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On this page you can find the answer to the most frequently asked questions about the
operation of the Sound Recorder and Editor.
Frequently asked questions about the order and payment process are answered on another page.
Click on the question in the list below, to jump directly to the answer:
| Q: |
Stereo Mix and Wave sound sources disappeared.
Can I no longer record from the Internet or other internal sources? |
| A: |
On Windows XP (or older) the situation simply is that if no Wave or Stereo Mix sound source is listed, then recording from the Internet is not possible. You need a sound card with the "full duplex" feature for this to work. If you are using Windows Vista and your sound card still does support the Wave or Stereo Mix sound source, you first have to enable it.
To do that, follow the steps proposed by the Recorder on Windows Vista (as of version 6.0). If after following those steps still no Wave or Stereo Mix sound source is listed, then the sound card does not have that option. You need a sound card with the "full duplex" feature for this to work. |
| V: |
The Windows Media Player says that the sound file cannot be burnt on CD because its length is unknown, or copyright information is missing.
Why is this? |
| A: |
Version 11 of the Media Player contains a fault in that you must first add sound files to the Library of the Media Player, before adding them to the Burn list. Only then it is able to determine the length and that copyright restrictions do not apply. |
| Q: |
Can I record an Internet broadcast through RealAudio or Windows Media Player for example? |
| A: |
You can if the Recorder lists a sound source named Wave, Stereo Mix, What You Hear, or something in similar wording. This kind of source must be supported by your sound card and its driver software.
If you do have a sound source named Wave or Stereo Mix, you can record from virtually any sound source that is audible through the computer
speakers, including Internet broadcasts.
Just make sure to follow these steps:
- First start play-back of the Internet broadcast in the player you are
using.
- Wait for the player to start play-back. First it will download a couple of
seconds of sound, before it starts play-back.
- Then start the Sound Recorder and select the appropriate sound source.
The names of the sound sources differ from one system to another, but the sound source for
recording is usually named Wave, Stereo Mix,
What You Hear, or something in similar wording.
The Sound Recorder will automatically select the appropriate recording quality if needed.
- Start recording in the Sound Recorder.
Optionally you can restart play-back in the player you use, to record the whole sound clip from
the beginning.
Note that on certain computers you cannot change the recording quality to anything
other than that of the sound quality of the Internet broadcast.
Also on certain computers you will get an error message in the player, about not being
able to access the sound card, if you started the Sound Recorder before starting play-back
in the player. In that case the selected recording quality in the Sound Recorder
window does not match that of the Internet broadcast and then the player cannot access the
sound card for play-back. Just follow the steps explained above, to resolve this conflict. |
| Q: |
The CD's I create with your recordings play back on my computer,
but not on my home or car player.
What is wrong? |
| A: |
If the CD's cannot be played back on a regular CD player, then this can
have several reasons. The most common reason is that the CD was not created correctly
with your CD-burning software. Most CD players require the CD-recording-session to be
closed. For more information on creating standard Audio CD's and CD-recording-sessions,
please refer to the manual of your CD-burning software.
Another possibility is that you created a Data CD with the sound files. This kind of CD
is not recognized by regular CD players. Make sure you create an Audio CD instead and to
"close the session" on the CD. If none of the above applies, then try burning the CD at a lower speed. Burning at speed 1X instead of any higher speed supported by your CD-burner or CD's, causes a "deeper burn" which may work better on older CD players. |
| Q: |
I cannot open or save mp3 files. Why is this? |
| A: |
You probably have an old version of the software installed. Older
versions of the software made use of third-party mp3 codecs that are already installed on
your computer for saving and opening mp3 files. Starting with version 3.0 we have
included full mp3 and mp3PRO support, thus not depending on third-party mp3 codecs
anymore. |
| Q: |
My recordings contain pops, skips or other distortions, while the
original sounds fine. What is wrong? |
| A: |
If your computer is sufficiently equipped (see System requirements), this could be caused
by a defect in the sound card hardware, but most likely it is caused by a problem in the
software driver of your sound card.
The Sound Recorder is totally depending on the quality of the sound card hardware and
software driver, for the digitizing process.
Here are some recommendations and things to check, in order of likeliness that they cause
the problem:
- Check if there is an update available for the software driver of your
sound card.
Most manufacturers of sound cards have an Internet site where free updates can be
downloaded.
- Make sure that no other tasks are active on your computer, while you are
recording.
The activity of other tasks, could have a negative impact on the response time of other
processes like the recording process, causing short skips and pops.
Do not forget about the tasks sitting in the "system tray" of Windows. That is
where the clock is displayed, at the bottom right hand of the screen. Usually this is
where programs like virus scanners are active.
Also, if you have a continuous Internet connection (through cable or (A)DSL for example),
it is best to disconnect it while you are recording.
- Check the hard disk light on your computer.
While recording, it should blink just shortly every 2 or 3 seconds. If the light blinks
constantly and if you constantly hear hard disk activity while you are recording, then the
speed of your hard disk could be the problem.
What might help then, is to de-fragment your hard disk. This can be done with the hard
disk de-fragmentation tool that comes with Windows and it can be found in the Start menu
under Programs / Accessories / System tools / Defragmentation.
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| Q: |
I have no sound output, except from your program.
Why is this? |
| A: |
The Sound Recorder and Editor both automatically make sure that the
volume is set correctly when it starts, but other programs most times don't do this
automatically.
If you don't hear any sound when the Recorder or Editor is not running, then you can
manually control the sound channels on your system with the Windows volume controls.
To open the Windows volume controls, double click on the little speaker icon in the task
bar of Windows (near the clock) and make sure that the volume slider for the Wave channel
is not set too low or even muted. |
| Q: |
Can I paste and merge pieces of sound in the Editor? |
| A: |
No.
The primary purpose of the Sound Recorder and Editor, is to digitize and prepare existing
recordings on vinyl or tape, before you record them as separate tracks on audio CD's.
Pasting and merging pieces of sound, is used to create new sound effects and this is not
what the Editor is designed for. |
| Q: |
Why is the disk full so quickly? |
| A: |
Sound files are very large files. Specially sound files that are suitable
for making an audio CD take a lot of disk space, because they contain the information for
two-channel (stereo) sound with a frequency of 44.1 kHz.
For each second of digital sound, you need approximately 172 Kb of free disk space. That
is approximately 10 megabyte for each minute.
Please note that the actual amount of required disk space depends on the selected
recording quality.
As soon as you have recorded the sound files on an audio CD, you can of course remove the
files from disk again. |
| Q: |
Why is the amount of available disk space not decreasing after I
recorded something? |
| A: |
A new recording is always stored on the hard disk as a temporary file.
While recording, the amount of available disk space on the disk that is used to store the
temporary file will decrease.
This is indicated in the Sound Recorder window, as the time that the new recording can
last before the disk will be full.
After recording, when you save the new recording to another disk with the Sound
Editor, the used space will be released on the disk that was used to store the temporary
recording file and this space will then be reused for the next recording. |
| Q: |
How can I minimize the window? |
| A: |
You can minimize the window, by choosing Minimize in the
system menu of the window. To show the system menu, click on the icon on the left in the
title bar.
The Sound Recorder and Editor has a help button in the title bar of the window. With this
help button you can click on the controls in the window to see a short description of the
control.
In Microsoft Windows it is unfortunately not possible to show both a help button and a
minimize button. |
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