How can I talk on Xbox live and use my own headphones?

[200bhp]

I'm feeling left out Everyone can talk to each other on Xbox Live but due to my preference for nice Bose headphones, I cant really use a head mounted X-box microphone headset thingmy.

Also I find the wired connection on these devices (from headset to controller) a tad annoying.

So is there anyway I can use something else as a mic on Xbox live? For example can I use a USB webcam for it's mic?

Thanks (fangaroon)

[StormLoaded]

you could buy a cheapy MS headset with boom... carefully rip off the speaker and sellotape the mic boom to the Bose headphones.
you'd then just have to change the chat settings on the console to come through speakers rather than headset..

bit of a messy solution though!

[200bhp]

So can you only use a mic connected to the controller? I sometimes hear a LOT of background noise from other people in game lobbies (not PH members), often so much that it sounds like the mic is picking up everything in the room - Just like a webcam mic does.

[StormLoaded]

200bhp said:

So can you only use a mic connected to the controller? I sometimes hear a LOT of background noise from other people in game lobbies (not PH members), often so much that it sounds like the mic is picking up everything in the room - Just like a webcam mic does.

im sure it is via wiring into the controller only.. background noise is indeed a nuisance.

ETA: Actually could the Kinect be used as a mic? maybe thats a cause for hearing everything in a room?
Im sure it does have a mic built into it for voice commands but dont know if its usable as an ingame mic??

Edited by StormLoaded on Friday 28th October 13:25

[dwilkie]

200bhp said:

So can you only use a mic connected to the controller? I sometimes hear a LOT of background noise from other people in game lobbies (not PH members), often so much that it sounds like the mic is picking up everything in the room - Just like a webcam mic does.

I think so I'm afraid - I've tried USB mics and stuff and they don't work. Think the one on Kinect does though so that could explain it.

I use headphones (with the chat set to come through the speakers - Guide Button | Preferences | Voice) with a normal XBL headset just hanging round my (k)neck if that helps

[CypherP]

StormLoaded said:

you could buy a cheapy MS headset with boom... carefully rip off the speaker and sellotape the mic boom to the Bose headphones.
you'd then just have to change the chat settings on the console to come through speakers rather than headset..

bit of a messy solution though!

A slightly better solution is to search for an xbox compatible throat mic (think they produced some when the COD MW titles started). Means that although it will plug into the controller, you can still wear your BOSE headphones with the throat mic on, and change the audio output so that the chat then comes through your headphones.

I'm sure it will have been done before by others. There may be more info on Google, but I don't have the time to search at the moment.

[totlxtc]

Only problem when using a mic and headphones is others will find you are shouting.

[StormLoaded]

CypherP said:

A slightly better solution is to search for an xbox compatible throat mic (think they produced some when the COD MW titles started). Means that although it will plug into the controller, you can still wear your BOSE headphones with the throat mic on, and change the audio output so that the chat then comes through your headphones.

Ah nice one! not heard of these before. For £13 it seems a good shout
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Gears-War-Throat-MIC-Xbox/...

[CypherP]

StormLoaded said:

CypherP said:

A slightly better solution is to search for an xbox compatible throat mic (think they produced some when the COD MW titles started). Means that although it will plug into the controller, you can still wear your BOSE headphones with the throat mic on, and change the audio output so that the chat then comes through your headphones.

Ah nice one! not heard of these before. For £13 it seems a good shout
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Gears-War-Throat-MIC-Xbox/...

Yeah thats the type I was thinking of. I'd make sure first that you are able to change the audio output so you're able to hear voice chat through your headphones as well as be able to talk to those people.

Best idea I can think of without having to badly modify your nice headphones. My cousin had a throat mic a short time ago before he sold his console and I could hear him just as clearly, if not better through the throat mic. Stops people being able to hear you breathing down it as well

[200bhp]

I was in Blockbuster earlier and they had a non-genuine headset reduced so I bought it.

It has an earpiece and is very uncomfortable if worn as intended. However with it sat around my neck the mic reaches up to my mouth well - Hopefully with voice and sounds set to remain thorugh the TV/headphones, it'll be perfect.

I'll give it a go at the weekend though - The wife would probably complain if I start jabbering and shouting at people whilst she's trying to sleep during the week (X-box is in the bedroom)

[Nealio]

I use one of these doobries:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SteelSeries-Xbox-Headset...

To connect my headphones and seperate mic to the xbox controller. Also allows you to crank up the voice volume seperately from the game which is handy as I often found with the MS headset that I couldn't actually hear people speaking because they were drowned out by the noise of the game itself.

Or there's this type which has built in mute and volume control, but a bit more expensive:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SteelSeries-Spectrum-Aud...