Audio line-in...which PPCs

[Paul Martin]

I've had a hard time trying to find info on which Pocket PC's offer a line-in option so that you can use an external microphone. I've heard that some of the iPaqs offer it, but again and not clear. Can you help? Thanks in advance!

pmradio

[arnage2]

the only one i knew of that has that is the jvc io. They never made it.

[Paul Martin]

Thanks, ARNAGE2. I think one of the higher-end iPaq's has it..one of the 5000 series, but am not sure. Thanks!

[Bill Gunn]

I've had a hard time trying to find info on which Pocket PC's offer a line-in option so that you can use an external microphone. I've heard that some of the iPaqs offer it, but again and not clear. Can you help? Thanks in advance!

pmradio

My iPaq 5455 and my iPaq 1910 can both record through a standard cell phone handsfree set.

[that_kid]

The 5455 and 5555 ipaqs both have microphone inputs. I use a headset with both all the time for voip. I'm not sure of any other pocket pc's which have this feature. I know the 4155, 4355 and 2215's don't have this option.

[Paul Martin]

Thanks! Just the kind of info I'm looking for. As I work in radio, I was looking for a way to be able to record audio directly onto the device with a microphone. I know that there are various CF solutions, but they tend to be more expensive that I'd like to pay.

[crwoo]

The Toshiba E755 and the E805 have line in using the Mic/ear Plug

[Paul Martin]

The Toshiba E755 and the E805 have line in using the Mic/ear Plug

I think the iPaq's work that way, too (double duty for the headphone jack). The more I hear about the E805, the more I like it. Thanks!!!

[arnage2]

i have an ipaq 5555 and i dont see a line in jack.

[Paul Martin]

i have an ipaq 5555 and i dont see a line in jack.

From what I understand, the headphone jack doubles as a line-in for an 1/8" mini-plug.

[arnage2]

what software is compatable with it. (like an mp3 converter or something like that)

[Paul Martin]

what software is compatable with it. (like an mp3 converter or something like that)

I think Vito has a sound recording program which can utilize the input. I honestly don't know much about it. http://vitotechnology.com/products/soundexplorer.html

[famousdavis]

I've had a hard time trying to find info on which Pocket PC's offer a line-in option so that you can use an external microphone. I've heard that some of the iPaqs offer it, but again and not clear. Can you help? Thanks in advance!

pmradio

My iPaq 5455 and my iPaq 1910 can both record through a standard cell phone handsfree set.

Interesting!

Sooooo.....if I hooked up my 1910 to connect to a Walkman-type player's headphone jack, might I be able to copy the cassette's contents into my 1910?

[Paul Martin]

Give it a whirl and let us know!

[Sven Johannsen]

Keep in mind, folks that the plug that goes into a mic/earphone jack must be wired correctly. For a normal stereo output, you have three contacts, left, right, common. Most cell phone plugs have three contacts, mic, earphone, common. To get a stereo out, and monaural, in you need four contacts, left, right, mic, common, and they have to be in the right place. If you want stereo out and in you would need five contacts. L & R out, L & R in, and common.

I'd check with the PPC manufacturer for an appropriate adapter if you want to use something other than what comes with it, or is sold specifically for it.

[Paul Martin]

Sven,

Thanks for the great tip! Looks like I'm going to have to do a little research. 8O

[Paul Martin]

If you want stereo out and in you would need five contacts. L & R out, L & R in, and common.

Follow-up. Is there any way to tell from the rings on the plug how many contacts it has?

[Falstaff]

On Toshiba's website, the 755 is listed as having a 4 ring jack. I couldn't find anything about the iPaq's port.

[Dave Beauvais]

Here is an adapter (http://pc-mobile.net/pqtaa.htm) with a built-in microphone which will allow you to use standard headphones, as well. Note the plug has four rings. This may be what you're looking for. The page mentions that it's for use with the iPAQ h5400 and h5500 series as well as the Toshiba e750 series. It appears to cost US$28.

[that_kid]

If you are handy with a soldering iron head over to www.mouser.com and buy the plug for only a buck and some change. That's what I did and it's been working great.

[Paul Martin]

If you are handy with a soldering iron head over to www.mouser.com and buy the plug for only a buck and some change. That's what I did and it's been working great.

Great tip! Would you mind to show me which plug you used? Thanks!

[maikii]

pmradio

My iPaq 5455 and my iPaq 1910 can both record through a standard cell phone handsfree set.[/quote]

I didn't know either of those models were PPC Phone models. How do you put a cell phone headset (2.5) plug into a 3.5 jack? And is that jack really made for input as well as output?

Besides, if you were trying to record music in stereo, the microphone on a phone headset jack is mono, and really would not give any advantage in sound over the built-in microphone.

[maikii]

From what I understand, the headphone jack doubles as a line-in for an 1/8" mini-plug.

That would be quite unusual, the same jack being used for headphones (output) and microphone (input). Stereo microphone? Only on the 5555?

