[SOLVED] Audacity and Windows 10

qubusqubus

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Feb 13, 2013
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For several years I have successfully used the software Audacity with Windows 10 for recording from tapes etc. Suddenly, however, it has stopped working in that I am no loner able to record, i.e. input audio, although I have no problem playing previously recorded mp3 files.

The strange thing is that I am able play the test sound when using Zoom or Skype, so that I seem to be able to input sound into the PC. I have tried playing an audio tape from a cassette recorder into the PC, but with no luck. I am using version 2.3.0 of Audacity and running 64-bit Windows 10. However, that is probably irrelevant because I have been using Windows 10 all the time ! Could it be that when I have occasionally been invited to upgrade my version of Windows when I log-off, that I now have a problem that has caused this? I have tried putting an audio signal into all the available inputs to the PC which, incidentally, uses a Gigabyte MB?
 

qubusqubus

Distinguished
Feb 13, 2013
62
1
18,635
For several years I have successfully used the software Audacity with Windows 10 for recording from tapes etc. Suddenly, however, it has stopped working in that I am no loner able to record, i.e. input audio, although I have no problem playing previously recorded mp3 files.

The strange thing is that I am able play the test sound when using Zoom or Skype, so that I seem to be able to input sound into the PC. I have tried playing an audio tape from a cassette recorder into the PC, but with no luck. I am using version 2.3.0 of Audacity and running 64-bit Windows 10. However, that is probably irrelevant because I have been using Windows 10 all the time ! Could it be that when I have occasionally been invited to upgrade my version of Windows when I log-off, that I now have a problem that has caused this? I have tried putting an audio signal into all the available inputs to the PC which, incidentally, uses a Gigabyte MB?
Thanks for the suggestion. I have tried a clean re-install of Audacity 3.0.2 and it still doesn't work. Last time I also installed Lame. I haven't done that this time because I don't think that it should be necessary. Any other thoughts welcome. I have also just tried connecting the audio O/P from my iPhone, but that doesn't work either. Thanks anyway
 

qubusqubus

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Feb 13, 2013
62
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18,635
Thanks for the suggestion. I have tried a clean re-install of Audacity 3.0.2 and it still doesn't work. Last time I also installed Lame. I haven't done that this time because I don't think that it should be necessary. Any other thoughts welcome. I have also just tried connecting the audio O/P from my iPhone, but that doesn't work either. Thanks anyway
I have managed to solve the Audacity problem. I did as you suggested, but this time I looked carefully at the set-up. I ended by changing a setting to Line In RealTex Audio. This fortunately did the trick. I think the answer is held in the old adage: When all else fails, read the instructions"
Many thanks for the prod in the right direction.
 
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Some free software packages are also available as a portable app (via portableapps.com), and I know this program is also included there.

I know you've solved your particular issue so this is just a general advice.

If the software that doesn't work also exist at portableapps.com, you should try that too. Because even if it's the same program and even version number, all the settings are located in the same folder structure as the portableapp software and doesn't interfere with the one you've installed by the OS.

In this case, there was a input channel setting that was wrong, I presume by active user interraction. If you'd downloaded the portableapp version of Audacity, you'd most probably experienced it worked whilst the installed version did not work - because the setting are not altered in the portableapp version (unless - of course - you alter this as the first thing you did after opening the program, and you probably would not do that for testing).