Mumble Setup Tutorial
Posted: Sat Aug 14, 2010 1:16 am
The stream cohosting system is now using Mumble, as you may have noticed, which is a bit more complex than Skype mainly because of it's channel based construction. I've constructed this tutorial to help make Mumble easier for you to use when cohosting on The TomBobBlender Show.
If you don't have Mumble, you'll have to get it in order to cohost. You can get it at mumble.sourceforge.net
--Installation--
You can get Mumble here.
When you install and run mumble for the first time, you will most likely be presented with the audio tuning wizard.
Follow the on screen instructions. This wizard will help optimize the audio settings within Mumble.
You may also see a Certificate wizard. Just create a new certificate and enter the info as requested. Don't worry, your info will not be shared with anyone however the admins on any server can see it so it is recommended that you put something fake in the name fields.
Once you've passed all this, you will see a screen that looks like this:
This is the Mumble window. From here, click the globe button (the one next to the i)
This will bring up another window
Click "Add New..." and fill out the form as I have here, putting your chat nick in the Username field
After this is done, click the connect button and you will connect to Tom's server
--How to get in the On-Air Co-Hosts channel--
Tom's Mumble server is quite different from the rest in that you have to be added to a list of cohosts by an admin or you can't even join the On-Air Co-Hosts channel.
In order to cohost, you must register yourself on the server and ask Tom. Then, if he agrees, join the server. If Tom agrees to let you cohost, an admin will add you to the list and drop you into the on-air channel.
To register yourself on the server, right click yourself and click register.
If, however, Tom disagrees and you decide to join the server anyway, you will be unfortunately kicked from the server.
The cohosting rules are in the server's comment so please read them by clicking the little "C" Notepad next to the server name.
--Setting up an avatar and a comment--
Avatars and comments are used to describe someone on Mumble. It's like your status in skype.
However, unlike skype, Mumble comments can have certain HTML elements in them. This includes links, images, and text styling.
To edit your comment, simply click the "C" Notepad in the toolbar.
To edit your avatar, click the self menu and click change avatar.
--Echo cancellation--
Echo cancellation is very important. Unlike Skype, Mumble has to be configured to cancel out the echo. It will try to do so in the audio wizard, but doesn't always work.
You must have echo cancellation setup properly in order to cohost. If an echo is heard, you will be muted and instructed to adjust your settings to reduce echo.
To get to the audio settings, choose settings from the configuration menu.
To set the echo settings, you must have the advanced checkbox (circled in red) checked. (Mac users will find this at the top right of the settings window)
From here, set Echo to Multichannel (Highlighted).
If this does not work or if your echo settings are grayed out, raise the Silence below slider until the echo stops or change Transmit to push-to-talk. (Push to talk is, by default, set to left control, but can be changed in the shortcut settings)
--Troubleshooting--
--Hearing an echo?--
Try turning your mic volume down. If this doesn't work, tell the person that the echo is coming from to read the next section of this tutorial.
--Causing an echo?--
----Have Speakers?----
Try turning your speakers and/or your mic sensitivity down. If this doesn't work, try changing the echo settings in Mumble and raising the silence below slider until the echo is gone.
----Have a headset?----
Try the above steps. If this doesn't work, read this:
From the Mumble Wiki:
Unfortunately, a lot of popular headsets produce tiny traces of echo. In other VoIP products, you will not notice it because the echo is lower than the noise level, but as Mumble dutifully removes all noise, the echo suddenly becomes clear. There is little the person hearing the echo can do, but there are a few things the person producing the echo can do. On Vista, we support echo cancellation for any sound card. On Linux, we support echo cancellation when using PulseAudio, and on Windows XP we support echo cancellation using ASIO (which unfortunately requires a very high quality soundcard with ASIO drivers).
--All settings correct, but can't connect!--
First, double check your settings. It might be something silly like a comma instead of a period somewhere. If you are absolutely certain that you made no error, it's likely your DNS. Luckily, there's a VERY simple fix for this:
First, open your command prompt:
This can be done in Windows 7 and Vista by entering "CMD" in the start menu search bar. This can also be done in older versions of windows by pressing WIN+R and typing "CMD" in the Run prompt.
