MY COMPUTER WAS BUILT OUT OF BITS AND PIECES BUT BASICALLY HAS A 120
CPU, 65 MEMORY, AND TWO HARD DRIVES TOTALLING 3.9G. I BOUGHT A SOUND
CARD, AND TWO POWERED SPEAKERS AND A CHEAP MICROPHONE. IT ALSO HANDLES
AN ELUX FLATBED SCANNER AND LEXMARK Z12 COLOUR PRINTER. THE WHOLE RIG
WORKS QUITE WELL. ON MSN MESSENGER, I CAN CONTACT FAMILY IN A COUNTRY
TOWN 300 MILE AWAY AND TYPE MESSAGES BACK AND FORTH. BUT WHEN I WANT
TO START A VOICE CONNECTION TO SPEAK WITH THEM, THEY CAN HEAR ME BUT I
CANNOT HEAR THEM. THE SPEAKERS TEST OUT O.K. AND WORK FINE PLAYING
MUSIC CD`S AND ALSO PLAYING ALL THE SOUND EFFECTS OF WINDOWS 98. IN
THE SETUP, I HAVE TRIED ALL THE OPTIONS SEPARATELY. IS THERE A
PARTICULAR OPTION I HAVE EITHER CLICKED OR NOT CLICKED. SORRY ABOUT
LACK OF DETAIL BUT AM A MUG BEGINNER. IF TECHNICAL DATA IS NEEDED,
I`LL HAVE TO SUPPLY IT LATER WHEN I KNOW FROM YOU WHAT I HAVE TO
SUPPLY. I SUSPECT I AM ONE TICK SHORT OF GETTING IT WORKING. THANKS.

---

Request for Question Clarification by feilong-ga on 26 Feb 2003 07:43 PST

Hi Pugwashjw,

You said that your computer's sound output is okay -- this rules out
the problem with your speakers. You also mentioned that they can hear
you -- this rules out the problem with your sound input. But you
mentioned that you can't hear them. Perhaps the problem is with the
other party and not with your computer. Maybe they should adjust
something on their side. Perhaps there is a problemwith their
microphone or sound input settings. Since your system is okay, ask
them to set their msn messenger's setting the same way as yours.
Please verify if it works after that.

Regards,
Feilong

---

Clarification of Question by pugwashjw-ga on 01 Mar 2003 23:01 PST

TO FEILONG, ARCADESDUDE AND HUMMER. FURTHER TO MY LAST LETTER, I WENT
BACK IN AGAIN WITH THE RIGHT FILE NAME AND DID ALL YOU ASKED. ALSO I
DISABLED THE GAMES JOYSTICK THINGAMEBOOBY AS IT SEEMS TO BE PART OF MY
SOUNDCARD. MY RIG STILL PLAYS C/D`S O.K. STILL HAVE TO DO A TEST WITH
THE HILLBILLYS IN THE STICKS. WILL GET BACK TO YOU ON HOW IT GOES.
BEST REGARDS AND THANKS. PUGWASHJW.

---

Request for Question Clarification by byrd-ga on 25 Mar 2003 10:17 PST

Dear Pugwashjw,

When I was a newbie like you, and wanted to use my computer for 2-way
conversations, I encountered the same frustrating and (then)
mystifying problems.  The difficulty, as it turned out, was that my
sound card was not capable of "full duplex" operation.  I replaced the
sound card, downloaded the latest full duplex support drivers and
voila! I could talk and hear at the same time.  Now, even though most
sound cards today have full duplex capability, it's still possible
that your settings are not optimized to use that capability correctly
for this applicaiton. Here are a few links for you to check out to see
if this might be your problem.  They give more expanded explanations
of duplex, as well as some detailed instructions for attempting to
correct any problems:

http://telecom.hellodirect.com/docs/Tutorials/DuplexExplained.1.080801.asp
http://www.acersupport.com/technical/articles/common/audio_fullduplex_dp10221.html
http://www.duxcw.com/dcforum/DCForumID1/358.html
http://totalsem.com/010806duplex.htm
http://phonex1.tripod.com/pcphonecalls.html

If you feel this information has helped you, please let me know and
I'll post it as answer and claim the payment.  If not, I wish you best
of luck - perhaps someone else will have another, better idea.

Regards,
--Byrd

It might be one of your sound settings is set to a low volume (but the
other sound settings that play CD music are set correctly).

Try this:

Click Start
Click Run
Type sndvol32       (That's short for sound volume 32)
Click Options
Check Advanced Controls if it is unchecked
Click Options
Click Properties
Click the word Playback
In the box "Show the following Volume controls" check everything that
is not already checked (so you end up with everything checked). You
might have to scroll down to see them all.
Click OK
Drag each slider up to maximum if it is below the middle line. (This
will turn all the 'channels' of sound up so you can hear them.
Close this box when you are down (click X in upper-right corner).

Now try talking again. If you can here them then it was your volume
that was the problem. If you still cant here them then it is most
likely their configuration that is the problem (as feilong-ga
suggested).

You can also try telling them to turn up the Microphone setting in the
volume controls (just like you set the volume above). This might make
their microphone record more sound (so you could hear it). If that
doesn't work then it is probably a setting in MSN Messenger or a
problem with their microphone or microphone configuration.

Hi pugwashjw,

Here are six things that I would try if I were having your problem -
some overlap with my fellow researchers' advice but hopefully between
us your problem will be solved.

