Line-in doesn't hear the music

[tcyclo]

I have a soundcard with only one input jack. It has a little picture of a mic next to it. I'm trying to record LPs from my stereo to WAV file. The line-in doesn't pick up any music no matter where the volume is set. It's not muted. There are only occasional soft clicks. When I switch to microphone i get very distorted music. Do I need a sound card with separate input jacks, or is there a way to enable the line-in to record line-level sound?
Here's what I'm using if it helps:
Dell Inspiron 4000 with ESS Maestro PCI Audio (WDM)
Wave Repair recording utility
Thanks
t

 

[shackrock]

the MIC jack is different then the line-in jack.

Line-in jack is plugging in things like a mixer to the computer, and then your mics into your mixer.
the Mic jack is for plugging a mic directly into your comp. Since mics always need a pre-amp - the soundcard must supply one, and in most cases it is VERY crappy - but it will do until you get to know what your doing at least.

you'll have to play around, but try just plugging in your mic straight into your mic jack, and play with the windows volume settings (open the volume settings menue, and then go to file, properties, and then select recording instead of playback - then just test your mic while ajusting those settings....if you get really distorted, its obviously to loud - just turn it down in the volume window like i said).

as for the line in, you cant just plug a mic into that and get loud enough vocals to hear - you'll need a pre-amp first (such as one on a mixer).

so does your soundcard have a MIC in or a LINE in?

 

[AlChuck]

Are you sure it's not muted? It usually is by default for recording, though it's usually enabled for playing -- meaning you'll hear through it but the recording software won't record from it. The recording controls are rather buried in the Windows mixer utility and hence this is often missed and one of the most common problems.

Here's a write-up that explains how to set up the soundcard via the Windows mixer:

http://www.cakewalk.com/Support/Lessons/WindowsMixer.htm