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iphone headphones mic input to mac

T

TShirtJohn

macrumors member
Original poster
Oct 18, 2008
41
0
Glasgow, UK
I got told today that i can use a set of apple headphones for a mic on my mac pro

Anyone got any ideas how this works? I can't seem to get it to work at all :confused:
 
TShirtJohn said:
I got told today that i can use a set of apple headphones for a mic on my mac pro

Anyone got any ideas how this works? I can't seem to get it to work at all :confused:
Click to expand...

This does not work on the desktop Macs. Only the laptop Macs.

(My 2008 and 2009 Mac Pros, and my 2010 Mac Mini do not work with this setup. Only my 2009 Macbook Pro.)
 
It should work on any Mac... its not a special input, just taking advantage of the fact that a speaker is the same thing as a microphone, just going the opposite direction. You'll have to boost the level quite a bit, most likely, and I wouldn't expect much from the sound quality, but there's no reason you can't do it.
 
Stephen23 said:
It should work on any Mac... its not a special input, just taking advantage of the fact that a speaker is the same thing as a microphone, just going the opposite direction. You'll have to boost the level quite a bit, most likely, and I wouldn't expect much from the sound quality, but there's no reason you can't do it.
Click to expand...

It is actually a very special input. Take a look at a headset vs. a regular microphone. The headsets have three notches, headphones have two. (The three on the headset are input, left output, right output, while a normal headphone just has left and right output.)

It's most definitely a special connection.
 
Get in - I have a set of B&W P5s coming tomorrow with a mic/controls built in, and really want to use them as a headset. Hopefully it'll work in Windows too.
 
Far as I could tell, this did not work on my 2010 Mac Pro. It does work on my 2010 Macbook Pro.
 
peskaa said:
Get in - I have a set of B&W P5s coming tomorrow with a mic/controls built in, and really want to use them as a headset. Hopefully it'll work in Windows too.
Click to expand...

It does not work with the 2009's, I've tried before.
 
I have a 2010 and it works perfectly.

Just select it as an input device in the sound preference menu. Plugs in the headphone jack on the front.

I use it for teamspeak/skype.


The thing i cant seem to do is get it working under bootcamp.
 
Stephen23 said:
It should work on any Mac... its not a special input, just taking advantage of the fact that a speaker is the same thing as a microphone, just going the opposite direction. You'll have to boost the level quite a bit, most likely, and I wouldn't expect much from the sound quality, but there's no reason you can't do it.
Click to expand...

I figured this out when I was like 4 when I plugged a mic into a headphone jack on my RECORD player and sound came out the microphone. :D
 
This is a confusing thread. Is someone saying you can plug an iPhone headset into the front headphones port of a Mac Pro and use it as a mic only, or as a headset (mic & speakers)?

You know, I'll just try it for myself when I get home.
 
Okay, here are the facts.

My 2009 Mac Pro, booted in to OS X 10.6.6, will accept the microphone input from both the Apple iPhone headsets and also the B&W P5. It appears in Inputs as "External Microphone", which is not Line In, Digital In or USB Audio from my ACD.

The bottom line seems to be that the iPhone headset, or third party, can be used on a Mac Pro (2009 & 2010 models) as a fully functioning headset + iTunes controls.

So goMac, I don't know what is wrong with your Mac Pro, but it works.
 
peskaa said:
So goMac, I don't know what is wrong with your Mac Pro, but it works.
Click to expand...

Hrm, weird, don't have the 09 anymore but I almost feel compelled to try this on my 08 again.

Just checked my Mini and it certainly doesn't work here. No option in input devices.
 
goMac said:
It is actually a very special input. Take a look at a headset vs. a regular microphone. The headsets have three notches, headphones have two. (The three on the headset are input, left output, right output, while a normal headphone just has left and right output.)

It's most definitely a special connection.
Click to expand...

Normal Headphones have 3 notches, mic input requires the 4th input...

222_tech_gadgets.jpg
 
goMac said:
Hrm, weird, don't have the 09 anymore but I almost feel compelled to try this on my 08 again.

Just checked my Mini and it certainly doesn't work here. No option in input devices.
Click to expand...

I think it doesn't work on the 08, as it has only been a hidden feature on more recent hardware. Probably the same for your Mini, depending how old it is?

Okay, definitely doesn't work on 08 Mac Pros, just tried it on my other.
 
goMac said:
This does not work on the desktop Macs. Only the laptop Macs.

(My 2008 and 2009 Mac Pros, and my 2010 Mac Mini do not work with this setup. Only my 2009 Macbook Pro.)
Click to expand...
I remember it working on my early 2009 Mac mini but I'm not sure about that. I have tested it with my mid 2010 MacBook Pro and 2010 Mac Pro. They all work with the iPhone headset: I can play/pause music, change the volume, skip to the next/previous song and use the mic (OS X even uses the mic as its default input device without me needing to do anything). So yes, it does work with every Mac that supports the iPhone headset (currently that would be all of the Macs; maybe not the Xserve :p). The TS simply needs to plug the headset in and start talking :)
 
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