diff --git a/src/lerobot/microphones/portaudio/microphone_portaudio.py b/src/lerobot/microphones/portaudio/microphone_portaudio.py
index a601a7d04..2fe056898 100644
--- a/src/lerobot/microphones/portaudio/microphone_portaudio.py
+++ b/src/lerobot/microphones/portaudio/microphone_portaudio.py
@@ -123,6 +123,74 @@ class PortAudioMicrophone(Microphone):
 
         return found_microphones_info
 
+    def _configure_capture_settings(self) -> None:
+        """
+        Validates the microphone index, sample rate and channels settings specified in the constructor's config to the un-connected microphone.
+
+        This method actually checks the specified settings and fills the sample rate and channels settings if not specified before attempting to start a PortAudio stream.
+
+        Raises:
+            RuntimeError: If one of the specified settings is not compatible with the microphone.
+            DeviceAlreadyConnectedError: If the microphone is connected when attempting to configure settings.
+        """
+        if self.is_connected:
+            raise DeviceAlreadyConnectedError(
+                f"Cannot configure settings for {self} as it is already connected."
+            )
+
+        self._validate_microphone_index()
+        self._validate_sample_rate()
+        self._validate_channels()
+
+    def _validate_microphone_index(self) -> None:
+        """ "Validates the microphone index against available devices by checking if it has at least one input channel."""
+
+        is_index_input = (
+            self.microphone_index >= 0 and sd.query_devices(self.microphone_index)["max_input_channels"] > 0
+        )
+
+        if not is_index_input:
+            found_microphones_info = self.find_microphones()
+            available_microphones = {m["name"]: m["index"] for m in found_microphones_info}
+            raise RuntimeError(
+                f"Microphone index {self.microphone_index} does not match an input device (microphone). Available input devices : {available_microphones}"
+            )
+
+    def _validate_sample_rate(self) -> None:
+        """Validates the sample rate against the actual microphone's default sample rate."""
+
+        actual_sample_rate = sd.query_devices(self.microphone_index)["default_samplerate"]
+
+        if self.sample_rate is not None:
+            if self.sample_rate > actual_sample_rate or self.sample_rate < 1000:
+                raise RuntimeError(
+                    f"Provided sample rate {self.sample_rate} is either too low or too high compared to the sample rate of the microphone {actual_sample_rate}."
+                )
+            else:
+                if self.sample_rate < actual_sample_rate:
+                    logging.warning(
+                        "Provided sample rate is lower than the sample rate of the microphone. Performance may be impacted."
+                    )
+                self.sample_rate = int(self.sample_rate)
+        else:
+            self.sample_rate = int(actual_sample_rate)
+
+    def _validate_channels(self) -> None:
+        """Validates the channels against the actual microphone's maximum input channels."""
+
+        actual_max_microphone_channels = sd.query_devices(self.microphone_index)["max_input_channels"]
+
+        if self.channels is not None and len(self.channels) > 0:
+            if any(c > actual_max_microphone_channels or c <= 0 for c in self.channels):
+                raise RuntimeError(
+                    f"Some of the provided channels {self.channels} are outside the maximum channel range of the microphone {actual_max_microphone_channels}."
+                )
+        else:
+            self.channels = np.arange(1, actual_max_microphone_channels + 1)
+
+        # Get channels index instead of number for slicing
+        self.channels_index = np.array(self.channels) - 1
+
     def connect(self) -> None:
         """
         Connects the microphone and checks if the requested acquisition parameters are compatible with the microphone.
@@ -130,42 +198,7 @@ class PortAudioMicrophone(Microphone):
         if self.is_connected:
             raise DeviceAlreadyConnectedError(f"Microphone {self.microphone_index} is already connected.")
 
-        # Check if the provided microphone index does match an input device
-        is_index_input = sd.query_devices(self.microphone_index)["max_input_channels"] > 0
-
-        if not is_index_input:
-            found_microphones_info = self.find_microphones()
-            available_microphones = {m["name"]: m["index"] for m in found_microphones_info}
-            raise OSError(
-                f"Microphone index {self.microphone_index} does not match an input device (microphone). Available input devices : {available_microphones}"
-            )
-
-        # Check if provided recording parameters are compatible with the microphone
-        actual_microphone = sd.query_devices(self.microphone_index)
-
-        if self.sample_rate is not None:
-            if self.sample_rate > actual_microphone["default_samplerate"]:
-                raise OSError(
-                    f"Provided sample rate {self.sample_rate} is higher than the sample rate of the microphone {actual_microphone['default_samplerate']}."
-                )
-            elif self.sample_rate < actual_microphone["default_samplerate"]:
-                logging.warning(
-                    "Provided sample rate is lower than the sample rate of the microphone. Performance may be impacted."
-                )
-        else:
-            self.sample_rate = int(actual_microphone["default_samplerate"])
-
-        if self.channels is not None and len(self.channels) > 0:
-            if any(c > actual_microphone["max_input_channels"] for c in self.channels):
-                raise OSError(
-                    f"Some of the provided channels {self.channels} are outside the maximum channel range of the microphone {actual_microphone['max_input_channels']}."
-                )
-        else:
-            self.channels = np.arange(1, actual_microphone["max_input_channels"] + 1)
-
-        # Get channels index instead of number for slicing
-        self.channels_index = np.array(self.channels) - 1
-
+        self._configure_capture_settings()
         # Create queues
         self.record_queue = process_Queue()
         self.read_queue = process_Queue()