Audacity Forum

Hi,

Windows 7 Home Premium SP1
Audacity v2.0.6

I am trying to record music from a Denon DTR-2000 Digital Audio Player. I have connected a TOSLINK cable from digital out on the player to S/PDIF In on a Creative Soundblaster Z.

I start the DAT player but nothing is heard via the speakers or shown in Audacity when I start a recording.

The Device Info is attached plus a screenshot of the upper-right of Audacity showing input and output choices.
Would appreciate help on how to fix problem. I'm sure it's something simple I've overlooked.

Thanks,
Ray.

Check in the Windows Sound Control Panel to see if the device is working.
Note that for SPDIF you generally need to ensure that the sample rate is set the same everywhere.

Thanks Steve. Control Panel - Sound. Default playback device is SPDIF-Out. Supported Formats is interesting. DTS Audio and Dolby Digital are both checked. Further down 48.0kHz is the only one checked for Sample Rates. That is the rate I recorded my LPs.

If I choose Test for the 48kHz option a window appears saying the device is being used by another application. What application? Audacity isn't running. The DAT is playing a tape. Presumably it has to otherwise I wouldn't hear anything.

On the Advanced tab the default format is 2 channel, 24 bit, 48000 Hz (Studio Quality). Click Play but still silence.

I'm baffled.

RayP wrote: Default playback device is SPDIF-Out.

You have Audacity set to play back through "Speakers (Sound Blaster Z).
How are you listening to computer sound? Where/how are your headphones/speakers connected?

For "input" devices you need to be on the "Recording" tab of the control panel.

Yes, sorry wasn't very clear.

Here are screenshots of Playback and Recording. I have stereo desktop speakers and sub-woofer plugged into Line Out 1. S/PDIF cable runs from optical out on DTR2000 to optical in on Soundblaster Z.
No obvious conflicts or problems. Sound from Windows is fine.

In the recording tab:



Note the pale blue vertical "meters" to the right of the selected "Digital In" device.
If that device is working correctly and the device is receiving audio, there should be green bars jumping around on the meter.
If the device is not working correctly in Windows, then Audacity has no chance.

There is no movement in those bars with a tape playing. This is more of a Windows problem now than an Audacity one.

I think I'll uninstall the Creative software and start again. Appreciate your help Steve. Hopefully I can get it fixed. The Creative manual even states how to record from a DAT player and I have the connections correct.

Computers!!!

I've discovered the problem. The cable supplied is either faulty or the connector is different to a QED optical cable.

As soon as I replaced the cable the sound came through from the DAT player and Audacity was able to record it.