If you are using netYAK to place free calls from your PC to netYAK enabled web sites and are having difficulties, this FAQ will help, with answers to such questions as "I can hear but the other party can't hear me" and "How do I pick the best microphone?"

How do I pick the right microphone?
When I talk, the red line doesn't move
How can I test my microphone?
I've tested my microphone with Sound Recorder and I still can't get it to work
When I use Sound Recorder to test my microphone, the playback volume is very low
I'm having problems hearing and with the volume
Sometimes, the level of performance slows or stops - why?
I'm getting a busy signal - what should I do?
I've received an "Error starting program" message
How can I be sure I see the most recently updated web pages?
Every time I click the Call Button, I'm asked if I want to open the file or save it.  I'm using Netscape.  How can I avoid this window?
I place a call with the netYAK Voice Client. It rings for a while and then stops ringing. The call status then says "Idle". What is going on?
Can I test how a YAKbite will sound?
How do I adjust for best netYAK Voice Client performance?
Nothing happens when I select either the PCM or UDP Loopback radio button and click OK.

How do I pick the right microphone?

Check out our "Microphone Help" page.  This page includes a chart of all the different types of microphones and their pros and cons, as well as links to vendors for each type. This is the best place to start when choosing the perfect microphone for you.

When I talk into the microphone the red line doesn't move.  Why?

The microphone red line will move when sound is being received by your microphone (when you speak, for instance).  If you are talking into the microphone and the microphone red line is not moving, first make sure that your microphone is plugged into the correct jack on your soundcard or PC motherboard.  If it is, you should then test to see if your microphone is working. See the FAQ How can I test my microphone? for instructions on testing your microphone with Sound Recorder. If you have determined that you can indeed record and play back sound, then you may need to adjust the settings for you microphone via the Windows Volume Control or Sound Mixer. See the FAQ I'm having problems hearing and with the volume for help on adjusting the volume settings for your microphone.

To test if your microphone is working, you can record something and play it back with Sound Recorder (ships with Windows).

To start Sound Recorder:

1. Click Start.
2. Select Programs -> Accessories -> Entertainment (may be Multimedia), and then click Sound Recorder.

To record a sound:

1. Make sure you have an audio input device (such as a microphone) connected to your computer.
2. In the Sound Recorder window, select File -> New.
3. To begin recording, click the record button:
You can talk into your microphone to record your voice.
4. To stop recording, click the stop button:

To play your sound:

1. Click the play button:
2. Adjust your master and/or wave volume in Volume Control (may be called Mixer).  See the next FAQ for instructions on adjusting Volume Control.
3. Click the stop button to stop playing the sound.

If the recorded voice and the background noise level are played back at about the same relative volume, you may need to turn up the microphone volume and/or adjust the microphone boost (see the next FAQ).  Then repeat the test. If the background noise is still very noticeable, you may need to try a different microphone with your sound card.

For more help with the Sound Recorder, select Help -> Help Topics in the Sound Recorder window.

I can't get my microphone to work, even with Sound Recorder.  Or, I can get the microphone to work, but the playback volume is very low.  Why?

If you can't get your microphone to work with sound Recorder or the playback volume is very low, you should consult your soundcard documentation for assistance.  Many soundcards support both powered (with a battery) and un-powered microphones.  Sometimes these are referred to as dynamic and electric condenser microphones, respectively.  Depending upon your soundcard, there may be a hardware or software switch that should be set depending upon which kind of microphone you are using.  If this switch is not set properly you may get little or no volume, or overdrive the volume during the Sound Recorder test.  Consult your soundcard and microphone documentation to determine how to set this switch, if present, on your soundcard.  Please note that some soundcards have both the hardware switch (or jumper) and a software switch.  So you may have to try several settings before you find the optimal one for your configuration.

Also, make sure your microphone options are set correctly in your Volume Control settings. Open your volume control/mixer window and select Options -> Properties. In the Properties window, select Recording and make sure that "Microphone" or "Mic/Line" is checked. Click "Ok" and make sure the microphone slider is up and that the "Select" box is checked for the Microphone or Mic/Line control. Now try to record with Sound Recorder again.

I'm having problems with the volume (I can't hear, the other person can't hear me, etc.).  What can I do to troubleshot the volume?

If you are having problems with the volume of either your speakers or microphone, follow the steps below:

1. Open your Volume Control (also called "Mixer") settings window.

This window could be in several locations, depending upon your system setup:

- In the tray of your taskbar. Double-click on the yellow speaker in the bottom-right corner of your screen.

or

- Open your Control Panel. Double-click the Multimedia icon. Click the Playback speaker button. While here you may want to check the "Show volume control on the taskbar" check box if it is not already checked.


If you cannot locate the Volume Control via one of the two locations above, do a search for the file SNDVOL32.EXE on your computer.

2. In the Volume Control window, make you sure you see controls for the Master Volume (or Volume Control Balance), Wave Output (or Wave Balance), and Microphone Balance.

If you do not see some of these controls, select Options -> Properties from the Volume Control menu bar. Then check the appropriate devices under "Show the following volume controls".

3. Move the volume sliders up or down for the appropriate device to turn up or turn down the volume.

4. Be sure that the "Mute all" and "Mute" boxes are not checked for the Master Volume (or Volume Control Balance) and Wave Output (or Wave Balance) devices.

