Mic/Headset help?

[Faeryl]

Okay, I just bought a new headset to use Ventrilo. Now, this is an HP Digital Premium Stereo Headset, which should work using the USB it came with, despite having another set of Mic/Headphone ports. The drivers and such installed fine, but there's two issues I'm having.
1) The sound isn't going through the headphones, but is acting like they're not even there and playing through the speakers.
2) The mic itself will pick up pretty much any noise, except my voice, no matter how loud I speak.

As for trying to fix the problem. I've tried:
a) using the original Mic/Headphone ports, which allows me to get the sound through the headphones, but my mic still won't register my voice.
b) tried going to the HP website to find a solution (completely useless...)
c) tried reconfiguring the mic, where it gave me directions on how to change the Sound Input Level (Click Start, point to Programs, then Accessories, then Entertainment, and then select Volume Control) Thing is, for some reason, my Entertainment folder is empty, I don't have the Volume Control, so I can't go any further.
d) I have tried using other USB ports thinking that maybe the one I was using has an issue, but they all have the same result.

I haven't made any recent changes to my system or configuration

Operating system: Windows Vista (Home Basic I think) And I'm pretty sure my OS is 32-bit

My system is a Toshiba Satellite laptop (model A200 -AH5)


Please help if you can. I'm no technical genius, and the more I try to fix this myself the more frustrated I'm becoming... I can try to supply more info if needed...

 

[Spree]

I set mine to push to talk.

 

[Faeryl]

I've tried that and just about everything else I can think of. I'm pretty sure I need to change the sound input/output, but as I'm apparently missing the Volume Control, I don't know how to do that...

 

[IanJames]

Does this only happen in Ventrilo or with all applications?

If just with Ventrilo, make sure you have the headset plugged in before you launch the program, (I find if I don't do that, then no amount of fiddling will work on it)

then go to the "setup" tab and choose your headset from the drop down list for the output and the input.

 

[kelmo]

I have had this happen with USB head sets. I finally gave up and just plugged in to the speaker jack with an older head set. One I have not thrown against the wall...

I will add on to this question.

Is it possible to have nice speakers and have them over ridden by plugging in a usb head set?

 

[Shamus Turlough]

Yes it is possible. When you plug in a USB headset, it is just like installing a new sound device. You are no longer using the internal sound hardware. When windows sees this, it says "hey, new sound hardware, he must want to use this instead, so lets make all sound go out this hole now!"

 

[Faeryl]

Yes it is possible. When you plug in a USB headset, it is just like installing a new sound device. You are no longer using the internal sound hardware. When windows sees this, it says "hey, new sound hardware, he must want to use this instead, so lets make all sound go out this hole now!"

Yeah, this is a USB headset, but the thing is... it's not going telling the sound to go through the USB, and I can't figure out how to make it do that.

I may have fixed the mic, but I need someone to talk to before I know for sure

 

[NewYears1978]

Yeah, this is a USB headset, but the thing is... it's not going telling the sound to go through the USB, and I can't figure out how to make it do that.

I may have fixed the mic, but I need someone to talk to before I know for sure

I just did the same thing ( hooked up USB Headset/Mic)

Just go into Control panel> Sound By default your speakers or other device is probably still being selected..rightclick headphones and set as default (in playback and recording for microphone)

Should work?

This assumes you use Vista

 

[Faeryl]

I just did the same thing ( hooked up USB Headset/Mic)

Just go into Control panel> Sound By default your speakers or other device is probably still being selected..rightclick headphones and set as default (in playback and recording for microphone)

Should work?

This assumes you use Vista

Awesome, thank you so much! Finally have the sound working the way it should, but still have no one to talk to to see if the mic works right

I'll find an alliance member sooner or later though, so I'll deal with that whenever. I was mostly just wanting the sound to work right now

 

[NewYears1978]

Awesome, thank you so much! Finally have the sound working the way it should, but still have no one to talk to to see if the mic works right

I'll find an alliance member sooner or later though, so I'll deal with that whenever. I was mostly just wanting the sound to work right now

Glad that worked for ya