Screen Capture X5 Audio problems

[RobertOZ]

Kenneth Evans wrote:

On the other hand you are using VS6 which works, according to RobertOZ

That Ken is the most frustrating part of this problem, Video and audio capture work perfectly in X6, yet audio capture just will not work in X5 and remember Ken, prior in installing X6 I could not even capture video with X5, that's what leads me to believe that the issue is program related, not OS. Is it a corrupted file or .dll in my copy of X5, only Tech Support can answer that question. I did try copying the screencap files from X6 into X5 but unfortunately it didn't work.

Ken, if you're prepared to spend a little time on this, download the trial of X6 and see if you can capture audio, there is no need to uninstall X5

Robert

[lata]

Hi Guys

I did say that at one time I have X5 installed on the laptop and was able to record System Audio. Also as far as I know both Brian and Ken are able to record audio?

My daughter has just installed X5 on her Windows 7, I will give the screen capture a go and report back, the screen capture has never been used so all settings will be as default.

[yvonne chuang]

Dears,

This is Yvonne, the product manager of VideoStudio.

I am sorry to hear the poor technical support experience and I do wish that you can have the problem resolved.
So here is the update.

The fix for system audio in X6 was actually also included in VSX5 Service Pack1, if you are using a X5 Full or Trial version, you can try SP1.
However, the X6 has been released recently, so it might be a problem to download X5 Trial version now. If you have installed it before and expired, then it is no way to use trial version again.

So, if you are in X5 Full version, then try to install SP1 and let me know how the result is.

One more information to share with you about one known issue in screen capture (audio recording), we have found in some ASUS laptop models, the audio capture is failed. And we also reported to ASUS for the audio driver issue, however, it is difficult to push them to fix for us.
Meanwhile, our engineer will also try to find work-around to get this resolved for these ASUS users.

Thanks,
Yvonne

[RobertOZ]

Hi Yvonne,

Thank you for taking an interest in this issue.

I have SP1 installed in X5 Ultimate, but still cannot record system audio on my HP Pavilion Elite Desktop. If the fix for this issue was supposed to be included in SP1, then on some systems it did not correct the problem, but I have no problem recording sound with X6. Is there no way we can copy the relevant files from X6 into X5 to see if this corrects the issue, surely those files would be the same and therefore interchangeable.

It's so frustrating be able to screen capture video and audio in X6 but not X5

Robert

[lata]

Hi Guys

Thanks Yvonne for your quick reply and input here…….

Robert
I did not have time to test the daughters pc, on reflection I guess its not gonna help, unless that one is also faulty??.

I was not gonna mention my experience with the wifes laptop (W7) as it may detract from the issue, basically I have to run the program in XP Compatibility mode.
Now System Audio is not supported by XP, however you can set the Voice Audio to use Stereo Mix instead of the Mic input.

Now I can record “what I hear” that is System Audio.

It would be interesting to know if Compatibility mode helps for you?

[Kenneth Evans]

After further research this is what I have come up with:

This is on Windows 7 on my computer. There is no "Stereo Mix" in Control Panel | Sound. Instead there is "Rec. Playback".

1. "Rec. Playback" is Dell's version of "Stereo Mix" and is the same thing. This should be enabled and available in Sound | Recording tab. It doesn't have to be the default. If it is enabled and not available, I have found making it the default and then setting the default back to the microphones makes it available. If it isn't visible, try right clicking and set "Show Disabled Devices", then enable it. It is my understanding that if you don't have one of these devices that does a loopback, then you cannot record sound going to the speakers. All these options are provided by the sound card in your computer. I haven't actually verified that this works, because it doesn't work for me, but there are lot of posts out there indicating this is the right thing to do.

2. You can get to Sound by right clicking the sound icon in the System Tray. If you select "Recording Devices", you will go right to the Recording tab of Sound, where these settings are made.

3. If you right click the sound icon and select "Open Volume Mixer", you will get volume controls for various things including apps. If in the Properties for "Rec. Playback" in Sound, you check the Listen box in the Listen tab, then "Rec. Playback" shows up in the Volume Mixer. I'm not sure what else this check box enables. It shouldn't be necessary to enable recording from "Rec. Playback" (as I read it).

4. I believe these are the right things to do. On my computer, I still get a silent sound track. I am coming to the conclusion it is the sound card on my computer. There is some indication Dell sometimes disables this so you can't copy copyrighted audio.

5. I wrote my own program to record from any of the enabled devices. (It isn't that hard.) I get the expected results (noisy because it is the mic listening to the speakers) from the microphone and a silent track from the others, including "Rec. Playback" with all combinations of the options I can think of. (I don't expect sound from the others as they are not connected.) In addition, the volume slider next to "Rec. Playback" in Sound never shows any volume. I have also tried capturing sound using Audacity, set to "Rec. Playback". It also gives a silent track. (BTW Audacity, which is free, is a way to view and edit the sound waveform, something Video Studio doesn't have. You have to extract the sound track as it doesn't handle video files.)

