Gizmo Audio Problems
 

Is anyone else having problems when making phone calls with Gizmo or any other such program (skype,etc)
The program installs with no issues and works great, but when I make a phone call I get "CHOPPY" audio and during message playback you only hear every other word spoken. I was using Skype at first and uninstalled it for this reason, but now I'm having the very same problem with Gizmo. I tried everything (rebooting my router, shutting down any other running program to free up as much memory as I possibly can, uninstalling any unused programs, uninstalling/re-installing the software) I just can't figure it out.

"PLEASE, Can someone, anyone help me out with this issue. Out of all the apps I have, the phone is the most important to me.

Thanks in advance for any and all help provided in this matter.

Re: Gizmo Audio Problems
 

I've occasionally had choppiness with VOIP, but are you saying that it's never been usable for you?

Have you installed CPU monitor to see if something is "crawling" behind the scenes and pegging the CPU? Are you using OS2008? Anything non-standard in your software/hardware setup?

Are there competing WIFI access points near you? Some, even if not very close, might confuse your router's radio. Do you get strong WIFI signal? Have you tried using different channels? Have you tried using g-only mode, or mixed b/g?

Could you try making a call using another (public?) AP to see if that works better and to eliminate the Nokia Tablet as the main or only cause for problems?

How does Skype's test call work? There might be latency issues with some of your destinations or their equipment. I'm no pro, but would think that using stronger encryption might also stress your connection quality in VOIP usage.

Your router might also offer some settings that could help with VOIP. I use "tomato firmware" which has a setting for e.g. "No ACK: Controls whether WMM packets require acknowledgment. Enabled sets No Acknowledgment which allows higher throughput and lower latency when some packet loss is acceptable (i.e. for VoIP)" You router's manual might offer other means of modifying its behaviour to suit VOIP better as well.

Different router firmwares (from the vendor or 3rd parties) might have very different performance levels or default settings.

In the tablet you could perhaps try turning down the power management in the WLAN settings to medium or even off, at the expense of battery life, to see if that might improve things.

There has also been some (geeky) discussion on the Maemo developers mailing list about tweaking WLAN or TCP/IP performance.

http://www.gossamer-threads.com/lists/maemo/developers/

Do provide more information on your equipment or what you have already tried. Many people here use Gizmo and/or Skype successfully and since you have issues with both it would indicate that the problem doesn't lie with the VOIP applications themselves.

The forums for Gizmo and Skype might also have FAQs with performance tips.

Good luck!

Re: Gizmo Audio Problems
 

Thanks Peet for responding to my issue.
I have (2) 8gb cards installed in my N800
I have flashed to the lastest firmware
My Router is a Belkin Pre-N
and I have installed a device monitor that runs in the task tray to monitor memory usage (take screen shots, etc)
I am not a geek, so the rest of the stuff you mentioned is totally "OVER MY HEAD DUDE" Please help. I live in the country and don't get out of the house much because I am disabled in order to test it from a different location, but will make an effort to do so. If you hear about anything else, or anyone else having this issue can you let me know? maybe we can work together and come up with a fix or something. Meanwhile, I'll take note of all your suggestions and try and figure out the ones I don't understand.

Thanks a lot for your help

Re: Gizmo Audio Problems
 

If the device monitor is called "load-applet" it will also display CPU usage. If you have lot of files on your 2x8GB cards a background process called metacrawler (which seeks and catalogues media files) might peg the CPU, but that should eventually run its course so...

The next and biggest suspect is probably your Pre-N router. There's been reports of N-"standard" routers causing grief to non-N devices. I don't know details, but until someone more familiar with the router issues steps in, I'd try using the Belkin's control panel and looking for a setting to switch it to a mixed b/g or g-only mode.

The "N-issue", if it's the cause of your connection problems, is likely to be caused by Belkin's pre-standard specification that doesn't play well with previous standards as used by Nokia. New firmwares by Belkin, and even by Nokia, might help cure or alleviate such issues, but unless you need the N-mode just try switching it off.

How's your broadband connection in general, out there in the country? Being far from the telecom switches might also create latency problems that hit VOIP applications.

I hope you'll find a fix soon.

Re: Gizmo Audio Problems
 

I use Gizmo and Skype and have crystal clear results.

The other thing you might want to try is port forwarding. Your router's built in firewall may be interfering and you might need to open up some ports.

