Hearing only left channel whilst recording

[Simeonus]

Hi,

I record music, with this setting:
Piano + Mic ====> Mixer ====> Computer ====> Headphone
My computer seems to have a mono input, cause it doesn't matter if I plug in a stereo signal or a mono one.

Anyway, I only hear sound from the left speaker of the headphone (the headphone isn't broken). How can I hear from both sides WHILE RECORDING?

When I play the song I've recorded I hear it from both sides, but I want to hear the live playback whilst recording from both sides.

Thanks in advance

P.S. I don't have a mono headphone :S

Edit: I have the same problem with other audioprograms too, but maybe I can fix it via Audacity or maybe you know the solution for my OS (Windows Vista)

[kozikowski]

Audacity on first birthday used to wake up in mono, but I think the 1.3 versions are in Stereo. Check in Audacity Preferences.

Can we assume you're on a Windows Laptop? The great majority of Windows Laptops have a Mic-In on the side of the computer which is looking for a tiny, delicate, weak, mono microphone signal. Macs and almost all deskside PCs will accept a strong, stereo show at the Line-In.

The level mismatch usually gives you distortion in addition to mono where you were expecting stereo.

The two different services use the same connector which catches everybody.

http://www.kozco.com/tech/audioconnecto ... ctors.html

It's possible the only way to get a powerful Line Level stereo signal into your machine is an external USB device.

http://forum.audacityteam.org/viewtopic.php?f=27&t=9477

Koz

[Simeonus]

I've got both line in and mic. I can even let the computer get sound from both of them.
So I can send the left signal to the mic and the right to line-in.
But the live playback is only left (I hear both signals combined on the left speaker).
It's as if it combines all inputs and plays them panned left.

Isn't there some option in windows vista or Realtek HD Audio Manager in which you can set playback of the inputs to both speakers? :S Or a programme that can do that?

[steve]

There will probably be a loudspeaker icon in the bottom right of the Desktop (near the time/date), and perhaps even 2 loudspeaker icons. This/these give access to your sound card settings.

Check that Skype is not running.
Check that you don't have one of the sound card settings set "panned" over to one side.