Microphone not working

[Sylvander]

1. "Is the Microphone enabled?"
(a) I wish it were that simple.
All that shows [for the "USB Audio Device"] on the "Recording" dialog is "Capture" adjustment [1st screenshot]; no mic.
Tried everything I can to make sure all is as it aught to be in both Windows and Puppy Linux.
At first there was some trouble with drivers, I installed the XP driver that came on the disk [thought maybe it was backward compatible], and that didn't work.
So I downloaded the Win2000 software & drivers off the Lindy website and installed those, and the yellow ? disappeared.
No drivers supplied for Linux, but both the Lindy USB Audio Adapter, and the internal "SoundMAX Digital Audio" appear to be working in BoxPup.

(b) In Windows:
With "Skype->Options->Audio settings" open...
And both volume settings at maximum...
Speakers work with either audio device chosen and the appropriate connections made.
Mic doesn't work on either, but...
When connected to the Lindy adapter there is total silence.
When connected to the PC's mic input socket and "SoundMAX Digital Audio" chosen there is a difference [also seen (but more pronounced) in BoxPup].
There is a faint rasping [even if the mic isn't connected].
When I push home the mic, the meter shows green shoot to the right, and then drop back to around 2 sections [see the sceenshot], varying as the rasping varies.

(c) In BoxPup:
With the Lindy adapter connected...
AlsaMixer shows 2 mic entries, but only 1 has an adjustment column/rectangle.
That's the only one of which I can adjust the volume.
Then in mhWaveEdit->Record...
There is silence from the mic when connected to the Lindy adapter.
Things are very different if I connect the mic to the PC's own mic input.
If I advance the jack slowly into the socket...
At the point where the center pin makes contact with its sprung contact...
There is a loud THUMP [in the headphones which are also connected to the PC's own input], and the [old-style] meters [and also displayed values] JUMP to the MAX, then drop back.
Then when I continue to advance the jack [pushing back the sprung contact?] until it is fully home, there is another THUMP.

2. Would you assist if I posted a thread?
Or is the mic no good?
Previous successful use suggested it was OK.
.

[Paul Komski]

I have split this post off as you can tell because its really off subject.

If the Skype testing area shows movement when you speak then it is probably recording OK. You can always try one of their test calls to try out both microphone and speakers. Try adding echo123 to your contact list.

All that shows [for the "USB Audio Device"] on the "Recording" dialog is "Capture" adjustment [1st screenshot]; no mic.

Options Properties Recording and then check the box next to Microphone to make it appear.

[Sylvander]

1. "If the Skype testing area shows movement when you speak then it is probably recording OK"
Microphone:
(a) When "USB Audio Device" is chosen...
There is total silence and no movement of green on the meter.

(b) When "SoundMAX Digital Audio" is chosen...
The green on the meter moves up and down within the region of the 1st 3 sections on the meter. It does this in sync with the faint rasping NOISE that can be heard [not sure from where, probably the headphones].
I'd guess this noise is generated internally by the [faulty?] circuitry/components.
It does NOTHING in response to sound input at the mic.

Loudspeaker/Headphones:
(c) With "USB Audio Device" chosen and headphones connected to the Lindy adapter...
Sounds just fine, and only heard in the headphones.

(d) With "SoundMAX Digital Audio" chosen...
With the headphones connected to the PC's headphone socket on front of PC, the sound comes only from the headphones, and is just fine.
With the headphones disconnected from the headphone socket on the PC front, the sound comes only from the amplified speakers connected to the line output at rear of PC, and again sounds good.

2. "try one of their test calls to try out both microphone and speakers"
Did that already, but only for the problem = mic.

3. "Options Properties Recording and then check the box next to Microphone to make it appear"
(a) Unfortunately, the only item listed [when "Mixer device:" chosen is "USB Audio Device"] in "Options->Properties->Recording" is "Capture". [NO "Microphone"!]

