trouble getting right recording volume with 1.3.5

[shinnen]

Hi,
I've been trying to capture the audio stream from Youtube, and am having trouble getting the recording volume right. It seems to be generally too high, the input meter is often off scale as is the spectrum. Funny thing is that when I reduce the input volume, while recording, stop recording, and the restart recording.... the input is again too high. But if I adust the input volume and restart the piece of music the volume levels are OK. It does this also when I play an audio file from my hard drive. The input volumes I'm using are in the 0 to O.2 range.
Any help is appreciated.
... john

[waxcylinder]

John,

For a start I would upgrade to the current Beta version 1.3.7

When I record streaming audio, e.g. from YouTube, I control the sound level with the Laptop PC's sound manager - in my case the Realtek HD Audio Manager - and not using Audacity's sliders. What you have will depend on your computer and your soundcard.

On my desktop PC I cannot directly record streaming audio - but I workaround that by using an external USB soundcard (Edirol UA-1X) and looping back output RCAs to the input RCAs. In this case I control the amplitude with the harware control on the Edirol.

WC

[shinnen]

Thanks WC,
Perhaps I should explain why I'm recording in this manner. I used to extract the .flv files to audio using one of the free extraction programs, but lately they don't seem to be working very well. Then someone here suggested I try using Audactiy to capture the audio stream. Voila.... it worked. But, just recently, I started having the problem I describe above.
Thanks for your help. I'm not sure I want to go to this length.
..... john

[waxcylinder]

..... I'm not sure I want to go to this length.
..... john

Which length don't you want to go to - setting the sound controls on your PC - or the external soundcard route?

WC

[shinnen]

Hi,
I don't want to go the external sound card route. And, maybe I misunderstood you, but I had the impression that you didnt think I would be able to make adjustment on my pc that would solve the problem??
.... john

[waxcylinder]

No on the contrary - you should b able to control the amplitude from you PC in software.

What you get depends on your particular PC and sound card. My soundcard happens to be a Realtek - so the PC came configured with the Realtek HD Audio Manager. You should find an icon that will let you get at the sound services in the system tray at the bottom right hand corner of your screen.

Or you may be able to control it from the Sounds & Audio Devices tab from the Control Panel.

WC

[shinnen]

Hi,
Yes...... I've fiddled with all these settings but I still get a funny result. It's as if the signal getting to Audacity is overloading the program. The the input slider is already very low, at 0.1 already.
..... john

[waxcylinder]

Well sorry, but that's stumped me now - anybody else any thoughts on this ??

WC

[shinnen]

Another discovery.
The intenisity (amplitude?) of the waveform is affected by both the input and output sliders.
Is this normal?
..... john