iPod Hack: Use the iPod headphones as a microphone

Contributed by Anthony

April 18, 2006

Tagged: iPod

Yes, iPod headphones are actually low quality microphones. Heres proof.

I found this this to be quite interesting. There is one thing you might want to take note of: there are 2 models of headphones that apple has made. I have the older one with the longer end, or part where the jack is (whatever its called). The newer headphones have a much shorter jack area don’t know if it will work with the newer headphones (I got mine a little bit before the video iPod came out).

I discovered this while I was in diagnostic mode (To get your iPod into this mode follow the instructions in this recipe: http://www.tech-recipes.com/rx/1314/put_your_ipod_photo_nano_video_or_mini_fourth_generation_in_diagnostic_mode).

1. Once you are in diagnostic mode select IO. Go down to the option “Audio” and select it. Select “Mic”.

2. When you select “Mic” the screen on your iPod should say RECORDING. While it says this just talk into your headphones. Remember to talk loudly because they do not record in the best quality.

3. After a while the RECORDING screen will go away to reveal a screen that reads “ACTION to play”, and “MENU to exit”

4. Insert your headphones into your ears. Press the center button and you will hear whatever you said into the headphones. You could also just hook them up to your computer and open up the sound recorder, but they record in such low quality that you just can’t hear yourself well through the default windows sound recorder.

Quite frankly, I am not quite sure why I decided to try to talk into my headphones while my iPod was recording, but I was sure surprised when it actaully worked!

Please remember about which type of headphones I have, though. I don’t think it matters what you use to record it (iPod, computer, tape recorder) because it worked on my iPod and computer, but the sound quality was much better when I recorded on my iPod.

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Viewing 6 Comments

davak 2 years ago 1 point
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Cool little hack!

The physics of headphones and microphones are very similiar.

The same diaphragm that can turn electrical signals to sound (earphones) can often turn sound into electrical signals (microphone).

Welcome to the site! A couple more excellent hacks like this and you'll be on the tech-recipes gift certificate list before you know it!

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AMCDeathKnight 2 years ago 1 point
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kewl thanks for this I will try it later when im not using my ipod as a hard drive :-)

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Anthony 2 years ago 1 point
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K, so tonight I tried this with a set of headphones made by sony and it didn't work, and my friend has the newer version of iPod headphones (from an iPod video) and it did not work for him, so remember which type of headphones I was using to do this. If your headphones came with an iPod video it might not work. My headphones came with an iPod photo and it works consistently. Also, the instructions for navigationg through diagnostic mode are for that of an iPod photo. If you have a video iPod you can try it with the sound recorder that comes with Windows.

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jasperthedummy 2 years ago 1 point
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Actually this isn't very new, except the fact that the iPod can be used to record audio. Any earphone can be used as a mic, and when plugged into a mic port on a computer, it actually acts as a mic.

Earphones and microphones are constructed on a very similiar concept, just that earphones are optimised for hearing, and microphones are optimised for recording.

Great hack nevertheless. =D

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Anonymous 1 year ago 1 point
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Hi i created a video tutorial on how to use your headphones as a microphone. I made it on a windows Xp computer, but it's quite east to do on the mac as well. Feel free to watch it.

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/342700/use_your_h...

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Anonymous 1 year ago 1 point
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<ul id="quote"><h6>jasperthedummy wrote:</h6>Any earphone can be used as a mic, and when plugged into a mic port on a computer, it actually acts as a mic.</ul>

Just be careful not to use a mic as an earphone - microphones are generally much more sensitive and you may damage your mic. :)

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