mic port question

[Clark101]

just wondering if mic ports can be bi-directional and be used for an audio in?

[bicostp]

Yes, you can put just about any audio signal into the microphone port.

However, microphones put out a very weak signal, so plugging in a line level signal (such as a tape player, DVD player, or phonograph preamp) will overdrive it and distort the sound. For those devices, you want a line input jack. Most set top audio recorders and desktop computers will have a Line-In jack.

EDIT: Also, a lot of mic jacks are mono only, so you might need a line input to record stereo.