Making Audio E-mail Without a Mic Jack

Sending audio e-mail is possible with WebTV Plus units which do not have microphone jacks.

The Sony® Plus unit INT-W200 does not have the mic jack on the back, but it does have the capability of making an audio recording.

To accomplish this, you will need a small cassette recorder or camcorder with an audio output jack.

The cassette recorder is used as an amplifier for the mic. The built-in microphone on your recorder will usually work very well, but an external mic may be used if your cassette recorder has a mic jack.

An adapter cable should be run from the audio output of the recorder to the left-hand, or mono audio input on the back of your WebTV unit. The end which plugs into your WebTV unit should have a standard RCA male plug, while the end which plugs into your recorder will probably be called a "mini" plug. These cables are available from Radio Shack®. For convenience, be sure to get a cable that is long enough to reach from your WebTV to the place where you use your keyboard.

Note: Before making ANY electrical connections, it is is wise idea to have your WebTV unit TURNED OFF AND UNPLUGGED from the electrical outlet!

To use your recorder as a mic, you must place a blank tape in the machine first. Your cassette recorder should be placed in the Record mode. You may wish to depress Pause to prevent the recorder from making a taped copy of your outgoing audio message.

When using a recorder to make audio e-mail recordings, you should turn the TV volume all the way down, or mute the volume, in order to prevent feedback.

After you have finished making your recording, the volume of your TV can be turned back up so you can listen to your recording.

Many thanks to my new e-friend, Donald, for sending me the information which made these instructions possible!