Can't get external mic to work

[Android Central Question]

I would like to use an external mic on my Alcatel One Touch for better sound when doing Facebook events. I have 3 different type of mics and cannot get any of them to work. My mics have 2 black rings on the plug, so I purchased the adapter with the 3 black rings...I'm pretty sure that is the correct set-up. The adapter is actually a splitter with an input for a mic and headphones. The headphones work fine, so I'm pretty sure I have proper connection. However, I still cannot get the Alcatel One Touch to record any sound through my external mics. I suspect there is some kind of setting that I am missing. If you have any suggestions, I would greatly appreciate it!

 

[Rukbat]

It's probably due to one of 2 things:

1) The mic itself is the wrong kind. There are dynamic mics and capacitor mics. (And a few others that aren't in general use.) One will not work where the other is needed - they're totally different.

2) Regardless of what you think, the adapter is adapting the mic to an iPhone, not an Android phone - and the connections are different.

The easiest way to do what you want is to buy a mic specifically made for Android phones, and as you can see here, even the cheap ones aren't really cheap. You could also just get a 4-pole plug (that's one with the 3 "black rings - they're insulators between the 4 metal parts) and wire a mic to it yourself. The mic should go between the ring closet to the wire end of the plug (the hot lead) and the next one out (the ground lead). (The tip and next one in are, respectively, the left and right earphone connections.) If you've had a little soldering experience, it shouldn't be too difficult - the tabs you solder too aren't that small. (I would recommend at least one of those little "vices" made of 2 alligator clips.)