HP dv5t external mic

It's probably not a very common question, but I was wondering if the microphone jack takes stereo input? The integrated microphone is stereo, so I'm guessing the sound card will take stereo input, but I don't have a stereo mic to test.

If the mic jack is stereo, does anyone know where I can get a converter that would basically mix two mono mics into stereo? To be more clear, I have two singstar microphones and it came with a usb converter that would place each mic on separate channels. However, the input isn't as good as if I directly plug the microphone into the mic jack. Thus, I need something that is like that usb converter, but instead plugs into the microphone jack instead of the USB port. I hope that was clear enough. I don't need the computer to recognize two microphones.

 

Yes it takes a stereo input, and it also can be used as a line input provided you lower the level.

And no it will not recognize two mics, just a stereo input. To mix two mono inputs you will need an 3.5mm jack splitter, but the output will still be mono. To assign one mic for the left channel and one for the right, you need to pop open the mikes and do some soldering.

I have played around with cheap mics a lot and the best solution eventually was buying a better one. If you're serious about using a mic (ie: for singing), try to spend at least $80 on it and it'll work well.

 

From the sounds of it, it looks like I'll just be able to make a karaoke machine out of it so both singers will be able to hear themselves. I just can't the bonus of also having a Singstar like game where each player's singing get scored since it scores on a left and right channel. But thanks a lot, at least now I know what the adapter I'm looking for is called. Hopefully, there's a 3.5mm jack splitter where one input will be assigned to the left channel, and the other is assigned to the right channel instead of just mixing the two together into mono.

 

The splitter wires two stereo signals to a single 3.5mm jack. It's just 3 wires inside nothing too technical.

Your problem is that your two mono mikes are wired in the mono standard, on the same channel (the tip of the jack, corresponding to the left channel of a stereo jack). So if you use a splitter you will have both mikes going through the same wire, so all you gain is more volume. You're gonna have to hack one mike so that it goes to the right channel (the middle of the stereo jack, between the two rings).

 

That makes sense. Guess I'll also have to look into mics later for the full experience.

 

I'm still not sure what you want. But the computer's input IS stereo--and that's what you'll get. If you want to premx that signal with two separate mics you need to do it before sending it to your computer. I suggest you invest in a stand alone mixer. That way you can mix and match signals however you want.