Vivox / Voice over the internet

[sludge7051-x]

I'm using Second Life . . . I was wondering if the following (for anti-virus and firewall, below) is still relevant?  Reason:  A friend told me that today's anti-virus programs don't have this issue.

Second Life uses Vivox:

Vivox Partners . . . http://www.vivox.com/partners

Player Support . . . http://vivox.com/gamers/help/22

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SL Voice distorted? . . . My understanding / Added to / Summarized from:

Voice and sound issues . . . vivox.exe . . . slplugin.exe . . . https://community.secondlife.com/forums/topic/82694-voice-and-sound-issues/

Issues Related to Anti-Virus Software . . . slplugin.exe . . . High CPU Usage - There is at least one anti-virus program which will scan every file placed on your computer, even if created by an authorized program. This affects Firestorm (and any viewer really) in that it will scan each and every texture placed in cache, slowing down performance of the viewer significantly, and keeping CPU usage high. If you find yourself in this situation, see if you can exclude the viewer cache folder from being scanned. Ideally, you should exclude the entire settings folder as well. You can determine the current location of your cache by looking at Preferences → Network & Folders → Disk Cache Location and Sound Cache Location (if this is set) . . . http://wiki.phoenixviewer.com/antivirus

Whitelisting the Viewer in Anti-Virus Software . . . https://wiki.phoenixviewer.com/antivirus_whitelisting

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vivox.exe . . . which installs the voice software on your PC . . . I don't see this .exe anywhere

slplugin.exe . . . which allows SL sounds to play through your system

SLVoice.exe . . . what about this one?

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The Voice and ambient sounds issue is most likely as a result of .exe files in your viewer being blocked by your anti-virus program [ What about Windows Firewall? ]

These files are notorious for being swept up by anti-virus programs, especially Norton.  You could turn off your anti-virus program, but that is not recommended.

The way to solve this is to make exceptions in your anti-virus Exclusions . . . [ What about Windows Firewall? ]

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File Explorer / C:\Program Files\Firestorm-Releasex64\slplugin.exe

File Explorer / C:\Program Files\Firestorm-Releasex64\SLVoice.exe

File Explorer / View / [check, to see] Hidden items / . . . C:\Users\YourUserName\AppData\Local\Firestorm_x64\

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In Avast, you can make the whole folder an "Exclusion" - for the .exe's, and the Firestorm cache:

C:\Program Files\Firestorm-Releasex64\

C:\Users\YourUserName\AppData\Local\Firestorm_x64\

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In Windows Firewall, you just make .exe's "Exclusions," not whole folders:

slplugin.exe

SLVoice.exe

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Another possible reason for voice and streamed media to disappear . . . You may have your Maximum Bandwidth set too high

That slider should normally be set at around 1,500 [click the link at that setting, to see instructions] . . . it can leave you with no available bandwidth for voice

Network & Files / Maximum bandwidth / 1500 Kbps

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[mchain]

Any issues with Avast?  What version of avast?  What OS and version?

[Patrick2]

As a Fellow Secondlife User, and Avast Free user for the last ohh 10 years,  I've always followed the exclusions instructions,  usually using Global Exclusions, and Excluding whole folder for settings, cache, chatlogs, and the main program folder itself.     Has worked without a problem with previous Computer operating systems from XP days a bit, Vista, Windows 7, and 8/8.1 and Windows 10 Pro

Same for my Windows 10 Home laptop no issues with exclusions setup that way,  voice works fine in the game with those settings in Avast

Windows Firewall all you have to do is allow slplugin.exe and slvoice.exe and possibly main progam executable and should work fine

Hope this helps!

[sludge7051-x]

I'm using the current, updated versions of . . . Avast Free . . . and . . . Windows 10 - Version 1803 (OS Build 17134.228)

Thanks Patrick . . . I think my SL Voice distortion issue has improved by making the exceptions, as seen below . . . I'll add "Firestorm-Releasex64.exe" to Win Firewall, that probably can't hurt.

It would be good if Avast and Win Firewall could tell you that it's hanging up some process, and then you could set it as an Exception, or not, rather than guessing, and trial and error . . . How could that feature be implemented?

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Avast
C:\Program Files\Firestorm-Releasex64\*
C:\Users\USER_NAME\AppData\Local\Firestorm_x64\*

Win Firewall
C:\Program Files\Firestorm-Releasex64\Firestorm-Releasex64.exe . . . main program
C:\Program Files\Firestorm-Releasex64\slplugin.exe . . . which allows SL sounds to play through your system
C:\Program Files\Firestorm-Releasex64\SLVoice.exe