Why I hate digital

[supertramp1979]

I have cool edit 96. Tonight, when I ran out of my four track into the pc, it only picked up the right signal. Im running RCA out to 1/8" into the mic input on my PC. Its about as SIMPLE as it could get, yet with digital, it never seems to be the case. Let me start by saying ive done this very procedure before, with both left AND right channels working, producing a full and rich tone through cool edit. When I noticed the left signal wasnt working, I took my four track out and ran both the left and right RCA's into 2 monitors, to make sure the four track wasnt broke. Of course, both monitors gave me signal, with no problem. I ran it back into the PC and guess what? The left signal still wont get picked up! Isnt that funny? It would be funny but tonight Im pissed more than ever. For the last 4 years of my life Ive had this digital shit shoved right down my godamn throat, and having people tell me analog is unreliable, hissy etc etc. You know what? My parents told me that 8-track tape players are unreliable. I have an 8 track machine that records on 8-track cartridges. I record my band every week through that machine, on 8-tracks I dont want (anne murray, I will always love you,1979) and get this; never ONCE has it not worked. EVERY time it is PERFECT. Every single time it picks up both LEFT AND RIGHT. These are tapes from the 70s I record on. Anyone else want to tell me analog is unreliable?? Ive tried to have an open mind about this but every damn time...sorry im just ready to slam the table now, i just had to vent damnit
Any one know why my cool edit is pissing me off!?!?!?

[Blue Bear Sound]

That's unfortunate, but what do your computer setup/user interface issues have to do with "digital" recording?????

[supertramp1979]

Funny isnt it? Most peoples gripes are about how it sounds. I dont even know how digital sounds, or what it means. All I know is the easiest it is for me is just to use tape. And I take it out on digital because why else would I have to use a computer? For digital. And it isnt the computer interface. I ran a mic through it to test the stereo capabilities of it, the left and right both work. I tested out the very cable. It works A+. It has to be the the fucking digital recorder. I cant think of a time when I ran into an analog piece and it didnt give me signal in the left or right channel. Thats all im saying, but im not slamming the "sound" of digtal. I think analog sounds a little neater and is fun, but digital sounds fine too.

[DonF]

Im running RCA out to 1/8" into the mic input on my PC.

You might have better results if you plug it into the line input. Just a guess on my part.

[supertramp1979]

I already tried both ins. Same thing..

[supertramp1979]

PS Also too, mic line input is stereo, so why wouldnt both left and right be working? Like I said, ive run trough mic line before and had it working just fine. Im really open to any help

[chrisharris]

Originally posted by supertramp1979
PS Also too, mic line input is stereo, so why wouldnt both left and right be working? Like I said, ive run trough mic line before and had it working just fine. Im really open to any help

you have to set the tracks in the multitrack to record either "L" (default), or "R" or "Stereo"...

Is that it?

[chrisharris]

....






sorry if this isn't what you're talking about.

[Blue Bear Sound]

Originally posted by supertramp1979
I already tried both ins. Same thing..

Impossible.... a mic in is TOTALLY different than a line in.... if you send a line-level signal to a mic input, you're guaranteed degradation due to the impedance mismatch.

[chrisharris]

Originally posted by Blue Bear Sound
Impossible.... a mic in is TOTALLY different than a line in.... if you send a line-level signal to a mic input, you're guaranteed degradation due to the impedance mismatch.

I think he just meant that it's still recording the right only, Bruce...which is what makes me think that he hasn't armed the track to record in stereo...

[mixsit]

Originally posted by supertramp1979
Funny isnt it? Most peoples gripes are about how it sounds. I dont even know how digital sounds, or what it means. All I know is the easiest it is for me is just to use tape.
...I cant think of a time when I ran into an analog piece and it didnt give me signal in the left or right channel. Thats all im saying...

Yah.
And here's another analog analogy. When commercial tempreture control systems were pnuematic, you could walk up to the things and see and hear them work. Grab the parts and see them respond. Now it's all software driven, with the same kind of trade offs; can't do shit untill every little bit is in place.
Hell, they even used to hiss like analog.

[supertramp1979]

Thanks for all of the suggestions, to all. Im going to start messing with it right now, and try every combination known to man...

[supertramp1979]

After messing with it for about 20 minutes, I finally got the level meter to read out both left and right. Okay. The sample rate is 480,000, stereo, and 16 bit. I can CLEARLY hear the music coming from the computer speakers, so I know left and right is working fine. Whats pissing me off is when I hit "Record" on the cool edit, it WONT show the levels (db). Why? Is this supposed to happen? The biggest insult is this; when I do play back on the "cool edit" all I hear is digital noise, and popping. All the levels say Im fine, but once I hit record the levels dissapear, but I can still hear sound from my speakers. Should I just uninstall my cool edit? As of now its just a waste of space

[Strryder]

There is definetely a learning curve involved in getting just about any computer based setup working correctly, bear in mind that you are working with several DIFFERENT things at once..

1) Windows, have you correctly set up the windows mixer for your soundcard?

2) Soundcard, some, like the Delta and Echo ones have their own mixer panel that you will need to know how to use.

3) Software, have you correctly set up the routing, record channel, bit depth, and resolution in your software?

4) Have you set up the number and size of the buffers for both your software and soundcard?

5) Have you read the help files in your software?

