It is only recording one channel

[sam4562]

while playing,recording and playback of a track, I'm only getting one channel(right) with sound.The level meters show that I have sound only thru the right chanel.I have restarted the program several times with no results. When I listen to the Windows Media Player I can hear both channels very clearly .Where can I look next.

[kozikowski]

Just to cover the bases, Audacity wakes up from First Birthday in one-channel mono.

Edit > Preferences > Audio I/O > Recording > Channels 2 (Stereo). Under Quality, you should probably choose 44100 Hz sample rate and 16-bit.

Koz

[steve]

What are you recording? If you are recording from a computer microphone, then you should record in mono (one channel).

[chadwellheathkeith]

I'm having the same problem. I'm running windows XP Pro SP2 and Audacity 1.2.6. I'm recording vinyl via the headphone socket of a Technics tuner/amplifier. I've tried all the suggestions to remedy it but still no luck. I've got all the Windows device settings pointing at my onboard soundcard and all the Audacity I/O settings configured for stereo.

I'm using the line-in connection. The funny thing is that if I use the Mic connection it will record on both channels but I get a really noticable pulsing sound. This leads me to think that it is not a cable, amplifier, soundcard or Audacity problem. Is it likely that it's just a dodgy soundcard line-in connector?
Thanks.

[steve]

This leads me to think that it is not a cable, amplifier, soundcard or Audacity problem. Is it likely that it's just a dodgy soundcard line-in connector?

That is quite possible. You could try gently wiggling the connector in the socket and see if you can bring the other channel to life. If that is the problem, then unless you are pretty handy with a soldering iron (not recommended if it's an on-board sound card), then the only real fix is to get a new sound card.

[chadwellheathkeith]

Thanks for reinforcing my fears.

[kozikowski]

The Microphone In on a PC sound card is low level, but mono. Frequently, they will wire it up internally so that one sound performance appears on both sides of a stereo show. That doesn't mean it's suddenly in stereo, it means you have two-track mono--same thing on both sides.

Do you get stereo if you record briefly in Windows Sound Recorder?

Windows Sound Recorder
Start -> Programs -> Accessories -> Entertainment

If not, then it's entirely likely you have a damaged Line-In connection.

Leave the cables plugged into your computer, but unplug the RCAs from the sound device. Launch Audacity and click once inside the red record meters. They should wake up and monitor the input audio. Hold each RCA by the plastic and brush your finger across the metal tip. One Audacity channel should wake up and start bouncing. You are intentionally causing distortion and noise as a test process. Now do it to the other RCA. Do you get noise on both?

Koz

[chadwellheathkeith]

Thanks for pointing out the Mic mono thing, I should have realised that. D'oh!
I'm not using RCA cables as my system is quite old, I'm using the headphone socket (which I've checked and is outputting stereo). Thanks for the suggestions, I'll go through them one by one and see how it goes.

[chadwellheathkeith]

Turned out it was the line-in connector. Put in a new sound card and it all worked perfectly. Thanks for the help.