get onto XBox Live or PS2 online often times. So these were designed specifically to handle console games.

I still don't get why I can hear some voices (and often teh exact same people) and not others. It would seem that it should be all or none. I opened up a wide range of ports for this, but it doesn't seem to be working.

My signal strength from my wireless router, even though down two floors, is remarkably high according to my psp (only other wireless networked device I have) at 100% signal strength. My logins and DNAS verification are almost immediate. My gameplay does not seem laggy. My pings are normally in the 90s, but occasionally going to 150 (one night was at 190). I don't know why DMZing didn't work and why opening the ports isn't working. It all seems so odd---and it is so consistent in terms of who I can hear and who I can't, it seems that I should be able to fix it.

[MajinTony]

O right on Mace. I used to prewire homes for low voltage wiring, including networking lines. I've networked some homes, but cannot explain anything to the homeowner lol. All my home networking comes from me troubleshooting my own network trying to get all my friends on Socom at my house lol.

P.S. You hiring?

[Sithbiscuits]

That's odd, Zabka. Do those guys share the same internet provider? Is it an east coast / west coast thing?

[Zabka]

No link that I can think of. in swbf1, we found that when we all logged out of server and back in, we were all on the same ports. Happened a couple times with Comp whom I occasionally hear and Jeter. Others I have heard once: shocker, Spock.

Always hear: Ratix-NY; Regent-VA; Kerry-AK; Majintony-CA; Reaver-FL.

Bizarre and annoying.

[Mace]

Okay, I'll bite, Zabka. Is there a reason your wireless router is two floors down from your wireless gaming adapter? Are you "borrowing signal" from anyone or did your significant other tell you to get all that gaming crap out of the living room and into the basement or what? :)

If I were looking into your setup, first question I would ask is "do I really need this wireless gaming adapter thingy?". I'm not suggesting getting rid of it b/c I know you paid a pretty penny but what kind of problems were you having before you got it that pushed you to buy one in the first place? I'm wondering if a good ol' run of Cat5 cable from your wireless router's ethernet port from the one floor to the other two floors away is in order. It's a good excuse to drill holes in your floor.

I don't own an XBox, XBox360 or anything besides the PS2 for online gaming (unless you count my laptop and the only online gaming I'm doing there sux) so I'm not really sure what's involved in trying to play online with those systems but my guess is if you're using all those various systems, having the WGA gets all of your protocols over the air to your wireless router without a lot of disconnecting and reconnecting of stuff when you want to play with one gaming system versus another. Is that right?

I'd figure out a way to go with some cables and get that WGA posted out on eBay to get some of your moolah back. It sounds like it's been the bane of your existence for some time. And no, I don't wanna buy it so don't look for me to bid on it.

If you're bent on using the WGA, I'd find their 800-number for support, step them through your setup, and make those poor customer service people help you get that thing fixed.

Hope this helps!

Mace

P.S. to M'Tony - - there's always positions open around the country at the company I work for so if you have something you're looking for, send me a PM and I'll see if there's anything posted to our website.

[Zabka]

Yeah Mace, I used to always just plug directly in. But since the move, I am in more of a townhouse than a 2br apt like I was in Manhattan. As such, my 50 ft cable doesn't do it here. Since it is a rental, I am loathe to drill holes in here. As for the wireless router, I do use encryption that should allow for some security. there are a couple of other weaker signals i can pick up in my apt, but i don't think people are stealing bandwidth from me.

The house is just set up in a way that my office only makes sense in one of the br's on the top floor and the basement was intended to be a guest room and has our second biggest TV. I don't have the gaming set up on the main tv in hte middle floor in part so that I can play and my wife can watch whatever she wants. In addition, the basement allows me to play with sound and not be concerned about how loud I get. If I am closer to my 3yr old's room, I need to shut off sound.

I actually don't play my xbox online--or all that often for that matter. the Ps2 is the only thing I use online. the WGA was out of necessity as I didn't want to 1. drill holes and drop 50 ft of CAT-5 cable in my house since it is a rental; 2. pay for another connection and modem in my basement, 3. directly connect the PS2 and run my PC wirelessly. In addition, the only other solution that appeared like it might workwas the powerline adapter (uses your home electrical wiring as a network over which to carry signal), but it only allowed me to log on once and I spent 20+ hours with customer support until I found out the box is wrong and the damn thing doesn't work for gaming consoles, only PCs.

The WGA was designed specifically for this purpose. It does everything but allow me to talk to EVERYONE. Given the fact that there are others who use the WGA even in this clan and don't have my problems, it is quite a challenge.

If you have an alternate wireless solution, I am all ears.

[Dioxin]

Here's a crazy idea. Just temporarily, move the ps2 back upstairs (while your kid is awake) and plug it in directly to the router. Go online and see if people can hear you. If they can, you know it's some freaky thing with the wireless aspect of the router. If you can't it's gotta be something about the router itself or the connection you have.

I'm running a logitech wireless router, the cheaper of the two logitech WGA's (the $40 one) and dsl.


For the record, I could hear zabka once in a game until he logged out and logged back in. :)

[LordCompulon]

Anyway, I'm guessing on that part but certain clues lead me to believe the voice receives some kind of priority in a game because if you ever notice when the server gets ready to crash, you still have a few moments where you can talk to people even after the game play completely stalls out and I always find that interesting.

Mace

Although the gameplay connection is established between PS2 clients and the PC server, the VoIP is a peer-peer ring-type of connection between only the PS2 clients. When one person speaks, the PS2 transmits the VoIP message to the first person who is set to "listen", and then it transmits from there to the next person set to listen, around in a ring and stops when it gets to the the VoIPs originating client. This is why you hear an "echo" with a variable delay time, dependent on the number of players who are set to listen, and their individual latencies. This is also why when the server crashes, nobody can play (the gameplay connection is gone) but players can still speak to each other through the peer-peer connections.

Aslo regaring Dioxins initial comment, When a player first joins a server, the "talk to / listen to" settings revert to what is saved in the users' profile. When you change this setting and then exit a game gracefully (rather than a complete crash) it will prompt to save changes to your memory card. These settings, once saved, come up as default when you join another game.

When playing in an auto-assign-off server, the server still arbitrarily assigns you to a side for initial communication. After you choose a side, if it happens to be the other one, then only at the end of your first spawn time, will the game will effectively swap your membership over to the other side for those set to "listen" to a particular side.

I think that many communications issues arise from complexities and misunderstandings of the "talk to" and "listen to" settings.

Comp