Recording on remote (rdp) computer

Audacity Help Forum Windows
1

Hi,
I’ve found some older somewhat similar threads, and they don’t seem hopeful on this topic, but maybe there are some other ideas. What I’m trying to do:

I have a Windows 2000 server computer, which is the only one on-hand with a line-in connection. Because of that, it’s the only thing I can use to digitize audio cassettes through a line-in cable from a stereo system across the room. I can make it work when running the W2K box natively, but that’s less convenient (I have to juggle keyboards, mice, and hit lots of buttons on a monitor to switch its input to display the W2K box instead of my main PC, which runs Windows 7 Professional, 64 bit.

I can connect to the W2K box via RDP from the Win7 box, and most things work that way. Audacity, unfortunately, is not one of them. When I bring up Audacity (I have 2.06, which is apparently the most recent version that will work on W2K, but I also have an older version, and they behave no differently in this respect). I don’t think this is Audacity’s “fault,” since none of the audio-related tools will work over my RDP connection. Volume Control, for example, reports “no active mixer devices available.” Audacity likewise sees no audio devices in this mode.

I went to Terminal Services, Connections properties on the W2K box, where RDP gets configured, and navigated to “client settings.” There is a panel, “Disable the following” and “audio mapping” is checked and greyed-out so that I can’t un-check it.

So, I’m wondering if there’s a way to convince my W2K box to see its audio system. I intend to have Audacity record to the W2K box and then export to my Win7 box when done. I don’t think there’s a way for Audacity on my Win7 box to see the audio devices on the W2K box (as in theory, I can use a printer on a networked computer from the client), so my guess is that’s not an option. Otherwise, I guess I’ll either deal with the keyboard/mouse/monitor juggling or look into a line-in to USB adapter for my Win7 box.

2

I can use a printer on a networked computer from the client

A printer doesn’t have to be real time. Audacity insists on it. Audacity doesn’t like going through network oddball delays and negotiations. You just have a version of trying to use network-connected drives and storage. Audacity hates that.

I have 2.06

Maybe not. 2.06 would have been a third-party version of Audacity. A real release would have been 2.0.6.

a line-in to USB adapter for my Win7 box.

There is a caution here. Do Not fall for one of those non-USB headset adapter cables. They cause no end of troubles. I have a Behringer UCA-202 and it seems to work OK, but it doesn’t have volume controls.

The ART series seems to be well thought of.

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/USBPhonoPPS--art-usb-phono-plus-audiophile-phono-preamp-audio-interface

Koz

3

My mistake - I think it is indeed 2.0.6. I also found that I do actually have a line-in on my main computer–I had just assumed I didn’t, but Audacity (and everything else I’ve tried) mixes it right in, and Audacity sees stereo mix (realtek) and Microsoft sound mapper - both of which will include the line-input and whatever I might be playing back while I’m trying to record the line-in. I need two separate sound streams - one that I’m playing back & one I’m recording (but not listening to if I can un-monitor it). Audacity offers Windows MME, Windows Direct, and Windows WSAPI. They all seem to record the full audio mix, rather than allowing one source or another.

Thanks for the link to ART, though it’s a bit more $ than I’d like to spend. Would a separate USB dongle like this one: https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B079CBGDST/?coliid=I1RQI4INBT7QZH&colid=30IWKXZYBZUGN&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it
do? Reviews say it works with audacity, but no info about whether it will be seen as a separate line-in. Does the ART create a separable device? I posed this latter question on the Amazon page just now, so if no

body here knows maybe someone there will know.

4

Finding a fresh recording containing both the playback track and the new stereo recording track is what happens when you set up for recording Youtube or internet music instead of simple record and simple playback. To capture a You tube music track, you have to set up your computer to play the Youtube track and then fold the music back into the recording pathway. There are relatively standard ways to do that, usually involving “fake” or software devices rather than real, reach over and touch them devices. Stereo Mix falls into this category.

https://manual.audacityteam.org/man/tutorial_recording_audio_playing_on_the_computer.html

To get simple recording, the device in Audacity has to be real. They make this as difficult as possible because the device name doesn’t have to reflect the maker of the device. For example, my little Behringer stereo adapter’s name is USB Audio CODEC.

I know what it is because when I disconnect it and tell Audacity to Transport > Rescan Audio Devices, it vanishes. That’s another caution. Audacity naturally checks for audio devices when it starts. It ignores them after that except for a manual rescan.

This brings us to your internal soundcard. Legacy cards had three colored sockets. The blue one was typically Stereo Line-In.

Unfortunately, you can’t pull it out and see what its name is, and I’m not a Windows elf. I do have one fancy-pants PC soundcard with surround-sound connections (Front-Left, Rear-Left, etc.). It just has a lot more sockets of different colors. Consult your instructions.

It’s looking more and more like we need to wait for a Windows elf. I’m a Mac elf because I understand how they work. My Windows machines were always a black hole.

Koz

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To get simple recording, the device in Audacity has to be real. They make this as difficult as possible because the device name doesn’t have to reflect the maker of the device. For example, my little Behringer stereo adapter’s name is USB Audio CODEC

My sound card (or perhaps it’s from my mobo - no way to tell without opening up the machine, which is a pain) is re c ognized as “Stereo Mix (Realtek High Definition.” Are you saying that if I bought a USB dongle like the one I found on line, it would show up as a separate device and not be included in the “stereo mix” if I selected it? If so, that would likely take care of what I need.

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Stereo Mix is the software that smashes everything together into one channel. That’s what you need to record Youtube music, but a common complaint is it also picks up Windows housekeeping noises and sometimes the built-in microphone.

I’m not sure why Amazon is making me jump through security hoops to see your device. Is it illegal in certain countries? Is it on a list somewhere? Is its web dark?

Koz

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I’m not sure why Amazon is making me jump through security hoops to see your device. Is it illegal in certain countries? Is it on a list somewhere? Is its web dark?

Try this link instead (I took out the “smile” part, which goes to the part of Amazon where a tiny amount from purchases goes to whatever non-profit organization the user has designated). It’s the link that my browser shows when I’m on the page showing the device, and it pops right up for me.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B079CBGDST/?coliid=I1RQI4INBT7QZH&colid=30IWKXZYBZUGN&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it

Here is the same thing I found on the seller’s site:
http://www.digitnow.us/Rybozen-USB-Audio-Cure-Box--Capture-Audio-though-USB-20-interface_show18.html

The seller just responded to my query on their site as follows: “After the product is connected to the computer, the new audio driver will be recognized, and the driver name is USB Microphone.” Hopefully that doesn’t mean that it behaves with the same sound-levels as a microphone rather than like a line-in. I asked them a follow-up about that.

Yes, when I’m recording my computer’s audio I have to be careful to avoid causing system sounds to fire & get into the recording. When I’m recording my cassettes, I want to listen to, but not record, my computer’s audio and record, but not listen to, the line-in carrying the cassette sound.