Advice Needed On Webcam Recording Issue

[chris18]

I thought I'd posted this earlier but can't see it so have posted again.

I have a Yht USB PC Camera with inbuilt microphone. The camera is I have to confess very low budget but works and the image seen by the distant end is I'm told quite good. My problem is that the mic is far from perfect and the recording level unpredictable.

I use it on an infrequent basis for chatting on Skype and sometimes my audio is fine but then the next time the recording level can very low in volume making it impossible for the other end to hear me. It makes no difference if I use the mic jack on the rear of the motherboard or the one which is extended to the front of my Shark case.

I have a couple of really good calls on Skype when the distant end has heard me perfectly but another time it's been really poor.

The audio play back, which is through a Busby SR-301 two speaker system is fine.

The sound on my system is inbuilt to the motherboard and is Realtek AC97.

I have a separate earphone headset microphone i.e it is a small mic on an arm with a clip that goes over the ear to keep the headphone in place. This works better but even then it has to be fairly close to my mouth to get a good recording level.

I've checked all my audio settings and as far as I can see these are set correctly and the AC97 is enabled in BIOS.

I was wondering if there is anything I can do to improve my audio recording?

I should mention that I don't think I've updated the drivers since I bought my system in November 2005. If I check Device Manager it shows:

Driver Date 17/11/2004
Driver Version 5.10.0.5750

I've just checked the ASUS A8N-SLI Series Motherboard Installation CD that came with the motherboard and curiously this shows a Realtek ALC850 driver.

I then checked the motherboard manual and it says it has AI Audio (Realtek ALC850 8-channel codec) 1 X COAXIAL s/pdif OUTPORT 1 X OPTICAL s/pdif OUT PORT. I have no idea what this is.

I have DirectX 9.0c (4.09.0000.0904) installed.

I've looked at the Realtek site and have found what looks like two drivers both named A4.00 (driver package 4.0). One is WDM_A400.exe and the other WDM_A400.zip, assume these are the same file but in different format. I don't know whether updating the driver would make any difference.

I'd be prepared to purchase another better quality webcam (preferably with inbuilt mic to reduce the number of wires laying about) provided I could be sure that it would perform better. I just don't want to go out and buy something only to find it's no better and as I only use it sporadically I don't want to spend a fortune.

Alternatively I would consider buying a reasonably good quality separate mic, provided again that it will make a difference.

If anyone can offer any help I'd be grateful.

[pythond666]

It is possible that updateing the drivers will help those two u said are the same they are just differen't format as u said.so no difference with exe or zip. If u go to volume control itself not the program that goes with the sound and choose options then advanced it should have advanced option button that shows up under mic then choose mic boost and then try that see if it makes any difference. I had similar problems and updateing the drivers helped with mine mine is also ac97 but its possible it won't help. try updateing it see if theres any difference.