Here's a good site to help you set it up.

http://portforward.com/routers.htm

Re: Gizmo Audio Problems
 

I have solved my Gizmo audio problems by using the STUN protocol as outlined here in the last section:

http://support.gizmoproject.com/inde...barticleid=354

Hope this helps.
Will

Re: Gizmo Audio Problems
 

02/23/08 @ 1:20pm
Thank you Peet, Instigator and Wroland for all your support. After a very long day of troubleshooting and configuring, I think I might have resolved my issue. I followed almost each and every suggestion given to me by you guys in the following manner:

1. I changed the setting in my routers "Channels and SSID section:
NO CHANGE

2. Switch Wireless Mode Setting from 802.11g/b to 802.11g only
NO CHANGE

3. Changed the channel the router used from 6 to 9
NO CHANGE

4. I created a static IP address and opened UDP Ports
GizmoP1 5004-5005 UDP
GizmoP2 64064 UDP

NO CHANGE

finally, I uninstalled Gizmo and re-install Skype
Opened the Skype ports in my router and the tried to make a call to my cellphone, but it was still a little choppy, but much better. Then the LOW BATTERY alarm when off on the N800.

So tomorrow after the recharge, I will tryp and call again.

Wish me luck guys, and Thank You So So much for all your help in this matter. Without your help the N800 would have become just another item in my electronic grave yard.

"U Guys Rock"

Re: Gizmo Audio Problems
 

You could keep the Nokia plugged in while troubleshooting if you're near power socket.

You could also reboot your router after changing the settings. I also cycle the Nokia to true offline mode (via hardware button) and back instead of just disconnecting from the WLAN applet.

If you have 2.4Ghz wireless phones around, they can also disturb WIFI connections.

Install Wifiinfo applet to check the strength of your wireless signal.

Does Skype or Gizmo work OK on your desktop PC? You can check your (landline) connection's latency by running "ping skype.com" from terminal. You can also install terminal to the tablet (search for osso-xterm and gainroot) and run that same command to compare the latencies.

Also, if it's not too inconvenient (or as last resort), you could try reflashing the Nokia with the latest "boot fix" firmware and start from a clean sheet by only installing Skype or Gizmo first. (There's another thread about new minor update to Gizmo as well).

Re: Gizmo Audio Problems
 

Hey Guys
Bad news. I got up this morning and the very first thing I did was turn on my NIT, only to find that none of the fixed worked. I have been tweeking my router all morning and still get the same result when making a phone call. I even connected to my roommate wireless router, and still the same proble. I'm starting to think that its a defect in the device, but everything else works perfectly. So now I have not more "Fight" in me to continue and will just except my defeat.

Thanks again for all your help.

Re: Gizmo Audio Problems
 

I tried Gizmo today for N800-to-PC 2-way video chat, and it worked ok. Just a couple of minor glitches: the PC user had trouble getting through their router firewall at first after installing Gizmo, and video didn't start transmitting from the N800 until paused and resumed.

Voice quality was intelligible, but I wouldn't say good - a little choppy, not usually enough to lose words, just enough to garble the sound a bit. Video was ok on a relatively static picture, but broke up with any fast movement (on either side of the conversation).

Re: Gizmo Audio Problems
 

I've been having a LOT of problems with Gizmo recently, and despite a number of postings requesting for assistance on their forums that yielded no help whatsoever, I have since given up on Gizmo and moved on to Voipbuster.

Why? Because I make all outgoing calls to PSTN numbers using the built-in Internet Call application, so setting up the voipbuster account in Accounts makes it that much simpler to run. Gizmo is a fancy front-end to a generic SIP service, and I really can't be bothered to deal with the quirky service and lack of customer support any more.

I've effectively written off the 18 bucks I have remaining in Gizmo as a bad investment. I might go back to using them, if they ever get things working right. I'm very disinclined to believe that the problem lies with my network because I am able to make good quality calls using voipbuster and not via the Gizmo service set up in my SIP Account settings.

8 out of 10 times, the called party doesn't even ring when making a call of any kind (PSTN or PC-to-PC), and in the case of the remaining 2 times, the called party's phone only starts ringing after 30 to 40 seconds of ringing on my end, and the calls are terribly laggy. I have had no such problems with voipbuster so far.

I'm going to put together a simple video demonstrating my experience with both later this evening (my office LAN blocks the SIP ports), and you guys can see why I've given up hope on Gizmo.

Re: Gizmo Audio Problems
 

My gizmo calls/answers but I don't get any sound in or out. It used to work well, even better than skype.

I suspect that upgrading to rtcomm might have something to do with it. I did try renaming one of the offending codecs but that didn't make a difference.

There is a new version of gizmo as of a day or so ago. It didn't fix my problem. I don't use it much, so will probably wait for an OS upgrade.

Re: Gizmo Audio Problems
 

Gizmo was known to be having some issues back in late Jan and despite claims that they have had it fixed, many users are still experiencing problems.

I do not have the rtcomm beta installed, and the problems are consistent with Gizmo on my desktop (XP), notebook (Vista), N800 (OS2008 51-3), and Nokia E51 smartphone (Series 60 v3 Feature Pack 1)

Re: Gizmo Audio Problems
 

The pause and resume trick is something I have to to also; although sometimes it does work without doing it.

I opened a support ticket about it. Maybe you can do the same so Gizmo can see it is not an isolated incident.

Other than that the voice calls to an XP client work without problems.