Google Meet and Snowball Microphones

This describes how to set up a Windows PC and an external Blue Snowball microphone to use with Google Meet. Most of these steps you will only need to do once.

Prerequisites: Be logged in to the PC as yourself, then be logged in to Chrome as yourself.

1. Plug the USB cable into the microphone:

2. Plug the other end into a USB port on the PC:

3. After a few seconds, the PC should display a message in the lower right corner that it has properly detected the microphone:

4. Open Chrome and go to https://meet.google.com/ and start a new meeting (even if you're not really ready to have a meeting.) The first time, you'll get a message like this -- click Dismiss:

5. Then, click Allow for the next two prompts:

6. After a second or two, you should see the camera preview. A message may flash across the top like this:

7. Click the overflow menu (three dots) and go to Settings:

8. Make sure that the Blue Snowball is the default audio input device:

9. Mute your audio, so you don't get feedback -- click the little sound icon, then drag the slider left:

FOR A REAL RECORDING:

When you're satisfied that all the settings are good (see above), join the meeting, and go to the overflow menu (three dots) and select Record meeting:

You'll get a prompt about consent, legality, etc. (Only teachers are able to make recordings) Click Accept.

When finished, go to the overflow menu and select Stop Recording, then confirm:

In a few minutes, you'll get an email that the recording is available in a folder in your Google Drive called "Meet Recordings." If you don't see the recordings, email helpdesk@ and they will make sure you're a member of the "Teachers" group.