Academic Technology Center

Teaching with Technology Collaboratory

Connecting and Adjusting Your Headset for Camtasia

Note

These instructions are based on typical Windows PC components. Your exact equipment may vary.

Headsets

In order to record narration in Camtasia, it is recommended that you use a headset with a microphone for the best audio quality. This type of microphone is placed near the speaker's mouth, so it picks up your voice more clearly while reducing background noise.

Need help connecting your Headset to the Computer?

Click here for more information on Connecting your Headset
Identifying Headset Plugs

The headset (a headphone/microphone combination) has two plugs at the end, one for the microphone and one for the headphones. The plugs on a standard 3.5mm headset might look like the following:

The headphones plug (1) can be identified by one of the following characteristics:
- Colored black, green or blue
- Displays a headphone logo:
- Embossed with the word "phones"
The microphone plug (2) can be identified by one or more of the following characteristics:
- Colored pink or red
- Displays a microphone logo:
- Embossed with the word "microphone"
Once you know which plug is which you can find the matching jacks on your computer to plug them in.

Identifying Computer Jacks

The jacks on your computer are typically located on the back of your desktop computer or on the side of a laptop computer. Newer desktop computers may have jacks in the front. Sometimes they are in different places depending on the make and model of your computer. These jacks should be color coded and they may also be labeled with small graphics (which may not look the same as the ones on your headphones).

Here are examples from two typical desktop computers of different ages:

Here is an example from a typical laptop:

On your computer, the headphone jack is almost always green and the microphone jack is pink or red. The blue jacks in the first two photos are not the correct ones.

Your headset may be equipped with controls on the cord. If so, after plugging the headset into your computer, be sure that the volume is turned to about halfway and that the microphone is not muted.

Computer Sound/Volume Controls:

Sound and volume control is operating system (OS) dependent. Please choose your OS from below for more information.

Click here for more information on Windows 2000/XP
The Windows operating system allows you to place a small speaker icon ( or ) in your system tray (on the lower right of your screen) to allow quick access to your system volume. If you do not already see one of these icons in your system tray, enable it by doing the following:
- Windows 2000/XP: Go to Start > Control Panel > Sounds and Audio Devices. On the Volume tab, check Place volume icon on the task bar.
Once the icon is available, click it once to bring up a control to quickly adjust your system volume (or mute the volume).

Double-click the icon to bring up the advanced volume control panel, which includes microphone volume:

If you don't see all of the volume options listed above, especially the microphone options, go to Options > Properties in the Volume Control window. The Properties window appears and allows you to select additional volume options.

Tip

If you don't see the Advanced buttons as seen above, use the Options menu and select the Advanced Controls option.

Adjusting Microphone Volume

Microphone volume can be adjusted in a few ways:
- Make sure that the microphone slider on the Volume Control Window is set to about 50% (see above).
- Many microphones are not particularly powerful and you may need to boost the microphone input by clicking the Advanced button in the microphone control section of the full control panel and checking the 1 Microphone Boost option.
- Adjust the volume using the volume control on the headset cord.
Click here for more information on Windows Vista
Window Vista users will see a small speaker icon ( ) in their system tray (on the lower right of your screen) by default. This icon allows quick access to the system volume. If you do not already see one of these icons in your system tray, enable it by doing the following:
- Right-click the Task bar > Select Properties from the pop up menu > On the Notification Area tab > check the box next to Volume > Click OK.
Once the icon is available, click it once to bring up a control to quickly adjust your system volume (or mute the volume).

Accessing the Microphone Volume

Right-click the speaker icon and select Recording Devices to bring up the recording control panel:

To access the volume options for a device:
1. Locate the device on the Recording Control Panel, double click on the device
2. On the Microphone Properties screen, click the Levels tab
3. Adjust the volume as required.
Adjusting Microphone Volume

Microphone volume can be adjusted in a few ways:
- Make sure that the microphone slider on the Microphone Properties Window is set above 50% (see above).
- Many microphones are not particularly powerful and you may need to boost the microphone input by clicking the Custom tab on the on the Microphone Properties Window and checking the Microphone Boost option.
- Adjust the volume using the volume control on the headset cord.
Click here for more information on Windows 7
Window 7 users will see a small speaker icon ( ) in their system tray (on the lower right of your screen) by default. This icon allows quick access to the system volume. If you do not already see one of these icons in your system tray, enable it by doing the following:
- Right-click the Notifications Area to the far right of your task bar > Select Properties from the pop up menu > On the System Icons screen > Next to the Volume icon, change the selection in the Behaviors drop down menu to On > Click OK.
Once the icon is available, click it once to bring up a control to quickly adjust your system volume (or mute the volume).

Accessing the Microphone Volume

Right-click the speaker icon and select Recording Devices to bring up the recording control panel:

To access the volume options for a device:
1. Locate the device on the Recording Control Panel, double click on the device
2. On the Microphone Properties screen, click the Levels tab
3. Adjust the volume as required.
Adjusting Microphone Volume

Microphone volume can be adjusted in a few ways:
- Make sure that the microphone slider on the Microphone Properties Window is set above 50% (see above).
- Many microphones are not particularly powerful and you may need to boost the microphone input by clicking the Custom tab on the on the Microphone Properties Window and checking the Microphone Boost option.
- Adjust the volume using the volume control on the headset cord.

Adjusting your volume in Camtasia for recording:

Ready to Record? Click here for more information on Setting up your audio in Camtasia 6
Adjusting your audio in Camtasia Studio is done from within the Camtasia Recorder. The Camtasia Recorder is accessed by starting a recording in Camtasia Studio. To start, click on the Record the screen button from within Camtasia Studio.

Camtasia Studio minimizes, and the Camtasia Recorder opens. From Camtasia Recorder:
1. Check to ensure that the audio is set to record. In the Recorded Inputs area, click on the image of the Microphone to toggle the Audio on and off. If the audio is on, you will notice a green light and connecting line under the microphone image.
2. Click the down arrow next to the image of the microphone to access the list of available input devices. Be sure to select your headset for the drop down list to ensure the highest quality audio possible.
3. Once you have selected your microphone from the drop down menu, begin speaking into your microphone at a normal volume. If your headset is connected appropriately, you should see audio levels (moving colored band) in the Audio Level Meter.
4. Adjust your microphone volume using the slider under the Audio Level Meter. Optimal input level is indicated by the yellow band in the Audio Level Meter. When appropriately adjusted, your audio level should be in this middle range.
Ready to Record? Click here for more information on Setting up your audio in Camtasia 7
Adjusting your audio in Camtasia Studio is done from within the Camtasia Recorder. The Camtasia Recorder is accessed by starting a recording in Camtasia Studio. To start, click on the Record the screen button from within Camtasia Studio.

Camtasia Studio minimizes, and the Camtasia Recorder opens. From Camtasia Recorder:
1. Check to ensure that the audio is set to record. In the Recorded Inputs area, click on the image of the Microphone to toggle the Audio on and off. If the audio is on, you will notice a green light and connecting line under the microphone image as well as a green checkmark next to the image of the microphone.
2. Click the down arrow next to the image of the microphone to access the list of available input devices. Be sure to select your headset for the drop down list to ensure the highest quality audio possible.
3. Once you have selected your microphone from the drop down menu, begin speaking into your microphone at a normal volume. If your headset is connected appropriately, you should see audio levels (moving colored band) in the Audio Level Meter.
4. Adjust your microphone volume using the slider under the Audio Level Meter. Optimal input level is indicated by the yellow band in the Audio Level Meter. When appropriately adjusted, your audio level should be in this middle range.

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Last modified: Jul 29, 2010, 13:57 EDT