Hi,

I'm trying to connect an external microphone to my laptop Toshiba Satellite C55-B5115KM.
The laptop comes with a single jack which, according to the user's manual: "A 3.5 mm mini headphone/microphone combo
jack enables connection of a monaural
microphone or a stereo headphone."

If I connect a headphone, everything works fine, the speakers are mutes and I get sound throught the headphone.

If I connect an external microphone however, the speakers are muted, but the sound continues to be recorded by the built-in microphone.

Both the headphopne and the external microphone I use have TRS jacks, so I don't if the issue is the microphone input requiring a TRRS jack. I tried to find out but the specifications I found online do not specify this information.
Unfortunately, I don't have a TRRS microphone or a headset at hand.

Any suggestions as to how troubleshoot this problem?

If it's the same as mine, it's a "TRRS jack".

And a normal headphone set should also "just work", backward compatabillity with the 3.5mm socket(s).

Mine is broken, and only outputs on the left...

I need to replace the socket on my laptop if I want to use hp&mic at once.

I have split-cables for mine, about $5 each + postage.

all the best.

Thanks for the feedback.

Yes, my headphones with TRS jack work fine. To be able to record with a microphone I then will need to find one with the TRRS jack.

As posted you need an adapter like the following:
https://www.amazon.com/StarTech-com-...004SP0WAQ?th=1

It splits the headset and microphone into two TRS adapters which should work with your microphone. Since TRRS is not a standard for microphones you would need to build one yourself versus buying a cheap adapter.

Thanks,

that makes a lot of sense.

Well, I bought the TRRS adapter and still the external microphone does not work.
I installed pavucontrol, and when I insert the adapter it correctly show the speakers turned off and the headphone as working output.
But the internal microphone is still workinginstead of the external one.
This is baffling.
It would seem strange that it is a fault in the computer jack itself, and the specifications are quite clear that i should work both with a microphones and headphones.