sound activated recording doesn't function

[tone123]

I'm running Windows 10. Audacity-win-2.1.3. . When I try to use sound activated recording the pause button stays down when the music starts. I've ticked automatic recording and I've tried different db levels for activation. Recording is perfect using manual start and stop without sound activation. I've got the computer set on stereomix to record what would be coming out of the speakers.

[steve]

Have you tried moving the Sound Activation Level slider all the way to the left? That should effectively disable sound activated recording so that it always records. Does that happen?

[tone123]

You mean the db level lever? Yes, when I push it to the left as far as it will go recording runs non stop but the funny thing is, having done that I pushed the lever back to 20 db and sound activation now works. Is that what you were expecting? I'll keep you posted on whether it keeps working. Thanks a lot!

[tone123]

Re my last post, if you move the lever up to 60 db, run record, stop and reset to 20 db, disappointingly sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. Can't make out why.

[steve]

if you move the lever up to 60 db,

I presume that you mean "down" to "-60 dB" (the minus sign is important - it means "dB below full scale" where "full scale" is 0 dB (the full height of the track).

reset to 20 db, disappointingly sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't

What is supposed to happen is; If set to -20 dB, recording will be paused until the input level exceeds -20 dB. If the input level goes above -20 dB (less negative), then the recording is un-paused and recording commences until the input level falls below -20 dB. When the input level falls below -20 dB, the recording pauses again.

Perhaps when it "doesn't work" it's because the input level is below -20 dB.

[tone123]

You are right. Thanks for explaining the meaning of -20db. Now I've set it to a higher level it runs perfectly. Thanks again for your expert help.