iPad Hardware or software?

[paulcons]

Looks like my transition to the new (speculated) mini-LED display models may come quicker than I imagined... BUT in the meantime I am using a iPad Pro 9.7" model. Last zoom I did was 12/8. Yesterday was a family zoom BUT for some reason I was not sending out any audio. Did all the usual tricks but it simply seemed dead...EXCEPT when I try and record voice, if I tap on the tablet, it does record a sound (testing done with the Voice Memo app). So I tapped with my finger, then with a hard object. Yes they produce different sounds. SOMETHING is alive in there. Even did a couple of resets, same issue. 12/14 there was an OS update which I applied around then. Might it have been possible something in the update process may have triggered this, OR some bad code that caused this to happen? I did find very recent posts in the ASC forums about mics not working recently.

I HAD planned to bring it in for a new battery, the current one is close to gone, it can barely last 2 hours. Not worth spending the 400 bucks for them to "fix it" (i.e. give me a refurb in exchange). Nah, not doing the current Air, given how I have used it, the 12.9" miniLED is what my next onw will be. BUT in the meantime, suggestions of what to try will be appreciated...

 

[AutomaticApple]

Looks like my transition to the new (speculated) mini-LED display models may come quicker than I imagined... BUT in the meantime I am using a iPad Pro 9.7" model. Last zoom I did was 12/8. Yesterday was a family zoom BUT for some reason I was not sending out any audio. Did all the usual tricks but it simply seemed dead...EXCEPT when I try and record voice, if I tap on the tablet, it does record a sound (testing done with the Voice Memo app). So I tapped with my finger, then with a hard object. Yes they produce different sounds. SOMETHING is alive in there. Even did a couple of resets, same issue. 12/14 there was an OS update which I applied around then. Might it have been possible something in the update process may have triggered this, OR some bad code that caused this to happen? I did find very recent posts in the ASC forums about mics not working recently.

I HAD planned to bring it in for a new battery, the current one is close to gone, it can barely last 2 hours. Not worth spending the 400 bucks for them to "fix it" (i.e. give me a refurb in exchange). Nah, not doing the current Air, given how I have used it, the 12.9" miniLED is what my next onw will be. BUT in the meantime, suggestions of what to try will be appreciated...

You're certainly on the latest iOS update, right?

 

[rui no onna]

Possibly lack of memory manifesting in weird app behavior? If it can record audio, that suggests it's not the built-in mic with the issue.

My mom has an iPad Pro 9.7, too, and she never closes any of her apps.

When she was on a FB Messenger video call (with 7 other users), others couldn't see her on camera. I tried turning toggling the camera switch but that didn't work. Then, I force closed all her apps, toggled the camera switch again and it seems that worked to clear enough RAM for the video call to work properly.

That said, have you tried if audio works if you use a headset?

 

[paulcons]

Yeah, I changed "iOS Up to Date" in my sig to show "14.3"... yes, my iOS devices ALWAYS carry the latest OS.

Funny, a while back I had kvetched about not have a "quit all apps" function and I was emphatically told not necessary, that the OS handles it all perfectly. So I sat there for 10 minutes quitting all the open apps (he he), unfortunately, that didn't seem to help, taps yes, voice no. Tried another reset with just the voice recorder in memory, same result.

Hmmm, headset, never thought of that, hell this one does have a headphone jack, never thought it might have audio in capabilities... does it? I know it works for audio out... but my normal headset is a USB one. Also never thought about something bluetooth... just reluctant to go and buy something if it won't work... gonna try and dig up something along that line... thanks.

 

[BrianBaughn]

If nothing else works you should do a clean iOS restore and check the problem status before restoring from a backup. If it works clean, and then doesn't after a restore from backup, you'll have to start over from scratch.

 

[rui no onna]

Funny, a while back I had kvetched about not have a "quit all apps" function and I was emphatically told not necessary, that the OS handles it all perfectly.

I get weird glitches and app crashes when multitasking a bit heavily. Not even using multi-window, just switching between foreground and background apps or having a few too many media-heavy tabs in Safari. I'm not inclined to believe that "perfectly" part. iOS 12 was good but 13 got ugly on the memory management front and 14 seems around the same as 13 (maybe ever so slightly better).

So I sat there for 10 minutes quitting all the open apps (he he), unfortunately, that didn't seem to help, taps yes, voice no. Tried another reset with just the voice recorder in memory, same result.

Hmmm, headset, never thought of that, hell this one does have a headphone jack, never thought it might have audio in capabilities... does it? I know it works for audio out... but my normal headset is a USB one. Also never thought about something bluetooth... just reluctant to go and buy something if it won't work... gonna try and dig up something along that line... thanks.

I thought you meant voice memo recorded proper sound. If it just recorded noise, then yeah, possible mic issue.

Do you have an iPhone? I think earlier models came with free headsets.

 

[secretk]

I get weird glitches and app crashes when multitasking a bit heavily. Not even using multi-window, just switching between foreground and background apps or having a few too many media-heavy tabs in Safari. I'm not inclined to believe that "perfectly" part. iOS 12 was good but 13 got ugly on the memory management front and 14 seems around the same as 13 (maybe ever so slightly better).

Same experience here.

I thought you meant voice memo recorded proper sound. If it just recorded noise, then yeah, possible mic issue.

Do you have an iPhone? I think earlier models came with free headsets.

Stupid question on my part but how many mics are there in an iPad? Is it possible that say an iPad has two mics and that it needs both working for voice output? The reason why I am asking is because I do not see how the device can pick up some noise, but no voice. Unless there is more than one mic and some of them are not working. The other option is the device to not pick up any noise and what we hear to be the white noise that sometimes comes with such unprofessional recording.

 

[getrealbro]

The iPad Pro 9.7" model appears to have two microphones

iPad Pro 9.7" Power Button Assembly

This assembly includes the internal power button switch, one microphone, and one ambient light sensor.

www.ifixit.com

Note: this part's details lists 1 of 2 microphones.

GetRealBro

 

[paulcons]

Yes, tried my unused iPhone 6s buds, works as expected. Remembered I had a pair of uber cheap bluetooth ones that I got for something like a buck for giving a review... not exactly quality sound, but after getting them paired, also worked just fine. So the circuitry to HAVE recordable audio works fine. I guessed that both mics were bad (which shouldn't be, if one was going to fail, there's another one, right?), now confirmed BUT I am at a loss why I can actually record tapping on the unit when both mics seems gone.

During this episode, my sisters MacBookPro had the exact same issue, the built in mic simply stopped working one day. She took it in before she told me and balked at the 3-400 hundred dollars to fix the hardware... at least the tech (not at apple) told her to just get another mic. So she gets a webcam even though for now, the built-in video recording seems to work.

My issue is that I have frequently done "Hey Siri's" to set various reminders and timers, get the t,p. etc. All that is now gone, at least on the tablet... still have my phone though.

Kinda looks like a pattern, no?