Setting up the PC

If you have successfully connected up equipment to your computer, as the audio is playing on the equipment it will also be playing on the computer through the computer’s speakers.

If you cannot hear audio playing through your computer, make sure that in Volume Control all of the volume bars for everything are turned up to the max. To get Volume Control either go (for Windows XP):

Start – Program – Accessories – Entertainment – Volume Control.

Figure 7

Or on the start bar there is an icon:

Figure 8

Double clicking on this icon will get the same result as using the method before.

Press Options, and make sure Advanced Controls are ticked. Make sure all of these controls are turned up to the max. Then press Options – Properties. There should be text that says “Show the following volume controls”. Make sure all of the boxes under that are all ticked. If some are not ticked, tick them, then press OK, then recheck that all volume levels are up to max.

Now, go to Options – Properties. There should be text that says “Adjust volume for” and then under that it will say “Playback” then under it “Recording”. There are 2 volume control panels. One for playback and one for recording. Select the other one than to what is selected now. (ie if playback is selected, select recording then press OK. (When you change the volume control, there will be different values under “Show the following volume controls”) Make sure all of the volume levels are set to max as well.

Now you should be able to hear audio from your hi-fi through your computers speakers! If it does not work make sure the Microphone controls on the Playback part are not muted. Also, in the Recording controls, you will notice you can press “Select” under each audio control. Try each one whilst trying to record in Audacity (see below). Which ever one records, that is the one you should select. For my computer I select StereoMix and that works.