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Recording Audio Output (from radio website).

Started by Richied, February 25, 2014, 10:28:06 AM

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Richied

Hello Everyone,

I imagine this question has been asked before, although I was unable to find it on the message boards. 

I am wondering if anybody knows a way to record computer audio output on VinylStudio. 

My objective is to record from the website of a radio station, so play the radio show ("Listen Again") and record at the same time.  In the past, I have successfully done this in two ways:

  • using Audacity, I managed to use my computer soundcard (Realtek), set to the "Stereo Mix" option.  At the time, this sounded fine, however, more recently there is a lot of interference, so that the sound breaks up a lot;
  • using VinylStudio, I have connected the computer sound output from my Focusrite 2i2 to my amplifier.  I have used the recording output from the amplifier as the input into the Focusrite 2i2.  When you record, if you uncheck "Monitor Recording", then you don't get echoes and the sound records fine.  When I have tried this today, I managed to record from the TV (which is also connected to my amplifier fairly well).  The computer audio output was playing fine from the amplifier, however, the lights on the Focusrite were not coming on to show a healthy signal, and the bars were not showing the sound when I opened "Check Level".  I assume that this was because I connected cables to or from the amplifier incorrectly, so I will do some trial and error with the cables to try to fix this.

I know there are also various types of software (such as SoundTap) which can record audio output.  When I tried this previously, the quality wasn't really good enough for listening to music, as there were many dropouts; however, it might do for a spoken word radio show. 

Any advice would be very gratefully received. 

Thank you very much.

Best wishes.

Rich Damerell. 

Paul Sanders (AlpineSoft)

Hi,

Try Stereo Mix with VinylStudio with monitoring disabled.  That ought to work, if it worked before.  I take it you are on Windows XP.

Richied

Dear Paul,

Thank you for the tip.  I will try this.  So, I think this means I have to click on "Change Playback Device", then change from the "Scarlett2i2" to "Realtek".  I'm not sure whether it offers a "Stereo Mix" option, although I notice that Audacity offers four options, one of which is "Stereo Mix". 

Something else has occurred to me just now:  I imagine I could connect a cable (1/4 inch to RCA) from the headphones jack of the amplifier to the inputs on the Focusrite interface.  I realise the quality might be a bit poorer, but I see no reason why it shouldn't work?

Many thanks for your help. 

Best wishes.

Rich. 

Richied

Oh, yes, and sorry, I forgot to mention originally that I am on Windows XP (2003, I think). 

Best wishes.

Rich. 

Paul Sanders (AlpineSoft)

You actually want to select your Realtek, and Stereo Mix, in VinylStudio's Check Level dialog.  These are inputs, not outputs.  If Audacity offers a Stereo Mix option then so should VinylStudio - we support whatever Windows and your sound card provides.  Select Stereo Mix in the Source Line dropdown.

The cable idea should also work, and should provide adequate quality recording considering it's just radio.

Richied

Dear Paul,

Thank you for your advice.  I will try this later. 

Best wishes.

Rich.