Problem with the microphone

little up.

Hello everybody,

I just wanted to tell you that I'm now sure my new new new microphone works perfectly (I checked with another computer on XP)

I don't think that's a problem of sound level as people hear me perfectly when i speak on my hearphone (pluged in the mic plug); but I still have to shout in order to the people I'm talking with just notice a little not understandable sound.

I don't know if that's a specificity of vista or something I have to change in the registry...
As I said, the solution : http://www.dellcommunity.com/supportforums/board/message?board.id=insp_audio&message.id=29912 doesn't seem to work on Vista.

I'm becoming mad, please help ;-)

Sorry for my bad english

Thanks

Ryfe

Ryfe,

Sorry I can't help ... I don't know why you can't get any volume with your microphone. I just wanted to tell you that the Registry edit you tried is for monitoring the input ( hearing the mic through the speakers) and has nothing to do with the volume of the mic. If you want to attempt the edit again anyway, this might work in Vista but it won't solve your problem:

(This edit was provided to the forum by ethan_hines.)

1. Go to the Start menu and click on Run.
2. Type 'regedit' without quotes and click OK to open the Registry.
3. Click on File/export and save a copy of the Registry to your desktop.
4. Using the + signs in the left pane, navigate through the registry to get to this location:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\Class\{4D36E96C-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}\0000\Settings\
filter\SpeakerHp

5. Click on the key SpeakerHP to select it.
6. In the right pane, right click and select New > String Value.
7. Type 'EnableInputMonitor' without quotes and then press Enter.
8. Right click on the new name and select 'Modify'.
9. In the 'Value data' box type 01, then click OK.
10. Exit the Registry and restart the computer.


Another thing you might want to try if you haven't yet is to run the mic test in Dell Diagnostics audio test. This test will run independently of Vista. To run Diagnostics restart the computer and as soon as it starts to boot up hold down f12. Select 'Diagnostic' from the boot menu. It will run some tests for a couple of minutes before the Diagnostic comes up. When it does select 'custom', then the audio test. This will test your audio system independently of Windows and drivers.

Jim

Hello jimco,

I first want to thank you. That's important, when you're lost, to get some support. :D

I did the the mic test in Dell Diagnostics audio test as you suggested; and guess what? That works!!! The microphone works!

So... Vista is guilty. Ok
But, how on earth Vista knows when I'm using a real microphone to cut it off and doesn't know when I'm using earphones in the mic plug and let the sound of my voice goes correctly ?!?!
No matter the microphone I'm using, that does'nt work.
No matter the earphones I use (in the mic plug), that works!!!

I give up. Personnaly, I think that's sorcery.

Thanks a lot.

If you have an idea, a solution (or if you know how to do miracle ;-), please, tell me.

I should have said that the Dell Diagnostics tests the audio system independently of Vista AND the audio driver, so the driver might be the guilty party, particularly the Vista driver because I think there are still some bugs between Vista & the audio driver.

Jim

I am having the same problem with Vista Ultimate and a simple Logitech Internet Chat headset. It just doesn't pick up a plugged in mic. If anyone comes up with a fix, please post it here. Thanks!

Hello Raymond,

Did your microphone work before ?
Mine did and I start to realize something : The problem probably appeared with a Microsoft Windows update. What about you?

Thanks a lot.

Mine never worked. The computer is about a week old. Latitude D620.

Just including another link to the same problem: http://www.dellcommunity.com/supportforums/board/message?board.id=insp_audio&thread.id=33569

Message Edited by Raymond R on 03-28-2007 10:48 PM

Hello jimco, I stumbled across your response on the microphone problems with inspiron 6400. I have just upgraded to windows vista home premium from media centre. However, my microphone is not working. I had the mic problem initially when i bought my 6400, and i fixed it by editing the registry and turning the enalbeinputmonitor feature on. Now i have followed your advice on restoring the vista-microphone problem, but it still has not worked. I put in a new "enableinputmonitor" string, but once i restarted the computer, the entire audio goes off, and it says no audio device installed. The audio comes back on when i remove the enableinputmonitor string and return to the default values. I think there's something i am not doing right. The speakers are working perfectly fine, its only the mic that is out... I need help on this.. thanks

nirex,

Sorry but you're the 2nd person who has had this happen. Unfortunately I don't have Vista so I can't experiment. Until someone posts another Vista solution I'm at a dead end.

Jim

Jim, Thats sad. Tx anyway. I do hope someone can come up with a solution. Its really wierd, how vista upgrade can have so much issues. Do keep this in mind, as soon as you can experiment...:) nirex P.S: i need to add that the audio software shows that the mic is working. It registers its signals......the speakers just dont output it.

Message Edited by nirex on 04-13-2007 03:52 AM

This Sigmatel hack at notebookforums.com is reported to let you monitor the input jack but with some latency. The purpose of the hack is to unlock many useful controls that are hidden in the Dell driver.

eddiep's inf file for E1505
Look at eddiep's post #235 for the link to the replacement 92XXM2-5.ini file. You will need to register to get it.

I have combined several people's instructions for how to complete the hack:

falerus/eddiep/steveqqq's instructions for E1505:

1. Uninstall your Sigmatel drivers through Add/Remove programs.
2. Download the newest Sigmatel drivers from Dell.
(But Vista users need to install the older Dell R122161 Sigmatel driver for XP, not their Vista driver. XP users also should use the older driver if the new one doesn't have a 92XXM2-5.ini file).
3. Run the file. It will unpack the files to the location you specify, then it will proceed to install the driver. Cancel the driver install.
4. Go over to the folder where it was all unpacked and browse to the "WDM" folder. For example "C:\Dell\drivers\R122161\WDM".
5. Copy the replacement 92XXM2-5.ini into that WDM folder, overwriting the existing one.
6. Go back up one folder to "R122161". For example "C:\Dell\drivers\R122161"
7. Run setup.exe. (You might want to turn off your antivirus program first.) The new install puts a full featured SigmaTel audio control panel in the Windows Control Panel.
8. To enable Stereo Mix, go to Control Panel/Sounds, open the record tab, right click to display disabled devices then right click the Stereo Mix entry and enable it.

Jim

Just as a belated afterthought, if you get the XP driver installed and working you might experiment again with 'EnableInputMonitor'. Ethan_hines got it to work somehow and it's a better solution because it doesn't have latency.

Jim

I just dit that and that worked :

I looked for the sound card in the system pannel
I looked for the driver
I chose the previous version of the driver
That's ok!

Strange bug

Thanks every one

Ryfe