Microphone recording level cannot be set when attempting to record audio

Last updated on May 15, 2021

Issue

When attempting to configure Macromedia Breeze Plug-in for PowerPoint to record audio, an error message displays saying that it was unable to set the microphone recording level.

Reason

This dialog box will be displayed when the Macromedia Breeze Plug-in cannot record audio properly with the current system configuration.

Solution

The following solutions describe typical configuration issues that may prevent the Macromedia Breeze Plug-in from being able to set the microphone recording level. Use the following steps to help determine what may be causing this error:

Confirm that the microphone is plugged into the correct input

Most sound cards have two inputs: microphone and line in. Make sure that the microphone is plugged into the microphone input.

If you are using an external pre-amplifier for the microphone, confirm that all the connections are correct. In this situation the output of the pre-amp will usually go into the line in of a sound card.

Also verify that Microphone balance is selected to record in the Windows Volume Control Recording settings.
Confirm that the microphone and sound card are recording correctly

Try using another application, such as Windows Sound Recorder, to test your current configuration. If other applications can not record audio with your current configuration and all of the connections are made correctly, there could be an issue with the microphone or the sound card itself.
Make sure that the person recording is not speaking too closely to the microphone

Try moving the microphone further away from the speaker's mouth when attempting to set the recording level. If the person recording the audio is too close to the microphone, the audio will be too loud for Macromedia Breeze Presenter to record correctly.
Confirm that the person recording the audio is pausing before and after speaking the "test" phrase

During the Set Microphone Recording Level process, it is often helpful to pause before and after saying the "test" phrase. In a noisy environment the speaker may need to wait several seconds before the green confirmation indicator will show.
Check the background noise of the surrounding area

If the audio is being recorded in a noisy environment it may be difficult to set the audio level correctly. To get the best performance the audio should be recorded in a quiet environment.
Confirm that the microphone set up being used goes into either the mic in or line in inputs

Some microphone drivers, particularly USB and digital line microphones, may not support the typical line in or mic in inputs. Currently, Macromedia Breeze Presenter only supports the line in or mic in inputs for recording audio.
Verify that the 20db boost is not selected

Laptops sometimes use a 20db boost (primarily for the built in mic). When using an external microphone it is best to turn this boost off. This setting is found in the Windows Volume Control advanced settings. A typical location for this setting is found in the system's Volume Control, then choose Options > Advanced Controls. An Advanced button appears under the Microphone setting. Clicking that button brings up the Advanced Controls for Microphone dialog box, which contains the 20db boost option.

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