asterisk users - Apr 2005 - Sound quality with Xten Xlite softphones...

Hello everybody,

I started using the XTen Xlite softphones (just to get something up and 
running quickly). Everything works fine now, but the sound quality is 
somewhat disappointing.

The "sending" - e.g. everything I say, dtmf tones, etc - receives the 
person on the other end in perfect quality, everything great. The 
problem is in everything that I hear: May it be the recorded voicemail 
message, echo test, or someone talking on the other line, the quality is 
mediocre at best. It actually sounds like someone is interrupting the 
line for microseconds (like someone is wiggeling the headphone cable in 
the plug).
Now packet loss is unlikely, I am using other voip product for 
international calls (like skype) and never encountered that problem, and 
the test network only consists of two machines and a switch.

Did anyone else encounter the problem? Is it a XLite problem (if yes: 
Can anyone suggest a better free(!) softphone)? Or is it Asterisk related?

Thanks for any thoughts
 Maik

-- 
Simply Efficient - IT Services, Consulting, Training
"We Keep Our Promises"
Vancouver, BC
Phone: +1 604.315.8446
Fax  : +1 604.731.1147
http://www.simplyefficient.ca

Maik Hassel <hassel@simplyefficient.ca> writes:
> Hello everybody,
>
> I started using the XTen Xlite softphones (just to get something up
> and running quickly). Everything works fine now, but the sound quality
> is somewhat disappointing.
>
> The "sending" - e.g. everything I say, dtmf tones, etc - receives
the
> person on the other end in perfect quality, everything great. The
> problem is in everything that I hear: May it be the recorded voicemail
> message, echo test, or someone talking on the other line, the quality
> is mediocre at best. It actually sounds like someone is interrupting
> the line for microseconds (like someone is wiggeling the headphone
> cable in the plug).
> Now packet loss is unlikely, I am using other voip product for
> international calls (like skype) and never encountered that problem,
> and the test network only consists of two machines and a switch.
>
> Did anyone else encounter the problem? Is it a XLite problem (if yes:
> Can anyone suggest a better free(!) softphone)? Or is it Asterisk
> related?
>
Most likely an XLite/local sound (driver etc) related problem. I'm
currently testing XLite on linux, and especially the XLite buffer
parameters have quite some impact on audio quality as well as latency,
in a tradeoff sense.

You could try other softphones, like SJPhone, and compare. If there's
a notable difference, try to tune XLite in case you want to use it, or
just use the phone which works best.

Look here for a extensive list of hard- and softphones
http://www.voip-info.org/wiki-VOIP+Phones

Also, it's always beneficial to tell us the OS you're working and having
problems on (Windows, Linux, etc), since e.g. XLite on linux is still
beta.

Regards, Bruno.

I just dropped my X-lite phone for the SJPhone.  
It was a hrd choice and one that was suggested to me repeatedly before I
would give in. 
My reason being that the X-Lite phone is very user friendly and worked
well sometimes.

After switching to the SJPhone I am much happier with the call quality.
The dialing is not as easy but the phone seems to work infinitely
better.
Before on X-lite I got a lot of complaints of static by people on other
side of the call.

So, for what it is worth from a reluctant SJPhone user.  SJPhone sounds
good.

W


-----Original Message-----
From: asterisk-users-bounces@lists.digium.com
[mailto:asterisk-users-bounces@lists.digium.com] On Behalf Of Bruno
Hertz
Sent: Tuesday, April 05, 2005 12:08 PM
To: asterisk-users@lists.digium.com
Subject: Re: [Asterisk-Users] Sound quality with Xten Xlite
softphones...

Maik Hassel <hassel@simplyefficient.ca> writes:
> Hello everybody,
>
> I started using the XTen Xlite softphones (just to get something up 
> and running quickly). Everything works fine now, but the sound quality
> is somewhat disappointing.
>
> The "sending" - e.g. everything I say, dtmf tones, etc - receives
the
> person on the other end in perfect quality, everything great. The 
> problem is in everything that I hear: May it be the recorded voicemail
> message, echo test, or someone talking on the other line, the quality 
> is mediocre at best. It actually sounds like someone is interrupting 
> the line for microseconds (like someone is wiggeling the headphone 
> cable in the plug).
> Now packet loss is unlikely, I am using other voip product for 
> international calls (like skype) and never encountered that problem, 
> and the test network only consists of two machines and a switch.
>
> Did anyone else encounter the problem? Is it a XLite problem (if yes:
> Can anyone suggest a better free(!) softphone)? Or is it Asterisk 
> related?
>
Most likely an XLite/local sound (driver etc) related problem. I'm
currently testing XLite on linux, and especially the XLite buffer
parameters have quite some impact on audio quality as well as latency,
in a tradeoff sense.

You could try other softphones, like SJPhone, and compare. If there's a
notable difference, try to tune XLite in case you want to use it, or
just use the phone which works best.

Look here for a extensive list of hard- and softphones
http://www.voip-info.org/wiki-VOIP+Phones

Also, it's always beneficial to tell us the OS you're working and having
problems on (Windows, Linux, etc), since e.g. XLite on linux is still
beta.

Regards, Bruno.

_______________________________________________
Asterisk-Users mailing list
Asterisk-Users@lists.digium.com
http://lists.digium.com/mailman/listinfo/asterisk-users
To UNSUBSCRIBE or update options visit:
   http://lists.digium.com/mailman/listinfo/asterisk-users