REQ: Need help activating Microphone recording.

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young

I have the ASUS P4B533-VM MOBO (2.4 P4), and just now decided to try
the microphone.

I was surprised to find that it seems to be dead. I have a desktop
icon for 'sound recorder' (sndrec32.exe), but it doesn't seem to allow
recording (no audio spikes).

I had no problem with W98.

Yes the mic is connected to mic port on rear (at least it seems to
be).

How can I determine wherein the problem lies? I looked at Device
Manager, but all looks okay there (to me). Does XP have some special
setting that I need to activate?

Thanks
 
I have the ASUS P4B533-VM MOBO (2.4 P4), and just now decided to try
the microphone.

I was surprised to find that it seems to be dead. I have a desktop
icon for 'sound recorder' (sndrec32.exe), but it doesn't seem to allow
recording (no audio spikes).

I had no problem with W98.

Yes the mic is connected to mic port on rear (at least it seems to
be).

How can I determine wherein the problem lies? I looked at Device
Manager, but all looks okay there (to me). Does XP have some special
setting that I need to activate?
Click to expand...

I'm not sure about XP, but on Win98 there is a utility called Volume Control
(SNDVOL32.EXE).

Start => Programs => Accessories => Entertainment

If you fire it up and then do a Options => Properties, there will (should)
be a list titled "Show the following volume controls." Locate Microphone and
ensure it is checked. If it was unchecked and you now have it checked, back
out on the Volume Control screen is a control for the Microphone. By
default, it is set to Mute. Uncheck the Mute box and you should have a
working microphone. You can test it without SNDREC32's assistance and sound
picked up through the microphone should play through the speakers. (Tweak
the volume level for the microphone, if necessary. Too high a setting will
cause feedback.)
 
I'm not sure about XP, but on Win98 there is a utility called Volume Control
(SNDVOL32.EXE).

Start => Programs => Accessories => Entertainment

If you fire it up and then do a Options => Properties, there will (should)
be a list titled "Show the following volume controls." Locate Microphone and
ensure it is checked. If it was unchecked and you now have it checked, back
out on the Volume Control screen is a control for the Microphone. By
default, it is set to Mute. Uncheck the Mute box and you should have a
working microphone. You can test it without SNDREC32's assistance and sound
picked up through the microphone should play through the speakers. (Tweak
the volume level for the microphone, if necessary. Too high a setting will
cause feedback.)
Click to expand...

What you say is true for W98 and the same microphone works just fine
using 'recorder' on same speakers.

In WXP, I don't think speech is installed, but the XP helps on the
subject say the following:
To install speech recognition using Add or Remove Programs

Open Add or Remove Programs in Control Panel.
Click Change or Remove Programs, click Microsoft Office XP, and then
click Change.
Click Add or Remove Features, and then click Next.
Under Features to install, double-click Office Shared Features.
Double-click Alternative User Input, click Speech, click the down
arrow, and then click Run from My Computer.
Click Update

Guess what? I don't have Microsoft Office XP as described above
(small wonder since I don't have Office). Now what do I do?

Thanks
 
In WXP, I don't think speech is installed, but the XP helps on the
subject say the following:
To install speech recognition using Add or Remove Programs

Open Add or Remove Programs in Control Panel.
Click Change or Remove Programs, click Microsoft Office XP, and then
click Change.
Click Add or Remove Features, and then click Next.
Under Features to install, double-click Office Shared Features.
Double-click Alternative User Input, click Speech, click the down
arrow, and then click Run from My Computer.
Click Update

Guess what? I don't have Microsoft Office XP as described above
(small wonder since I don't have Office). Now what do I do?
Click to expand...

Maybe an SDK or one of these other downloads?

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...D=&freetext=speech+recognition&DisplayLang=en

Somewhere along the line, I ended up with the speech recognition add-on on
my Win2K + Office2K systems, so it isn't just an OfficeXP thing. It might
have been part of an IE update, but it doesn't appear as a separate
component when I go through the Add/Remove Software applet on the Control
Panel.
 
Maybe an SDK or one of these other downloads?

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...D=&freetext=speech+recognition&DisplayLang=en

Somewhere along the line, I ended up with the speech recognition add-on on
my Win2K + Office2K systems, so it isn't just an OfficeXP thing. It might
have been part of an IE update, but it doesn't appear as a separate
component when I go through the Add/Remove Software applet on the Control
Panel.
Click to expand...


I tried SDK - still no mike (sound recording). It acts as if the mike
is dead or the mike port it is connected to. So, I temporarily
switched my XP HD with a W98 HD I borrowed, just to test that my
hardware is okay otherwise - found that the mike worked just fine.
Therefore my on-board sound must be okay as well as the mike port.

