[hfcg]

OK I am trying to be able to see my family back in FL. from my end I can record audio/video but when having a call just now we could not get sound. Never used one of these things before so I am doing hit and miss but right now it is just miss. any suggestions?

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Hi HFCG,

As always, when posting a question for assistance, it helps the helpers to help you, if you provide as much information as possibly about your current machine, peripherals, application, OS, internet connection, and the steps you've already taken (successful/unsuccessful) to resolve the problem.

Here's my "canned" speech posted as a sticky over at our sister-site, WhatTheTech, that should give you a general idea about how to encourage OP's/Victims to include the important information that could help you as a Tech to craft a solution for the OP/Victim. (feel free to quote and/or excerpt from that sticky when you're helping folks here in the G2G Tech Forums. http://forums.whatth...hp?act=SR&f=119
___________

Here are some "general" observations that might get you started with your present situation.

The major IM applications like Yahoo IM, AIM, MSN Messenger, SKYPE, etc. all have built-in software and user configuration features to enable "View my Webcam" and "Make a Call - voice message" components for communication.
They all include a dummy "Test Call" feature to assist the user when setting up (volume, etc.) the application prior to making an actual call. The "buttons" and "features" may be somewhat different between the various IM applications, but they are similar, and presented to be "intuitive" and include "help" for setting up if necessary.

WebCams (of all brands and flavors) generally come with installation software that often includes "bloat" like interactive camera games and features to highlight the capabilities that they are claiming for their WebCam. <--- NONE of that is needed and I never install from the WebCam's application CD.

I use an old Intel Pro PC camera that I picked up back in 1997 or 98. It works just fine with the major IM's, as do more recently purchased webcams --- without the webcam software installed.

I also "favor" using a head-set with boom microphone because the microphone can be adjusted to remain at the correct distance from the users mouth for good audio pickup of the conversation.
(I hate it when the person I'm calling uses a separate "wand" style microphone since people tend to wave their arms around while speaking as if their listener is in the room with them. This "wand waving" tends to move the microphone away from the mouth and causes the audio to fade and spike, making it difficult to listen.)
(similarly, I hate it when the person I'm calling doesn't have a head-set for listening and instead uses the ordinary computer speakers to hear me. That's because those computer speakers get picked up by the microphone and cause a delay-feedback back to me. So listening to myself talk with delayed feedback makes it all sound garbled)

It really doesn't matter what WebCam and head-set boom microphone you buy. They all work with the IM utilities.
_________________

If you have a "Human Interface Device" item listed in your Control Panel, and it is the branded-software from your Webcam or head-set-boom microphone, you might benefit from Removing it.
If you have additional driver devices listed in your Control Panel - Sounds and Audio Devices, and are related to the branded-software from your Webcam or head-set-boom microphone, you might benefit from Removing them.
_________________

You certainly should check in Device Manager to make sure your USB Universal Serial Bus Controllers are working properly..... But you should "not" install any branded/specific USB controller from your Webcam or Boom-Microphone software.
_________________

It is OK and expected, that you will see an item in Device Manager - Imaging Devices for your WebCam, (along with any other imaging devices that you might use, like a scanner or other cameras) Make sure that Device Manager - Imaging Devices - (my example: Intel PC Camera Pro) is working properly.
_________________

There is no need to have additional "branded" Device items in Device Manager - Sounds Video and Gamer Controllers.
You should probably only see:
Audio Codecs
Video Codecs
Creative SB Live (or whatever brand of audio device/card you have installed)
Legacy Audio Devices
and maybe a half-duplex audio driver for dial-up
But nothing "branded" from your WebCam
_________________

Please post whatever additional information you may have about your present situation so that we can research any more specific information that could lead to solution.

Best Regards,
Doug

[Doug]

Hi HFCG,

As always, when posting a question for assistance, it helps the helpers to help you, if you provide as much information as possibly about your current machine, peripherals, application, OS, internet connection, and the steps you've already taken (successful/unsuccessful) to resolve the problem.

Here's my "canned" speech posted as a sticky over at our sister-site, WhatTheTech, that should give you a general idea about how to encourage OP's/Victims to include the important information that could help you as a Tech to craft a solution for the OP/Victim. (feel free to quote and/or excerpt from that sticky when you're helping folks here in the G2G Tech Forums. http://forums.whatth...hp?act=SR&f=119
___________

Here are some "general" observations that might get you started with your present situation.

The major IM applications like Yahoo IM, AIM, MSN Messenger, SKYPE, etc. all have built-in software and user configuration features to enable "View my Webcam" and "Make a Call - voice message" components for communication.
They all include a dummy "Test Call" feature to assist the user when setting up (volume, etc.) the application prior to making an actual call. The "buttons" and "features" may be somewhat different between the various IM applications, but they are similar, and presented to be "intuitive" and include "help" for setting up if necessary.

WebCams (of all brands and flavors) generally come with installation software that often includes "bloat" like interactive camera games and features to highlight the capabilities that they are claiming for their WebCam. <--- NONE of that is needed and I never install from the WebCam's application CD.

I use an old Intel Pro PC camera that I picked up back in 1997 or 98. It works just fine with the major IM's, as do more recently purchased webcams --- without the webcam software installed.

I also "favor" using a head-set with boom microphone because the microphone can be adjusted to remain at the correct distance from the users mouth for good audio pickup of the conversation.
(I hate it when the person I'm calling uses a separate "wand" style microphone since people tend to wave their arms around while speaking as if their listener is in the room with them. This "wand waving" tends to move the microphone away from the mouth and causes the audio to fade and spike, making it difficult to listen.)
(similarly, I hate it when the person I'm calling doesn't have a head-set for listening and instead uses the ordinary computer speakers to hear me. That's because those computer speakers get picked up by the microphone and cause a delay-feedback back to me. So listening to myself talk with delayed feedback makes it all sound garbled)

It really doesn't matter what WebCam and head-set boom microphone you buy. They all work with the IM utilities.
_________________

If you have a "Human Interface Device" item listed in your Control Panel, and it is the branded-software from your Webcam or head-set-boom microphone, you might benefit from Removing it.
If you have additional driver devices listed in your Control Panel - Sounds and Audio Devices, and are related to the branded-software from your Webcam or head-set-boom microphone, you might benefit from Removing them.
_________________

You certainly should check in Device Manager to make sure your USB Universal Serial Bus Controllers are working properly..... But you should "not" install any branded/specific USB controller from your Webcam or Boom-Microphone software.
_________________

It is OK and expected, that you will see an item in Device Manager - Imaging Devices for your WebCam, (along with any other imaging devices that you might use, like a scanner or other cameras) Make sure that Device Manager - Imaging Devices - (my example: Intel PC Camera Pro) is working properly.
_________________

There is no need to have additional "branded" Device items in Device Manager - Sounds Video and Gamer Controllers.
You should probably only see:
Audio Codecs
Video Codecs
Creative SB Live (or whatever brand of audio device/card you have installed)
Legacy Audio Devices
and maybe a half-duplex audio driver for dial-up
But nothing "branded" from your WebCam
_________________

Please post whatever additional information you may have about your present situation so that we can research any more specific information that could lead to solution.

Best Regards,
Doug