Re: OT ? audio feedback & echo on games site

On 2/12/2022 1:15 PM, [email protected] wrote:
> I've started to play a little Bridge  on the  BridgeBase site
> and it has an option  that allows   voice-chat  at the table.
> The original attempt was awful  -  echo & feedback & cricket noises.
> The second attempt was a little better as  2 players used headsets
> but  we still suffered some audio problems  -  echo & cricket noises
> ..    I'm looking for any suggestions to try to resolve this.
>   All 4 players have good connections  and  connection speed.
> As a casual member  < not a paid member >  I'm not entitled to
> direct support from the web admin.
>     John T.

"How deep is the ocean?"

It depends.

Obviously, there could be some layers involved. Perhaps the
BridgeBase web page uses WebRTC ? This is used for video conferencing,
and they could set the video stream to zero, and just use audio WebRTC.
Perhaps a browser of the HTML5 generation, supports WebRTC.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WebRTC

To practice your audio, you would go about finding a "test channel"
that uses webrtc, one that has a "quality check". Since bandwidth
costs money, test channel lashups only last for 30 seconds or so.
Then you have to start a new test.

There are multiple versions of Windows.

The difference between them, is how they abuse the hardware manufacturer
driver. For example, the RealTek driver has a control panel, and it
allows special effects settings to be checked. Microsoft may have finally
stuck a fork in that, because I was unable to find the file in the
RealTek folder and run the old control panel. Some older versions
of Windows, allow its usage. And the panel you want, is in the install
folder and isn't the same as the one in the lower right corner as a
"speaker" icon.

The Microsoft-provided driver, is just raw hardware wiring.

In the Microsoft interface, there may be four functions in
the lower right corner. On your Record interface, Mic-In or
Line-In have a "Monitor" function with a tick box. This
causes leakage from Input to Output and that's a feedback
path. That should be disabled. Untick it.

That should help remove some of the "residual" noises. It might
howl if you get the microphone close enough to the speakers.

There might also be a StereoMix or WhatYouHear path, which is
again, a loop function, but it's a loop straight through the
hardware, without attenuation. It is hidden in the Microsoft
interface, and requires enabling hidden items, so you can see
it and check the setting for it.

How many echo suppressors are present ?

    WebRTC could have one, at the application layer.

    The RealTek optional driver package has one, but we
    never know when any of the RealTek files are engaged.

    Microsoft could have one.

    Games can install their own "permanent" echo suppressors.

"Is there a patch panel diagram showing how my audio is processed?"

Nope. That's what makes this ocean so damn deep.

Even if you wear padded earphones, there is room for improving
the audio, via fine tuning.

I think tuning this is quite do-able. Not every audio is RealTek,
so for most people, tuning the "monitor" function or StereoMix
might be their only controls.

At least one audio driver, was permanently in "concert hall"
mode. This turns rock music into mush. And will also foul
your attempts to fix conferencing. As one participant coined
a term for this one day, it's "digital mutilation".

You can use a USB2 port "headphones,microphone" dongle, if
all else fails. But that doesn't guarantee anything, and is only
for desperate situations (broken jacks or dead HDAudio chip).
And then you have to "select" that device as the input device
in the Microsoft interface.

    Paul