Realtek setting/Microphone... what have I done.

Guessing this is something I have done, but can't figure out just what ! The microphone is "active" all the time, touching the area around it and you can hear it through the speakers. Opening the Realtek device manager and the Mic is ticked in the top row of three "Speakers (ticked) Digital out (unticked) and Mic (Ticked). How do you turn it off ?

 

I think it depends on what model of machine, what operating system and maybe whether the machine has jack sensing as a feature. I have several machines of different makes and they all behave differently.

If it's Vista, try bypassing the Realtek panel and use the Microsoft controls. You can get to these via Control Panel, Sounds, and look at both recording and playback settings. Right click in a blank space to get options to make all the devices visible. You may be able to enable or de-activate inputs there, but it really is a matter of sucking and seeing.
XP is slightly more sensible.

 

Very interesting, thanks. It's the inbuilt mic, running Vista on an Aspire notebook. Anyway tried what you suggest, yes your right can disable it there and it even disappears then completely from the Realtek control, but, you still hear it through the speakers even though it's disabled. How weird is that ? Anyway that's led me on to something. Re enabled and have found a slider called "playback volume" on the Realtek panel under mic settings. What it actually is is playback volume of the microphone, so setting that to zero effectively turns it off.
Thanks

 

I have a AS 9810 and if I use the Mic I go into my sound options and unmute the mic and adjust the volume. When I'm done I mute it because if I don't I get feedback (loud screaching noise)through my external Bose speakers.

 

Found it, thank you.