Ventrilo Microphone Set-up

Posted: Sat Jun 30, 2007 7:58 pm Post subject: Ventrilo Microphone Set-up

This is a description of how I normally setup the microphone for Ventrilo. I have done this on four PC’s with excellent results. I thought this might possibly be a help to others or for a reference. This is assuming that your microphone and all devices are working.

1. Update sound driver if update is available. Check with manufacturer of mother board if on board sound. Check with card manufacturer if sound card is used.

2. Go to “Sounds and Audio Devices” in Microsoft Windows control panel.

3. On the Volume tab, click on “Advanced…” under the Device volume.

{uZa}Studdog +SC+ · Posted: Sat Jun 30, 2007 7:58 pm Post subject:

4. Make sure the “Mute” box is not checked under the Microphone Balance and Volume adjustments. If you do not see the Microphone adjustment, then click Options on top left and choose “Properties”. The bottom of the Properties window has a list of all volume controls to be shown. Check the box next to “Microphone” and close window “OK” button. You should now see the Microphone adjustments and make sure the “Mute” box is not checked.

5. Now click the “Advanced” button under the Microphone Balance and Volume adjustments. In the Advanced Controls for Microphone window check the box for “1 Microphone Boost”. If you do not have this option, then skip this task.

6. Close all the above windows and open Ventrilo. Do not connect to a server yet. Click on the “Setup…” button.

Posted: Sat Jun 30, 2007 7:59 pm Post subject:

7. In Ventrilo setup: On ‘Voice” tab in lower right side make sure Amplifiers “Outbound” and “Inbound” are set at zero. Adjust all other settings on this page as needed. You can look at my screen shot for what I set mine at for reference. Make note that my sound device is “NVIDIA®nForce™Audio” Your options will be “Default Direct Sound Device” and whatever sound devices you have in your PC. For instance if you have a motherboard with built in sound and a sound card, you may see both listed. Be sure to choose the correct one. If you only have one device, then default or that device will work. At the end of this post, I will have pics of all the different tabs in Ventrilo. You can see my settings on each page for reference.

Posted: Sat Jun 30, 2007 7:59 pm Post subject:

8. Now leave setup by clicking “OK” button. Join a server and then a channel where others are connected. Listen to others talk and adjust your speakers to your preferred level and leave it there for the rest of the setup steps. I would suggest that you set your speaker level after hearing several people speak. If someone is very soft or distorted, then their settings are off and you don’t want to use them for reference. Just ignore anyone that is obviously too soft or distorted and set your speaker level according to those that sound correct. Now leave the server.

{uZa}Studdog +SC+ · Posted: Sat Jun 30, 2007 8:02 pm Post subject:

9. Go back to Ventrilo setup. On the ‘Voice” tab, look at the “Test with” section on lower left. Click the “Test” button to start a test and click the same button again to quit the test. The first thing we need to adjust is the “Sensitivity”. You will need to adjust the sensitivity to be slightly higher than the point that the microphone comes on when you are not talking. When you get the sensitivity set correctly and go into a test, the test will record you talking and play it back to you when you are done talking. NOTE: Talk at your NORMAL level when adjusting the sensitivity. I usually count to five and listen to it played back. You will see --Begin-- when the test starts recording your talking (count to 5). When you finish talking you will see -- End-- and the test will play back your speech (counting to 5). If you never see the “Begin”, then the sensitivity is too high. If it “Begin” before you talk, then the sensitivity is too low. Keep testing until you get the sensitivity to a point where it is slightly higher than the point that the microphone comes on when you are not talking. After you have reached this point, we need to adjust your “Outgoing” level.

10. Now that you have the sensitivity correct. You will need to adjust the “Outbound” under the Amplifiers section on the “Voice” tab of setup. You will need to adjust this and test it using the “Test” button again. Start at zero and do a test (count to 5) and listen to the sound level of your voice during playback. This step is why it was important to set your speakers at a comfortable level when others spoke in step 8 above. The ideal setting will be as high as possible on the outbound without any distortion when speaking loudly. Don’t scream, just try talking with a normal loud voice and keep adjusting. The reason for talking in a slightly loud voice for this setting is because when you are in a game the sound environment will change and you may find yourself speaking slightly louder sometimes. You don’t want to sound clear to others and then become distorted every time you yell, laugh out loud, or are on a map with loud sounds causing you to speak louder. Make sure when you are finished adjusting the outbound level that you are clear at all normal levels of speaking. Test yourself several times. If you hear any distortion at all during playback, move the outbound down another notch and keep testing.

11. From this point you probably will not need to make any other adjustments. The “Inbound” is used to make others louder, but if they set theirs up correctly then you should not need to amplify them. From the speaker level that you are now at, it might be necessary to turn the game sound level up or down to get it at a desired level. Adjust the game without turning your speakers up or down, or you will also be adjusting the level that you hear others at on Ventrilo.

Posted: Sat Jun 30, 2007 8:02 pm Post subject:

Here are the screen shots of the rest of my Ventrilo pages. I am posting them for reference.

Posted: Sat Jun 30, 2007 8:24 pm Post subject:

Another nice tip:

I use the speakers on my monitor for normal PC use and a headset for Ventrilo / Gaming. I bought a 1/8" stereo jack splitter from Radio Shack. I plugged the splitter into the speaker output jack on my motherboard. I then plugged my monitor and headphones into the splitter. When I am gaming with the headset on, I turn the monitor speakers down and vice versa. This has worked pretty good for me. The headset is also plugged into the mic jack of course.