from tape to windows xphome edition - no sound

[cmdook]

I have a new cassette tape recorder with a headphones outlet. (It's stereo - I checked with headphones)
My computer is a laptop with windows Xp home edition. It has a line-in jack, a microphone jack and a headphones jack.
As directed, I plugged a stereo jack into the headphones port of the tape recorder, and the other end into the 'line in' port in my computer.
The Audacity program I use is 1.2. I uninstalled and reinstalled it today.
I changed the Audacity settings (in preferences) in both recording and playback to match the device in my computer (I had a choice of two - I chose the one that was not Microsoft Soundmapper). They Audacity settings exactly match my computer, but I forget the name because I've been doing this for two days and I lost my mind about 3:00 yesterday.
Then in the Audacity program under preferences, I changed the recoding channels to 2 (stereo).
Then on the drop-down bar on Audacity I chose 'line in'.
After I'd done all this, I went into my computer's control panel, checked that the default devices were idential to the Audacity device, clicked on audio tab and clicked volume and pushed up all the volumes on both input and output. My computer will not, however, let me select input by putting a mark in the check box, but it will let me pull up the volume slider. When I check back in, the volumes are still up.

On audacity again, I pulled up the volume slider on 'input'
Then I recorded. There is no volume except a faint whisper. I can record & play back just fine using a microphone, the microphone jack and the microphone choice on Audacity. What do I do next?

Then

[steve]

It sounds like you are doing everything right, but there's one bit that sounds strange:

My computer will not, however, let me select input by putting a mark in the check box,

Are you looking at something like this?

If not, can you post a screenshot.

Why can't you tick the "Line in" box? What is selected instead of Line In?

[cmdook]

Hi Stevethefiddle:

Thanks for your reply.
I am looking at a screen that looks close to yours: under Sound Playback - volume, I have a choice of volume control, wave, sw synth, cd player, line in and microphone.
All have balance and volume sliders and a mute box at the bottom. Microphone is muted.

Under sound recording - volume, there is a choice of:
mono mix, sterio mix, line in and microphone. All have balance and volume sliders (volume sliders are up to the top) and a select box at the bottom.

I did manage to check 'line in' (microphone had been selected) by virtue of pressing the key harder than I had before (sorry to be so dumb) .
Now the linein seems to work somewhat - I can record on line-in with the setup I've got, and if I increase volume on the sliders right on the face of the Audacity 'recording box', I can save it to WAV and produce a CD that, with the volume on my speakers up, plays at a quiet speaking volume.
Could this be improved? Any suggestions would be welcome.

[steve]

I can record on line-in with the setup I've got

Good, we're getting there

if I increase volume on the sliders right on the face of the Audacity 'recording box

The behaviour of the sliders in Audacity are somewhat dependent on the sound card drivers, and to some extent the operating system. The most reliable way of setting recording levels is to use the sound card drivers interface (previous picture) rather than the controls in Audacity. The Audacity sliders are the most convenient, but on some hardware the sound card drivers refuse to respond correctly.

When you record, roughly how big a waveform are you getting in Audacity? Ideally you should have peaks that reach up to +/- 0.5 or perhaps a bit higher, but never up to +/- 1.0 as you will almost certainly start getting distortion.
After you have recorded, you can use the "Amplify" effect (Effects menu) to bring the peak level up to 0dB (+/- 1.0 on the vertical scale) - just use the default settings on the Amplify effect.

[cmdook]

Hi Stevethefiddle

Thanks again for your reply!
I am not getting waveforms at all.

Also, I have all the input and output the interface (computer) controls set up to maximum volume on my computer (are those the controls in the control panel of my computer I talked about last e-mail? If so, I think I''m talking about the right ones.) Still, I'm only recording at a whisper. Hmmm. Is there something wrong with my computer?

Best,

cmdook

[steve]

I am not getting waveforms at all.

I thought you said it was working? perhaps it is just so quiet that you cannot see the waveform?
Try this (just to test).
When you have a recording, use the Amplify effect from the Effects menu. (Use the default settings)
If there is anything recorded it should boost it up to full volume, though the sound quality will probably not be good.