Anyone know how to play/record audio using the line in function?

[Arkitech]

I'm trying to record a live mix using my DJ equipment. So far I have the mixer going into my receiver and from the receiver I have a connection going into the line in on my PC. The PC sees that the line in jack is connected but I don't hear anything when playing audio from my DJ equipment.

Any idea what could be wrong? Also not sure if this makes a difference or not, but the receiver that is sending the audio to the PC is also the receiver I use to play audio from the PC (but on different channels of course). Would that be a problem?

 

[NutBucket]

The PC won't do anything with the audio-in unless you use something like sound recorder to capture it to a file.

 

[Arkitech]

The PC won't do anything with the audio-in unless you use something like sound recorder to capture it to a file.

I'm using Audacity and Sound Recorder, but should'nt I hear sound of some sort?

 

[MrChad]

What output are you using on the receiver?

 

[Arkitech]

What output are you using on the receiver?

I'm using the Tape output. I tried a couple of others, but still got no sound

 

[MrChad]

Why not connect the mixer directly to the line in?

 

[Arkitech]

Why not connect the mixer directly to the line in?

Thx, it works that way perfectly. Although I still can't hear what's playing while it records. But since my mixer has 2 outputs I can use 1 for listening and the other for recording.


thx again for the tip. What kind of music do you listen to, maybe I'll put a mix together for you.

 

[kornphlake]

You probably want to use the tape monitor loop on your receiver so you can hear what is recorded as it is recorded, your owner's manual should explain how to pass the input to the record out then your pc's line out would connect to the record in for playback through the receiver. You'll have to set up your computer to playback from the line in, somewhere in the sound settings, perhaps the mixer, you'll have to check a box or slide a volume slider. It used to be pretty easy to setup, but the sound drivers in the last 10 years or so have become pretty crummy for making setups like this easy to do.

 

[Ross Ridge]

Thx, it works that way perfectly. Although I still can't hear what's playing while it records. But since my mixer has 2 outputs I can use 1 for listening and the other for recording.

You're running into two seperate problems. The first is with your receiver, most only allow for one source to be selected at time. Whatever source you select will be output to both the speakers and the tape out. Connecting your mixer directly to the PC is probably the best solution, but if your receiver supports a second room function you could also use that. With that you can connect your PC's line input to the second room out and select the mixer as the source for the "second room" while keeping the PC as the main source.

The second problem is that your PC also has its own mixer, one built into audio codec chip. If you're using Windows Vista or 7 however, they've hidden the controls for it and if you're unlucky they're not exposed at all. You can open up the mixer controls by clicking on the speaker icon in the task bar notification area (just to the left of time of day), and then clicking the icon at the top of the window that appears. A property sheet dialogue will appear, select the "Levels" tab on it. If you're lucky a bunch of sliders will apear, you may need to scroll down to find the one for line in. Make sure that it's not muted and slide the control over to the right to increase the volume. This will add the line in to the PC's output mix and you should be able to hear your external mixer on your reciever when the PC is selected as the source.

 

[Ross Ridge]

This will add the line in to the PC's output mix and you should be able to hear your external mixer on your reciever when the PC is selected as the source.

I just remembered one detail about this. The output mixer of a PC codec chip is is normally analogue, and so only works on with analogue outputs. It won't work if you're connecting your PC to the receiver using a digital optical or coaxial cable.

 

[bobdole369]

Your going to want to use the appropriate equipment for the job at hand.

http://www.m-audio.com/products/en_us/FastTrackUltra.html

Something like that combined with the appropriate ASIO software does exactly what you want. Putzing around with the onboard stuff will only drive you apeshit.