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I got some moisture in my A500 while putting a screen cover on it and the unit was misbehaving. I have that cleared up now (hopefully), but noticed something about the microphone. It was partially covered by a tag from one of the wiring looms! I don't know if moving this tag out of the way will improve the microphone, but it sure as heck aint going to hurt it! Since the microphone points away from you as you hold the tablet, I'm not sure it's ever going to pick up your voice properly.
Pics are attached
Rob
update: I put my a500 back together, but forgot I had the sd card still in there. The end result was that I cracked the sd card which renders it useless. I'll have to buy another one now. The microphone recording volume is still quite low, no improvement there. I think it's a design oversight and any tablet should probably have front and rear facing microphones. Only use the one facing away for video recording, othewise use the one facing the user.
Did you try turning the mic over? Maybe they made two mistakes. Putting the mic in wrong and then covering it with the tag
The A500 has a 2 microphones array, for noise canceling effect.
The microphone you put the tag label away from is the noise canceling one, the main microphone is just at the left of that one and its facing front. As you put away that tag you may have an improvement on the noise canceling effect, if you try to turn over the mic it will not harm the device but I'm pretty sure it will not help noise canceling.
Holding the A500 landscape and dock port down, the gap of the front facing mic is between the screen glass and the upper frame, is just right in the middle, it is hard to see but can be seen from certain angles and light conditions.
Also you provided the proof that I'm not writing nonsenses, in the first picture attached, there are those two alike connectors, both have plugged microphones, and they have the same tag flap with the same codes and digits imprinted. If you look closely you can see the edge of the front facing mic, it's at the left of the back facing mic and it's almost covered by the circuit board where both microphones connectors are.
I as well had taken my tablet apart due tons issue with video cable loose.and noticed exactly where the mice are at. Thinking about going tobeadeo shak or order from black box better mic to out in.I have done this on laptop before
silverball.slayer said:
update: I put my a500 back together, but forgot I had the sd card still in there. The end result was that I cracked the sd card which renders it useless. I'll have to buy another one now. The microphone recording volume is still quite low, no improvement there. I think it's a design oversight and any tablet should probably have front and rear facing microphones. Only use the one facing away for video recording, othewise use the one facing the user.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I did a few recordings to test the noise canceling array, and be able to notice the noise canceling effect when recording video with front facing camera, when recording with back facing camera, I notice no noise canceling, the recording level is a little low, but was ok, I'm not sure if this feature is binded to which camera the user is using during record, also I have no professional equipment or applications to make sure that the noise canceling effect/feature was working or not.
I agree that this kind of double microphone array should be a lot more user friendly, letting a user decide to use both microphones, or using only one and which one, or turn on or off noise canceling, or any other feature as the recording level, will not harm anyone. And having the device defaults to record using front facing camera with front mic and noise canceling, and when using back facing camera with back mic, without noise canceling, will work as most users wanted it to work.
The microphone on my third A500 is working great so far. I returned the second one today because the microphone audio was very low. It's still running 3.01 stock because the 3.01 OTA update isn't available yet for my unit.
Rob
So I opened the back of the A500 and looked around abit and switched places with the microphone and the noise canceller. And now at least when I record, peoples voices can be heard pretty decent. Plus I drilled a hole in the 'hole' to open up the space for the sound to come in abit.
So even with the Acer case on you can hear the voices pretty well
Before you couldnt hear anything. But now the whole google voice thing isnt so easy to use since the mic is face the opposite way but I never used it anyways, plus for VOIP calls its much better to use a headphone.
Just sharing
Please feel free to ask any questions.
Cheers!
Edit: From what I saw in the back I believe the microphone could be changed to a better one some day. Just a matter of finding a good replacement.
(01/08/2011)Add: Here is a sample of the sound when you record a person speaking infont of the iconia now with my mod.
Link sample with modded microphone: [http://dl.dropbox.com/u/33166156/Test.3gp
This is my son and as you can see you can hear him perfectly well
I think the noise canceller could be adjusted to 'muffle' the screeching sound abit.
Cheers!
