Sound not recording on Windows 7 (using HP laptop)

[steffiallatt]

Hi,

I have a beats by dre Hp laptop, running on WIndows 7. I cant get the sound to record through the RCA cable thats plugged into my mixer to my laptop.

I know that with Windows 7 some devices are hidden in the Recording Tab of the Sound Panel (in Control PAnel). Ive tried connecting the RCA cable and then clicking back into the Sound panel to see if its been recognised; ive even done this when connected to the mixer but nothing seems to come up and the only thing that comes up is 1) Exterbal Mix 2) Sterop Mix and 3) Integrated microphone array. Now Im trying to record a dj mix from my mixer to my laptop so Im guessing it wouldnt be any of these and 'line in' is what I would need?

Also, when plugging in my RCA cable, that goes to the back of my mixer, do I connect it through the headphone input or the one which has a mic symbol?

Then, there is the issue of what setting I use when I actually open Audacity; on the top left of the page there is the choice of the following tabs: MME, Speakers & headphones, Stereo Mix (IDT High definition) these are confusing too; I mean should 'line in' appear on here too?


If anybody has any suggestions I would be so grateful

Thanks

[kozikowski]

Also, when plugging in my RCA cable, that goes to the back of my mixer, do I connect it through the headphone input or the one which has a mic symbol?

Since it's unlikely your computer has a Stereo Line-In, you might try an external USB adapter such as the UCA-202 or equivalent.

http://www.kozco.com/tech/audacity/pix/ ... Lenovo.jpg

Some computers allow switching one connection from Mic-In to Line-In. Consult your instructions.

Koz

[steffiallatt]

Hey thanks very much for your reply,

Although surely I thought I would be able to record straight from my mixer using a RCA cable, I know others that have done it on laptops? Is there anything else you can suggest before I go ahead and buy one the USB adapters?

Thanks

[hellosailor]

Stef, your "headphone input" in the laptop is probably a headphone OUTput, you can't record through it.

And for about five years now, there's been a big question as to why laptop makers have almost totally dropped the LINE IN feature from laptops and only provide MIC IN and often just in mono.

So as Koz said, you probably want to buy a USB audio "card". A number of us are using a Behringer 2xx series, about $35 online. There are other brands, other solutions if you have a "card slot" of some kind, but a USB adaptor is typically the solution.

[steffiallatt]

Thanks very much for that hello sailor, appreciate it!

just one more thing - with the USB adaptor connected, will this option display automatically when I open Audacity up? I just get a little confused when it has the choice of MME and all things like that. I just want to know what the correct settings to record a dj mix would be - would record in stereo, not mono.

Thanks again.

[hellosailor]

No, it won't automatically configure. In fact, at least on mine, the USB audio comes up in MONO and you have to use the Control Panel, Sounds, Recording options to change that to stereo. Once you've set the audio in the control panel, you'll have to check in Audacity to see if you also need to set the recording device (mic) there to the USB audio.

There's also an option to set the sound level in the control panel sound settings--you might want to make sure that's high enough and then just use the one in Audacity to trum it down as needed.

[Gale Andrews]

with the USB adaptor connected, will this option display automatically when I open Audacity up?

It will be listed in Device Toolbar if you connect the adaptor before launching Audacity. You may have to choose it from the list.

If you connect the adaptor after launching, use Transport > Rescan Audio Devices then choose it from the list.

I just get a little confused when it has the choice of MME and all things like that. I just want to know what the correct settings to record a dj mix would be - would record in stereo, not mono.

Try MME to begin with. If you get distortions you may have to choose Windows DirectSound and change settings in Windows.

Hellosailor answered while I was answering, but to find out where to choose stereo in Windows, see the green box "Operating System Specifics" on http://manual.audacityteam.org/o/man/re ... html#setup .

There's also an option to set the sound level in the control panel sound settings--you might want to make sure that's high enough and then just use the one in Audacity to trum it down as needed.

If it was working correctly, the Audacity and the system slider for the device should change in parallel - move one slider and the other moves. If that doesn't happen with the input slider, the Audacity input slider "should" grey out.



Gale

[hellosailor]

"If it was working correctly, the Audacity and the system slider for the device should change in parallel "
Nifty! Thank you, once again, Gale.
I find my control panel slider has 2-digit percents, i.e. I can set 55%, while the slider in Aud2 only has ten steps? Or at least, only read in single digits?

And there's that mysterious business where Vista will present playback controls for each program, not just a master. But the recording level will be linked one-to-one?

[Gale Andrews]

"If it was working correctly, the Audacity and the system slider for the device should change in parallel "
Nifty! Thank you, once again, Gale.
I find my control panel slider has 2-digit percents, i.e. I can set 55%, while the slider in Aud2 only has ten steps? Or at least, only read in single digits?

If you double-click the Audacity slider you can choose finer gradations. How fine a control you really get depends on the sound device.

And there's that mysterious business where Vista will present playback controls for each program, not just a master. But the recording level will be linked one-to-one?

If you right-click the system tray's speaker icon > Open Volume Mixer you'll see a "Device" output slider which is the "Master" volume. The Audacity output slider "should" control the "Device" slider but I know it doesn't on all systems - on some it will control the "Audacity" slider, but scaled by the "Device" slider- that is, when you have the output slider in the Audacity program on 1.0 (maximum), the Audacity slider in Volume Mixer will be at the level of the Master slider, and if the Audacity program slider is at 0.5, the Audacity slider in Volume Mixer will be at half the level of the Master slider.

There is probably a good case on Vista and 7 that the output slider in Audacity should directly control its own slider in Volume Mixer, just as if you were moving the Audacity slider in Volume Mixer.


Gale

[hellosailor]

Sumbich. Not only did I find the slider, but one of the devices with an audio slider of its own is (are you sitting down?) the Microsoft Sync Center.

Which I certainly never enabled by choice. Have no idea what it does or why it needs a VOLUME?! control. And now must go play whack-a-mole trying to find and remove.

Great shortcut to the audio controls though, thank you once again!