[NFBCS] Computer mic recommendations?

[Steve Jacobson]

Jim,

I see you have already received a number of recommendations.  My reason for writing is to suggest that you make certain what your laptop supports.  Some have a microphone jack but more and more there is no separate jack.  Some have a headphone jack that includes the support of a microphone such as is found in headsets with microphones.  There are now laptops, though, that do not support a microphone through their own jacks at all.  That seems to be the case with my Dell.  In that case, a USB solution as has been suggested might be your best bet.  You may need to do some work with your sound card settings if you use a USB microphone but want to continue using your laptop speakers, so budget some time to experiment.  This is probably less of an issue with USB Headset/Microphone combinations, though.  

I have much more experience with Skype for Business than with Zoom, so I don't know if this applies or not.  Skype for Business is very sensitive to changing audio devices after a connection is made, often going dead rather than following a change.  Although I don't know if that is true of Zoom, it is not a bad practice to have whatever you are going to use connected before connecting to the conference.  Others may have more to say about that, though.

Best regards,

Steve Jacobson

-----Original Message-----
From: NFBCS <nfbcs-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Jim Portillo via NFBCS
Sent: Thursday, November 7, 2019 4:07 PM
To: 'NFB in Computer Science Mailing List' <nfbcs at nfbnet.org>; 'List for teachers and trainers of adaptive technology' <trainer-talk at nfbnet.org>
Cc: portillo.jim at gmail.com
Subject: [NFBCS] Computer mic recommendations?

Hello there,

I seem to be involved with a few groups or classes that use Zoom as their
video conferencing system when we meet.  Currently, I'm just using my laptop
built-in mic, and although it's OK, I sometimes get told that other sounds
might get in the way or that words cut out at times.

So, I'm just wondering if anyone can recommend a good, light-weight
microphone I can use on my computer.  I don't mind a headset mic thing, but
I sometimes record my Zoom sessions, so I don't know what I'd do about that.
I was also thinking about a possible lapel mic, but again, I don't know.

What do you guys think?

Jim

 

 

 

 

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