Webcam Mic Not Working Properly

Are you sure there's a mic built in? Have you tried an external mic?

Don't have an external mic to try. And yes there is a built in mic. It records, just very poorly. Maybe at like 5% with lots of noise, if speaker volume is up high.

The fact that your voice is barely audible indicates that some sound is being recorded and it's not a software problem. It sounds like an electrical problem (high resistance connection) in the microphone circuit or a faulty microphone.

How does it work on video recorded elsewhere? (Try playing a Youtube video).

Yes it plays prerecorded sound fine. Speakers are fine. You tube vids play fine. It just isn't recording sound well from the built in mic. Very faint with lots of electronic noise.

The electronic noise is loud, as in a very high gain setting.

There is a voice recognition set-up where you speak a phrase it gives you in order to calibrate it. It has a meter that shows your recording volume. When I speak, it only moves a tiny bit... like 5%, and then it gives a message that it can't hear me. But yet I run an audio software test, and it says everything is working fine.

You could try this....

..."I went via Control Panel > Hardware and Sound > Manage Audio Devices to get to the Sound panel.

I then selected Playback > Speakers > Enhancements and made sure everything was un-checked.

I then selected Playback > Speakers > Advanced and un-checked 'Allow applications to take exclusive control of this device'

I went to Recording > Microphone > Listen and ensured 'Listen to this device' was unchecked.

I went to Levels and ensured the Microphone level was at 100% and the Boost was at +10 db.

I went into Enhancements and ensured everything was un-checked.

I then into Advanced and un-checked 'Allow applications to take exclusive control of this device'

And finally I went into the Communications tab of the Sound panel, and changed 'When windows detects communications activity' to 'Do nothing'"..

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_7-pictures/microphone-volume-too-low/3241e6cd-5e01-4a47-a31c-f514b0eefe29?auth=1

Thank you for that Solar... but I found that very same post, and already tried those steps. I did several hours of research before finally trying the question here in CR4.

I may have to try purchasing an external mic and see if that helps. Didn't really want extra wires and an extra mic sitting on my desk, but if no other solution is found soon...

What sucks is having just paid $1400 for this PC and having to work out problems.

Have you found exactly where the mic is? New computers often come with protective films covering certain areas. Maybe this is covering the mic port?

That's a good point Mikerho. I thought of that, but had to leave for work before checking it out. It is not anywhere obvious. Perhaps one of you here happens to know where it is on a Dell all-in-one?

There seems to be a difference of opinion on whether it has one or not....this could be it....the small hole on the edge of the monitor...

http://en.community.dell.com/support-forums/desktop/f/3513/t/19505230

Time to call Dell... sounds like you have faulty hardware.

N o o o o o o o o o o o o o o !!!! Not the purgatory of customer help!

I'd rather deal with this guy.

If it's new, take it back to the retailer so they can fix it or replace it.

I believe that your mic is faulty. You should take the laptop back.....

Or you could install Skype for free and use their online test (echo/sound) for setting up the video, your loudspeakers and the mic.

It even plays back YOUR voice, if the mic works.

If the mic appears to be defective, try buying a cheap USB video camera with mic off ebay, or borrow one. Use that for Skype testing.

They are useful to have around anyway I find. Probably less than $10 new on ebay.....or buy a better quality one with HD camera....even more useful! Plus a long USB cable.....

Sometimes disabling and then re-enabling the mic fixes it.

Mine hangs every now and then. especially if i connect to an external mic/camera and then later disconnect.