Do you want to use the Philips LFH9172 conference microphone to record meetings, conferences, or online conversations on your Windows PC or Mac? Basically, this high-quality boundary microphone is not only designed for Philips Pocket Memo recorders but is also compatible with standard computers.
In this guide, we show you the hardware requirements that must be met and how to configure the microphone.
Hardware Requirements for PC Connection
The LFH9172 is a passive condenser microphone with a 3.5 mm jack plug. For smooth operation, the following points are important:
Power Supply (Plug-in Power)
Condenser microphones require a small power supply (phantom power). Most sound cards on desktop PCs provide a voltage of 1.5 to 5 volts via the pink microphone input, which is sufficient for the LFH9172.
Connection to Laptops with Combo Jack
Many modern laptops only have a single 3.5 mm combo jack (headset port). Since the LFH9172 has a 3-pole TRS plug, it is often not recognized on these jacks without further measures.
Solution: Use a 3.5 mm jack Y-adapter (splitter) to split the signal into separate headphone and microphone inputs.
Step-by-Step Guide: Configuration in Windows
To have your PC use the external microphone for conference recordings, follow these steps:
Connect: Plug the microphone into the microphone input (with adapter if necessary).
Sound System Control: Open Settings > System > Sound.
Select Input Device: Under "Input," select the corresponding device,
often listed as "Realtek Audio" or "High Definition Audio."Adjust Levels: Click on Device Properties and then on Additional Device Properties.
Increase the volume under the Levels tab.
If the recording is too quiet, carefully enable microphone boost (+10dB / +20dB).
Maximum Range through Cascading
An outstanding feature of the Philips LFH9172 is the support of cascading (also known as daisy-chaining). This procedure allows multiple boundary microphones to be connected in series to flexibly adapt the audio coverage to the room size.
Optimal Coverage for Large Conference Rooms
In spacious meeting rooms or at long boardroom tables, a single microphone is often not enough to capture all participants with consistent quality. By cascading, you can connect up to six LFH9172 microphones together.
Range: Each additional microphone extends the recording area by several meters. This ensures that people at the end of the table are clearly heard without volume loss.
Cable Management: Since the microphones plug directly into each other, only the cable of the first microphone needs to be run to the computer or recording device. This ensures neat and professional cabling without cable clutter on the conference table.
PC Connection: This cascading also works perfectly when operated directly on a PC or laptop. Just make sure that your computer’s microphone input provides the necessary power supply to stably power the signal chain of the cascaded microphones.
Recommendation:
Place the cascaded microphones at regular intervals along the center of the table to ensure seamless 360° coverage of the entire room.