(b) When Mixer Device = "SoundMAX Digital Audio"...
There IS listed 5 items as follows:
CD Player
Microphone
Aux
Line In
Wave Out Mix

4. I notice...
The Lindy adapter has a button on it with which you can MUTE the mic.
It was NOT muted quite deliberately, but...
If I press/release the button to mute/unmute, the Skype meter for the mic registers activity.
Does this confirm there is no signal output from the mic?
.

[Paul Komski]

It's unclear to me if the microphone is working with the onboard/pci sound card or not. Perhaps the USB device is faulty.

BTW This cordless head set is expensive (http://shop.skype.com/intl/en-ie/headsets/iss-talk-5192-freetalk-wireless.html) but, in my opinion, worth it both for mobility and for quality.

When messing with microphones I often just try the Sound Recorder.

[Sylvander]

1. "It's unclear to me if the microphone is working with the onboard/pci sound card or not"
Front mic socket that uses the on-board sound:
The most I ever get from that is when within BoxPup and I use "mic boost" [in the AlsaMixer], and then...
There is heard faint rasping NOISE, and a THUMP when the central pin of the mic connects in the socket.
But no actual sound produced by a signal from the mic.
My reading of this is that PERHAPS/PROBABLY the input socket is functioning, but the mic is faulty [giving no output, or broken connection?]
I need to test that mic on some other PC, or test another known good mic in my PC's front mic socket and Lindy adapter.

2. "Perhaps the USB device is faulty"
(a) I'm inclined to doubt it.
The headphone socket is certainly OK.

(b) In fact, it's the ONLY thing producing sound output right now [nothing from the loudspeaker]; is it possible to have BOTH sound systems working at once [apparently NOT], or else how do I switch between the two?
Just used "Control Panel->Sounds and multimedia->Audio" to change playback and recording to "SoundMAX Digital Audio", and OK'd that, yet still the mp3 file I'm playing is heard ONLY in the Lindy connected headset, not from the speakers.
Only "event sounds" are coming from the speakers.
Woops, started a new mp3 and now that IS coming from the speakers, not the Lindy connected headset.
OK, think I've got it: it's necessary to 1st change the sound device used, ONLY THEN does it take effect on NEWLY BEGUN activity.
I'll try that on the mic.

(c) And the mic MUTE button switches the orange LED off and on as it aught [difficult to know if it is muting a non-functioning mic].

(d) More and more I'm coming around to the idea that the mic isn't functional.

3. "When messing with microphones I often just try the Sound Recorder"
(a) Using the Lindy adapter:
The sound recorder displays flatline signal, and produces a wav file holding silence.

(b) Using the front [both mic + headphone] sockets on the PC, with "SoundMAX Digital Audio" chosen:
Playing a file made using Sound Recorder & mic, ONLY noise is heard and the level of that noise is quite LOUD in the headset.
Does this [and 3a] mean the mic isn't giving output, but that the PC's mic input circuitry is noisy, and that the Lindy mic input is NOT noisy?

4. "in my opinion, worth it both for mobility and for quality"
Is this the same as the cordless headset you said you have and use?
What advantages? Able to move about? Do things whilst speaking?
I imagine the ideal would be a headset with phones, mic, and camera [camera looking at what YOU see].
Then the user could show and explain as they talk.
Not sure if I have a need for cordless, but I fancy the camera idea.

[Paul Komski]

Regardless of the Operating System settings you need to set the Microphone and Audio Settings appropriately within the Skype Options from its Tools menu.

I like that particular headset particularly because I find it comfortable and the sound and microphone quality are both first class and because I can wander about the house (ten to fifteen yards from the wifi module) and perform hands-free actions such as have a bath, do some cooking or type on the computer; a headphone is just about a must if you want to talk to someone when helping out via a remote desktop.

I also have a Cordless Linksys Phone (http://blog.tmcnet.com/blog/tom-keating/skype/linksys-cit200-skype-phone-review.asp) that can access both Skype and the Domestic Land Line - the sound is good for Skype but poor for the Land Line - and a microphone embedded into a webcam.