With these, Recording Options were Microphone, CD or Stereo Mix. I have tested the Stereo Mix function and it works. This implies to me that Microsoft is providing a driver that deliberately hides this function where the audio device supports it. The Acer worked if I right clicked, selected show disable devices and selected Stereo Mix. It recorded streaming sound no problem until plugged in the HDMi cable to my monitor. Once the HDMi cable was connected the Stereo Mix did show but it would not record streaming sound.
Active1 year, 5 months ago
Several newer computers I've worked on (Dell, mainly) are using IDT or Realtek drivers which lack the Stereo Mix option in audio recording devices.
In the pane, right-click on a blank area, and make sure both “View Disabled Devices” and “View Disconnected Devices” options are checked. You should see a “Stereo Mix” option appear. Right-click on “Stereo Mix” and click “Enable” to be able to use it. Even if you don’t have a Stereo Mix option on your PC, you can easily record the sound coming from any Windows PC. You don’t have to hold up a microphone to your computer’s speakers to record its audio.
I've tried all kinds of methods including installing the drivers from third-party sources, but lately it seems to be missing on a chipset level rather than driver.
I frequently need to record the full mix from the computer, including microphone and other sources. I get the feeling that manufacturers are moving away from this support because they fear people are recording streaming/copyrighted content. Is this the case, or is there some other reason?
I've read that ASIO and WASAPI are possible solutions, or obtaining a sound device that's part of a USB package or similar.
Can anyone shed some light on this missing Stereo Mix problem?
JYelton
JYeltonJYelton
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8 Answers![]()
The following thread has many explanations and workarounds :
Missing sound recording option 'Stereo Mix' / 'Record What you hear' / 'Waveout mix'.
One of them is :
Since Microsoft intentionally removes the Stereo Mix / Waveout Mix option from its drivers, you need to try to download the latest version of the sound card driver and install it. If you have an onboard sound card, go to the support section of the manufacturer of your PC (such as Dell/HP/Toshiba/Sony/Fujitsu/Lenovo/Acer) and download an audio driver for your model of the PC that works with your Windows version. Please note that the manufacturer doesn't support Windows 7, you can try to use Windows Vista driver, althouth there is no guarantee that it will work and will not damage your hardware.
Another remark is :
The problem is that you won't be able to enable the 'Wave Out mix' ('Stereo Mix', 'Record What you hear') on many computers with built-in sound cards. But you can use software that doesn't need the 'Wave Out mix' ('Stereo Mix', 'Record What you hear') recording option to record audio from your sound card:
Direct sound recording software allowing to record audio without Stereo Mix/Wave-Out Mix/What U Hear
Screencasting software allowing to record video with sound even if you don't have Stereo Mix/Wave-Out Mix/What U Hear
Virtual Sound Card software
As you can see, the programs work not only in Windows XP, but also in Windows Vista and Windows 7. In fact these programs can be the only way to record audio from your sound card.
Freecorder4, Replay Music, Replay AV, Replay Video Capture, Replay Media Catcher, Ask&Recorder Toolbar, WM Capture use a universal audio driver allowing you to record sound even on those computers that do NOT have a sound card!
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harrymcharrymc
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Please note that the Stereo Mix (virtual) device only works if the audio goes to that specific audio card. If your audio is coming out of the HDMI connector, or a USB device, then Stereo Mix won't work. Let me explain my setup:
In the picture above, I have audio coming out of the HDMI connector and playing on the TV. This goes directly to the NVIDIA video card, and thus does not pass through the Realtek audio card. Since Stereo Mix is provided by the audio card, it won't work.
Solution? Plug in some analog speakers or earphones, or enable the Realtek digital output and select it as the default playing device. When this is done, then the audio can pass through the audio card, and the driver can finally provide Stereo Mix.
Denilson Sá MaiaDenilson Sá Maia
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I can't give you a reason, but quite probably a solution. I've been having this issue since the Windows Vista. Stereo Mix is still alive and kicking, you just have to give it a good push through the door.
