Recpient Can't Hear Me

[JoelIrwin]

I continue to have the problem that I can hear the called party perfectly but they can not hear me at all or it comes through garbled or every few words. Needless to say I have tried various phones (wired, wireless) and various volume settings.

Anyone else still having this prob? What can be done about it?

[Nobody beats the Whiz!]

I continue to have the problem that I can hear the called party perfectly but they can not hear me at all or it comes through garbled or every few words. Needless to say I have tried various phones (wired, wireless) and various volume settings.

Anyone else still having this prob? What can be done about it?

Could you give us a run down on your connection speed tests, particularly your upload? Have you played the proxy game, already?

[JoelIrwin]

Download speed = 23.99 Mb/s
Upload speed - 1.91 Mb/s
Packet loss = 0%
Ping = 18ms
Jitter - 3ms

I have not fooled around with Proxy and prefer not to. Is this the only way to get it work reliably.

It does not happen all the time. I just called my house twice and had no problems, for example.

[Nobody beats the Whiz!]

It looks like your connection is fine.

Your symptoms could be either an

1) occasionally taxed computer
2) occasionally taxed network
3) loose usb / connections (try removing extension cable and/or changing ports)
4) struggling usb (see powered hubs)
5) proxy problems.


You can't do much about 2, except change ISP's.

You could monitor your processes to check on #1 while you're experiencing the problem.

You could experiment with 3 and 4

You should try experimenting with number 5. It's not as big of a deal as it sounds. Check the wiki book to find your Area code's server and use the route command to block it. Make test call. If it's better, then just re-enter that route command every time you boot. If it still has problems, you'll need to get more involved with finding out the new server it's on and blocking it as well. There are many posts with the info, and many people willing to help out. Most of them are much more experienced than I am.

[sabresfan]

If you have tried the fixes available in the MJ wiki then blocking the proxy server may be your best shot. I noticed with my MJ that's set for the Atlanta server the calls sounded terrible between 5pm and 10pm. When I would use the phone at 3am the calls sounded fine. I tried everything that could be suggested and did not see any major improvement in my call quality until I learned and blocked the Atlanta server. You can follow the directions in the wiki and see what works for you with this without making any permanant changes to your computer. Good luck and keep us updated.

[JoelIrwin]

well I followed the wiki and it gave me the obvious answer -- I am going through the Houston server (as I live in Houston). Now its hard for me to believe that I am the only MJ in Houston experiencing these problems if it is a server loading issue.

I understand how this blocking process works but for most users, this approach is way too complicated and there is no guarantee that I will get any better results if I block Houston and use something else. Especially as has been mentioned, the response of a server varies by time of day.

The phone company many decades ago, learnt how to balance its loading. Apparently MJ does not do the same. It would seem to me that if there was appropriate behind the scenes load balancing, it should make absolutely no difference what server is first accessed.

[Nobody beats the Whiz!]

Isn't it unfortunate?

[JoelIrwin]

I blocked Houston last night and now it seems to want to use New York. I am not convinced that will make a difference but I'll try it for a while. It is not to painful to do when connected to a router since I add a static routing rule. Seems a lot more painful and complex for my laptop when I travel.

[JoelIrwin]

I just called a local cell phone number using the NY server and had the EXACT same problem as I did yesterday with the Houston server. Receiver heard me for about a second and then I went silent though I could hear him fine. I just called my house with MJ and it still used NY and there were no problems hearing both ways.

Confusing.... now what... is it the server?

[Nobody beats the Whiz!]

I just called a local cell phone number using the NY server and had the EXACT same problem as I did yesterday with the Houston server. Receiver heard me for about a second and then I went silent though I could hear him fine. I just called my house with MJ and it still used NY and there were no problems hearing both ways.

Confusing.... now what... is it the server?

Your tests would be much more helpful if they are between the same two phones. For simplicity, I recommend calling back and forth between your MJ and your home phone, first.

Next, try back and forth between the cell and your MJ.

Back and forth between the cell and home phone will be unrevealing in this case.

[sabresfan]

I block a couple of servers. NY, Houston, LA, Atlanta & Miami are a few that have I have had bad problems with in the past. I have not had to many other problems with the other servers. Phoenix and Las Vegas get a little choppy from time to time but thats about it for me.

[JoelIrwin]

After blocking Houston & NY it is now sending me to Dallas. I'll try that for a while.

Joel

[Tigerllc74]

I am having the exact same problem..that is I can hear fine, but the receivers hear fading and broken voice. It seem first few minutes are fine then problem begins.

Here are some of the suggestions given to me. Proxy idea has been discussed already.

I tried special echo-test number: 909-390-0003. This number will echo everything back to you with a slight delay. I had no problem at all calling this number, but on a real call, the problem still persists....????

Lack of power on USB port maybe another cause ?? I just ordered AC powered (2000ma) USB hub. Standard computer comes with 500ma only. Hopefully, this will help ???

Also, setting HIGH priority in Task Manager was mentioned. I tried this but it didn't help.