Edit: Link was broken, fixed now.
i am really thinking about doing that. Iit easy to open the case?
mnaderi said:
i am really thinking about doing that. Iit easy to open the case?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes its actually very easy, you have to begin at the corner either left or right on the bottom of the A500 (meaning the Dock port area) you take something very thin and sturdy but be careful not scratch it up or bend to hard just make an opening maybe 2,3mm then stick something plasticky (like a protective shield cover slate) but strong and stick in the opening and drag slowly to the right until the entire left side is open (left to the Dock port I mean) and then from there you just gently lift up up until you have the whole bottom open and then you just again you the plastic tool to drag the sides (left and right) and just gently lift with the plastic tool and slowly it will loosen bit by bit once you have left and right and the bottom released then you just hold the whole thing and lift it and with will click off by itself from the upper part.
Here is a video showing pretty much what I described, its very easy:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MIvbWo_p3KI
That tear down video makes things look easy
UnicornKaz said:
That tear down video makes things look easy
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
...there's a tear down vid?
thanks, i opened it up and did some tweaking unfortunately it's only about 30% better, i also made a hole for the case as well. how much did yours improve when you did your mods. i'm guessing the rear mic has to be tweaked as well. thanks
Did you switch places with the mic and the noise canceller?
Pull the Mic out take it to radio shack and get a better set of mic to go in there.I have done this with Michael and internal speakers on notebooks. But I have Bluetooth high def headset. So no need here
this mic problem is seriously killing me.
I often use my tabto record videos but i can never hear any voices cause they are really low. So i am ready to do anything to the tab for a better microphone experience.
As far as drilling holes is concerned, i would want to know where is the mic suitated if there are two. I do noe that one is on the top of the screen in the middle gap between the metal cover n screen glass. Is there another one?
And what can be possibly done to fix or better this issue?
I even tried voip and no1 could hear me, very disappointing pls help sum1.....
i found a kind of solution on youtube...
WuS47cbxyC0
I'm new to this tablet, only had it a week and relized people cant hear me when i Skype with them. So before i purchase a head phone set with a mic on it i wanted to ask here to find out what is the best solution ??
I use a stereo headphone (make Wesc - more or less 50 €) with a little microphone which is located on the cable (close to the headphone). The sound is crystal clear.
I didn't find any other solution for using voip (skype, google) with this tablet.
I use it in three ways.
1- like castafiore do.
2- using only a headphone, no mic. (use the internal mic)
3- using speakers conect to heatphone plug. (use the internal mic)
I think that the "plug" disconect something internal in reference with the "cancel noise system."
Please excuse my bad english.
tabasco22 said:
I use it in three ways.
1- like castafiore do.
2- using only a headphone, no mic. (use the internal mic)
3- using speakers conect to heatphone plug. (use the internal mic)
I think that the "plug" disconect something internal in reference with the "cancel noise system."
Please excuse my bad english.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So are you saying that all I need is head phones no mic?
Yes.
If you want better results, you can install: "volume control"
market.android.com/details?id=com.revsodev.volumecontrol&feature=search_result#?t=W251bGwsMSwxLDEsImNvbS5yZXZzb2Rldi52b2x1bWVjb250cm9sIl0.
and high the "in-call volume".
Try skype test.
I talk with my son every night and he hear me wery well.
Unlike tabasco22 even though the noise is reduced when there is something plugged into the headphone jack, the internal mic is not usable for skype.
it seems that there are many headphone/mic sets that work, though i have tried 2 iphone sets that do not .
bullyspud said:
Unlike tabasco22 even though the noise is reduced when there is something plugged into the headphone jack, the internal mic is not usable for skype.
it seems that there are many headphone/mic sets that work, though i have tried 2 iphone sets that do not .[
So should i not buy headphones with a mic that are for apple ipod or iphone?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I use SONY headphones ,speakers.
using a $1.50 headset with mic i got from ebay. works great. actually it works way better then it should for that price.
yo all have been thanked
I was gonna just drill a bigger hole in mine lol I guess I could be more logical ill try volume control + see if it helps any
Sent from my HTC Inspire 4G using Tapatalk
Making a hole?
There is another solution: take off the back cover of the tablet. If you do a test with the two microphones totally uncovered (as I've done myself), you will notice that there is NO improvement at all.
Evidently, the problem doesn't come from there...
castafiore said:
Making a hole?
