Audacity stops recording

[Scary Hallo]

Hello,
I wantet to record one of my old vinyls with my little netbook (plain lubutnu 13.04)
I used a Behringer UAC202 (USB) and audacity. But audacity stopps at 7 to 30 sec after start. I tried differnt samlperates and bitdeths. Nothing helps.
Any ideas?

[Scary Hallo]

No one?

[tatch]

try using non-timeline or mhwaveedit.

[Scary Hallo]

I think the Problem is not Audacity. It's the Behringer UAC202. I installed jack and I got hundreds of X-runs and gaps in my recording. It worked perfectly on the same netbook with an older ubuntu-version 10.04 I think.

[bluebell]

I think the Problem is not Audacity. It's the Behringer UAC202. I installed jack and I got hundreds of X-runs and gaps in my recording. It worked perfectly on the same netbook with an older ubuntu-version 10.04 I think.

Then try to install a newer kernel. I compiled the kernel by myself just to set HZ1000 and the "preemptive" scheduling. It helps a bit. And you can increase the buffersize in JACK.

Using ALSA is worth a try, too. Just don't start JACK. Uninstalling Pulseaudio could help as well.

BTW: After many problems with my M-Audio Fasttrack Pro I bought a Focusrite Scarlett 2i2. Works without trouble.

[GMaq]

@Scary Hallo

What kernel is the netbook running? Quite a few USB Audio devices were affected by some long running kernel issues which began in kernel 3.7 and were also still present for some devices as late as Kernel 3.10. If it is possible a Kernel prior to 3.6 may solve your issue. Another possibility is the Netbook chipsets, I have an ASUS eeePC with the Intel Cedarview chipsets in it that doesn't work well with USB Audio under Linux at all (in my case a Tascam US-122). I have tried with several Kernels including custom built Atom ones and similar to your issue the USB device will run for a few minutes and then kill JACK and spew Xruns. Annoying as hell! It seems that the Linux kernel doesn't support the Cedarview stuff terribly well as even the Intel Grphics don't have full OpenGL support.

[Scary Hallo]

Hi,
@GMac: The Kernel is 3.8.0.33-generic. Do you think I should upgrade to Ubuntu 13.10?
@bluebell: I also thought about buying 2i2. Do you think it will work with generic- or lowlatency-kernel?

[GMaq]

Hi,
@GMac: The Kernel is 3.8.0.33-generic. Do you think I should upgrade to Ubuntu 13.10?
@bluebell: I also thought about buying 2i2. Do you think it will work with generic- or lowlatency-kernel?

Hmmm I don't think you need to necessarily upgrade the actual OS but I think you want to go backward with the kernel for now (I don't use Ubuntu so I'm not sure how much of a choice you have for older Kernels). If you could try an older kernel with your existing OS you will at least have less things to focus on troubleshooting. I know people think the newer the kernel the better but ANY kernel that fully supports your hardware is a good kernel whether it is brand new or a year old. IMHO the Linux kernel generally is heading in the wrong direction for Audio use, the recent USB Audio trouble has affected a lot of users negatively unfortunately.

Like I said though some netbooks just seem to be shitty with USB Audio devices in general even with the 'right' kernel.

[briandc]

Reading this thread, it seems strange to me that Audacity would just stop recording. How much memory is in the pc? The first recording often only "sees" a small portion of the disc, and after saving the first recording Audacity then sees the rest. At least it seems that's what happened to me once.

Having xruns is of course a problem. Have you installed the a2jmidid file? That might help with connected Alsa-based apps.

A new notebook and a recent distro shouldn't be giving any problems though. I use a Behringer UCA-222 that was included with the midi keyboard, and it has worked perfectly since I first plugged it in. You have to make sure the settings in the Jack setup page are right, and restart Jack to have the connections work correctly.


brian

[bluebell]

Hi,
@GMac: The Kernel is 3.8.0.33-generic. Do you think I should upgrade to Ubuntu 13.10?
@bluebell: I also thought about buying 2i2. Do you think it will work with generic- or lowlatency-kernel?

It worked on my Xubuntu 12.04 LTS with the stock kernel but it works better with a low latency kernel. You can use a low latency kernel from your distribution or build one by just setting Preemption Model and Timer Frequency. That helps a lot. I use linux-source-3.5.0_3.5.0-34.55_all.deb

Code: Select all

make menuconfig
  Processor type and features
    Preemption Model: Low-Latency Desktop
    Timer Frequency: 1000 HZ
make-kpkg clean
fakeroot make-kpkg -j 4 --initrd --revision=1.0.hm kernel_image kernel_headers

[tatch]

I think the 3.8 kernel has bugs with USB audio devices. Try using a 3.5 kernel.

[Scary Hallo]

OK. I think I have to install a 3.5 kernel, which I use temporarily for recording.
But I'm not very experienced in installing kernels. Has anybody a link to a manual, tutorial or so?

[Veerstryngh Thynner]

The major difference between a thing that might go wrong and a thing that cannot possibly go wrong is that when a thing that cannot possibly go wrong goes wrong it usually turns out to be impossible to get at or repair.

Not here, necessarily. And certainly no need whatsoever for all kinds of laborious complications with different kernels and stuff as previously proposed.

What happened to common sense????

Simply put some preamp between your turntable and your netbook - your regular stereo's amp, maybe - and plug the minijack end of an RCA-to-minijack wire, coming from the preamp output, into your netbook's line/mic input (minijack too, as a rule). Provided your Audacity settings are proper and correct, now start your vinyl deck and hit 'Record' in Audacity.

Some turntables contain built-in preamps. In this case, your vinyl deck's Audio Out can be plugged directly into PC (blue socket, usually, at the back), laptop, or notebook. You may need some whatever-to-minijack adapter, though, for compatibility - but still: off you go.

Job done. And by the way: this works for old audio cassette players too!

tnob