Help with Line In Setting

First, thanks for running a great help site, I have lurked for some time and learned a lot.

I am having a problem and could use some help. I have attached an audio device to my computer via a jack the runs from the out (headphones) on the audio device to the MIC jack on the side of my laptop. I cannot hear the audio coming in. The computer records the audio just fine and I have great quality when I play back the recording, I just can't seem to hear it while (on headphones ot the laptop speakers).

Is there a "Line In" box somewhere I need to check? I have looked through all the options on Volume Control. I am sure it is a simple setting but I have driven myself nuts trying to find it.

Thanks in advance for your help and thanks for running a great help site.

 

There should be a line-in in your volume control applet. If you don't see one there, open the volume control and click options>properties and then find line-in in the list. Put a check mark in the box next to it and click ok. Once you've done this it should show up in the volume control.

 

I don't see a line in function and I've been looking there. Options>Properties brings up a menu that offers to let me adjust volume for playback or recording. Under playback, the microphone is not an option. Under playback, the microphone is an option and it is checked.

 

Well, I guess I misread your first post. I was thinking you were plugged into the line in. Sorry about that. The line in control won't have any effect on the mic jack.

This sentence contradicts itself. How is it supposed to read?

Does the soundcard have a line in jack? What kind of soundcard or is it. If onboard, what kind of chip does it use?

 

Sorry it should read, there are two options to check "playback and "recording ". Under "playback" there is not an option to select the microphone. under "recording" there is an option to check the microphone, but it is already checked.

I have a Dell Inspiron 9300 laptop with an onboard sound card. The device manager says it is a Sigma Tel-C Major.

 

Oh, a laptop. In that case, things are a bit different. I just happen to have my daughters Dell laptop here right now. Only problem is, it's not working right now so I can't take a look at things in windows to see if the control is there. I see on the side it only has a jack for the head phones and mic. No line in or speaker jacks. I take it this is what you have also? If this is the case, most likely you don't have a way to provide playback from the mic jack as there's really no need for it with the lack of a speaker jack. You may just have to put up with it the way it is. If this is the case it seems to me to be a bit of an oversight on their part especially on a computer that's dubbed a media center addition.

My guess is that their thinking is that there's no speaker jack. Without speakers there's not much need for a playback control for the mic. But you've come up with a situation where it could be used. Also, couldn't you plug speakers into the head phone jack? Anyway, I don't really know what to tell you. You might check Dells website and see if there's an updated driver available for it. Other than that, you might be out of luck.

I could be wrong and maybe the control is supposed to be there but my best guess is that it's not intended to be. Perhaps somebody else who has a Dell laptop will see this and chime in here. Anybody????

 

total shot in the dark here ... just my .02 really ...

double click u'r volume control in system area, then do options/properties and choose 'recording' ... see what's muted ... many recording funtions are muted to prevent feedback. anyway ... it would be my guess that u'r muted here and that's why u can't hear but can record.

 

Skeet,

Nothing is muted.

As for the other info, I am indeed using the mic jack as the in from the audio device. I can't imagine that would let you see the recorded data on a scale...(green-yellow-red for intensity), but you could not listen to is to make sure you have the right thing. My only workaround at this point is to purchase a spliter and run one line to the Mic jack and plug my headphones in the other.

 

2 things....first, if you are using a head phone out from an audio device, you should use the Line In instead of the Mic In. The signal from the audio device is to hot for the Mic In. There is a built in pad on the Line In to adjust the signal to a uasable level.

Second, it may have to do with whether the sound card is full duplex or not. It's quite possible the card is not capable of full duplex and therefore can not monitor the signal while recording.

Good luck.