It sure seems strange to me that a system as all-powerful as XP is
making it so hard to implement this simple hardware feature. Finding
the setting-windows is hard enough, but even after I found them, I
find no way to get XP to recognize my mike even though it allows me to
set the mike options/volume.

So, obviously I am missing something here. I do have to say this on
that - the various sndvol32 files (4) were not under
c:\windows\system32 where I think they are supposed to be. They were
among many files 'moved' to windows\lastgood by unknown Gods sometime
in the past. Many of those files were the games that came with XP.
When I discovered that, I moved the games and sndvol32 files back to
c:\windows\system32 . Only then could I work with 'Sound Recorder'.

This all raises the question - is whatever I need for the microphone
also in this nefarious 'lastgood' directory, and what might it be?
Alas, that just might be the big question.

Thanks
 
I tried SDK - still no mike (sound recording). It acts as if the mike
is dead or the mike port it is connected to. So, I temporarily
switched my XP HD with a W98 HD I borrowed, just to test that my
hardware is okay otherwise - found that the mike worked just fine.
Therefore my on-board sound must be okay as well as the mike port.

It sure seems strange to me that a system as all-powerful as XP is
making it so hard to implement this simple hardware feature. Finding
the setting-windows is hard enough, but even after I found them, I
find no way to get XP to recognize my mike even though it allows me to
set the mike options/volume.

So, obviously I am missing something here. I do have to say this on
that - the various sndvol32 files (4) were not under
c:\windows\system32 where I think they are supposed to be. They were
among many files 'moved' to windows\lastgood by unknown Gods sometime
in the past. Many of those files were the games that came with XP.
When I discovered that, I moved the games and sndvol32 files back to
c:\windows\system32 . Only then could I work with 'Sound Recorder'.

This all raises the question - is whatever I need for the microphone
also in this nefarious 'lastgood' directory, and what might it be?
Alas, that just might be the big question.
Click to expand...

Just for grins:

In the Control Panel, is there an applet called Text Services?

If so,

Double-click Text Services.

In the Installed Services section, if Voice Recognition is not in the list,
click the Add button and add it.

Back out to the Text Services dialog box, highlight the Voice Recognition
service and click the Properties button.

In the (new) Speech Properties dialog box, click the Audio Input button.
Click the "Use this audio input device" radio button and select your sound
board's device. (It might be defaulting to something else.) While still in
the Audio Input Settings dialog box, click the Properties button. In the
(new) Advanced Audio Properties, click the "Use this audio input line" radio
button and select Microphone from the list. OK back to the Audio Input
Settings dialog box. OK back to the Speech Properties dialog box and click
the Configure Microphone button and go through the Wizard.

I recall that, when the Text Services got added to my system, the microphone
was initially disabled. Not really disabled, but rather not the selected
device for speech recognition. Once I discovered the Text Services applet on
the Control Panel and started playing around with the settings, I found that
the Modem, not the Microphone, was selected as the input source.

Again, I'm not sure when Text Services and Speech Recognition got added to
the system. It might have been IE6 and it might have been an Office XP patch
that got loaded when I installed FrontPage 2002. I'm pretty sure it wasn't a
Windows update, though.

(All-powerful XP? The only user interface designed by The Cartoon Network?
One thing Micro$oft forgot to do with XP is to include the Looney Tunes
theme songs for the startup and shutdown. <g>)
 
Just for grins:

In the Control Panel, is there an applet called Text Services?
Click to expand...

No - but there are 'speech recognition' and 'text to speech' tabs
under a 'speech' icon.

If so,

Double-click Text Services.
Click to expand...

Can't do it of course.

In the Installed Services section, if Voice Recognition is not in the list,
click the Add button and add it.
Click to expand...

Under the above mentioned 'speech recognition, there is a 'recognition
profile'. Is that the same thing?
Back out to the Text Services dialog box, highlight the Voice Recognition
service and click the Properties button.

In the (new) Speech Properties dialog box, click the Audio Input button.
Click the "Use this audio input device" radio button and select your sound
board's device. (It might be defaulting to something else.) While still in
the Audio Input Settings dialog box, click the Properties button. In the
(new) Advanced Audio Properties, click the "Use this audio input line" radio
button and select Microphone from the list. OK back to the Audio Input
Settings dialog box. OK back to the Speech Properties dialog box and click
the Configure Microphone button and go through the Wizard.
Click to expand...

At the bottom of my 'speech properties' window, microphone is shown
with a 'button' to 'configure' the microphone. When I do that, it
wants me to adjust the microphone volume and presents a test for me to
do so - but the test hangs because it doesn't detect my voice. So I
have to quit that.

Beside the 'configure' button I have 'Audio input', and when I select
it I get 'Audio input settings' and when I choose it, I can choose
'use this audio input device' and when I choose that I can select
'Intel integrated audio' which should be the on-board audio on my ASUS
P4B533-VM MOBO. But even when I do all that, 'configure' will not
detect my voice on the mike.

hheellllppppp.

