Teamspeak servers now offer you the option to change the codec of individual channels. “Why would I want to change the codec and what is it exactly?” you migh ask. Well, there are many reasons, but here’s some information that might help you decide for yourself whether this is something that youw ould need to do. The following codec run-down comes direct from Teamspeak’s Official FAQ:

“Quality: (best quality comes first)

Speex25.9 > Speex19.5 > Speex16.3 > Speex12.3 > GSM16.4 = GSM14.8 > Speex9.3 > Speex7.2 > WinCELP5.2 > Speex5.2 > CELP6.3 = CELP5.1 > Speex3.4

What codec for which internet connection?

DSL/Cable or better
For talking Speex 16.3 is easily good enough, if you want to transmit music, go Speex 25.9.

ISDN
Speex 12.3 sounds alright, limit your download to 14 KBit/s if you want to game. Speex 16.3 with download limit on 17 might also be OK.

Modem
Speex 9.3 is still quite good quality. Limit your download to 10 KBit. Note that if you want to game its way to high a setting, go as low as you can bare (Speex 5.2, or even Speex 3.4, limit your download to 6 respectivly 4).”

Given this information, I am sure that you may have already thought of one or two reasons for adjusting your codec. The next step, if you decide that you do need to alter the codec of a given channel, is to make the change. Only administrators of a server will be able to make such a change.

1. Right click on the channel that you wish to change the codec for.

2. Select “Edit channel” from the menu that appears.

3. Choose the desired codec from the drop-down menu.

4. Click “apply”.

…and you are done! You don’t need to restart the server or anything so it makes rather easy to test the differences between various codecs.

One important thing to remember when setting the channel codec is that the computers of some of your players may not process the codec that you prefer the same way that your computer does. Be sure to ask your players to let you know if they have any issues anytime that you change the codec so that you can adjust it accordingly.

That’s pretty much all you need to know on the subject. Don’t worry about messing up your server since you can always set the codec back. Go ahead, get out there, and give a few different codecs a whirl on your Teamspeak server!

Tags: Teamspeak Server, Teamspeak Servers

There are thousands of things that can go wrong with every application, but some just aren’t your fault.  You’ve checked your settings, you’ve made sure your headphones are plugged in, but every time you try to log on to your favorite teamspeak server it cuts you off.  Here we look at some common errors and let you know when it’s not your problem, when it is, and what to do about both.

“No reply from server”

This one certainly sounds like they’re in the wrong - why isn’t the server replying to you?  You have to remember that while these error messages are true, they don’t always mean what you think: “no reply from server” could mean that the server isn’t there at all, or it’s running an SMTP database, or it’s underneath four meters of water and can’t really deal with your audio-exchange request right now.

The most common cause of this problem is the simple typo which leaves your client looking in the wrong place for the right server.  Another is that the teamspeak server you’re looking for isn’t there anymore.  Smaller servers, especially clan voicechat servers, may flicker on and off depending on whether they can pay for them that month.

“Got a bad response from server”

How dare the server give you a bad response!  But this isn’t the server being rude, or rather, not being any ruder than a bouncer normally is when you try to get into a club wearing the wrong clothes.  This response means that you’re using one version of teamspeak, the server is using another, and never the twain shall meet.  If you’ve just installed the software you’re likely using RC2, meaning that this address must be the antiquated RC1 version. Solution?  Go somewhere that isn’t using stone-age voicechat technology.

“Codec not supported”

Another case of concise but unclear wording obscuring the meaning.  It could be interpreted as the server’s inability to support your audio codec, one among many options, but the fact is it’ll be because your codecs are out of date.  You’re trying to connect to a modern communications net by bashing your stone-ax and lionskin loincloth against them and the server is having none of it.  Leave, update your codecs and drivers, and come back.

“Error Getting List”

You’re looking for a new place to play, but when you click on the web server list you don’t get a list.  You get an error.  An “error getting list”, so to speak.

This one genuinely isn’t your fault.  Your poor little desktop program can’t find the list because there’s no list to find - something has gone wrong at Teamspeak central and you’ll just have to wait until they can fix it.  It normally doesn’t take long, though in the meantime you may be forced to extreme measures like “talking to people in real life.”

Random Reboots

When using Teamspeak your desktop reboots itself at random.  To say that this is mildly frustrating is like saying a thermonuclear explosion in a volcano is a bit hot - especially since it has a tendency to leave your Frigate unmanned and unpowered with enemy raiders coming in (or whatever).

This, also, really isn’t your fault.  Microsoft were good to their word of “no more bluescreens of death” promise with Windows XP, but in a doublespeak manner of which the finest political spin doctor would be proud.  When Windows feels it might end up in a BSOD it automatically reboots the system - rather than “generating an error message” or “telling the user what’s actually going on.”

To fix this go into Settings in your Control Panel and click “System/Advanced/System and Recovery/Settings” and in “System Failure” uncheck the “Automatically Restart” checkbox.

Tags: Teamspeak Server, Teamspeak Servers

TeamSpeak is a kind of Voice Over IP program. It allows you to hook a microphone up to your computer and talk to other people, almost as if you were on the phone with them. TeamSpeak also allows for you to be talking to multiple people at once, in a kind of conference call setting. TeamSpeak is free to download and use, but if you want to run your own TeamSpeak server you’ll generally have to pay for it, though there are some options for a free TeamSpeak server.

You won’t be able to do much with TeamSpeak unless you have a server you want to connect to. So, assuming that’s your goal, the first thing you’ll need to do is open up the ‘Connection’ drop down menu and then select ‘Connect’. A new menu will pop up and you’ll have to right click where it says ‘Servers’, then select ‘Add Server’. This will bring up a new menu that allows you to add a TeamSpeak server to your server list.

When adding a new server the first thing you should do is type in a name for the server, something that will help you identify it. Where it says ‘Server Address’ is where you will have to input the host name or IP of the TeamSpeak server you are trying to connect to. This is something you will have to get from the owner of the TeamSpeak server, or from someone else who connects to the server. Where it says ‘Nickname’ you should type in what you want to be identified as when you are in the TeamSpeak server. This can be anything from your actual name, to your online moniker of choice.

If you have never joined a server before you may have to connect as Anonymous and then register with the server once you have entered it. The TeamSpeak server owner, or an admin, will have to allow you to register. If you already are registered with a server that requires it, then type in your ‘Login name’ and your ‘Password’ before saving this server to your server list. Once you’re done putting in all of the information TeamSpeak will store it for you indefinitely, so you can easily connect to all your servers.

By default TeamSpeak will be running in voice activation mode. This means that once you are in a server TeamSpeak will automatically transmit anything you say to the rest of the server. To turn this option off, and have TeamSpeak only transmit sound when you push a hotkey, go to ‘Sound Settings’ under the ‘Settings’ drop down menu. Select ‘Push to Talk’ and then hit ‘Set’. Now, the next key you press will be bound as your hotkey and people will only be able to hear you when you are holding down that hotkey.

TeamSpeak is a very useful program and can be used for anything, from work to online games. The intricacies of the program can seem a little daunting at first but by following these steps you’ll know everything that you need to in order to connect to a TeamSpeak server and start talking.

Tags: Teamspeak Screenshots, Teamspeak Server, Teamspeak Servers, Teamspeak setup