problem using audacity beta on to record phone conversation

[tfriel]

I have a 64bit win 7 dell laptop

I am trying to use audacity beta 1.3
to record a phone conversation onto a file on my laptop

I have a hello direct headphone device
inserted on the chord that goes from the phone base to the handset
It works fine

I have a radio shack "mini recorder control" (mrc) device
attached between my headphone device and the phone handset.
The mrc is set to record, not play.

The wire coming out of the mrc device
goes into my "microphone/line in" input place on the laptop.

My sound card is an IDT high def audio codec;
date 6/29/09; version 6.10.0.6217
Windows update says it is the latest card

On the IDT preference settings
I have the microphone/line in set as the default setting

On audacity 1.3.12 beta
I have these preferences set ...
Host - MME
Playback device - microsoft sound mapper - output
Recording device - microsoft sound mapper - input

The problem -
Audacity does not record any sound during the conversation

If I switch the audacity recording device to microsoft line-in
It still does not record any sound

IF I switch the IDT default settings to microphone array
(which is the open mike on the laptop)
Audacity records my voice,
but not the other person on the line

I appreciate that with multiple devices involved
It is difficult to know which device is the problem

Any suggestions as to how to solve the problem
(or suggest an easier way to record a conversation on the laptop)
Would be greatly appreciated

Thanks
Ted friel
[removed by administrator]

[kozikowski]

You can put it back if you want, but I removed your email address from the posting. We get tons of spam on the forum (even though it doesn't look like it) and it will destroy your email address.

In any event, we won't be writing you back. The forum is a dialog and we need everybody to see it.

You know you posted an Audacity 1.3 question in the 1.2 forum, right?

Recording a conversation from a phone can be a career move. Can we assume a copper, land-line telephone? Those aren't easy. You have to either break into the telephone or buy one of those gadgets that plugs into the handset. None of the solutions work very well -- a common complaint is a great imbalance between the two voices, you and them.

But it should do something. I can give you a hint. You can launch Audacity and click once inside the red record meters and they will wake up and meter the incoming signal without you having to go into record all the time. And do use the meters and not your ability to hear. Record and Play are two very different services.

Make sure your recording pathway is set up in the Windows Control Panels even before you launch Audacity.

The grownups use telephone hybrids at the radio station and that's how Car Talk and Rush Limbaugh work. Those go for thousands of $US each. Many of the rest of us use Skype and a Skype recording program like Pamela. Professional and Business Pamela (not the other two) record your voice and the far voice on different tracks to give you the ability to apply filters and post production. I think you can do that with Total Recorder, too -- both money-based products.

Koz

[tfriel]

thanks for removing the email address ,,, and for the quick response

*** You know you posted an Audacity 1.3 question in the 1.2 forum, right?
i am using win 7 and beta 1.3 ... should i be on another forum?
if so, can you move this thread, or do i have to repost?
[moderator note] Topic moved to Audacity 1.3.x forum

yes - using copper landline

*** buy one of those gadgets that plugs into the handset
i did, from radio shack

skype - i use pamela pro, it works great for skype in/out calls, and skype out
i am trying to handle land line calls in or out

***common complaint is a great imbalance between the two voices, you and them
so far, i can't even get my voice recorded over my headset, getting a call in, and using audacity to record it

***Make sure your recording pathway is set up in the Windows Control Panels even before you launch Audacity.
what is a recording pathway? and how do i set it up?

any other suggestions?

thanks again ...