Audacity killed Skype

[panta rhei]

After my first use of Audacity today, I can no longer use Skype. I hear what they say, but they can't hear me.

Sure, I can restore everything before with TimeMachine and jockey to have important things after, but this is totally stupid. Have to buy a replacement - that is not a problem, but the waste of time with this OpenSource is ridiculous!

MacBook, OS X 10.5.8
Audacity 1.3.12.0
Skype 2.8.0.851

[steve]

That makes a change - it's usually Skype that kills Audacity.
I'll move this to the Audacity 1.3.x part of the forum (you posted in the 1.2.x forum)

I doubt that you will need to use TimeMachine to fix this. All that has happened is that your default recording source has switched from being you usual Skype microphone to something else.

What were you recording from?

[panta rhei]

That makes a change - it's usually Skype that kills Audacity.
I'll move this to the Audacity 1.3.x part of the forum (you posted in the 1.2.x forum)

I doubt that you will need to use TimeMachine to fix this. All that has happened is that your default recording source has switched from being you usual Skype microphone to something else.

What were you recording from?

Thanks, Steve - well, I've tried everything possible in Skype. Audio input is "Built-In Microphone Internal Microphone".

I recorded from a brand-new (cheap) Lenco turntable.

EDIT
Aww: how stupid! I can use QuickTime to record!

[steve]

Lenco turntable

A USB turntable?
If so, the quickest way to get back to normal would be to unplug the USB and restart your computer.

If it's a conventional (non-USB) turntable, then I you must have switched the recording input from the "Built-In Microphone Internal Microphone" to the line input.
One of the Mac people will be able to give you more details (we're all in different time zones, so you may need to wait for the Earth to turn a bit further).

I can use QuickTime to record!

OK, but if the recording input is set to your "Built-In Microphone Internal Microphone" then the only thing that will be recorded will be the microphone, and if you switch the recording input to the turntable, then Skype won't work. On Windows, if you plug in a USB audio device, Windows will automatically set it to be the default recording device (nothing to do with Audacity - Windows does it automatically when it detects the USB device). Perhaps your Mac is doing the same thing?

[panta rhei]

Lenco turntable

A USB turntable?
If so, the quickest way to get back to normal would be to unplug the USB and restart your computer.

Did that. No change.

If it's a conventional (non-USB) turntable, then I you must have switched the recording input from the "Built-In Microphone Internal Microphone" to the line input.
One of the Mac people will be able to give you more details (we're all in different time zones, so you may need to wait for the Earth to turn a bit further).

Skype has its own setting for this.

I can use QuickTime to record!

OK, but if the recording input is set to your "Built-In Microphone Internal Microphone" then the only thing that will be recorded will be the microphone, and if you switch the recording input to the turntable, then Skype won't work. On Windows, if you plug in a USB audio device, Windows will automatically set it to be the default recording device (nothing to do with Audacity - Windows does it automatically when it detects the USB device). Perhaps your Mac is doing the same thing?

I can have USB for QuickTime and Microphone for Skype simultaneously. Except that Audacity rendered the mic useless. Hopefully not permanently, but that is definitely a possibility...

[steve]

Hopefully not permanently, but that is definitely a possibility...

It would be really bad if Audacity was able to cause permanent damage, but happily it can't.

So are you saying that it is a USB turntable that you were recording from? (you've not actually used those words)
One of the Mac guys will be able to talk you through the settings, but it will help a lot if you can be a bit more talkative about details. We love details. Too much information is better than not enough, so if you could jot down some details in a reply - model numbers are good, and a description of exactly what you were doing and in what order, then when you've posted that, pop back in a couple of hours, or leave it 'till tomorrow.

By the way, how did the recording go?

[kozikowski]

If you paid the big bucks for QuickTime Pro, then you and I can both record video or audio (or both) using that. Audacity is irrelevant.

I want to talk you out of trying to use Skype and anything else at the same time. Our standing joke is Skype Does Not Play Well With Others. It resets sound systems when it runs to egomaniacally serve its own ends and what you want doesn't count. That's the secret of its success.

Given that, you can reset what Skype did by closing Skype and reset the system to "normal." Apple (upper left) > System Preferences > Hardware > Sound > Input and Output. Set those for your task. My Mini is set for Line-In and Line-Out. My MacBook Pro, for Built-In Mic and Line-Out. In all cases, the input panel comes with a sound meter to confirm you are recording the show you think you are.

A caution about that sound meter. Being compulsive, I measured it and it is a wide range meter. It meters more different loudnesses than the blue waves in audacity do. So you can have bouncing blue balls in the Input panel and not be able to see the show on the Audacity timeline. Adjust volume as needed.

You also need to know that it's extraordinarily difficult to record both sides of a Skype conversation. Many have tried. You almost always have to load purpose-built software to do it. It's Pamela or Total Recorder on the Windows side and I don't remember what it is on Mac.

You certainly can't do anything else while Skype is running. If you do manage to cram another task in, you'll find it messes with the Skype call. Conferencing echo and distortion cancellation is a very tricky task and manufacturer's success rises or falls on their ability to manage it.

System Preferences is a good place to switch between other services like USB microphones and USB turntables. Macs do not have "Mix-Out" like Windows machine do -- or did. We have to load purpose built-software to make that work, too, and even that won't record Skype.

Koz

[panta rhei]

If you paid the big bucks for QuickTime Pro, then you and I can both record video or audio (or both) using that. Audacity is irrelevant.

I want to talk you out of trying to use Skype and anything else at the same time. Our standing joke is Skype Does Not Play Well With Others. It resets sound systems when it runs to egomaniacally serve its own ends and what you want doesn't count. That's the secret of its success.

Thanks, Koz. I have now checked the Sound settings. We'll see how this goes: Audacity appeals to me as I might do some editing to these recordings.

I presume you mean using Skype and other sound-related SW simultaneously? I have no problems whatsoever when eg. doing remote CAD-training with Skype, but of course I don't listen to music at the same time.

QT Pro was not that expensive.

[kozikowski]

...of course I don't listen to music at the same time.

Nor could you. The playback service has been commandeered to present the voice from the far end and generate an echo profile so the voice doesn't go back into your microphone and back to the sender.

Your microphone is also running -- in real time -- with a software package to generate a room rejection profile (noise gate) so your air conditioner rumble doesn't go to the far end, either.

The far end is doing the same thing.

Not trivial this conferencing stuff.

QT Pro was not that expensive.

No, but it's not unusual for that fee to be far greater than the total budget of some of the posters.

Koz

[panta rhei]

So are you saying that it is a USB turntable that you were recording from? (you've not actually used those words)
One of the Mac guys will be able to talk you through the settings, but it will help a lot if you can be a bit more talkative about details. We love details. Too much information is better than not enough, so if you could jot down some details in a reply - model numbers are good, and a description of exactly what you were doing and in what order, then when you've posted that, pop back in a couple of hours, or leave it 'till tomorrow.

By the way, how did the recording go?

Steve - sorry, yes, it is a USB turntable, an el cheapo one. Few of my LPs deserve any better and most of them I won't record anyway.

Now, what SEEMS to happen is that Audacity interferes with System settings and disables the mic. After another restart I went to the Preferences and got Skype to work. Unfortunately testing this is tedious since I don't have too many people I can pester. A restart only was not enough. (You probably told me so already.)

The recording goes quite well. I may even get my better turntable repaired and start to listen to some of the old LPs: I have much better performances of eg. Beethoven's symphonies on LPs than on CDs.

Thanks for help!