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  1. #1
    lowering sample rate in windows sound recorder eliminates some of noise
    so -can you make skype downsample from supposedly 16Khz and who should
    be responsible for background noise suppression -cheap pc mic,
    soundcard or skype?




    See More: lower skype's sample rate ?




  2. #2
    News Reader
    Guest

    Re: lower skype's sample rate ?


    <[email protected]> wrote in message
    news:[email protected]...
    > lowering sample rate in windows sound recorder eliminates some of noise
    > so -can you make skype downsample from supposedly 16Khz and who should
    > be responsible for background noise suppression -cheap pc mic,
    > soundcard or skype?
    >



    Hi,

    Interesting. Unless it is a "strange" scenario (older laptop [may even apply
    to newer ones too]or even / much older desktop) it is unlikely to be the
    soundcard or PC itself (unless with regard to this latter part [the PC
    itself] you have some curious configuration going on their - odd, legacy or
    malconfigured hard/software). The best candidates to be at fault are not
    Skype (but I do believe they don't use the most delicate codecs [voice
    compression / carriage systems]) but more likely in some rough order of
    likelihood bad cabling / connections, local interference (other electrical
    equipment), bad microphone, feedback / trying to operate handsfree or like a
    speakerphone (this one should probably be at the front of the list - but it
    is assumed that if you are trying to operate like this you are aware of the
    inherent difficulties and general need to be a sound engineer almost
    constantly monitoring your equipment [certainly if their are cheap parts in
    the setup {read microphone}] to get this to even begin to consistently
    provide anything like "reasonable" / passable audio quality; other (I will
    let someone else finish this list!)... lol ... (p.s. a cheap microphone not
    being used in a "handsfree" / speakerphone - open mic / feedback loop set-up
    can actually provide very good or passable audio [but to be fair they are
    usually pretty dire! - it is finding the "good" cheap microphone that seems
    a bit like the holy grail - probably worth going "up" a couple of £ to the
    next model [or preferably just using a genuine bt handset [note - not
    necessarily the whole phone - just the handset - they tend to have some
    extremely well specced and engineered microphones / speakers! {or just use
    an ATA {or possibly high quality headset or other "VoIP" phone or just a
    good microphone is you happy holding on to that [and using headphones -
    really kind of necessary], etc.})... Someone else please feel free to carry
    on in this vain / area (hard / software causes, contributors - good and bad,
    etc.).

    Further - generally reducing sample rates should reduce quality (markedly /
    significantly). It may be that there is something working so poorly with
    your current configuration that the "high fidelity" hum is almost or just is
    that much worse to listen to when so clear, etc. that the muffling and
    distortion of a lower sample rate actually aesthetically / acoustically
    feels better, nicer, etc.


    Best wishes,




    News Reader






  3. #3
    Larry
    Guest

    Re: lower skype's sample rate ?

    [email protected] wrote in news:1163076260.346930.151990
    @i42g2000cwa.googlegroups.com:

    > lowering sample rate in windows sound recorder eliminates some of noise
    > so -can you make skype downsample from supposedly 16Khz and who should
    > be responsible for background noise suppression -cheap pc mic,
    > soundcard or skype?
    >


    Wouldn't it be easier to turn off Skype's automatic volume control and just
    turn down the mic volume in the RECORD (not playback) screen of your
    Windoze audio control?

    On Skype, click TOOLS - OPTIONS - SOUND DEVICES and uncheck "Let Skype
    adjust my sound device settings" to turn off the AGC. Then adjust the
    volume yourself while listening to the mic in on your headphone until the
    background noise isn't objectionable...

    I do it manually on my notebook so the restaurant noises don't interfere
    with the conversation. Skype's automatic volume control kept resetting the
    level so my buddy in Japan could hear the guy at the next table....(c;

    Skype - Gotta love it....Thanks, Ebay!


    Larry
    --
    Halloween candy left over.....
    Is there a downside?



  4. #4

    Re: lower skype's sample rate ?

    the majority of noise seems to be 'generated' by the integrated
    soundchip or power supply
    so there is this real time filter software called Solicall but they do
    not have the win98 version.Is the standard soundcard designed for
    electret mic-i.e.has approx 5volts on mic jack?
    Larry wrote:
    > [email protected] wrote in news:1163076260.346930.151990
    > @i42g2000cwa.googlegroups.com:
    >
    > > lowering sample rate in windows sound recorder eliminates some of noise
    > > so -can you make skype downsample from supposedly 16Khz and who should
    > > be responsible for background noise suppression -cheap pc mic,
    > > soundcard or skype?
    > >

    >
    > Wouldn't it be easier to turn off Skype's automatic volume control and just
    > turn down the mic volume in the RECORD (not playback) screen of your
    > Windoze audio control?
    >
    > On Skype, click TOOLS - OPTIONS - SOUND DEVICES and uncheck "Let Skype
    > adjust my sound device settings" to turn off the AGC. Then adjust the
    > volume yourself while listening to the mic in on your headphone until the
    > background noise isn't objectionable...
    >
    > I do it manually on my notebook so the restaurant noises don't interfere
    > with the conversation. Skype's automatic volume control kept resetting the
    > level so my buddy in Japan could hear the guy at the next table....(c;
    >
    > Skype - Gotta love it....Thanks, Ebay!
    >
    >
    > Larry
    > --
    > Halloween candy left over.....
    > Is there a downside?





  5. #5
    Larry
    Guest

    Re: lower skype's sample rate ?

    [email protected] wrote in news:1163336332.998501.219740
    @e3g2000cwe.googlegroups.com:

    > the majority of noise seems to be 'generated' by the integrated
    > soundchip or power supply
    > so there is this real time filter software called Solicall but they do
    > not have the win98 version.Is the standard soundcard designed for
    > electret mic-i.e.has approx 5volts on mic jack?
    >


    No, I've never seen DC on the mic jacks....

    A good solution to this problem may be to bypass the problem and get a
    Skype phone, either USB direct or one like my Linksys CIT200:
    http://tinyurl.com/okyet
    (to preview the monsterous Linksys URL use:
    http://preview.tinyurl.com/okyet

    The CIT200 has a base station that plugs into your USB port and handler
    software that redirects the wav data to the base repeater on 1900 Mhz.
    Mine works 2 houses away just fine, letting you carry the little handset
    like you would a house phone portable, making and answering Skype calls
    wherever you may be. Audio is perfect, as is the LOUD speakerphone in
    the handset. Uses common AA Ni-Mh batteries and the little stand
    recharges them without overcharging them just fine.

    If you get a CIT200, don't boot Skype. Boot the CIT200 handler and let
    it boot Skype so it configures it properly. Works great and you're not
    tied down to your computer or have to wear a headset around.

    I did a Google search and the street price has dropped to between 60-65
    US dollars. CompuPlus has it for $US62. Retail is $99.


    Larry



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