Tried to connect turntable to computer (Windows 7) using plug from earphone connector on turntable to USB input on computer. Don’t get any sound recording with Audacity 2.1.1
You can’t do that. One’s analog and the other digital. Which turntable? If it had a USB connection, why don’t you just connect a USB cable between them? That’s what’s supposed to happen.
Koz
The turntable does not have a USB outlet. I am pretty sure in the past I was able to work with this connection, but that was quite a while ago and I can’t remember exactly what I did
Yes… We need to know what kind of turntable you have and what kind of connections it has. You may need an additional interface.
And, we need to know if you’re using a desktop/tower computer with a soundcard (with line-inputs), or a laptop with no line-input. The mic input on a laptop is the wrong interface for any turntable and won’t work properly. (And of course, sound comes out of the headphone output on a laptop so that’s not for recording. )
…from earphone connector on turntable to USB input on computer.
What kind of a cable/adapter do you have? Is that a USB soundcard?
A headphone-output can connect to a line-level input on a soundcard. Or if your stereo has a “tape output”, that’s a line-level signal designed for recording and it’s perfect for line-in on a soundcard.
A “traditional” turntable with a magnetic cartridge and no active electronics requires a special phono-preamp to boost the signal (to line level) and to apply the RIAA equalization curve. With a “traditional stereo” the phono preamp is built into the receiver. (Phono inputs are very rare on modern receivers.)
The cable I am using has a 1/8" jack on one end and a USB connector on the other. I am using PC with Windows 7. I am trying to use the headphone outlet from the turntable (only outlet that exists) and connecting to one of the USB plugs on the front of the computer. Computer has an NVIDIA sound card. I get a message on the computer that it does not recognize the USB input. I appreciate your continuing time and effort to help.
Who Made The Turntable and what’s the model number?
Koz
The cable I am using has a 1/8" jack on one end and a USB connector on the other.
Sorry… Still not enough information… Since it’s analog on one end and digital on the other, there must be a “soundcard” built-into the cable… We know it’s USB on one end, but we don’t know what’s on the analog end…
If the 1/8" jack is a stereo line-input, that should work. If it’s a microphone input, it won’t work properly. If it’s a headphone output, of course it’s not going to work at all! 
I don’t think it’s a guitar input because it’s the wrong connector.
I get a message on the computer that it does not recognize the USB input.
Of course, Window needs to recognize it before Audacity can see it. Right click on the Windows Speaker/Volume icon on the lower-right corner of your screen, and select Recording Devices. If you see it there, make sure the USB device is enabled and selected.
Then, see [u]this page[/u] for setting-up Audacity.
Computer has an NVIDIA sound card.
When you use a USB audio interface, the interface/device essentially has it’s own “soundcard” and you are not using the NVIDIA.
If this is a regular soundcard, plug the headphone output into the line-input on the soundcard. Of course, you’ll need a stereo cable with 1/8th inch (3.5mm) plugs on each end. (The line input is normally color-coded blue.)
If you have a laptop with an NVIDIA “soundchip”, you’ll probably need a USB interface with line-inputs such as the [u]Behringer UCA202[/u] or the [u]UFO202[/u] which has switchable line/phono inputs. These interfaces have RCA connectors for the analog audio, so you’ll need the appropriate adapter cables.
But if you do have a laptop, before you buy anything, check your computer’s user’s manual or “look around” on your computer to see if there’s an audio set-up utility that can switch the audio jack between microphone line inputs. (That’s rare, but it’s worth checking.)
Do NOT buy a regular “USB soundcard” because these are like laptops with only mic-in and headphone out.