Help: My headset and Mic don't work!

[chanwaiming3]

I'm new to Mac... I made the switch about a month ago. I do a lot of voice recording and also use Skype a lot. I have a PB 17 (last revision before Intel) and found out that none of my headsets nor mics work? When I plug them into the audio in, nothing happens. The only mic that seems to work is the internal one that is under the left speaker.

Can anyone please help me out?!

Thanks

 

[mad jew]

What brand are you using? Have you checked their website to make sure they'll work with Macs or to see if there's a driver or something you should download?

 

[chanwaiming3]

i don't know... i assumed all headsets would work w Macs. I just made the switch from PC to Mac. With PCs, all I needed was a headset and I would plug into the jack and it would work. Seems like things are different with a Mac...

 

[ChrisBrightwell]

The "audio in" on the PowerBook is really a "line in". You need a preamp, such as Griffin's iMic. I have one and it works beautifully.

 

[AlBDamned]

The "audio in" on the PowerBook is really a "line in". You need a preamp, such as Griffin's iMic. I have one and it works beautifully.

This is true. You need some power from a microphone for the line in.

However is it a USB headset?

Whatever your input, you need to make sure it's selected in system preferences/sound/input.

The internal mic (the one under the left speaker grill) is what the input is set to by default and you have to select any subsequent input.

 

[ChrisBrightwell]

However is it a USB headset?

Did anyone read the OP?

When I plug them into the audio in, nothing happens.

 

[Sesshi]

I've noticed this with the Macbooks and Skype. It doesn't seem to be an Apple issue as such because the combination of mic and earphone (or external soundcard) does work in other apps but I've not been able to get Skype to work with a plug-in analog mic. Try a USB one, although I've had situations where an external soundcard doesn't properly feed an input to Skype too.