1. Close all other applications you have running, something else may
be using your sound card.

2. Increase the volume level on your speakers (the sound from your
friend won't be the same quality as what you hear from a CD - you'll
need to push up the volume).

3. Double-click on the volume control icon in your task bar. Make sure
all of the "Mute" boxes are not ticked -  if you find any, remove
them. Also try increasing all of the controllers as long as you are
there.

4. Right click on "My Computer" and  "Properties" and go to "Device
Manager". Do you see any exclamation marks by the "Sound, Video and
Game Controllers"?

5. Ask your friends to check their volume controller to make sure that
their mic isn't muted and also to make sure their mic plug is fully
seated. Ask them to test their mic to confirm it is working properly.

6. Make sure you have the latest drivers for your sound card
installed.

Good luck,
hummer

TO ARCADESDUDE GA. THANKS TO YOU AND THE PREVIOUS COMMENTOR FEILONG
GA. I TRIED YOUR POSSIBLE SOLUTION BUT MADE A MISTAKE IN READING THE
FILE AS SNDVO...132 INSTEAD OF SNDVOL...32. THOUGHT WHILE I WAS ONLINE
WOULD KEEP YOU UPDATED THAT I WILL TRY THE CORRECT FILE ...THIS TIME.
IN THE MEANTIME I HAVE GONE THROUGH THE PROCESS TO UPDATE MY DRIVERS
FROM MICROSOFT, SUCCESSFULLY I HOPE. I COULD NOT FIND ANY EXCLAMATION
MARKS ALONGSIDE THE SOUND, VIDEO, GAME CONTROLLER DOODAD. I DO NOT
HAVE ANY JOYSTICKS OR CONTROLLERS IN MY SYSTEM. IF THEY WERE MENTIONED
IN THE FILES, WOULD THIS HAVE ANY EFFECT ON THE MAIN PROBLEM. THANKS
HEAPS FOR YOUR HELP.

"I DO NOT HAVE ANY JOYSTICKS OR CONTROLLERS IN MY SYSTEM. IF THEY WERE
MENTIONED
IN THE FILES, WOULD THIS HAVE ANY EFFECT ON THE MAIN PROBLEM."

Unlikely. I too have a "ghost" gamecontroller detected by Windows even
though I do not have one connected (instead I have a cable connected
there for a TI Calculator). Windows thinks this cable is a joystick.
It hasn't cause me any problems, however, and I don't believe that
this causes any conflicts with the soundcard driver, so I left it
alone.

You're problem sounds like your computer is configured properly and
sound is working correctly. It seems that your family's computer is
not configured correctly for incoming sound (the microphone). Ask them
to do this:

Click Start 
Click Run 
Type sndvol32 
Click Options 
Check Advanced Controls if it is unchecked 
Click Options 
Click Properties 
Click the word Recording (not Playback)
Check everything not already checked
Click OK

Now push the slider for BOTH
Recording and
Microphone
up to the top.

If that doesn't work then ask them to check to make sure their
microphone is plugged into the jack in the back of the computer that
says MIC (not IN). (MIC is short for Microphone and IN is short for
In-jack (Line-In)).

Hopefully this will help. If not then another researcher might be able
to help you further where cannot.

arcadesdude-ga
Google Answers Researcher

TO ARCADESDUDE GA,
THANKS FOR YOUR ANSWER. TRIED THE LIST YOU GAVE AND GOT TO THE BIT
ABOUT ADVANCED..SEE IF IS CHECKED  [I THINK YOU MEAN TICKED] ANYWAY.
IT IS GREYED OUT AND I CANNOT USE IT. DI ALL THE REST BEST AS I COULD.
BUT HERES THE FUNNY BIT.. IN MY ORIGINAL QUESTION, THE OTHER PARTY WAS
HEARING ME O.K. VIA MY MICROPHONE BUT I WAS HEARING NOTHING VIA MY
SPEAKERS..NOW THE PROBLEM SEEMS TO HAVE REVERSED.. I CAN HEAR THE
OTHER PARTY THROUGH MY SPEAKERS BUT MY M.PHONE DOES NOT FUNCTION. I
THINK MY OUND CARD MUST BE FAULTY ALTHOUGH IT DOES NOT INDICATE THAT
IN THE SOUND WIZARD.. THANKS ANYWAY.. PUGWASHJW GA

DEAR GOOGLE RESEARCHERS, RECEIVED YOUR REMINDER E.MAILS ABOUT SOUND
PROBLEM.. IT IS STILL PERSISTING. BUT PROBLEM SEEMS TO HAVE REVERSED
ITSELF. NOW I CAN RECEIVE VOICE THROUGH MY SPEAKERS AND GAUGE SHOWS
VOLUME, BUT MICROPHONE WILL NOT FUNCTION. BOTH SPEAKERS AND MIKE. TEST
OUT O.K.  EVEN I THIN K THE PROBLEM IS SOMEWHERE IN MY SOUND CARD.
SEEMS ONLY ABLE TO HANDLE ONE OR T.OTHER. ALL OTHER FAMILIES COMPUTERS
CHECK OUT O.K. WHEN THEY CONNECT TO EACH OTHER. WILL HAVE TO LET THE
PROBLEM ALONE UNTIL I CAN FIT A DIFFERENT SOUND CARD. BOUGHT IT
SECONDHAND ANYWAY. THANKS GUYS [ AND GIRLS ] PUGWASHJW.