[maikii]

Here is an adapter (http://pc-mobile.net/pqtaa.htm) with a built-in microphone which will allow you to use standard headphones, as well. Note the plug has four rings. This may be what you're looking for. The page mentions that it's for use with the iPAQ h5400 and h5500 series as well as the Toshiba e750 series. It appears to cost US$28.

That doesn't sound like what he was looking for, not to me. I think the original writer was asking about recording music through stereo line-in. I doubt anyone would want to record music through a telephone headset. I doubt that would give better results than the built-in microphone, probably worse.

Does look like a nice adapter. I think the ones available from Skullcandy www.skullcandy.com are probably nicer, as you can plug the adapter into both the phone and music player/PPC simultaneously. However, I don't think that's what the original poster was asking about at all.

[maikii]

Sooooo.....if I hooked up my 1910 to connect to a Walkman-type player's headphone jack, might I be able to copy the cassette's contents into my 1910?

I greatly doubt that would work, but tell us if it would.

There's another way to do it. I assume you probably have a computer with a line-in jack. If not, you can buy a USB audio adapter, which might give you a better input anyhow. Plug the cassette deck output into the computer sound card's line-in (or the USB audio's line-in jack), and record to the computer. You could then use software to clean up the sound, eliminate some or all of the tape hiss, etc. Then you could compress it to MP3 or WMA if desired, and copy to your PPC if required.

---------

It still would be nice to be able to record live music in stereo with the PPC, which would require a microphone input accepting a stereo microphone. (Yes, I know about the Core Sound CF card, but to me that's too unwieldy and expensive. You cannot plug a stereo microphone directly into the CF card, you have to plug a mic pre-amp into that, and the mic into the pre-amp. )

[Paul Martin]

Well, recording music would be nice, but I was thinking about great-quality voice recording.i.e, doing an interview. I would need to use a separate mic. Most broadcast-quality mics have an XLR connector. However, we have an XLR-mini cable which we use to record onto our mini-disc player. Essentially, I'm wondering if I could replace the mini-disc with my PPC. I hope that clears things up.

[Sven Johannsen]

If you want stereo out and in you would need five contacts. L & R out, L & R in, and common.

Follow-up. Is there any way to tell from the rings on the plug how many contacts it has?

Sure, count them. any metal contacts seperated by some insulator generally are independent. Using the pics from Dave's link...Here is an adaptor (http://pc-mobile.net/pqtaa.htm), Top left shot. the ziplinq sort of adapter plug has four contacts, the earbud plug has three. Can't tell from that how they are used, but you can make some good guesses.

I think at this point what we have established is that PPC Phone editions certainly have both a stereo out capability for MP3 playback and a monoraul in so you can use a hands free mic/earphone. There do seem to be a couple of regular PPCs that capitalize on this and also offer a mic in, via the usual headset jack, but it does require a special connector arrangement or some adapetor. This may actually work for what the OP was wanting.

I don't think we have found anything that indicares any standard PPC has any stereo in capability though, which would be needed if you wanted to record off some stereo source, CD player, tape player, what-have-you.

If that is a real requirement, I do recall there being a CF solution for that, a CF stereo line in card essentially. I also recall it cost $$$.

[Janak Parekh]

If that is a real requirement, I do recall there being a CF solution for that, a CF stereo line in card essentially. I also recall it cost $$$.
Yes - I believe the PDAudio-CF (http://www.core-sound.com/pdaudio-cf.html) is the only solution in that case. It costs $199, although note that price doesn't include a preamp or an A-to-D converter (it's a digital interface, because including a ADC would be relatively noisy inside a CF card). There's a fair amount of detail on that page. pmradio, even if you don't want to get it you might want to ask Len, who manufactures the product -- he knows more about Pocket PC recording than pretty much anyone else.

--janak

[maikii]

Well, recording music would be nice, but I was thinking about great-quality voice recording.i.e, doing an interview. I would need to use a separate mic. Most broadcast-quality mics have an XLR connector. However, we have an XLR-mini cable which we use to record onto our mini-disc player. Essentially, I'm wondering if I could replace the mini-disc with my PPC. I hope that clears things up.

Have you tried using the built-in mic? I don't recall if you wrote what kind of PPC you have, but I find the built-in mic on my IPAQ 2210 has quite good sound for voice. For music, however, an external stereo microphone would be necessary.

[Paul Martin]

Have you tried using the built-in mic? I don't recall if you wrote what kind of PPC you have, but I find the built-in mic on my IPAQ 2210 has quite good sound for voice. For music, however, an external stereo microphone would be necessary.

I have a Jornada 568. The mic is OK, but not the quality that I need for on-air use. Thanks!

[Trimac20]

You can attach a Computer microphone (or any other for that matter) into the 4350 headphone jack and it will work like the inbuilt mic.

[Paul Martin]

Thanks!