Introduction If you've
ever tried having a conversation across the internet with a
friend, there is little doubt that one of the standout
qualities of the exchange is the terrible sound quality that
is part and parcel of the process. As I have friends all
over the country as well as family members in Europe, I'm a
major proponent of anything that helps me keep my phone bills
below what I pay in car payments each month.
Features The Internet Phone features:
- Full duplex support with no mic/speaker feedback and no
turn-around delay
- Monitor holster for easy placement of the handset within
reach
- Speaker bypass jack
- Works with all major internet telephony software, no
reliance on proprietary software
To fully test the ease or use and quality of the system, I
sent a unit to my Mother - by far the least wired person that
I could think of.
After receiving the handset she actually got started on the
installation before I had a chance to give her any
guidance. Much to my surprise, she managed to get it all
hooked up with minor assistance from me ;) Mom would like to
add that the instructions included in the package are
excellent, and answered all of her questions before they
became troublesome....
In a nutshell, the installation process is as
follows:
- Plug the mic connector into the mic jack of your sound
card
- Insert the dual connector into the speaker output of
your soundcard
- Plug your speakers into the bypass jack on the wiring
harness, and turn down the speakers to prevent feedback
- Custom tailor the mic/audio settings in the Windows
volume control application
- Done!
Now for the big question - how does it work / sound?
I've called people via the internet in the past using a
handsfree headset, and I've gotten nothing but grief for the
sound quality/feedback/etc. that occurred several times during
the conversation. It was troublesome enough that I
rarely call people that way anymore. The Riparius
Internet handset has finally brought internet telephony into
maturity. My test calls both to the second Internet
handset as well as normal telephones went exceptionally well -
so well that the other party often did not know I was calling
via the internet.
This device gets the 3dRetreat seal of approval - if you've
ever been disenchanted by the sound quality of internet phone
calls, pick one of these up... You'll be pleasantly surprised
by the improvement.
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