Question Headset mic troubleshooting ?

[dr18]

A relative works remotely and uses three different teleconference systems. Two are browser based, plus zoom. On some calls, no one can hear her, unless she unplugs her headset. Three different headsets, same issue. In the past, I've mentioned to make sure the right device is selected. There isn't much time to troubleshoot in real time and I can only test zoom in the evening (there is no test mode for the others).
Any ideas? Is there some troubleshooting checklist I can share to quickly test in real time, not delaying the client for a long time?
Thank you!

 

[Misgar]

So far all we know is the headsets plug into her computer, but we don't know if that's into the MIC and HEADPHONES 3.5mm audio sockets or a USB socket. I'm guessing they're not Bluetooth headsets, since these use radio frequency transmission and not direct connection.

What computer/laptop is she using?

Full spec of all components would be useful, including Operating System version, model numbers of all headsets and the names of the teleconferencing system software.

 

[Paperdoc]

Two things to check on.

1. The CONNECTOR on the cable from the headset. On almost all common PC systems the connections for EARPHONES and MICROPHONE are separate 3.5mm sockets on the case - usually the front, but sometimes on the back, too. So the cable from a combo headset needs to end in TWO separate 3.5mm male plugs to go into those sockets. EACH of these will have THREE contacts: Tip, Ring and Sleeve, abbreviated TRS. Sleeve is Ground, and Tip and Ring are the two stereo audio lines, whether earphones (output from the audio chip) or mic (inputs). For the MIC connection, it is designed to accept 2-channel stereo mic input, although most headsets actually have only a mono mic and feed that signal on ONE of the input lines.

However, there is another connector design commonly used on Apple equipment and on many high-end systems. This type has only ONE connector on the end of its headset cable, and it has FOUR contacts: Tip, Ring1, Ring2, and Sleeve. Abbreviation TRRS. Tip and one Ring are stereo left and right OUTPUTS to earphones, and other Ring is mono INPUT from the mic. (even among those three, there are some variations of which is which!) Anyway, if you have that connector and plug it into either of the front sockets, it does not work. But you can get an ADAPTER that accepts that 4-contact jack and converts it two TWO 3-contact jacks, one each for earphones and mic, that you plug into the two jacks on a PC.

2. Setting Input device. Any computer MAY have two or more sound devices. For example, there may be an audio chip on the mobo (VERY often by Realtek), another audio output chip on the video card so sound can be sent to a monitor with speakers via the HDMI cable, and a third-party sound card in a PCIe slot. But Windows can use only ONE audio device at a time. Within Windows where you can configure your sound devices you get to specify exactly which device will be used by default for EACH of three functions: sound OUTPUT (e.g, speakers and / or headphones), sound INPUT for a mic, and MIDI output devices. These three items are set separately. In the search box at bottom left of the screen, type in Control Panel and use the menu to get to Hardware and Sound. Under Sound choose Manage Audio Devices. On the Playback tab you can select the default output device, configure its details and test it. On the Recording tab you can specify the input device, configure that and test. Note here two things. Choosing the correct PLAYBACK device does NOT also select the default RECORDING device - they are set separately. And in the RECORDING device panel, the front mic jack, any front Line In jack, and the rear panel Line In jack all are different inputs, so you must choose the one you are really using.

So for example, your relative's system may be set to use the mobo Realtek audio system as the default playback device so that sound comes out of the front earphone socket and the mobo rear panel Line Out socket. But it may NOT have been set to use that Realtek system to receive INPUT from the front panel mic socket.

 

[dr18]

I don't have the computer in front of me, but before this goes totally off base let me get some details here.
We are talking about two different Dell notebook computers, two different models which have two different audio cards built in. We're talking about a single 3.5 mm Jack for both microphone and headphone. Both are running Windows 11. Both have the headset as the default conferencing device. They're also said as a default for each app. The applications are zoom and a web-based app call therapy notes. There's a third one which I can't recall.
Four different headphones with three different models have been tried with the same problem.
Sometimes the other side hears audio and sometimes they do not. Unplugging the headset and using the built-in mic always works. I know that we tried using USB headset a while back, I can't recall the conclusion... But at the moment the computer is out of USB jacks and at the moment, the USBC hubs that I have also add another audio device which I do not want to do and confuse the matter. We actually first noted the issue when we were using an external USBC hub with a 3.5 mm audio jack, which is why I moved to the internal audio card. We are always able to hear the other side of the conversation. A while back after a two-hour conversation with dell, they removed an extraneous microphone device and it helps, but it's a problem now. Well one way audio could be a voice issue, having the same issue with three different apps seems odd. Considering that three different apps are used, part of me is wondering whether I should try and exclusive use checkbox which I've seen. So many different variables have attempted to be isolated and it still works sometimes and doesn't work other times, which makes it difficult to figure out when it's actually fixed. Thank you.