Microphone not working after Intrepid upgrade

[Craig Hagerman]

Hi all,

I upgraded to Ubuntu 8.10 and discovered that I have lost the sound in
from my microphone. It was working perfectly well last week in 8.06
and I haven't changed anything physically or in the software. I
noticed it today when I tried to make a Skype call and the other
person couldn't hear me. I did some testing such as test calls in
Skype and found that there IS sound coming in (so the sound card etc
is working) but it is at a VERY VERY low volume - so low that I have
to turn the speakers way up and speak loudly directly into the mic in
order for it to pick up something. But even then it isn't useable.
This doesn't seem to be a Skype issue since I can't get sound from the
mic in other apps as well. I was using ALSA before, but discovered
that with Intrepid Ibex Ubuntu has moved to pulse (whatever that is).
I have no idea if that is the problem or not. The gnome volume control
app seems to have changed as well and now has some different tabs and
settings. Regardless, everything is turned up to the max and unmuted
with no effect.

Does anyone have any idea what has gone wrong and how to fix the
microphone input?

Craig