DirtyLude

I'm getting constant alt-tab crashes now as well.

I've found that my best bet is to go into options -> audio before connecting to a server. This will reset your mute. alt-tab out, set the mute off, then connect. It works most of the time for me, and connecting to the server does not reset the mute again. (well, sometimes it does. I haven't perfected these steps, yet.)

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The Dirty

Rock

I'snt there a way around trying to stop the mic muting itself in the first place?

Why does BF2 and BF2142 do it. If we found out that perhpas it be alot easier than the way every is trying to work now?

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Exploding_Silver

This solved it for me, thanks Ditrylude

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Exploding_Silver

I've got it all working now.

Video Settings
I've reduced my video settings to a level where I can record at 30fps & half size and still play fully without lag

Sound Settings
My 2142 sound settings are;
Effects = 15% (really quiet ingame but 3 times louder in video, just the way fraps works)
Voice Over IP
enable = YES
Transmit = 100%
Receive = 100%
Boost Mic Gain = YES
Microphone threshold test = 0%

Alt-Tabbing
Three factors add to causing alt-tab crashes
1) screen resolution of windows different from 2142
2) being in 2142 menus
3) being connected to server in 2142
This procedure eliminates two of these three factors, to minimise chance of crash

Tap test is where I tap the microphone with my finger tip and if I hear it in my mic then I know mute mic is off. tap test I have found that this is really useful at certain key stages.

Procedure that I find works well;

• Set windows screen resolution to the same as 2142
• Load up 2142 and goto options / audio
• Alt-tab to windows desktop
• Start / control panel / sounds & audio devices / volume / device volume advanced / options - properties - playback / microphone untick mute
• Taptest in windows = mute is off
• Alt-tab back into 2142 audio menu and taptest = mute is off
• Connect to server
• As map loads taptest = mute is off
• Map loads click Done, select kit & join squad & spawn, tap test = mute is off
• Get recording

The key here is to alt-tab and unmute mic in the audio menu and not while connected to server (credit to DirtyLude)

I have found that if I disconnect from server then connect to a server again then mic goes muted. I find it more reliable to work to just go to the start of the above procedure each time I want to connect to a server.

Editing & Publishing
I use for editing and rendering Windows Movie Maker that comes with windows XP as standard.
For uploading I use Fillzilla and my TG supporting members space. An alternative is youtube, I got some great footage last night on Gilbraltar that I intend to put on youtube.

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Joebar

I have a SB card and a USB headset w/ mic that I use for BF2.. Unfortunately my prob is the *only* audio I can record is my own mic.. Cannot get in game sounds recorded... meh

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Rock

I had exactly the same problem as you. You will have to revert back to using the analog mic for recording sounds and your voice with bf2142.

Usb mic will only record your voice or ingame sounds but not both, not sure why, but it does.

Fraps set up

Hope this helps

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Catman1975

I had a question for Exploding_Silver and DirtyLude. What kind of settings are you using and what kind of frame rates are you getting?

I currently have my resolution set to 1024 x 768, video detail at Medium with AA off. I set FRAPS to record full screen and 30 fps. In a full 64 person conquest server I was averaging around 40-45 fps and when I record I dropped to 20-30 fps. I was playing with the settings some last night and when I dropped the FRAPS to half screen and I got approximately the same results, 40-45 in game 20-30 with recording.

I also tried setting the recording FPS in FRAPS at 15 FPS, whenever I recorded I would get 15 FPS in game. So i tried to change the recording FPS setting to 50 and I got somewhere around 11 FPS in game. I was hoping by dropping the frame rate to record at 15 FPS I would get a better in game frame rate, but that did not seem to be the case.

I was just wondering how you guys are set up since I have seen both of your videos on google/youtube.

Lorian

Setting the frame rate in Fraps locks that as the maximum frame rate in game.

On the Fraps issue, when there are few people in the server I get on fine with my frame rate, but when it is full it is terrible and I start jumping back and forth all over the place. But it's fine when not recording. It is very annoying.

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DirtyLude

FRAPs seems to lock the actual frame rate to it's recording frame rate. I actually record at 20 fps, not because I can't go higher, but I use 1680x1050 resolution and these videos just eat my HD space.

Otherwise my video settings are high. I have an overclocked E6600 and 7900GT KO. I think the dual core helps; FRAPs can do it's thing on the second core. I also save everything to a seperate drive than I run the program off (I doubt that helps though, since the BF2142 doesn't access the drive when running, that I can tell)

Anyway, other than play with the microphone mute settings, I don't do anything different for a FRAPs session than I do for regular playing.

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The Dirty

Exploding_Silver

I record at half size at 30 fps. I would record at full size but my system cannot cut it. As previously said fraps will reduce your game fps to the setting you have decided to record at.

For setting up fraps there are two tests.

For sound;
Join talking squad, you and your squad mates talk and you fire your gun at same time. In the video all voices are equal volume and clarity and clearly audible over your gunfire.

For video;
Reduce settings by about 40% of normal. Record in a very busy environement with lots of effects, like berlin crossroads at the start of the map. If while recording your frames dont dip below 30 then youre good. I fps do die then reduce your graphic settings further and test again.

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sc1ence

after much fooling around, I finally have it working. I have on board sound from a very cheap mobo (the mobo came free with my vid card from EVGA).

using modified steps outlined by silver I am able to get it to work. screen res must be the same.
the mic will be muted when you join a server. so making sure it is on before you join does nothing. what alt tabbign out before you join does is make alt tab work when you are in game.

Here are the steps I follow

1. start game
2. alt tab out
3. alt tab back in
4. join server
5. alt tab out
6. using nvidia control panel I make the following settings:
6a. Unmute mic output and set it at 20% (one tic just above audable - 2 ticks up from bottom) - any higher and fraps only records awful noise like a speaker that is turned up WAYYY too loud.
6b. mic2 input with boost turned up to 100%
7. alt tab back in game
8. game volume at 5%
9. voip recieve at 30%
10 voip send at 100%
11. start recording

because I have cheap onboard sound, I get some static and hiss with my voice, but it is accaptable, not something I would want to play with alot, but it is fine for playing and recording.


you can test all of the above using the sharware version of fraps before plunking down the money.

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DirtyLude

You should be able to set the unmute by:

a) before you join a server, go to option -> audio
b) tab out and unmute
c) tab back in and select a your server to join.

The unmute will hold. This only works if you select a server from the server favorites list, though. If you join from the buddy list the audio will mute again.

This is the only reliable way I found of holding it unmuted. Once you have joined a server, the alt-tab is very flakey, even if you escape out to the menu.

The problem I am having and the reason I don't use it more often is that I get a good amount of high ptched hissing/whine when the mic is unmuted. I can reduce it by reducing the mic input gain, but I can't totally reduce it before losing mic volume. The hissing whine is high pitched and fairly quiet, but it gives me a headache after too long. It doesn't come over the recording, though.

EDIT: Just read your Alt-tab thread. I'll give that a try.

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The Dirty

sc1ence

selecting from server favs mutes the mic again for me. perhaps its something pecular with my system. the alt tab method i mentioned in the other thread has worked for me without fail dozens of times already today.

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DirtyLude

I put that video file back and I did the tab before joining a server and then after, and it's worked so far. I'll give it a try tonight with FRAPs.

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The Dirty

Exploding_Silver

I founf that if I tried to join and the server was full that would mute the mic. So I always go to advanced dearch on TG then wen I know there are free slots I join.

EDIT
overworked not drunk !

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