I have been an avid and dedicated Audacity user for many years. I just installed Audacity 2.0.4 on my Windows 7 laptop. However, I cannot record streaming audio. Never had this issue on Windows XP desktop/laptop. Every time I hit the Record button, I get this message:
Error while opening sound device. Please check the input device settings and the project sample rate.
My laptop is a Dell Inspiron N5110. It has an onboard sound chip. When I drag a music track into Audacity, it plays. But it cannot record a streaming audio, or anything. The audio toolbar (I don’t know what else to call it) on Audacity shows
MME, Microsoft Sound Mapper-Out, Rec. Playback (IDT High Definition), 2 (Stereo) Input Channel.
Self Recording is not a guaranteed service on computers (unless you bought it that way) and some computers just can’t do it without adding software or hardware. It’s a dance between Windows, the sound card drivers and the sound card itself.
I would start by setting Audacity preferences to 44100, 16-bit, Stereo. Those settings are very plain and all sound cards should support them.
Kozi, thanks for your prompt response. I have been using Audacity all these years on dozens of Windows XP machines, never had an issue. So, I didn’t know that you have to buy special computers for recording (or for Audacity to record audio). All hell broke loose with Windows 7 laptop.
I took your advice, and changed the setting to 44100, 16-bit, Stereo (by following your 2nd instructions, Audacity > Edit > Preferences > Quality). But what do I change in your 1st instruction (Audacity > Edit > Preferences > Devices)?
Also, I visited the URL of the page you gave, it’s very confusing there.
Also, I visited the URL of the page you gave, it’s very confusing there.
You need to dig through it. That tells you what to set all the selectors for in the Windows versions. Recording Devices, Hidden Services, etc. etc
Windows is now a corporate communications service, not a generic computer like it used to be. You can get into trouble by self-recording and then trying to conference call the business home office without changing the settings. So they hid them.
I’m not a Windows elf. I use a Mac mostly and it will not do self-recording at all without special software.
Again, thanks for your prompt response. I got your point. I will dig through and try to find a solution.
When you say “self recording”, are you referring to recording streaming audio?
At base, it runs the play and record portions of the computer at the same time. People see it as “I want to record YouTube,” (full stop) like it’s a YouTube recording tool. It’s not. Youtube can be on the play side and Audacity on the record, but you don’t have to set it up that way. You can record anything playing like a CD or a DVD. Or a videoconference.
The problem comes when conferencing because that also runs the play and record sides at the same time (your microphone and your speakers) and some conferencing system change the sound pathways around on top of what you did, leading to unintelligible conversations or distorition and feedback.