Ubuntu
gnome-media package

Sound recordings are silent

Asked by DavidS

When I record from line-in or microphone using Sound Recorder in Feisty, the recording appears to work OK, but when I play it back, there is no sound. Volume control is set appropriately, and I can hear the input sound through the speakers during recording.

For instance, say I record as a .wav file: I hear nothing on playback, although the playback appears to be OK - it takes the appropriate amount of time etc. (This also happens if I use 'play' to play it back.) But other .wav files playback OK, so it is apparently the recording that has no data.

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Cesare Tirabassi (norsetto) said : 		#1

Check your Recording sliders. If you hear your voice from the speakers it could be that you set your Playback sliders but not necessarily the Recording ones.
Still in Recording, check also the mute and audio recording switches.
Check also that you have the right mic selected inthe Options Tab of Volume Control.
Finally, check in System->Preferences->Sound that Sound capture is set to Mic.

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DavidS (david-aeolia) said : 		#2

Sliders and switches in Volume Control seem to be correct, and I can hear sound from line-in (which is what I am trying to record from), or mic as appropriate.

I have no Options tab in Volume Control, nor is there a Mic option under System->Preferences->Sound.

I also tried recording in Audacity, with the same results - no signal is registered at all.

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DavidS (david-aeolia) said : 		#3

When I enter 'cat /dev/dsp > file' I find that /dev/dsp is producing 4096 bytes twice every second - these bytes all have the value x80, whether or not I have any input to the line-in or microphone sockets of the sound card.

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Best DavidS (david-aeolia) said : 		#4

By checking "Capture" in Volume Control preferences, I seem to have partly solved the problem. I can now record in Sound Recorder, although sound recording in Audacity is horribly metallic and "scratchy". Thanks for the help you have given.