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Thread: How to get better audio quality for webcam videos

  1. #1

    How to get better audio quality for webcam videos

    I'm trying to create some videos, and I have an external USB camera that has really helped improve the quality of my videos, but the microphone on it is $#@! and contains lots of buzzing and static. I tried to buy another desktop microphone with a 3.5 mm jack plugin, but it doesn't show up as an option when I'm recording.

    Can I get a different microphone with a USB and plug it into a different USB port on my computer? Would that even work or would I have to stop using my external webcam? All of my options right now seem very $#@! and nothing I plug into my 3.5 mm jack is showing up on the recording interface. Can some of you tech wizards help me resolve this problem? Do I need a different microphone, a different camera, or just a different input method? Why is my desktop microphone not showing up when I plug it into the audio jack on my computer?

    Thanks for any and all help. I'm really at a loss for what to do about this because the sound quality on my videos is absolute $#@! and right now there doesn't seem to be anything I can do about it.
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  3. #2
    Go to your device manager, look under sound inputs for your mic, and update drivers.

  4. #3
    For what you're trying to do, the computer won't auto detect the mic jack, it has to be selected by you. Take a look at this webpage, it seems similar to what you're doing:
    http://blogs.creighton.edu/bluecast/...-in-windows-7/

  5. #4
    Quote Originally Posted by unconsious767 View Post
    For what you're trying to do, the computer won't auto detect the mic jack, it has to be selected by you. Take a look at this webpage, it seems similar to what you're doing:
    http://blogs.creighton.edu/bluecast/...-in-windows-7/
    I went to the webpage and followed the instructions, but my speaker icon doesn't contain any mic devices, only speakers.
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  6. #5
    Quote Originally Posted by Raginfridus View Post
    Go to your device manager, look under sound inputs for your mic, and update drivers.
    It said the best microphone is already installed.
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  7. #6
    If you have multiple audio inputs, you should be able to select audio source. Also, if you are using a "professional microphone", you may need to also consider other things pros use such as a "spit screen" or "wind sock". A pro microphone should only top out at like a hundred bucks, but very often they are a hell of a lot cheaper than that. Mics that are typically built into webcams are often not very good as far as their audio quality. Certain things, like gaming, they are fine for, but a lot of times they are just junk. Also make sure your sensitivity is balanced. Too much sensitivity causes pops and cracks as the audio "clips" at levels that exceed the expected input. Too low and audio sources wont be heard properly.

    Another major issue with quality of video and audio especially when it is digital is your Codec. Codec means "Compressor Decompressor". Raw audio and video formats take HUGE volumes of data. So a CODEC is used to compress data down to sizes where it can be easily handled, but quality is sacrificed. Thing is that the quality that goes away is not really noticeable when using a good codec. Kind of like an MP3 where a low bit rate results in crappy quality but a high bit rate sounds better but takes up more space on your hard drive. One confusing aspect of codecs is MP3 which is audio that most of us are familiar with, but the very similarly named MP4 is actually a video codec as well. MP3 MP4, you can see how that can get confusing.

    If you are just working with audio, take a look at Audacity with the LAME plugin. LAME is used for creating MP3s but that is going to change since the patent on MP3s is expired and the copyright holder basically made it open source. Legally, there were a lot of restrictions on MP3 usage due to the patent, so a lot of software did not include any options to encode to MP3 without "illegal" plugins. Those "illegal" plugins now are legal due to the expiration of the patent.

    I would also strongly suggest taking a look at your Video CODECs. XVID is actually a pretty good codec for audio and video, but it is quite old, and IM sure there is better stuff out there.
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  8. #7
    Are you sure your 3.5mm socket is for the microphone? Have you tried playing music through your microphone?



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