PTT vs VOX

[WolfStar76]

So, I see a lot of posts around here, in the support area, suggestions, etc etc etc about people wanting more options for binding the PTT key to one of their 20+ mouse buttons (what sarcasm? me? Never!)

I'm curious as to why so many people even need to use PTT instead of just running VOX (voice activation)? It isn't that hard to set the voice activation to the proper levels so that you're not always broadcasting, yet able to speak when you need to.

Perhaps I'm mislead by the fact that myself and the 20 or so users on my server all use headsets (and about half of us have multiple soundcards for that "dedicated" TeamSpeak experience), but I ask the peanut gallery for more information.

What is it about PTT that you find so appealing? What is it about voice activation that you find so unappealing?

Or are my views skiewed and do more of us use VOX anyhow?

Just curious. :)

[MasterEvilAce]

VOX is a pain, in my opinion. Primarily because it CAN transmit even when you don't mean for it to. No amount of tweaking can fix that.

If you sneeze, you'll transmit that sneeze to everyone in your channel (and that can be pretty loud, too).. taking on/off your heatset could cause it to transmit.. talking to somebody else in your physical room, etc. Someone playing loud music on their speakers or even their headset if the mic is sensitive enough, can cause it to transmit.

To me, it's just common courtesy to not transmit nonsense.. therefore I always use PTT, as do all of my friends, UNLESS we're laying in bed talking, in that case it's perfectly fine to use VOX.

Middle mouse button is my transmit key, so it doesn't interefere with anything at all.

[ozman]

I use PTT beacuse i dont want everybody to here what is being said always. Simply when my wife comes in the room yelling at me I dont want you to here it.:p

[WolfStar76]

I tend to use an "anti-PTT" system for sneezes and talking to my fiancee.

If I'm playing a game with friends, and I'm wearing my headset, I'm going to be speaking to my fellow gamers more often than not.

On the off chance I'm going to sneeze, cough, yell at family/pets/etc, I have a mute hotkey (CTRL-SHIFT-Z) setup for that (and/or an inline mute on the headset).

To each their own I guess, but I'd get annoyed if I had to hit a key/button to speak, mebbe I just talk too much.