It can take a bit of time, and a little thought to get your head around the signal routing inside a computer, but then, you could just buy a stand-alone CD burner and mixdown your 4 track cassette straight to CD and be done with it.

You should be plugged into the line input on the computer, (you ARE using a stereo path from the 4 track to the computer right?)and start by setting up Cool Edit to record at 16 bit /44.1 khz (CD quality) If you're recording at 48 khz and your soundcard doesn't support that sample rate, it will not work right.

In Cool Edit go to options/device order, and specify which audio drivers you wish to use, remove the wave mapper, and put your primary device inputs first on the list, also tick the box to "use in edit view"

Then go to options/device properties, and you will see a list of bit depths and resolutions that your soundcard supports.

If you right click on the meters, there should be an option for "show levels on record and playback"

Open up the windows mixer (speaker icon next to the clock, lower right of the screen), and make sure that only the line in is selected as a recording source.

[chrisharris]

Originally posted by Strryder
start by setting up Cool Edit to record at 16 bit /44.1 khz (CD quality)

Good post. The only thing I might disagree with is the 16bit part. I'm not familiar with CEP '96, but if it supports "32bit," and if your soundcard does - it's best to use it... only go to 16bit for your very final mixdown. There are long, boring, technical threads in this forum dedicated to the topic if anybody wants to read why...just throwing out my last 4 cents, lol.

[Jeff_D]

make sure that the rca to 1/8" adapter is a stereo adapter- the 1/8" plug should have a tip and ring and a sleeve- 3 contacts. If youe already resolved your problem then disregard- just one more thing to check.

and by the way- digital doesnt suck because you dont know how to work your equipment- theres definatley a learning curve- but thats just like anything- i bet i would have the same problems if i was using an analog format- if you dont like your puter then maybe buy a stand alone cd burner?- im assuming thats at least one of the reseans your transfering to digital. just some thoughts

/jeff

[Strryder]

Originally posted by chrisharris
The only thing I might disagree with is the 16bit part. I'm not familiar with CEP '96, but if it supports "32bit," and if your soundcard does - it's best to use it... only go to 16bit for your very final mixdown.

While this is all true, I think the main concern right now is getting at least a single "good" stereo recording into his computer, and if he's got a stock POS soundcard, (1/8 input jack) so he probably does, this might explain why after he's done recording, the whole track is just digital "noise", remember, he had it set up to record at 48 khz before, and it was a no-go.

[supertramp1979]

Hey guys, thanks for all the input. But I really blame cool edit. Like I said, I can clearly hear left and right, and I even recorded on my cheap 8 bit "sound recorder" in programs. And I get left and right. The sound card IS cheap. Typical common stock, but it worked at one point with cool edit, and it is showing me singns of life through that "sound recorder". Im going to try to re-install cool edit.

[Strryder]

ST-79,

Is your version of Cool Edit capable of multi-tracking, or is it just a stereo editor?

Either way, with a cheepo stock soundcard I would make sure that CE is set-up to record at 16 bit 44.1 khz, at least for starters, and once again, read the help files, lots of good info should be in there.

[LemonTree]

[QUOTE]Hey guys, thanks for all the input. But I really blame cool edit.


How can you blame a program you obviously know nothing about? The term RTFM springs to mind.

Alec

[LemonTree]

and set cool edit to record at 16bit 44.1Khz, your cheap ass soundcard probably doesn't support 48Khz playback

[chrisharris]

Originally posted by LemonTree
and set cool edit to record at 16bit 44.1Khz, your cheap ass soundcard probably doesn't support 48Khz playback

Yeah...it's sound like rice crispies if you're trying to play back 48K. Same thing if you're trying to play back 32 bit with an older card. Just digital shit.

Okay, so where are we...did you get left and right to work? I got the sense from one of your posts that you DID get it to record in stereo...but that the level meters disappeared on record and you were getting a lot of distortion. Should be fixed by the "show levels on play and record" thing mentioned earlier, as well as by setting everything to 16bit/44.1 -

If you still couldn't record after that, I assume you threw your computer out the window and won't be posting back.

[chrisharris]

Well, this is ironic. Hey man, did you ever figure out what your problem was?

I just installed a new soundcard on one of my computers, and it is doing the EXACT same thing, I think. Everything is running through the line in....when I play a DI'd guitar through a preamp into the line in, I can hear it fine...when I double click on the meters, I'm getting good levels...

....BUT AS SOON AS I HIT RECORD, THE LEVEL METER GOES TO NOTHING AND IT'S NOT RECORDING?!?!?!?!?!!?!

WTF?

[supertramp1979]

Hey whats going on chris? The problem isnt fixed, no. But my step dad came in last night from a trip and its 7:15 in the morning right now. Once he wakes up ill bitch to him...it always goes like this. I get a problem, I run downstairs and tell him somethings up. And he comes up and tries it out and it works perfectly and I look a) nuts or b) just simply inept. But I have faith that he'll figure something out, and if I get any adaptable info, ill certainly pass it along. The problem with computers is that they seem fragile to me, something that might work and might not. When when it doesnt work, you cant just take it apart and look inside.

[chrisharris]

Hey man...let me know if you're still having problems...I learned a LOT about CEP on Friday, lol. Maybe I can help....probably not, but MAYBE, lol.