Audacity Vs. Vista - yeah we know allready, but still..

[greenlight]

what the....

Hallo.

So I have set up Recoding devices and Playback devices in Vista, where by the way I have ONLY 2 options (yeah, I ticked option Show Disabled and Disconnected devices) in Recording Devices: Microphone and Wave out Mix (what's Wave Out Mix?). I did set up peferences in Audacity according to Vista's Recoding and Playback Devices setup.

Downloaded latest version of audio driver on HP page (I have HP Pavilion dv6527ea) called Conexant High Definition Audio.

If I click on hardware specification in case of sound for my laptop on HP page it says this:

Altec Lansing® speakers 3D Sound Blaster Pro compatible sound 16 bit integrated (bit confused what it actually means now...in connection to Conexant driver)

Anyway, conected my MD (headpones input ) with laptop (microphone input) to recrord from MD and the result I get is just horrible. Sound is I don't even know how to explain in english....unlistenable easy said. O yeah I've tried to change rates and sample formart according to those in Vista's: Recording Devices - Microfon - Properties - Advanced.

What's wrong? Is it driver? Is it Vista? Is it jack (I'm using one I've always used on my old computer...but with XP, hehe)?

Should I wait for upgrade of Vista? Should I buy external Sound Card (would that be working runing Audacity on Vista, or would it be the same)?

I mean quality of recording is disaster.

I would greatly appreciated any suggestion, advice or tip.

Thanks.

[alatham]

You need an external soundcard. The output of your MD player is a Line level and should be plugged into a Line In. Most laptops nowadays don't have a Line In and only have a Mic In. The Mic In is expecting a signal 100 times smaller than what you're putting into it, so it's just clipping like mad. Using an external soundcard with a Line In will alleviate your recording problem.

To answer your other questions, Wav Out Mix will record anything coming out of your speakers. This way you can record streaming audio.

"Altec Lansing® speakers 3D Sound Blaster Pro compatible sound 16 bit integrated"
I think this is just describing the speakers that sit inside your laptop. I'm willing to bet the "3D" effect isn't very convincing coming from a few 1" drivers.

[greenlight]

thanks very much for you answer!!!!

appreciate it!

[waxcylinder]

If you are recording from MD try finding an external souncard that has optical input - I personally use the Edirol UA-1EX this way with good results.

WC

[greenlight]

If you are recording from MD try finding an external souncard that has optical input - I personally use the Edirol UA-1EX this way with good results.

WC

what actually means optical? what's the difference between optical cable and normal cable (with jack)?

[waxcylinder]

what actually means optical? what's the difference between optical cable and normal cable (with jack)?

Yes exactly - the optical "cable" is a fibre-optic bundle rather than wires. The terminations can either be mini-jack 2.5mm or TOSlink - or one of each. What you need depends on the soundcard that you use and the MD player/deck that ou have. The Edirol soundcard that I use has a min-jack input - my deck has TOSlink.

The advantage of doing the recording digitally is that you are taking the digital output straight from the MD. If you use the MD's analogue output to record from, the the signal is processed through the MDs DAC first - and then Audacity takes it back to digital - hence more chance for signal degradation.

WC

[greenlight]

what actually means optical? what's the difference between optical cable and normal cable (with jack)?

Yes exactly - the optical "cable" is a fibre-optic bundle rather than wires. The terminations can either be mini-jack 2.5mm or TOSlink - or one of each. What you need depends on the soundcard that you use and the MD player/deck that ou have. The Edirol soundcard that I use has a min-jack input - my deck has TOSlink.

The advantage of doing the recording digitally is that you are taking the digital output straight from the MD. If you use the MD's analogue output to record from, the the signal is processed through the MDs DAC first - and then Audacity takes it back to digital - hence more chance for signal degradation.

WC

thanks!....., but uff, bit too much confusion (coz my english)....ehrrmm so, MD's analouge output to record from? I have Line In (optical), Mic (Plug In Power) and Headspeakers (I suppose it's call Line Out) on my MD. I don't know what I would have on Soundcard, coz I don't know which one I'm going to buy yet, besides I've no pcmci slot, but some express slot 54 or something like that. Anyway, I think that all this (on my MD) support classic size of the jack, which is 3.5mm. Is that right?

Cheers!!!

[waxcylinder]

It might help us if you told us exactly which make and model your MD is - but from what you describe it does not sound as though you have digital out from the MD. From your description it looks like you have a portable MD player rather than a deck - and your only output seems to be the headphone socket.

If that is the case than you will have to record the analogue signal by plugging a conventional wire cable into you MD headphones socket with the other end plugged to your soundcard.

You will need to experiment with the output level (volume setting) on your MD to ensure that your signal that goes to Audacity is not oversaturated and causes clipping.

WC

[greenlight]

thanks!!!

[Yog-Sothoth]

To simplify things, you could purchase two of these and two of these.