Audacity records web browser page loaded "ding".

[bex1210]

I have Audacity 2.0.0, running on Windows XP Pro, SP2. I downloaded the .exe file. I also have Total Recorder 8.3, which I got before Audacity.

When I am recording long sessions from CD's, Tape, etc. via my Stereo System and my Sonos, I frequently work concurrently using my web browser, searching for items, etc. My browser is set so that whenever a page is loaded, it plays the Windows ding.wav file.

When recording with Audacity, the 'ding' gets recorded whenever a browser page opens! This does NOT happen with Total Recorder. Both use the exact same soundcard, and the same Input Device and Input Channels settings. I even tested Audacity with different settings, and the 'ding' still occurred.

Any idea why this is happening, and how I prevent it? To confirm it came from the Page Loaded command, I turned off ding.wav (so no sound is made when the page loads), and Audacity then records just fine.

I searched this forum and the Audacity on-line manual, but could not find anything on the problem.

This is very frustrating, because now if I record with Audacity, I can't use my computer for anything else.

Thanks in advance,

Harry

[kozikowski]

Total Recorder has its own device drivers and path managers and gets to decide where the sound comes from. Because of that, Total Recorder is one of the programs that we recommend to record Skype calls, a difficult task.

Audacity just uses whatever Windows provides and if that provision is "Whatever's Playing On The Computer," (Stereo-Mix, WAV-Out, or What-U-Hear) , then you get the whole thing, ding and all.

Don't upgrade to Vista or Win7. Under those systems, sometimes Stereo-Mix vanishes completely and you're required to use a program such as Total Recorder to do any on-line recordings.

Koz

[bex1210]

Koz:

Thanks for the feedback. I guess I'll go back to recording with Total Recorder, and editing with Audacity (which is fabulous for editing, thank you).

Harry

[bex1210]

Koz:

I am posting this before my post last night to you has been approved, so if I repeat anything, I'm sorry.

I noticed that there are several additional entries on my Audacity Device Toolbar, Input Device. There are three of them. 'Record through Total Recorder: Mic Volume; Line Volume; and Stereo Mix.' (These are in addition to the entries for my Realtek soundcard and Microsoft Windows Mapper.)

So I opened Total Recorder (did NOT set it to record, and on Audacity selected 'Record through Total Recorder: Line Volume.' I then recorded via Audacity. The 'ding' is still there, although it is muted somewhat. (I immediately ran the same test using Total Recorder to record [with Audacity off], and still no 'ding' there.) I tried again with the Audacity setting at Stereo Mix. Still there.

I then repeated the above, EXCEPT I set Total Recorder to Record, and then set Audacity to also Record. No 'ding' on either recording.

So What is the purpose of the Record through Total Recorder functions added to Audacity? Are these designed to function ONLY when recording simultaneously with Total Recorder? And what are the advantages and disadvantages of using these additional Total Recorder functions?

Thanks again for your prompt responses.

Harry

[Gale Andrews]

What is the purpose of the Record through Total Recorder functions added to Audacity?

We did not add them. High Criteria provided that as a Windows recording device, so Audacity sees it. As far as I know it acts like another stereo mix option (recording e-mail dings and all) which may be useful for XP computers that have no stereo mix recording capability of their own.

If you want to record through Total Recorder's virtual driver recording device that grabs sound direct from the application (no other dings), then I suggest the obvious thing to do is to use that to record directly in Total Recorder. You can save a WAV in Total Recorder for later editing in Audacity if you wish.


Gale

[Robert2]

When I am recording long sessions from CD's, Tape, etc. via my Stereo System and my Sonos, I frequently work concurrently using my web browser, searching for items, etc. My browser is set so that whenever a page is loaded, it plays the Windows ding.wav file. When recording with Audacity, the 'ding' gets recorded whenever a browser page opens!

Hi,
I had exactly the same problem on XP Home SP3.
Here is how to go about it.

1. Forget about “Total Recorder”.

2. Go to your Windows Sound Applet, and switch all sounds off for all events. Have a look at http://www.frontierdg.com/winXPNoSound.aspx for detailed explanations and video. Save your new sound settings as a new Windows Sound Scheme so that you can always go back to it easily. Beware, if you go to MS Update, it will automatically reset your Windows Sound Scheme to its default values with no warning. Other applications might do something like it.

3. If you run any other application concurrently with Audacity, make sure that other application is set up so that it does not produce any kind of sound for whatever reason. Be careful, some of the Firefox Add-Ons or Plugins will play sounds to warn you of particular events. Switch these off too.

4. In Audacity, go to “Edit | Preferences > Devices”. As a “Recording” device, choose “Line-In” (or, failing that, “MS Sound Mapper – Input”). As a “Playback” device, choose the one from your sound card driver (or, failing that, “MS Sound Mapper – Output”).

HTH.
Cheers,
Robert

[bex1210]

Gale:

If you want to record through Total Recorder's virtual driver recording device that grabs sound direct from the application (no other dings), then I suggest the obvious thing to do is to use that to record directly in Total Recorder. You can save a WAV in Total Recorder for later editing in Audacity if you wish.

That is exactly what I have been doing once I found the 'ding' problem in Audacity. Once I create the WAV file, I then open it in Audacity for more processing.

Thanks for clearing this up.

Harry

[bex1210]

Robert:

Go to your Windows Sound Applet, and switch all sounds off for all events. Have a look at http://www.frontierdg.com/winXPNoSound.aspx for detailed explanations and video. Save your new sound settings as a new Windows Sound Scheme so that you can always go back to it easily. Beware, if you go to MS Update, it will automatically reset your Windows Sound Scheme to its default values with no warning. Other applications might do something like it.

Since 99% of the dings I get are with my browser, I first turned them off to test and confirm that was what Audacity was picking up. I was aware that there was a Windows way to turn off all of their sounds, but I did not know the details which you have provided. Thanks.

However, when I am working on several things concurrently, especially loading webpages, I like the sound to let me know when a task has completed. So for me, the cleanest solution is to record using Total Recorder, which I own, and then process further in Audacity.

Harry