Call Quality with Anveo

[JohnSeiffer]

We currently have 2 phone lines through our cable company (Optimum Online) we want to cut the cord and port one of the phone numbers to a different VOIP service and drop the other one.

To test VOIP services, I've signed up with ANVEO - free version and got an OBI 100 adapter. I have not ported my number yet because I'm not sure of the quality of service.  I'm using a Panasonic 2-line corded phone and the OBI is hooked up to line 1 and my old number through the cable company is hooked up to line 2.

The OBI was easy to setup  with Anveo and OBITALK. My question is about call quality. It's OK but not great. Sounds a bit fuzzy on my new line and when I call the same number on my old line it sounds much crisper. I'd like to keep the same quality of calls I had with my cable service

Is that because of ANVEO, or the OBI or some combination? Will a faster internet service level help? Is there some setting on the adapter or the ANVEO that will improve quality? Will a higher priced level of ANVEO service help? I'm not sure what to do to improve it.

[Shale]

I don't think higher priced tier would help that. The default CODEC is good. You are using the same phone instrument in each quality test. I think you are talking about the sound in your ear rather than in the ear of the person at the far end, right? If the audio at the far end is too low or the audio you hear is too loud, I would have a suggestion.

Regarding bandwidth, try turning off or disconnecting all of your computers.  See if the audio improves.

[JohnSeiffer]

Yes I'm talking about the audio in my ear. Perhaps it is too loud and distorting because of that - so I'd welcome your idea. 

When I ask people how I sound to them they usually say fine but I'm not sure how critical they are being. I did call my son right after talking to him on my cell phone and he said the anveo sounded a bit worse than my cell but still sounded OK.

[Shale]

Something I noticed was that my outgoing audio was reported as  low, and incoming audio was a little hot compared to the wire line I had before. So using OBiTalk "Expert Configuration", I changed

Configuration
 Physical Interfaces
   Phone 1->ChannelTxGain   = -3
   Phone 1->ChannelRxGain   = 12


I did this also for Phone 2, since I have an OBi202. I had a friend with the same symptoms and cure.
I think 12 is the max, or else I would have gone a tad higher. The TX and RX are obviously from the point of view of the OBi which thinks it is transmitting to your ear and is receiving from the microphone. The numbers are decibels.

[JohnSeiffer]

Thanks,
I'll try it in the morning.

[Jackson]

I noticed the same thing.  I got a number and e911 and just did some testing by having someone call both the GV number then the Anveo.  They reported that GV was better.  I am a bit disappointed after reading all the raves on the Broadband forums.  For the price it will remain a cheap backup I guess.

There was a certain distortion on my end, I guess I'll give Shale's suggestion a try.

[JohnSeiffer]

So sorry I neglected to update this forum befor now. Shale's advice worked perfectly!!

I didn't change the RxGain (because everyone told me I sounded OK on their end) but only the TX  gain. I made it -3 and it solved the quality problem.

What I was interpreting as "fuzzy" was really distortion due to being too loud.