Odd microphone problem

Funkstard

I have an Inspiron 6400 and have never been able to get a microphone to work on it. I bought a webcam and mic for skype last week and have been trying to set it up for a while now. Volume is turned all the way up on playback and recording devices, nothing is muted.

When trying to make it work using the test call in skype, I figured out that basically there's a microphone somewhere picking up me tapping and hitting my laptop. It doesn't record voice whatsoever, just seems to be playing back the percussion from me hitting the laptop. Picks it up if I hit the top of the laptop, around the touchpad, the underside..wherever. This happens whether the microphone/webcam I bought is plugged in or not. I've been like an idiot shouting at various areas of my laptop while hitting it but it's not picking the voice up.

SigmaTel Audio is installed for managing my audio, running XP

Anyone have any idea what's going on?

Cheers

Kevster

Have you explored every 'avenue' in the sound options on your PC to see if the mic is muted or has some other unusual setting (such that it would cause this problem)? Also, have you installed the correct drivers?

Funkstard

Yep. I've checked every microphone setting in all different areas I can think of. It's turned on, selected as the recording mode of choice etc.

Now skype is giving me a warning message saying the microphone is really quiet. I'm beginning to wonder if it's an internal connection problem since the mic is now being (half) recognised? Drivers are all updated.

Cheers.

Effluo

I'd go ahead an reinstall the drivers again and if that didn't work then i might go and try an older version of them.

It's a strange sort of problem... Say if you tap the tip of the microphone does it make any noise. Does the mic work in that windows recording thingy? Does windows recognise you have a mic at all?

All things worth checking out.

It doesn't make sense to me that when you tap the laptop it makes a noise as if there is a mic on the laptop. I'd say that it's prob just interference or something.

Funkstard

The windows sound recorder thing works the same as skype, only when i hit the laptop. When I plug the mic in a dialogue box pops up asking me to choose line in, mic or open sigmatel audio panel. None of those options have any effect.

Odd alright.

Effluo

Faulty mic probably
I'd test it out on another system!

Otherwise, Bring your laptop into the computer shop where you got the microphone and they'll help you either get it working or just give you a new one, make sure that the new one works b4 you leave the shop though

Funkstard

I've tried several different mics over the years on it and none have worked. I suppose I'll get onto Dell about it..however I did need it for skype which I have since got up and running on my mobile so it's not as much of a big deal anymore! Thanks for all the help however!

Effluo

Funkstard wrote: »

I've tried several different mics over the years on it and none have worked. I suppose I'll get onto Dell about it..however I did need it for skype which I have since got up and running on my mobile so it's not as much of a big deal anymore! Thanks for all the help however!

If you go to where you got the mic they'll get it sorted for you