[Technical help] Microphones and Sound

[AllieYess]

Hello, ladies (and possible gentlemen)!

I have seen very elaborate and helpful threads on camera/lighting settings, but all posts about sound/microphones are somewhat lacking in information. I mean, sometimes it doesn't really help much to just be told "I use X mic and it's wonderful!!". I find myself searching for the mentioned microphones and getting little to no further information on them (as well as where to buy them).

Tonight it was my second attempt at camming (on MFC), but it fell through just like the first night because of sound. I'll try to describe my problem as much as possible so that you girls can try to help.

- First night: Since I use a good laptop (Sony Vaio) and I'm able to Skype and video chat just fine with both its built-in cam and mic, I went on cam expecting no issues at all. But nobody could hear anything, be it my voice or my music (although the music volume was low because of other people in the house). But I spoke naturally and they still couldn't hear me. I was broadcasting from MFC's Web Broadcaster. I tried changing settings and everything, both on MFC and on my laptop, and still nothing. Gave up.

- Second night (tonight): Tried this (http://i.imgur.com/dvxinYs.jpg) now. Tested it on Windows' sound settings, worked just fine. On MFC it didn't. Gave up again.

Since nothing worked, I went ahead and bought this mic (http://i.imgur.com/kPO832z.jpg). It's a GE mic, apparently omnidirectional (means it captures sound from all directions), but I still wasn't able to find any reviews on it so I'm skeptical. It will only arrive later next week so until then it's probably no broadcasting for me.

So in the meantime, I have some questions and requests for you fellow models:

1) How should we set this (http://i.imgur.com/M7vi0oM.png)? Does this really influence on your mic sound?
2) What mic do you use? Can you provide pictures (maybe from stores that sell it)?
3) Where on Windows do you tweak your mic settings? Or do you use a software for it? If so, which?
4) Could you take a picture of where you leave your mic and tell me how far you can go from it and still be heard?

I hope this can become one of those really helpful threads that every new model must read, and I also hope it helps other models who might be having the same issues. Sorry about the length of this! And thanks in advance to anyone who can help ♥

 

[JoleneBrody]

Hello, ladies (and possible gentlemen)!

I have seen very elaborate and helpful threads on camera/lighting settings, but all posts about sound/microphones are somewhat lacking in information. I mean, sometimes it doesn't really help much to just be told "I use X mic and it's wonderful!!". I find myself searching for the mentioned microphones and getting little to no further information on them (as well as where to buy them).

Tonight it was my second attempt at camming (on MFC), but it fell through just like the first night because of sound. I'll try to describe my problem as much as possible so that you girls can try to help.

- First night: Since I use a good laptop (Sony Vaio) and I'm able to Skype and video chat just fine with both its built-in cam and mic, I went on cam expecting no issues at all. But nobody could hear anything, be it my voice or my music (although the music volume was low because of other people in the house). But I spoke naturally and they still couldn't hear me. I was broadcasting from MFC's Web Broadcaster. I tried changing settings and everything, both on MFC and on my laptop, and still nothing. Gave up.

- Second night (tonight): Tried this (http://i.imgur.com/dvxinYs.jpg) now. Tested it on Windows' sound settings, worked just fine. On MFC it didn't. Gave up again.

Since nothing worked, I went ahead and bought this mic (http://i.imgur.com/kPO832z.jpg). It's a GE mic, apparently omnidirectional (means it captures sound from all directions), but I still wasn't able to find any reviews on it so I'm skeptical. It will only arrive later next week so until then it's probably no broadcasting for me.

So in the meantime, I have some questions and requests for you fellow models:

1) How should we set this (http://i.imgur.com/M7vi0oM.png)? Does this really influence on your mic sound?
2) What mic do you use? Can you provide pictures (maybe from stores that sell it)?
3) Where on Windows do you tweak your mic settings? Or do you use a software for it? If so, which?
4) Could you take a picture of where you leave your mic and tell me how far you can go from it and still be heard?

I hope this can become one of those really helpful threads that every new model must read, and I also hope it helps other models who might be having the same issues. Sorry about the length of this! And thanks in advance to anyone who can help ♥

Are you currently running your cam through any secondary programs, like ManyCam?

EDIT. I just saw in another thread that you do use a secondary software, and there is a common glitch in the communcation between MFC and programs like ManyCam that either remove your mic from the settings in your program or just don't communicate properly.
I used to get this bug a lot with Manycam and I noticed earlier today quite a few models on MFC were having the same problem. Go into your sound settings on your webcam software (youcam?) and make sure it's showing your mic.
I use manycam and it looks like this.

See where it lists my logitech 9000? When I had the glitch the mic was getting removed and showing no sound source.

 

[AllieYess]

Are you currently running your cam through any secondary programs, like ManyCam?

EDIT. I just saw in another thread that you do use a secondary software, and there is a common glitch in the communcation between MFC and programs like ManyCam that either remove your mic from the settings in your program or just don't communicate properly.
I used to get this bug a lot with Manycam and I noticed earlier today quite a few models on MFC were having the same problem. Go into your sound settings on your webcam software (youcam?) and make sure it's showing your mic.
I use manycam and it looks like this.

See where it lists my logitech 9000? When I had the glitch the mic was getting removed and showing no sound source.

Thank you, Jolene! I did play around with the settings on Youcam when I first started, but it didn't work. So now that you brought up this glitch, I just uninstalled it altogether. I'm a little afraid of trying again though because every time spent on a test broadcast deducts from my cam score, but I have no idea how to test it otherwise. Maybe I'll just wait until my new mic arrives...

 

[bbwlina]

I had the same problem! I have a very good, brand new laptop, and my mic works on everything except for MFC.

I looked on bestbuy, and I noticed most of their mics are kind of pricey, so I bought a webcam ($40), that comes with a built in mic and I use that.

I use my laptop camera and the webcams built in mic and people hear me perfectly now. It's a cheap temporary fix until you find the real problem!

 

[AllieYess]

I had the same problem! I have a very good, brand new laptop, and my mic works on everything except for MFC.

I looked on bestbuy, and I noticed most of their mics are kind of pricey, so I bought a webcam ($40), that comes with a built in mic and I use that.

I use my laptop camera and the webcams built in mic and people hear me perfectly now. It's a cheap temporary fix until you find the real problem!

Oh! Then maybe I shouldn't have bought a new mic, because I had already purchased a new cam that will arrive soon. At least the mic was cheap XD

Thanks a lot for the input! ♥