Contents Expand Collapse
Choosing the input
Before you press Start recording, pick your microphone from the Which microphone should record the speaker? dropdown.
If the list says “Microphone 1” and “Microphone 2” instead of real names, your browser is holding the names back until you grant access. Allow microphone access once and the proper names appear.
Clip-on microphones
The kind of microphone that clips to a lapel. Also called a lavalier.
Most wireless clip-on kits come with a small receiver that plugs into USB. Plug the receiver in first, reload Inclutra so it notices the new device, then select it in the dropdown.
Wired clip-on microphones with a 3.5 mm plug are less predictable. They need a headset jack that accepts a microphone, and a lot of laptop jacks are output only. If yours is, a small USB audio adapter solves it for a few euros.
Bluetooth
Bluetooth microphones work, but the audio quality often drops when the same device is also playing sound through Bluetooth. If you have the choice, use a USB receiver instead.
Check it is working
Start the recording and speak normally for a few seconds while you watch the recording controls. If nothing moves, either the wrong input is selected or the transmitter is muted. Wireless clip-ons usually have their own mute switch, and it is usually the problem.
Lecterns and panels
A single microphone on a lectern picks up whoever is standing at it and very little else. That is fine for a talk.
For a panel, give everyone their own microphone or pass one along. Questions shouted from the audience will mostly not transcribe, so repeat them into the microphone before you answer. It helps the room as much as the transcript.