Audacity Failing to load FFMPEG and shared libraries

Audacity 3 Help Forum Windows
1

Hey all,

I’m new here and not very well versed in Audacity, so I’m hoping this is a simple one for y’all. I’m using version 2.0.5 and am on a Win8.1 64 bit laptop. I use a Blue Snowball (connects by usb) for recording the audio for my podcast, and most days, it works absolutely fine with no issues. Today, when I click “start monitoring” like I usually do, it won’t monitor, nor does it record.

I searched around a little and looked at the log. I noticed that there were quite a few errors, and was hoping that this was the problem, and that I could find out how to fix it.

I haven’t changed anything that I can remember since I last recorded, so I’m pretty much at a loss (which isn’t hard since I’m not very well versed in Audacity).

Thanks for any help you can give me. I’ve pasted the log below.


11:40:17: Audacity 2.0.5
11:40:18 AM: Trying to load FFmpeg libraries…
11:40:18 AM: Trying to load FFmpeg libraries from system paths. File name is ‘avformat-52.dll’.
11:40:18 AM: Looking up PATH environment variable…
11:40:18 AM: PATH = ‘C:Program Files (x86)InteliCLS Client;C:Program FilesInteliCLS Client;C:WINDOWSsystem32;C:WINDOWS;C:WINDOWSSystem32Wbem;C:WINDOWSSystem32WindowsPowerShellv1.0;C:Program Files (x86)Windows LiveShared;C:Program Files (x86)IntelOpenCL SDK2.0binx86;C:Program Files (x86)IntelOpenCL SDK2.0binx64;C:Program FilesIntelIntel(R) Management Engine ComponentsDAL;C:Program FilesIntelIntel(R) Management Engine ComponentsIPT;C:Program Files (x86)IntelIntel(R) Management Engine ComponentsDAL;C:Program Files (x86)IntelIntel(R) Management Engine ComponentsIPT’
11:40:18 AM: Checking that ‘’ is in PATH…
11:40:18 AM: FFmpeg directory is in PATH.
11:40:18 AM: Checking for monolithic avformat from ‘avformat-52.dll’.
11:40:18 AM: Error: Failed to load shared library ‘avformat-52.dll’ (error 126: the specified module could not be found.)
11:40:18 AM: Loading avutil from ‘avutil-50.dll’.
11:40:18 AM: Error: Failed to load shared library ‘avutil-50.dll’ (error 126: the specified module could not be found.)
11:40:18 AM: Loading avcodec from ‘avcodec-52.dll’.
11:40:18 AM: Error: Failed to load shared library ‘avcodec-52.dll’ (error 126: the specified module could not be found.)
11:40:18 AM: Loading avformat from ‘avformat-52.dll’.
11:40:18 AM: Error: Failed to load shared library ‘avformat-52.dll’ (error 126: the specified module could not be found.)
11:40:18 AM: Error: Failed to load FFmpeg libraries.
11:40:18 AM: Error: Failed to find compatible FFmpeg libraries.

2

Reconnect both ends of the USB cable and restart Audacity. You can also use Transport > Rescan.

Did that solve it?

Koz

3

Hi Koz–thanks! I did that, but that wasn’t what solved it. There is a small switch on the back of the snowball that I guess must have been between set differently when my son used the mic. All seems ok now, thank you so much for your time.

As far as the log, I really don’t know what the deal is with that, but if this works for me, I’m ok with that…unless there is some reason I ought to be concerned?

4

No reason to be concerned.
FFmpeg is an optional “library” program that Audacity can use to extend the range of file formats that it supports. On start-up Audacity has a look to see if it can find FFmpeg on your computer. In your case it appears that you do not have FFmpeg installed.

Details about FFmpeg are in the manual here: Audacity Manual

5

Awesome, thank you SO very much.