There is another solution: take off the back cover of the tablet. If you do a test with the two microphones totally uncovered (as I've done myself), you will notice that there is NO improvement at all.
Evidently, the problem doesn't come from there...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yea figured thanks for the info:thumbup:
Sent from my HTC Inspire 4G using Tapatalk
Anybody tried remove second mic? I mean sound canceling mic. Or maybe just cover it with tape.
I think it's a software problem, between the level of the microphone and cancel noise system level
This problem disappears when you insert any kind of plug into the speaker output., which cancels the "noise canceling system".
deepdelete, you phisicaly disconect the "sound cancelling mic" when you insert a plug.
I think sensitivity of sound canceling mic must be lower, or it must be placed somewhere else.
Sure there is also possibility to correct things with software mod.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noise-canceling_microphone
deepdelete said:
Anybody tried remove second mic? I mean sound canceling mic. Or maybe just cover it with tape.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, I did try that as well. But it doesn't make any difference neither.
I think you could be right, deepdelete. The second microphone on the a500 faces the back of the tablet (opposit the user).
But the 2 microphones are so closed to each other that the desired effect (as explained on the link you give), the "noise-cancelling", doesn't work properly. It's just a guess but it sounds logical (to me, anyway ).
Surprised nobody mentioned, removing the tab from the cover if you use one.
Found this out the hard way. Tab's cover, actually covered the mic! And, if I held it in my hands, it actually picked up the residual sound my fingers made when holding it. Resulted in a "garbled" sound on the other end.
I found with skype, the best thing, was to remove it from the cover, and place it on the covers "stand".
Where is the microphone located? I can't even use the voice search function with mine.
STUPID MIC locations... AGAIN AGAIN AGAIN AGAIN AGAIN AGAIN
There are two mics..
ONE is dead center in the grove between the glass and case at the top of screen. you will see a tiny slot..
the second one.. on the right of the sd card door you will see a tiny hole.. Its right under there.. This one is for background noise canceling. Like from the a500s own speaker.. and does not work well.. The mic works ok with yahoo messenger.. if YOU HAVE NO BACKGROUND NOISE AROUND or you cover that back mic..on not well BUT BETTER THEN IT DOES WITH GTALK OR skype ..
it just sucks is all there is to it.. I tried replacing the mic with a high end known to work well mic . NO LUCK So its either a hardware chip.. or software issue.. Do not think this will ever be fixed .. USE HEADPHONES
Hey guys just got my S5 and I am told that the mic volume is quote low by people I speak to. Is this normal or I have a faulty device on my hands
Very unlikely to be a hardware problem. Usually it's a user error e.g. not holding the phone close enough to your mouth or using the phone in very loud environments.
Try using the phone normally i.e. not in speaker phone mode where performance is worse and you annoy everyone within earshot. You can also try disabling noise reduction in the settings menu. Infrequently you may have water, dirt or your finger (when you hold the phone) obscuring the microphone hole on the bottom of the phone.
It's also possible to tweak the mic volume in the service menu /audio submenu. A forum search will explain the details if you wish to try that.
.
fffft said:
Very unlikely to be a hardware problem. Usually it's a user error e.g. not holding the phone close enough to your mouth or using the phone in very loud environments.
Try using the phone normally i.e. not in speaker phone mode where performance is worse and you annoy everyone within earshot. You can also try disabling noise reduction in the settings menu. Infrequently you may have water, dirt or your finger (when you hold the phone) obscuring the microphone hole on the bottom of the phone.
It's also possible to tweak the mic volume in the service menu /audio submenu. A forum search will explain the details if you wish to try that.
.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
HI, thanks for the info.. i have seen almost the same in the forum and outside like here http://droidtricks.blogspot.ae/2011/09/how-to-increase-or-boost-low-microphone.html
Is this still valid ?
Same issue with me
dusk1911 said:
Hey guys just got my S5 and I am told that the mic volume is quote low by people I speak to. Is this normal or I have a faulty device on my hands
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have the same problem on the same device - but from all the googling I did - It turns out it a common problem with the S5 (single or dual SIM).
So far I did not find any solution to the problem...
Please share if you had any luck?
I am even considering widening the hole of the microphone (it is about 30% narrower then the S4), I do not care that much of the water protection...
