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Please help - need advice on a wireless microphone

M

msarro

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Apr 25, 2013
14
0
Hi everyone. First, I want to apologize - I am cross posting, I put a similar post up earlier today here. For the past 5 days I have been trying to find out what bluetooth headsets are compatible with Mountain Lion, no one seems to know. I need to get a mic for a language class coming up starting monday, and I *need* to get this answered. I went to the apple store, and they spent 20 minutes telling me how bluetooth is a standard and all bluetooth devices should work on macs. I then showed them the apple discussion site and the issues that show up when you search for bluetooth, and showed them that my BH200 wouldn't pair with a mac. They said they couldn't guarantee anything at that point.

Is anyone out there AT ALL using a bluetooth headset with mountain lion, and having it work without disconnecting, having static, causing the mac to crash? Please folks, I am getting desparate. I have asked here, the official apple forums, the genius bar, stackexchange, no one seems to have any type of answer.

I would look at a wireless USB mic but most of them are WAY more expensive than their bluetooth counterparts, and I don't have 200$ sitting around to drop on a mic. Bluetooth seems like it should be the easiest, but no one seems to know anything about it on OSX, and it is really getting frustrating.

Please help!

Mods: forgive the taboo, feel free to close the other thread if you want, no one is answering it anyway.
 
R

RedCroissant

Suspended
Aug 13, 2011
2,268
96
msarro said:
Hi everyone. First, I want to apologize - I am cross posting, I put a similar post up earlier today here. For the past 5 days I have been trying to find out what bluetooth headsets are compatible with Mountain Lion, no one seems to know. I need to get a mic for a language class coming up starting monday, and I *need* to get this answered. I went to the apple store, and they spent 20 minutes telling me how bluetooth is a standard and all bluetooth devices should work on macs. I then showed them the apple discussion site and the issues that show up when you search for bluetooth, and showed them that my BH200 wouldn't pair with a mac. They said they couldn't guarantee anything at that point.

Is anyone out there AT ALL using a bluetooth headset with mountain lion, and having it work without disconnecting, having static, causing the mac to crash? Please folks, I am getting desparate. I have asked here, the official apple forums, the genius bar, stackexchange, no one seems to have any type of answer.

I would look at a wireless USB mic but most of them are WAY more expensive than their bluetooth counterparts, and I don't have 200$ sitting around to drop on a mic. Bluetooth seems like it should be the easiest, but no one seems to know anything about it on OSX, and it is really getting frustrating.

Please help!

Mods: forgive the taboo, feel free to close the other thread if you want, no one is answering it anyway.
Click to expand...

This might not be a helpful response, but I'm going to respond anyway.

Is there an issue with your built-in microphone or do you need a bluetooth mic for another purpose? The reason I ask is because I used the built-in microphone on my iMac for an Arabic class that worked perfectly. It also had no problem recognizing and understanding exactly what I was saying when using online services.

I also used the microphone at the same time that I used my headphones and there were no issues. Yes, I was tethered to the machine, but I would advise that if nothing else seems to work because of the cost factor.
 
M

msarro

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Apr 25, 2013
14
0
RedCroissant said:
This might not be a helpful response, but I'm going to respond anyway.

Is there an issue with your built-in microphone or do you need a bluetooth mic for another purpose? The reason I ask is because I used the built-in microphone on my iMac for an Arabic class that worked perfectly. It also had no problem recognizing and understanding exactly what I was saying when using online services.

I also used the microphone at the same time that I used my headphones and there were no issues. Yes, I was tethered to the machine, but I would advise that if nothing else seems to work because of the cost factor.
Click to expand...

I am using a mac mini, so there is no built in mic - just a line in jack. Sadly this is for a TV room, so a 1/8" audio cable going across the room will be needlessly messy.
 
R

RedCroissant

Suspended
Aug 13, 2011
2,268
96
msarro said:
I am using a mac mini, so there is no built in mic - just a line in jack. Sadly this is for a TV room, so a 1/8" audio cable going across the room will be needlessly messy.
Click to expand...

Well, is this for an interactive class where you have to have discussions, or simply record your voice and then upload what you said? I remember having to use the web-based interface for recording my voice. Another thin you could do is find voice recognition software that is mac-compatible and then see what they recommend. IN that case they would most likely have the right specs for microphones/headsets.
 
M

msarro

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Apr 25, 2013
14
0
The class is an interactive distance learning class, similar to skype.
 
R

RedCroissant

Suspended
Aug 13, 2011
2,268
96
msarro said:
The class is an interactive distance learning class, similar to skype.
Click to expand...


hmm, then perhaps your only option is to get a high-quality webcam with a built-in microphone over usb that has been shown to be compatible. It's probably not what you wanted to do, but with the fact that the headset option doesn't really seem to be a good one, then look at Logitech or find an Apple iSight somewhere.
 
M

msarro

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Apr 25, 2013
14
0
RedCroissant said:
hmm, then perhaps your only option is to get a high-quality webcam with a built-in microphone over usb that has been shown to be compatible. It's probably not what you wanted to do, but with the fact that the headset option doesn't really seem to be a good one, then look at Logitech or find an Apple iSight somewhere.
Click to expand...

USB won't work for me - it needs to be wireless (the PC is in an entertainment center, using the television as a monitor - it's a HTPC).

The thing that is driving me crazy is that this is not that hard to do with windows, and the second I bring it up at an Apple store their eyes glaze over.
 
R

RedCroissant

Suspended
Aug 13, 2011
2,268
96
msarro said:
USB won't work for me - it needs to be wireless (the PC is in an entertainment center, using the television as a monitor - it's a HTPC).

The thing that is driving me crazy is that this is not that hard to do with windows, and the second I bring it up at an Apple store their eyes glaze over.
Click to expand...


Why not get a usb extension cable? I got one when I realized I didn't want my printer right next to my iMac when I first bought that and this made it so that my printer could be much farther away from me to the point where it felt like I had a WiF-enabled printer. And if this is only a temporary thing for class every once in a while, it might not be that big of a deal to put up with the inconvenience to save money, and not have to get other new equipment.

Do you happen to know why the headsets and cameras keep losing connection? It might be something as simple as deleting or disabling the built-in microphone/speaker so that the machine isn't continuously trying to reestablish the connection with the included one.

Otherwise, why not install Windows via bootcamp and run it that way? I know that's not ideal, but I don't know if that will solve the problem.
 
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