Latest Creative Beta driver & the latest version of Skype

[Guest]

I wonder if anyone else has experienced this problem. Under Vista(RTM,
Business, 32 bit) and the latest version of Skype(3.0.0.216), the mic volume
is TOO low. I do the Skype test call; Skype tells me that it is UNABLE to
pick up my voice! I checked the setting again and again, but found no error
in the sound device setup!

I am a VERY frequent Skype user and have NEVER experienced this problem
before under XP. On another computer of mine, a laptop, the latest version
of Skype has performed flawlessly as well under Vista(RTM, 32 bit, Business).
The laptop, a Fujitsu, has an integrated Realtek sound card. Realtek has
the final or official driver for Vista RTM builds. However, I loaned my
laptop to a fried, so I am stuck for now, tonight, at least, with this
problem!

The sound card on my desktop is a Creative Audigy 2 Value card. It has the
latest beta driver for 32 bit Vista(2.12.0001).

Don't know if anyone else has also experienced the problem I am describing
here? The mic volume is TOO low in the environment of Vista + the latest
version of Skype + latest beta driver for Audigy 2 Value!

Any info is appreciated!

TIA

 

[Guest]

There was an issue with earlier versions of skype and the audigy 2 cards, I
did a google search and there was a setting that needed changing in one of
the skype install files that was something along the lines of
setmicvolume 0-100, Please dont qoute me on this config I am writing this
from memory as I too had exactly the problem but resolved after googling the
issue.
MBG

 

[Guest]

The problem is NOT ONLY with the latest version of Skype! With the current
beta driver from Creative for Audigy 2 Value card, I am also unable to make
calls out via Windows Live Messenger! So I have good reason to believe that
there is something wrong with the current beta driver(see above for the
version #) from Creative!

Would like to know if anyone else has had the problem of the current beta
driver for Audigy 2 Value not working with the latest version of Skype and
Windows Live Messenger!

Thanks!

 

[Mirko]

I have the same problem with a SB Live! 24 bit. It does not matter what
software I use. Even with the Windows Audio Recorder the volume is very low.
I too believe this is a driver problem, because everything is fine in my
dual-booted Windows XP on the same computer.

 

[Guest]

Thanks for the reply! What is FUNNY about Skype(the latest version) in the
environment of Creative beta driver for Audigy 2 Value + Vista (32bit) is I
could literally see the slider for the microphone volume move towards the low
volume end when I do the Skype test call for the second time!!!!! The bug is
TAHT graphical, in other words!

However, when I do the Skype call for the FIRST time, I could hear my
recorded voice in a normal way or fashion.

Don't know why this is happening!?

Have also posted to Skype's forums, too!

Thanks again!

 

[Daze N. Knights]

I have gone around and around with this low-volume microphone problem
since I built my new system and added Vista 32-bit Ultimate RTM in early
January, and it is a huge frustration for me, because I, too, depend on
my Skype. The magically moving volume slider is the clincher that we are
dealing with the same issue, whatever it may be. I have discovered that,
although it is sometimes possible to get the microphone working at a
nearly-loud-enough level, the almost-satisfactory situation will not
survive a reboot. And I have also discovered that the problem relates
only to Vista--if I install XP instead on the same system, I have no
microphone issue at all. In the course of troubleshooting this issue, I
have gone through times of blaming Skype, the onboard audio drivers, the
drivers for a new SoundBlaster Audigy SE card, my microphones (both
regular and USB), my Intel DP965LT motherboard itself, and around and
around. Since the problem doesn't exist when running XP on my system, it
HAS to have something to do with Vista and/or driver interfaces
somewhere between Vista and my microphone. My latest guess was that
Intel's "Chipset Software Installation Utility" or Intel's "Management
Engine Interface Driver," both of which were last updated in early
November 2006, are not really fully Vista-ready yet. But I still don't
know, and would love an answer . . .

 

[Guest]

Thanks for sharing your experience! FYI, I do not have an intel compatible
mobo. I have an Asus A8N-E mobo for AMD procs--939 Socket.

I have since done the same thing as you have--I have installed XP on the
machine that I use to Skype with my family!

Thanks again for sharing the info! Hopefully, the bug will be sorted out in
the future!

 

[Richard Urban]

It could be that you have a combination of 2, or more, problems creating
your condition. Good luck finding the solution to that.

Five years ago I was building a new computer for my eldest son. I purchased
all new parts. I could not load "any" operating system on the computer. I
started with Windows XP and eventually went all the way back to DOS.

So, knowing that bad RAM can cause this problem I took the known good RAM
from my computer and placed it in my sons computer. DOS then loaded (I
wanted a fast test). I then went to install XP and it was a no show.

Just for grins I took the CPU from my computer and put it in his new
(identical) M/B. Windows XP was able to load.

Now, the strange thing was that after loading Windows XP on this new
computer, I could swap back in the old (new) CPU and the computer would
boot, and run, almost perfect. It was just very slow (about 10 minutes to
boot up the damned thing.


I checked the hardware using Everest HOME Edition and immediately saw that
there was no L1 cache on the new CPU. Yep, the new CPU was ALSO defective.
All manufacturers made good on their merchandise and I eventually gave my
son his belated birthday present.


--


Regards,

Richard Urban
Microsoft MVP Windows Shell/User
(For email, remove the obvious from my address)

Quote from George Ankner:
If you knew as much as you think you know,
You would realize that you don't know what you thought you knew!

 

[Daze N. Knights]

Thanks for the well-wishes, Richard. And the story

 

[Daze N. Knights]

If you don't have an Intel-compatible motherboard, then that strongly
suggests that my last guess about the problem (drivers for my
motherboard not being fully Vista-ready) must be wrong. So, where does
that leave either of us with regard to finding a solution to this issue?
It sounds like it *has* to be a bug in Vista itself, but if so, why are
so few people experiencing it?

I had encountered (via Google) another owner of my mobo model with this
same microphone problem on a Creative Labs forum (he thought it might be
a sound card driver issue). It was from him that I learned that the
issue doesn't arise in XP--only Vista. Checking back, now, into that
forum (where I'm "whozat"), I see that 3 new people with the same issue
have posted just today. One has an Asus mobo. While possible blame is
being laid on Skype 3.0, one poster also has the issue with MSN's sound
recorder, and you had it with Windows Live Messenger, so it is not just
a problem with Skype. See:

http://forums.creative.com/creativelabs/board/message?board.id=Vista&message.id=4300

or TinyURL: http://tinyurl.com/3579uz

What could be the common denominator among those of us who have this
low-volume microphone issue, I wonder? This is a little depressing if
the only solution to the problem is to stick with XP . . .