Please help record cassette with RealTek

Audacity Help Forum Windows
1

Hi folks. Pulling my hair out on this one. This should work but it doesn’t.

Windows XP Home Edition SP3 Build 2600
Audacity 2.0.2 (latest version)
RealTek High Definition Audio

Finally found an adapter from RCA to mini thus … I have a tape deck connected and I’m able to hear sound from playing cassette just fine.
When I try to record with Audacity … I just get what looks like a burst and then flatline. Recording volumes turned up.

Audacity Settings …
Audio Host = MME (other choice is Windows DirectSound)
Output Device = RealTek HD Audio Output (other choice is Microsoft Sound Mapper - Output)
Input Device = RealTek HD Audio Input: Line Volume (bunch of other choices)
Input Channels = 2 (Stereo) Input Channels (other choice is 1 (Mono) Input Channel)

Windows Settings …
RealTek Recording at 12 (balanced between -/+ and all (CD Volume / Front Mic / Mic Volume) all muted. Line Volume is NOT muted.
RealTek Playback … nothing muted. All volume controls about 75% including Line Volume
Audio Properties … Default Sound Device = RealTek HD Audio Input
Master Volumes … nothing muted and all levels around 75%

RealTek Driver updated from RealTek and is current (6/19/2012 version 5.10.0.6662)

So, I have a tape running and I hear it fine. When I hit record button in Audacity I just get a flat line. No sound.

Please help as soon as possible. I’m quite perplexed.

Clyde

2

What are your settings in the Device Toolbar.

3

As stated above.

Audacity Settings …
Audio Host = MME (other choice is Windows DirectSound)
Output Device = RealTek HD Audio Output (other choice is Microsoft Sound Mapper - Output)
Input Device = RealTek HD Audio Input: Line Volume (bunch of other choices)
Input Channels = 2 (Stereo) Input Channels (other choice is 1 (Mono) Input Channel)

From left to right on one line of pull downs.

4

I saw the following in another thread.

For XP users:

  1. Open “Control Panel”
  2. Double-click the “Sounds and Audio Devices” icon
  3. Click the “Audio” tab
  4. Under “Sound Recording”, hit the “Volume…” button. The “Recording Control” window should pop up.
  5. In the Recording Control window, hit Options, then Properties in the menu bar.
  6. Under “Show the following volume controls” make sure “Stereo Mix” is checked.
  7. Close the Properties window, then make sure “Select” under “Stereo Mix” is checked.
  8. Hit “Ok.”

CUT

Perhaps this hints at my problem/issue but I still don’t know how to resolve this.

I don’t have volume controls for Stereo Mix.

Any of the experts here know how to enable it or get at it or something ???

5

You do want to record from line-in. Just to ask the obvious, is the cable from the tape deck connected to line-in or to one of the other inputs? And do you have the Audacity input slider and the input volume control for the line-in turned up in “Sounds and Audio Devices” ( http://wiki.audacityteam.org/index.php?title=Mixer_Toolbar_Issues#xpcp ) ?

You don’t need “stereo mix” unless you want to record computer playback.

It would be unusual (on XP) to mute inputs on the “Recording” side. You would normally select one of the inputs by check marking it, which should deselect all the other inputs. If you are able to multiple select recording inputs, it’s probably broken.

If you physically obtained the driver from the Realtek site yourself, it will only be a generic driver and so won’t be matched with your hardware. Windows Update “might” sometimes find the correct driver but more often you should go to the web site of the computer manufacturer (for a branded computer like Dell or HP), otherwise to the site of the motherboard manufacturer to look for correct audio drivers. See http://wiki.audacityteam.org/wiki/Updating_Sound_Device_Drivers .

There will also probably be a Realtek control panel in the Windows Control Panel accessed from the start menu. Try looking there too. If the drivers are not working quite correctly they may have a better chance of working if you choose line-in to record from in the Realtek control panel.


Gale

6

The set up is 2 RCA cables that go into an adapter that converts to a single mini jack plug.

My computer has 3 inputs in the rear (blue = line in, green = speaker out, and pink = mic in). Green/Pink also are in the front with my USB ports.

My cable from tape deck goes to the adapter and then the Line In (Blue) plug.

In Windows … Start / Control Panel / Sounds And Audio Devices / Audio / Sound Recording / RealTek Audio Input / Volume… / Recording Control

This has one slider (the far left master one at 75%) all other are grayed out.

Hope that makes sense.

EDIT - It is an intel motherboard - so they would have drivers ? What ever would I look for search on ???

7

Is there a Realtek control panel too?

See http://downloadcenter.intel.com/ . For more details of your motherboard, download CPU-Z:
http://www.cpuid.com/softwares/cpu-z.html .

Also has line-in recording ever worked? If so, perhaps consider what you may have changed before it failed.


Gale

8

Thanks Gale. I will investigate that angle. Realtek does have a control panel but it is pretty lame/cartoonish and doesn’t seem to provide much help. There is a demo to confirm speakers are set up correctly. And a color code chart for the inputs. And some sort of equilizer for sound effects (bathroom echo etc). And the control panel (mixer)basically allows for muting of channels but that is it. You can’t do anything with the input recording levels.

As a side note what is the difference between Line In and Mic In … ???

9

Does the input side let you “mute” inputs, such that you unmute the single input you want and mute the others? Sometimes the Realtek panels work that way (in direct opposition to the Windows Control Panel where you have to select the input you want).

See here http://manual.audacityteam.org/o/man/how_to_connect_your_equipment.html#avoid_mic .


Gale