First off, you'll probably need the full driver package (not the drivers Windows installs when it detects the chip.)
From there, it's usually pretty straightforward - Stereo Mix, you see, is not actually missing, but it's deactivated and therefore hidden in the Windows' audio configuration. To reactivate it:
This is at least how it works on the Realtek HD chipsets - but I assume it's the same with other major onboard sound chipsets.
Tobias PlutatTobias Plutat
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I ran into a similar problem.
I switched from a totally analog output solution to a home theater system. The Home Theater system used a digital optical output. So there were no longer any connections to any of the analog outputs. For some reason the drivers thought that since I wasn't using the analog output any more, then it would shut off all analog audio. This caused the stereo mix to go silent.
I discovered that if you plug something (anything) into the front right and left output, the Stereo Mix signal returned. However it interacted with the speaker output control, this in turn seemed to be fed to the digital optical output. So, the speaker control affected the stereo mix, and the digital optical output also affected the stereo mix volume.
After fiddling around with all the audio controls a bit I was able to get good sounding audio, and a good sounding stereo mix to come out of the digital optical output. I was able to record what I was hearing on Audacity.
So now back to the thing I plugged into the analog front left and right output. I used a pair of ear buds plugged into the Front R/L 1/8 inch jack. They worked perfectly, and made the analog audio sound card driver think that the analog output was in deed really needed, and keep the Stereo Mix alive.
Synetech
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Homer10Homer10
i've had the same problem with my DELL Vostro 1720, Win 7 Home Premium. No Stereo Mix, only Micro, no hidden/deactivated devices. SiSoft SandraLite indicated a REALTEK HDA-01 onboard-soundchip (or driver?), but i was not able to install a working DELL Driver for it and by trying an original Realtek i ended off with a bad windows bluescreen shutoff.
Thanks to the fact that numerous users discussed the fact that DELL company prevents its systems to provide the Stereo Mix, and that some 3rd party drivers are sometimes able to solve the problem (e.g LG drivers for DELL Sigmatel Audio Chips), i tried a different solution:
A buddy of mine has a similar DELL Vostro 1720 with Win 7 Professional. This one indicated an IDT (Integrated Device Tec) High Definition Audio Codec for Stereomix.I used h i s DELL Drivers CD and by running it, an 'IDT 92HD8xx' was indicated as audio device driver for my system!No problem to install and - it works!So - never give up trying even if you are a lucky DELL client without serious customer support.
P.S. The IDT 92HD8XX, published 03.11.2009, Version: A036.10.0.6224 should also be available on the DELL support driver and downloads site. It's a VISTA / XP driver!
canadiancanadian
you can try to enable stereomix in the registry.
Look in the registry for stereomix. i found a voice called #rtstereomix. I just removed the '#' and the stereomix interface came up.
masioomasioo
Realtek Stereo Mix Driver
There's also
VB Cable Virtual Audio Device
Freeware/Donationware • Windows
VB-CABLE is a virtual audio device working as virtual audio cable. All signals coming in the CABLE input is going to the CABLE output. Then it becomes simple to make computer audio recording or to connect a player application to a recorder one.
I tested it and it worked.
LeeroyLeeroy
It is my opinion that regardless of what companies say, it is related to two things.
1) Copyright infringement/protection
2) Charging more for hardware audio mixing equipment
My solution? Use linux/unix. You can do all types of things with software mixing using ALSA, piping audio output with JACK, alsa-loop interfaces, and other even more complex solutions. If you must do it with windows, I would look at a custom audio device inside of Virtualbox OSE. It's just silly that they try and strip features that people found useful for whatever reason, specifically with virtualization products going the way that they are.
I don't mean to be trite and say windows is fail. I mean to say that I migrated for this among other reasons and don't plan to go back. I do still HAVE to use some windows applications(notably project and visio). I do this inside a VM.
RobotHumansRobotHumans
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Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged driversaudio or ask your own question.
