Q: Missing menu “Use audio port for”
-
Jan 23, 2012 3:36 PMby SP Forsythe,HelpfulYou may be thinking of an older OS/hardware version.
The audio ports works both as a headphone AND a microphone port, simultaneously, when used with the proper plug connection device, such as a 4 conductor mini plug for headset (e.g. an iPhone compatible headset). But will work fine with stereo headphone, if used. I've not yet tried a dedicated microphone (only) though.
This is what mine looks like.
-
Jan 24, 2012 6:37 AMby Xenutia,HelpfulI'm having the same problem, every help file/discussionon this subject says there ought to be a "Use Port For' menu when you connect an external audio device, but I get nothing. I've used this stereo/audio cable combination on a previous Mac and it worked fine, but that was back in the good old days when there was a dedicated line-in. Does anyone know why nothing is showing up?
-
Jan 24, 2012 6:46 AMby erlingbergen,From the screen captures I see that you do not get the menu “Use audio port for” either.
I have a less than one year old MacBook Air running Mac OS X 10.6.8.
When I plug in the microphone, the output page changes from Internal Speakers to Headphone, the Input page still shows Internal microphone - and it is the internal one that picks up the sound.
That makes me think that somehow I have to tell the Mac whether it is an input or output device, just as it is on my colleague's new MacBookPro, and he has available and uses the menu “Use audio port for” .
Hence, what I learn from you answer is useful in that I am not the only one that may have a problem. Thanks.
But what is the next step?
-
Jan 24, 2012 6:53 AMby Xenutia,I'm on OS 10.7.2 – this MacBook Air is only about three months old. The one that did the job before was a white MacBook running Leopard, about 4 years old. Currently I'm trying to connect a stereo, but I have an external microphone I might try, just to see if the menu appears. Just a sec . . .
-
Jan 24, 2012 7:05 AMby Xenutia,Seeing as how my USB audio device showed in the list but my jack device didn't, I'm going to try this: http://www.amazon.co.uk/LINDY-USB-2-0-Audio-Adapter/dp/B000QY2G2U/ref=pd_cp_comp uters_0
I'll let you know if it works!
-
Jan 24, 2012 7:06 AMby erlingbergen,Reply to myself. After having talked to my Apple dealer it seems that several MacBooks do not allow for external microphones (except for a special headphone/microphone sold by Apple (?)). The advice I got was to buy a sound card to be plugged into a USB port. That seems stupid to me, if the plug is the same as for a 15" MacBook Pro, why isn't the software the same? And, why isn't the help text (?) for the MacBook Air correct? Prove me wrong before I have to spend money and time getting a sound card.
-
Jan 24, 2012 11:03 AMby SP Forsythe,etlingbergen,
I think you are right about the help file being incorrect. I don't know exactly when the Preference pane changed, but I think it was in 10.7.0. It has not affected me any, becaause I routinely plug my iPhone compatible headsets into the jack, and it operates just fine (for me), insofar as the transition is automatic. The Software and Hardware support near instant switchover, without me having to "tell" the computer, "hey I just plugged in an external speaker and mic, switchover please". Speaking as a user, I prefer it that way.
I am wondering what you are trying to do. Are you plugging in an external speaker or mic, yet do not want the input/output to change to that? Or do you just want to leave the jack in place, yet be able to switch back and forth at will?
To me, it's not unlike when Apple dumbed down the GPU controls on the MBP's to switch to whatever the system saw as best. It has it's good points, and bad ones.
-
Jan 24, 2012 1:41 PMby erlingbergen,SP Forsythe
I wanted to use my new mono Sennheiser microphone to produce high quality voice over on slides and animations. This microphone may require power and thus be incompatible with the jack plug input. I may try with an Apple microphone or buy a USB sound card, whichever gives the most bang for the buck. I just tested and the Sennheiser mic. did not work on a Mac with the menu “Use audio port for” available. For now, case closed.
-
Jun 20, 2012 12:18 PMby cead2012,I just purchased the new macbook pro 13" 2012 version. It does not have the use audio port for option. I've contacted apple support and basically from what I've researched the audio line will only detect certain headsets. I used my preamp and mixer setups for recording on older macs and had no problem but now without it detecting my preamp's line in audio and no option to change that I can't use my preamp to record. The usb quality I got wasn't very good so far. The apple support guy said that its functioning properly and that all we can do is send in a request to add the option back in the future OS updates.
-
Jul 17, 2012 3:13 AMby monstercactus,I can confirm that "Use audio port for..." option is missing on my 2012 MBP 13'' as well. First I thought it was OS related, because I'm running 10.8 on this laptop, but my 2010 MBP 13'' still has the option, even with 10.8. So this must be a hardware limitation or model based restriction (care guess why?)
I did a little research for the 13'' MBP and here's what I found:
Extracted from the support page's tech specs
2009 - 2011 specs:
"Audio in/out"
[...]
"Combined headphone/line in (supports digital output)"
2012 specs:
"Headphone port"
[...]
Combined audio line in/out (digital/analog)
Extracted from the store's tech specs:
2012 specs:
Headphone port
- Support for Apple iPhone headset with remote and microphone
- Support for audio line out (digital/analog)
The specs for the 2012 model try to support this, but in an inconsistent fashion (see store's tech specs vs. support tech specs).
I'm really ****** and curious as to what determined Apple to pull the feature; to me that seems like a low move to impose what kind of microphone I can use with the laptop, when clearly, previous models could use any.
Message was edited by: monstercactus
