Damsel in distress--any REALLY SMART knights around?

[christina p]

Is it possible for a normal, mainstream computer like mine (Toshiba Satellite laptop from late 2006 running Windows XP) to be unable to record streaming audio with Audacity NO MATTER WHAT I MIGHT DO???

I carefully read the relevant tutorials and tips on the Audacity website and implemented each step with religious devotion--but so far I continue to be stymied. The basic problem is that I don't have the Stereo Mix option (or any of its equivalents) in the Float Mixer menu, and nothing I've done has remedied that. Since my computer has RealTek, the first thing I did was follow the Audacity tip regarding that, namely:

"Go to the control panel and launch the "RealTek HD Sound Effect Manager". Access the Mixer Toolbox (via the wrench icon). Check the "Enabled recording multi-streaming" option (that is the key). This will create a new sound device (and also lock up anything playing music at that time, so close them first). You want to see a volume for "Stereo Mix" that should not be disabled. If it is disabled (red cross over its volume icon), enabled it. Nothing will change in Audacity, but you will now be able to record what is being played!"

However, I found nothing of the kind in the Mixer Toolbox for recording, only the following:

Show the following volume controls:

CD Volume (which had a check mark)
Mic Volume (also a check mark)
LIne Volume (no check mark)
Advanced Controls (with a check mark)

With that gambit having failed, I decided to try another Audacity tip. I performed the sequence of clicks necessary to get to the Device Manager for "Sound, Video, and game controllers" and sought to update the software for all the menu items that had anything to do with audio: 1)RealTek High Definition Audio, 2)Legacy Audio Drivers, 3)Audio Codecs, and 4)Media Control Devices. However, in each case I was informed that my computer was already perfectly arrayed.

So how then do I get the Stereo Mix option (by that or any other name) in the Float Mixer menu? Can it be that a broad swath of ordinary, fairly modern laptops are forever excluded from using Audacity for recording streaming audio? It's an ugly thought, but if it's the truth, please let me know so I don't expend time and energy in a futile pursuit.

[steve]

Is it possible for a normal, mainstream computer like mine (Toshiba Satellite laptop from late 2006 running Windows XP) to be unable to record streaming audio with Audacity

Unfortunately that is a possibility, though it is more common on Vista machines. For some reason some manufacturers have produced machines where the "Stereo Mix" option is unavailable. Some users have reported that updating, or "down dating" their sound card drivers has remedied the problem, but there are no guarantees that you will be so lucky.

Fortunately there are a few possible workarounds.

Before we get into the solution, it is fair to warn you that the recording capabilities of most standard PC laptop sound cards is in the range of poor to appalling (the recording quality of my lovely brand new Acer is appalling).

Now to the workarounds:
1) If your PC has a "Line in" socket, or a microphone input that is capable of accepting a stereo line level signal, then get a stereo audio lead with stereo mini-jack plugs on each end. Plug one end into the headphone socket, and the other end into the line input. You will now be able to play through the headphone socket and record what is coming out into the input socket. Don't expect the sound quality to be much good.

2) There is a (non-free) program called "Total Recorder" that is able to record sounds playing on your computer even if you have no sound card at all. It uses a "virtual sound card" and records from that. The good side is that the sound quality of the recording is likely to be much better than the internal sound card of the laptop. The down side is that it costs money.

3) You could buy a USB sound card - these start at around $50 for a Behringer UCA 202 (or about $80 for an Edirol UA-1EX). These do not allow you to directly record Stereo Mix, but again you can use a suitable lead to connect the output to the input and record that way. Again this requires spending a bit of money, but has the advantage that you will then have a high quality audio interface for recording from other sound sources such as CD players or cassette players as well as making good quality recordings from things playing on your computer. This is the method that I use and it works great. I can also connect the UCA 202 to my main hi-fi sound system for really good quality music playback (much better than the in built sound card).

[flapjack47]

Let me ask you this, are you trying to record music coming out of your speakers, or are just unable to have any sort of playback with Audacity? I was sort of confused reading your post.

My computer doesn't have the "Stereo Mix" option either. so I have to import something that's already recorded or figure out another way to record something, as is.

To record any sound coming out of my speakers, I downloaded the followingtoolbar:
http://applian.com/asktoolbar/download.php

This will allow you to record any sound (and video as well) coming out of your speakers. It will save in the MP3 format. Then you can Import into Audacity.

[christina p]

To stevethefiddle and flapjack47:

Thank you both, gentlemen, for galloping so swiftly to my rescue.

To stevethefiddle: Not one, not two, but THREE options, meticulously laid out!!! Thank you! I'm sure all three would have worked, with varying degrees of fidelity, and options two and three may very well come in handy in the future. I'm very appreciative.

To flapjack47: I sit here amazed, dumbfounded, stupefied!! I downloaded the Ask and Record Toolbar with the lowest possible expectations, muttering unpleasant things about its taking up valuable space on my hard drive--and then I tried it!!
It is exactly what I wanted!! I immediately tried three different streaming audios from radio stations and it worked flawlessly--and so effortlessly (just one click on the toolbar!!). And of course the sound quality was precisely the quality of the streaming source, faithfully reproduced (for better or worse). And it also can be used to record only the audio of YouTube, thus saving space if you're not interested in the video portion.

It's going to be a little awkward, but my firstborn WILL be named flapjack.

[flapjack47]

Glad I could be of service to you. Yea, the Ask and Record Toolbar is pretty amazing. I immediately thought of it as soon as I read your post.