Microphone disabled

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unique

I installed MS webcam and had trouble with the audio ever since. I got so fed
up with it, I threw it away. Now, I have installed a microphone using the mic
jack but no program detects any sound from it. I've been right through the
audio settings and checked the default drivers. Somehow the webcam has
disabled the audio-in jack and I'm baffled as to how to re-enable it. Any
suggestions?
 
unique said:
Sorry: it's LIFEcam, of course.
Click to expand...

Does your regular sound have a Mixer control panel ? There
could be a record and playback section. In the record section,
check to see whether the Microphone is muted. Also, some
sound control panels have a hidden selector for Mic1 versus
Mic2. Mic1 might be the microphone via jack on the back of the
computer. And Mic2 might be the jack on the front of the
computer case. You have to select one or the other.

Microphones also come in different types. The most common for
computers, are the "electret" type. The computer delivers a
small bit of power, via a bias resistor, to make it work. And
those don't need to be boosted.

If you have an old dynamic microphone (such as I had on my old
reel to reel tape recorder), those are effectively a small speaker
(coil of wire and magnet). The moving coil generates only a few
millivolts of signal level. For those, you have to click the
microphone "boost" button in the mixer, and even then the level
may be too low to use.

Paul
 
I've been through all the audio settings: there is no way to re-enable the
microphone jack through those. Lifecam definitely disabled the jack at the
back of the machine and I can find no way at all of re-enabling it. Honestly,
why do people put up with this sh*t from Microsoft; it's outrageous.
 
unique said:
I've been through all the audio settings: there is no way to re-enable the
microphone jack through those. Lifecam definitely disabled the jack at the
back of the machine and I can find no way at all of re-enabling it. Honestly,
why do people put up with this sh*t from Microsoft; it's outrageous.
Click to expand...

Are you sure your existing sound system is selected in
"Sound and Audio Devices":Audio tab ?

There is a "Sound Playback" section and a "Sound recording"
section in the Audio tab. Each has a Volume button. When you
click that, the system mixer should pop up. The Recording
one, should have a position for the Microphone, and some sort
of tick box to control it.

If you were to bring up the manufacturer's mixer, when you
move the sliders in the system mixer, the manufacturer's ones
should move as well.

Perhaps you'll see something grayed out or not accessible in
that control panel.

Paul
 
No, there's nothing unusual in the audio devices. I've been through all that
about a dozen times. At the moment, I think the only solution is to get hold
of another lifecam camera somehow, reinstall it, and then select the option
to use an external microphone. how crazy is that? Anyway, thanks for the help.
 
unique said:
No, there's nothing unusual in the audio devices. I've been through all that
about a dozen times. At the moment, I think the only solution is to get hold
of another lifecam camera somehow, reinstall it, and then select the option
to use an external microphone. how crazy is that? Anyway, thanks for the help.
Click to expand...

Actually, that is quite logical :-) The computer makes the rules
and we live by them.

Paul
 
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