Microphone feedback

first of all each OS has its own settings for the mic and sound card.

You need to adjust the volume and mic volume in NT you can find a good balance by trial and error.  

It's simple.  You get feedback because the gain of the mike -> speakers -> mike path is > 1.0.  Since the hardware is the same between your Win98 and NT setup, you must have either the mike input gain higher or the amplifier output gain higher in NT.  In other words, turn the thing down!

I'm laughing as I read your poor excuse for an answer.  200 points for poor advise; I don't think so!  I already did everything you suggested.  Maybe you should read my question to see that. I don't mean to be rude, but come on, you tried to answer with a really lame reply so I gave you some crap about it, all in fun.  I really want an answer and I know one is out there.

The sound driver is SB16.

Let me better explain the situation.  When I talk into the mike, it not only goes to the receiver or device that needs it, it also goes out the speakers, and that is not what it is suppose to do.  It is not a PA system, it simply a mike providing voice to another device.  If I turn the microphone balance down to a point that I don't get feedback through the speakers, it also makes who ever is receiving me so low they can't here me.  Turning the mike gain down is not the answer.  The answer is either the driver for NT is bad, or some setting other than in the control panel is messed up.  That's what I'm looking for, a solution to the problem.  If I get it fixed, I might even up the points 100 more.

Whats happening is that the sound card is running in full duplex mode. ie: simultaneous record and playback.
Can't remember the exact way of turning this off other than stopping playback of the mic via the windows volumeOUTPUT mic volume settings or mute the mic playback.

If you are using a program like MS netmeeting there are options that allow this to be done here also.
The example used is to stop hearing yourself talk in your headphones.

My bottom line here is adjust the mic playback volume found at dblclick volume/option/properties/playback or turn it off. Remember to select if to be available for viewing to be able to control it.Set the record to your clearest record level.

Just because mic isn't selected doesn't mean its off.


Netmage



 

Some of these answers make NO sense at all!!

Argmyster -

I know what you are talking about, however, I'm a bit surprised you don't have to mute the mic on Win98.  I have to mute my mic on all of my Machines with various sound crds running WinNT and Win95/Win98.  Yes some of them are dual boot.  The only thing I can think of is that perhaps the drivers you have for Win98 automatically take into acount that you need to mute the mic and do it automaticly.

By the way, keep your points.  With some of the answers you have been getting, nobody deserves them.

Start the Volume Control.
Select Options|Properties.

You have two volume options, Recording and Playback.

Set the MIC gain in Recording to the appropraite level.
Set the MI Cgain in Playback to Mute.

Mark

Ok, I will try some of the possible solutions and get back with everyone.  I thank you all.  I'm glad nobody took me too serious when I slamed the first answer guy.  I do appreciate the help!

I did what carmine explained and seem to get a fair mix.  I still am not saticfied that this thing acts like a PA system.

I know for a fact, there is something not right with this.  I have a friend who has a computer and it don't act like this.  He has speakers that play sound from the CD, Chat on the Internet, and all kinds of other stuff (Phone stuff etc) and I have almost exactly the same stuff he has, just different software vendors.  When he records or speaks into the mike, it don't come blasting out the speakers either.  This is stupid for it to do this on my machine.

When I got this computer is had Windows95 and upgraded to Win98 and NT 4.0 SP 5 dual booting.  I didn't really notice any problems until, I started using my software that use to work like my friends does now.

I am just not quit happy with the current settings, I know there is a fix, and I'm still waiting to get a good fix.

You all have been great with the workaround, but I know there is a fix for this.

Keep trying you guys!  

I have experienced a similar problem.  First of all, SB cards load drivers that perform differently for NT vs. 98.  I have tried 3 different versions of SB cards and they all do it.  Don't bother calling SB tech support because they don't have a clue. If your card provides you with a 20 db mic gain, turn it on.  In Audio Properties, set the Advanced Properties of the Recording device to 'Best', the default is 'Good'.  This will improve the quality of your recording.  By the way, make sure that you have 'Audio Record' or 'Mic' selected as the recording device.

One thing that you have not mentioned is the type of microphone that you are using.  I assume that it's a condenser type mic.  These mics have built in amplification and are intended to record from a distance.  They are included with most sound cards for one reason, they're cheap.  The element in most of these mics can be purchased at Radio Shack for $2.99.  I bought a dynamic mic for 50 bucks and with the above settings my feedback disappeared.  Part of the reason is that a dynamic mic is not amplified and is intended for recording voice.  This will also improve the quality of the recording as well.

I hope this helps.  You've had some very good responses.  The primary problem is the wide variety of settings that SB provides and they aren't the same on any 2 cards, at least of the 3 cards that I used.  Also, their documentation is poor and finding some of the settings can be simply trial and error.

Good luck.

Thank you all for the help.  If carmine will post the answer I will give the 200 for the input to the problem. That suggestion provided me with the best results, and was detailed enough for me to understand.

I would like to give more points to everyone, and I haven't forget netmage's help.  I will post 50 points for the input and help for you netmage, go find it and just answer it for the credit.

Thanks from everyone...ggs54 gave some good advise on how to buy the solution, and I guess that's what it will take.

Again...Thank you all

Argmyster