Powered Mic no go in iMovie HD

I picked up a powered mic for my iMac. I tested it in Imovie 08, worked great, I like the sound quality. I tried to do a voice over in iMovie HD and the mic was very weak and sounded terrible. I have tried setting the input volume to different levels but to no avail. I can use the built in mic to do my project, but would like to be able to use this mike in iMovie HD as well as iMovie 08. Any thoughts about what might be the issue with iMovie HD and this mic?

+..Moon not in Scorpio?+
That might have been IT! Then, the moon must have moved!
My lovely Intel iMac gave up and would not restart after I requested it do so....it just shut itself off, and would not come on. I unplugged everything and prepared to cart it off to a great local place, We-Fix-Macs. (Love living so close to Silicon Valley ). Just before leaving, I carefully put it on my desk chair and went into another room. Heard a funny bumping noise, found lovely iMac on the floor. Seemed ok, no visible marks of damage. Went on to WFM and, naturally, iMac burst into action the instant that they plugged it in and pushed its power button! No charge for proving me wrong, so iMac and I returned home, got reconnected and now it has been working great. Even my three external drives are happy and are not getting overheated, as they used to do.
I was stumped for an explanation, and now I think the moon's position must have been the reason!
Thanks, and wishes for a great week for you and yours.

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Enhancing the mic for the video camera

Does anyone know of any micas that you can attach that capture better sound? Also, what do you think of the built-in mic for video?
Dan

First, buy the $20 KM-IPHONE-2TRS iPhone 4 Y adapter to plug in an external Mic and Headphone. http://www.kvconnection.com/product-p/km-iphone-2trs.htm
Second, I would use Dual System Audio. Record Scratch audio via iPhone 4 internal mic & record Production audio via a Zoom H2 or Zoom H4n portable audio recorder.
You would sync up the Scratch and Production audio channels via PluralEyes http://www.singularsoftware.com/pluraleyes.html The mono analaog audio recorded on the iPhone 4 internal Mic / external Mic input cuts off below 200 Hz and has other fidelity issues.
Third, I would invest in a battery powered Rode NTG-2 Mic Kit with the excellent Pearston LMT00 Shockmount (to reduce handling noise) versus the lower end Rode VideoMic with flimsy Shockmount. The NTG-2 / Shockmount Kit is $269 at B&H. http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/481528-REG/RodeNTG_2_Condenser_ShotgunMicrophone.html
Fourth, You should also invest in a good deadcat fuzzy to reduce wind noise and a boom pole when shooting outside.
Personally, I use a Zoom H2 with a $25 ATR-3350 Lav Mic and a $50 ECZ-990 Zoom Mic feeding into a Y cable on the H2 for 2 channel audio and sync in PluralEyes with the scratch audio off my iPhone 4. The 2 battery powered Mics mentioned above are real “portable” also.

Recording from iSight - no sound in iMovie 8

Just tried this twice - restarted iMovie just in case.
Any ideas on how to fix this?

Welcome to Apple Discussions, kenadianz
You're built-in iSight has no mic, so iMovie 7 ('08) will need to use your iMac's built-in mic or an external one.
If you have added an external mic, be sure you have selected the right mic for use in iMovie. If you have iMovie > View > Audio Skimming disabled and have not dragged the clips up into the edit window, you will not be able to hear anything. Beyond this, there are too many possibilities to try to list. You will need to do some troubleshooting to try to identify what needs to be fixed.
Try doing a voiceover on the clip. If that will not record sound either, check your volume settings.
Also, check your iMovie > Help for recording audio. If you need more help, try the Mac 101: iMovie tutorial to see if that might let you find your problem.
If none of the above helps, try recording audio in iMovie HD 6 to see if your problem is with iMovie 7 only.
Let us know what you find, and, if you need more suggestions, post as many details as you can about what your are doing and what you have tried.
EZ Jim
PowerBook 1.67 GHz w/Mac OS X (10.4.11) G5 DP 1.8 w/Mac OS X (10.5.1) External iSight

SX20 third party mics and Polycom soundstructure c-series

We are trying to connect a SX20 microphone port to the output of a Polycom soundstructure C12.
I'm wondering if anybody has been successful doing this?
It looks like the SX20 has to be tricked to believe its microphone is connected.
Maybe by sending some power on some pins?
I've seen several example on how to connect powered mics directly to the SX20 but the soundstructure output port is different and the codec keep the port shut when plugging it in.
Has anybody been able to connect a soundstructure or similar device to a SX20?
Thanks

