Microsoft LifeCam VX-3000 Microphone Problem - Page 2

[pstan]

VX-6000:

I have had a problem on Skype telling me there is excessive background noise - and people I'm talking to unable to hear me properly. I tried the other solutions but got varying results. Looking at the noise graph in the VX-6000 audio and video settings process the bar stayed either yellow/red without me talking or the microphone volume turned itself so low as to be useless.

I have taken the screw out of the back of the unit, prised the case apart and lifted the microphone (small cylinder with two wires attached) out of its inset. I have then stripped 5-10 mm from the ends from a 50mm (2 inch) piece of wire from telephone cable (very thin), inserted one end through the horizontal slit in the rear case of the unit , underneath where the microphone sits. I bent the wire over so the bottom metal case of the microphone would sit on top of the bared wire. I then reseated the microphone (while looking at the graph in the set up of the VX-6000) - once I had reassembled the unit the microphone is permanently in the green section of the graph. I have put the volume up to maximum with no buzzing problems - tested it on Skype and by recording a clip using the life cam software.

I did this as a last resort - my webcam is 8 months old and I would not get a refund so I had nothing to lose. It looks ugly but it works for me.

This is the one that worked for me...cheers spud66 you're a legend!

[Phong]

I solved the problem for myself in much the same way as everyone else. I opened up the VX-3000, however I did not snip any wires. I simply freed the microphone capsule and its metal cover out of teh case. Also I notioced that the ferrite bead around the thin red and black wires was touching the circuit board, so I pulled it away from the board. It seems to be working fine now. I haven't bothered to close up the unit. I just use it with its guts exposed.

[mikes21]

I just fixed my microphone problem. I tried everything; moving the mic around, turning off speakers, unplugging lights, different programs to record audio..

I took the LifeCam VX-3000 apart. Inside, there are two wires, a red and black wire running to the microphone. There is also a little metal brace clasped onto the outside of the microphone with a little black wire attached to it. When I took the little metal brace off the mic, the buzz disappeared. I think those metal rings touching the mic were the source of the buzz. I cut off that little brace and it works just like it did when I bought it.

I was pretty close to sending the VX-3000 back to Amazon, when I got the courage to try removing the metal brace as you suggested. TO my amazement this worked perfectly. I can't imagine what that metal brace is there for, other than perhaps to simply hold the microphone in place. But it is completely unnecessary as far as I can tell. Thanks for the advice.

[Meital98]

Hi there, I had the same problem, but then tried NoiseFreePro at http://noisefreepro.com/ it's a new product that dramatically improved the sound quality. That might solve your problem. Good luck, Michelle

[Adcolgrz]

Welcome.

I have one question. In this camera i can disabled microfon(for example, mute in program of this camera) and connected other microfon ? This will be work ?

[Phong]

Yes you can.
In Messenger, go to Tools > Audio and Video setup. Press Next until you get to the Microphone Setup page. Then from the drop-down select the choice that is not Microsoft LifeCam VX-3000. Tune the microsoft volume as needed. Press Next and Finish. Now when you start a video call you will be using the plug-in microphone.

[Adcolgrz]

ahmmm yes i understand, but in messenger is about standart configuration in all PC ? or just in this program messenger ? I only use SKYPe to talk. If i disabled in messenger, then my microphon other will be work on skype ? A little stupid question but i dont know... :)

[drcoxlover]

None of these solutions are working for my webcam. I moved around the metal ring and there is still static. Any advice on what else to try. Should I cut the black cable holding the microphone in?

[Phong]

I did cut the black cable. This stopped the loud hum. However I felt that the volume was not loud enough. I was not able to set the microphone volume high enough to be useful.

Finally in the end I decided that the device had given me too much trouble, and I replaced it with an inexpensive Logitech webcam. So far so good.

[Phong]

Could you clarify ... did you remove the metal brace totally from the unit? Or leave the brace in place but just snip its black wire?

[christo570]

Ok. I opened up my VX-3000 and moved the mike wire around, to no avail. Then I took the mike out of the cam with the metal brace and the black wire still attached. Still humming. removed the brace but didn't cut it out yet. Still humming. Cut the metal brace, but left the black wire attached to the underside of the board. Hum still present. Finally just yanked the black wire out, I didnt remove the screws that held the circuit board down, just pulled on the wire till came out. Stupid move, but I figured at this point I would just toss and get a new cam. Plugged it back in, no hum.

