Can't record -- microphone not recognized

[williamgwilliams]

I'm trying to record (in Audacity) with my Plantronics USB headset microphone. When I go to Edit > Preferences, I can select the headset for both Record and Playback. But in the Mixer Toolbar (which has sliders for recording and output volume), the box where you can select input source is empty. And when I try to record something, then play it back, there's nothing.

What might I need to do to get the headset microphone recognized? Thanks.

[williamgwilliams]

Neglected to say this is Vista. I read the doc that said on Vista the Mixer Toolbar input source box will be grayed out and to set the Playback and Recording devices in Edit > Preferences > Audio I/O tab. But I've done that, to no avail. Incidentally, when I've got the Record setting right, the progress line as I record will jump up and down according to the input signal, right? It's just flat now.

I suppose it's possible that my headset microphone isn't working. How might I test that? (In the Headset Microphone Properties window, it says "This device is working properly.")

[stearman65]

Does your computer recognise the mike? (Bing Bong) when you plug in? Try unplugging the mike & plugging into another USB socket. Are you plugging directly into your PC or a USB hub? If you are plug the mike direct into the PC. I have a zoom H2 mike & sometime have problems with the PC recognising it.
Stearman65
BTW I use XP Proff, Sp3.

[steve]

Have you checked that your headset is listed and enabled in the Windows Control Panel?
http://audacityteam.org/wiki/index.php? ... ng_devices

[williamgwilliams]

Sorry to be such a Luddite on this. I gave up on my Plantronics headset, and bought a Dynex microphone and plugged it into the microphone socket in the back of the PC. I then switched the settings in Control Panel > Manage audio Devices > Sound to Speakers (for Playback) and Microphone (for Recording). Both say they are "Working." I then selected these in Audacity's Edit > Preferences > Audio I/O.

However, when I record, I still get nothing, just a little hum as the progress bar moves.

There's probably something fundamental that I'm not doing. People *have* used Audacity with Vista, right? Any ideas?

[steve]

There's probably something fundamental that I'm not doing. People *have* used Audacity with Vista, right? Any ideas?

Yes, probably over a million people use Audacity with Vista though I don't have exact statistics. However there are a few issues that are specific to Vista - read the full article that I posted the link to in my previous reply.

[williamgwilliams]

I took the advice given to another person with a similar problem on Vista, and installed the 1.3 Beta.

I still am not getting a signal, but there's a nice help file called "Audio Device Info" that seems to log my problem (I'm making bold the pieces of interest):

[Note at the bottom it says "Unable to open Portmixer." Is that significant?]

==============================
Default capture device number: 1
Default playback device number: 4
==============================
Device ID: 0
Device name: MME: Microsoft Sound Mapper - Input
Input channels: 2
Output channels: 0
Low Input Latency: 0.200000
Low Output Latency: 0.200000
High Input Latency: 0.400000
High Output Latency: 0.400000
Supported Rates:
==============================
Device ID: 1
Device name: MME: Microphone (High Definition Aud
Input channels: 2
Output channels: 0
Low Input Latency: 0.200000
Low Output Latency: 0.200000
High Input Latency: 0.400000
High Output Latency: 0.400000
Supported Rates:
==============================
Device ID: 2
Device name: MME: Line In (High Definition Audio
Input channels: 2
Output channels: 0
Low Input Latency: 0.200000
Low Output Latency: 0.200000
High Input Latency: 0.400000
High Output Latency: 0.400000
Supported Rates:
==============================
Device ID: 3
Device name: MME: Microsoft Sound Mapper - Output
Input channels: 0
Output channels: 2
Low Input Latency: 0.200000
Low Output Latency: 0.200000
High Input Latency: 0.400000
High Output Latency: 0.400000
Supported Rates:
8000
9600
11025
12000
15000
16000
22050
24000
32000
44100
48000
88200
96000
192000
==============================
Device ID: 4
Device name: MME: Speakers (High Definition Audio
Input channels: 0
Output channels: 2
Low Input Latency: 0.200000
Low Output Latency: 0.200000
High Input Latency: 0.400000
High Output Latency: 0.400000
Supported Rates:
8000
9600
11025
12000
15000
16000
22050
24000
32000
44100
48000
88200
96000
192000
==============================
Device ID: 5
Device name: MME: Digital Output Device (SPDIF) (
Input channels: 0
Output channels: 2
Low Input Latency: 0.200000
Low Output Latency: 0.200000
High Input Latency: 0.400000
High Output Latency: 0.400000
Supported Rates:
8000
9600
11025
12000
15000
16000
22050
24000
32000
44100
48000
88200
96000
192000
==============================
Device ID: 6
Device name: Windows DirectSound: Primary Sound Capture Driver
Input channels: 2
Output channels: 0
Low Input Latency: 0.000000
Low Output Latency: 0.000000
High Input Latency: 0.000000
High Output Latency: 0.000000
Supported Rates:
==============================
Device ID: 7
Device name: Windows DirectSound: Microphone (High Definition Audio Device)
Input channels: 2
Output channels: 0
Low Input Latency: 0.000000
Low Output Latency: 0.000000
High Input Latency: 0.000000
High Output Latency: 0.000000
Supported Rates:
==============================
Device ID: 8
Device name: Windows DirectSound: Line In (High Definition Audio Device)
Input channels: 2
Output channels: 0
Low Input Latency: 0.000000
Low Output Latency: 0.000000
High Input Latency: 0.000000
High Output Latency: 0.000000
Supported Rates:
==============================
Device ID: 9
Device name: Windows DirectSound: Primary Sound Driver
Input channels: 0
Output channels: 2
Low Input Latency: 0.000000
Low Output Latency: 0.000000
High Input Latency: 0.000000
High Output Latency: 0.000000
Supported Rates:
8000
9600
11025
12000
15000
16000
22050
24000
32000
44100
48000
88200
96000
192000
==============================
Device ID: 10
Device name: Windows DirectSound: Speakers (High Definition Audio Device)
Input channels: 0
Output channels: 2
Low Input Latency: 0.000000
Low Output Latency: 0.000000
High Input Latency: 0.000000
High Output Latency: 0.000000
Supported Rates:
8000
9600
11025
12000
15000
16000
22050
24000
32000
44100
48000
88200
96000
192000
==============================
Device ID: 11
Device name: Windows DirectSound: Digital Output Device (SPDIF) (High Definition Audio Device)
Input channels: 0
Output channels: 2
Low Input Latency: 0.000000
Low Output Latency: 0.000000
High Input Latency: 0.000000
High Output Latency: 0.000000
Supported Rates:
8000
9600
11025
12000
15000
16000
22050
24000
32000
44100
48000
88200
96000
192000
==============================
Selected capture device: 1 - MME: Microphone (High Definition Aud
Selected playback device: 4 - MME: Speakers (High Definition Audio
Supported Rates:
8000
9600
11025
12000
15000
16000
22050
24000
32000
44100
48000
88200
96000
192000
Unable to open Portmixer

[steve]

It seems strange that the input channel does not list any supported sample rates. On both Linux and Win XP I am used to seeing supported sample rates listed for both Playback and Recording devices.

[Note at the bottom it says "Unable to open Portmixer." Is that significant?]

No that shouldn't be a problem.

You still have not said if your headset is listed and enabled in the Windows Control Panel.

[williamgwilliams]

It's working now. I checked the Levels tab for Microphone Properties (off Sound > Recording) and the little speaker icon had a red "disabled" indicator. I clicked the icon, the indicator went away, and presto, all's well.