laptop microphone does not work [Hardware]

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From: MikeCC4 on 4 Apr 2008 21:05

I have a gateway MX3563 laptop with windows XP home. I tried to use a
mcirophone for Yahoo messenger kind software. The microphone works
perfectly on my other laptops. However, it does not work on this one;
i.e. no sound or no voice can be heard by the person on the other
side. The microphone must not be broken because it works with other
laptops.

I checked the device manager and did not find any problem. In fact, I
just used system restore CDs to completely reinstalled the laptop to
original manufacturer's condition. But I still cannot use any
microphones (I have two microphones both work on all other desktops
and laptops with Windows XP Home or Vista) with this Gateway laptop.
For the same reason, I cannot use any microphone to record anything on
this laptop. It is already out of warranty.

Can anyone help? thanks!

P.S. This problem happened quite long time ago. (it happened way
before I damaged my keyboard (as in my other post.))

From: Paul on 4 Apr 2008 21:38

MikeCC4(a)yahoo.com wrote:
> I have a gateway MX3563 laptop with windows XP home. I tried to use a
> mcirophone for Yahoo messenger kind software. The microphone works
> perfectly on my other laptops. However, it does not work on this one;
> i.e. no sound or no voice can be heard by the person on the other
> side. The microphone must not be broken because it works with other
> laptops.
>
> I checked the device manager and did not find any problem. In fact, I
> just used system restore CDs to completely reinstalled the laptop to
> original manufacturer's condition. But I still cannot use any
> microphones (I have two microphones both work on all other desktops
> and laptops with Windows XP Home or Vista) with this Gateway laptop.
> For the same reason, I cannot use any microphone to record anything on
> this laptop. It is already out of warranty.
>
> Can anyone help? thanks!
>
> P.S. This problem happened quite long time ago. (it happened way
> before I damaged my keyboard (as in my other post.))
>

Plug a Walkman or a tape recorder into the microphone
jack. Does the microphone jack produce a signal when that
is present ? Anything with a line level output could be
used to test the jack.

Have you checked the mixer settings ?

Have you tried simple recording applications, to see if they
can see a signal ?

Paul

From: Pennywise on 4 Apr 2008 21:32

From: MikeCC4 on 4 Apr 2008 21:39

On Apr 4, 9:38 pm, Paul <nos...(a)needed.com> wrote:
> Mike...(a)yahoo.com wrote:
> > I have a gateway MX3563 laptop with windows XP home. I tried to use a
> > mcirophone for Yahoo messenger kind software. The microphone works
> > perfectly on my other laptops. However, it does not work on this one;
> > i.e. no sound or no voice can be heard by the person on the other
> > side. The microphone must not be broken because it works with other
> > laptops.
>
> > I checked the device manager and did not find any problem. In fact, I
> > just used system restore CDs to completely reinstalled the laptop to
> > original manufacturer's condition. But I still cannot use any
> > microphones (I have two microphones both work on all other desktops
> > and laptops with Windows XP Home or Vista) with this Gateway laptop.
> > For the same reason, I cannot use any microphone to record anything on
> > this laptop. It is already out of warranty.
>
> > Can anyone help? thanks!
>
> > P.S. This problem happened quite long time ago. (it happened way
> > before I damaged my keyboard (as in my other post.))
>
> Plug a Walkman or a tape recorder into the microphone
> jack. Does the microphone jack produce a signal when that
> is present ? Anything with a line level output could be
> used to test the jack.
>
> Have you checked the mixer settings ?
>
> Have you tried simple recording applications, to see if they
> can see a signal ?
>
> Paul

I checked all setting, nothing is muted. everything put at max volume.
I tried to record anything to this laptop using two different
microphones but nothing is recorded.

probably the microphone jack is broken at this laptop. I still don't
understand your method to test the jack. thanks

From: Paul on 4 Apr 2008 22:23

MikeCC4(a)yahoo.com wrote:

>
>
> I checked all setting, nothing is muted. everything put at max volume.
> I tried to record anything to this laptop using two different
> microphones but nothing is recorded.
>
> probably the microphone jack is broken at this laptop. I still don't
> understand your method to test the jack. thanks

A Walkman, a transistor radio, a tape recorder, have a headphone output
jack. The signal on there, is a bit stronger than a microphone signal.
You can connect a Walkman to your computer, with a cable with male
connector on each end. The strong signal will serve as a means of
determining whether the jack works or not.

The reason a microphone may fail to work, is the MIC_PWR on the ring
contact, may not be the correct voltage. The sound chip may be used
to create a bias source, for electret microphones. Sometimes that isn't
strong enough, to make an electret microphone work. By using an audio
device, with a line level output, as a testing source, that is one way
to work around a possible microphone powering issue.

There are a number of different kinds of microphones.

1) Dynamic mic - that works like an ordinary speaker, but in reverse.
There is a magnet and a coil of wire. The moving wire generates a
tiny signal. Computer microphone inputs don't generally have
enough gain to work with them. No microphone bias or power is
needed.

2) Piezoelectric or ceramic microphone - is a material that generates
an electric signal, in response to sound pressure. Some of those
generate enough signal for the computer. No microphone bias or power
is needed.

3) An electret microphone, has a simple amplifier in it. It needs a
small amount of current to work. Some computers have a 5V bias source
and a 2000 ohm series resistor, as a power source. Other computers use
a lower voltage. Electret microphones vary, as to how much voltage
they need from their power source.

Some mixer control panels, have a hidden "boost" check box, which increases
the gain of the microphone circuit. Sometimes that needs to be clicked,
to make the microphone work properly.

This is the kind of cable you'd use, to connect a Walkman or transistor
radio, to the computer microphone jack. I got a cable like this, with
my TV tuner card.

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2102970

HTH,
Paul

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