5. If the "Mute" box is unchecked for the Microphone Balance device, please check it. If this is not checked, then the microphone input will be fed straight back to the PC speakers and you could end up talking over the person on the other line.

If the "Mute" box is checked for the Microphone Balance device, then try UN-checking it.

6. Set the Microphone Boost. Be sure you have the Advanced Controls option set (to set it, select Options -> Advanced Controls, and a check will appear next to the menu item "Advanced Options"). Click the "Advanced" button under the Microphone Balance device. In the "Advanced Controls for Microphone" window, be sure the "Microphone Boost" box is checked (click the box to check it). This box may also be called "mic option 1," "Microphone Gain Control," or something similar.

Sometimes when I am using netYAK the level of performance slows or stops completely. What could be wrong?

This could be caused by other programs that are running at the same time and affecting your computer’s performance (such as scheduled programs like virus scanners and backups). You can turn off these programs and then try netYAK again. Another reason that netYAK may be slowing down is the Find Fast utility. Find Fast is an Office 97 utility that creates indices of your documents on your computer, in the attempt to speed up the process of opening up these documents. At times, however, this can slow down your computer’s performance and cause your programs to lag or even stop. It is recommended that you turn off Find Fast in order to prevent unnecessary lags in performance.

To stop Find Fast from running:

1. Open Control Panel (select Start -> Settings -> Control Panel).
2. Double click the Find Fast icon.
3. Select Index -> Close and Stop.

Find Fast will start again the next time you reboot.

To change how often Find Fast creates indices of your documents:

1. In the "Find Fast" window, select Index -> Update Interval.
2. In the "Update Interval" Dialog box, enter your desired automatic update interval.

I'm getting a busy signal.  What should I do?

First, do not close the netYAK Client window.  Click the "Hangup" button and then click "Place Call" to try the connection again.  If the line is still busy, you may wish to close the window, and then try the netYAK Call button again. 

I have received an "Error Starting Program" message that reads "A required .DLL file, WS2_32.DLL, was not found."  What should I do?

Early versions of Windows 95 shipped with an old version of the Windows Sockets Library (Winsock). If you have an early version of Windows 95, you may see an "Error Starting Program" message that reads "A required .DLL file, WS2_32.DLL, was not found." when the netYAK Voice Client is launched. If so, please download the Windows Socket 2 Update from Microsoft. Closely follow the directions on the update page. You will need to reboot once the update has been installed. 

I know that certain pages have been updated, but I'm still getting the old pages or missing URLs.  How can I be sure I get the latest and most recent web site changes?

The best way to make sure that your browser is downloading and displaying the newest pages is to empty your cache or temporary internet files and internet history.  Follow the directions below for your browser.

 

Browser	Instructions
Internet Explorer 5.0	Select Tools -> Internet Options from the browser menu bar.  In the General tab, click "Delete Files."  Then click "Clear History".  Click "Ok" before closing the Internet Options window.
Internet Explorer 4.0	Select View -> Internet Options from the browser menu bar.  In the General tab, click "Delete Files."  Then click "Clear History".  Click "Ok" before closing the Internet Options window.
Internet Explorer 3.0	Select View -> Options from the menu bar. Click the Advanced tab, then click "Settings" under "Temporary Internet Files."  Click "Empty Folder...", then click "Yes."  Click "Ok" before closing the Options window.
Netscape Navigator 4.0	Select Edit -> Preferences from the menu bar.  Select the Advanced category, then Cache. Click "Clear Memory Cache" then click "OK".  Click "Clear Disk Cache" then click "OK".  Click "OK" in the Preferences window before closing that window.
Netscape Navigator 3.0	Select Options -> Network Preferences from the menu bar.  Click the Cache tab. Click "Clear Memory Cache" then click "OK".  Click "Clear Disk Cache" then click "OK".  Click "OK" before closing the Preferences window.

Every time I click a Call Button, a window opens asking me if I want to open or save the .yak file.  I am using Netscape.  What can I do to avoid this window?

I place a call with the netYAK Voice Client. It rings for a while and then stops ringing. The call status then says "Idle". What is going on?

If no one answers the phone the ringing could go on forever. Some phone systems (either business or Telco) limit the time a phone will ring when no one answers. In these cases, the call is dropped by the receiving phone system after some period of ringing. The netYAK Voice Client detects the call disconnect and returns to an "Idle" state.

Can I test how a YAKbite will sound?

Yes, record a YAKbite, start by clicking the "Record" button. Click "Stop" to stop recording. Then click "Play" to check the audio quality.

How do I adjust for best netYAK Voice Client performance?

Open the netYAK Voice Client Diagnostics, by clicking the "HELP" button with the YAK logo, then selecting "Diagnostics". Once selected there are three diagnostic choices:
a. None.
b. Audio PCM Loopback (Soundcard) - (Tests the microphone/speakers and soundcard. This gives you a chance to adjust audio for best performance.)
c. Client UDP Loopback (CODEC) - (Tests the PC's performance and capabilities to process YAKbites, including the soundcard.)

Nothing happens when I select either the PCM or UDP Loopback radio buttons and click "OK."

Are you speaking into the microphone? Input audio should now be
output to the speakers (and the speaker display window should display a waveform consistent with the microphone's display window). This should happen with either PCM or UDP loopback. UDP might lag a bit more due to processing delay consistent with PC performance. A 1 Ghz machine will have no perceptible delay, whereas a 200 Mhz might lag a bit.

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This page updated on: 02/22/2004