Joe pretty much covered the needed info. I would only add that the cheap headphones that we get with most cell phones with a headphone jack are the “three-ring” type that Joe mentioned as they frequently serve as both a headphone and mic when speaking on the phone.

Thanks, Karl

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________________________________
From: Code for Libraries <[log in to unmask]> on behalf of Joe Hourclé <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Sunday, May 22, 2022 5:06:11 PM
To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Re: [CODE4LIB] Built-in Mic - USB Adapter for external mic

  [EXTERNAL]

On May 22, 2022, at 3:26 PM, charles meyer <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>
> Hi my esteemed listmates
…
> Alternatively, I have a headset mic but it's not a USB plug, it's the old
> style you plug into a port on your PC.
>
> My laptop only has a headset port, not a mic port.
>
> Has anyone used some kind of an adapter to connect the old style headset
> mic plug into that USB adapter which you can then plug into a USB port on
> your laptop?

Just because you see a 1/8” hole for an audio plug, it might be any one of a number of plugs.

If you look at the plug, and count the number of metal rings (not counting the tip):

1: mono audio
2: stereo audio
3: stereo + microphone

So I have a headset that has this last plug.  It will either work as stereo headphones, but if I plug it into a port of the correct type, the microphone works, too.

You can get adaptors in either direction to either allow you to use a two-plug headset in the single port device (that supports microphone + stereo out on the same plug), or to use a single plug headset in a device that requires two plugs

You might want to ask your co-workers if anyone has a headset with this connection that you could borrow to test with.

Otherwise, if you have a decent computer / electronics store in your area, as it’s a laptop you could take it to them and ask to test their headsets.

-Joe