Thanks
 
<...snipped...>


Arghh!

It sounds like you have the bits installed. It's just a matter of
discovering where in that rat's maze Microsoft has the input device pointing
to something other than the frickin' microphone. Here ... wait a minute ...
just flip this message over so that I can see your screen. Maybe I can find
it. (You'll have to hold the mouse up to the screen so's I can navigate,
too!)

Sorry, but without an XP machine at my disposal, I'm just not going to be
able to walk you through it.

Best of luck.
 
It sounds like you have the bits installed. It's just a matter of
discovering where in that rat's maze Microsoft has the input device pointing
to something other than the frickin' microphone. Here ... wait a minute ...
just flip this message over so that I can see your screen. Maybe I can find
it. (You'll have to hold the mouse up to the screen so's I can navigate,
too!)

Sorry, but without an XP machine at my disposal, I'm just not going to be
able to walk you through it.

Best of luck.
Click to expand...

Thanks anyway. For not having XP in front of you, you did good. I
figure it's not your fault, but XP's.

I guess I'll just conclude that XP does not provide sound recording to
the layman.
 
It sounds like you have the bits installed. It's just a matter of
discovering where in that rat's maze Microsoft has the input device pointing
to something other than the frickin' microphone. Here ... wait a minute ...
just flip this message over so that I can see your screen. Maybe I can find
it. (You'll have to hold the mouse up to the screen so's I can navigate,
too!)

Sorry, but without an XP machine at my disposal, I'm just not going to be
able to walk you through it.

Best of luck.
Click to expand...

I found this web site showing the identical problem w/no solution.
Glad to know I am not alone I guess.

http://www.windowsxpuser.com/forums/viewtopic.php?topic=957&forum=6

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Thanks anyway. For not having XP in front of you, you did good. I
figure it's not your fault, but XP's.

I guess I'll just conclude that XP does not provide sound recording to
the layman.
 
In your search, did you happen to look at this article?

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/columns/moskowitz/02september23.asp

Of particular interest is the section entitled "Hooking into Windows XP
Speech." Noted in the article, and discovered by you, is that "there is no
Speech Recognition Engine (SRE) build directly in to Windows XP. You need to
install a compatible engine ..."

It goes on to state that the Microsoft SRE for Windows XP is available in
Office XP applications (as you noted previously in this thread), the Windows
XP PLUS! Pack, and in the Microsoft Speech Software Development Kit (SDK)
5.1 (not generally recommended for end users).
 
.... snip ...

I guess I'll just conclude that XP does not provide sound
recording to the layman.
Click to expand...

XP does not provide a sound basis for anything. Have you ever
read the EULA?
 
CBFalconer said:
XP does not provide a sound basis for anything. Have you ever
read the EULA?
Click to expand...

XP, and all the Windows platforms, provide a sound basis for virus and hack
attacks (not to mention crashes, loss of data, loss of productivity,
hardware obsolescence, incompatibilities, etc.). However, I don't think
Micro$oft would include such information in the EULA.
 
In your search, did you happen to look at this article?

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/columns/moskowitz/02september23.asp

Of particular interest is the section entitled "Hooking into Windows XP
Speech." Noted in the article, and discovered by you, is that "there is no
Speech Recognition Engine (SRE) build directly in to Windows XP. You need to
install a compatible engine ..."

It goes on to state that the Microsoft SRE for Windows XP is available in
Office XP applications (as you noted previously in this thread), the Windows
XP PLUS! Pack, and in the Microsoft Speech Software Development Kit (SDK)
5.1 (not generally recommended for end users).
Click to expand...


No - I missed this. Thanks. Verifies that I am in deep doodoo.

Thanks
 
In your search, did you happen to look at this article?

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/columns/moskowitz/02september23.asp

Of particular interest is the section entitled "Hooking into Windows XP
Speech." Noted in the article, and discovered by you, is that "there is no
Speech Recognition Engine (SRE) build directly in to Windows XP. You need to
install a compatible engine ..."

It goes on to state that the Microsoft SRE for Windows XP is available in
Office XP applications (as you noted previously in this thread), the Windows
XP PLUS! Pack, and in the Microsoft Speech Software Development Kit (SDK)
5.1 (not generally recommended for end users).
Click to expand...


I went to mike configuration once again, just to compare my settings
etc with those in the referenced URLs, and this time when I tried it,
it recognized my voice.. That's some curious since I did nothing to
change anything!

Then I went to Sound Recorder and for the first time it recorded my
voice! Some curious also! You remember that was dead as a doornail
before.

So now sound recording is working. God help me if I ever have to
reinstall XP and want to get sound recording back. I won't know what
to do.

I am in dismay, but thanks for your interest - all of you!
 
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