# Realtek HD Audio no stereo mix.. can't record from sound card



## Makino

Hello, I was recently trying to record something using Audacity, however I was unable to record anything from my sound card. On my old computer when I was using C-media, there was na option of stereo mix which allowed me to record sounds from my sound card.
I'm currently using Windows XP SP2, and I tried messing aorund with the Realtek mixer and sounds options in control panel with no luck. I'm hoping that someone can provide me with a solution if possible or any help would be greatly appreciated.


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## TheMatt

Hi, :wave:

Where is the source of the sound you want to record? The Lin-in?


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## audiomod

different cards do different things.

a few suggestions though: 

1) is audacity set up to use your sound card correctly - option (preferences) audio settings.

2) worst case scenario - plug the line out to the in and record - its hard work but it can be done if you really want that sample! old school lol.

luck.


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## TheMatt

audiomod said:


> plug the line out to the in and record - its hard work but it can be done if you really want that sample!


I do this all the time, it really isn't a problem with the right cables.


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## Makino

May I ask, how would I go about into plugging the line out to in? I'm not really that good with computers.


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## TheMatt

Get a Male to Male stereo 3.5mm cable. Radioshack will have that kind of cable.


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## d_lopez

Thank you sooooooooooooooooo much!! i've been trying to figure this out for a week already. didnt even think about doing that.


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## TheMatt

You're welcome.


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## samuraibunny

I was having the same problem, but I found a thread at another forum that solved my problem.

Credit goes to tuney from videohelp.com

Go to Sound in the Control Panel's classic view
Select the Recording tab and right-click any of the devices listed.
Check "Show Disabled Devices" and "Show Disconnected Devices".
Stereo Mix should show up. Set it as default.


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## porcupineDQ

That's a solution for Windows Vista, for XP sp2, I've found a similar approach, just go to your master volume settings, then for REALTEK HD Audio Input make sure stereo mix is checked. Then unmute it, then use Microphone input in Audacity with REALTEK HD Audio Input selected under Audio I/O. That should let u do it without the male to male 3.5mm cord.

On an interesting sidenote, if anyone has a crappy front panel with USB slots right next to the audio input, don't try feeling around it, apparantly connecting audio to USB will short out the comp


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## J Smith

Maybe you should try another sound recording software to find out the real problem. I've been using Crystal MP3 Recorder to record songs at home. It also can record sound with high quality. Hope it's helpful for you.


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## SuspectX86

Vista Recording problem solved

Follow these steps:
- Control Panel > Sound and Audio Devices > Sound > Tab: Recording
- Right click in list > Show hidden devices
- Right click on "What U Hear" > Enable

Set the "What U Hear" device as default. You do this by selecting "What U Hear" and pressing the button "Set as Default".

Next:
- Right click on "What U Hear" > Properties
- Tab: Levels
- Adjust the recordingvolume to the max. 100

Note: Not all drivers support the "What U Hear" function. Creative Audigy Se supports the funtion till:

Sound Blaster Live! 24-bit Vista Driver Update 1.1
version: 1.04.0065
Release date: 16 Feb 07

The answer ont his topic is your driver version. You probably installed a new driver or a beta that lacks features. One thing is sure is that latest drivers of creative audigy SE don't support "What U Hear" or the so called stereo-mix. I'm not sure if this is the case for all soundcards, but thats probably the case.

TIP: Do Not confuse your onboard stereo-mix with the one of your PCI soundcard. All recording devices listed have the concerning soundcard name noted beneath it.

That's the main reason that most people folowing these steps don't get any result


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## SuspectX86

*Vista Recording problem solved*

*Follow these steps:*
- Control Panel > Sound and Audio Devices > Sound > Tab: Recording
- Right click in list > Show hidden devices
- Right click on "What U Hear" > Enable

Set the "What U Hear" device as default. You do this by selecting "What U Hear" and pressing the button "Set as Default".

*Next:*
- Right click on "What U Hear" > Properties
- Tab: Levels
- Adjust the recordingvolume to the max. 100

*Note: Not all drivers support the "What U Hear" function. Creative Audigy Se supports the funtion till:*

*Sound Blaster Live! 24-bit Vista Driver Update 1.1
version: *1.04.0065
*Release date: *16 Feb 07

The answer ont his topic is your driver version. You probably installed a new driver or a beta that lacks features. One thing is sure is that latest drivers of creative audigy SE don't support "What U Hear" or the so called stereo-mix. I'm not sure if this is the case for all soundcards, but thats probably the case.

TIP: Do Not confuse your onboard stereo-mix with the one of your PCI soundcard. All recording devices listed have the concerning soundcard name noted beneath it.

That's the main reason that most people folowing these steps don't get any result

For the ones that can't get vista drivers at all, try altenative drivers: for example KX project drivers: http://kxproject.narod.ru/


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## placemat

samuraibunny said:


> I was having the same problem, but I found a thread at another forum that solved my problem..




samuraibunny, you are a star! I've been trying for ages to get my audio recorder to record desktop sound like it did through my Santa Cruz card on XP. But since i've switched to Windows 7, I haven't been avle to do it as the 'stereo mix' was no longer available, but thanks to you it is now, and all is working as it should!!!ray:

I even installed the 500mb Windows XP mode, and that didn't work either!!

Thanks again!:wave:


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## perryd

here is the solution for windows 7:

"Hi, here is a solution how to record the audio stereomix with the Realtek HD.

