Audio recording on a laptop

[carlmart]

I need some high quality suggestions for recording external audio on my laptop.

One limitation is that, unfortunately, my laptop (and I think all) only has a mic input. Which might need tome way to attenuate the incoming signal when it's line level, as are the ones I plan to use.

Another option would be some kind of external usb box, which some pro programs use (e.g. Pro-Tools).

The only program I tried is Audacity, but I can't seem to find a way to adjust the levels. No volume pot or one I could not find.

Suggestions are welcome.

Thanks


Carlos

[redwudz]

With Audacity, adjust the line/microphone input level in your computer sound settings. (Right click on the speaker icon in the taskbar.)

[carlmart]

How do I open the input levels fader?

Edit: disregard this question. I found it how to do it.

[carlmart]

OK. Yesterday I left the laptop recording and today I checked on the results.

Levels are fine, but I found another problem: the audio is the same in both channels.

The original source IS stereo, I could listen to it on my HTS, very much so and with excellent spread. But the recording is not.

So I went to check on what might be wrong, and I think the problem is not Audacity, but the laptop mic input, which is probably mono, not stereo.

Might that be so?

What other things should I check? I did check all the setups, but I don't know how else to check things or what can I do.

I'm already looking into RCA to USB converters, which limits things somehow to 44.1Khz/16 bit.

[tugshank]

yes, your laptop's mic input is mono. what you're probably looking for is a usb audio interface. i don't know what's available in brazil, but if you want inexpensive, google: behringer uca202.

[carlmart]

Well, it is not usually. Usually I recorded things on a Tascam D07 portable recorder, which I lost.

So I thought if there might be a way to use the laptop to do so. Unfortunately I found out that the mic input, the only one I had, seemed to be mono. And I was right.

So now I bought a Behringer stereo to RCA, line level converter, to record audio stuff from my TV tuner.

[hech54]

Had I known you were recording "line-in" (RCA/Cinch) type of stuff (not via microphone), I would have suggested a simple USB video recording device like my Hauppauge USB|Live2.

[carlmart]

It's more expensive than the Behringer I bought, but it seems like a good option.

Let's wait until the Behringer gets here, so I can test it and see how it performs.

Comparisons with larger converter boxes might be interesting, if I can get one to try here.

[carlmart]

Just to wrap up this thread.

I bought the Behringer UCA202, and it solved the problem. Now I have stereo recording on my laptop.

As you have an HP output on the box itself, I could check the output directly and on the laptop, and there was the stereo separation.

Still need to try it on actual recording, with music and all that, where instrument separation should be more evident. The meters on Audacity also show separate waves moving.

The setting up is a bit tricky, for me at least, as you have to change things in the Windows setup. Set it to 2 channel, 16-bit and CD quality (or DVD). If you don't do that it remains in mono.

Interesting that when you go into Sound > Recording, the option you get is microphone input, not a line input option. But I guess that's a Windows thing.