USB webcam microphone

[Seb <spluque@gmail.com>]

Hi,

A "Creative Live! Cam Socialize HD AF" webcam with integrated microphone
works well in my sid AMD64 system.  Skype can use the webcam without
problems.  However, the microphone is proving difficult.  I can record
sound from it using:

arecord -f cd -c 1 -D hw:2,0 -d 5 ~/tmp/test.wav

Note that '-c 1' to explicitly specify the channel was necessary or else
arecord can't get the channel count.  The sound in ~/tmp/test.wav has no
problems whatsoever.  I'm using KDE, and hence pulseaudio and phonon for
handling sound, and made sure that the webcam's microphone level is high
in alsamixer.  However, this capture device cannot be selected as the
preferred device in System Settings -> Multimedia -> Phonon.  Hitting
"prefer" does move it up the list, but once I get out of there (after
"apply", of course) it is again shown as the second (last) option.

Any ideas on what may be going on?

Thanks,

-- 
Seb