Gosh darn microphone
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Remain Calm Join Date: 2002-11-02 Member: 5216Forum Moderators, Constellation
Remain Calm Join Date: 2002-11-02 Member: 5216Forum Moderators, Constellation
A Logitech microphone on windows XP. Just plug it in and it'll work, right? Apparently not.
I've been testing it with Audacity, and get no results regardless of input source (except "What U Hear"[sic] for obvious reasons), and no matter if I plug it into the pink motherboard MIC port or the blue soundcard DIGITAL_IO port<!--sizeo:1--><span style="font-size:8pt;line-height:100%"><!--/sizeo--><EDIT: actually im not sure if that's the label for the blue port or the one right next to it, but there's a small mic pic on the other side of the blue port, so...><!--sizec--></span><!--/sizec-->. There are no installation instructions in the manual beyond checking if the volume is muted (it's not).
<a href="http://xs.to" target="_blank"><img src="http://xs537.xs.to/xs537/09124/mic735.png" border="0" class="linked-image" /></a>
I'm stumped.
I've been testing it with Audacity, and get no results regardless of input source (except "What U Hear"[sic] for obvious reasons), and no matter if I plug it into the pink motherboard MIC port or the blue soundcard DIGITAL_IO port<!--sizeo:1--><span style="font-size:8pt;line-height:100%"><!--/sizeo--><EDIT: actually im not sure if that's the label for the blue port or the one right next to it, but there's a small mic pic on the other side of the blue port, so...><!--sizec--></span><!--/sizec-->. There are no installation instructions in the manual beyond checking if the volume is muted (it's not).
<a href="http://xs.to" target="_blank"><img src="http://xs537.xs.to/xs537/09124/mic735.png" border="0" class="linked-image" /></a>
I'm stumped.
Comments
Control Panel > Sounds and Audio Devices > Voice > Volume
or
Control Panel > Sounds and Audio Devices > Voice > Test Hardware
?
Enable the microphone boost for additional 20db <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile-fix.gif" />
Something else to check is goto Options > Properties and click on the Recording tab. Make sure the Microphone is selected as the recording device of choice.
If you have special drivers for your card, open them up and make sure you're using the settings that allow a mic to work.
The Port coloring system is terrible and not standardized in the slightest. My mic port is pink.
Mine is salmon colored.
Enable the microphone boost for additional 20db <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile-fix.gif" /><!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
No effect.
<!--quoteo(post=1703038:date=Mar 19 2009, 07:01 PM:name=spellman23)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(spellman23 @ Mar 19 2009, 07:01 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1703038"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Make sure you didn't accidentally hit the mute switch on the mic itself.
Something else to check is goto Options > Properties and click on the Recording tab. Make sure the Microphone is selected as the recording device of choice.
If you have special drivers for your card, open them up and make sure you're using the settings that allow a mic to work.
The Port coloring system is terrible and not standardized in the slightest. My mic port is pink.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Options > Properties where?
<img src="http://xs537.xs.to/xs537/09124/mic2714.png" border="0" class="linked-image" />
Not got a lot of options here...
Drivers (by Creative) don't appear to touch on recording except for two screens
<img src="http://xs537.xs.to/xs537/09124/mic3669.png" border="0" class="linked-image" />
I've fiddled with the settings for the Mixer, to see if it's the Line-In or S/DPF or whatever that's the proper source, but they all act the same.
start>settings>control panel>sound and audio devices
Here you can make sure the microphone is selected for recording, in the menu of this window you select options>properties and then make sure the mic is muted for playback, but selected for recording and also make sure that +20Db thingy is checked as mentioned before...
<img src="http://xs537.xs.to/xs537/09124/mic5551.png" border="0" class="linked-image" />
Still not getting anything in Audacity or windows sound recorder..
--Scythe--
P.S. This is gonna sound bad, but it's usually the pink hole.
This is how I left it. I suppose you don't have 'creative smart recorder' somewhere? It allows some easier tweaking then audacity. The mic slider is at the top.
<a href="http://img12.imageshack.us/my.php?image=mic.png" target="_blank"><img src="http://img12.imageshack.us/img12/476/mic.png" border="0" class="linked-image" /></a>
I've bought a few cheap microphones in the past and they simply don't work. Those like £5-6 ones that you pick up when you need one but don't want to break the bank.
I don't think I've ever had a desktop microphone that actually works. I know I had them set up right because I swap them for a working mic and it works instantly. Have you tried that? Borrow a microphone that you definitely know works from someone else and plug it straight in.
Microphones are just sometimes crap.
--Scythe--
P.S. This is gonna sound bad, but it's usually the pink hole.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I did try the pink hole/port (conveniently labelled MIC), but to no effect.
