How to Troubleshoot Ventrilo

Ventrilo is a voice over IP application in wide use, particularly by computer gamers. The Ventrilo client connects to Ventrilo servers, which route the voice traffic to other clients. Problems with the Ventrilo client may arise from codec or sound system issues.

Instructions

1. Verify outgoing voice is enabled by clicking "Setup" in the Ventrilo window, clicking "Enable Outgoing Voice Communications" if its check box is not enabled and then clicking "OK."

2. Disable broadcasting of static and other background noises by using "Push To Talk" mode instead of automatic sound detection mode. Click "Setup" in the Ventrilo window, click "Use Push To Talk Hotkey Mode" if its check box is not enabled and then click "OK."

3. Fix problems with sound input by clicking "Setup" in the Ventrilo window, clicking "Use DirectSound" over "Input Device" if its check box is not enabled and then clicking "OK."

4. Verify Ventrilo is receiving audio input by clicking "Setup" in the Ventrilo window, clicking the "Monitor" button and then speaking into your microphone. The scrolling numbers change when Ventrilo receives audio input data.

5. Try using a USB microphone if you have one; USB microphones bypass your sound hardware, so this may avoid problems caused by incompatible or buggy drivers or sound cards.

6. Fix delays in Ventrilo sound output and input caused by other applications such as games using all the CPU time by clicking the "Setup" button in the Ventrilo window, clicking the "Misc" tab, clicking the "Process Priority Class" box, clicking "High" in the list and then clicking "OK."

7. Verify that Ventrilo is not running in compatibility mode by right-clicking the Ventrilo shortcut icon, clicking "Properties," clicking the "Compatibility" tab, de-selecting the "Run This Program in Compatibility Mode" check box by clicking it and then clicking "OK." Close Ventrilo and re-open it after changing the compatibility mode settings.

8. Fix the "Unable to initialize the codec. CODE = -8" error message by clicking "Start," clicking "Control Panel," clicking "Sound and Multimedia," clicking "Hardware," double-clicking "Audio Codec," double-clicking "Microsoft GSM 6.10," clicking "Settings," clicking "Auto Config" and then clicking "OK."

9. Fix the "Unable to initialize the codec. CODE = -10" error message by clicking "Start," clicking "Control Panel," clicking "Sound and Multimedia," clicking "Hardware," double-clicking "Audio Codec," double-clicking "Microsoft GSM 6.10," clicking "Use this Audio Codec" and then clicking "OK."

10. Fix error messages related to "DINPUT8.DLL" or "DSOUND.dll" on Windows XP by downloading and installing the latest version of DirectX from Microsoft (see Resources.)

11. Enable Text-To-Speech by downloading and installing the "Speech SDK 5.1" package from Microsoft (see Resources.) Restart Ventrilo, click "Setup" and then configure Text-To-Speech on after clicking the "Speech" tab.

12. Reduce lag while running Ventrilo on a slow dial-up connection by asking the Ventrilo server administrator to decrease the sample rate or set a different codec.

13. Fix Ventrilo minimizing slowly by clicking the "Setup" button in the Ventrilo window, de-selecting the "Use DirectInput to Detect Hotkey" check box by clicking it and then clicking "OK."

References

• Ventrilo: FAQ

Resources

• Microsoft: DirectX End-User Runtime Web Installer
• Microsoft: Speech SDK 5.1