Puppy Linux Discussion Forum

[marlow]

Hello everybody. I am a complete beginner in the puppy world. As far a I have seen it, puppy is just the thing for me, though I have some troubles configuring things. For instance I would like to record sounds of my soundcard with mhWaveedit. I have read all the threads I found, concerning the same topic and did as I was told, but didn't get any results. The needles, showing input levels in mhWaveedit, just don't move. In alsamixer I muted everything I could except "master" and "front" (so I at least could hear the sounds), toggled "capture" and set "input source" on "mix". I tried every other combination I could think of and made sure the right soundcard was named in the upper left corner (at least it was the same one "alsa wizard" detected). I seem to miss something essential. Can anybody help? I wouldn't like to return to ms

[don570]

Just type 'retrovol' in terminal and choose your source.

If it's not installed you can easily install it yourself
http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?search_id=272182748&t=50744

Also make sure you install audacity as well. It's useful for editing and
recording.

http://puppylinux.org/wikka/Audacity

[marlow]

I tried retrovol already. It is mentioned in the puppy help pages. Though I find it easier to use, it still didn't help. Tried different settings without effect. Tried to put in a CD (can hear that with MPlayer just fine) and record something without any luck. Input source on "Mix" or "CD", no luck.
Right now "IEC958 Default PCM", "Master", "Front" and "Capture" are marked and boosted. Input source is set on "Mix". I have three capture sliders and according three Input sources. Tried all of them without effect.
I used audacity in ms windows. Great program. Will use it when I have something recorded to work on Thanks anyway.

[mow9902]

Alsamixer has 2 different views:
1. playback - these settings only affect how you HEAR sound (not how it is recorded)
2. capture - these settings only affect how sound is CAPTURED/RECORDED (not how it sounds when playing back)

In order to CAPTURE sound ie RECORD from the microphone the CAPTURE settings in alsamixer MUST be:
o capture L....R on the "capture" setting
o capture L....R on the "Mix" setting
o capture L....R on the "ADC" setting
o capture L....R on the "DAC" setting


# open a recorder application (say mhwaveedit) - make sure you have selected OSS Open sound system in the preferences
# go back to alsamixer - move over the to the mic (on the playback screen) , then mute it, and then unmute it again
# go back to mhwavedit and try a record.

I actually had to mute the mic setting in alsamixer, and then unmute it again .

[marlow]

Ok, here may be some problems identified. First, I cannot toggle capture on the mix setting. Nothing happens there when I hit the space bar. I have no ADC nor DAC setting. Will try to add a screenshot of alsamixer.
I had a look at the preferences in mhwaveedit. I guess what I had to look at was register "sound > settings". On "playback device" it said "default". On "recording device" it said "hd". Tried to put "OSS" in there. Result: error notice with start of "record" in mhWaveedit: no such file of directory. Maybe there is the prob?

[smokey01]

marlow, what you are trying to do I was able to do a few years back but lately I have had no joy.

If I could hear sound through my speakers from the sound card I could capture it with mhwaveedit, not so anymore, and I have tried.

[puppyite]

If you want to record music from an audio CD I recommend you rip instead of capture / record with mhWaveEdit.

Ripping bypasses the sound card and copies files from CD to hard drive digitally thereby creating an exact copy of the source tracks.

Try one of the following to rip audio from CD:

Pcdripper

RipOff CD Ripper

Asunder CD Ripper

To record sound fron an external source such as home theatre or stereo with mhWaveEdit see my How To

[don570]

You seem to have a very advanced sound card.
Multiple capture??? I have only one capture

The problem might be that the Linux people have
been slow to build in compatibility for this card.
In that case you should try the latest kernel.

The Puppy Linux with the latest kernel is
Ice Puppy. It's available here

http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?t=66836

It worked well on my machine, but it's highly experimental.

Also the latest Wary by Barry Kauler has a new method for
loading alsa that may solve some sound problems with
some machines.

http://bkhome.org/blog/?viewDetailed=02304

_______________________________________________

[marlow]

Hi smokey01, what you are saying is not quite hope inducing. Seems to me, I have to rely on ms windows (darn!)
puppyyite, I just tried to record from a CD to test if it was even possible even, when recording a stream from internet was not, but thanks anyway.
don570, your recommendation is way beyond my skills. But thanks anyway. I guess I will have a friend of mine let have a go on the problem. If he cannot sort it out, I admit defeat.

[smokey01]

marlow, I had another go at mhwaveedit but couldn't get it to recognise sound from the internet.

I had a lot more success with Audacity, with cords as suggested by puppyite. I plugged a 3.5mm male to a 3.5mm male jack from my headphone port into my line-in port. The volume needs to be turned down otherwise you get a lot of distortion. I'm not sure how safe this is on the equipment but it worked very well.

I still haven't worked out how to configure audacity or mhwaveedit to use the sound card as a sound source.

I might also try IcePuppy and Wary, as suggested by Don, as I have them both installed. IcePuppy is a brilliant distribution by pemasu.

I would rather not have to use cords which would improve my comfort level.

[gcmartin]

[smokey01]

gcmartin, connection between headphone socket > line-in socket:

IcePuppy - both mhwaveedit and audacity works

Lupu510 - audacity works but not mhwaveedit

It also works fine with mhwaveedit in Lupu 525.

Success at last.

I wish I could make it work without the cord though.

[rjbrewer]

Mhwavedit no cords;

Live radio stream from kcur, my local pbs station playing.

Puppy 4.12 full, Wary 098 full, Wary 5.12 live cd.

Retrovol capture set to about half
Capture .so set to mix.
Pcm and volume about half

Open mhwavedit and drag right side of window till red record button
shows

Click Record
Choose sample > cd quality
Start recording
Finish (when finished)
File > save as > name it
Save > where ever
Save as > mp3? > okay- it's saving
Close the windows (sites)
Drag named file to Play

Will try music cd next.

edit;

Recorded "Who Stole the Kishka" by Frankie Yankovic (World's
Greatest Polkas cd).
No problems.

edit;

It saves on the line that begins with the word "cursor". The subtle
difference in shading is not very obvious, so watch closely.

[smokey01]

rjbrewer, I'm not sure how you set the Capture .so to mix. I don't seem to have that option.

If you are talking about Input .so I only have Mic, Front Mic, Line and CD.

See attached.

[rjbrewer]

Strange, I'm not seeing any "mix" in your shot.

My laptop sound:
Intel 82801DB-ICH4
Sigmatel Stac9750,51