How do I plug this new USB headset into my computer?

January 18, 2008 4:01 PM

I am teaching an online class and I want to put audio files into my class. To record, I bought a new Plantronics Audio 645 USB headset. It has a "mic" cord and a "headset" cord. I cannot figure out where exactly I should be plugging this into my computer.

Do I need to use both plugs with my computer? Just one? The packaging implies that it's a "USB headset" but there is no USB anything inside the box. Do I need another piece?

I have an old Dell desktop computer, and the pluggy things on the back are black, green, pink, blue, and yellow, respectfully.

posted by answergrape to computers & internet (6 comments total)

You need to look at the little icons next to those pluggy things. The one with the mic (or an arrow pointing inwards toward a circle) is where you plug the mic cord in, and the one with an arrow pointing outwards from the circle is the headset cord. I believe mic is pink and headset is green or black, and this will probably match with the color on the plug on the cord.

Can't help you with the USB part, sorry.
posted by DMan at 4:05 PM on January 18

headset = green
mic = pink
posted by Memo at 4:05 PM on January 18

You could plug it into your soundcard that you currently have, but you are missing a USB looking key thing that becomes a secondary audio card that's available on the USB buss.
posted by bigmusic at 4:16 PM on January 18

And if you don't have those colored female plugs, you'll probably need to buy a proper sound card.

Doing a Google image search, looks like the USB bit is some sort of adapter. http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31L99jnlzpL._AA280_.jpg
posted by hungrysquirrels at 4:17 PM on January 18

D'oh, missed the part where you listed the available sockets.
posted by hungrysquirrels at 4:22 PM on January 18

Yeah, you can plug it into the green and pink sockets on your computer and it'll work great, but you should have also gotten a USB adapter dongle too. You should ask Plantronics about that.
posted by zsazsa at 5:04 PM on January 18