Solved!
Happy to report I solved my low mic. problem!
Unfortunately it compromises the waterproofing, but I gladly sacrificed it!
I did poke in the microphone hole with a tin wire about 3-4 mm into the hole. I did not feel any resistance, but apparently I broke the waterproofing membrane on the microphone hole.
Now people can hear me even when I am whispering! I am so happy with my phone! (at one point I was thinking of replacing it because of the muffled mic.!)
The membrane I am talking about can be seen on the middle frame over the mic. hole on the attached picture.
Please if you do what I did - be careful, it might damage the microphone...
armsel said:
Happy to report I solved my low mic. problem!
Unfortunately it compromises the waterproofing, but I gladly sacrificed it!
I did poke in the microphone hole with a tin wire about 3-4 mm into the hole. I did not feel any resistance, but apparently I broke the waterproofing membrane on the microphone hole.
Now people can hear me even when I am whispering! I am so happy with my phone! (at one point I was thinking of replacing it because of the muffled mic.!)
The membrane I am talking about can be seen on the middle frame over the mic. hole on the attached picture.
Please if you do what I did - be careful, it might damage the microphone...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi armsel,
Good Spot!!! thanks for sharing the trick. I am having the same problem with my and I wish to follow your procedure in my phone.
Please provide more information with detailed steps and screen shots because I'm little confused in figured out microphone hole why because found two holes in bottom and top of the phone. I knew its my own risk and don't consider about waterproof.
Thanks in advance...
Tvm G said:
Hi armsel,
Good Spot!!! thanks for sharing the trick. I am having the same problem with my and I wish to follow your procedure in my phone.
Please provide more information with detailed steps and screen shots because I'm little confused in figured out microphone hole why because found two holes in bottom and top of the phone. I knew its my own risk and don't consider about waterproof.
Thanks in advance...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Your primary microphone is the one on the bottom - next to the USB port (the top microphone is used for noise cancellation and you can leave as it is). You only need to poke the bottom one. Be gentle - if you feel resistance - don't push (I did not feel any resistance as far as I can remember). Test afterwords and see if there is an improvement - if not, try to penetrate little bit further (I believe I went something like 3, maybe even 5 mm in).
Best way to test - if you have another phone and call it on Viber (I did that with my wife galaxy S4 mini). And leave your next to a radio set with talk show on.
Good luck! :good:
Solved!!!
armsel said:
Your primary microphone is the one on the bottom - next to the USB port (the top microphone is used for noise cancellation and you can leave as it is). You only need to poke the bottom one. Be gentle - if you feel resistance - don't push (I did not feel any resistance as far as I can remember). Test afterwords and see if there is an improvement - if not, try to penetrate little bit further (I believe I went something like 3, maybe even 5 mm in).
Best way to test - if you have another phone and call it on Viber (I did that with my wife galaxy S4 mini). And leave your next to a radio set with talk show on.
Good luck! :good:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi armsel,
Problem is solved now !!! Microphone is working fine now my voice is audible.
Poked with small needle at least 3mm to 4mm and test my voice with voice call and some messenger apps works fine :good:
I am wondering how you got this trick bcos searched whole web but could not get a right solution.
Great help and Thanks Man...
My microphone on my S5 is not working. When I make a call I can hear the person but they can not hear me I also tried recording my voice and it didn't work, so clearly I am assuming the microphone is broken. What part do I specifically need in order to replace the microphone and have it working?
Sounds like you didn't do a search and read the existing threads on this subject. Your assumption that the mic isn't working may not be correct. You should at least try turning off the noise cancelling settings first, speaking closer to the mic, et cetera. There is also a service menu setting for microphone gain. Failing all of those items, then a warranty claim or buying the part yourself, if out of warranty.
All of these are elaborated in more detail in existing threads.
.
fffft said:
Sounds like you didn't do a search and read the existing threads on this subject. Your assumption that the mic isn't working may not be correct. You should at least try turning off the noise cancelling settings first, speaking closer to the mic, et cetera. There is also a service menu setting for microphone gain. Failing all of those items, then a warranty claim or buying the part yourself, if out of warranty.
All of these are elaborated in more detail in existing threads.
