Academic Technology Center
Learning with Technology Collaboratory

Connect and Adjust Your Headset

Note

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

Headsets

In order to use the two-way audio features in Interwise, it is recommended that you use a headset with both headphones and a microphone, which should look something like the headset shown. This document explains how to connect your headset to your PC computer.

Tip

Headsets are available from the Academic Technology Center (ATC) for a small fee by visiting the ATC in Fuller Labs 117 or contacting the ATC at 508-831-5220 or atc@wpi.edu. Faculty and staff who attend the Interwise training sessions are provided with a free headset.

Note

You can also use speakers and a microphone which are built into some laptop computers or external speakers and an external microphone, but the sound is often better when a headset is used. The ATC has external microphones available for check out from the equipment inventory.

Identifying Headset Plugs

Your headset has two plugs at the end, one for the microphone and one for the headphones. They might look like the following:

The headphones plug (1) can be identified by one of the following characteristics:

The microphone plug (2) can be identified by one or more of the following characteristics:

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.

Headset Volume/Mute Controls

Your headset may be equipped with controls on the cord. If so, there is usually a rotating volume control and a mute switch similar to the one shown below:

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

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:

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:

Adjusting Your Headset Volume in Interwise

You can adjust your headset volume within Interwise by using the Audio Wizard or using the volume controls on the Interwise interface.

Using the Audio Wizard

  1. When you join an Interwise event, a dialog box may appear asking how you want to listen and speak during the event. Select the first option. The Interwise Audio Setup Wizard window appears.

  2. Make sure that other computer programs that use audio are closed. Examples of such computer programs include Windows Media Player, Real Audio, CD and DVD players, etc. Click Next to advance to the next screen.
  3. The next screen allows you to adjust the volume of the headphones. Click the Play button (with the forward arrow on it) and slide the volume control to the left or right until the volume is at a comfortable level for you.

  4. Click Next to advance to the next screen.
  5. The next screen allows you to adjust the volume of the microphone. Click the Record button (with the red circle on it) and speak into the microphone for a few seconds. Play back your voice recording by clicking the Play button (with the forward arrow on it). If the recording is too loud or too soft, slide the volume control left or right and try recording and playing back your voice again. Repeat until you are satisfied with the recording volume of your microphone.

  6. Click Next to advance to the next screen.
  7. Click Finish to exit the Audio Wizard.

Tip

You can adjust your audio via the Audio Wizard at any time during an event. Go to Audio/Video menu and select Audio Setup Wizard to use the Audio Wizard. You will receive a warning that you will temporarily leave the Interwise event while you are adjusting your audio, but you will automatically be returned to the event when you are finished using the Audio Wizard.

Using Volume Control on the Interwise Interface

When you speak during an Interwise event, the status bar indicates that you are speaking, as shown below:

When you are speaking, the green/yellow/red bar on the right side of the status bar indicates the volume of your microphone. If your volume is frequently in the red zone, your microphone is probably too loud. If your volume is in the low end of the green zone, your microphone is probably too soft.

Adjust your microphone volume on-the-fly by clicking on the percentage that appears to the right of the microphone icon. Move the percentage up or down depending on the performance of your microphone.

You can also adjust the volume of your headphones by clicking on the percentage to the right of the speaker icon. Move the percentage up or down until you can hear at a comfortable level.

Related Resource

Joining an Interwise iMeeting Event

Acknowledgement: Much of the information in this document was modified and reproduced with permission from the University of Alaska, Fairbanks.

Maintained by itweb@wpi.edu
Last modified: Aug 20, 2008, 16:07 EDT
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