All Roads Lead to Mono

[bela okmix]

Following an XP reinstall, I have upgraded to the new Beta. But how on earth do you get it to launch stereo tracks upon recording?!

It used to do this by default, but since upgrading, I can't even figure out how to TWEAK the preferences this way.

I can still split track, set to mono, set to stereo, etc. etc. of a track that's ALREADY THERE...but I'm talking about when doing a capture. Before, just clicking the red button would start a pair of stereo tracks recording; now it's just one, mono, track.

I've read the various FAQs dealing with recording, and I don't see the problem. In particular, my "Preferences>>Audio I/O>>Recording" is indeed set to "channel 2 (Stereo)".

If this is a known beta issue or something, I'll be glad to go back to 1.2. But I suspect it is something else; simply some SETTING I have wrong.

[kozikowski]

http://audacityteam.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=5587

Separated at birth? You decide.

Koz

[bela okmix]

Well, he seems to have trouble getting the right signal INTO the track. I don't even have the track!

For starters, tho, am I the norm or the aberration? If you just hit the "record" button cold, does a Mono track start recording or a pair of Stereo tracks? Independent of w/e signal may be coming in. Just layout-wise, what is the default action for all y'all?

And is it any diff than in previous versions?

[MDOC]

Before, just clicking the red button would start a pair of stereo tracks recording; now it's just one, mono, track.

I don't even have the track!

What do mean, you don't even have the track? You just said "it's just one track."

[bela okmix]

I meant I don't even have the SECOND track.

Koz pointed me at a thread where someone complains that BOTH HALFS of a stereo track are recording the left signal. That is not at all my problem.

My input may or may not be stereo. If the red button at least OPENED two tracks, I could deal with the contents later. Mono, stereo, two copies of the left channel, I don't care -- right now I'm just trying to GET that second track!

Clearer?

Now...can I ask again: what does the red button do for all y'all???? Does it (still) trigger two tracks to pop up, or is one track the norm now?

And if the latter, can you OVERRIDE it in Preferences somewhere?

[kozikowski]

<<<It used to do this by default>>>

I think I got it now. No. Audacity at first birthday always wakes up in Mono. It's one of our complaints to the programmers. Actual Music hasn't defaulted to mono for over 50 years.

Something > Preferences > Audio I/O > Recording > Channels > 2(Stereo) > OK

And then restart Audacity.

Preferences are in a different place depending on your machine.

Koz

[bela okmix]

<<<It used to do this by default>>>

> Audacity at first birthday always wakes up in Mono. It's one of our complaints to the programmers.

OIC. Why did they change this then?

I'm not sure which version I HAD been using prior to the reinstall (prolly 2-3 versions old; not the current non-beta), but it defintiely launched in stereo. I guess from your bracketted comments that u agree with me?

> Something > Preferences > Audio I/O > Recording > Channels > 2(Stereo) > OK

As I said, mine is already set to 2(Stereo). And was straight out of the box.

I suspect this parameter controls problems like that other guy's -- whether "both" tracks in a pair record the same, mono, track, vs. whether "each" track gets a separate signal.

Alas, but I don't HAVE said "both" or "each"!!!!

Must be a DIFFERENT setting somewhere ELSE....

[kozikowski]

We've been insanely constructive, haven't we?

Let's continue a good thing.

Set your preferences to 1 (Mono), OK the panel and restart Audacity. Make a really short recording of nothing or whatever's connected. It's not important. Make sure it actually tries to make a mono recording.

Close the recording without saving. Set the preferences to four channels and OK the panel. Restart Audacity and look at the setting. Is it still 4? Make a recording. Audacity should halt with an "Error While Opening Sound device."

If it records a mono track, then either Audacity is not paying attention to its configuration file(s), or your changed settings are not getting written to the configuration file.

Is it a full moon? Is Mercury in retrograde? What's the capitol of Wisconsin?

Koz

[jan.kolar]

I can not get the point yet, but I think Koz suggestion should be precisely followed. And, please, if it fails, say, carefully,
what you did and what it showed. Please distinguish no tracks VERSUS one/two tracks with silence or empty.

Close the recording without saving. Set the preferences to four channels and OK the panel. Restart Audacity and look at the setting. Is it still 4? Make a recording. Audacity should halt with an "Error While Opening Sound device."

For me, Audacity would record four tracks, two of which would countain just silence. No Errors.