Input Drop down Menu

[amarendra]

I downloaded the 'Audacity 1.3 Beta(Unicode) onto both my Desktop & Laptop. When I try to record music being played on the windows music player in the computer, I can see Flat line instead of any wave pattern and there is no recording taking place. On the drop down menu of 'Input' there are only three choices viz., Line-In, Rear Mic, Microphone. There is no 'Stereo mixer' option which I can see in the same Audacity proghramme on my laptop. I checked in the Preferences and also checked in the Sound manager from PC control panel. Advice please. - VA

[steve]

Some on board sound cards do not have a "Stereo Mix" option. Go into the Windows Control Panel and open the "Sounds and Audio Devices" section. Have a look in there to see what options are available with your hardware.

If you are using Vista, see here: http://audacityteam.org/wiki/index.php? ... s_Vista_OS

[amarendra]

Thank you. I checked Properties of Volume control (sounds & devices) under options for recording I can only see Line-in, Rear MIC, Microphone. Does it mean this is a sound card problem. Do I have to change the sound card, OR Is there any other way I can get the recording get working. - Thanks once again -- amar.

[steve]

What sort of computer do you have?
what operating system?
laptop or desktop?
what sound card are you using?
what exactly are you trying to record?

[amarendra]

I am trying to record music/song of a normal audio CD playing through Windows Media Player. I can listen to music through the speakers but there is no sign of recording at the same on Audacity. All I want to do is to convert the recording as MP3 and save it and then transfer to my mobile phone for me to listen while on travel. My computer is a Desktop and Dell dimension 5150 and the operating system is WindowsXP Professional media system. I don't know the sound card details, but when I looked in the Hardware in Sound,Speech devices, it shows as "SigmaTel Audio". -- Thanks-

[steve]

Even if your sound card does not support recording from CD, you can still get the music from the CD by digitally extracting it (and with better sound quality).

2 free programs that allow you to do it are:
C-Dex
EAC (Exact Audio Copy) - slower, but with good unscratched CD's produces perfect copies (as long as you set it up correctly by following the instructions carefully)

Once you have extracted the tracks as WAV files you can Import them into Audacity.

[amarendra]

That's great. I will certainly take your advice and try to extract and download to Audacity instead of bothering to record while playing the CD. You have been very helpful and good with your advice. Thanks a Lot. ---Amar.

[entertainment]

All of a sudden I am having a problem.I push the 'record' button and the flat line stays flat, no wave, which would signal that I am sending a signal into the program.I just had a new sound card installed in my 6 month old Dell Inspiron 530S, and I went to the Dell help site and they actually installed it for me and set it up through the remote feature they have for their customers. Bottom line is I know it is working.I reinstalled Audacity and I was wondering if the 1.2.6 drivers are installed when you download it.I am on home Windows Vista and the Audacity program set up in less than a minute.Is there something that I am missing? Thanks to anyone that could help me.