Using the Rode VideoMicro Microphone With a Mac or PC

A youTube viewer, Raj, recently asked me if he could use the Rode VideoMicro microphone with a computer. I wasn’t sure so I decided to try it on my 2015 MacBook Pro and my wife’s Window’s 8.1 Dell laptop.

The Rode VideoMicro did not work with my MacBook Pro. I tried it with both the included Rode TRS patch cable and the Rode SC7 TRRS to TRS patch a cable I used to connect to the Video Micro to my iPhone. I expected it to work with my Mac because I can plug my iPhone headset into the 3.5mm audio jack on my iPhone headsets and both the headphones and microphone work with Skype and FaceTime, etc. However when I plug in the VideoMicro and look in System Preferences > Sound under Input I do not see an external microphone listed. If I look under Output, it clearly shows that headphones are plugged into the headphone port, but the Mac does not recognize the microphone.

I was able to get the VideoMicro working with my wife’s Windows 8.1 Dell laptop. It also has a 3.5mm headset jack. She has told me that both the headphones and microphone on her iPhone headset work on her computer. When I plugged in her headset, it didn’t work for me. Windows eventually reloaded some drivers and once her iPhone headset was working, I was able to plug in the Video Micro and verify that it was picking up audio from the mic. I did not have a chance to try and record audio or use it with Skype so I can’t say how well it worked.

I’m not use that the issue was with the Mac. I know this microphone requires 3v camera plug in power to operate, and this is why it works with some cameras and devices and not others. That may be the issue with the Mac. If you are using a Windows PC with a seperate headphone and microphone input, that input would need 3V of power and you may also need an adapter cable if the input doesn’t use TRS like the VideoMicro does.

Finally, I’d add that the Rode VideoMicro is designed for use with a camera or smartphone, not a computer. If you want to use a microphone with a computer, there are better options.

Products mentioned in this video


8 thoughts on “Using the Rode VideoMicro Microphone With a Mac or PC”

    1. Without testing it, I’d have no way to know. You’d need to have the correct cable too. if your laptop has one 3.5mm jack that works with a snartphone headset, you’d need a TRRS cable.

    1. The pink port on a PC is TRS, so the cable that comes with the mic is the correct cable. The microphone requires 3v of plug in power. I’m not sure if your PC supplies that so I can’t say. I would think that the pink port on the PC would have a spec someehre but I wasn’t able to find it.

  1. I also have a 2015 MBP. And i ALREADY own the Rode VideoMicro Microphone. did you ever find a work around to make it work on a 2015 MBP?

    1. No. I did not. I assume the issue is that the Mac’s headphone jack does not deliver enough plug in power. I was thinking of trying it out again fbecause I wanted to use that mic for a Zoom setup.
      . Have you tried it? You’d need the TRS to TRRS adapter cable for it to work at all. If I recall I tried it with the TRRS cable and it did not work, but the included cable would definately not work.

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