There's a bunch of other ports there but they're more mysteriously named, LINE-IN and such, which I actually tried as well in desperation, but even when setting source to Line-In in Audacity there was no effect. Alas.
<!--quoteo(post=1703051:date=Mar 19 2009, 10:40 PM:name=Svenpa)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Svenpa @ Mar 19 2009, 10:40 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1703051"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->This is how I left it. I suppose you don't have 'creative smart recorder' somewhere? It allows some easier tweaking then audacity. The mic slider is at the top.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Can't see it among the ../Programs/Creative subfolders where the regular console is, don't think I got it.
Might be time to visit the soundcard homepage I guess.
<!--quoteo(post=1703052:date=Mar 19 2009, 11:02 PM:name=X_Stickman)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(X_Stickman @ Mar 19 2009, 11:02 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1703052"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->What microphone is it?
Microphones are just sometimes crap.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<a href="http://www.webhallen.com/prod.php?id=42165" target="_blank">http://www.webhallen.com/prod.php?id=42165</a>
"Logitech Desktop Microphone" (but note, not the USB variant... unfortunately, I guess)
Haven't got any other mics to test it with, so I guess it might just be this one being broken.
Thanks for your help everyone, even if it's still broken, I appreciate it.
"Logitech Desktop Microphone" (but note, not the USB variant... unfortunately, I guess)
Haven't got any other mics to test it with, so I guess it might just be this one being broken.
Thanks for your help everyone, even if it's still broken, I appreciate it.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
That's the exact microphone I bought. I couldn't get it to work. I could only get *any* sound out of by literally screaming into it as close as I could get it to my mouth without it being inside my mouth. I know for a fact that it wasn't the computer setup, because I bought a headset a few days later and it worked as soon as I plugged it in.
Although I can't quite see how they can get away with selling a microphone that just plain doesn't work (I always assumed that I'd bust it bringing it back from the shop or that it was just faulty or something), that's what I'd assume it is; the microphone is terrible and probably simply doesn't work.
If you bought the mic to use for voice comm in games, a headset works far better anyway. Far, far better.
<a href="http://www.play.com/PC/PCs/4-/3359786/SPEEDLINK-SL-8781-Medusa-Stereo-Headset/Product.html" target="_blank">This</a> is the headset I use. It's cheap and works fine (I think Monkfish recommended it to me, so there's his testimony too).
Well, bugger.
Alright, guess there's nothing to it but getting a more better replacement.
<a href="http://www.prisjakt.nu/produkt.php?p=127878" target="_blank">http://www.prisjakt.nu/produkt.php?p=127878</a>
This is how I left it. I suppose you don't have 'creative smart recorder' somewhere? It allows some easier tweaking then audacity. The mic slider is at the top.
<a href="http://img12.imageshack.us/my.php?image=mic.png" target="_blank"><img src="http://img12.imageshack.us/img12/476/mic.png" border="0" class="linked-image" /></a><!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
The red x on the "line-in" doesn't look good. I don't know if it's mute or what.
As a sidenote, once you plug in the usb soundcard..which are usually ######, you gotta re-select that device in windows to be default, and perhaps in all other audio applications. nevermind.
<a href="http://img13.imageshack.us/my.php?image=micr.png" target="_blank"><img src="http://img13.imageshack.us/img13/4385/micr.png" border="0" class="linked-image" /></a>
And I don't know if you have it turned on in the Window's one or not.
You really need those on for it to work.
If you get excessive noise with them on, then lower the input levels, but leave the boost on. (or buy a better mic)
The thing is, with my built in audio I can get decent sensitivity but with the X-fi it's like this. The only thing I can think of is some kind of forgotten slider in a maze of configurations or one slider screwing with another.
what message do ya get after "test hardware" in voice panel?
and try the settings button in the xfi console there..perhaps the digital or mic panel has something different selected.
I happen to know for my sound card the mic port is also used for other stuff (like if I set it up for 5.1 surround). So, the mic pick up stinks. The mic works just fine with I use other people's computers, so I just live with keeping everything boosted as much as I can.
But yeah, beware the really cheap mics.
I had thought the Creative Labs sounds cards were pretty slick. hm.... That just kinda stinks. It looks like your setting are right from the screens, although that red X looks suspicious. I assume you've messed around with all those before though. weeeird.
New mic doesn't work either. Back to square one.
Ooor buy stuff not from creative, not that I know of anyone else as big.
Ooor buy stuff not from creative, not that I know of anyone else as big.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I remember the days that games required you to tell it which sound card you had in your computer. I was so stoked I had a Sound Blaster card. =]
The only company that's any decent size besides Creative is M-Audio. ASUS also claims they have sound cards, but I don't trust 'em.
I have some random brand in my machine. Works fine except for the low mic gain. However, the company is out of business so it's impossible to find drivers when my machine crashed a while back.
--Scythe--