How do I record a radio station?

Audacity Help Forum Windows
1

What settings do I need to use to record internet radio?

All I want to do is record the audio that goes through my speakers. I used to be able to do just that using Audacity but cannot figure out how to set it up do that again.

I looked for a tutorial but none of them help as they are outdated. They tell you to use the “Wave Out Mix.” I don’t see that as an option in version 2.0.0.

I have a SB X-Fi Sound Card running on Windows 7 Ultimate.

TIA

2

Sounds like you’re looking at old documentation. Try here: http://wiki.audacityteam.org/wiki/Mixer_Toolbar_Issues#cp

3

That tutorial didn’t help either.

I don’t have “Stereo Mix” as an option.
It doesn’t explain how to record whatever I hear in my speakers/headphones.

Is this really that complicated?

4

There is often confusion over what source to use for recording sounds the computer is playing, and worse, this source is often hidden by default in the system mixer. The required source can go by various names such as: “Stereo Mix”, “Wave Out”, “Sum”, “What U Hear” or “Loopback”. The exact name (and even if you have such a source option) depends on the drivers of your sound device. Try to enable and select a suitable option in the system mixer as described below.
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(below)
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http://wiki.audacityteam.org/wiki/Mixer_Toolbar_Issues#vistacp

5

Is this really that complicated?

Yes. Self-recording is not a guaranteed service like ‘send video to the screen’, ‘send audio to the speakers’, and ‘record from the microphone.’ Nowhere in the instructions for your computer do they mention self-recording and some of the newer computers do not supply that service at all no matter how hard you look.

Older computers used to throw all the sound card services at the user in hopes that they figure it all out and be happy. Enough people didn’t that they’ve been trying to simplify the services ever since. One of the first things to go is multiple channel recording followed closely by self recording. Both of those interfere seriously with business conferencing.

I freely admit they have a good way to go. We tried to set a Win7 machine up for fancy conference recording and three of us from Engineering and Systems Groups couldn’t force it to work. We still don’t know why.

Sometimes you need to revert to external programs like Total Recorder or physical interconnections like the jumper cable mentioned in the wiki page.

Koz