[ExHail]

A few of our members have some issues getting vent to work properly. So instead of guiding each member individually having difficulties with vent I thought I would make a comprehensive guide so that everyone can see how easy it is. Here we go:

Windows Sound Options

Unfortunately Windows has more than 1 input and output device enabled as defualt. This causes confusion with some applications and vent sometimes automatically uses the incorrect device This is generally the source of people's problems and it is fixed with a rather simple setting in vent. For me I just go in Windows and disable everything except the devices in use, I have no need for the extra connections, all they do is cause problems anyway. This makes it very easy for all voice applications so if you do have issues with other voice applications I recommend doing this.

Spoiler

Always make sure your Microphone Properties has the correct level set for your device. Windows defaults to 15% which is too low to use in Vent or TF2, rather stupid really. Double click on your microphone in the recording devices sound options tab and make sure the slider is positioned at 100%. This makes it much easier to use with other voice applications like skype or any VOIP enabled game.

Spoiler

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ventrilo Installation

After disabling the excess sound sources in windows you are set to install vent. You can download the latest version here> http://www.ventrilo.com/download.php

Double click the downloaded file and installation is a breeze.

Once installed you now need to set up vent for use. It is very customisable and a real treat to use once you know what you are doing.

Spoiler

Click the button next to "User Name" to bring up the user name screen:

Spoiler

Once open you need to create a new profile so click the new button and enter your name of choice. If you visit more than 1 vent server you can make multiple user names to use for each different server you visit.

Once your User Name is done you need to set up which server you are connecting to, click the button next to Server on the main screen. On the next screen click the new button and insert a name for the server you are entering:

Spoiler

Once a name is assigned you can then edit the details for the server:

Spoiler

Those are our server details which can be found here: Vent Details
Password is restricted to Tagged section to prevent any random visitor on our site from entering the vent server. If you have played in a fun night you would more than likely have gotten the password, otherwise you can ask any staff member and providing you are not a fresh visitor you will more than likely receive the details in a PM.

Now you have successfully set up vent servers and user names, all that is left is to configure the settings to suit you and everything should be working perfectly. Click on the setup button to the right of the server info to open up the settings menu:

Spoiler

It is mandatory to set the DirectSound option for both input and output devices if you wish to use special effects on users in vent or use any vent option customising your sound options. I recommend setting "Use Direct Sound"(Circled in red) for both regardless as it allows the option of adjusting peoples volume when/if needed.

Regardless of the options circled above you need to select "default DirectSound device" from the device drop down menu for both input and output devices so your sound works as intended in vent. Using these settings will ensure that the current active device used in windows will be the one vent is acquiring sound from and sending sound to. Without "defualt DirectSound device" selected vent could be using the incorrect devices and you won't be able to use vent at all. This setting is imperative to check if you are experiencing difficulties in vent.

Next go to your Binds tab in the settings screen:

Spoiler

Enable DirectSound here with the output device "Defualt DirectSound device".

An optional feature you could enable is Speech found in the speech tab in the setting screen:

Spoiler

This allows people to send you a text-to-speech message that gets read to you instead of you having to click on the message. I have never used this feature but someone might want to. Just enable DirectSound should you want to use it. I only enabled it just now while doing this guide, haven't had it enabled ever before and doubt I will enable next time I re-install.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ventrilo Advanced Options

Default talk option is voice activated, you need to enable push to talk in order to use a specified key. I use "V" for ventrilo and use "C" for all other games. If you choose push to talk make sure you enable "Use Direct Input to detect Hotkey" and then set the button you want to use in the box below. For voice activated you can adjust the settings for that bellow the push to talk box(where the cursor is in the screen shot below), lower the number for high sensitivity(picks up lower volume voice) and reduce the silence time to customise how long it takes until it stops transmitting sound to other users. Best to fiddle with the settings to suit your voice volume and speech pattern so it doesn't cut out in between words when you speak.

Spoiler

As you can see below the device options you can manually adjust the sound options(only if DirectSound is enabled) to allow for variances in sound between vent and other voice applications. For me vent is a bit softer due to the way I set up my windows sound options with WinAmp running constantly. So to compensate I increase the sound and it balances nicely. You find sometimes with vent that your input and output sound is below or above average for your computer so adjusting these settings while using vent could help quite a bit.

Noting the above possible variance of sound levels for different people you can also adjust each individual person's sound in vent(using special options shown when you right click a person's name), as long as DirectSound is enabled of course. Vent remembers changes made so you don't need to make them each time you use vent with the same people. To do so right click on a person's name in vent, go to miscellaneous options then click special effects:

Spoiler

Then click on the volume option and add it to the active list. Double click on volume in the active list to bring up a slider to manually configure that specific person's volume.

Spoiler

This is very useful because some people sound outrageously loud and others ridiculously soft. Iron.Pirate is exceptionally loud while Ezekel is really soft in vent and TF2 for me. Nothing I can do in TF2 about this so I hardly hear what Eze is saying but in vent I can adjust his volume and can here them both at the same level.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

That concludes all the settings, customisations and installation steps required to get vent fully functional. You should now be able to use vent confidently and will more than likely find it is far better than in game voice.

With all that you now need a serve to join. These are RCD's vent details:
Server Host Name: voice402.inx-gaming.co.uk
Server IP: 195.242.238.108
Port: 5445
Password: vnt

[Zyxess]

Ace guide Ex.
Some additional notes.

One of the common "Vent doesn't work" things is selecting the wrong Input/Output device. If you take Ex's advice and disabled all the non-active ones, you shouldn't have a problem. If you're not quite sure what to disable and what not, just try all the options you have here.

I heartily recommend Voice Activation (with a mute key) over Push-To-Talk. For some reason, Ventrilo's default silence time is 3.0 - this is way overkill, I use 1.0 second.
Understand the difference between Monitor and Test! Monitor prints the voice levels picked up by your microphone, this is perfect for setting your Sensitivity. Once you get this, use Test to adjust inbound/outbound volumes. You want it so that Testing only starts when you talk (and not breathe) and stops when you stop speaking (and doesn't go on forever because of background noise).

Use the amplifiers in the Voice tab! If everyone is saying you're too low, raise your outbound amp. If everyone else are too loud, lower your inbound amp.