Phone Software

[cjo]

I recently got a SoundMAX Superbeam Array microphone and USB adapter. It works great for voice recognition, but I can't seem to get it set up to use with my voice modem and land line.

I'm not interested in VoIP at this time, but I'd like to use my Conexant D850 V.9x modem to make and receive phone calls using my regular phone number. I've downloaded a few programs but I can't get it so my Array mic works for this. I've turned the volume up for the mic every place I can, but the person on the other end of my test calls can barely hear me. It has plenty of volume for other applications, but not the phone.

I have a Sound Blaster Live! 24-bit sound card, so I can't plug the array mic directly into it (not digital), hence the USB adapter. I feel stupid and like I'm overlooking some small detail, but I can't put my finger on it (literally and figuratively).

Does anybody have a solution for this? Any favorite programs?

[rbk47]

In the volume control what device is set up for your telephone as preferred device? That could be it. Also does your modem have a line out that you might have to patch to your line in?

[cjo]

In both of the programs I tried (Phonetools and Voicecall) the mic was set as preferred. I also have Windows set up to use the array mic as the default device for sound recording and voice recording, while the playback all goes through my soundcard and speakers.

I don't know how I could patch the USB adapter into the modem. Here's the microphone setup I'm using/trying (it was acquired for me so I didn't get to shop around for other solutions): http://www.andreaelectronics.com/Buy/ProductDesc/superbeam_mic_bundle.htm

I had an old PC sometime ago (long gone) that ran Phonetools with a $3 microphone plugged into the sound card and sounded pretty damn good on the other end. It ran Win98 and had a Rockwell voicemodem, if memory serves. I should be a lot better off as far as performance, but I can't get it to work.

[teyrn]

In the control pannel there is the phone and modem options icon. There should be some settings you can make for your modem there that might help. Other then that in the control pannel under sound and audio devices there are like 5 tabs in which you can set your voice recording device one specificaly for voice. I do not know if these tabs or options are the same accross the board or if it depends on the sound card and modem installed. My modem doesn't have it's own mic input so should use the sound card instead. This is one of those things I would have to look at the hard ware and just see what all settings are available to tweak. Should you modem have used a mic plugged into the sound card before this new mic then it stands to reason this new mic even though USB should interface with the modem.

[L'Hospital]

Skype (http://www.skype.com/)

[Brian S]

I think it might have something to do with Dragon NaturallySpeaking. Three years ago I tried a voice over IP system and if I remember right, I had to quit Dragon NaturallySpeaking for it to work. Very inconvenient! You might want to try that just to see if your voice modem will work without Dragon being active.