Missing Sound Input Devices / USB Headset

[Igknighted]

I'm running a Windows 8.1 Host and I have a Windows 7 guest. Recently I got a Razor Chroma headset. It's a USB headset. I want to use it to listen to sound from both the host and guests, but the problem I've ran into is that I can't get the guests to see the microphone for input.

Has anyone else had this issue with USB headsets? I really don't want to use USB passthrough, because then I lose sound from my host.

[socratis]

I can't get the guests to see the microphone for input

That's because your microphone isn't a true microphone, it's a USB microphone. That's how it shows on your host, isn't it? Not a lot you can do about it I'm afraid.

[mantao]

I'm facing a similar issue using MS Windows 7 Professional SP1 as a host, and Android 4.2.2 as a guest on VirtualBox 4.3.26

The microphone and speaker are attached to a NVIDIA nForce 15.49 Card and both sound input and output function perfectly on the host machine.

Sound output within the guest is not any issue, and it is only the microphone input which is a problem.

Wonder if anyone has faced a similar issue, and if there are any suggestions to resolve the same.

[socratis]

- You do NOT have a USB microphone input.
- You do NOT have a Windows guest.
- You do NOT have a similar problem.
- Your problem starts with the fact that we're talking about an Android guest. Start a new thread in the "Other guests" sub-forum and see if someone can help you there.

[mantao]

Thanks socratis for highlighting that - you are right its a Guest issue rather than a Host ... will re-post in the sub-forum suggested.

[Legorol]

I can't get the guests to see the microphone for input

That's because your microphone isn't a true microphone, it's a USB microphone. That's how it shows on your host, isn't it? Not a lot you can do about it I'm afraid.

The microphone being a USB device doesn't matter in this case, and the OPs arrangement should in fact work, so there is definitely something you can do about it.

Audio input and output devices, no matter how they are attached to the host, should be accessible from the guest at the same time as the host. VirtualBox accesses them through the host's standard sound system and maps them to the guest. VirtualBox doesn't know (nor does it care) how the devices are physically attached.

For example, I regularly use a setup where I use remote desktop to connect from a client to a host, with a VM running on the host. I have a headset physically attached to the client. The speakers and microphone are mapped by the remote desktop connection as Remote Audio (virtual) devices on the host. Both sound output and recording work fine on the host and the VM simultaneously.

[loukingjr]

I agree. Not sure about Android but supported guests should work.

[buckeye62]

I'm running Windows 7 Pro guest on a Mac OS 10.10.2 host. I have run into this exact same problem with headsets. As you mention earlier, Legorol, my headset should simply "be there," once it is mapped by the guest OS to the host OS. However, the device does not appear in the Windows sound control panel on the guest machine.

I have no idea why but trying to fix the problem using the sound control panel also causes my guest to hang on occasion or totally lock up forcing a reboot. I've tried two different model USB headsets with the same result in both cases.

Another issue that has developed is the sound output of the guest system is garbled and sounds staccato and choppy.

What is interesting about these issues is that until I upgraded the guest OS to Windows 7 Pro, I never had any such issues. Windows XP played well with VB. Are there some recommended sound settings for Windows 7 Pro? Perhaps my VB settings are incorrect.

[buckeye62]

BTW, I also realize that this is NOT a Mac OS Host forum. This was the only similar thread I found to my issues. Sorry for the intrusion. I did start a new post the issue in the Mac OS as Host section.