Microphone playback problems with vista.

I am having getting a "classic" problem of getting the microphone to playback
instantly while I am recording. The recording itself works ok.

A common solution for this problem seems to be
Sound>Playback>Speakers>Properties>Levels>unmute the appropriate input.
However, the levels tab contains (on my computer) only the level adjustments
for the speakers itself and nothing else.

Microphone -- playback??????

Microphones are INPUT devices. Microphones are RECORDING devices. How on earth
can a microphone playback?

YOU CAN "PLAYBACK" ON A MIC!
I have the same problem!
When you plug the mic into the input, you should hear yourself over the
speaker(s)!
Ever heard of karaoke??????

Please can anyone help us on this problem??
ThAnX!

I am also having this problem within karaoke programmes.I can either playback
the recorded voice OR the background music track but not both together. The
sound settings all relate to XP not Vista.Any help?

There is no option under Sound>Playback>Speakers>Properties>Levels to unmute
the appropriate input for me either, anyone have any ideas

[carpenns]

Cal Bear (Banana Slugs represent) once again, you have simply added insult to injury, the rest of us have all purchased/ build vista ultimate machines and simply desire the microphone/ mp3 player/ input device to play through the speakers (in real time). After many moons trying to find THE solution, and over 10 years of performing this simple task on windows machines, people suggest that we are idiots who: a. have not turned the volume up on the mic, etc. The problem runs deeper, specifically, the microphone is supposed to show up under Playback-Speakers-Properties-Levels....where the mic is supposed to be this option to unmute and allow through the speakers. This simply isnt' the case, no microphone under the speakers to allow through. Bill Gates just doesn't care about his product anymore at this point, MS can get away with a half assed OS w/ plenty of advertising as 'the next cool thing' but it's all glitter no gold. johne@email.com Please, if anyone, a regedit or something, to get the damn monitors to work (toshiba a215-s7437 laptop, realtek drivers, vista ultimate 32 bit)

Thank you dbknox, I built a much fancier computer a while back (which I no longer have) that had an Nvida mobo, the good one, and a real tek mixer (not the vista one) made all that work, now I don't know what it's called/ where to find, and I'm tired to trying so many different things that don't work, to prove I have a mic that works/ is plugged in/ unmuted, etc. listen to this track I recorded not having proper functioning monitors, is this the type of music you would have me make bill? no monitors bill? when can we expect a solution eh?

There has been no mention of what type of sound card/onboard sound card
being used. My Vista does play the Microphone in real time. I have an
onboard *Realtek sound* program. ( this seems to be the problematic
driver card for most users) I had to update to at least version
6.0.1.5567 before having any success with Realtek. My sound was garbled
and I couldn't recorded at a high enough level to hear.


May be you can help me - I have a reverse problem - I want to mute the
incoming signal - how to do it? Victor

Hi Victor not sure if I understand you or not. I suspect you are
getting feedback and want to mute the sound. The only way I have ever
done that is by turning down/off the speakers.
I never gave it much thought. Sorry if that isn't helpful.
Another way of course is to double click on the little "speaker" icon
in the taskbar and mute the sound from there.
I can't give you much more information then that with out knowing what
sound card you are using. ( and maybe not even then!!)

Right-click the speaker icon in the system tray, select Recording Devices,
then select the microphone and Properties. Choose Levels and adjust as
required.

[aplusbizland]

Have an HP dv9823CL (dv9000 series) and was going to use this for disc jockey use like I have in the past with win XP - never had a problem using my microphone as a live input, was able to use my laptop as my mixer, not needing an external mixer. With this laptop I cannot get any mic playback options, even with registry hacks and edits I've seen on other forums, that will allow live mic playback with this audio driver, Conexant High Definition SmartAudio 221 it does not seem too "SMART" because it will not allow what I have been able to do since windows 95! An upgrade should add new features to an existing operating system, to go to Vista now seems like a downgrade because I cannot do what I used to be able to do. I have talked to HP tech support and they just say to turn up the recording volume of the mic. NO that does not work, I'm not trying to record, I'm trying to use the mic in a live situation of a DJ or while playing karaoke and someone sings through the mic. This HAS to be live and in real time. STUPID vista or maybe it is Conexant who I thought made modems, not sound cards. HP trying to save money... now conexant skimps on audio driver options, and this is supposed to be an ENTERTAINMENT PC. Any other suggestions anyone? If not, I'm returning this laptop or trying to downgrade to XP on it, although I'm not too sure there's an XP driver for this laptop chipset.

I'd return it while you can. It is doubtful that you will be able to do what
you want.
The last time I got into this, it was a driver limitation, with no planned
update to solve the problem..

Still no help with this issue? :[ I bought a dell laptop a while back in
hopes to use it for music and recording, but I'm experiencing this
problem too. Carpeens is right. No one understands that we don't have
some options that people tell us to go to, or we have already been at
those options and they simply do not help with the issue!

[ashok kumar p.r.]

i can record the voice through mic, but cant playback for karaoke. I need the voice should directly come out thrugh speakers from mic. is there any playback option available for laptop.

Depends on the sound card, read through the manual for it's settings or
check on the web.

[LannyMac]

SOLUTION:

I was losing hope reading the replies but I figured it out for myself.
With Vista - right click the volume control icon in task tray ( bottom right ) NOT the Realtek Audio Manager and select Recording devices. Locate your input and right click it. ---> Properties ---> Enhancements ---> Select "Immediate Mode" which is their awful way of describing live playback from speakers. I had to crank the volume to get the desired volume but there are solutions for that as well. Hope this helps people with my problem.

[IPsquint]

I'm having the same problem, my mrs is pregnant and i was trying to hear the babies heartbeat using the mic boost and high volume.. shock horror im getting no live playback like the rest of ya, after reading all your replies i think the only thing we can say for certain is that vista sucks donkey balls if it cant manage a simple thing like that its never been a problem till now so wtf do i need mixers, standalone, soundcards or sonic ball blasters for.
and no im not muted in any way what so ever record is fine just no live monitor

spec. £300 quid laptop i got free with a mobile phone but its not like im asking it to run modern warfare 2 just listen and repeat

[herbysk]

Had the same problem , but now i solved it.

Laptop Acer Aspire 5920G - Realtek HD Audio 6.0.1.5470
Windows Vista Home Premium SP2

Solution:
Start > Control Panel > Acer HD Audio Manager > Microphone > Sound Level playback > CLICK ON ICON TO UNMUTE AND ADJUST THE VOLUME LEVEL
Worked instantly after that!

( i had already done these steps:
- Start > Control Panel > Sound > double click on Speakers > Enhancements > check the box "Immediate Mode"
- Start > Control Panel > Sound > double click on Speakers > Levels > Microphone -> "100"
- Start > Control Panel > Sound > double click on Microphone > Enhancements > check the box "Immediate Mode"
- Start > Control Panel > Sound > double click on Microphone > Levels -> all "100" and "+30dB")