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Webcam and external microphone problems

by Chris Cole
7 replies
Hi guys,

I am looking to get recommendations for using a webcam combined with an external microphone. Or a fix for my current problem.

What I have currently is a Blue Yeti microphone and a Microsoft Lifecam.

The problem is the Microsoft lifecam doesn't give you the option to select the external microphone for recording. Whenever I am trying to record something with the webcam it will only record with the built in mic, which compared to the yeti is a toy.

I have also tried to record both seperately but this leads to a lot of work and other problems link it drifting out of sync. All this just to make a short video via the webcam. I just want to set the webcam and microphone up to work together and record, have the audio and video withinin one recording and in sync.

Any ideas on correcting this without having to spend hours editing just to get it right?

Or is anybody using a different webcam/microphone setup, If so what are you using?
#external #microphone #problems #webcam
  • Profile picture of the author dougyt
    It depends on what software you are using, most of the software I have tried will allow you to select a sound input source separately from the video input source. Have you checked the settings in the software for the microphone input it uses?
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  • Profile picture of the author Shaun OReilly
    I've got a Lifecam Cinema HD webcam too and use it
    with an external microphone (Audio-Technica AT 3035
    studio condensing microphone).

    However, you need to NOT have the latest firmware
    for the webcam installed.

    You need firmware version 3.2.1 and not above.

    Here's what I do...

    1. Have your secondary microphone plugged in

    2. Go into Control Panel and the Hardware and Sound section.

    3. Set the secondary microphone as your default device

    4. Then disable secondary microphone

    5. Open up Microsoft Lifecam

    6. Right click on your secondary microphone and then enable it
    When I upgraded the firmware to the latest version, the
    'hack' above didn't work so I had to downgrade the
    firmware to the lower version again.

    The audio on the video still needs a bit of post-production
    because it only records on the left channel. I just pop the
    file into Sony Vegas and then combine both audio channels
    into one.

    Dedicated to mutual success,

    Shaun
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  • Profile picture of the author Chris Cole
    Shaun thanks for your help.

    I have the lifecam studio hd webcam. I do not see the options you refer to within the lifecam software. Lifecam only allows me to use the default microphone, I have searched its settings and can't find any way to record using the lifecam software.
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    • Profile picture of the author Shaun OReilly
      Originally Posted by Chris Cole View Post

      Shaun thanks for your help.

      I have the lifecam studio hd webcam. I do not see the options you refer to within the lifecam software. Lifecam only allows me to use the default microphone, I have searched its settings and can't find any way to record using the lifecam software.
      The options I refer to are mainly within the Control Panel
      for your computer - not the Lifecam software.

      I'm using Windows Vista so I go to the Control Panel and
      then Hardware and Sound > Manage Audio Devices.

      Then I choose the Recording tab and go through the steps
      I outlined in my original reply.

      Dedicated to mutual success,

      Shaun
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    • Profile picture of the author ronc0011
      in Widows you need to select the microphone in windows sound from control panel. That's where you set the default input device or microphone and also playback and speakers.
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      • Profile picture of the author Chris Cole
        Originally Posted by ronc0011 View Post

        in Widows you need to select the microphone in windows sound from control panel. That's where you set the default input device or microphone and also playback and speakers.
        I have set up my default recording device as the Blue Yeti. I have also disabled the Microphone and lost it from my options to re enable it again. It took quite a bit of digging to get it working again. I am still no further forward.

        I have also been reading online that this seems to be a major issue with this webcam. So it may be heading for ebay very soon!

        Any ideas or other webcam recommendations?
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        • Profile picture of the author Shaun OReilly
          Originally Posted by Chris Cole View Post

          I have set up my default recording device as the Blue Yeti. I have also disabled the Microphone and lost it from my options to re enable it again. It took quite a bit of digging to get it working again. I am still no further forward.

          I have also been reading online that this seems to be a major issue with this webcam. So it may be heading for ebay very soon!

          Any ideas or other webcam recommendations?
          It's most likely the version of the firmware you have
          installed for the Microsoft LifeCam Cinema HD.

          The latest firmware from the Microsoft website does NOT
          allow the workaround I mentioned to work.

          I updated my firmware a while back and could no longer
          get the 'hack' to work. So, I had to roll back to an earlier
          version of the firmware (3.2.1) and then I could my studio
          microphone to work with the LifeCam.

          Dedicated to mutual success,

          Shaun
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