6. There are indications that things like Freecorder work because they record the audio from an application, not from "Rec. Playback" or its equivalents. It is a browser plug-in. Note that the Volume Mixer has sliders for applications. I haven't figured out how to access the sound from applications, yet (assuming it is possible without being a plug-in).

All this still doesn't prove it can't be made to work. If anyone has information to add to this, perhaps that will help. Input as to settings from anyone that has Screen Capture using "System Audio" working would help. I could get the demo of VS6 and see if that works for me, but I am not ready to do that yet. It's not that I need it that badly. It more like it's a puzzle.

[lata]

Hi Ken

Thanks for the update, even though you haven’t managed to record system audio.

As mentioned I still have to try on the daughters pc, next time I visit I will give it a go, if I have problems It will give me the opportunity of finding a solution, at the moment every system I use works, you cannot fix it if its not broken, and as it may need a tweak I will take screen shots of the properties panel, even if its to remind me what I did.

I have to agree that different pc use different audio cards and drivers, maybe installing an alternative driver would help, but as I say till I find a problem……….
Don’t think I have ever wished a system would be faulty.

Robert does say that X6 works whilst X5 does not which would point to the program not the Audio Driver

My wifes PC had a problem where I had to run the program in XP Compatibility, fixed last night. But I mentioned earlier that System Audio is not supported by XP, however you can set up Voice recording to use any input including Stereo Mix. Just another option.

[Kenneth Evans]

The fix for system audio in X6 was actually also included in VSX5 Service Pack1, if you are using a X5 Full or Trial version, you can try SP1.
However, the X6 has been released recently, so it might be a problem to download X5 Trial version now. If you have installed it before and expired, then it is no way to use trial version again.

So, if you are in X5 Full version, then try to install SP1 and let me know how the result is.

Yvonne, thanks for your reply and interest. I do have VS5 Ultimate full, and I do have SP1 installed. It is not working as described more fully above.

As mentioned I still have to try on the daughters pc, next time I visit I will give it a go, if I have problems It will give me the opportunity of finding a solution, at the moment every system I use works, you cannot fix it if its not broken, and as it may need a tweak I will take screen shots of the properties panel, even if its to remind me what I did.

Trevor, thanks for helping. What would be most interesting for me at this point is whether you (or anyone that has it working, including for VS6) see the volume bar moving on "Stereo Mix" or "Rec. Playback" in the Record tab of Sound when recording System Audio. For me it never does.

[lata]

Hi Kenneth

First have you managed to sort the Audio Screen Capture issue……….?

Sorry for the long delay in replying to you, I did try the daughters PC with no problems, the Stereo mix option was however disabled, but simply enabling allowed for audio capture.
Your image posted 11th March does not show a Stereo Mix option.
Now I have just upgraded my OP from XP to Windows 7, today I installed X5 and tried the Screen Capture, no go on the Audio capture.
I have to say that the audio is on board, part of the mother board, to date I have not installed any Mother Board drivers. I hope when I do the audio will work ok.

I can only assume X6 will be the same, I intend to install before I update the mother board.

I will get back to you on that……….

[lata]

Update

Hi Kenneth.

Well after installing X6 and the Screen Capture worked ok I was able to capture system audio. I did not look to deeply, just know I did not get an error and the capture included the audio.
Video Studio X5 was still giving problems.

As mentioned I have just installed Windows 7, the installer used the default drivers from Microsoft, a High Definition Audio. I noticed that in the recording properties there was no Stereo Mix available
I downloaded and installed the current driver from ASUS, (my main board manufacturer) this provided the Stereo Mix option and after a few tweaks I was able to successfully record audio.
I now see the driver via device manager as Via High Definition Audio.

Recording Properties From the Listen tab I had to set Playback through this device as “SPDIF Interface (VIA High Definition Audio)

Ken, when you view the Recording options do you see Stereo Mix, the image you posted earlier does not show this option.
Go to your device manager and view the description of the Sound Devices, are you using the windows default.??

Update your audio drivers.
Google the web for your main boards manufacturer and check for the latest Audio Drivers.

[Kenneth Evans]

Update

Hi Kenneth.

Well after installing X6 and the Screen Capture worked ok I was able to capture system audio. I did not look to deeply, just know I did not get an error and the capture included the audio.
Video Studio X5 was still giving problems.

As mentioned I have just installed Windows 7, the installer used the default drivers from Microsoft, a High Definition Audio. I noticed that in the recording properties there was no Stereo Mix available
I downloaded and installed the current driver from ASUS, (my main board manufacturer) this provided the Stereo Mix option and after a few tweaks I was able to successfully record audio.
I now see the driver via device manager as Via High Definition Audio.

Recording Properties From the Listen tab I had to set Playback through this device as “SPDIF Interface (VIA High Definition Audio)

Ken, when you view the Recording options do you see Stereo Mix, the image you posted earlier does not show this option.
Go to your device manager and view the description of the Sound Devices, are you using the windows default.??

Update your audio drivers.
Google the web for your main boards manufacturer and check for the latest Audio Drivers.

