Record TV music (sirius channels) to laptop

mazboy · March 24, 2013, 2:35am

I just download audacity. I have Sirius radio as part of my satellite TV programing. I would like to record the music from my TV to my laptop.

I assume it can be done easily. I have seen topics on microphones but that is not what I want to do. I want to collect music on my laptop. Can someone tell me what cables I need to connect the two together?

thanks

kozikowski · March 24, 2013, 3:16am

I assume it can be done easily.

I’d probably stop doing that.

You posted in a part of the forum where we can tell nothing about your computer or anything else. So fill us in. You have a Lenovo ThinkPad 17" Laptop and your TV is a Sony Bravura 72" flat screen with headphone output?

Koz

steve · March 24, 2013, 1:50pm

This is a physical radio, not software?
If so, then you need to connect the AUX output of the device to a “Line level” input on your computer and then set Audacity to use the Line In using the Device Toolbar.
Most full size computers have a “stereo line in” connection. Many laptop PCs don’t. (A “line input” is not the same as a “mic” input. Most "mic inputs are designed only for connecting a single, mono microphone).
If your computer does not have a stereo line input, you could use a USB sound card such as the Behringer UCA 202 or similar.

mazboy · March 24, 2013, 2:37pm

hi again. I’m trying to keep this simple…for me

I have a Sony TV with all the input/outputs in the back. And I have a HP laptop with one hdmi connection and input/output for a headseat.

I have downloaded audacity.

I have Sirius radio on my satellite TV channels. Again, I would simply like to take a cable (what type of cable I am asking), connect it to my TV (which output connection) and record music into my laptop.

Can it really be that simple? Or, won’t it work, or do I need another type of software on my laptop?

thanks

steve · March 24, 2013, 2:56pm

The problem is not the software, it’s the physical connection between the TV and the computer.

I would guess that the HDMI connection on the laptop is output only (check the laptop specifications if you think that it should also be able to handle input) and that the HDMI connection on the TV is input only (check the specifications for the TV if you think that it should also be able to handle output). In other words, I’d expect that the HDMI connections will only be able to play from the laptop to the TV and not from the TV to the computer (but please check in the laptop and TV manuals if you think this is incorrect).

Assuming that the above is correct, then you will need to connect an “AUX” or “Line” audio output from the TV to a “Line In” on the computer. A headset input is designed for a headset microphone so that is not suitable, it needs to be a “Line level” input (such as is available with a Behringer UCA 202 or similar).