Severe Echo in Voice Chat with SL Viewer or Third Party one.

[Cougar Hotaling]

  Hi folks. I am new to voice chat and voice calls. When I use voice, I hear a loud echo of everything I say maybe 2 seconds after I say them. This is on a communication line of about 6000 miles (as the bird flies).

 The chat starts from my Windows 7 desktop and is received ultimately on my girlfriends Windows 8 Laptop.

 I am thinking that maybe it is a setting in her computer? We both use headphones. The echo volume is about as loud as the original but maybe 20% less it seems. It's really annoying to the extent that she has to toggle her sound and let me speak in peace before toggling back on to answer.

 I'm hoping that one of you has the knowledge about Windows, (specifically Windows 8) or any ideas about what could cause this? I'm totally jazzed by this feature but need to iron out this kink. Thanks tons- CH

[WolfBaginski Bearsfoot]

No specific knowledge here, but there's a chain of controls that affect sound in Windows. Start with the Windows-level controls for the mic. Check the input volume is not too high. Then you have the Preferences sub-window for Sound, with another input level control.

Using headphones, there shouldn't be any sound for the microphone to pick up, but it's possible that speakers are running at the same time, and you're not noticing. Check SL Viewer first, make sure it's pointing at the right output, then the same for Windows.I know I have to check where the sound is coming through the USB headset I use, the switchover isn't 100% reliable.

Windows sound is one of those things where it pays off to check the obvious. 

[Cougar Hotaling]

Thanks WolfBaginski, I'll start checking these, and send a copy to her too and report back the findings. Thx again-CH