Microphone

[awesomemo]

I'm running Windows XP and Internet Explorer browser. My question is.

Once I have plugged in my mic do I have to turn it on? While using Google talk I can hear the person calling me but they cannot hear me. At first I though it was the mic but three different mics later same problem with all of them. Someone has told me that I have to turn the mic on from the computer!!!! Is this true? When I showed my friend how to use her computer to contact me all I did was plug in the mic and we were good to go.

[Calum]

Is there an on/off switch on the mic itself?
Make sure it is plugged in correctly too.
And go to Control Panel --> Sounds and Audio Devices - and check the settings there are correct.

[soybean]

Try using Windows Sound Recorder (under Accessories, Entertainment) to record yourself talking into the microphone.  Experiment with sound settings until you succeed in recording with Sound Recorder. 

In other words, start the recorder, speak into the mic, stop the recorder, save the "recording", and then play it back.  If you hear nothing, your mic isn't working.  If you hear it, then, clearly, the mic was working.

You might also need to find a setting somewhere in your system for microphone boost.  In my system, I must do this; otherwise, mic simply isn't effective.  Here's an image from my software:

[awesomemo]

no on off on mic itself. tried using the sound recorder as suggested but no luck. Tried it with all three  mics! what are the chances of all three being bad.  I am plugging the mics in correcly as they are all color coded.

[Calum]

Is there an on/off switch on the mic itself?
Make sure it is plugged in correctly too.
And go to Control Panel --> Sounds and Audio Devices - and check the settings there are correct.