Handsfree Echo Cancelling Using Phoenix Soho

[Habious]

Just got the car installed in the box (bought the black one recommended earlier in the thread...good fit), drilled holes for the audio jacks using the PCI mounting plate as an easy guide. Bought a coaxial DC jack from Radio Shack to work with a USB to coaxial DC cable I had lying around (got it with a scan converter that didn't work very well...at least I got something useful out of that experiment!). I just used some craft foam my wife had lying around to wedge it into the box..piece in back to push it up against the side where the holes are drilled, a piece beneath to center it vertically in the box, and a piece on top...squeezed the lid on and screwed it together. The board is totally solid in there and looks OEM!

I hooked it up into the computer at home and did some before/after tests with the wife. She says the echo is just plain gone! Nice stuff!

I plan to install it this weekend.

[Salmizar]

awesome! Good to hear. Do you have any pictures of the unit? I am really glad the box I recommended was a good fit.

[Scott]

hey salmizar, awesome job on this. question for you, the case you pictured in your own install was pretty slim. I noticed the cases in the links you provided were almost 2 inches thick. Do you have a link to the part for which you used for the case? Or did you custom make that?

[Salmizar]

Hey Scott,

I custom made it from 1/8 Acrylic I had laying around.

[HiJack]

This seems like a good solution, but I am not sure if it will work with mine. Maybe if I tell you the setup, you can tell me if it will work? Currently I use 2 sound cards. The main card is a USB SoundBlaster Live USB. The second card is the onboard sound card on my mobo, but I only use the mic port for phone, since I am using the soundblaster line/mic for HD radio and XM.

Would it maybe be better to set up 2 more speakers and use the onboard card for mic in and the sound for the phone?

[Salmizar]

Your setup it fine. just route the cables through their specific ports on each sound card and it shouldn't have any problems.

[Habious]

I've been going back and forth with this card in and out of the car. Not 100% satisfied with the results.

If I plug the mic directly into the PC and not use the box at all, all audio is good. Mic audio is clear and practically noise-free (but, the person I'm talking to hears his/her echo). So, I know that part of my setup is good (Mic, mic input, mixer settings, CF settings, etc.). I put the card in and the echo goes away but, my mic audio isn't as loud (got it cranked up on the sound card) and I've got a serious noise issue with the mic audio.

At first, I thought it had to do with getting power from a powered USB hub so, I went right to my high-current 5VDC power supply to grab power. Didn't really help. I tried a different mic input (I have 2 sound cards). This helped increase the mic audio level but, the noise was still present.

I lined the box with aluminum foil and grounded everything, trying to shield it. That helped a bit but, there's still some noise.

Here's the weird part. I know it's not the card because, I hook the card up upstairs on the home PC and it's absolutely PERFECT. Crisp, loud, noise-free mic audio.

Right now, it's working; it's usable but, I know it could be better. Also, I've got a convertible and this is all with the top up...ideal conditions. If possible, I'd like to get it working much better with the top up so that, when I do put the top down and introduce wind noise, it'll still be usable.

The card works upstairs so, it's not the card.

My setup works in the car without the card so, it's not the setup in the car.

It's the card IN the car. Anyone have some suggestions of what I might try next to reduce the noise?

[MarcelP]

Originally Posted by Habious

I've been going back and forth with this card in and out of the car. Not 100% satisfied with the results.

If I plug the mic directly into the PC and not use the box at all, all audio is good. Mic audio is clear and practically noise-free (but, the person I'm talking to hears his/her echo). So, I know that part of my setup is good (Mic, mic input, mixer settings, CF settings, etc.). I put the card in and the echo goes away but, my mic audio isn't as loud (got it cranked up on the sound card) and I've got a serious noise issue with the mic audio.

At first, I thought it had to do with getting power from a powered USB hub so, I went right to my high-current 5VDC power supply to grab power. Didn't really help. I tried a different mic input (I have 2 sound cards). This helped increase the mic audio level but, the noise was still present.

I lined the box with aluminum foil and grounded everything, trying to shield it. That helped a bit but, there's still some noise.

Here's the weird part. I know it's not the card because, I hook the card up upstairs on the home PC and it's absolutely PERFECT. Crisp, loud, noise-free mic audio.

Right now, it's working; it's usable but, I know it could be better. Also, I've got a convertible and this is all with the top up...ideal conditions. If possible, I'd like to get it working much better with the top up so that, when I do put the top down and introduce wind noise, it'll still be usable.

The card works upstairs so, it's not the card.

My setup works in the car without the card so, it's not the setup in the car.

It's the card IN the car. Anyone have some suggestions of what I might try next to reduce the noise?

Can you Post your complete Cable connection diagram??
It would help to found the Problem. I think it am groundproblem or so..
This is my Connection Plan:


If you your fundamental circuit post could do would be helpful that.

[gs-ireland]

Originally Posted by Habious

At first, I thought it had to do with getting power from a powered USB hub so, I went right to my high-current 5VDC power supply to grab power.

High-Current 5VDC PSU? Could it be a cheap non-regulated, non-filtered switchmode PSU?
If it is, this could be the source of your noise problem. My advice, get the 5V directly from your motherboards PSU

[jdmagoo]

I had lot of noise coming from the card when i connected it up to the computer PSU, but the moment i powered it from a USB socket all noise disappeared.
Happy so far with the results