| From David Bailes <david_bailes@xxxxxxxxxxx> | Wed, 2 May 2012 13:18:48 +0100 (BST) | Subject: Recording Skype conversations. > on my computer running audacity 2 on windows 7, after a > clean install or resetting preferences, then the input and output > devices in audacity are explicitly the default devices, rather than > sound mapper input and output. Hi David, On a Windows 7 laptop recently acquired, and a Windows 7 netbook I hardly use, I concur that reset of audacity.cfg initialises to MME host, "Speakers" and "Built -in Mic", not Sound Mapper. On those machines, this behaviour changes with 1.3.9; in earlier versions Audacity initialises to Sound Mapper. I didn't think that was the case with a Windows 7 Desktop I was familiar with that is no longer working, but I could just have misremembered. However both current Windows 7 machines definitely remember whatever output and input devices were selected on a clean exit, so Gene should, on exiting with Sound Mapper-Output and Sound Mapper-Input selected, find those still selected on restart. Gale > ----- Original Message ----- > From: Gale Andrews <gale@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> > To: audacity4blind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx > Cc: > Sent: Tuesday, 1 May 2012, 21:07 > Subject: [audacity4blind] Re: Recording Skype conversations. > > > | From "Gene" <gsasner@xxxxxxxxx> > | Tue, 1 May 2012 14:12:26 -0500 > | Subject: Recording Skype conversations. > > I was discussing the source selection, not the level settings. If you > > install audacity in the new nonbeta version and don't specify anything > > about what source to use, Audacity will make a selection and if your > > previous selection is not what the Audacity selection is, the source will > > be changed. The program should do what it used to do. It used to select > > the Microsoft Sound Mapper and thus, wouldn't change the source settings > > unless you change them. > > Behaviour has not changed in 2.0.0. > > If you reset Preferences thus: > http://manual.audacityteam.org/help/manual/man/preferences.html#stored > > then Audacity will launch with MME host and Sound Mapper Output and > Sound Mapper Input. > > If you then exit Audacity cleanly with MME host, Sound Mapper Output and > Sound Mapper Input, that is what you should have when you restart > Audacity. > > If that is not happening then might you unintentionally be changing the > input and output device in Device Toolbar? If this is happening, choose > View > Toolbars > Device Toolbar to hide Device Toolbar. You can > still change devices in the Devices Preferences. > > > > > Gale > > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: "Gale Andrews" <gale@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> > > To: <audacity4blind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> > > Sent: Tuesday, May 01, 2012 12:15 PM > > > > > > | From "Gene" <gsasner@xxxxxxxxx> > > > | Tue, 1 May 2012 06:59:32 -0500 > > > | Subject: Recording Skype conversations. > > >> Regarding Audacity selecting a source, as you say, you can select a > > >> source > > >> in audacity but I don't know if the source will be available if it is > > >> disabled in the sound card settings. > > > > > > Audacity *cannot* see a sound input that is disabled in Windows. > > > > > > And if you don't change the Audacity default of "Microsoft Sound > > > Mapper - Input", Audacity will continue to use the Windows default > > > input device. > > > > > > And on some machines (probably due to sound driver issues), stereo > > > mix won't record unless it is Windows default device. > > > > > > > > >> Audacity is not designed as it should be regarding > > >> source selection. The first time you run it, it should present a dialog > > >> both asking which source you want to use and explaining that the choice > > >> you make in Audacity will change the volume control setting and thus > > >> change the source for every recording device that uuses that setting on > > >> the computer. > > > > > > Audacity does not change the volume control setting for each > > > input if you don't change the input level yourself. But if you have > > > each input set at a different level in Windows then the level will > > > of course change when you switch inputs in Audacity. > > > > > > There is a possible Audacity bug that appears on some Windows > > > Vista machines that if you change the input volume in Audacity > > > and then record, the volume is reset to its original level: > > > http://bugzilla.audacityteam.org/show_bug.cgi?id=12 . > > > > > > But almost no-one now seems to report that. > > > > > > > > >> If you choose Microsoft Sound Mapper, Audacity will honor > > >> whatever setting you have made in the Windows Volume Control itself and > > >> this should be explained in the dialog. > > > > > > The developers would not accept all the dialogue verbosity you > > > are suggesting. :=) > > > > > > > > >> If you select something else, then every time you run Audacity, it will > > >> change the volume control > > >> setting to the Audacity selection you specify, regardless of whether you > > >> want this to be done. If, for example, you have changed the source in > > >> the > > >> volume control interface, then the next time you run Audacity, the > > >> source > > >> will be changed in the Windows Volume Control back to the settting you > > >> specified in Audacity. Of course, you can change the selection in > > >> Audacity > > >> to cyhange the volume control setting but you may want Audacity to honor > > >> whatever selection you make in the actual volume control interface and > > >> not > > >> change it. If you let Audacity automatically change the volume control > > >> setting, you may have problems. I believe that there should be one way > > >> that you use consistently to set the source and that no programs should > > >> automatically change this setting. > > > > > > I am unclear if you are talking about changing sources or changing > > > volume level of the same source. > > > > > > The Audacity input and output level sliders should (if it is working > > > correctly) move the Windows input and output sliders for that device, > > > and the Windows input and output sliders should move the Audacity > > > sliders. Audacity controls the hardware directly. The Audacity and > > > Windows sliders are linked. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Gale > > > > > > > > > > > >> ----- Original Message ----- > > >> From: "David Bailes" <david_bailes@xxxxxxxxxxx> > > >> To: <audacity4blind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> > > >> Sent: Tuesday, May 01, 2012 3:38 AM > > >> > Hi Gene, > > >> > just to clarify a couple of points. > > >> > > > >> > Gale was suggesting using the listen option, if the sound card hasn't > > >> got > > >> > hardware playthrough, so that the microphone is included in the stereo > > >> > mix. In practice, I've found that using the listen option for this > > >> purpose > > >> > isn't very satisfactory as there's a delay and you hear what you say a > > >> > little bit after you've said it, and this is very distracting. > > >> > > > >> > Which recording device Audacity uses for recording is set within > > >> Audacity, > > >> > not by setting which recording device is the windows default. The only > > >> > time that Audacity pays any attention to which device is the windows > > >> > default is the first time you run audacity. > > >> > > > >> > David. > > >> > > > >> > > > >> > > > >> > > > >> > ----- Original Message ----- > > >> > From: Gene <gsasner@xxxxxxxxx> > > >> > To: audacity4blind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx > > >> > Cc: > > >> > Sent: Monday, 30 April 2012, 14:54 > > >> > Subject: [audacity4blind] Re: Recording Skype conversations. > > >> > > > >> > The listen option has no bearing on whether you can record. It is for > > >> > listening to the input through your computer, like monitor used to be > > >> for > > >> > tape recorders. It makes no difference whether it is on or off. What > > >> you > > >> > want to look for in the Windows audio settings is the equivalent of a > > >> what > > >> > you hear option, which may be called stereo mix or something else, > > >> sound > > >> > card manufacturers have many names for it. To complicate matters > > >> further, > > >> > many computers are sold with Microsoft sound card drivers that don't > > >> > support such an option. Installing the driver provided by the > > >> > manufacturer of the sound card may provide such an option. But some > > >> sound > > >> > cards these days don't provide such an option at all, though some can > > >> be > > >> > used with older drivers that do. You may be able to use an older > > >> Vista > > >> > driver instead of the manufacturer provided Windows 7 driver. But if > > >> you > > >> > are going to do any of this sort of thing, that is, change the sound > > >> > driver, you should have sighted help available or you should have the > > >> > steps memorized to do a system restore or roll back the driver, if > > >> that is > > >> > necessary. > > >> > > > >> > The first thing to do is to see if your sound card provides a what you > > >> > hear option, regardless of what it is called. > > >> > In the system tray, right click the speakers icon. > > >> > Down arrow to recording devices and press enter. > > >> > > > >> > Open the context menu and see if the item named show disabled devices > > >> is > > >> > checked. If it isn't, press enter on it to check it. The menu will > > >> close > > >> > and the setting has been changed. > > >> > You are in a list of items you can record with. Choose the > > >> appropriate > > >> > one. > > >> > Open the context menu for that item and press enter on set as default > > >> or > > >> > similar wording. You have now set what you hear to be used for > > >> recording. > > >> > If you later want to switch to something else such as line-in, then > > >> find > > >> > line-in in the list I described above, open the context menu, and set > > >> that > > >> > item as the default device. > > >> > > > >> > I may have left out details such as to activate the ok button or > > >> buttons > > >> > as you back out of the dialogs after making changes. > > >> > > > >> > If your computer does not provide a sound card with a what you hear > > >> > option, you can purchase a USB sound card that does. But you should > > >> try > > >> > to be sure the sound card you are purchasing does provide such an > > >> option > > >> > before you purchase it. > > >> > > > >> > Gene > > >> > ----- Original Message ----- > > >> > From: "Robbie" <tickleberryfun@xxxxxxxxx> > > >> > To: <audacity4blind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> > > >> > Sent: Monday, April 30, 2012 1:26 AM > > >> >> Hi gale! > > >> >> I can't manage to record streams or other stuff coming over the > > >> >> speakers. > > >> >> I selected Microsoft Soundmapper as input device, microphone being > > >> the > > >> >> only other option. However I'm recording only silence. Got any > > >> advice? > > >> >> > > >> >> Thanks, Robbie > > >> >> > > >> >> -----Original Message----- > > >> >> From: audacity4blind-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx > > >> >> [mailto:audacity4blind-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Gale > > >> Andrews > > >> >> Sent: Sunday, April 29, 2012 10:50 PM > > >> >> To: audacity4blind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx > > >> >> Subject: [audacity4blind] Re: Recording Skype conversations. > > >> >> > > >> >> > > >> >> | From sandra gayer <sandragayer7@xxxxxxxxx> Sun, 29 Apr 2012 > > >> 21:34:49 > > >> >> | +0100 > > >> >> | Subject: Recording Skype conversations. > > >> >>> Thank you very much for the information Gale. When you say you have > > >> to > > >> >>> unmute the microphone playback, do you mean you have to do that > > >> >>> physically from the perspective of the external soundcard? That > > >> would > > >> >>> be easiest. Where do you find "listen to this device". In the > > >> control > > >> >>> panel? > > >> >> > > >> >> "Listen" only exists on Vista/7. Open "Sound" in the Windows Control > > >> >> Panel, choose the "Recording" tab, select the headset or microphone > > >> and > > >> >> choose "Properties" then choose the "Listen" > > >> >> tab. It's software playthrough, so might create too many echoes. > > >> >> > > >> >> If you had a way to unmute the microphone hardware, that would be on > > >> the > > >> >> "Playback" tab, select the headset or mic, choose "Properties" then > > >> the > > >> >> "Levels" tab. But most Vista/7 machines do not have this. > > >> >> > > >> >> > > >> >> > > >> >> Gale > > >> >> > > >> >> > > >> >>> On 4/29/12, Gale Andrews <gale@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote: > > >> >>> > > > >> >>> > | From sandra gayer <sandragayer7@xxxxxxxxx> Sun, 29 Apr 2012 > > >> >>> > | 13:18:01 +0100 > > >> >>> > | Subject: [audacity4blind] Recording Skype conversations. > > >> >>> >> I read somewhere that Audacity could be used to record Skype > > >> >>> >> conversations. Is this correct? If so how? Does it depend on the > > >> >>> >> conversation being rooted through the computer's internal sound > > >> >>> card? > > >> >>> >> Is it possible to record both ends of a Skype conversation if > > >> they > > >> >>> >> are being rooted through an external soundcard and external > > >> >> microphone? > > >> >>> > > > >> >>> > Yes you have to unmute the microphone playback (or use "Listen to > > >> >>> > this device" on Windows Vista/7) then record stereo mix in > > >> Audacity. > > >> >>> > You must use headphones or a headset. A USB headset usually won't > > >> >>> > work on Windows XP or earlier because there is no way to unmute > > >> its > > >> >>> > playback. > > >> >>> > > > >> >>> > Instead of Audacity, it is usually better to use something like: > > >> >>> > http://voipcallrecording.com/ . > > >> >>> > > > >> >>> > > > >> >>> > > > >> >>> > > > >> >>> > Gale The audacity4blind web site is at //www.freelists.org/webpage/audacity4blind Subscribe and unsubscribe information, message archives, Audacity keyboard commands, and more... To unsubscribe from audacity4blind, send an email to audacity4blind-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with subject line unsubscribe