.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have tried everything you have said before. If I could possibly know what specific part that is faulty so I can replace it because the warranty is expired
navpal said:
I have tried everything you have said before
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It would have been helpful if you had bothered to tell us up front that you had done so.
The primary microphone is part of the charging port assembly.
.
fffft said:
It would have been helpful if you had bothered to tell us up front that you had done so.
The primary microphone is part of the charging port assembly.
.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ok so replacing that part should fix the problem?
I was having mic problems. Remembered a friend having issues on his S3, he used a needle to clean rubbish out of the hole on bottom of the phone. So i did the same, very thin needle only pushed in a small amount, pulled a load of fluff out. Problem solved. Two mics on s5, bottom is for using phone normally, top is for when you use in speaker mode.
Might be worth a try.
navpal said:
My microphone on my S5 is not working. When I make a call I can hear the person but they can not hear me I also tried recording my voice and it didn't work, so clearly I am assuming the microphone is broken. What part do I specifically need in order to replace the microphone and have it working?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Is your phone rooted?
If yes than are you using custom kernel?
If Yes than which kernel?
Sometimes it is due to kernel.
Such problems are more s 5 s
This is probably due to the waterproof cover
I have a rooted stock G 900 a mic doesn't work but speaker does. left touch button doesn't work or light up. the device is still under warranty so we sent it back to Samsung and they wanted almost $200 to fix it whereas I am going to pay $10 for that whole board and microphone I'm fix it myself I am hoping that this will fix the problems. I am 99% sure it is because of some water damage. just a small amount of water I believe got in the charger port. check out what. I will update on this too with results. maybe a video. I have replaced glass and motherboards on many s5 but this is a really advanced repair
navpal said:
My microphone on my S5 is not working. When I make a call I can hear the person but they can not hear me I also tried recording my voice and it didn't work, so clearly I am assuming the microphone is broken. What part do I specifically need in order to replace the microphone and have it working?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Seems like my S5 is doing the same thing. It started doing this just in the last few weeks, and I haven't figured out how to address the problem.
I am having the same issue as navpal above
Does anyone have any idea how to fix this frustrating problem?
I also would appreciate if solution were posted. HEre are things I have tried with no success.
I cannot even slightly be heard on other line, except when in speakerphone mode. I can hear myself on my side, so I know that the sound is being recorded by at least one microphone.
tried:
clearing system cache
factory reset
clearing out microphone with pin
Hi there.
I have (not mine) Samsung S5 in my hands
Have tried:
Safe mode
battery out of the device and back on method
cannot do factory reset - still don`t want to disturb the client about that
Can you give me picture only of the MIC,not the whole board and others?
Maybe i can try clean it.
If i try to replace the old one will that be enough for me - i attach one photo ?
How is that done at all?
Thanks in advance
Hey Guys,
Im having the same issue. My phone went underwater without the USB flap cover and now the microphone does not work.
Should I replace all USB board? or replacing only the microphone piece would solve the problem?
Also, I wasn`t able to find more threats about it, if you guys have it, please help posting here the link.
Thx
You're about a smartass aren't you
This is an old thread, but I wanted to share my solution to this. My mic audio was very weak in speakerphone mode on Galaxy S5, but was OK in normal phone mode. The S5 has 2 microphones: bottom one is for normal mode, only top one is used in speakerphone mode. On mine the top mic hole was internally plugged with some debris. After cleaning it out by carefully inserting a broken-in-half toothpick (the blunt end) and twirling it while holding phone upside down to allow dirt to fall out, my speakerphone mic audio problem has been solved. If your mic audio is OK in speakerphone but weak in normal mode, it could be the mic hole along the bottom edge that needs cleaning. Using Voice Recorder in INTERVIEWEE mode will test only the upper microphone. Other modes of Voice Recorder enable both microphones so would be less conclusive. Cleanining out the mic holes completely solved my problem, while software fixes such as unchecking noise cancellation did not make any significant difference. Hope this is helpful.
sina_samand2002 said:
Such problems are more s 5 s
This is probably due to the waterproof cover
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My friend you saved me.!!!! i have tried a lot of things but the cover was the problem. Without it the mic in speakermode works great now.... I think even Samsung cannot explain this.!!!