Can't record "what I Hear"?

[bwbeye]

Windows Vista Ultimate 64bit, newest version (2.0.3 obtained using the .exe installer) of Audacity installed.

Hi Everyone,

First off, sorry for posting what appears to be a silly question, I have had success in using Audacity to record and edit, but for some reason yesterday I discovered it wasn't working. Please see the following:

At one point I was able to record stuff streaming off the internet, and able to edit large mp3 imported music tracks too. For some reason I'm not able to get any thing (internet streaming, iTunes, or a cd/dvd) playing through my computer to record?, or even see any indication of any signal showing up on the input/output meters? I've got a digital cable connection from my onboard realtek soundcard to my Yamaha 5.1 receiver (everything IS heard through speakers coming from this source), and the setting are for "Stero mix" for playback and recording, withs levels at 50%. I can open a file in Audacity and get the output meter to work, but can't record what I hear (internet streaming, iTunes, or a cd/dvd) which I believe should be shown on the input meter? Oh, forgot to mention I updated my realteks driver in an effort to see if that would correct the problem, and it didn't, but at least now I've got the current drivers.

It's driving me nuts that I can't figure it out, please help me, I'm a relative newbie and I've gone through the tutorials and searched the forums for a fix, but can't find one, so I'm posting this.

Thank you!

[Gale Andrews]

If your settings are correct and you are playing the audio on the realtek output device, it should work. If the red recording cursor is not moving, reboot the computer.

if the Yamaha is seen by Windows as an audio playback device and you are playing audio on that device, then Realtek Stereo Mix cannot record it.

Please post the contents of Help > Audio Device Info... in Audacity if there is still a problem not covered by the above.

Also note you can extract CD or DVD audio to audio files using appropriate tools without having to record them:
http://manual.audacityteam.org/o/man/fa ... tml#fromcd .

Extracted DVD audio will usually be in AAC format. If so, you can download FFmpeg to import AAC:
http://manual.audacityteam.org/o/man/fa ... tml#ffdown .


Gale

[bwbeye]

I went to a suggested tutorial of sorts here on Audacity, read through it and noticed below:

3. Right-click specifically over the input device you want to record with (for example, line-in or "Stereo Mix"), and if visible, choose "Enable"
4. Right-click once again over the input device you want to record with, and choose "Set as Default Device"

"set as default device" is greyed out and unable to access????

[Gale Andrews]

3. Right-click specifically over the input device you want to record with (for example, line-in or "Stereo Mix"), and if visible, choose "Enable"
4. Right-click once again over the input device you want to record with, and choose "Set as Default Device"

"set as default device" is greyed out and unable to access????

Might that be because you have not yet chosen "Enable"?

As suggested, please post the contents of Help > Audio Device Info... if you still need help. In that Audio Device Info window, right-click > Select All, right-click > Copy, then paste here.


Gale

[bwbeye]

I've tried everything suggested with no success, very frustrating. When I upgraded to the newer audacity version, I uninstalled the old version and I received a popup indicating the all was not removed? Is it possible there's some kind of conflict between the old and the new version? is there a utility to completly remove all and start from fresh?

[Gale Andrews]

I've tried everything suggested with no success

You didn't try giving us the Audio Device Info I've asked for twice now. We cannot see your machine so rely on you entirely to provide information about it.

When I upgraded to the newer audacity version, I uninstalled the old version and I received a popup indicating the all was not removed? Is it possible there's some kind of conflict between the old and the new version? is there a utility to completly remove all and start from fresh?

If you install the 2.0.3 version into the same directory as the one you uninstalled from, all the relevant program files are overwritten with the new.

I don't believe it will make any difference but you can reinstall 2.0.3 and put a tick in the "Reset Preferences" box half way through the installation procedure. Then you start with "factory fresh" Audacity preferences.

You can also try SoundLeech from http://www.milosoftware.com/en/index.ph ... dleech.php (it's not our program) or at your own risk, you can try the latest Audacity "Nightly" development build which lets you record computer playback.

To try that Audacity build, choose the latest zip file from the top of this list . Quit Audacity, extract the downloaded zip file to any location on your computer then run "audacity.exe" from the folder you extracted to. To record computer playback, select the "Windows WASAPI" host in the first box of Device Toolbar . Then choose the "(loopback)" input in the third box of Device Toolbar.

