How do I open WIndows Mixer?

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randwill - 27 May 2008 18:59 GMT

I am trying to record some old vinyl records using a USB turntable and
software called Cakewalk Pyro. It works okay but some records top out too
loud. Supposedly I can adjust the recording volume using Windows Mixer.
When I click on "Open Windows Mixer" from within Pyro I get the message:
"There is a problem with your sound hardware. To install mixer devices go to
Control Panels, click Printers and Other Hardware and click Add Hardware."
Since I'm not trying to add any new hardware, only open Windows Mixer, I
don't know what to do. Any suggestions?

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Patrick Keenan - 27 May 2008 19:10 GMT

> I am trying to record some old vinyl records using a USB turntable and
> software called Cakewalk Pyro. It works okay but some records top out too
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
> Hardware." Since I'm not trying to add any new hardware, only open Windows
> Mixer, I don't know what to do. Any suggestions?

The mixer is tied to the hardware drivers. You should follow the steps, as
your audio hardware may not be properly installed.

Usually the executable for the Windows Mixer, which is a set of volume
controls, is "sndvol32". It's also called Volume Control, and if you make
a shortcut of the command "sndvol32 /r" (note the space before the /) it
will come up in recording mode, as opposed to the default playback mode.

HTH
-pk

HTH

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randwill - 27 May 2008 20:21 GMT

> The mixer is tied to the hardware drivers. You should follow the steps,
> as your audio hardware may not be properly installed.
[quoted text clipped - 9 lines]
>
> HTH

I clicked Add Hardware. The Hardware Update Wizard shows a yellow question
mark next to Multimedia Audio Controller. It searched and found no
software. What next?

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Patrick Keenan - 27 May 2008 20:58 GMT

> ?
>>
[quoted text clipped - 15 lines]
> mark next to Multimedia Audio Controller. It searched and found no
> software. What next?

Well, that does explain why the mixer doesn't open. For that particular
error to appear, it's most likely that the chipset driver, which runs below
the soundcard driver itself, is either not installed or is corrupt.

You need to install those drivers, but exactly how you do that depends on
your PC, specifically the motherboard in use. If you have a premade system,
like a Dell or HP or whatever, go to their support site. If your system
was built otherwise, determine the motherboard make and model and revision
(this is silk-screened on the board, so you can just open the case and look)
and go to the board maker's site and download the drivers and install them.

You may have a driver CD that came with your system, which will make the
task easier, too.

HTH
-pk

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randwill - 27 May 2008 21:50 GMT

> Well, that does explain why the mixer doesn't open. For that particular
> error to appear, it's most likely that the chipset driver, which runs
[quoted text clipped - 13 lines]
> HTH
> -pk

How do I identify what the needed "chipset driver" is? Downloads for my
motherboard are here:

http://www.soyo.com/content/Technical%20Support%20Downloads/155/&c=27&p=154&l=English

Two of the listed drivers have the word "audio" in them, but I don't know
which one or if either is what I need to install to correct my problem.

Thanks for the help.

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randwill - 27 May 2008 22:33 GMT

>> Well, that does explain why the mixer doesn't open. For that
>> particular error to appear, it's most likely that the chipset driver,
[quoted text clipped - 14 lines]
>> HTH
>> -pk

I installed the C-MEDIA Audio Driver for Win 98SE/ME/2000/XP ver:039 as this
is a newer version of a driver I also found on the disc that came with the
motherboard. When I run Hardware Update Wizard there is no longer a
Multimedia Audio Controller with a yellow question mark next to it.

But I still can't control the volume when recording in Pyro.

Pyro's instructions, that appear in a "Recording Help" window, tell me:
To view the Recording Controls:

1.. Click the Options menu and select Properties.
2.. The Properties dialog appears
1.. In the Adjust Volume For section of the Properties dialog, select the
Recording radio button.
2.. In the Show the Following Volume Controls section, the Line-in and
Microphone options should be checked. If they are not, check them.
3.. Click OK.
4.. The Recording Controls now appear in the Windows Mixer.
5.. Check the input you want to use, either Line In or Microphone
--- end of Pyro instruction quote ---

The trouble must be that I don't have a "Line In" in that box. I have only;
MIDI Synth,
"What U Hear", S/PDIF-In, CD Digital, Analog Mix (Line/CD/Aux/TAD/PC),
Microphone and Wave. I checked them all to make all the Volume faders
available but when I record in Pyro, moving the faders on any of these has
no effect on the volume.

