USB Microphone Converter
SingStar consists of a couple of microphones which connect into your Playstation 2. You then sing along to some popular songs, and it scores you based on how good you sound. The technology behind it is very clever, as is the quality of the software and hardware considering the shelf price of around $50.00.
But it was what came with the microphones interested me most. It’s a converter which changes two microphone inputs into a USB connector. Out of interest, I plugged it into the Mac. Hey presto! It gives you two audio inputs – perfect for plugging a standard microphone or even guitar into GarageBand. It achieves the same as the Griffin iMic (without the audio output).
You can pick these up for next to nothing on eBay – Often, you can buy the converter and two mic’s for as little as $16.00. For those of you in need of a cheap USB microphone input on your Mac, this is perfect. Ideal for those of you who may own a Mac Mini, which doesn’t ship with a microphone port.
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This post prompted me to try the headset that comes with the PS2 SoCom Navy Seals game..
My Mac recognized it as a USB headset for both input and output :)
Ta for the idea!
Gerry
Good to see people experimenting :)
Can you use this to record stereo? One input to each stereo channel.
I imagine you can. In garageband you can select whether to record the left input, right, or both.
@david appleyard how do u get the microphone to record both right and left inputs
i cain even buy the dalm thing with all the dalm talking
Well, nice to hear this… Wanting to try the other way around, use a ‘non-sony’ usb microphone to sing in playstaion… wonder whether that works…
Great tip!
I own a mac mini myself and was trying to figure what ways I could uses my microphone w/ it.
Thanks.
Got one cheap off ebay. 2 problems.
1. The inputs are 3.5 mm jacks, which are really deeply recessed into the plastic. You need a really thin lead in order to get anything in there. Im gonna have a go at it with a hacksaw though, to try and rectify this problem.
2. This may be due to problem one, but I get a massive feedback on the input. It’s probably because the only jack I have that is thin enough to fit in doesnt quite go all the way in. I will report on the situation when I’ve tried the hacksaw ; – )
Already had my singtar mikes, and was looking for a cheap garageband mic pre-amp, so I thought I’d give it a try.
They work great, and can be used individually, or as the channels in a stereo recording, but there seems to be a noticeably latency in the feedback when using the USB box, from when using a regular microphone.
That’s the only bummer I can see. Nice find!
Does this also work on a PC? I’m getting a sound card where the digital out and mic in share the same jack, and I want to use both, so this would be really useful.
I shall borrow one from a friend and see for myself if I get the chance.
i read this article so i bought one off ebay for 5 bucks ..i have a g4 dual 1.42 ghz and it recognises the usb converter instantly but i cant get the mike i have to work with it..the jack plug goes all the way in no problem but i’m getting no input..do i need a specific type of mike..??
Did anyone tright to use non-Sony USB microphones to work with the Playstation2 and the Singstar USB Converter, the other way around Amazing mentioned last September.
Your soon reaction will be appreciated.
Gary, did you check your 5$ unit to make sure that you are not failing to get an input signal as a result of having a non-working unit? Just wondering.
dunno ..i mean it was sold as working of course and i tried both plug sockets ..i get a click when i insert the jack plug but then nothing from the mike itself….i might just give in and buy a usb mike..sigh!
Go to the Griffin website and download the free software – Final Vinyl — check to see if it works.
http://www.griffintechnology.com/software/software_imic.html
Also, follow the following description (pretend like you own an iMic)
OS X VERSIONS:
Verify that the iMic is being seen in Sound and Speech Preference Panes and you’ve selected your preferred Output device. Then open iMovie (It came with OS X and can usually be found in Applications on your hard drive). In iMovie you’ll see an Audio tab on the right hand side of your screen. Click on it, then click Record Voice and speak into your microphone or activate your Line Level source. You should see corresponding movement in the signal meter and progress bar at the bottom of your screen. Press Stop, then press Rewind and Play in the iMovie panel and listen to what you just recorded.
