I am trying to record an audio book that is on my phone to PC and/or desktop. I have looked at different posts and tried to do what was suggested but cannot get it to work. Can someone tell me the correct settings needed to do this?
Connect the headphone-out of the telephone with the sound-in of the computer.
If it’s not copy protected you should be able to copy the file(s) to your computer and you shouldn’t have to re-record it.
To record the analog it you need line-in (blue on a regular soundcard). If you have a laptop with only mic-in you need a USB audio interface with line-inputs. (Line inputs work with line-outputs or headphone outputs.)
The audio book is from what is called a virtual library. It uses the Libby app to play. There is not a file I can find on the phone to copy. My understanding it has a specific format that only Libby can play. The book expires before I can finish it. I was hoping I could play it and have Audacity capture it so I could then put it on my MP3 player. I have tried different microphone cables. I have tried different settings. When I record it just shows a flat line. I do not know what the USB audio interface is but I will look into that. The desktop has different ports for the input and I have tried both of them.
If you only have 2, one is a headphone output and the other a microphone input, which MAY double as a line-input.
Occasionally the connections will be configurable and you’ll get a pop-up asking, “What did you plug-in?” (If you get that, don’t answer “headphones” because that would be sound coming out of the soundcard to drive headphones.)
If you have that option, make sure select line input as your Recording Device. (Don’t select anything that says “loopback”.)
The soundcard in a desktop/tower computer usually has 3 or more analog connections and they are usually color coded. Like I said, you want a line-input (1), usually blue.
The Behringer UCA202 or UCA222 is popular and relatively inexpensive. It has RCA connectors so you need the correct adapter cable. You can find cheaper audio interfaces, or lots of higher-end ones.
Don’t get a regular “USB soundcard” because they are like laptops with only mic-in and headphone-out. (You don’t need a “high-end” audio interface unless you are recording with a pro microphone, or something like that.)
(1) The red & white right & left connectors on a CD player or your TV. etc, are line-level connections.
Just thought I should update this topic. When it was mentioned that the audiobook might have copywrite protection, I remembered old VHS tape could be played but not copied. I sent a note to Libby support about that possibility. While their response was not definitive, it implied that the audiobooks were was as follows “Audiobooks in Libby are not meant to be re-recorded or manually transferred to external devices, as this can violate the rights of the copyright holders”. With that response I believe that Audacity was working. Thanks for all you help and responses.
If there is sound coming out of a headphone jack Audacity CAN record it (if you have the right line-input connection).
It may be a copyright violation (sometimes not for personal use). That’s a legal restriction, not a technical restriction. Of course you can’t legally distribute copies or re-publish it on the Internet.
The video on VHS and DVDs is copy-protected but the analog audio is not and you can ALWAYS make an analog copy of the audio. (Of course both are covered by copyright).
Here are the settings I am using:
Host - MME
Playback device - Speaker
Recording device - Microsoft Sound Mapper - Input
Recording channels - Mono
The record meter shows “activity”.
The recording is a flat line. I have tried different combinations with no success.
Thanks.
That’s strange… If the meters are showing something, it should record.
What levels are you seeing on the meters? If it’s super-quiet it won’t show-up in the waveform. Try running the Amplify effect after recording. Low digital levels are usually OK but if you can’t get a strong signal there may be something wrong on the analog side.
If you have an option that says “line in”, choose that one. It corresponds to the blue line input on your soundcard. We don’t know that Windows is “mapping”.
Some “random stuff” and common problems-
Turn up the volume on your phone. Maximum is probably OK.
If you don’t know this, in the current version of Audacity the recoding volume slider is “hidden” under the recording meters. (The playback volume slider is under the playback meters.)
Make sure Windows “enhancements” are turned OFF. They can foul-up the sound in weird ways. It’s a very common issue around here.
Check your Windows Privacy Settings. Make sure Audacity is allowed to use the line input. (It’s probably OK since you can see activity on the meters.)
Try Listen To This Device to make sure Windows is getting a signal. (Again, probably OK since you’re seeing meter activity.)
Back from taking a break on this issue, I decided to try and see if the phone was the issue. I downloaded the audiobook to my iPad and can listen to the book on the iPad. When I connect the iPad to the PC, the results are the same, but it still does not record. I then listened to Sirius on the iPad but again, when I connect to Audacity it does not record. So I do not think it is the book that is the problem. There has to be some setting either on the PC or Audacity that I am missing. I have looked at dozens of links and tried different things.