Open the Control Panel then go to Sound, go to record then right click and on "show the deativated ones". then right click on stereomix, attributes. then activate the stereomix."

http://www.techsupportforum.com/f23/realtek-hd-audio-stereo-mix-record-460599.html#post2588931


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## shtuppi

side note:

if you cant see a "what you hear" or a "stereo mix" option in your recording devices panel even after clicking "Show hidden devices", it could be becaus you dont have a sound card and your using the sound chipset that comes with the motherboard. most motherboard sound chipsets are not desighned to sopport recording (mic or speakers).

if that is the case for you, then even the worst case scenario cable solution that "TheMatt" offered above wont work for you (correct me if im wrong, "thematt"). there is no other option but to go and purchase a soundcard.
they dont cost much, 10-15$, and are easy to install by yourself. just dont forget to go to the BIOS afterwards and disable the chipset.


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## amerzang

i guess i am in the same boat here. i have an acer notebook, aspire 8730, vista ultimate. it has the realtek high def audio. i am trying to play music through the sound card. i found and enabled stereo mix but it doesnt work. it seems like it is muted but no settings show it as muted. i also read somewhere, i forget where now, but microsoft disabled it? i keep seeing this problem alot.. so any help or ideas would be greatly appreciated


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## edjer

If you have a Realtek Audio driver, the problem is most likely the driver. Do NOT get the latest drivers. Realtek drivers have somehow degraded to the point where they don’t support Stereo Mix. Get driver Vista_Win7_R237.

Your problem should be solved. You might still have to show hidden devices, etc, but most likely it will just show up.

Thanks to Epic_Geek for this answer.


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## ben2010

I know some software calledvirtual audio card/cable may work for recording.


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## pepsi co

i need help for xp


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## SuspectX86

edjer said:


> If you have a Realtek Audio driver, the problem is most likely the driver. Do NOT get the latest drivers. Realtek drivers have somehow degraded to the point where they don’t support Stereo Mix. Get driver Vista_Win7_R237.
> 
> Your problem should be solved. You might still have to show hidden devices, etc, but most likely it will just show up.
> 
> Thanks to Epic_Geek for this answer.


It´s not been degraded RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America)
has prohibited all soundcard manufactureres to support recording feutrures on their soundcards. thats the reason

Search for next article on google:
Dell Allegedly Colludes with RIAA, Stereo Mix Disabled without Forewarning

Also other brands were named and I recall seeing the same thing about Creative. I geuss the manufacturers are being threathened to disable the recording features or else pay for the billions of losses caused by ilegal recording and downloading of music.

But, yes it almost means the same, because of RIAA most manufacturers only support recording features in older sound-drivers.

On the other hand RIAA is an American Oganisation. Is it possible that there are still European or Asian manufacturers providing recording features on their devices??? I would like to know if someone knows this.

Because some day this will all be over, most of the drivers that still support recording were written for Vista and in most of the cases Vista drivers will just work fine under Windows 7, but someday there is going to be a new OS that won't be backwards compatible with these drivers, What do we do then???


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## cjc2000

edjer said:


> If you have a Realtek Audio driver, the problem is most likely the driver. Do NOT get the latest drivers. Realtek drivers have somehow degraded to the point where they don’t support Stereo Mix. Get driver Vista_Win7_R237.
> 
> Your problem should be solved. You might still have to show hidden devices, etc, but most likely it will just show up.
> 
> Thanks to Epic_Geek for this answer.


I really second this advice after having spent a day undoing W7 updates which replaced the Realtek driver with the generic W7 one which didn't seem to allow recording, either with W7's sound recorder or with Audacity. Strangely, freecorder worked - it must have its own software. I attempted to update to the latest Realtek drivers but got distorted sound. In the end I used update driver to install version 6.0.1.5322 dated 2006. Rolled back several years in fact. None of the later drivers work, so I will watch the optional hardware updates in Windows Update very carefully in future. And why doesn't the generic driver in W7 allow for recording "what you hear" or "stereo mix"?:4-dontkno


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## gertsy

cjc2000 said:


> I really second this advice after having spent a day undoing W7 updates which replaced the Realtek driver with the generic W7 one which didn't seem to allow recording, either with W7's sound recorder or with Audacity. Strangely, freecorder worked - it must have its own software. I attempted to update to the latest Realtek drivers but got distorted sound. In the end I used update driver to install version 6.0.1.5322 dated 2006. Rolled back several years in fact. None of the later drivers work, so I will watch the optional hardware updates in Windows Update very carefully in future. And why doesn't the generic driver in W7 allow for recording "what you hear" or "stereo mix"?:4-dontkno


Guy's I think you're missing the point. It Does!. There is nothing wrong with your sound card or your drivers. There is no conspiracy apart from you having to enable mix recording on your device. 
Previous posts explain how for different devices but for a 2011 Realtek on a current gigabyte MB and Windows 7 you simply:
1. Right Click on the speaker icon in the task bar. Choose: Recording Devices
2. Right Click on any recording device and check/tick "Show Disabled Devices"
3. The Disabled "Stereo Mix device" will appear at the bottom of the list but it will be greyed.
4. Right click on the "Stereo mix device" and select "enable"
5. You can now use the "Stereo Mix Device" in any of your fav recording programs.
6. No one has the right to stop you from using your computer to record the sounds it is playing. It is illegal for you to record copyrighted material based on the local laws of your jurisdiction.
7. There is not one Soundcard manufactured in the US.... & Who are the RIAA in the world scheme of things?
:wave:


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