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Is there a problem using cable phone system?

Posted: Wed Sep 24, 2008 4:23 am
by Cobracf2
Ive connected to about 6 games this week and lag has been horrible. about a year ago I switched my phone service to the cable phone service and im thinking thats why im getting lag so bad. anyone else have the same problem? cause on regular phone service back in the day it ran flawless.

Posted: Wed Sep 24, 2008 9:19 am
by Warp2063
Ah, this would explain why you have unlimited long-distance... to my knowledge, normal phone line companies aren't quite as willing to offer unlimited long-distance calling.

This question gets asked a lot... and the answer is the same every time. You have a digital phone line, which is subject to the same lag that the internet is subject to.

The lag on a game over your cable phone (aka digital phone) has several possible causes.
1) If you're using extra bandwidth... such as surfing the internet, downloading files... you're creating lag on your cable connection. I highly doubt that watching cable TV on your connection would also cause lag.
2) Digital phone converters must take a short moment to convert the analog audio signal that they hear to digital, then transmit it. Then there's a short delay as a digital signal is coming in, when the converter must change the digital signal back into an analog signal that your phone (or modem) can use. It's a very short pause, normally undetectable to a human (unless there is a lot of lag on your network), because humans aren't very sensitive, and our minds tend to omit minor discrepancies. A modem requires much more precise timing.
3) I'm guessing this isn't as much of an issue, because a number of people play Dreamcast games over their digital phone lines without much difficulty... but I'm assuming that this is because the Dreamcast games were programed with more lag tolerance... But there is the possibility that when the digital converter box changes the analog signal to digital, part of the sound is omitted (parts that the human ear wouldn't hear, so for a normal voice connection there's no reason to compress signals in those frequencies), which would be received on the other end as a damaged message. The Saturns would then have to spend extra time retransmitting their messages until it finally got across in one piece. This could greatly contribute to the lag.


The Saturn's Netlink games were never designed with lag in mind, because normal telephone connections had very little lag.

Posted: Wed Sep 24, 2008 3:30 pm
by Cobracf2
wow thanks for the info....Now wheres that phone to cancel my cable phone service and get me a regular land line LOL

Posted: Wed Sep 24, 2008 3:30 pm
by Xranger60
Yeah, as Warp put it, it's just been proven again and again that digital phone lines aren't suitable for NetLink. Maybe for a real local game (read: same neighborhood), it would be ok, but other than that, no.

Posted: Mon Sep 29, 2008 4:43 am
by Cobracf2
Also just a heads up on the unlimmited long distance all phone companies offer it. it usually cost 15.00 per month on top of your phone bill. I have had unlimmited long distance for years even in the old at&t days. I also dont think I will be switching back to regular phone service since it does cost more and will cost me 100 dollars just for installation. I called embarq to do so but when they told me the installation charge was 100 dollars I told them to kick rocks! not to mention the monthly bill would be 65.00 dollars . I pay 19.99 total for my phone service per month. just not worth it to switch over.

Posted: Mon Oct 13, 2008 1:32 pm
by grolt
To confirm what the others have already said here:

I have a digital phone line, and although the free long distance is awesome, the lag is too severe for me to connect with anyone outside of my local area. I've played local games with no problems or lag, but whenever I try and connect across the country or into the US, it always drops once the system reboots to start the NetLink game. It's a shame, really, and if regular phone lines ever offer a similar long distance service, you can bet I'm going back. I want to play you guys!

Posted: Wed Oct 29, 2008 1:05 pm
by Cobracf2
grolt wrote:To confirm what the others have already said here:

I have a digital phone line, and although the free long distance is awesome, the lag is too severe for me to connect with anyone outside of my local area. I've played local games with no problems or lag, but whenever I try and connect across the country or into the US, it always drops once the system reboots to start the NetLink game. It's a shame, really, and if regular phone lines ever offer a similar long distance service, you can bet I'm going back. I want to play you guys!

well I looked into going back to local phone service in Las Vegas here with embark and the installation fee is 100.00 dollars on top of 65,00 a month for service. My cable phone service is 19.95 a month I wont be switching back. So my netlink playing days are probably over :( . I hoooked up with aguy from central california the other night the game was lag free but after so long it would lock up. I just cant go back to paying 65.00 for regular phone service. It was a nice a addon for the Saturn and in my oppinion one of th ebest addons of alltime but for me the time is up guys. ADIOS

Posted: Wed Oct 29, 2008 3:16 pm
by Xranger60
Cobra, is embark really the only company offering service in your area?

Posted: Wed Oct 29, 2008 7:02 pm
by Cobracf2
Xranger60 wrote:Cobra, is embark really the only company offering service in your area?

Yep. I tried AT&T and they dont offer phone service here anymore. Sprint was taken over by embark. the rest of the phone services are digital like the one I have sigh!

Posted: Wed Oct 29, 2008 9:06 pm
by Xranger60
Well, at least there's been some hope here lately. Warp's project seems to be coming along steadily, and hopefully it will lead to LAN style play, NetLink over internet, or both.

Posted: Thu Oct 30, 2008 5:14 pm
by Cobracf2
Xranger60 wrote:Well, at least there's been some hope here lately. Warp's project seems to be coming along steadily, and hopefully it will lead to LAN style play, NetLink over internet, or both.
Now that would be nice keep me posted on that

Posted: Sun Nov 02, 2008 5:02 pm
by grolt
Xranger60 wrote:Well, at least there's been some hope here lately. Warp's project seems to be coming along steadily, and hopefully it will lead to LAN style play, NetLink over internet, or both.
Yeah, here's hoping. There are so many people here who WOULD play if they could.

Posted: Mon Nov 16, 2009 1:53 pm
by Isaac [GER]
Well, Im switching back to regular phone line because VOIP sucks. Everytime I get a call my internet lags so bad... Ok, Im still looking for a NTSC Saturn with low shipping costs and a netlink, but my concern right now is my phone line. I still think I will need help setting up my netlink once Ive got a new Saturn and modem, so it may take a while :(

Posted: Mon Nov 16, 2009 6:00 pm
by Warp2063
Setting up the Netlink for multiplayer gaming is a breeze. Plug in the Saturn. Insert the Netlink. Connect Netlink to phone line. Insert game into Saturn. Turn Saturn on. In the game software, tell the modem to wait or to dial. If you're dialing, put in the phone number to dial.

It's as simple as that.

With a quick search on Wikipedia, I found that Germany may use a connector like this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TAE_connector . So, I'm guessing you'll have to find either a TAE to RJ-11 adapter, or a phone that offers a spare RJ-11 port to plug into.

Posted: Tue Nov 17, 2009 1:10 am
by Isaac [GER]
LOL That cable is just lying next to my bed ^^