Interference on XP Sound Recorder

[Guest]

I have been using XP Sound Recorder successfully to burn language lessons on
to CD. I have extended Sound Recorder's standard time by inserting blank
files so that I can record for up to 5 minutes at a time (got that tip on
this noticeboard so thanks!).

Now, however, after one minute of recording I get very loud "hissing". It
can last for a minute or even for the remainder of te recording so that
nothing can be recorded.

Thinking it might be a bug in XP Sound Recorder, I downloaded Audacity
freeware (also found out about that here so thanks again!) but exactly the
same happens.

I doubt it is a problem with the mike as I use it extensively for Skype
phone calls.

Could some guru out there in Cyberspace help me get back to what was a very
simple and effective way of learning French, please??

I wait with eager anticipation! Thanks for looking at this - Hamish

 

[Guest]

Sound recorder in xp is really pretty lam software...To record,capture,or
convert audio/video nothing beats windows encoder 9 series.You can record
till youre hds are full...As for the interferance,open device mgr,expand the
sound,R.click on the sound hardware one @ a time,select uninstall (do not re-
start pc),after all hardware for sound is uninstalled,close out,shutdown pc.
If you have a PCI sound card,unplug pc,move card to other PCI slot,start pc,
xp will reinstall at start-up...

 

[Guest]

Audacity (sound file editor, recorder)
http://audacity.sourceforge.net/

Audacity Manual Contents
http://audacity.sourceforge.net/manual-1.2/

 

[Sharon F]

Thinking it might be a bug in XP Sound Recorder, I downloaded Audacity
freeware (also found out about that here so thanks again!) but exactly the
same happens.

Since the hissing happens in other audio software as well as sound
recorder, I would suspect a hardware problem or methodology. Things to
check would include:

-microphone connection: it should be "solid". Some connectors a bit
slippy-slidey. If this is the case with your microphone - try one with a
connector that fits more tightly.

-placement of other hardware can cause interference. Things like wireless
mice, wireless keyboards, portable phones, car phones, poorly shielded
speakers.

-on the software side of things: have your system as "idle" as possible
when recording. In other words, end task on programs you are not using.

-If burning directly from recording software to CD - don't. Instead, record
to a file on the hard drive. When finished, then burn the file to CD. This
will avoid the burner having to wait around for data to be processed before
it can be burned.