We are using a 4pin 3.5mm and tried almost any wiring combination possible.
When looking at the volume meter under the SX20 admin settings, the volume bar goes dead as soon as you disconnect the SX20 included mic.
We haven't been able to get that volume bar up when plugging to the Soundstructure C12, so it looks like the SX20 does some mic detection test and we are failing it.
I've read somewhere that pin 2 and 3 had to be shorted to trick the SX20 to detect the mic but that didn't work for us.
We are running TC 7.2 .
What version are you running?
I'm wondering if there is some mic detection code in that version that is tripping us.
Thanks

Built in mic not working

I just noticed my built in mic is not working at all and I need to use it. I've tried setting it in system preferences but can't get it to do anything. A hardware test has reavealed nothing. BTW the mic input seems to be dead also.
I thought I'd ask if anyone has any tricks on this before I call Applecare to the rescue.
Thanks,
Jim
PowerMac dual 2.7 G5 Mac OS X (10.4.6) 4.5 GB RAM, .5 TB hdd

Many G5 Power Mac users have trouble with the built-in microphone - you can see why from the specs.
http://support.apple.com/specs/powermac/PowerMac_G5_Early2005.html
The analogue audio-in port on the G5 is line-in and requires a higher-level input than a simple microphone can provide - the usual solution is to use either a powered mic, a mic pre-amp or a USB i/f - some discussion here
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=597246#597246
and elsewhere if you enter "microphone" in the search box at top right of this forum.
If, on the other hand, you have a G5 iMac, you may have more fortune in the iMac forum
http://discussions.apple.com/category.jspa?categoryID=132
Good Luck.

Loss of sound from mic (ext.)

I have issues with my exernal mic on my MBP.
I have tried looking at sound in the menu, but the built-in microphone works.
Didn't realize it before I got the iLife 09, so it could be a problem, that goes a few months back.
I'd appreciate any advice on this matter.

Are you using standard microphones? The MBP's audio line in is just that - a line-in (note that the icon is not a microphone, but a circle with two triangles). That means it expects 'line-level' input, which you'd get from an audio mixer or a powered microphone. Normal (unpowered) mics do not have sufficient signal. The preference pane input meter 'jumps' when you connect it due to the large change in impedance that occurs right when you connect.
You'll need to get a powered mic or a USB solution such as the Griffin iMic (which does work with a standard mic).
BTW, RE diagnostic software for your hardware (although I don't think it's relevant here), you can insert the Install DVD that came with your Mac, and reboot with the d key pressed, which runs the Apple Hardware Test.
Hope this helps...
Ps. NeuroAnatomist, in my case!

USB mic?

Hi.
I am in the market for a headset. Thing is, I have some excellent headphones, so I really only need a mic that will clip onto my headphones or my shirt - basically anywhere except on my imac or my desk (picks up typing sounds - no good).
Is there such a product as a USB mic that would clip on or be super compact so I can somehow stick it under my mouth? I have shopped all over town and can't find anything. I really don't want to shell out $100 for a good quality headset when I already have the headphones! The imic mic input requires a powered mic, so I cant use a standard mic...
note: I will be using the headset on OSX and Windows under Boot Camp
Message was edited by: dan lett

I haven't been able to find a cheap USB lapel microphone; all the ones I can find are wireless and not really inexpensive. You could get the Griffin iMic and use any standard lapel mike, but the combination of the iMic and a lapel mike starts to approach the cost of a USB headset. If your headphones are really good, though, it still might be cost-effective.

Condenser mic for podcasts

Apols if this has already been covered, but I've just bought a Sony condenser mic (can clip on, or sit on a stand) to enhance the sound of my voice on my debut podcast. However, in spite of changing the System Preferences to line-in it doesn't actually pick anything up. There re no sound bars showing, either in System Preferences or Garageband. There's nothing wrong with the mic (tested it elsewhere), so are faulty line-ins a known issue with G5s? Or would a USB-powered mic have been a better buy.

I'm assuming since you said you tested it elsewhere that this mic has a battery? Condenser mics need a power supply of some kind
As for plugging a Mic into a Line-In, here's some background:
and finally "does such a microphone pre-amp thing exist."
Yes, there are many. A popular chocie in this forum has been the MIDIMAN Audio Buddy Dual Microphone Preamp
I think you might be better off returning the Sony mic and looking at a high quality USB mic such as the Blue Snowball USB Microphone, with which I have no personal experience, but I have seen very positive comments online regarding it.
Hope that helps --HangTime [Will Compute for Food] B-|>
Note: I am an Amazon Associate, if you purchase this item via my link I will get a small commission)

Need help recording with mic.