This is experimental, so you may still get "Error Opening Sound Device" at times (for different reasons) and you may find the recording volume is low, but feedback is welcomed.


Gale

[bwbeye]

I'm sorry, I've been out of town on business and taken some well deserved time off.

What "Audio Device Info" are you looking for specifically, and where do I find it?

Thank you.

Bart

[Gale Andrews]

What "Audio Device Info" are you looking for specifically, and where do I find it?

Please see this earlier post http://forum.audacityteam.org/viewtopic ... 54#p216754 . "Help" is in the menu bar at the top of the Audacity window.


Gale

[bwbeye]

Here's the audio information you requested, thank you for your help.

Code: Select all

==============================
Default capture device number: 1
Default playback device number: 8
==============================
Device ID: 0
Device name: Microsoft Sound Mapper - Input
Host name: MME
Input channels: 2
Output channels: 0
Low Input Latency: 0.200000
Low Output Latency: 0.200000
High Input Latency: 0.400000
High Output Latency: 0.400000
Supported Rates:
==============================
Device ID: 1
Device name: Stereo Mix (Realtek High Defini
Host name: MME
Input channels: 2
Output channels: 0
Low Input Latency: 0.200000
Low Output Latency: 0.200000
High Input Latency: 0.400000
High Output Latency: 0.400000
Supported Rates:
==============================
Device ID: 2
Device name: MIDI (WsAudio_DeviceS(3))
Host name: MME
Input channels: 1
Output channels: 0
Low Input Latency: 0.200000
Low Output Latency: 0.200000
High Input Latency: 0.400000
High Output Latency: 0.400000
Supported Rates:
==============================
Device ID: 3
Device name: MIDI (WsAudio_DeviceS(5))
Host name: MME
Input channels: 1
Output channels: 0
Low Input Latency: 0.200000
Low Output Latency: 0.200000
High Input Latency: 0.400000
High Output Latency: 0.400000
Supported Rates:
==============================
Device ID: 4
Device name: MIDI (WsAudio_DeviceS(1))
Host name: MME
Input channels: 1
Output channels: 0
Low Input Latency: 0.200000
Low Output Latency: 0.200000
High Input Latency: 0.400000
High Output Latency: 0.400000
Supported Rates:
==============================
Device ID: 5
Device name: MIDI (WsAudio_DeviceS(2))
Host name: MME
Input channels: 1
Output channels: 0
Low Input Latency: 0.200000
Low Output Latency: 0.200000
High Input Latency: 0.400000
High Output Latency: 0.400000
Supported Rates:
==============================
Device ID: 6
Device name: MIDI (WsAudio_DeviceS(4))
Host name: MME
Input channels: 1
Output channels: 0
Low Input Latency: 0.200000
Low Output Latency: 0.200000
High Input Latency: 0.400000
High Output Latency: 0.400000
Supported Rates:
==============================
Device ID: 7
Device name: Microsoft Sound Mapper - Output
Host name: MME
Input channels: 0
Output channels: 2
Low Input Latency: 0.200000
Low Output Latency: 0.200000
High Input Latency: 0.400000
High Output Latency: 0.400000
Supported Rates:
    8000
    9600
    11025
    12000
    15000
    16000
    22050
    24000
    32000
    44100
    48000
    88200
    96000
    176400
    192000
    352800
    384000
==============================
Device ID: 8
Device name: Realtek Digital Output (Realtek
Host name: MME
Input channels: 0
Output channels: 2
Low Input Latency: 0.200000
Low Output Latency: 0.200000
High Input Latency: 0.400000
High Output Latency: 0.400000
Supported Rates:
    8000
    9600
    11025
    12000
    15000
    16000
    22050
    24000
    32000
    44100
    48000
    88200
    96000
    176400
    192000
    352800
    384000
==============================
Device ID: 9
Device name: Primary Sound Capture Driver
Host name: Windows DirectSound
Input channels: 2
Output channels: 0
Low Input Latency: 0.000000
Low Output Latency: 0.000000
High Input Latency: 0.000000
High Output Latency: 0.000000
Supported Rates:
==============================
Device ID: 10
Device name: Stereo Mix (Realtek High Definition Audio)
Host name: Windows DirectSound
Input channels: 2
Output channels: 0
