With a computer microphone you can talk to people instead of having to type messages back and forth. For quality voice recognition, the software must receive clear, intelligible sounds from the microphone. The microphone must be placed where it receives relatively noise-free sound from the talker. Position it as close to the mouth of the speaker as possible, starting with a distance of six inches. Speak in a strong, consistent manner.
Many users of computer sound cards purchase professional microphones to improve upon the performance of the microphone that comes with their sound card. To successfully connect a microphone to your computer you must have knowledge concerning the signal level, electrical impedance, the connection type, and the wiring scheme.
Getting sound into the computer can be a complicated process and each version of Windows has a different solution. You can record onto an audio recorder and play the results into the computer. A typical two-minute recording can produce a computer file that is up to three Meg in size. Audio files can be stored on tape or CD rather than on the computer hard drive.
Unidirectional microphones, often referred to as noise-canceling, are less sensitive to background sounds and can help isolate your voice. This is especially helpful when the source of the noise is directly behind the microphone such as the computer’s fan or hard drive. However, some of the noise may still be picked up.