I'm trying to use a usb MicLink by Alesis, with my Electro-Voice PL20, the sound is great...except for this audible hissing that is always in the background...I put the mic in a case full of pillows and the hiss is still there...If I turn the mid-high down on both ends of the visual eq I can almost eliminate the hiss...but then the sound is weird....If I do manage to get a balance when i go to turn it up the hiss becomes audible again. I am plugging the usb straight into my computer. I just don't get what is up...the built in mic on my MBP is crisp and clear...and almost better quality than my 50 dollar adapter and several hundred dollar mic. Is there a way to eq the hiss away...because right now I feel like all I'm doing is making it quiet enough I cant hear it so messing with the gain or the visual eq wont do much because I'm just fixing the problem for the one sound level...if I want it louder than I'm out of luck. This is a radio style mic...so it might just have too high mids and highs but i'm not sure....i'm new to recording so please explain your answers and don't just techie babble. What I wan't is clear sound with silence when I'm not speaking, this is for narrations in a play, and I want them to not have the "old phonograph" feel, of a needle scratching across the surface of vinyl. If I was doing a retro show it might be ok...but I just want crisp clear sound......stupid not having thousands to buy a good studio. LOL.

You HAVE to use a Mic that is powered! Just plugging a Mic into the Powerbook and switching the input to Line-in doesn't cause it to work.
I believe Griffin Techologies makes an adapter that will work and there are some other one out there. Google powered mics and see what comes up.

Need help recording with an external mic on garageband!!!

I'm a singer and i'm trying to figure out how to record vocals on garageband with an external mic that can plug into the powerbook. However, when i record it uses the internal mic instead I have no clue how to change it so it will use the external mic. Please help!!!
Thanks,
Stef=)

You HAVE to use a Mic that is powered! Just plugging a Mic into the Powerbook and switching the input to Line-in doesn't cause it to work.
I believe Griffin Techologies makes an adapter that will work and there are some other one out there. Google powered mics and see what comes up.

Two Mics in Garage Band, Separate Volume Controls

Hi, I am doing an interview. I have two USB powered mics plugged into my macbook pro. I set up the micrphones as an "aggregate device" in Audio MiDi Setup. I have the male voice on one track as podcasting male narrator noisy. The female voice is set up as podcasting female narrator noisy. The two tracks are recording, but I can't seem to adjust the volume controls. Not sure where to lower the volume on one track and bump up the volume on the second track. Any idea what I need to be doing. Also, I am not hearing a thing in my headsets. Thanks for your help.

Also, I am not hearing a thing in my headsets.
Set the monitor to "on" in the track info.
The two tracks are recording, but I can't seem to adjust the volume controls.
Do you mean in the track info or the main track volume? You set the basic recording level in the info pane to max out your gain, but of course you can still mix the tracks after recording using the track volume slider.

How to import imovie 04 project in to '09?

Hi
I would like to import a project I started under imovie 04 from several years ago, since I now have a mac powerful enough to process it. imovie 04 and 09 are quite different, 04 was much more intuitive. What can I import? In 04, there is a media folder with clips, an imovie project file (4kb). '09 doesn't seem to give me the option to open the 04 project.
thank you

You should be able to copy the folder into your Eclipse workspace folder, then go to File--New--Project and select CFML Project (under CFEclipse).
If it is an existing Eclipse project, e.g. there is already a .project file in the folder, you can follow the steps at Importing Existing Projects.

Mic on macbookpro is low for people to hear me

my mic on my macbookpro is low even though the level shows high. People complain they can't hear me

You might need to get a USB powered mic so it's closer to your mouth.
Try running through this list of fixes, it might help.
Step by Step to fix your Mac

External Mic not capturing sound. I have a VIXIA HF R400. Any ideas? I've tried multiple mic's.

All of the mic's i've tried are 3.5mm jack and something that I could attached to someone for an interview type setting. I am not sure what I am doing wrong. Well, let me clarify, they a non-powered mic's.
So they DO actually capture sound, but not unless I adjust the camera setting and I put the mic right up to my mouth to and speak.
Camera has full battery etc.
Should i just buy a powered mic? Is that the solution?

Yes, you should use a powered mike. The range of a mike without power is extremely limited.

Voiceover/External Mic problem

I want to use an external mic for voiceovers in iMovie (run through an apogee duet) but it only records in one channel. Any idea how to center it?

hey there doooooo....de,
taking a look @ an image on apogee's 'site in the Mixer control panel above the faer is what appears to be a Pan control. i'm guessing that if you have your input set center "<0>" your mic will record to both L & R channels. see image on this page @ Apogee's 'site: http://www.apogeedigital.com/products/duet.php
scrool down & click image to enlarge.
good luck.

Powered Mic no go in iMovie HD

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