Mono v. Stereo

[lisany1]

Hello. I'm a new user of Audacity, so pardon the ignorance. I'm downloading tapes from a boombox into computer. It seems I can only download via mono in order to get sound from both channels. Is this because my plug goes from the mic in the boombox into the computer? Or do I need to transfer the tape using a proper tape deck with two plugs? Thank you.

[steve]

Is this because my plug goes from the mic in the boombox into the computer?

Do you mean that you are going from the headphone socket on your boombox into the microphone socket on your computer?

Does your computer have a "line in" socket? (most full size computers have a microphone socket and a separate line in socket, but most laptops have only one input socket, which may either be a mono microphone socket, or a combined microphone/line in socket).

[lisany1]

Yes, I am plugged in from the earphone jack in the player to the mike/line in jack in the sound card of the computer. It's one jack for both purposes.

[steve]

It's possible that the input socket on the computer is only mono (more likely on a laptop than a desktop computer, but not definite either way).

Since you have posted in this part of the forum I'm assuming that you are using Audacity 1.2.6 on Windows XP,

Go to "Edit menu > Preferences > Audio I/O" and check that the number of recording channels is set to "2 (stereo)"

The lead from the headphone socket to your computer must be a stereo lead.

This is a stereo jack plug.


and this is a mono jack plug.


(note the extra "ring" on the stereo plug).

If you are on Vista or Windows 7, you should be using Audacity 1.3.12, and there are also some setting to check in the Windows Control Panel.

[lisany1]

Thank you for your help! I had tried setting it to stereo before, but got one channel as a flat line. For some reason, it is working now. Transferring all my tapes to computer before an apartment move, this is a great program and I don't have to give up my music. Thanks again.