Error while opening sound device

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marshall0788
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Error while opening sound device

Post by marshall0788 » Mon May 11, 2015 11:48 pm

I am using an alesis io4 to record 4 mics at once. I am able to record but i get this error when i press the play button. Please help
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marshall0788
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Re: Error while opening sound device

Post by marshall0788 » Tue May 12, 2015 1:22 am

Is it possible that it has something to do with my sound card. I already went to control panel abd sound settings and made sure the input device was enabled.

Gale Andrews
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Re: Error while opening sound device

Post by Gale Andrews » Tue May 12, 2015 1:16 pm

Go to Windows Sound (Playback tab) and make sure the Realtek speakers are enabled. Then restart Audacity.

You may have to experiment. WASAPI host is still somewhat experimental. You may have to change back to MME host in Audacity to play to the Realtek speakers. Or using WASAPI, right-click over Realtek speakers in Windows Sound, choose "Properties", then click the "Advanced" tab and uncheck the two "Exclusive Mode" boxes.

Can you set the io4 as playback device in Audacity and listen in its headphones? That might work too.


Gale
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marshall0788
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Re: Error while opening sound device

Post by marshall0788 » Wed May 13, 2015 6:58 am

Thank you so much Gale. Switching back to mme fixed it! It wont let me record anymore after i have already clicked record once but thats ok for now. Ill just have to record in one constant stream and not stop.

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Re: Error while opening sound device

Post by Gale Andrews » Wed May 13, 2015 10:50 am

marshall0788 wrote:Switching back to mme fixed it! It wont let me record anymore after i have already clicked record once but thats ok for now. Ill just have to record in one constant stream and not stop.
Is that WASAPI that won't let you record twice in the same Audacity session? What happens - do you see "Error opening sound device"?

What happens if you stop, but then Edit > Select > All then hold SHIFT when clicking Record again? That should record at the end of the selected tracks.

You might also be able to press Pause then Pause again to resume recording.

Gale
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marshall0788
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Re: Error while opening sound device

Post by marshall0788 » Wed May 13, 2015 4:40 pm

You saved the day again Gale (: Both of those suggestion worked. Yea Wasapi is the only one that gives me the option to record 4 audio tracks. MME and DirectSound only only lets me record 2 audio tracks. Thanks again!

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Re: Error while opening sound device

Post by Gale Andrews » Thu May 14, 2015 9:17 am

marshall0788 wrote:Yea Wasapi is the only one that gives me the option to record 4 audio tracks. MME and DirectSound only only lets me record 2 audio tracks.
Actually you are quite lucky. :) WASAPI does allow a few devices to record multiple channels on Windows but for many devices the only way to record multiple channels is to use a recording app that ships with ASIO support.

Audacity does support ASIO but due to licensing reasons we cannot release it with that support, so users who want ASIO with Audacity have to compile the Audacity source code.

Is that problem with WASAPI totally repeatable - record four tracks, Stop then Record again and it won't record? What happens exactly? If that is repeatable let us know and we can add it to our list of Audacity's WASAPI problems.

Gale
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Re: Error while opening sound device

Post by steve » Thu May 14, 2015 11:51 am

marshall0788 wrote:Wasapi is the only one that gives me the option to record 4 audio tracks. MME and DirectSound only only lets me record 2 audio tracks.
I expect this will apply for some other multi-channel devices. It would be good to know which ones.

@marshall0788 perhaps you could add a note about your iO4 and using WASAPI to this topic once you have it all figured out: http://forum.audacityteam.org/viewtopic ... 27&t=38626
9/10 questions are answered in the FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ)

Gale Andrews
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Re: Error while opening sound device

Post by Gale Andrews » Thu May 14, 2015 12:34 pm

steve wrote:
marshall0788 wrote:Wasapi is the only one that gives me the option to record 4 audio tracks. MME and DirectSound only only lets me record 2 audio tracks.
I expect this will apply for some other multi-channel devices. It would be good to know which ones.

@marshall0788 perhaps you could add a note about your iO4 and using WASAPI to this topic once you have it all figured out: http://forum.audacityteam.org/viewtopic ... 27&t=38626
I added a note about this for now to http://wiki.audacityteam.org/wiki/Multi ... ed_devices.

Gale
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marshall0788
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Re: Error while opening sound device

Post by marshall0788 » Thu May 14, 2015 5:23 pm

Gale Andrews wrote:.
Is that problem with WASAPI totally repeatable - record four tracks, Stop then Record again and it won't record? What happens exactly? If that is repeatable let us know and we can add it to our list of Audacity's WASAPI problems.

Gale
Yea it is a repeatable error. I tried it about ten times. It gives the exact same error as when I try to press PLAY while on WASAPI. "Error while opening sound device..."

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