Unable to transfer from audio recorder to computer using Audacity 2.0.3
Device: Sony IC Recorder ICD-BX700, Operating system: Windows XP SP3, connection: audio cable with 3.5mm jack - recorder (using headphone slot) – computer (using microphone slot). Information recorded: Meeting. When I record Audacity shows a straight line. Example: ------------------------ When I playback the recording – nothing, silence. Reviewed Audacity log and I see where it says:
12:40:40: Error: Failed to load shared library ‘avformat-52.dll’ (error 126: the specified module could not be found.).
Do I really need to load FFmeg? Not doing anything fancy just trying to retrieve information from small recorder.
I have even switched the jack on computer to headphone (same results). Audacity settings - Audio Host: MME, Output Device: Sigma Tel C-Major Audio, Input Device: Sigma Tel C-Major Audio, Input Channel: 2 (Stereo) Input Channel
I need to get Audacity to work because I cannot record anything else using recorder (capacity full) unless I delete information. Goal is to save prior to deleting.
Thank you for giving us enough information to go on.
You appear to have done everything exactly correctly. The Sony instructions have you in Windows Recorder rather than Audacity.
https://us.en.kb.sony.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/30985/c/65,66/p/57784,60081,60201/
You might try that just to close the circles.
Can you plug your headphones into the recorder and hear sound? Moderate sound level in headphones comes out to be approximately correct line level on a sound transfer. It’s useful to know that for testing.
How much are you willing to bet your cable is perfect? How do you know?
Do you have both ends of the cable plugged firmly all the way in? Replug both ends and give each one a half-twist after it seats.
There is no good way to test that cable other than making it actually perform. Do you have a headphone barrel or coupler?
Radio Shack makes a coupler so you can plug your headphones into an existing sound cable – effectively connecting male to male.
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2102697
They also make a headphone splitter which allows you to drive your headphones and the computer at once – all this for testing.
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=16158676&filterName=Category
If you have no headphones or earbuds, then troubleshooting is going to be very limited.
Transfers are going to be limited, too. Many Mic-In connections are mono, not stereo and overload very easily. Pay attention to the Audacity Recording meters when you do get it to work.
Let us know.
Koz
Solution
Thank you so much for driving me to the solution via process of elimination.
• Tested headphone jack on recorder with headphones (Okay)
• Tested audio cable with 3.5mm jack and audio recorder via car stereo (Okay)
• Not required but tested headphone jack on computer (Okay)
This now meant testing the recorder outlet on the computer. I started thinking about microphones. I then went to the Audacity manual and found the topic “Why can’t I hear what I’m recording?”. I started thinking about listening as it was recording then I thought, check to make sure all the settings are okay. I then:
• Clicked ‘Start’
• Clicked ‘Control Panel’
• Clicked ‘Sound, Speech and Audio Devices’
• Clicked ‘Sound and Audio Devices’
• Clicked ‘Audio’ tab
• Navigated to ‘Sound playback’ frame and clicked ‘volume’ and verified ‘mute’ was off
• Navigated to ‘Sound recording’ frame and clicked ‘volume’ and clicked ‘Select’ checkbox
Voilà!!! The recording process works and I see the audio waves during recording.