I am hoping increasing USB power will solve the problem.

I would like any input to this post.

[JoelIrwin]

Let us know what you find out. I don't feel any compulsion/need to spend more money on getting MJ to work properly. For this product to be truly successful it needs to work on run of the mill desktops and laptops from the major vendors such as Dell, Toshiba, HP, etc. I can't think of any other popular product that needs a powered USB hub to operate. In addition, powered USB hub will not work for a traveling laptop.

[Tigerllc74]

Joel:
Could you explain little more about USB hub not working on laptops?? I have never heard of such or even consider it as a problem??
Thanks,
Tiger

[Nobody beats the Whiz!]

Joel:
Could you explain little more about USB hub not working on laptops?? I have never heard of such or even consider it as a problem??
Thanks,
Tiger

I think he just means that it will be cumbersome to do so, because if you're using the laptop on battery power, you won't have an outlet to plug the usb hub into. They actually will function normally on a laptop, if you have the requisite outlet.

[JoelIrwin]

my assumption is that a powered USB hub must be plugged in. I have a USB hub for the laptop but I do not believe the devices get any more power with it.

[Nobody beats the Whiz!]

my assumption is that a powered USB hub must be plugged in. I have a USB hub for the laptop but I do not believe the devices get any more power with it.

If you do not have a powered hub, then that is true. It would be impossible for the devices to get more power.

If you have a powered hub that doesn't have a higher power rating than your stock usb ports, then that is true again.

However, if you have a powered usb hub, with a power rating that exceeds your stock usb ports, then, yes, there is more current available to draw from for the devices that need it.

[JoelIrwin]

the problem occurs both on my desktop and laptop. It started happening about a year after I was using MJ without the problem. When I use it on the laptop, it is the ONLY USB device in use (the Dell XPS laptop has only two USB connectors). Again, I have to assume correctly or incorrectly that MJ manufacturer has built this device to run correctly on the most common desktop and laptop out there such as the high end Dells and it should be able to operate if it is the only external device in use.

[Nobody beats the Whiz!]

the problem occurs both on my desktop and laptop. It started happening about a year after I was using MJ without the problem. When I use it on the laptop, it is the ONLY USB device in use (the Dell XPS laptop has only two USB connectors). Again, I have to assume correctly or incorrectly that MJ manufacturer has built this device to run correctly on the most common desktop and laptop out there such as the high end Dells and it should be able to operate if it is the only external device in use.

Ideally, you should be right. Unfortunately, cpu manufacturers do not always make things to specifications. The MJ is manufactured with apparently strict tolerances, and expects near perfect USB power (according to specs).

I have a nice off-the-shelf HP desktop. The MJ will not work in the rear usb ports. I have to plug it into the front ports. The MJ is the only device plugged into any of the 5 usb ports on the machine, and the rear ports are confirmed to work with other devices. They do not work with the MJ.

If possible, future versions of the MJ should have increased tolerance to variable USB power. However, I don't know how much they can wiggle, because they do have to be able to power a phone and generate the ringing voltage, etc.

Maybe, they could offer one of those y-cables like the external hard drives. The second USB cable is just a dummy cable which only draws power from a second USB port.

[JoelIrwin]

First off all - while I agree with you, MJ needs to keep in perspective that (a) they are a small startup, (b) HP, Dell, Toshiba are multi-billion $ cos, (c) the desktops and laptops are often purchased first without regard to whether or not MJ works with them and (d) MJ is looking for revenue from repeat customers -- the year 2 and on payments which are not going to come if the customer becomes unhappy with service and/or support.

With that said, I am NOT convinced that the problem discussed here has anything to do with USB. Over the last three days I have blocked Houston & NY servers and have been using Dallas -- I haven't had a single problem during the day or night using the MJ. If the server loading indeed is the issue or problem, it is a shame since MJ's long term success is based on volume sale -- initial and ongoing and that means targeting middle america with little to no skills -- this group of people expect plug and play and are not able to deal with hacks and tricks like blocking servers. For those people, like my father -- the MJ stays in the plastic and never gets used.

[Nobody beats the Whiz!]

First off all - while I agree with you, MJ needs to keep in perspective that (a) they are a small startup, (b) HP, Dell, Toshiba are multi-billion $ cos, (c) the desktops and laptops are often purchased first without regard to whether or not MJ works with them and (d) MJ is looking for revenue from repeat customers -- the year 2 and on payments which are not going to come if the customer becomes unhappy with service and/or support.

With that said, I am NOT convinced that the problem discussed here has anything to do with USB. Over the last three days I have blocked Houston & NY servers and have been using Dallas -- I haven't had a single problem during the day or night using the MJ. If the server loading indeed is the issue or problem, it is a shame since MJ's long term success is based on volume sale -- initial and ongoing and that means targeting middle america with little to no skills -- this group of people expect plug and play and are not able to deal with hacks and tricks like blocking servers. For those people, like my father -- the MJ stays in the plastic and never gets used.

We are in total agreement, here.