VOX Intermittent Feedback

[Geophro]

During play, most (more than 1/2) of my VOX transmissions sound like pure feedback.  When it does not sound like feedback, it sounds great.  I can find no correlation to any game events for when I get feedback instead of voice.  It's the same in a tower away from everyone else in the training area, or as I am rudely welcomed back to Earth by Mean Mr. Gravity after being ejected from a furball.

I am running XP Pro on an Intel Quad Core 2.4 with active cooling, 4GB low latency matched RAM, twin nVidia 8600 GTS 512MB video cards running in SLI, all riding on an Asus Striker Extreme 680i board.  I am using the on board sound, SupremeFX using the ADI 1988B 8-channel (7.1) codec.  My power supply has capacity for further upgrades (~150W over my max draw with everything wide open.) All of my drivers are the most current available.  My headset/mic is a standard Logitec headset, using only the mic portion.  I only use simple stereo sound out; I do not use the surround sound.  My internet connection is cable, officially 8Mb but clocks consistently at 12Mb+ to the hub in Atlanta.  My framerate has yet to drop below 60 at max resolution in any situation, with 60 being where I have my cards throttled since my HDTV won't drive more than 60 Hz anyway.

My microphone works fine in Windows testing.  It also works flawlessly with Ventrillo, which I use extensively.  The Ventrillo works without any issues even in games that DO tax my system while I am using it.

I have tried 5 different microphones, all with the same result (except for the stereo array one-that one sucked regardless.)

I have tested with every input and output control I can find, using both direct sound and the windows .wav, with noise filtering on and off, and with game sounds at various levels.  I have tried different amounts of hardware acceleration as well.  95% of my testing has been with the voice channel tuned to myself, but it should be the the same regardless of channel.

I consider myself to be somewhat technically astute with computers, meaning that I fix more things than I break when I start messing with them.

This is quite frustrating, as there have been many people that have tried to help me with actually playing the game, only to be put off by my VOX problems.  Trust me, I need all the help I can get!
So, any help or ideas with my VOX issue would be appreciated.  I might even go out of my way to make sure you can shoot me down before one of the others gets me.    Take the offer now, I won't stay a noob forever.         ...I hope.

Thank you in advance.

[gpwurzel]

Know it sounds a simple question m8, but you dont have any active speakers behind you when it feeds back do you? Or its not pointed towards any?


Wurzel

[Geophro]

It's a very good question.  I am not running surround sound, and to be sure I tried it with my sound muted just to make sure no game sounds were getting into the mic.  The microphone is directional, and pointed at my mouth from the headset boom.  I just rechecked it for roughly the 20th time to make sure.  I even tried holding my breath, and with the foam cover on and off.

The answer will be something simple like that, I am sure.

[gpwurzel]

Hmm......I get the occasional burst of feedback from the mic being slightly offcentered on my headset.....if you have a volume switch on the lead for your headset, you could try reducing the volume via windows volume, and up the volume using the switch on the lead.....Cant think of anything else that would cause it........tho you might want to check to see if you the extra db check box clicked..that can sometimes cause it too (right click on volume icon on systray (bottom right), open volume control, options, check on the mic bit - advanced - you should see the mic boost check box)....try it with and without that selected m8.......


Wurzel

[airspro]

Try this >

Go to Control Panel > Sounds and Audio Devices > Voice Tab > Test Hardware .

This is where you test and set . If I set my volume to high here I get "feedback" also .

Hope it helps .

gl
spro

[TexInVa]

I get feedback (in ahII only) when I use my onboard sound vs. my Audigy card. Have you tried a stand alone card?

[Geophro]

Solved

I had messed with mic and volume settings on the headset.
I had also tested extensively using the Test Hardware for the microphone in control panel.
I have not used a stand alone sound card, but I was seriously considering doing so at this point.

This morning I also messed around in my MB bios, downloaded and tried earlier drivers, tested with the active cooling disconnected, removed power to all of my cooling fans (zoink! not for long) and checked all of my computer components for security.  I even applied a state of the art vibration analyzer to my computer case (a glass of water sitting on top)  to see if  something I missed was vibrating the case.

As I sat here this morning in frustration, drinking the water, I checked back here hoping for salvation.  While doing so, I re-read my original post and this jumped out at me:

Originally posted by Geophro
 ...It also works flawlessly with Ventrillo, which I use extensively.  The Ventrillo works without any issues even in games that DO tax my system while I am using it.

Proper troubleshooting procedures require that all controllable variables be removed.  Logic would also tell you to look at similar functions (VOX) first.  Ventrillo is the culprit.  Even though they are separate programs, with different push to talk buttons, it's still Windows controlling the hardware.  So even when Ventrillo is not being actively used, if it is running some of its settings seem to be interfering with the AH VOX.  The converse is not true.  I use some elaborate settings in Ventrillo for voice modulation, that makes both whisperers and screamers alike sound like they are talking normally (boy is that nice!).  While this is the only thing I found that affects my gain properties, removing these settings did not eliminate the problem.  So no more leaving Ventrillo up to use as a cheap phone for my friends to talk to me when I want to play AH.

Thank you for the assistance.  I am somewhat embarassed that it was so obvious in hindsight.  Sometimes the effort of explaining the problem reveals the solution.