recording from external sources

[winnjama]

On my old computer, a Dell laptop, Audacity gave me superb quality when recording from (for example) streaming radio.
On my NEW computer, a Levotron ThinkPad, I get badly distorted sound.
Moreover, I get no choice of input. On Audacity Beta, the window only shows Microphone (no Stereo Mix)
On stable Audacity, there are no choices in the window.
I tried copying all my audacity files from my old computer to my new, with no change in the problem.

HELP!!

[kozikowski]

Many Lenovo ThinkPads have a very nice line-In (blue) in addition to the pink Mic-In. You should be able to find one of those to record your analog shows depending on what they are and where they started from. If you only have Mic-In (pink or not), then you will not be able to record stereo performances from an entertainment music system or cassette player.

As far as recording Mix-Out, that's up to Windows and the hardware drivers for the computer that you bought. Some manufacturers aggressively stopped supporting that.

If nothing you do works, you're only hope is third party software such as Total Recorder (that I use).

Koz

[kozikowski]

None of this is Audacity's problem. Audacity is a complete slave to the computer running it.
Koz

[winnjama]

I haven't made myself clear. I can record LPs, tapes, etc. just as I did on my old machine, by using a little analog to digital box that terminates in a USB plug.

My problems are with recording sound that comes into the computer from the Web, such as streaming radio. On my old machine, I selected "stereo mix," set a level, and good great results. On my new machine, I get no choice of inputs, and terribly distorted sound. THe sound is playing beautifully as output, but when I go to record it it's awful.

PLEASE HELP!!

Many Lenovo ThinkPads have a very nice line-In (blue) in addition to the pink Mic-In. You should be able to find one of those to record your analog shows depending on what they are and where they started from. If you only have Mic-In (pink or not), then you will not be able to record stereo performances from an entertainment music system or cassette player.

As far as recording Mix-Out, that's up to Windows and the hardware drivers for the computer that you bought. Some manufacturers aggressively stopped supporting that.

If nothing you do works, you're only hope is third party software such as Total Recorder (that I use).

Koz

[kozikowski]

<<<On my old machine, I selected "stereo mix,">>>

And the new machine doesn't support "Stereo Mix." Stereo Mix and What-U-Hear are not guarantees. If your computer doesn't support them, then they're not there. Macs come out of the box not supporting this, either, so there are a number of people in this boat.

It is possible you're not looking in the right place.

Windows Control Panel
http://audacityteam.org/wiki/index.php? ... trol_Panel

Koz

[waxcylinder]

I haven't made myself clear. I can record LPs, tapes, etc. just as I did on my old machine, by using a little analog to digital box that terminates in a USB plug.

My problems are with recording sound that comes into the computer from the Web, such as streaming radio. On my old machine, I selected "stereo mix," set a level, and good great results. On my new machine, I get no choice of inputs, and terribly distorted sound. THe sound is playing beautifully as output, but when I go to record it it's awful.

You can work around this by connecting the outputs of your USB sound card (make and model no. would be useful) to its inputs - this is called a lopback connection. You then have to set up your PCs sound services and Audacity's Preferences so that both input and output are directed to the external soundcard. It helps a lot if you have a gain control on the USB soundcard to manage the signal level for recording - some do and some don't (my Edirol UA-1EX does for example).

Curiously this is the way I had to work on my old desktop to record whatever was playing on my PC - but my much newer laptop that I bought earlier this year records direct from the internet just fine - which is odd as most manufacturers seem to be deliberately crippling/removing this function (presumably in an attent to prevent piracy).

WC