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Can't Record from Tape Deck

4 messages

Raymond Seare

Can't Record from Tape Deck

Reply Threaded

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I downloaded audacity 1.2.3 from website so I could record some music from casset tapes.

When I first tried to record I was only getting 1 channel. I couldn't figure out why and thought that it maybe because my Dell sound card line in didn't support stereo so I bought a diamond 5.1 sound card (that offed audacity on the install disk).

I installed the sound card and after removing the audacity that I downloaded, installed the audacity that was on the sound card installation disk.

The installation of both sound card and audacity was no problem. I finally discovered that 2 channel sound is a setting on the audacity preferences. I am getting no indication that there is a problem with the card (I get sound from my speakers when I play a tape) but now when I try to record I'm getting no indication that the sound from tape deck is being recognized by audacity. The line in is selected , sound is coming out of the speakers but the monitor input shows nothing and when I select the record button, I get a flat line on both channels. I have completely removed and re-installed audacity twice. I was thinking that the first installation which was done before I installed the new sound card was possiblly conflicting with the program installed from the disk. I have searched the system and made sure all adacity files were deleted or removed and restarted the computer. The reason I get the feeling that there is still some files I may have missed is that the new installation comes up with 2 channel already set as a preference. The initial installation from the website defaulted to 1 channel.

Do you have any ideas on what I may have missed.

Thanks

Ray Seare

[hidden email]

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Richard Ash (audacity-help)

Re: Can't Record from Tape Deck

Reply Threaded

On Sat, 2007-09-08 at 12:38 -0700, Raymond Seare wrote:
> I downloaded audacity 1.2.3 from website so I could record some music
> from casset tapes.
Audacity 1.2.3 is old, not supported and contains many bugs. Please
obtain the latest version (1.2.6) from our download pages:
http://audacity.sourceforge.net/download/

> When I first tried to record I was only getting 1 channel. I couldn't
> figure out why and thought that it maybe because my Dell sound card
> line in didn't support stereo so I bought a diamond 5.1 sound card
> (that offed audacity on the install disk).
This is covered in our FAQ and has nothing to do with what sound card
you are using:
http://audacity.sourceforge.net/help/faq?s=recording&i=stereo

> I installed the sound card and after removing the audacity that I
> downloaded, installed the audacity that was on the sound card
> installation disk.
Still, we would recommend getting the most up to date version of
audacity directly from us (free) as installation CDs are often out of
date:
http://audacity.sourceforge.net/download/

> The installation of both sound card and audacity was no problem. I
> finally discovered that 2 channel sound is a setting on the audacity
> preferences. I am getting no indication that there is a problem with
> the card (I get sound from my speakers when I play a tape) but now
> when I try to record I'm getting no indication that the sound from
> tape deck is being recognized by audacity. The line in is selected ,
> sound is coming out of the speakers but the monitor input shows
> nothing and when I select the record button, I get a flat line on both
> channels.
You now have two sound devices in your computer (the built in, and the
add-on card), I think? In this case you need to tell audacity which
sound card to use for recording and playback. If you go to Edit >
Preferences and then select the Audio I/O tab, you will find two
drop-down lists for "Recording Device" and "Playback Device". Make sure
both of these are set to the diamond card and not the dell.

> I have completely removed and re-installed audacity twice. I was
> thinking that the first installation which was done before I installed
> the new sound card was possiblly conflicting with the program
> installed from the disk. I have searched the system and made sure
> all adacity files were deleted or removed and restarted the computer.
> The reason I get the feeling that there is still some files I may have
> missed is that the new installation comes up with 2 channel already
> set as a preference. The initial installation from the website
> defaulted to 1 channel.

This is because your user preferences from the first installation of
audacity are still stored in the computer's registry. This should not be
a problem, however if you wish to remove them please go to this page:
http://www.gaclrecords.org.uk/audacitydl.html
scroll to the bottom of the page and right-click over "Audacity reset
Preferences .reg file for Windows".

Save this .reg file to your drive, then double-click it and click "yes"
when asked if you want to add the information to the Registry. Note this
will reset most of your Audacity Preferences to safe default values, in
addition to setting the language to English.

If you need further help please let us know what operating system and
version of audacity your are using.

Richard Ash

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Raymond Seare

Re: Can't Record from Tape Deck

Reply Threaded

Richard,
Thank you for your prompt response. I removed the audicity 1.2.3 loaded from
the sound card disk and re-downloaded version 1.2.6 from the website. I
also reset the registry as suggested. I made sure that the Audio I/O
preferences were set to the sound card for both recording and playback
device and that the line in is selected. I still am having the same
problem. I hear the music but audacity doesn't. My O/S is Windows XP home
version 2002. I checked all of the preferences tabs and all look correct.
Any other suggestions?
Thanks again
Ray Seare
----- Original Message -----
From: "Richard Ash" <[hidden email]>
To: "Raymond Seare" <[hidden email]>
Cc: <[hidden email]>
Sent: Saturday, September 08, 2007 1:41 PM
Subject: Re: [Audacity-help] Can't Record from Tape Deck

