# RealTek HD audio input mic problem - hard problem!



## Darryl.

Hello,

I have a Compaq Presario SR2050NX and am having a difficult time getting the microphone and line-in jacks to be recognized by the system audio software. Neither the mic or line-in jacks in the rear or in the front can be controlled by the system software and as a result the mic level is very, very low to the point of not being useful. I need to find a way to enable "HD audio input front" and "HD audio input rear" on this machine.

This system uses the RealTek HD audio manager software and the on board sound is made up of the RealTek ALC888 chip working in partnership with the ATI SB450, from what I read on the MSI site. The motherboard is an MSI RC410-M Rev 1.1 (also known as MS-7173 I think).

When I go into the HD audio manager applet (either through the system tray or the control panel) or when I go into the Windows Control panel Sounds and work with the audio settings, the settings for controlling the line input or the microphone are greyed out. Per the help info on the computer I should be able to go into the RealTek HD Audio manager and select "HD audio input rear" as a source. I cannot. The only option is "line in/ Mic in"

I am running the latest drivers from the Realtek site (R1.51 release in Nov 2006), I know the mic I am plugging in is good. There are no conflicts shown in the Windows hardware devices window. I did a comp[lete uninstall, reboot and fresh install of the drivers.

I have looked far and wide on the net and RealTek seems to often have a problem with this across several computer brands and it is a problem that I have not seen any real fix for. One site mentions that in the audio properties box in Windows to make sure that "microphone" is selected in the "playback" area. For some reason selecting it in "playback" may effect "recording" properties. I have done this and still have the same problem.

Other clues:

1- If I go to the Windows device manager and look at the properties for the HD Audio device, one of the properties is line input devices and this shows the line input device to be "HD audio input", as I think it should be, but obviously the rest of the computer is not seeing this. Somewhere this input source is being lost in translation.

2- The computer came installed with a Windows patch number KB888111 which deals with HD audio support. Maybe there is a conflict? I have tried uninstalling KB888111 and re-installing the RealTek driver however and that did not solve the problem.

I have tried all the basic troubleshooting here. Any programmers / computer scientists / tech guys out there have some ideas?

Any help would be very much appreciated.


Darryl


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## shujinko

Hmm. So it's greyed out in both Playback and Recording sections of the Windows volume control utility? Why on earth would those be locked out though...

Have you tried uninstalling the HD audio manager software to see if Windows can control the device by itself? Or is the audio manager just the "driver" software?

Are you running the latest BIOS for your motherboard?

Has this been happening the whole time you've had the machine, or did you make a recent change to the system?

If the machine is newer, I'd try to contact Compaq. They're going to know the most about their hardware/software setup combinations.


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## Darryl.

When I uninstall the RealTek HD audio driver my sound no longer works on the PC. Windows doesn't seem to be able to control the HD audio by itself.

I had checked the BIOS and am running the latest rev (3.16)

The machine is new and it is an out of the box problem I ran into while setting up the computer to work with some electronics I have. Both Mic and Line-in are important to me to connect to various audio devices.

I did contact HP/Compaq yesterday and have spent about 3.5 hours in first level technical support hell between yesterday and today. Oh how the HP/Compaq support system hurts! Anyway, I am supposed to have a level two tech person call me back "sometime soon". Hopefully they have seen this problem and have a fix.

Thanks for the post. Your help is appreciated.

I really think the problem is within the registry, but don't know the correct keys to fix the problem. There are Realtek HD audio keys there listed as audio input "line -in/ mic in" and microphone "line-in / mic -in". Too bad I don't know the correct settings to fix all this.


Darryl


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## Noyb

HP has promised me "twice" that a teck would call back about this problem ....
Don't hold your breath.

Realtek says .. That's just the way it works ... with my 885 chip.

What software are you recording with ??
I'm able to work around with Audacity.

http://forums.techguy.org/hardware/525243-trouble-sound-card.html#post4241878


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## Darryl.

Doesn't sound like HP has a fix for this. At least not yet.

My situation is not really recording, but using the line-in and mic-in for interfaces to radios to send and decode slow scan TV, weather satellite facsimile, Radioteletype, etc. If I can't get this working, I really will need to return the PC and get a refund.

While most users won't be doing what I am doing with the audio, this issue would also be a big problem for users of Skype and other IP telephony programs. The microphone input doesn't work.

Hard to understand how a basic function like this gets through quality control.

Thanks for the response! All help is appreciated.