Now type "ipconfig /flushdns" in the command prompt:
This will clear your DNS cache, forcing your computer to search for the server once again.
If you don't have Mumble, you'll have to get it in order to cohost. You can get it at mumble.sourceforge.net
--Installation--
You can get Mumble here.
When you install and run mumble for the first time, you will most likely be presented with the audio tuning wizard.
Follow the on screen instructions. This wizard will help optimize the audio settings within Mumble.
You may also see a Certificate wizard. Just create a new certificate and enter the info as requested. Don't worry, your info will not be shared with anyone however the admins on any server can see it so it is recommended that you put something fake in the name fields.
Once you've passed all this, you will see a screen that looks like this:
This is the Mumble window. From here, click the globe button (the one next to the i)
This will bring up another window
Click "Add New..." and fill out the form as I have here, putting your chat nick in the Username field
After this is done, click the connect button and you will connect to Tom's server
--How to get in the On-Air Co-Hosts channel--
Tom's Mumble server is quite different from the rest in that you have to be added to a list of cohosts by an admin or you can't even join the On-Air Co-Hosts channel.
In order to cohost, you must register yourself on the server and ask Tom. Then, if he agrees, join the server. If Tom agrees to let you cohost, an admin will add you to the list and drop you into the on-air channel.
To register yourself on the server, right click yourself and click register.
If, however, Tom disagrees and you decide to join the server anyway, you will be unfortunately kicked from the server.
The cohosting rules are in the server's comment so please read them by clicking the little "C" Notepad next to the server name.
--Setting up an avatar and a comment--
Avatars and comments are used to describe someone on Mumble. It's like your status in skype.
However, unlike skype, Mumble comments can have certain HTML elements in them. This includes links, images, and text styling.
To edit your comment, simply click the "C" Notepad in the toolbar.
To edit your avatar, click the self menu and click change avatar.
--Echo cancellation--
Echo cancellation is very important. Unlike Skype, Mumble has to be configured to cancel out the echo. It will try to do so in the audio wizard, but doesn't always work.
You must have echo cancellation setup properly in order to cohost. If an echo is heard, you will be muted and instructed to adjust your settings to reduce echo.
To get to the audio settings, choose settings from the configuration menu.
To set the echo settings, you must have the advanced checkbox (circled in red) checked. (Mac users will find this at the top right of the settings window)
From here, set Echo to Multichannel (Highlighted).
If this does not work or if your echo settings are grayed out, raise the Silence below slider until the echo stops or change Transmit to push-to-talk. (Push to talk is, by default, set to left control, but can be changed in the shortcut settings)
--Troubleshooting--
--Hearing an echo?--
Try turning your mic volume down. If this doesn't work, tell the person that the echo is coming from to read the next section of this tutorial.
--Causing an echo?--
----Have Speakers?----
Try turning your speakers and/or your mic sensitivity down. If this doesn't work, try changing the echo settings in Mumble and raising the silence below slider until the echo is gone.
----Have a headset?----
Try the above steps. If this doesn't work, read this:
From the Mumble Wiki:
Unfortunately, a lot of popular headsets produce tiny traces of echo. In other VoIP products, you will not notice it because the echo is lower than the noise level, but as Mumble dutifully removes all noise, the echo suddenly becomes clear. There is little the person hearing the echo can do, but there are a few things the person producing the echo can do. On Vista, we support echo cancellation for any sound card. On Linux, we support echo cancellation when using PulseAudio, and on Windows XP we support echo cancellation using ASIO (which unfortunately requires a very high quality soundcard with ASIO drivers).
--All settings correct, but can't connect!--
First, double check your settings. It might be something silly like a comma instead of a period somewhere. If you are absolutely certain that you made no error, it's likely your DNS. Luckily, there's a VERY simple fix for this:
First, open your command prompt:
This can be done in Windows 7 and Vista by entering "CMD" in the start menu search bar. This can also be done in older versions of windows by pressing WIN+R and typing "CMD" in the Run prompt.
Now type "ipconfig /flushdns" in the command prompt:
This will clear your DNS cache, forcing your computer to search for the server once again.