Using audacity to record streaming audio?

[tsreyb]

I used to use audacity in Windows to record streaming audio - it was actually just an analog recording of what is sent to the speakers, but it was more than good enough for me. Audacity used as its input device the windows WASAPI interface.

In mint I'm playing the audio stream with banshee. I've got audacity running, but when I record I get nothing for all input choices - except for a mic input device, which is very low quality and records room sounds as well). I tried all possible input devices known to audacity on this system:

HDA Intel MID: ALC887 Analog (hw:0,0)
HDA Intel MID: ALC887 Alt Analog (hw:0,2): Front Mic:0
HDA Intel MID: ALC887 Alt Analog (hw:0,2): Rear Mic:0
HDA Intel MID: ALC887 Alt Analog (hw:0,2): Line:0
HDA Intel MID: ALC887 Alt Analog (hw:0,2): Front Mic:1
HDA Intel MID: ALC887 Alt Analog (hw:0,2): Rear Mic:1
HDA Intel MID: ALC887 Alt Analog (hw:0,2): Line:1
IVTV-0: Hauppauge WinTV PVR-150 (hw:2,0): Front Mic:0
IVTV-0: Hauppauge WinTV PVR-150 (hw:2,0): Rear Mic:0
IVTV-0: Hauppauge WinTV PVR-150 (hw:2,0): Line:0
IVTV-0: Hauppauge WinTV PVR-150 (hw:2,0): Front Mic:1
IVTV-0: Hauppauge WinTV PVR-150 (hw:2,0): Rear Mic:1
IVTV-0: Hauppauge WinTV PVR-150 (hw:2,0): Line:1
sysdefault: Front Mic:0
sysdefault: Rear Mic:0
sysdefault: Line:0
sysdefault: Front Mic:1
sysdefault: Rear Mic:1
sysdefault: Line:1
pulse: Front Mic:0
pulse: Rear Mic:0
pulse: Line:0
pulse: Front Mic:1
pulse: Rear Mic:1
pulse: Line:1
default: Front Mic:0
default: Rear Mic:0
default: Line:0
default: Front Mic:1
default: Rear Mic:1
default: Line:1



.. all of them record nothing but silence (other than "sysdefault: Front Mic:0", as I described previously)



has anybody had success recording a stream with audacity (or any other tool)?

[Ginsu543]

Try this:

1) Open Terminal and install PulseAudio Volume Control by issuing the following command:

Code: Select all

sudo apt-get install pavucontrol

2) Launch the PulseAudio Volume Control program by typing "pavucontrol" (without quotes) in Terminal and hitting ENTER.

3) In PulseAudio Volume Control, click on the "Input Devices" tab

4) Make sure to mute all unwanted sources of sound input

5) Click on the "Show" radio button and change the setting from "All Except Monitors" to "Monitors"

6) Play the music file in Banshee, and make sure one of the Monitors in Volume Control (in my case, it was called "Monitor of Built-in Audio Analog Stereo") is picking up the sound

7) For the Monitor that is picking up your sound, click on the green check button to "Set as fallback"

8 ) Launch Audacity and record

That allowed me to record music coming out of my computer speakers in Audacity without it sounding tinny and low (like a cheap mic).

[tsreyb]

Worked like a charm! Thanks for the detailed instructions.

[Ginsu543]

Cool deal!

[kf6eml]

Works like a charm!

Thanks very much

[Baldlygo]

Worked for me too - many thanks

[adfd1]

Newbie? Does an external mic have to be plugged into the PC? I have a Vostro 220 w/o a mic and would like to try to record sound from a U-tube video. How would I do that if its even possible. Mods if a new thread is required please let me know. Thanks -AD

[Ginsu543]

No, you don't need a mic at all. The point of the above instructions was to record sound directly from your computer sound output using Audacity. So, if you can hear the audio through your computer speakers (or plug-in earphones), you should be able to record it.

[adfd1]

No, you don't need a mic at all. The point of the above instructions was to record sound directly from your computer sound output using Audacity. So, if you can hear the audio through your computer speakers (or plug-in earphones), you should be able to record it.

Thank you! -AD

[adfd1]

It worked like a charm. Thnks -AD

[ajgreeny]

You might also like to have a look at audio-recorder, available in a ppa for ubuntu, https://launchpad.net/~osmoma/+archive/ ... o-recorder, but I assume also for other distros.

It is much simpler and smaller than audacity, which I also use a lot, but for basic recording of audio-streaming it is brilliant, with a single click to move from Built-in analogue stereo (Microphone) to Built-in analogue stereo (audio output)

[louischristopher]

Thanks for sharing such useful way to record streaming audio. As for me, I have used and would like to use TuneFab Screen Recorder to record streaming audio. Maybe you can have a try!

[Termy]

Yes. I sometimes use Audacity for my YouTube videos. I have the computer's internal input, and then I have my exterminal Behringer mixer into which a condensor microphone is plugged. I've yet to have any issues. The times I've stumbled, are when I've not set up the audio properly, on the OS side.