Bluetooth headphones - disabling the mic

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Hi,

I have some new bluetooth headphones that I am using to listen to music. I would like to disable the mic (as I am feeling paranoid about having a transmitter next to my head for long periods :blush:).

I have found that under the devices properties I can disable various 'bluetooth services'. This seems to prevent the pc from receiving audio input from the mic. I was wondering if this actually stops the mic, or whether it is still transmitting only the pc does not recognise it?

Many thanks,
SS

OS: Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit
Bluetooth device: Sony DR-BT101
 
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Hi, thanks for your reply.

From checking Control Panel -> Sound -> Recording, the pc stops receiving audio from the device when I disable the service. Wouldn't any programs installed on the computer therefore also not receive audio?

I am interested in whether audio is still being transmitted from my headset even when I have disabled the service on my pc.

I am not sure whether the functionality of the device is affected by adjusting settings on the pc.

Thanks,
SS
 

Silverhazesurfer

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Hi, thanks for your reply.

From checking Control Panel -> Sound -> Recording, the pc stops receiving audio from the device when I disable the service. Wouldn't any programs installed on the computer therefore also not receive audio?

I am interested in whether audio is still being transmitted from my headset even when I have disabled the service on my pc.

I am not sure whether the functionality of the device is affected by adjusting settings on the pc.

Thanks,
SS

This is the point of the sound recorder test. If control panel settings show disabled, you can use sound recorder to test that applications are not getting sound. Now, depending on which device you have configured for the program will depend on whether or not your mic is not picking up. BT mic may be turned off but a 3mm plugged mic may still be picking up. Just be sure to turn all microphone pickups off and you will be fine. See the aforementioned link for testing.
 
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This is the point of the sound recorder test. If control panel settings show disabled, you can use sound recorder to test that applications are not getting sound. Now, depending on which device you have configured for the program will depend on whether or not your mic is not picking up. BT mic may be turned off but a 3mm plugged mic may still be picking up. Just be sure to turn all microphone pickups off and you will be fine. See the aforementioned link for testing.

The sound recorder test doesn't pick up any audio.

Just to clarify however, the mic is enabled under the control panel sound settings, no audio is received when I disable the "Headset" bluetooth service under the bluetooth headset's properties. It seems as though when I do this what the computer is doing is uninstalling a "Bluetooth virtual device" driver.

So I guess it is the computer that stops recognising audio from the headset rather than the headset no longer transmitting audio. Unless bluetooth technology is more intelligent then I give it credit for and it can recognise when there is no device using the mic and stops transmitting?
 

Silverhazesurfer

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disabling is not the same as uninstalling. Period.

If you disable the device, naturally, no audio will come through. If your mic is enabled and the device is not disabled, then you should get audio.

If sound recorder does not pick up audio and you have installed and configured your mic properly, sounds like there is no issue.
 
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Hi! i had this problem myself and had to figure it out on my own. With bluetooth headphones, if you want to use them while in a call on the laptop it will mute everything else on the computer. The way to change this is actually simple but convoluted to find. Open your bluetooth control panel, open "Sound control panel" and you should see devices in there- typically one device has two labeled tab sections "headset" and "headphones". if you disable "headset" it should let you use your bluetooth headphones permanently as normal headphones. i've done this with both bluetooth headphones i own and it works flawlessly. if you have a mac, i dont know exactly where this is, but something similar likely applies. I'd still be careful if you had a mac to go around disabling willy nilly, but being careful as you do so should be okay. you can always reset it to default after all. But anyway i really wanted to give my advice as someone who had a similar problem. i prefer to use my computer mic, anyway.
 
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Hi! i had this problem myself and had to figure it out on my own. With bluetooth headphones, if you want to use them while in a call on the laptop it will mute everything else on the computer. The way to change this is actually simple but convoluted to find. Open your bluetooth control panel, open "Sound control panel" and you should see devices in there- typically one device has two labeled tab sections "headset" and "headphones". if you disable "headset" it should let you use your bluetooth headphones permanently as normal headphones. i've done this with both bluetooth headphones i own and it works flawlessly. if you have a mac, i dont know exactly where this is, but something similar likely applies. I'd still be careful if you had a mac to go around disabling willy nilly, but being careful as you do so should be okay. you can always reset it to default after all. But anyway i really wanted to give my advice as someone who had a similar problem. i prefer to use my computer mic, anyway.
Thanks for this! Once I disabled the "headset" and left the "headphones" active, my WebEx (kinda like Zoom) quit seeing my bluetooth earbuds as an available input device. My wired camera mic is the only available choice, which is what I wanted.
 

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