Win7, Cortex PC

[marcuslee]

Hi All,

Anyone running the above? Any tips to know before doing it (Karam has mentioned to me in the past to turn UAC off)?

Purpose for Win7 platform is that I seem to be having having Sound Mixer issues with my PC build, in so far as we found intercom didn't work, and I think Cortex uses the Microphone for this, which I think isn't working and may have something to do with order drivers were loaded in building the PC.

And not looking forward to rebuild as it's completely manual as PC is newer than WinXP, so by default came with Win7.

Cheers,

Marcus

[marcuslee]

having Sound Mixer issues with my PC build, in so far as we found intercom didn't work, and I think Cortex uses the Microphone for this, which I think isn't working and may have something to do with order drivers were loaded in building the PC.

Hmm seems like it's not a driver issue as I've double checked and without Cortex running, I can record sound from the microphone jack on the PC with WinXP Sound Recorder.

I've double checked the Sound and Mixer Schemes > Conversation > Input tab, Microphone is checkmarked.
The Output tab matches the same as 'Sounds and Voice', Output tab, which I know works due to front door bell melody.

Any hints on how to troubleshoot this?

[chris_j_hunter]

we had similar problems ... and it all turned-out to be solved by loading the sound driver / mixer that came with the PC, but wasn't loaded by default ...

in our case, we have a Mini ITX & Windows XP, and the app came with the PC, not Windows ... can't recall all the details, and the PC is not near to-hand as I write, but it was called VinylDeck & put something that looked like a boom-box on the desk-top, via which sound-levels etc could be adjusted ...

another possibility, perhaps, is that, in Cortex, you have to be careful about checking & not-checking - IIRC, recording options are opposite to playback options, in-terms of what checking does ...

[Paul_B]

My current Cortex PC is running Windows 7 64bit and has been doing so for about a year. I can't remember any issue with the configuration either during the initial installation or in the time since, I didn't touch UAC settings nor would I unless absolutely proven necessity. I do have a "convoluted" setup which also runs media centre with a satellite card and VMWare Workstation with 2 guests running 24x7. I'm just about to install Windows 8 RTM to see how Cortex fairs (I can ditch VMWare and use native Hyper-V). But in the medium term I'm looking at an ultra low power FitPC (aprrox. 10W) to run as a dedicated Cortex server.

Paul

[Karam]

There are some idiosyncracies with Windows 7 but otherwise Cortex will run fine and certainly there are installations happily doing so for some years now. You should install to Program files (x86) folder (which is the default anyway). Nonetheless one of the issues is UAC. In our experience this does have to be turned to its lowest setting otherwise you may find that you won't be able to update to the latest version (currently 26.3.1 for V26). Also there may be a problem with loading in your database when Cortex is first launched. Another issue is that the soundcard mixer scheme is handled differently in Windows 7 and you don't get the same detail of controls as in Xp, however aside from being confusing it does work ok.

But in relation to your question I'd like to understand more specifically what you mean by 'found intercom didn't work'. Are you refering to using the intercom literally as an intercom (i.e talk from one DFP to another)? If so then this is not related to the PC soundcard - it happens directly between the intercoms via the audio bus. The PC's role is to switch the appropriate intercoms into the correct states eg. handsfree or push to talk and also to set the volume levels at the intercoms themselves (conversation slider in intercom menus). There are a number of settings which might be getting in the way. For example time gating of intercom operation, or disabling of broadcast reception and also check all intercom object settings.

But if you are talking about issuing PC sounds out to an intercom such as alerts or synthesised speech information then that's a different matter. The microphone part will only be used if you you are using the intercom for speech recognition operation or making calls through the PC eg. via Skype, or recording sounds for example as part of the security camera recording.

[marcuslee]

Thanks Karam.

It was DFP to DFP so yes it does eliminate the PC after all (the PC issuing sounds has been proved to work).

Also with typing this reply with my configuration, I've just had a DOH moment now in typing out and testing what I was going to write - "Press to talk", literally means you keep the button pressed, to talk. I had confused this with the "Hands free caller + broadcast" functionality (!! Apologies, embarrassed, etc).


Thanks Chris and Paul also for your reply.

Chris you're always reliable in giving a reply (ta), and Paul, very interesting reply indeed.

I'm gobsmacked by your ability to run MCE, VMWare Workstation x2, and Cortex, and I love the FitPC option (seen them before in the past, but not had a look at their refreshed range until you mentioned it).

At the moment I'm running on Thinkpad X201, which hovers just above 14W. Also I've had some strange crashes and troubleshooting needed whilst still in config stage, so being able to spring open a KVM when needed has been helpful.

(I think for my next build though, with your reply Karam, I might jump to Win7).

[chris_j_hunter]

with our set-up, Task Manager tells us Cortex generally keeps the CPU about 30% occupied, with occasional spells of double or treble that, usually following user-intervention (typically via StructureList or PlanView, to check or edit or save something) ... so, there would seem to be plenty of overhead provided occasional hold-ups can be tolerated (WAF could suffer - we find such hold-ups often occur just as SWMBO is relying on something working) ...

>always ...

yep 'though, have to say, it's a bit disappointing more people don't pitch-in more often - it's not-only (IMO) the more the better, but also because the value beats the simple sum of the parts, and useful insights v.often come to-light (particularly this time in Karam's reply) !

checking just now, Mark's AH membership is rapidly approaching 7500 !

[Paul_B]

Just to follow-up on my previous post. I have now installed Windows 8 RTM (I have a Microsoft Technet subscription), Cortex appears to run just fine without any problems. Although I'm sure not many others would have a setup like mine but I can also report that the US Robotics USB modem is also working fine even with Hyper-V installed and hosting two guests (same was not true for Windows 7 and VMWare workstation)

Paul

[marcuslee]

Just to follow-up on my previous post. I have now installed Windows 8 RTM (I have a Microsoft Technet subscription), Cortex appears to run just fine without any problems. Although I'm sure not many others would have a setup like mine but I can also report that the US Robotics USB modem is also working fine even with Hyper-V installed and hosting two guests (same was not true for Windows 7 and VMWare workstation)

Paul

Just out of interest, what do you use the USR USB modem for?

[Paul_B]

I went with the US Robotics 5637 as it was discussed in another thread as being able to resolve caller ID in the UK and work with Cortex, http://www.wordpress-1219309-4387497...Review!)/page2. Worth noting that I was mostly after callerid rather than Cortex interaction, the latter appears to be a bit hit and miss based on Karam's comments in the thread.

Paul