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[edit] NMC Campus Second Life Tips Audio Video Voice Chat Setting Preferences Navigation NMC Slide/Video Screens Video Tutorial

Contents 1 NMC Campus Second Life Tips 2 Voice Chat Setup for Second Life 2.1 How to Use Voice: 2.2 Push-to-Talk Mode: 2.3 Toggle Mode: 2.4 Tips for better voice communication: 2.5 Conference Etiquette: 2.6 Troubleshooting: 2.6.1 On a PC running Windows 2.6.2 On a Mac

[edit] Voice Chat Setup for Second Life

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1. Before launching Second Life, make sure your audio headset is plugged in correctly and that you can monitor output and input volumes in your Sound Control Panel

• USB Headsets work great, are cheap, and highly recommended
• Please do NOT use the built-in Mic on your laptop as it can cause feedback if the output is coming from your speakers. If you are going to use your built-in Mic on your laptop/desktop computer, then please plug in a pair of headphones (or ipod ear buds) for your sound output.
  

2. Launch the Second Life client and log in with your avatar.
3. Navigate to the Edit menu in the Menu Bar at the top of the screen.
4. From the drop down Edit Menu, select Preferences and then go to the Voice Chat tab

5. Enable voice chat by checking the box at the top of the window.
6. You can manually setup your voice options here, or you can use the assisted setup.

• To run the assisted setup, click on "Run Voice Setup Wizard."
• The Voice Setup Wizard will allow you to test your input / output of sound by selecting the specific device to use for each.

[edit] How to Use Voice:

You'll find that you're only able to use voice on land that's marked as voice-enabled, and then only with Residents who have voice enabled.

• When you're on a voice-enabled parcel of land, you'll see an icon at the top of the Second Life window: If this icon has a line through it, voice has not been enabled for that parcel.
• When you're looking at a voice-enabled Resident, you'll see a white dot floating above their head. This is called the voice intensity indicator, and it'll let you know when someone is talking and how loud they are. When theyt talk, green bars will animate over their head.

Each speaker's volume can be determined by their distance from your camera's position. For example, if you're in mouselook mode and walk up to someone who's speaking, you'll hear their voice become louder the closer you are. As you move away, their voices will become softer until you won't be able to hear them at all.

[edit] Push-to-Talk Mode:

If you have ever used a walkie-talkie or an apartment building intercom, then you already understand the concept of Push-to-Talk. Basically, you have to hold a button down in order to talk.

• You can activate this setting from the Voice Chat menu.
• You can specify which button you would like to use for Push-to-Talk mode
• Advantages: Specific control of when you want people to hear you in Second Life
• Downsides : Hard to move around and talk at the same time

[edit] Toggle Mode:

Toggle mode is a one click option for voice chatting, and recommended. The concept is that you click on the lock icon adjacent yo the Talk button in the bottom right. Clickinf it activates your microphone to always be on until you click again to turn it off.

• If the Talk button is highlighted in yellow, then your mic is on.
• Advantages: Hands free to perform other actions while in Second Life
• Downsides: Your mic is always on. For example, If you receive a phone call and answer it then everyone in Second Life will be able to hear your side of the phone conversation.

[edit] Tips for better voice communication:

If you are having trouble hearing a speaker then try these tips.

• First, you can adjust the volume of an individual by selecting the "Talk List" and adjusting the volume of said individual (locate the icon just to the left of the Talk toggle button)
• Also, you can use the Alt/ Option zoom function to move your camera closer to the speaker. This should increase the volume level of the speaker.

[edit] Conference Etiquette:

When attending a conference, voice communication is ideal for conversing with others around you, but exercise courtesy during a presentation.

• If you have your voice chat enabled, please turn off or toggle your active talk function. That is to say, do not let yourself be heard while the presenter is speaking. You can toggle yourself off by selecting the "Talk" toggle button in the bottom right of the screen.

• If the presenter is asking for audience participation, then please contribute, but otherwise keep yourself muted.

[edit] Troubleshooting:

(note that if your sound output / input doesn't work correctly outside of SL, then it will not work while in SL )

• Make sure that your sound is enabled correctly on the computer itself. Can you hear audio from other applications, like iTunes? Can you see an indicator in your sound control panel that your microphone is picking up sound?
• verify that no mute buttons have been enabled on your headset or on the computer

[edit] On a PC running Windows

• Go to the Control Panel and select Sounds and Audio Devices
• Select the Voice tab
• Select the correct device under Voice Recording and hit "apply"
• You can also run the hardware test from this menu to verify that your microphone is working properly

[edit] On a Mac

• Go to the Apple menu and select System Preferences
• Then select Sound
• From the output tab, check that that the volume is up
• From the input tab, determine that the correct device is selected (you should be able to verify that the microphone is working correctly by viewing the audio level as you talk)