can't record from mini-disk onto computer

[Tattie]

I have an old mini-disk player which I've dug out and used to record bats - I am trying to transfer that onto my laptop. At present it is not recording (just a flat line).

The computer is a Samsung ultrabook from 2-3 years ago using windows 7. I've downloaded Audacity 2.1.1 using an exe installer (from your website).

I've put a line from the headphones output of the mini-disk into the only available entry to the computer (which has a headphones and microphone graphic).

I've used the wiki and amended all the things it said via the 'Sound' section via the control panel. I've now got a 'stereo-mix' option as well as 'microphone' and microsoft soundmapper, but no 'line in'. I'd selected stereo-mix as the first time I tried with microphone it didn't work. The playback is only 'speakers' or soundmapper.

I assumed I would start playing the bat track on the mini-disk and then press record on Audacity - I wasn't sure about selecting the levels in advance (i.e. if you don't know what the level is going to look like when it appears on the computer) - so I had that slightly higher than mid-way.

The only thing that recorded was a wee nodule periodically - the 6-12 second thing that is covered in the wiki.

I was sure there must be another query like this but i couldn't find it, so apologies for being so basic. I'm also not a techie. The bat organisation has a whole 'how to' (which is how I found Audacity) but it's an earlier version which has 'line-in' options to select and a different looking toolbar etc, frankly the computer picture looked comfortingly like Wordperfect!

Many thanks in advance.

[kozikowski]

Right. New computers don't have Stereo Line-In. Mic-In or worse "Headphone" can sometimes be changed to Stereo In via configuration settings, but many times not.

You are supposed to be using your computer to conference call your August financial reports into the Geneva home office, not messing around with stereo sound.

I use a Behringer UCA-202 Stereo-In and Stereo-Out to transfer high quality audio either direction. Here it is connected to my stereo sound mixer.



If you decide to buy something else, make sure you don't get something that merely replicates what you already have like the ICUSBAUDIO I bought.

And I have a picture of that here somewhere.....

Koz

[Trebor]

... I'd selected stereo-mix as the first time I tried with microphone it didn't work.

You need to select the microphone option , [ 'stereo-mix' is the sound coming out of the computer speakers ].

I wasn't sure about selecting the levels in advance (i.e. if you don't know what the level is going to look like when it appears on the computer) - so I had that slightly higher than mid-way.

The line-out [headphone] signal is usually too strong a signal for the microphone-input on the computer , you'll need to turn the mini-disk volume way down low, just barely on.

The bat organisation has a whole 'how to' (which is how I found Audacity) but it's an earlier version which has 'line-in' options

Gadgets are available for about £20 which create a line-in socket for computers which don't have one, they designed to accept line-out [headphone] signal.

[kozikowski]

Found it. That white thing is the one you don't want. That's Mono, low level Mic-In and Stereo Headphone Out. I'm using it here to illustrate a connection to the microphone that lets me record phone calls. My Mac has no Mic-In.



Koz

[Tattie]

Thank you very much for the replies. I'll have a look for the gadget I need, and may have a further query if I'm uncertain. Your advice very much appreciated.

[Tattie]

One further issue - I've just noticed that when I play files i've already transferred or downloaded to my computer (one a downloaded audio file of a river, the other from a video I took on my blackberry) the sound is completely changed - it is like a mild pneumatic drill.

i assume this is due to the changes i made following the wiki on how to amend the 'sound' settings via Windows 7. Can you tell me which of the prescribed changes I need to reverse in order to be able to listen to the files above, but also be able to do the recording - I am purchasing the behringer bit of kit advised above.

Thanks again.

[Gale Andrews]

One further issue - I've just noticed that when I play files i've already transferred or downloaded to my computer (one a downloaded audio file of a river, the other from a video I took on my blackberry) the sound is completely changed - it is like a mild pneumatic drill.

i assume this is due to the changes i made following the wiki on how to amend the 'sound' settings via Windows 7. Can you tell me which of the prescribed changes I need to reverse in order to be able to listen to the files above, but also be able to do the recording - I am purchasing the behringer bit of kit advised above.

Obviously only you know what changes you made, but perhaps you turned on sound effects in your sound card (look in the Playback tab of Windows Sound, and in the Control Panel for your sound card).

If you need more help please tell us what device you are using for playback.


Gale

[kozikowski]

You may have hit the happy place for Windows Enhanced Services. Windows naturally assumes you want to speak to other people either one-to-one or in conference, so it tries to identify environment trash behind your voice and delete it. Your job is to listen to environment, so it tries to remove your whole job.

http://manual.audacityteam.org/o/man/fa ... hancements

Koz

[Tattie]

Thanks - in the manual the question of flat line when you record and no sound, redirects you to here on the wiki: http://wiki.audacityteam.org/wiki/Mixer ... es#vistacp

I went through all of the instructions (relevant to Windows 7). I didn't do anything else. I then tried recording again and it didn't work. At that point I posted my Q above on this forum. What I'm stuck (at least in my thinking) is which ones of those changes should I reverse to be able to listen to my current downloaded audio on my computer, and which do I need to retain to be able to successfully record from the minidisk use the Behringer gadget when it arrives for doing the mini-disk recording.

Thanks very much.

[Gale Andrews]

Thanks - in the manual the question of flat line when you record and no sound, redirects you to here on the wiki: http://wiki.audacityteam.org/wiki/Mixer ... es#vistacp

I went through all of the instructions (relevant to Windows 7). I didn't do anything else. I then tried recording again and it didn't work. At that point I posted my Q above on this forum. What I'm stuck (at least in my thinking) is which ones of those changes should I reverse to be able to listen to my current downloaded audio on my computer, and which do I need to retain to be able to successfully record from the minidisk use the Behringer gadget when it arrives for doing the mini-disk recording.

When the Behringer arrives, choose the Behringer USB audio CODEC (or similar name) as recording device.

Is any audio, even audio you know plays correctly on your computer, now playing badly? Or are the problem files only ones you have recently recorded, and so could be recorded bad?

Windows Sound should be set on the Recording tab to enable the mic you currently want to record into. If you use the mic to record you will want to look at Properties for the mic and turn off all the enhancements per Koz's link http://manual.audacityteam.org/o/man/fa ... hancements .

If known good files play badly, you will need to turn off sound effects in the sound card (Playback tab of Windows Sound, or the sound card's control panel in the Windows Control Panel).

Make sure Audacity project rate bottom left is 44100 Hz. If in Windows Sound you changed Default Format for the playback device to some other rate, change it back to 44100 Hz and use the MME host in Device Toolbar, not other hosts.


Gale