Yahoo Voice Chat Needs Codec to Work with Windows Vista

So you just bought that shiny new computer with 17" flat screen and you want to brag to all your online friends. You download Yahoo Messenger, rush into your favorite chat room with microphone in tow, turn on voice chat and you are walloped with a message that reads, "Your computer does not support the required audio compression format." What? Your computer is brand spanking new--it can do anything! Assuming that your computer has all other requirements to run Yahoo voice chat (sound card, etc), the most likely reason for this error is a disabled or missing DSP Group TrueSpeech™ software codec.

Find out if your computer has the codec. Click Start. Go to Settings. Choose Control Panel. Open Multimedia and choose the Devices tab. Click the plus sign (+) beside Audio Compression Codecs to expand the list. If you do see DSP Group TrueSpeech™ software codec in this list, click on Properties and check to make sure it is enabled. After clicking enabled, you will need to restart your computer to update your computer's settings. Upon rebooting, your voice chat should be ready to go.

If you do not see DSP Group TrueSpeech™ software codec in this list, you must download it from a source on the web and install it. You can try a google search for the codec. After downloading the codec, you may be required to paste it to a system file. If you are a novice computer user and would rather not delve into your system files yourself, there are also free programs out there that will install the codec for you. Don't be afraid to search for different programs. It is your computer, after all. Remember to reboot your computer after installation to reset your computer's settings. You should now find your voice chat is in working order.

Now go tell all your friends about your great new computer! Don't forget how you got your voice chat working. As more and more people upgrade to Windows Vista, others are sure to encounter the same difficulty.

In prior versions of Windows, the DSP Group TrueSpeech™ software codec came factory installed. If you are running one of those systems and face the same audio error, then something else is likely to be the culprit. Check the requirements for running Yahoo voice chat and make sure your computer meets them. You may want to print this page before beginning.