Off topic? Microphone not enabled

  • Thread starter Thread starter Cooler Dude
  • Start date Start date
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Cooler Dude

Win XP SP2

I recently bought a Logitech headset with microphone. Headphones
work fine. Mic doesn't.

Have been through all volume and audio settings, used front and
rear panel jacks without success.

With volume control panel open and mic recoding "Mute" button
un-checked, I run the audio setup wizard. It correctly identifies
the speakers and headphone but not the mic. As soon as I click
"Next" to move to the Mic test, the "Mute" button on the volume
control panel becomes checked and the mic test page in the wizard
is greyed out.

I have uninstalled and re-loaded the audio software and Googled
for solutions. Some MS help pages refer to a "Speech Recognition"
tab on the Control Panel "Speech" applet but I don't have that tab
(only "Text to Speech"). Is it relevant?

All useful suggestions gratefully received!

TIA
 
"Cooler Dude" <down@thecrossroads.com> wrote in message
news:u7holtvQIHA.5692@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
> Win XP SP2
>
> I recently bought a Logitech headset with microphone. Headphones work
> fine. Mic doesn't.
>
> Have been through all volume and audio settings, used front and rear panel
> jacks without success.
>
> With volume control panel open and mic recoding "Mute" button un-checked,
> I run the audio setup wizard. It correctly identifies the speakers and
> headphone but not the mic. As soon as I click "Next" to move to the Mic
> test, the "Mute" button on the volume control panel becomes checked and
> the mic test page in the wizard is greyed out.
>
> I have uninstalled and re-loaded the audio software and Googled for
> solutions. Some MS help pages refer to a "Speech Recognition" tab on the
> Control Panel "Speech" applet but I don't have that tab (only "Text to
> Speech"). Is it relevant?
>

Some sound cards do not allow the microphone signal to be routed to the
speakers and thus do not present it on the 'playback' mixer. Open your
sound card properties (double click on the speaker symbol in the system
tray). Click 'options' and then 'properties. On the dialogue box that
opens click the 'Recording' radio button and then ensure that Microphone is
checked. Press OK.

Now the sliders presented represent the record input. You can only select
one at a time, so ensure Microphone is selected and the slider set about
half way. Now you can try recording into your chosen recording application.
If the level is very low, the 'Advanced' button at the bottom of the
Microphone slider should reveal a check box that increases the gain by 20db.
 
"Cooler Dude" <down@thecrossroads.com> wrote in message
news:u7holtvQIHA.5692@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
> Win XP SP2
>
> I recently bought a Logitech headset with microphone. Headphones work
> fine. Mic doesn't.
>
> Have been through all volume and audio settings, used front and rear panel
> jacks without success.
>
> With volume control panel open and mic recoding "Mute" button un-checked,
> I run the audio setup wizard. It correctly identifies the speakers and
> headphone but not the mic. As soon as I click "Next" to move to the Mic
> test, the "Mute" button on the volume control panel becomes checked and
> the mic test page in the wizard is greyed out.

This auto deselct of the mic can mean that your sound card is half-duplex,
meaning that it will record (using the mic) or play (using the speakers or
headphones), but can NOT do both at the same time.

If you tried Skype, for example, you'd find the mic suddenly muted very
early into the test call.

If that's the case, you must use another, full-duplex sound card. It's a
hardware limitation that you cannot change.

Carefully check the manuals for your system, and find the specs for the
sound card.

HTH
-pk

>
> I have uninstalled and re-loaded the audio software and Googled for
> solutions. Some MS help pages refer to a "Speech Recognition" tab on the
> Control Panel "Speech" applet but I don't have that tab (only "Text to
> Speech"). Is it relevant?
>
> All useful suggestions gratefully received!
>
> TIA
>
 
Patrick Keenan wrote:
> "Cooler Dude" <down@thecrossroads.com> wrote in message
> news:u7holtvQIHA.5692@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
>> Win XP SP2
>>
>> I recently bought a Logitech headset with microphone.
>> Headphones work fine. Mic doesn't.
>>
>> Have been through all volume and audio settings, used front
>> and rear panel jacks without success.
>>
>> With volume control panel open and mic recoding "Mute" button
>> un-checked, I run the audio setup wizard. It correctly
>> identifies the speakers and headphone but not the mic. As
>> soon as I click "Next" to move to the Mic test, the "Mute"
>> button on the volume control panel becomes checked and the mic
>> test page in the wizard is greyed out.
>
> This auto deselct of the mic can mean that your sound card is
> half-duplex, meaning that it will record (using the mic) or
> play (using the speakers or headphones), but can NOT do both at
> the same time.
> If you tried Skype, for example, you'd find the mic suddenly
> muted very early into the test call.
>
> If that's the case, you must use another, full-duplex sound
> card. It's a hardware limitation that you cannot change.
>
> Carefully check the manuals for your system, and find the specs
> for the sound card.
>
> HTH
> -pk
>


Thanks Patrick. I think I've got *less than* half-duplex because
it will only play and never accept microphone input, even with all
playback devices disabled!
Manuals - ha! I wish. The SoundMax audio is integral with the
motherboard (Asus P5B Deluxe) so no separate sound card, Such
audio information as there is in the motherboard manual shows the
microphone settings menus, etc. and even "Enhanced Microphone
Features" but nothing to indicate any limitations for its use or
why the microphone test/setup otpions fail/are greyed out and
certainly no specification detail.

I've Googled the topic and found nothing except others with the
same problem and no solution! I think I'll try an alternative
sound card - nothing to lose but a few ££.
 
M.I.53 wrote:
> "Cooler Dude" <down@thecrossroads.com> wrote in message
> news:u7holtvQIHA.5692@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
>> Win XP SP2
>>
>> I recently bought a Logitech headset with microphone.
>> Headphones work fine. Mic doesn't.
>>
>> Have been through all volume and audio settings, used front
>> and rear panel jacks without success.
>>
>> With volume control panel open and mic recoding "Mute" button
>> un-checked, I run the audio setup wizard. It correctly
>> identifies the speakers and headphone but not the mic. As
>> soon as I click "Next" to move to the Mic test, the "Mute"
>> button on the volume control panel becomes checked and the mic
>> test page in the wizard is greyed out.
>>
>> I have uninstalled and re-loaded the audio software and
>> Googled for solutions. Some MS help pages refer to a "Speech
>> Recognition" tab on the Control Panel "Speech" applet but I
>> don't have that tab (only "Text to Speech"). Is it relevant?
>>
>
> Some sound cards do not allow the microphone signal to be
> routed to the speakers and thus do not present it on the
> 'playback' mixer. Open your sound card properties (double
> click on the speaker symbol in the system tray). Click
> 'options' and then 'properties. On the dialogue box that opens
> click the 'Recording' radio button and then ensure that
> Microphone is checked. Press OK.
>
> Now the sliders presented represent the record input. You can
> only select one at a time, so ensure Microphone is selected and
> the slider set about half way. Now you can try recording into
> your chosen recording application. If the level is very low,
> the 'Advanced' button at the bottom of the Microphone slider
> should reveal a check box that increases the gain by 20db.

Done all those things but mic input is not recognised.
 
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