Darryl


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## Noyb

I think this is a Realtek problem along with the newer sound chips.
Realtek was very short with me .. but I had the feeling they didn't think this feature was needed anymore.
Just make sure it's unmuted .. and use the Master volume .. is all that's left.
Maybe ... You won't be able to find a newer computer that'll work.

I've wondered if a cheapie PCI sound card would be the fix.

Did you check this .. under tools ???


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## Darryl.

I tried the selection under HD audio manager tools both ways - with plug select on and off. 

The plug select function works on the front jacks, but not the rear jacks.

Even when the computer recognizes the microphone up front, the software still has the microphone slider greyed out so I still can't increase the audio level or turn on the boost amplifier. Only control allowed is the "master volume" for recording.

Thanks again for the reply.

Darryl


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## Noyb

A little guessing here ...
I think the Master Volume (in Record Options) now applies to all recording input Selections ....
Making the individual record volume adjustments obsolete (or unavailable) ... 
.... in the minds of Realteks, or M$, developers.

To get Audacity to work, I had to choose the "Microsoft Sound Mapper" as the input in the Audacity preferences.
When I use Audacity's record volume control ... It adjusts the record master volume.
Audacity can not see, or choose, the individual source inputs.

I don't know what or where the "Microsoft Sound Mapper" is ... But it seems to be in control now.

I think this problem is limited to the newer HD audio .. since my older computers work as one would expect ... logically.
That's why I mentioned an older PCI card audio ... just some more guessing.


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## Darryl.

I did hear back from RealTek through an email and they asked me to give them a technical data dump on my configuration via a program they sent to me.

I'll write an update as I have further information.

In the mean time, if anyone has experienced this problem, feel free to contribute to this thread.

Regards,


Darryl


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## Noyb

YEA ... They told me to look at my Mobo and tell them what Realtek chip I had.

I told them .. That If I had to .. I could tear into my computer .. remove some PCI cards so I could see it.
Then I sent them a SIW report and asked if that was good enough.
Their next reply was very short ... I forget the exact wording ... but Basically .. 
"That's the way it Works"


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## srhoades

Do you have the latest HD driver from Realteks website? You don't need to know the specific audio device, its a monolithic driver package.


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## Darryl.

Yes, I have the latest drivers installed from the website.

It seems that the engineers have decided to take away the slider functionality for line input and mic input. They have also taken away the advanced "boost" setting for the mic. Maybe many people don't use these functions, but I sure do. I hope RealTek can show me how to ge the functions working again. The hardware supports it, but the software doesn't to.

Darryl


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## Noyb

This problem also removes the ability for other recording programs, such as Audacity,
to be able to select and control the recording source.
Not sure if it software and/or hardware.
It seems to apply to the newer 7.1 HD sound chips/systems.

You might ask Realtek if a 5.1 driver would work.
Any one want to guess if installing a 5.1 PCI sound card would fixit ?
You might loose your choice of front or rear inputs.


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## afoonamedmario

i got a compaq presario SR2039X and my comp recognizes the mic and line in jacks but when i record, the mic picks up annoying loud scratchyish sounds. this happens with voice applications like in ventrilo when i talk u can hear my voice but also very loud noise. i ran a hardware test and for some reason it was fine but not for voice applications and online gaming. windows sound recorder is the only thing that seems to work good. got the latest realtek drivers. so if any1 has a similar problem and can help let me know =]


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## Noyb

I see you have the 883 audio chip.
Can you adjust the record input levels for each input ... 
Mike, Line in, and Stereo mix ... Independently ???

Not that I can help .. But I'm curious.


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## Jedi_Master

Howdy folks...

Darryl....

Just a thought...

I'm not sure that this will help as I'm not familiar with that software/drivers, but some sound cards use the Line In and the Mic inputs for sound outputs if other than stero sound is selected ( ie: sourround sound ) for the speakers...

Like I said just a thought...


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## Bruno.H.

QUESTION:

Gigabyte GA-965P-DQ6 (Rev. 1.0, BIOS Vers. F5) MBO and 
Realtek ALC888 DD Microphone Volume problem
@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

It is a simple than this - "Volume Properties" for "Microphone" and some other "Volumes" are simply as disconnected in a "Realtek Tray / system Notification Area Icon", and / or in "Volume Properties" also located in the Tray / System Notification Area...
I cannot engage the "Advanced settings" for "Volume Properties" at all and permanently!!!

Main problem: Any Microphone recordings of mine are recorded with much decreased volume - the scream into Microphone is recorded as a low voice, even like / most like just a whisper???!!! Because of that, Microphone is practically unusable at all!!!

