How can I attach an external microphone to my Lumia 1020

[Windows Central Question]

I want to attach a Lavalier microphone to a Lumina 1020. Has anybody done this? Any tips. I want to make some YouTube films. As is, the visuals are fantastic while the sound is very poor. Many thanks, Ella

 

[RumoredNow]

Re: How can I attach an external microphone to my Lumina 1020

Do they not simply attach to the headphone jack?

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[JustinSalvato]

Re: How can I attach an external microphone to my Lumina 1020

I want to use an external microphone on my Lumia 1520 to record audio while recording video. I have a mic with a 3.5 jack, but the audio is still coming from the built-in mics, not the external microphone.

Maybe it's just the Lumia 1520 (running Windows 10 Mobile).

I will try the 1020 (running Windows Phone 8.1) when I get home.

 

[JustinSalvato]

Re: How can I attach an external microphone to my Lumina 1020

I tried using the microphone on my Lumia 1020/WP 8.1 using both the Microsoft Cam and Nokia Cam, but the sound came through internal mic, not external. Guess I'll give up.

 

[Centrifuge Games]

I spent a while trying to do this a few months ago (wanted to record a quick YouTube video, but with a clip-on mic) and eventually came to the conclusion that it's just not possible. Played about with a headphone/mic splitter, bluetooth headphones (to see if I could use their mic), and a normal phone headset, but - as far as I could tell - video recordings always use the internal mic. Shame, as the video quality is better than any of my other cameras, but the sound would be better with a lapel mic.

If anyone has figured out a way to do this, I'd love to hear too

 

[Centrifuge Games]

I had another go at this yesterday (after buying another mic), and it still doesn't work on my 950 (running WM10), BUT I happened to have my old 920 (running WP8.1) on the desk and - on a whim - tried with that. What do you know, it works perfectly!

After doing a bit of research into headset connectors (eg this thread by alv3st3r), I wondered if it was caused by the 950 and the microphone being wired for different standards (the 920 has a special universal audio jack) and ordered an AHJ-OMTP adaptor, which just arrived. Excitedly plugged it in and... nothing :-( I've also tried the mic (with and without adaptor) on an 830 (running WM10), and that didn't work either.

So, either (1) there's something special about the 920, (2) external mics don't work on WM10 (regardless of wiring), or (3) some combination of the two. After I've recorded the next video (to test the quality of the 920) I might upgrade it to WM10 and see if anything changes, just to rule that out.