While I am talking, I hear my voice repeated back to me in an echo. The person I am talking to does not hear the echo. I have searched thru the forum and user manual and have a hard time finding something that works. Yes, I changed my microphone settings to 'mute'. Yes, I tried testing my audio settings with echo123, and during that call, I DO NOT get an echo. Just when I talk to someone other than echo123.

I have a Windows XP Home 2002 computer, with service pack 2
Using a VoiceStar headset with a built in microphone.
Using Skype 2.0.0.97
Pentium 4
3 Ghz
448MB ram

thanks!

This question posted and answered here more than 200 times.

There are 5 possibilities for this ECHO/DELAY issue


This is NO SOLUTION ONLY EXPLANATION

1. Echo hardware

This echo is only caused by your contact, not by you

http://forum.skype.com/viewtopic.php?t=233...ght=echo+solved

realtek or other manufacturers of AC97 sound chip

The solution could be as follows:

1. Download the latest version of the realtek or other manufacturer driver (important)
2. Double click on the windows speaker icon
3. Select playback properties
4. MUTE the microphone in the playback section
5. Select recording properties
6. Select the microphone in the recording section

Empty Windows Temp folder(s)
Empty prefetch folder in Windowsprefetch
Delete internet cache

Select soundcard/device for *audio-in* and *audio-out* and not the *windows default device*.

Echo/delay by USB phone and/or USB headsets.
Please ask your contact to replace to a standard headset (microphone and headphones)

2. Echo/delay via internet line

There is echo known from 0,5s to a couple of minutes.

This echo is NOT caused by any kind of software/hardware like headset/speaker or Skype etc.
This is only caused by packet loss on the data highway by one or more ISP in the chain.
You can NOT influence this.
Accept trying to call different times.
Pingplotter will show you this trouble

There is only a small chance to reduce this by downloading a new nodes list called shared.xml.
In same cases your call will routed now differently with better result.
Just delete this file.
It will be downloaded newly with your next start of Skype.

You need to select "show hidden files" in folder options
You can find this file in
C:
Documents and settings
All users
Application data
Skype
or in latest version you will find this here
C:
Documents and settings
Your profile name
Application data
Skype
Skype User name
--> delete shared.xml

3. heavy downloads or other heavy network load at the same time
Think about your neigbors in an router surrounding (if you have)

Check this for more informations
http://www.internettrafficreport.com/main.htm

4. A standard (wired LAN) internet router can cause packet loss as well
One or more PCs only connected to a router, even without traffic - can cause packet loss as well.
Actually I do not know the background for this.
So if you have a hight amount of packet loss (more than 5%) please do not forget your router.
Not every time your ISP is the culprit (but most of the time)


5. Check entries in config.xml

*Under the <General> section:

<General>
<AEC>0</AEC>

* Toggle its value between 1 and 0 (if there is <AEC>0</AEC> change it to <AEC>1</AEC> or vice versa)

*In the same config.xml file insert (and/or try toggling)
<EC>0</EC>
under:
<Lib>
<Call>


Q: What is "packet loss (%)?"
A: Packet Loss measures the reliability of a connection. A known chunk of data is sent to the router
and then the router is supposed to send the same data back unaltered (echo).
In the case of something like ping, several packets are sent out over the course of a couple seconds.
So, if 10 packets were sent out, but only 8 made it back, then that would be 20% packet loss;
so the more packets that are sent, the more accurate the picture of what the actual packet loss is.
In a perfect world 0% packet loss is what we all want - every packet we send out makes it
to where it's supposed to go. In reality, some packet loss is probably going to happen,
but as long as it is under 5% or so you shouldn't even notice. So just remember that the
higher the packet loss percentage, the slower the connection will work because in most instances
it has to send the same piece of information several times.


Check for technical data monitored by Skype while your are in a conversation with you contact
Skype can show you these technical data, if you enable them in
Tools
Options
Advanced
Others
tick "display technical call info"

With next call you will see these data by hoovering with your mouse over the "black" or other nice picture/photo of you contact.

Call Status
1 = Connecting
2 = Failed Call
3 = Ringing
4 = Connection Established
packet loss should be lower than 5%, if higher you will get echo
roundtrip = delay - should be 200 to 300ms or lower
relays no more than 3 (3 is already poor)
CPU usage < 70%; (higher value can cause echo, slow audio, delay, Micky Mouse voice, robotic voice etc up to anything else like full freeze of your machine)
lower value are alltimes better

Gerhard

Thank you for your thorough response! I truely searched the forums trying to find an answer... Knowing the correct search terms can be really frustrating! Anyway, thank you for taking the time to respond... I will certainly look into each item you mentioned.

Sincerely
Gail

Hello, it used to happen to me quite often and after a while I found what the echo was caused by. Most of my friends had their volume a way too loud - in the headset, so their mic was picking it up and sending back to me. Anyway, each time I talk to them I say - turn down your volume please .

This happened to me. I found out that the person I was talking with didn't have a headset and was using the built in speakers and microphone on his computer, so when I talked to him, it fed back into the microphone on his computer.

When he got a headset, this stopped.

--Kenoli

[quote=kenoli]This happened to me. I found out that the person I was talking with didn't have a headset and was using the built in speakers and microphone on his computer, so when I talked to him, it fed back into the microphone on his computer.

When he got a headset, this stopped.

--Kenoli[/quote]

Kenoli + dory333

100% correct. Both your comments are the main culprit for echo. Usualy the other end, mike and speakers.

Regards

[quote=dory333]Hello, it used to happen to me quite often and after a while I found what the echo was caused by. Most of my friends had their volume a way too loud - in the headset, so their mic was picking it up and sending back to me. Anyway, each time I talk to them I say - turn down your volume please .[/quote]

Well I would hate to think how high you friends volume was if the headset ear phones were feeding back into the mic they must be deaf by now I would think.