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configuring your computer to record audio
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By Mike Sullivan
Many of the newer digital recorders sold today come with a USB cable connection and software that makes it easy to connect the recorder to a computer for the purpose of downloading audio files. However, there are older or less expensive recorders that do not have USB capabilities, including many fine digital recorders as well as most mini cassette and full size cassette recorders. The instructions below will provide basic information for setting up your computer to record audio once you have connected the 1/8 to 1/8 cable from your recorder to the "Line In" jack of the computer (See Basic Instructions For Connecting An Audio Recorder To A Computer for connection instructions).

Note: These instructions are for Windows based computers only. The illustrations may vary between the various Windows versions but the procedure is the same


With The Exception Of Windows Vista.

Unfortunately, Microsoft has removed the "Recording Control" options from Vista thus restricting our ability to record audio. Recording audio from the sound card will be dependent on your system's sound card and drivers. Because of this your recording options may differ, but for myself and others I've spoken with, this has resulted in the inability to hear the audio as it is being recorded (using Wave Pad or other audio software). This is a major inconvenience since I now need to watch the wave forms carefully to know when the recording has begun and when to press stop once it has ended. However, it did record the audio and I was able to listen to and edit it in the usual way once the recording had completed.

Note: Some portions of this tutorial were excerpted from the product literature.


AUDIO ADJUSTMENTS

To begin, double (left click on the speaker icon in the system tray which is located in the lower right hand corner of the screen. This will bring up the Windows sound mixer panel. It will open up with a screen that looks similar to the illustration titled "Volume Control".

There are no changes necessary on this screen.



Note: Some Windows versions will have the word "Mute" instead of "Select" as shown here.
You will then need to click on Options from the menu located at the top (left) to bring up a screen that shows this:
Click in the Recording (center) radio-button. Then in the lower section under " Show the following volume controls"  make sure Microphone and Line In (if it is listed) are checked off. Now click OK and you'll see the screen "Recording Control" appear.
To download audio files from your recorder using the 1/8 to 1/8 cable you'll need to check the "Line In" "Select" box. If you want to record into the computer via the microphone then you would check the Microphone "Select" box as shown in this illustration. Note: For those using a laptop without a "Line In" option, you'll need to use the "Microphone" jack so the settings will be the same regardless of whether you're using the download cable or a microphone.