Hardware Reference
In-Depth Information
Microphones
Most computer systems have at least one built-in microphone input. A pink socket is for
unpowered sound input such as a microphone, whereas a light blue line-in socket is used
when the sound is expected to come from a powered source such as an MP3 player. Digital
microphones plug into a USB port instead of a mic port.
Many laptops come with built-in microphones. For desktop systems, you can purchase
standalone desktop microphones or combination headset microphones. If the PC supports
Bluetooth devices, you can also use a Bluetooth headset as a microphone. Stereo headphones
are also available that come with built-in microphones. These are popular among online
gamers who use team-talk style technologies to communicate and interact during game play.
Here are the key factors involved in shopping for a microphone:
Frequency Response This should be at least 100 to 8,000 Hz for the microphone.
Stereo vs. Mono If you're choosing a headset/microphone combo, make sure the
headphones are stereo.
Unidirectional Make sure you get a microphone that is unidirectional , not omnidirectional.
An omnidirectional microphone picks up sound in all directions, so in addition to capturing
your voice, it also captures background sounds. That's usually undesirable.
Headset vs. Desktop A desktop microphone has its own stand that holds it upright on
your desk. It's hard to get your mouth close enough to it and keep it in the right position to
ensure consistent recording level. Go for a headset microphone if possible.
Analog vs. Digital An analog microphone plugs into the mic port on the sound card.
The headset kind has two plugs: one for the mic jack and one for the headphones jack on
the computer. A digital microphone plugs into a USB port. Digital microphones tend to have
better frequency response. However, you have to have a free USB port in order to use one.
A microphone is technologically pretty simple. Just plug it into the computer, and
it starts working. Any confi guration you may need to do would be in the sound card's
properties, not on the microphone itself.
EXERCISE 3.5
Configure Microphone Options in Windows
1.
Right-click the speaker icon in the notifi cation area (by the clock), and click Recording
Devices. The Sound dialog box opens with the Recording tab displayed.
2. Click Microphone Array.
3.
Click Properties. The Microphone Array Properties dialog box opens.
4.
Click through each of the tabs in the dialog box to see what options are available for
your microphone.
5.
Click Cancel twice to close the open dialog boxes.
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