Android :: MediaRecorder Documentation Example Does Not Work / Get Past This Exception?

I am trying to use the MediaRecorder to record audio. I read the documentation at http://developer.android.com/reference/android/media/MediaRecorder.html on how to use the MediaRecorder and then tried the sample code given in the documentation for recording audio which is:

MediaRecorder recorder = new MediaRecorder(); recorder.setAudioSource(MediaRecorder.AudioSource.MIC); recorder.setOutputFormat(MediaRecorder.OutputFormat.THREE_GPP); recorder.setAudioEncoder(MediaRecorder.AudioEncoder.AMR_NB); recorder.setOutputFile(PATH_NAME); recorder.prepare(); recorder.start(); // Recording is now started ... recorder.stop(); recorder.reset(); // You can reuse the object by going back to setAudioSource() step recorder.release(); // Now the object cannot be reused

However this code doesn't seem to work. The second line throws an exception when I execute the code. If I execute the following two lines of code:

MediaRecorder recorder = new MediaRecorder(); recorder.setAudioSource(MediaRecorder.AudioSource.MIC);

It throws a RuntimeException on the call to setAudioSource with the exception message "setAudioSource failed." I am running this on my T- Mobile HTC G1 Android device which is running Android v1.6

I have searched a number of forums for entries about "MediaRecorder" or "setAudioSource" and have found that a number of other people have also posted that they are having a similar problem. However no one has responded to any of the posts which I found regarding this issue.

I would appreciate some help if anyone knows why the MediaRecorder is not working as documented or can provide information on how to get past this exception.