Windows 10 microphone mind f@ck

(1) Yes, that's doable

(2) I can disable the built-in no problem. But that doesn't force the headset to pick the slack. Even after reboot. I just have no mic at all.

 

Right click on the headset and set it as your default communication device. Set the Realtek audio device as the default audio device. If you are using voice command enabled software packages you should also select the recording tab and select the headset as the default recording device.

 

Headset is already the default.
Lemme check on Realtek.
Voice commands are set for headset and become useless every time the built-in mic high-jacks my shit.

 

New twist:

The only mention of Realtek in the device manager is under "network adapters."

 

Do you happen to know, or can you find the name of your audio device? If not, tell me what model Dell you have and I'll look it up. It occurred to be earlier that you may be operating under a generic driver, but I didn't consider beyond that.

 

There is a difference between default device and default communication device. The default communication device would be the default for anything like Skype, SIP phones and such. The default audio device would be for media playback like youtube and music.

 

Have you tried unplugging it from the USB port and then buying a Mac?

 

Old-ass Studio 1749.

Headset has always been the default for both.

I'm using it right now, by the way. Just started using the laptop for the first time today. So of course, it's working. Let's see in a couple of hours.

 

That won't save you, spent 20 minutes the other day trying to figure out why audio was either intermittently dropping or stupid quiet on various means of accepting a conf call. Different means on calling in, different destinations called. Ultimately ended up being my mac's audio engine flaking HARD. One reboot later, all was good.

 

"You have successfully logged in to Windows. Please restart your computer."

 

Looks like back-to-back days of normal operation. I hate this stuff.

 

It's really simple stuff. Default device means just that. If there is only one device it will be default be the default device. If you have multiple devices that perform the same function then you the "User" has to tell the operating system which one you want to be the default device. Most applications comes out of the box ready to use the default device but give the user the option to select a specific device. This will override anything that has been selected as the default device for that specific application.

The default communication device follows the same functions as above.

It's not rocket surgery.

 

If you have set it in the application the only reason Windows will swap back is the lack of presence of the second device.

 

Just a thought, have you tried a different headset? Could be having issues and defaulting back to mic.

"Windows is great at multi-tasking as long as its not doing anything else"...

 

This is one reason why I switched over to being a Cisco/network infrastructure guy vs. a Windows Server/Application guy - I find fewer bugs and inconsistencies when I'm dealing with the wire and not necessarily what's on the wire.

 

I hear you, but I haven't changed a single setting. It worked for years, then it was working for a week, then it worked for two days straight. Through the whole time, my default settings remained exactly the same except for when I was troubleshooting.

That was the plan for this week. I actually tried to order one Thursday at the height of my frustration and the vendor's website crashed.

 

Karma for being such a prick?

 

It was the North Koreans.