You don’t have to hold up a microphone to your computer’s speakers to record its audio. Even if you don’t have a Stereo Mix option on your PC, you can easily record the sound coming from any Windows PC.
You can record the sound coming from your PC in numerous ways, and we’re going to show you the three best we’ve found. The first two options use only software, and the third relies on an old trick that connects your computer’s audio output to its audio input with an audio cable.
Betz 'Pneumatic Action', filed May 20, 1914, serial no. Grinnell brothers piano serial number. 284–285 William G. 837,130, granted September 12, 1916 •, pps.
Option 1: Stereo Mix
Stereo Mix is sometimes called “What U Hear.” It’s a special recording option that your sound drivers might provide. If it is included with your drivers, you can select Stereo Mix (instead of a microphone or audio line-in input), and then force any application to record the same sound that your computer is outputting from its speakers or headphones.
RELATED:How to Enable “Stereo Mix” in Windows and Record Audio from Your PC
On modern versions of Windows, Stereo Mix is generally disabled by default—even if your sound drivers support it. Follow our instructions to enable the Stereo Mix audio source on Windows. After enabling Stereo Mix, you can use any audio-recording program, and just select “Stereo Mix” as the input device instead of the usual “line-in” or “microphone” option.
Cdimono1.zip download. On some devices, you may not have this option at all. There may be a way to enable it with different audio drivers, but not every piece of sound hardware supports Stereo Mix. It’s unfortunately become less and less common.
Option 2: Audacity’s WASAPI Loopback
Don’t have a Stereo Mix option? No problem. Audacity has a useful feature that can record the audio coming out of your computer—even without Stereo Mix. In fact, Audacity’s feature may be even better than Stereo Mix, assuming you’re willing to use Audacity to record the audio. This method takes advantage of a feature that Microsoft added in Windows Vista named the Windows Audio Session API (WASAPI). The feature also functions in Windows 7, 8, and 10, and helps make up for the lack of a Stereo Mix option on modern Windows PCs.
In Audacity, choose the “Windows WASAPI” audio host, and then choose an appropriate loopback device, such as “Speakers (loopback)” or “Headphones (loopback).”
RELATED:The How-To Geek Guide to Audio Editing: The Basics
How To Wire Stereo System
Click the Record button to start recording the audio in Audacity, and then click Stop when you’re done. Because you’re using Audacity, you can easily trim and edit the sound file when you’re done.
Update: If this doesn’t work, you may also need to select the correct number of recording channels to match your device using the dropdown box to the right of device selection box. For example, If you have a 7.1 channel headset, select “8.”
Audacity’s tutorial website explains why this feature is actually better than Stereo Mix:
“WASAPI loopback has an advantage over stereo mix or similar inputs provided by the soundcard that the capture is entirely digital (rather than converting to analog for playback, then back to digital when Audacity receives it). System sounds playing through the device selected for WASAPI loopback are still captured, however.”
In other words, your recorded sound file will be higher-quality when using Audacity’s WASAPI loopback option.
Option 3: An Audio Cable
If neither of the first two options suit your needs, there’s always the low-tech solution—although it’s a bit of a hack. Just get an audio cable with a male 3.5mm connector on both ends. Plug one end into the line-out (or headphone) jack on your PC, and the other end into the line-in (or microphone) jack. You’ll stop hearing the sound your computer produces, but you can use any audio-recording program to record the “line in” or “microphone” input. To actually hear the sound, you could get a splitter, and then output the audio to headphones or speakers at the same time you direct it back into your computer.
Sure, this is inconvenient and silly compared to to the first two software-only options we talked about. But, if you desperately need to capture the audio coming out of your computer in an application that isn’t Audacity and you don’t have Stereo Mix, the cable trick allows you to do this.
Obviously, copyright laws may prevent you from distributing whatever recordings you make in this way, so don’t use these tricks for piracy! After all, even if you were going to pirate some audio, there’d be easier ways to do it than this.
Image Credit: Jason M on Flickr
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