> On Sat, 2007-09-08 at 12:38 -0700, Raymond Seare wrote:
>> I downloaded audacity 1.2.3 from website so I could record some music
>> from casset tapes.
> Audacity 1.2.3 is old, not supported and contains many bugs. Please
> obtain the latest version (1.2.6) from our download pages:
> http://audacity.sourceforge.net/download/
>
>> When I first tried to record I was only getting 1 channel. I couldn't
>> figure out why and thought that it maybe because my Dell sound card
>> line in didn't support stereo so I bought a diamond 5.1 sound card
>> (that offed audacity on the install disk).
> This is covered in our FAQ and has nothing to do with what sound card
> you are using:
> http://audacity.sourceforge.net/help/faq?s=recording&i=stereo
>
>
>> I installed the sound card and after removing the audacity that I
>> downloaded, installed the audacity that was on the sound card
>> installation disk.
> Still, we would recommend getting the most up to date version of
> audacity directly from us (free) as installation CDs are often out of
> date:
> http://audacity.sourceforge.net/download/
>
>> The installation of both sound card and audacity was no problem. I
>> finally discovered that 2 channel sound is a setting on the audacity
>> preferences. I am getting no indication that there is a problem with
>> the card (I get sound from my speakers when I play a tape) but now
>> when I try to record I'm getting no indication that the sound from
>> tape deck is being recognized by audacity. The line in is selected ,
>> sound is coming out of the speakers but the monitor input shows
>> nothing and when I select the record button, I get a flat line on both
>> channels.
> You now have two sound devices in your computer (the built in, and the
> add-on card), I think? In this case you need to tell audacity which
> sound card to use for recording and playback. If you go to Edit >
> Preferences and then select the Audio I/O tab, you will find two
> drop-down lists for "Recording Device" and "Playback Device". Make sure
> both of these are set to the diamond card and not the dell.
>
>> I have completely removed and re-installed audacity twice. I was
>> thinking that the first installation which was done before I installed
>> the new sound card was possiblly conflicting with the program
>> installed from the disk. I have searched the system and made sure
>> all adacity files were deleted or removed and restarted the computer.
>> The reason I get the feeling that there is still some files I may have
>> missed is that the new installation comes up with 2 channel already
>> set as a preference. The initial installation from the website
>> defaulted to 1 channel.
>
> This is because your user preferences from the first installation of
> audacity are still stored in the computer's registry. This should not be
> a problem, however if you wish to remove them please go to this page:
> http://www.gaclrecords.org.uk/audacitydl.html
> scroll to the bottom of the page and right-click over "Audacity reset
> Preferences .reg file for Windows".
>
> Save this .reg file to your drive, then double-click it and click "yes"
> when asked if you want to add the information to the Registry. Note this
> will reset most of your Audacity Preferences to safe default values, in
> addition to setting the language to English.
>
> If you need further help please let us know what operating system and
> version of audacity your are using.
>
> Richard Ash
>
>

audacity-help mailing list

Re: Can't Record from Tape Deck

Reply Threaded

| From Raymond Seare
| Sat, 8 Sep 2007 15:59:33 -0700
| Subject: [Audacity-help] Can't Record from Tape Deck
| I removed the audicity 1.2.3 loaded from the sound card disk and
| re-downloaded version 1.2.6 from the website. I also reset the
| registry as suggested. I made sure that the Audio I/O
| preferences were set to the sound card for both recording and playback
| device and that the line in is selected. I still am having the same
| problem. I hear the music but audacity doesn't. My O/S is Windows
| XP home version 2002. I checked all of the preferences tabs and all
| look correct.

Assuming this is the sound card you have:
http://www.diamondmm.com/XS51.php

please make sure you have the latest drivers for it:
http://www.dmmdownload.com/downloads/CURRENT/SOUND//XTREME_SOUND_5-1_PCI_DRIVERS_VER_1-1.exe

If you are then sure, having installed the latest drivers, that you have:

* the Diamond selected as "Recording Device" and "Playback Device" on the
Audio I/O tab of Audacity Preferences
* the cable from your tape deck connected to the line-in of the Diamond
(usually coloured blue)
* line-in selected in the Mixer Toolbar dropdown selector
* the input volume slider turned up (to the immediate left of the
dropdown)

but still don't get an input into Audacity, then you should:

* go to the Audio tab of Sounds and Audio Devices in the Windows
Control Panel
* in the "Sound recording" panel, select the Diamond then click the
"Volume" button
* put a check in the box for the line-in and turn its volume up

There is an illustration of this process here (scroll down for the graphic for
XP):
http://audacityteam.org/wiki/index.php?title=Mixer_Toolbar_Issues#Using_the_Control_Panel

Then exit Audacity and restart it and try to record.

Gale Andrews

Outbound message virus free.
Tested on: 9/9/2007 12:47:27 AM

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