I cant find "What you hear" option

[dean_]

Hello! I am brand new to Audacity and searched for an answer before posting this message.

I keep hearing about the "What you hear" option in Audacity, for recording. I want to record whatever goes to my soundcard. I have looked and looked for this option in the software but cannot find it. I have tried both 1.2.6 and the 1.3 beta, but this option is nowhere to be found.

Do I have to do something to my computer to enable that option? I am using WinXP on a Dell laptop. All I see for recording devices under Edit->Preferences->Audio IO are "Microsoft Sound Mapper - Input" and "Sigma Tel Audio" Neither of these choices seem to work when I try record sounds I can clearly hear from the sound card.

Thanks!
Dean

[kozikowski]

I personally use Total Recorder on my Windows machine.

http://www.highcriteria.com/

If you want to continue to struggle with Windows®, the option is rumored to be hidden in something like "Obsolete Drivers and Services" or something like that.

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

Koz

[dean_]

Thanks, Koz. Someone over on the Finale forum told me that the "What you hear" option actually pertains to a specific soundcard manufacturer: Creative. Unless you have a Creative souncard, you wont see that option. Indeed, I installed Audacity on my sons' computer and, although I still do not see a "What you hear" option, there are many other choices available for the input device. So I am at least able to record on their computer.

Concerning my laptop, I have been unable to find the "obsolete drivers and services" option. I have also checked on Google for help in finding it, no luck.

I have bought and used Total Recorder in the past. I will try it again now, thanks

It sounds like you are a Mac or Linux guy?

Dean

[kozikowski]

I'm trilingual, but my preference for day to day operations is Mac.

"What You Hear" is one variant. "Mix Out" is another. Some of the later Windows' took to hiding that service pretty well. There is one laptop type out there that expressly forbids you to record anything from the internet. The drivers have been disabled, and none of the conventional tricks work.

Have you ever tried to screen grab during a DVD playback on a PC? Can't be done. You get everything, all the tools, colors, screen graphics, and controls, but no show. The place where the movie would be is a black hole.

Koz

[steve]

Someone over on the Finale forum told me that the "What you hear" option actually pertains to a specific soundcard manufacturer: Creative.

Ceative (SoundBlaster) use the term "What U Hear". Most other manufacturers call the same feature "Stereo Mix". It is sometimes also called "Mix", or some other variant.