Comments on: iPod Hack: Use the iPod headphones as a microphone

By: djsynth

djsynth — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 11:34:43 +0000

dont the new ones have that option? im allowed to record without anything..

By: Chris

Chris — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 18:32:44 +0000

There is a diagnostic mode for the iPod Touch, but no one has figured out how to enter (or exit, for that matter) it. I saw once to hold Home and Sleep for 10 seconds, then let off the Sleep button while still depressing Home for another 10 seconds, but that didn't work for me.

By: Shannon

Shannon — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 00:26:28 +0000

What is diagnostic mode? Can I use your information with the iPod touch?

By: Traveller_Adventure

Traveller_Adventure — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 18:53:50 +0000

Great post, really help me alot. Thanks.
sain-web.com

By: jelle

jelle — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 16:29:34 +0000

exactly,
we did this with our casette tape boxes in the 80's, same trick, has nothing to do with iPod's or Apple for that matter. Still funny, yes.

By: sound Q

sound Q — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 02:05:31 +0000

your headphone is just a diaphragm at the end of a wire. Any diaphragm, depending on how it's wired can work both ways depending on the flow of energy. Ipod jacks only have one jack, therefore, they made it dual purpose. You could, which would be recommended, just plug a computer mic or a line level mixer to achieve a better quality sound.

By:

Tue, 30 Oct 2007 15:45:50 +0000

jasperthedummy wrote:

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

By:

Tue, 19 Dec 2006 13:23:52 +0000

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_headphones_as_a_microphone/

By: jasperthedummy

jasperthedummy — Wed, 19 Apr 2006 20:01:03 +0000

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

By: Anthony

Anthony — Tue, 18 Apr 2006 20:46:29 +0000

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.