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Microphone port fails
B130 running xp, microphone port fails. Ran through Sound Problems in Microsoft Windows http://www.dell.com/support/troubleshooting/us/en/19/KCS/KcsArticles/ArticleView?docid=266424&~srd=true&sk=sound&scat=sup to no avail.
Shouldn't be this hard.
Jim Coates
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January 17th, 2014 20:00
When you say the microphone port fails, you mean that you cannot make a recording in Windows Sound Recorder when using a known good mic, or is there some other problem?
Re-install the Sigmatel audio driver.
When you plug in the mic do you see a popup dialog asking if you plugged in a mic or line-in? If not, go to Start/Control Panel/Sigmatel and see if there is an option to allow popups and check it (I can't remember if XP has this). Afterwards select mic as the jack configuration and see if that helps. Also make sure you have 'mic boost' on.
Open Audio Properties (right click on the volume icon on the taskbar, or go through the Control Panel, Sound & Audio Devices). Select the Audio tab. Click on 'Volume' under 'Sound recording' and select 'Advanced Controls' under the 'Options' menu. Click on 'Advanced' under the microphone control to get to the mic boost box, then check the mic boost box.
Put a check mark under microphone and run up the volume slider.
Now open Windows Sound Recorder and and do a test. If the green line moves when speaking into the mic then it works.
HelpAsNeeded
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January 18th, 2014 11:00
Yes that is exactly what I mean – but let me provide more specifics. I am using the Sony headset that I normally use for voice calls on my iPhone so I know it is a good mike, but don't know whether the fact that this mike is part of a headset combination is part of the problem.
When I reinstalled the Sigma tell audio driver, I now find that a pop-up dialog box does in fact appear when I plug the mic into The Mike port.
Jim Coates
4 Operator
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13.6K Posts
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January 18th, 2014 12:00
This is a headset that combines the headphones and the mic into a single plug with 4 segments, like this?
That won't work with a normal laptop mic jack. Dell has started using smart phone headset jacks on some of the newer models but the older laptops have regular audio jacks.
The headset port of the phone?
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The reason for no popup on the D600 is that model had a mic jack that did nothing else except accept a mic plug. By the time of the B130 there was a new generation of dual purpose audio ports that could be configured to be either a mic jack or a stereo line-in jack. The popup was necessary for the software to know how to configure the port.
HelpAsNeeded
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January 20th, 2014 18:00
Yes Jim, that's exactly the headset headphone Mike combination that I was referring to. So much for me assuming that there would be standardization and compatibility in the with respect to microphones and headphones.
you are obviously extremely knowledgeable about this subject area, and I appreciate your assistance very much.
Cheers.