Ventrilo for Noobs
Ventrilo for Noobs – v0.1
Although Ventrilo is now on version 2.3, many people still use the old versions 2.1 and 2.2. The reason for this is simple…cost. The server code for ventrilo 2.1 and 2.2 allows you to run a server for any number of people, where as the 2.3 version has a maximum of 6 people unless you pay money. The people at ventrilo have made using the older versions as hard as possible…their website only carries the latest version, the versions are not backwardly compatible, and you cannot have more than one copy installed at any one time.
Ventrilo Mix
Some crafty chap created VentriloMIX. It’s basically all 3 versions of ventrilo, and teamspeak rolled into one program. You can download it from HMSNoodles by clicking this link.
Once you’ve downloaded and installed it, use the shortcut on your desktop or the start menu to run it. You’ll be presented with 4 options, just click the one that corresponds to the server you want to connect to.
Once Ventrilo loads up click the arrow (1) to create your user. When the “Setup User” window opens, click the “New” button (2) to create your profile.
You can ignore the Phonetic, Description and Work Dir directories. Click “Ok” to return to the main screen.
Click the arrow next to the server box (3) to enter the server details. When the window pops up, click new, enter the name you want to give the server (can be anything) and then click “Ok”. This will return you to the ”Connection Editor” Screen.
Enter your server details in the boxes here (4). The hostname will either be a domain name (like ventrilo.hmsnoodles.com) or an IP address (like 78.129.138.175). The default port number is 3784 but many servers use a different port. Enter the server port here.
Once these are done, pop your password in the appropriate box, and click the “Ok” button. You can ignore the “Default Channel” box.
Now the fun part, getting your sound to not be shitty. Follow the steps below:
1. Check the “Use Push-to-Talk Hotkey” box (6)
2. Uncheck the “Play Key Clicks” box (7)
3. Select the hotkey you would like to use for ventrilo (8). Make it something you can easily reach in the heat of a battle. I recommend the middle mouse button.
4. Audio details (9).
- Output device: There are normally only one or two options here. Choose the one that makes the most sense.
- Input Device: Same as above, choose the one that makes sense.
- Mixer: Same as above
- Mux: Same as above
- Line: Set this to whatever your microphone is called.
5. Play with the volume controls and use the test button (11) until you get the levels correct.
Troubleshooting
P: My Mic is really really quiet.
S: (Non vista only) Click “Start”->”Run” and type “sndvol32″ in the box. Go to your microphone options and find the advanced settings. When you’ve located the microphone boost checkbox, tick it.
P: I have poor sound quality
S: Buy a propper pair of headphones with a good mic.
P: People complain they hear feedback when I talk
S: Buy a propper pair of headphones with a good mic. Don’t use a shit mic, and don’t use speakers.
P: I want to use voice activated instead of push to talk, how do I do that?
S: You don’t. People that don’t use push to talk are really really annoying. We don’t want to hear you breathing, coughing or any shit music you might have on in the background.