So Pyro needs a "Line In" Volume Controller and I don't have one. How do I
get one?

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dadiOH - 27 May 2008 23:29 GMT

>>> Well, that does explain why the mixer doesn't open. For that
>>> particular error to appear, it's most likely that the chipset
[quoted text clipped - 45 lines]
> So Pyro needs a "Line In" Volume Controller and I don't have one. How
> do I get one?

"What U Hear" should work. If not...

1. Open the volule comtrol applet
2. Options
3. Properties
4. Tick "Recording"
5. In the window titled "Show the following sound contreols" tick "Line-in"
6. OK

Signature

dadiOH
____________________________

dadiOH's dandies v3.06...
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randwill - 27 May 2008 23:55 GMT

>>>> Well, that does explain why the mixer doesn't open. For that
>>>> particular error to appear, it's most likely that the chipset
[quoted text clipped - 55 lines]
> "Line-in"
> 6. OK

But I don't have a "Line In" to tick in that box, just the ones I listed.

If I open the Creative Volume Control, the sound card's software, I see a
"Record" fader there. It has a drop down menu that contains the same list -
MIDI Synth, "What U Hear", S/PDIF-In, CD Digital, Analog Mix
(Line/CD/Aux/TAD/PC), Microphone and Wave - that I see in the Windows
Recording Control > Properties > Show the following volume controls box.
Have the choices that Windows is suppose to offer, including the needed
"Line In", in that box been displaced by these choices that correspond with
the sound cards volume control software?

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dadiOH - 28 May 2008 11:23 GMT

>>> I installed the C-MEDIA Audio Driver for Win 98SE/ME/2000/XP ver:039
>>> as this is a newer version of a driver I also found on the disc that
[quoted text clipped - 51 lines]
> including the needed "Line In", in that box been displaced by these
> choices that correspond with the sound cards volume control software?

What the Windows program shows you is what is available via your sound card
and that varies card to card. Your "Creative Volume Control" shows you the
exact same thing and is, in fact, the same thing...make a change with one
program and it will also be displayed by the other program.

As I said before, use "What U Hear". You do NOT need a channel specifically
named "Line in". The "Analog Mix" seems like it should work too.

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Patrick Keenan - 27 May 2008 23:36 GMT

>>> Well, that does explain why the mixer doesn't open. For that
>>> particular error to appear, it's most likely that the chipset driver,
[quoted text clipped - 20 lines]
> longer a Multimedia Audio Controller with a yellow question mark next to
> it.

Well, the soundcard is installed properly now.

> But I still can't control the volume when recording in Pyro.
>
[quoted text clipped - 21 lines]
> So Pyro needs a "Line In" Volume Controller and I don't have one. How do I
> get one?

I'd check with the Cakewalk and turntable support, but also, some other
things.

Be sure that the drivers for the USB turntable are installed properly and
that if necessary it is set as the sound input source in Control Panel. It
may come with a volume control applet and that may be what you should be
adjusting - that would explain why none of the other volume controls affect
it.

Try downloading Audacity and recording there, and seeing how it responds to
volume changes with the various applets. It has its own mixer section,
which is more sophisticated than Window's. Audacity also has some vinyl
restoration plugins available, IIRC.

http://audacity.sourceforge.net/

HTH
-pk

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randwill - 28 May 2008 23:11 GMT

> I'd check with the Cakewalk and turntable support, but also, some other
> things.
[quoted text clipped - 14 lines]
> HTH
> -pk

The turntable came with Cakewalk Pyro and I followed the setup instructions
to the letter including the necessary changes in Sounds and Audio Devices
Properties. There are no drivers needed for the turntable.

After some experimenting I've decided that the volume can't be controlled
when using the turntable's USB connection and connecting to the computer's
USB input.

The turntable also has an RCA output cable coming from it. I plugged the red
and whites into a Y adapter mini-plug and stuck that into the sound card's
input. With the turntable now going straight into the sound card the volume
CAN be controlled with Windows Mixer.

I thought the whole point of the device was that it was a *USB turntable*,
but if you can't use Windows Mixer when it's hooked up that way, what the
heck?!

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