If you can’t record a sound in iMovie, swap USB ports and try recording again (you’ll have to go through the selecting process again). If you still can’t record, open the Apple System Profiler. It will be in the Utilities folder under Applications. Open Devices and Volumes and, connected to one of the USB ports, you should see a Griffin Technology folder. Open that folder and you should see the iMic. If you’ve connected the iMic directly to a USB port on your Mac and you don’t see it in the Apple System Profiler, you may have a defective iMic. If you can record into iMovie, but the iMic isn’t working with your preferred software, you should contact the software manufacturer first to make sure the version you’ve got is compatible with your Mac OS.
it’s july 2009. paid $6 for the singstar mics and usb converter box at thrift store. dogs chewed cable off right at end to red mic, but i spliced it, plugged into OSX imac, didn’t show up on screen, but found your comment. Went to imovie, and was able to actually record from both mics…!!! i’m so thrilled. I like to input from lots of sources, so with these long cables can put one mic one place 10 (?) feet away. Let the dogs howl now!!
Sounds like a very neat way of adding cheap audio input to my iBook. Problem is, I can only get it to work with headphones! I’ve got the SingStar box plugged in and it’s recognised as an audio input in Preferences. If I plug in a pair of headphones into the singstar box and talk into them (!) it works as a low-qual mic. Put any of my five proper mics in there though, and I get only a click on insertion and no input otherwise. Any help?
Thanks for the idea though — I do love playing with new toys.
this is the same problem i had although i didn’t try a set of headphones…has anyone else got this to work using a microphone other than an actual singstar one??does it need a specific type of mic…
Hi, Gary. Some microphone jacks click in TWICE. You put it in the MIC IN slot, it clicks once to signify that you’ve inserted it in properly. But if you look, you’ll see that it’s only about 98% in. Then you push it further, it clicks again, and that’s when you’re MIC jack is 100% inserted. I used to have this problem with a cheap lapel mic that I was using with my video camcorder. The problem was, I wasn’t getting any audio input when I inserted it in fully. I had to stop at the first click, where it was about 98% inserted. Then it started working. Hope you get to solve your problem.
I have tried three mikes and got the same reaction with the my Mac systems. None of them have enough gain to pick up the mikes. If you yell into them using GarageBand, you will pick up some sound, and a lot of distortion. If you hook up a headphone to the mic jack, you can record with them in stereo, but it isn’t a very good solution.
When I plugged each of the mics into a PC tablet, they all worked fine, so it is a problem with the sound input level on the Macs, software manipulation of the signal from the input jack, or lack of proper signal handling (hardware). If you don’t have some hardware to amplify the sound level, or software to amplify it for you, you might as well have plugged the microphones into the dirt.
whoa thanks a lot
Hi, I’m totally new at all of this. I’m considering buying an imic in order to convert audio recordings (music and voice) to something I can put into itunes.
My question is what are the differences between the two different versions of the imic that I have seen as I look around various sites. Although there is a newer (smaller?) version available, I also see places that still sell the one that is pictured at the top of your review. Can anyone let me know what the differences are and if there is any strong reason I need to be getting the smaller one in particular?
Thanks.
hi erm i hv the two singstar mics and when i plug the lil singstar box in and it recognises it and the blue light comes on cept from when i go onto a program like msn and try doing a voice conversation it doesnt work. im sure they are plugged in properly and everything so im really not sure what to do. ive heard you need some kind of converter but i dont have a mac, jus a reagular pc. can anyone help? natalie x
One thing to keep in mind with all this compatibility issues, is (how many black rings are on the plug?) Remember if you take a mic that’s plug only has 1 black ring, and plug it into an input jack that supports plugs with 2 black rings (such as a headset-because it has to run the mic input, and earpiece output also) then it wont work. There are mono, and stereo ends on these devices. The mono has 1 black ring, the stereo has 2, and some have 3, such as a headset with 1 mic, and 2 earpieces. So dont plug a 1/4 inch guitar cord or mic jack into an adaptor that will allow it to fit a smaller hole if the end on the adaptor has more black rings than the original plug does.
I’m working on a headset preamp that will fit cordless phones, cell phones ect. but use a watch battery to ACTUALLY raise the volume. These cheap a** headsets that simply have a volume dial, all they do at maximum volume is simply allow as much volume as you’d get if it was just hard wired. There’s no real increase in volume.
If you live in europe you can try this:
Speedlink Ultra Portable Audio Card USB (could not find the item on the publisher’s website http://www.speed-link.com , but available online from the following shops). I picked one up at Media Markt Den Haag for €12.99. It works on my mac mini core duo and powerbook G4. I attached a regular PC Headset with microphone to it.
http://www.muizenshop.nl/0/135/
http://www.meroncourt.co.uk/prodview/1355
i do not have a mac computer, is there any way i can use the singstar microphone in my normal computer?