Low Input Latency: 0.000000
Low Output Latency: 0.000000
High Input Latency: 0.000000
High Output Latency: 0.000000
Supported Rates:
==============================
Device ID: 11
Device name: MIDI (WsAudio_DeviceS(3))
Host name: Windows DirectSound
Input channels: 1
Output channels: 0
Low Input Latency: 0.000000
Low Output Latency: 0.000000
High Input Latency: 0.000000
High Output Latency: 0.000000
Supported Rates:
==============================
Device ID: 12
Device name: MIDI (WsAudio_DeviceS(5))
Host name: Windows DirectSound
Input channels: 1
Output channels: 0
Low Input Latency: 0.000000
Low Output Latency: 0.000000
High Input Latency: 0.000000
High Output Latency: 0.000000
Supported Rates:
==============================
Device ID: 13
Device name: MIDI (WsAudio_DeviceS(1))
Host name: Windows DirectSound
Input channels: 1
Output channels: 0
Low Input Latency: 0.000000
Low Output Latency: 0.000000
High Input Latency: 0.000000
High Output Latency: 0.000000
Supported Rates:
==============================
Device ID: 14
Device name: MIDI (WsAudio_DeviceS(2))
Host name: Windows DirectSound
Input channels: 1
Output channels: 0
Low Input Latency: 0.000000
Low Output Latency: 0.000000
High Input Latency: 0.000000
High Output Latency: 0.000000
Supported Rates:
==============================
Device ID: 15
Device name: MIDI (WsAudio_DeviceS(4))
Host name: Windows DirectSound
Input channels: 1
Output channels: 0
Low Input Latency: 0.000000
Low Output Latency: 0.000000
High Input Latency: 0.000000
High Output Latency: 0.000000
Supported Rates:
==============================
Device ID: 16
Device name: Primary Sound Driver
Host name: Windows DirectSound
Input channels: 0
Output channels: 2
Low Input Latency: 0.000000
Low Output Latency: 0.000000
High Input Latency: 0.000000
High Output Latency: 0.000000
Supported Rates:
    8000
    9600
    11025
    12000
    15000
    16000
    22050
    24000
    32000
    44100
    48000
    88200
    96000
    176400
    192000
==============================
Device ID: 17
Device name: Realtek Digital Output (Realtek High Definition Audio)
Host name: Windows DirectSound
Input channels: 0
Output channels: 2
Low Input Latency: 0.000000
Low Output Latency: 0.000000
High Input Latency: 0.000000
High Output Latency: 0.000000
Supported Rates:
    8000
    9600
    11025
    12000
    15000
    16000
    22050
    24000
    32000
    44100
    48000
    88200
    96000
    176400
    192000
==============================
Selected capture device: 1 - Stereo Mix (Realtek High Defini
Selected playback device: 8 - Realtek Digital Output (Realtek
Supported Rates:
    8000
    9600
    11025
    12000
    15000
    16000
    22050
    24000
    32000
    44100
    48000
    88200
    96000
    176400
    192000
    352800
    384000
==============================
Available mixers:
==============================
Available capture sources:
0 - Master
==============================
Available playback volumes:
0 - PCM
==============================
Capture volume is native
Playback volume is native

[Gale Andrews]

Here's the audio information you requested, thank you for your help.

I suggest you disconnect whatever device(s) Audacity is seeing as the five MIDI inputs. Audacity does not record MIDI.

For input choose "Stereo Mix (Realtek High Defini" in Audacity Device Toolbar .

You appear not to have a viable analogue playback device. The only playback device listed is "Realtek Digital Output (Realtek". Is that an S/PDIF digital output going to the "Yamaha 5.1 receiver"? Normally if you want to record stereo mix you would need to set the output to an analogue output called something like "Speakers". Then you can record audio playing from that analogue output using Stereo Mix.

If you need more help I suggest you go to Windows Sound ( http://wiki.audacityteam.org/index.php? ... es#vistacp ), show and enable every output and input, then attach screenshots of the "Playback" and "Recording" tabs. Please see here for how to attach files: http://forum.audacityteam.org/viewtopic ... 49&t=64936 .


Gale