Reattached the case, put in back on the pc, still working with no hum. So, it seems removing the metal brace, and the black wire connecting it to the circuit board fixes the hum issue. Note don' t remove the black and red wire from the mike. There is a seperate black wire, which I imagine is supposed to be a ground, attached to the metal brace that caps the top and bottom of the mike.

[lindaad1]

I am trying to use my web cam with Skype. Either the other person can see me but I can't see them or visa versa. I then uninstalled the camera & reinstalled a new version. Now, the camera isn't recognized at all! I don't know what to do next.

[falaniz]

It works! Did exactly what christo570 suggested, including yanking out the black wire attached to the metal brace, and its now working, no more humming! Out of curiosity I did remove the circuit board to see where the wire goes and it feeds into the tubing that leads to the USB plug. I cut the wire as close to the tubing as possible, leaving nothing exposed.

[dellxpyahoo]

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[Skyty]

Okay, so I have a Microsoft VX-3000 web cam... I got the buzzing noise, opened the case up, I didn't cut anything or whatever. I moved stuff around, nothing seemed to work.

I wanted to see were that black metal casing was plugged into so I took off the motherboard and then my camera just stopped working. I get an error every time I plug it into my PC. it says it can't be recognized.

[dolfinking]

After all it is neither the wire nor the metal brace causing the humming noise, but it is was the Cordless phone who is the culprit. Plug out your cordless phone and switch off the wireless on your modem and then try your webcam...no humming!

Yes the other solutions of removing the Metal brace and moving the wire around seemed to work for some people as they where attracting more electronic interference from Cordless phone or wireless (though wireless not the big culprit) and moving them away from the spectrum solve the issue for some.

[angeliz323]

I cannot get the Microsoft LifeCam VX3000 to work at all. I keep getting a message that there was a problem and not enough storage to install it. I had it on the computer before, so I am not sure that why it is not working now. I had to reboot the computer and ever since, no sound. I am running Windows XP. I can't even find the stupid mic on the computer.

[neilnicky017]

I recently got a new Lifecam VX-3000 to use with MSN messenger. It works fine for stand-alone video capture, and it works alright when using the video alone on MSN, but when I try to use the microphone at all, it just comes up with this dreadful buzzing or humming. I cant hear it on my comp when I video call or just chat with Ventrilo, but everyone else can hear it and they cant hear what I say at all.

I tried adjusting the volume on the mic, and it just jumps back up to high no matter what.

I tried disabling the microphone on it and using an external one, but the video wont work when I do that, and the external mic isnt recognized by my computer or doesnt work.

I tried moving the cam away from my speakers, but the cord isnt very long and cant reach very far away, and the cord on the speakers isnt long enough to move them very far from the cam, either.

The only other thing I can think of is disabling the webcam when I want to use Ventrilo and getting a new microphone for my computer. I really would rather just figure out some way to fix the microphone on the LifeCam, but I cant see how.

Any suggestions?

- Woo i will surely post this information on my site.

[splur]

Well, I had the humming/buzzing sound on the webcam since I bought it. I decided to open it up and see the inside.

I noticed that the more I tried to pry the metal grounding clip on the mic (the one that ironically says don't cut), the less the buzzing was. But every time I tried to put the cover back on, it'd press the metal grounding clip right back in, the buzzing came back. Eventually I simply cut it right out, voila! No more buzzing.

Now I might've completely destroyed the safety of the webcam, but it works now.

[red4ever00b]

I have the life cam vx-3000 and I want to host a show on blog tv and I cant do it with the buzzing nose how do you get rid of it

[Kelsolvsvanilla]

I actually took the front of my Microsoft Lifecam vx3000 webcam off via the small screw in the back. You will then see a small circular silver piece in the top right corner. This is the mic. I gave it 3 or 4 good thumps while I was in the Audio settings menu on Skype, and the erroneous green bar that was there actually went away, and it only went up when I was talking, this actually fixed the problem......I hope this helps someone else.....

[william.goo.3]

I have lifecam 5000. Mine picks up alot of bass and sensitivity

[Dariusz]

http://www.faustas.com/support/ms-life-cam-sound-problem

[Riptyed]

Sounds like the issues are mostly mechanical, but I'll throw in an additional suggestion. Right click on Sound on the Taskbar and go into Recording Devices.

You should see the device there, right click and go to Properties. Under the Levels tab you can try lowering the level and Mic Boost to cut down on picking up unwanted electrial noise (like being close to computer speakers).

Go to Advanced Tab and uncheck "Allow applications to take exclusive control...". This will stop applications like Skype, MSN, etc. from auto changing your levels, as you said it kept doing.

Hope this helps, glhf