Eventual, "20db Boost" for Microphone I cannot engage because, again, I cannot engage the "Advanced settings" for "Volume Properties" at all and permanently, as like they are not existing at all - there are unavailable - they are gray-ed out...

In the meantime, I try to use some (for second time actually), older and small HDD for this 
testing purposes only. Here, on this small test HDD, I install first MSWinXPSP2 (full clean install from the scratch), than install Intel INF Update 8.1.1.1010 (+ PC restart), and than Realtek newest HD Audio Driver R1.66 (+ PC restart). 
After that, my Microphone problem reviled instantly!!!

I installed after that my Marwell LAN Driver 8.612.3.3 (+ PC restart), than newest NVidia Driver for my VGA Card and that's it.

After that I install every available Microsoft Windows Update from the "Windows Update" Service, than MSOF2K7 + all available Updates for it, and I install RARlab WinRAR 3.62.

The Microsoft Update KB925902, KB928843, KB935448 are also instaled...

The KB935448 is the last Win Update that corrects any errors reviled in the previous and simillar Win Updates: KB925902 & KB928843!!!

But all this 3 just mentioned Win Updates does not have any thing with my Microphone low 
recording voice problem...

Never the less, Microphone problem reviled as soon I install MSWinXPSP2 and Intel INF Update, and than Realtek HD Audio Driver.

That means that no other Software or it's Update didn't produce this problem with my 
Microphone not available "Volume Properties" settings (increase or decrease Mic volume possibility) or it "Advanced settings" (20db Boost or similar), because all that I mentioned that I install, I install after the problem reviled in the first place!!!

P.S.: Any DTS, Dolby or similar are disconnected as my knowledge.
Regarding that, again, problem reviled instantly after Realtek Driver R1.53 or newest R1.66is installed (I tested both mentioned Driver versions on two different and my old HDDs…), and in that time I did not change any settings in it, than default one RealTek put it there him self, and in the first place…

POSSIBLE MASS SOLUTION - DIRECT "HELP AND SUPPORT FROM REALTEK":
Our 20DB "Boost Option" is integrated on our input port, so you need to enable your "Boost'' function on Playback panel of Sound Control 
(Please refer to screen-shot / picture bellow).

By the way, Gigabyte's board supports MIC function on "Rear Pink in" and "Front Pink in" port, so you need to enable "Boost" separately if you also need to use "Font pink port" as Microphone function.

In your case, you set "Rear Panel Pink port" as "Microphone", so' you need to follow below 
screen-shot and set "Boost". 
If any problem, please let us know; REALTEK.












Here is just some Forum referrings to this particular problem (I'll hope that will helps also…):

a) http://techspot.com/vb/topic38366.html

b) http://forums.techguy.org/hardware/5...input-mic.html

c) http://www.bihforum.com/showthread.php?p=247063#post247063

HOPE THIS ALL WILL HELP MANY WITH THIS PROBLEM!!!

Bruno.H. via Italy


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## Morph1

I too used to have a bunch of problems with REALTEK crap for sound driver, but I found a way around it  not even touching the piece of ***t realtek audio manager.....
Well here is the go around , I don't believe that ever any of the Realtek input controlers will ever highlight LOL , I wonder why are they threre ?? so the interface looks cool ????
Well to get your line in or mic in or whatever in just go to control panel, next "Sound and Audio Devices", next go to "Audio" tab now at the bottom "MIDI MUSIC PLAYBACK" LOL,
sit shoul be selected as "MICROSOFT GS WAVETABLE SW SYNTH" LOL just laughing hehe,
now hit the valume belowe that window and BANG all your input controllers show up , now just unmute the once that your're using and crank the volume up in each of them 
now all the non highlighted garbage in realtek audio manager should work great , but of course they still show as unavailable... 

Cheers guys,

Morphie!


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## markie_oliver

im also using realtek alc888 with my dell 530, and i also having that low voice recording trouble, could you please help me with that. i didnt post a new thread for i got the same prob anyway.your understanding will be appreciated.


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## ByDomino

Ok I have been working this issue for a short while and here is how I resolved it. 

I put in a Sound Blaster soundboard. I had one just sitting around and I was wrestling with this issue on two different systems. 
Both very nice motherboards (Nvidia 780i and a ABit IP 35 Pro) 

From the time I decided to move to the Sound Blaster till the time I was recording sound was about 10 min.

1) remove realtek drivers
2) enter system bios and disable on board sound
3) install sound board
4) install drivers
5) Whooo hoo I can record

I hope this helps,.. it helped me.


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