@Hannah
Yes just plug it in as you normally would. i have found that its realy quiet and fuzzy though
Hey guys two things to consider.
The headphones working is important.
Some (Piezo Electret) microphones require power. This could explain why some microphones don’t work with the PS2 Adapter. The other problem is impedance mismatch, as not all mics have the same impdance and that couid also be the source of your problems
peepz im bizy fuckin mah boyfriends dick
Here’s the gem with Singstar. Yes, there is some latency with Garage Band if you change interfaces after opening Garage Band. However, if you set Singstar as your default input, setup a project in Garage Band to work with it, then save, close and reopen it, the latency vanishes.
Now, it gets even better. Singstar adapters have a unique serial number for each unit. This means they EASILY aggregate. I’ve just used two with an iMic in a trial, leading up to recording my band at live gigs with my iBook, aggregated in Audio/Midi Setup. It works! If you use Audacity 1.3.2, it now recognises aggregate devices and has next to no latency. As far as I can tell, I should be able to run as many as 7 (14 tracks) via a fast hub and have no appreciable latency in Audacity!
Don’t bother trying 8 tracks in Garage Band on anything less than a Core 2 Duo, but with Audacity, you can record stacks of tracks, then export to AIFF for import to GB.
what i want to ask is on my ps2 has 2 usb ports and am i able to plug in 4 mic or am i only able to play with 2 mic
just want to know as if i can play with 4 mics il buy an each 2
I’ve tested the singstar with a G3 ibook running panther and an off the rack generic type 600 ohm microphone and everythings ok.
If your having problems it’s with the input sockets.
You have to get an 1/8″ adapter or extension lead that fits all the way into the slot.
If you don’t it won’t work.
hey I have my micraphone and garageband and a mac..why does’nt in work?? That’s the only thing that happened:
AUDIO DEVICE ADDED : please restart the application and select the audio device you want to use??
For a start go to “System Preferences” then select Sound then select Input.
Then select the Singstar device and check it’s input volume levels to see that it’s working.
I am looking at hardwiring a replacement microphone for my ps2 The hardwire will go into the singstar usb adapter which i purchased off ebay it had no mics but i had a couple of old mics lying around that the jack wont fit the sockett I thought a hard wire internal solder to the singstar adapter may do the trick?. Has anyone succeded in this process or are the mics supplied with the ps2 rigged?
hi guys, i know this question has probably been asked but i cant find the answer i want. I have a singstar mic and i tried plugging it into my regular pc i trouble shooted it and it worked, just a lil delayed, but i cant use it in any sorta chat. I read that i need to install speech recognition but i cant figure out how to do that, sry for being so dumb at this kinda thing but if someone could help me it would be much appreciated… also the eyetoy… can i use that as a webcam i tried but i cant get it to work either.
Say, if you bought two, or three, or four of these singstar adapters, would you be able to do multi-track recording? Like, if you plug in two Singstar adapters, would the Mac recognize four audio inputs?
I bought one of these units v. cheap (£3) from Cash Convertors today, just wondering if it would work, after seeing the USB box. At first I thought it was broken as I could get no input, but after reading this page, switching USB ports on my G5 iMac and working through some of the above tips has got it working. I’m off to record now, thanks for the tips!
can you use this on windows to record guitar through the USB port because my sound cards gone weird and doesnt record properly no more and i can record through my eyetoy cameras audio on my computer. so i want to be able to record guitar into audacity through USB. so is it only mac it works?
I have a digital camcorder that has no external mike jack. There is however a USB port. Would it be possible to add an external mike port using the USB Microphone Convertor?
Now I bought 2 SnowBall USB microphones. So good their output can be made into a CD of your band at the end of the session. BUT they are each USB. Plugged into my MacBook Pro Duo, only one or the other is recognized. There is no stero by plugging both in. Why Not ?
I wanted to know if the singstar microphone would work on like a microsoft 2000 computer….and would i b able to hav audio convo’s over msn??
WE were playing PS2 singstar and the red microphone just stopped picking up sound. we switched the red mic with the blue mic, and then the blue mic wouldn’t work,either. we tried everything- from blowing on it, to restarting it. I think the little red hole thing that you plug the mic into is messed up … but nothing helped. PLEASE HELP!!!!
THANKS!!