Trevor,

Thanks for your help. It appears it works for you with VS6, as for others. I see you had difficulty getting it working on Windows 7 for VS5 and that a new audio driver was a key item.

I see there has been no further response from Yvonne Chuang, who said the fix for VS6 was supposed to be in the VS5 update. She also said there was still a problem with ASUS, which you seem to have got around with the new driver. I don't have an ASUS computer, and it still doesn't work for me. Whatever the problem, it looks like it is not fixed in the VS5 update. Only Corel would know the details and be able to check.

I will note again that my computer has no "Stereo Mix", but it does have "Rec. Playback" which is Dell's version of the same thing. For the record I did try a new driver (dated 2010 and the last available for my computer), and I was able to record from "Rec. Playback" in my own test application and get a non-zero level. However, pretty much nothing else worked. VS would not play the captured video at all (as opposed to before when it played the video but there was no sound). It would not even play it when I split off and deleted the audio track. Other applications also did not play the captured video, and other things did not work. I had to revert.

It is clearly possible on my computer to record the sound coming from the speakers. Freecorder does just fine, and VS6 appears to work.

Unless someone at Corel is willing to address the problem with VS5, it is likely to remain broken. I had a large project which VS4 handled well for me. I upgraded to VS5 owing to the good experience. In contrast having things not work as advertised is not a good experience, and a working screen capture is not worth the price for me to upgrade. I try to avoid upgrading to get bug fixes in any event. (It just encourages the developers to not fix bugs.)

It's been pretty frustrating, and I've spent more time than I should have on it.

[lata]

Hi Ken

I have been double checking my settings and findings using Windows 7 and X5 for screen capture.
I may have been a little mistaken in some of the info, don’t get me wrong I can capture sound.
The option for System Audio still remains unavailable however I do have the option to record my sound using the Voice option, not the Mic input but Stereo Mix which I now understand to be your Playback Rec option.

From the Screen Capture Settings we can choose the Voice -- Sound Check, this allows me to choose an “Input Device”, and I have Stereo Mix as an option, see image below.

This is the same options I had to use when running Windows XP.

Do you see this option?

Oh just to confirm--- if you do try to select System Audio you are told “no System Audio was detected”

[Kenneth Evans]

Hi Ken

I have been double checking my settings and findings using Windows 7 and X5 for screen capture.
I may have been a little mistaken in some of the info, don’t get me wrong I can capture sound.
The option for System Audio still remains unavailable however I do have the option to record my sound using the Voice option, not the Mic input but Stereo Mix which I now understand to be your Playback Rec option.

From the Screen Capture Settings we can choose the Voice -- Sound Check, this allows me to choose an “Input Device”, and I have Stereo Mix as an option, see image below.

This is the same options I had to use when running Windows XP.

Do you see this option?

Oh just to confirm--- if you do try to select System Audio you are told “no System Audio was detected”

X5 Sound Check.jpg

Hi Trevor,

I tried what you said using Voice with Sound Check set to "Rec. Playback". In the Sound Control Panel "Rec. Playback" was enabled and set to Default, and I picked the Speakers/Headphones as the "Playback through this device" option on the Listen tab. (I also tried it with "Default Playback Device".) It recorded but there is still no sound. (I had tried this before.) I have checked that all the volume controls I can find are set to high, and I can play a sound clip in VS5 and hear it loudly.

In the meantime I got a notice for SP2 and installed it, then tried again. Unfortunately still no sound.

If I select "System Audio", I do not get any message such as “no System Audio was detected” and "System Audio" in fact works, except there is still no sound (now using SP2).

It is clear there are problems using this method to capture sound, at least with a lot of computers. It looks like VS6 does it a different way as does Freecoder. It's too bad the VS6 fix didn't get in SP2.

BTW while Freecorder works for me it is inconvenient not only because of the extra steps but because the playback length is a little different from the video and it is very difficult to sync them.

Again, thanks for all the effort you have done to help.

[lata]

Hi Ken

For some reason I thought you were getting the error message related to “no system audio selected”

Ok when I first set my audio I recorded what appeared to be audio but no sound, the Sound Mixer just showed a straight line, but after hitting a few options it now works.
Now what did I press?
Time to retrace my steps………….

[lata]

Hi Ken

Well I seem to have missed a step out when setting the new audio drivers properties.
Unfortunately this makes my set up easer than ever.

The Playback tab showed the default tab to be Headphones, this I changed to Speakers, previously this may have changed when tweaked other settings.

Anyway I simply changed the Playback to Speakers as default.
Then from the Recording Tab set Stereo Mix as Ready by changing Disable to Enable

And that is all I had to do.

The Stereo Mix slider shows the volume bouncing up and down.

Screen Recording
Unfortunately System Audio is not available with the error “no system audio Detected”
The option via Sound Check still allows me to select Stereo Mix and record successfully.

Ken can you check out the Playback tab options?

I will continue to rectify the System Audio option but feel it is the type of driver I have installed.