I know this is slightly in the wrong place, but I can't get the Apple Support forums to work right tonight, for some reason.

I'm trying to lay a voiceover track on a FC sequence. The on-board mic on my 24" iMac works fine, but I can't get any external mic to work when I plug it in even when it's selected. I'd hate to think I'm going to have to do it using the on-board mic. I've tried several mics (all preamped), including a wireless mic.

If I can't get it to work, I'm just going to record to my Z1U and capture it.

To use the voiceover in FCP you need to select the mike you are using in both the system prefs audio setup/input page and in the FCP voiceover tool itself. Check also in system prefs to be sure the input isn't muted, sometimes it "mutes" itself for reasons I can't fathom. You may need either a USB mike or an analog-to-usb adapter for a regular mike; we have not had great luck with regular mikes in the apple audio input --- either it is a conversion from xlr to miniplug issue, or the computer likes a little higher impedance mike, but we have gone to using USB mikes exclusively for this purpose....HTH // Battle Vaughan/miamiherald.com video team

To use the voiceover in FCP you need to select the mike you are using in both the system prefs audio setup/input page and in the FCP voiceover tool itself. Check also in system prefs to be sure the input isn't muted, sometimes it "mutes" itself for reasons I can't fathom. You may need either a USB mike or an analog-to-usb adapter for a regular mike; we have not had great luck with regular mikes in the apple audio input --- either it is a conversion from xlr to miniplug issue, or the computer likes a little higher impedance mike, but we have gone to using USB mikes exclusively for this purpose....HTH // Battle Vaughan/miamiherald.com video team

I've already discovered what you say to be true. Thanks. I owe you for taking the time to verify. If I can return the favor with any footage/audio from the Rocky Mountains, don't hesitate to ask. Charles mtntvguy@q.com

Macs don't have a mic-in port. That's a line level input. If you run your mic into a mixer and plug in the mixer's line out into your Mac, it'll work fine.

Les: (sad and log sigh, here) pray for us, we got some OLD macs....I was visualizing our laptops when I wrote that, thanks for clarifying! / B. Vaughan

I was wondering ... I've never known you to post misleading information. The universe is restored to its proper order now. Whew!

At least on a macbook, an me66 works from the line in port. Maybe becauese it's self powered.

We use a Rode Podcaster which is a great microphone which connects to the USB port.
RØDE Microphones - Podcaster (http://www.rodemic.com/microphone.php?product=Podcaster)

Cheers

Nigel

I use voice over in final cut all the time and it is superb, a USB mic such as the podcaster should be fine for V/O work.

Brian: Aha! We at one time were trying to use dynamic mikes --EV re50--and couldn't seem to get a decent level. So maybe the higher output from a condenser mike would work; thanks for the info!

Or we had mistaken the line port as being a mike input, as Les has pointed out. At any rate, our V/O mikes have been USB mikes since 2005 when we really got down to business, and they work really well. /B Vaughan

A little MXL Mic Mate (http://www.dvcreators.net/mxl-mic-mate-xlr-to-usb/) works well if you already have an existing XLR mic and just need a fast and easy way to convert XLR to USB. It's surprisingly clean for a $49 device. I watched a demo where they put it up against $1000+ systems and it held up astonishingly well. There is now a couple of models out for dynamic mics as well as Line level sources and a version with headphone out MXL USB Microphones (http://www.mxlmics.com/products/USB/usb.html)

Good info. Thanks again to all.

Kinda late but here goes. I use a Sennheiser MKH416 shotgun inside a Harlan Hogan Portabooth (DIY). The Mic is going into a Samson Zoom H4n that I use as a standalone recorder and on occasion as a pre-amp/mixer for input to my Macs via USB. This is the dream set up IMHO!

Push comes to shove you can always record into your camera.