I just upgraded to Windows 10 Enterprise 64 Bit. I have Realtek High Definition Audio Device with the latest drivers running w/ 5.1 speaker set up. I am using Audacity 2.1.1 and was also doing so in Windows 7. Audacity sees the Realtek devices. I have set my device to Windows WASAPI, which lists the speakers on loopback for the microphone, 2 channels of recording, and I see the Realtek Speakers as the output device. These are the same settings that I saw in Windows 7 when the application was working properly. When I attempt to record streaming audio from the Internet I get the following error message: “Error while opening sound device. Please check the recording device settings and the project sample rate.” I have verified that Realtek HD Audio Manager is putting out 24 bit, 48,000 Hz and that the Audacity software matches it in the sampling rate so that appears to be set properly. Is there something I’m missing, or is it a bug for development to work on?
Physical inputs may fail “error opening”, especially when overdub recording. Try setting Audacity project rate to 44100 Hz then for both the playback and the recording device in Windows Sound, ensure both “Exclusive Mode” are checked (enabled). You can also try setting Audacity Project Rate to the same as Windows “Default Format” with both Exclusive Mode boxes unchecked.
Restart Audacity after making changes in Windows Sound.
Thank you both for your input. I tried both of the suggestions, but it did not work. I finally disabled 5.1 sound and set my system to just play stereo out of the front speakers. Once I did that it worked. I would like to record at a higher level in but I have no control over the microphone adjustment, but in stereo it appears to be working fine.
Did WASAPI loopback record six channels mixed down to stereo before under Windows 7?
Audacity can record multiple channels but only plays mixed down to stereo.
Is the surround sound delivered from multiple audio outputs or over one HDMI cable?
Could you be trying to record a Dolby AC encoded stream? I’de be very surprised to see that work as there are some copy protection systems in there.
You can send a number of independent audio channels over HDMI, but I’ve never seen that in consumer gear. Some older laptops don’t even support audio over HDMI at all.
I know that a raspberry Pi’s HDMI, fi, can send stereo or Dolby AC surround. And I think you’ll have to descend to bare metal programming if you want to send 8 channel uncompressed audio over HDMI.