PCDoctor….WTF are you on about?
i plugged my singstar mics into my laptop(not mac) using the converter and it picks up the blue mic and not the red. I tried the red one in the mic jack and it doesn’t pick it p either. The red mic works when I play singstar on PS2 though…please help
hey, I have the same problem. how did you fix it. I still don’t know.
greetings,
Jan
oh and how can you use the singstar mics to sing along to itunes(not mac computer)
Hey lynsey I think that WOULD be cool
im confused, i have the usb mics from rockband, boogie, and high school musical, theyre all the same, but i can figure out how to import audio from that mic in imovie hd 6.0.3 when i go to system prefrences, it recognises it as a usb mic but not for imovie, help?
i don’t know how useful this information is on a mac blog, but plugging this into my windows xp computer puts each mic on a different stereo channel. i’ve used them for recording (spoken word) and they’re serviceable; not grand, but the audio’s clean-uppable in audition.
Interestingly, the Singstar microphones work on the Line-In on my original Macbook.
Odd
We bought Singstar set, used it for a while. Now the converter plugs in – blue light starts to flash BUT the message on screen: (SingStar USB converter not detected. Please connect converter to one of the connectors on front of the console.) Is there something wrong or must I restart? Please help!
I’ve never given this a try, but I think it’s about time I do.
hey..i know this question is like out of the subject..but is it possible to use different USB microphone with Singstar?..see i got this Singstar Vol. 2 for ps3..but when i bought it was just the game.without the mics..soo i bought these Logitech Vantage USB microphones..cuz it said that it worked for PS3 and 360..for karaoke games.. but when i tried on singstar it didn’t recognize it…soo what im asking is..if there’s SOME way..any way..like a hack..or special program to install on the ps3.. to use these mics with Singstar?..plzzz i need help..u know how horrible is to have a game you like and cant play? btw it already recognizes the mics on the ps3..but not on the game…=S
@ Tavo: Short answer = No. Singstar is married to its mics… but-
Long answer = Most unfortunately, Sony’s “proprietary” bull***t extends to this licensing monster, and the SingStar titles, unlike their direct competitors and predecessors, Karaoke Revolution, will not accept just any usb microphone. While Singstar MICs have been a little more open minded about playing well with others (rumor and wiki says they do actually work *unofficially* with PS3 KR versions, but not PS2 variety) the parental Singstar PROGRAM is not at all forgiving in its insistence that you must have the SINGSTAR branded hardware or bust. From what data I have gathered, though, I think the key is the USB ADAPTER rather than the mics themselves, as I recall reading somewhere that if you can get the mic to fit the hole, it does the job. Makes sense that the mics are analog only, with the USB doohickey making the digital markers for the software handshake (and perhaps the odd fitment of the plastic hole is a purposeful discouragement to people saving money by using their own already owned equipment by just buying the adapter.) I am also guessing that the reason the early PS2 KR titles don’t like the SS mics is because of the two-in-one design of the adapter which puts 2 channels into the usb port instead of one and therefore doesn’t fit the programs expectations, and just maybe the KR coders sorted out the variation in channelling for the PS3. I just got an adapter (alone) from ebay and will try it out with a regular analog mic when it arrives, but if it doesn’t work I’ll probably dissect it and let everyone know what I find.
Personally confirmed now after purchasing adapter alone sans mics:
Singstar ADAPTER is the key, and regular analog mic with mono plug works as long as the plastic outer housing is removed, which otherwise will prevent the plug fully entering the jack to make a good connection. This analog mic/ss adapter combo works on Singstar apparently just fine, and also on the PS3 American Idol Encore 2 title from KR, but at reduced volume requiring significant increase in mic gain setting. I suspect it’s due to the conversion from the analog to usb (which hosts 2 analog channel signals in the adapter vs only 1 in the KR mic). Thus (probably): when using SS, the signal is amplified accordingly on each separate signal when using the adapter, but when using a standalone usb mic the software cannot find the required second signal (which is why it isn’t recognized as being connected). When using KR, the signal input from the adapter is probably only at half strength if is only detecting one channel, which means that possibly bridging the two signals in the adapter might actually also work in increasing the signal to the KR software. I think also, though I haven’t tried this experiment, that the adapter to KR will support only single player mode unless using two adapters, each on a separate USB channel.
Can someone please tell me ow I can gt my Singstar mikes to sound louder,its plugged into the USB adaptor on PS2 and sound cord is plugged into my TV??!??