I get an annoying hum whenever I record my voice whether through my webcam or
through an added microphone. It may be 60 cycle interference, but I have
tried turning off lights, disconnecting printers etc. without success. Any
suggestions?

Bill L. wrote:
I get an annoying hum whenever I record my voice whether through my webcam or
through an added microphone. It may be 60 cycle interference, but I have
tried turning off lights, disconnecting printers etc. without success. Any
suggestions?


Sounds like a bad "Ground" on the mic socket.

You could try cleaning the plug with some rubbing alcohol and insert and
remove it a few times listening for crackles. Miniature jack plugs and
their sockets are prone to getting "Crackly" or poor connections.

Otherwise check anything else plugged into the machine, don't drown it
in alcohol (Vodka works if you have no surgical alcohol - but won't do
much for your recordings if you drink too much while cleaning) so try
cleaning all your plugs in this way.

Check your home's "Ground" connection, is the 3 pin outlet you are using
properly grounded, if you have a multi outlet strip is that okay, try
swapping things because it could possibly be a bad ground on one thing
causing a "Hum Loop" which can happen if conditions are right.

Failing that, I guess take the machine somewhere else and try it.

Thanks for your suggestions. In fact I tried to "ground" the USB connection
with an additional wire (figuring that static electricity had built up and
caused the hum). That didn't work. The weird thing was, that it would cause
the hum even if I was recording with a different microphone, but if I
unplugged the Microsoft webcam the hum ceased. I finally took the webcam,
back to the supplier and got a replacement. I just tried it and it seems to
have solved the problem. I still may try the vodka solution however. Thanks
again.

"Charlie Tame" wrote:

Bill L. wrote:
I get an annoying hum whenever I record my voice whether through my webcam or
through an added microphone. It may be 60 cycle interference, but I have
tried turning off lights, disconnecting printers etc. without success. Any
suggestions?


Sounds like a bad "Ground" on the mic socket.

You could try cleaning the plug with some rubbing alcohol and insert and
remove it a few times listening for crackles. Miniature jack plugs and
their sockets are prone to getting "Crackly" or poor connections.

Otherwise check anything else plugged into the machine, don't drown it
in alcohol (Vodka works if you have no surgical alcohol - but won't do
much for your recordings if you drink too much while cleaning) so try
cleaning all your plugs in this way.

Check your home's "Ground" connection, is the 3 pin outlet you are using
properly grounded, if you have a multi outlet strip is that okay, try
swapping things because it could possibly be a bad ground on one thing
causing a "Hum Loop" which can happen if conditions are right.

Failing that, I guess take the machine somewhere else and try it.