{"items": [{"author": "Richard_Kennaway", "source_link": "https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/uxgtKnwiMwbpz5Y4N#XH9vkn3j9baGrk3xg", "anchor": "lw-XH9vkn3j9baGrk3xg", "service": "lw", "text": "What about non-Bluetooth wireless? I use a Logitech H600 headset, which talks on the 2.4GHz band to a USB dongle. Logitech don't mention latency (btw, how do you measure it?), but I see figures of 25ms quoted for this type of connection.
It also has a mute button on the headset itself, which means I can be sure of being muted without having to remember where the mute control is in whatever conference or gaming software I'm using today.", "timestamp": 1587539967}, {"author": "jkaufman", "source_link": "https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/uxgtKnwiMwbpz5Y4N#zq7bSbzT3JwnFtJBx", "anchor": "lw-zq7bSbzT3JwnFtJBx", "service": "lw", "text": "→ Here's one way to measure latency:\n
Why don't I try describing it here (partly, in case anyone else wants to try) and then if that doesn't work we could try a call or something?\n\n\n
Install Audacity (https://www.audacityteam.org/download/)\n\n\n
Connect your bluetooth headphones\n\n\n
Open audacity, and make sure the headset shows up as an option where it says \"Built-in Output\". If your headset has a mic they should also show up under \"Built-in Microphone\". Leave them both on \"Built-in\" for now though.\n\n\n
Turn the recording and playback volumes all the way up\n\n\n
Record yourself making a single clap\n\n\n
Tracks > Add New > Mono Track, seek to the beginning, and hit record. You should see the clap on the recorded track.\nThis is your no-bluetooth baseline.\n\n\n
Press the \"mute\" button on the track you just recorded.\n\n\n
Switch audacity to record from your headset and play through your headset. If you don't have a mic on the headset leave the recording setting on \"Built-in Microphone\". Arrange your headset physically so that its ear piece is near its mic (or the computer's mic if it doesn't have one).\n\n\n
Repeat the recording process (new track, seek, record) You should see the clap on this recorded track too.\n\n\n
The number of ms from where you saw the clap on the no-bluetooth track to where you saw the clap on the yes-bluetooth track is how much latency bluetooth is adding for you.\n\n\n", "timestamp": 1587557358}, {"author": "Richard_Kennaway", "source_link": "https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/uxgtKnwiMwbpz5Y4N#L25QBnk6GpqL2Liw9", "anchor": "lw-L25QBnk6GpqL2Liw9", "service": "lw", "text": "→ → Well, that was interesting. I got some figures that I'm not sure I believe. Latency for the iMac desktop speakers and microphone is 168ms, and for the H600 it's 372 = 168 + 204ms. On the other hand, using Audio Hijack to connect the mic directly to the speakers, the echo on the H600 seems a lot shorter than a third of a second, estimated by tapping the handle of a knife on the (literal) desktop at a rate where I hear each tap directly at the same time as I hear the previous one in the headset.", "timestamp": 1587572832}, {"author": "jkaufman", "source_link": "https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/uxgtKnwiMwbpz5Y4N#LDxWWwiwaSg5kFyt2", "anchor": "lw-LDxWWwiwaSg5kFyt2", "service": "lw", "text": "→ I'd expect this to be much better, yes!\n", "timestamp": 1587558651}, {"author": "ChristianKl", "source_link": "https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/uxgtKnwiMwbpz5Y4N#bpCtwPBs7B64CyDBr", "anchor": "lw-bpCtwPBs7B64CyDBr", "service": "lw", "text": " In general, I think people who want good video meetings should be following the standard advice for lag-minimizing gamers and people who deal with audio in noisy environments
Whether or not you should use hardware made for people in noisy enviroments depends on whether you actually have a noisy enviroment.
My room is very quiet and I think I do well with computer speakers and a Blue Yeti usb microphone in the monodirectional setting that stands in front of me. ", "timestamp": 1587577531}, {"author": "Vassie", "source_link": "https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/uxgtKnwiMwbpz5Y4N#hn8pxTAtR9G5DHbiL", "anchor": "lw-hn8pxTAtR9G5DHbiL", "service": "lw", "text": "Thank you for this article; given the recent need to create higher-performing virtual offices this work seems prescient and useful.
I have noticed that, in addition to the issues that you have described, using the laptop speakers and microphones can lead to disruptive echoes and feedback. I can imagine that these hardware considerations will increasingly form a set of standard expectations for conduct in virtual environments. ", "timestamp": 1587581289}]}