Microphone not working / not recognized

[koli99]

Hello all!

Just bought new G3 290 Microtower and cannot get any microphone (tried 2 different ones) to work. 

Frist I bought camera with integrated microphone. Camera is plugged via USB and mini-jack for microphone. Camera worked normally, but microphone was not recognized. I contacted support of camera manufacturer and their thought was that microphone was not soldered correctly (inverted). I resoldered but with no avail.

So I assumed the microphone is dead and bought another stand-alone microphone with only mini-jack input. Today I tried and to my surprise this one does not work either. If I plug the microphone into blue (IN) input it is recognized as recording equipment which is ok, but does not work as microphone. Under levels it says Line In (slider for adjusting volume/balance).

The windows are up to date, I just downloaded latest audio drivers from HP website.

Any recommendations on what could be the issue?

Thanks for support!

Best regards,

Jure 

[itsmyname]

@koli99 -- note that "line-in" and "microphone-in" are quite different. The "line-in" is designed for high-level inputs, such as the output from an antique cassette-deck, while "microphone-in" is designed for very low signal-strength devices, such as a microphone.

With the Windows "Settings" window, search for the "Sound" app. 

Open it. There will be one section for "Audio Out" -- to choose from available output devices -- and another section for "Audio Input". Use this latter section to select the external microphone (or the built-in microphone inside your web-camera) as the "active" audio-input device. This section also can be used to "test" the volume-level being sent by the microphone.

[koli99]

Thank you for response!

There is no microphone to choose from Audio Input. There is only following options:

- Stereomix (Realtek(R) Audio)

- Eingang  (Realtek(R) Audio)

Neither options activate the microphone...

BR,

Jure 

[itsmyname]

@koli99 --  bought another stand-alone microphone with only mini-jack input. Today I tried and to my surprise this one does not work either. If I plug the microphone into blue (IN) input it is recognized as recording equipment which is ok, but does not work as microphone.

Yes, the blue-coloured socket is for "line-in" (high signal levels, such as from a cassette deck, or a portable CD-player).  Plug your stand-alone microphone into the pink-coloured socket (low signal levels).

> Eingang  (Realtek(R) Audio)

Select this "in-going" device, after connecting your microphone. 

Does your microphone have it own slider-switch, to "mute/unmute" it? Check that you have not muted it.

Then, talk into the microphone, to see if you are getting good sound-levels.

[koli99]

Hi!

There is no pink-coloured socket. The alternative to blue one is green one. If I plug the microphone into green one, the input is not recognized anymore and under Input there is only one option left:

- Stereomix (Realtek(R) Audio)

BR,

Jure

[itsmyname]

@koli99 -- is this your computer: HP 290 G3 Microtower Business PC

The image on that web-page shows a "combo" port, supporting both "line-in" and "microphone-in".

Does your microphone work if you plug it in to a pink-coloured socket on some other computer?

[koli99]

Yes, that's my computer. 

If I plug microphone into front side of PC (so called combo port) it's still not recognized by PC as new Input device. If I click Troubleshoot and choose microphone input on the front side of computer it says that the device does not seem to be plugged in. Same happens if I plug it into back side (green input). I tried now with 3 different (all new) microphones...

[itsmyname]

@koli99 --  Same happens if I plug it into back side (green input).

Wrong port. The "green" port is for output to speakers or a head-set. 

Is there no "pink" port on the back side, because "pink" is reserved for microphone input?

> I tried now with 3 different (all new) microphones.

Have you tried those 3 microphones on some other computer that does have a "pink" input socket?

They should work.

> If I plug microphone into front side of PC (so called combo port) it's still not recognized by PC as new Input device.

When you open "Device Manager", does it show as an input device?

When you open "Settings", and then open "Sound", there are two sections: INPUT and OUTPUT.

In the INPUT section, is there a "pull-down" to allow you to choose from various input devices?

With the microphone plugged-in to that "combo" port, select one of the choices, then talk into the microphone. You should see some activity in that INPUT section, to show the volume of your speech.

With the "Sound Mixer" app, have you "unmuted" the microphone, and pushed its slider up to 100% ?

[koli99]

Hi!

There is no pink port, only green and blue. On the front side is only black one.

I have not tried this microphones on any other PC. I will try and let you know. I will also try bluetooth headphones with mic integrated to see if this is recognized.

In Device Manager, under Sound, Video and game controllers are only 2 items:

- Intel (R) Display Audio

- Realtek (R) Audio

If I open settings->sounds->output

There is only 1 option available:

- Stereomix (Realtek(R) Audio)

There is nothing else to choose, so it means that whichever microphone I plug in (tried all ports) it is never recognized.

[itsmyname]

@koli99 -- There is only following options:

- Stereomix (Realtek(R) Audio)

- Eingang  (Realtek(R) Audio)

After you disconnected the microphone, the "eingang" option disappeared.

That suggests that the microphone was "recognized", until you disconnected it.

>  If I open settings->sounds->output

> There is only 1 option available:

> - Stereomix (Realtek(R) Audio)

> There is nothing else to choose

The microphone is not an "output" (from the computer to speakers or a headset) device.

You should open "settings -> sounds -> input", to show the various "input" (going into the computer) sources, such as your microphone.

> it means that whichever microphone I plug in (tried all ports) it is never recognized.

Sorry, but I do not accept that conclusion. Try the microphone into some "pink" port on some other computer.