I think the problem with recording using a USB microphone and the mic mix plugin is that there is no "physical" input to the computer that has that mix on it. The microphone is a sound input to the computer (using the soundcard built in to the USB microphone) but PlayIt LIve targets computer sound outputs (so you can listen on headphones) and combines the sources to "main mix" which the built in streamer can stream.
This main mix also wouldn't be available to B.U.T.T. or similar for the same reason as Audacity can't record it, that it doesn't enter the computer on an input.
You could look at "Virtual cables" which could potentially help.
Also there is sometimes a "stereo mix" source available in recording that can be enabled (Realtek sound cards do this).
I see some signs of an explanation Kyle.
It is something to do with the USB driver for the mixer.
My guess is that the mixer -> computer connection on the USB only works if the computer is sending data in the computer -> mixer direction.
If there is any kind of "exclusive" mode on the USB driver untick that.
What sort of mixer is it and what is the driver in use ?
One other thing to try.
Assuming the computer has some kind of "line in" 3.5mm jack, try an analogue connection from the mixer to the computer using that.
I'm 99% confident that will work fine.
Thanks Mark
It's a Behringer U-Control UCA222 USB Audio Interface. No exclusive mode. Oddly it works in every other set up and recording scenario I can think of or test. The sound FROM the mixer must be getting back and into the broadcast chain or I wouldn't hear anything. In one of my tests setting it all up to record, I could get the presenter/mic or music/no presenter. In terms of broadcasting it's not an issue - it does work in that sense. But for the past couple of weeks I have been recording on my PC at home as it goes out. However, I can't always guarantee I will be home to do that, plus it ties my PC up for two hours and also for the past two weeks I seem to have had sound issues so it hasn't recorded properly anyway (again, my side)
(if all that makes sense)
The driver in and out on the main Windows sound settings is the USB CODEC (i.e., the Behringer interface)
Just saw other comment - in terms of the line in/mic in socket on laptop, I am sure I took a master mix from Master MAIN XLR L/R out, into the PC using 3.5 cable and the sound wasn't that great. Perhaps I will have to live with it for him with me recording as long as my PC doesn't start acting weirdly again - it's annoying because any other time I could go to his house and sit there all day trying to fix it until it was right.
I am assuming if I try the chain (again)
PIL playback into Analog mixer (via USB interface)
Mic mixed in at that point
Whole thing put back into PC via 3.5mm cable line
Set PIL Broadcast to be the Window Sound Out and also send to the PIL Recorder but watch levels so it doesn't distort as it may not be working on line levels - is that right?
Or
Do everything as above but just use the connection from mixer to line in on PC purely for the recording purposes? It just seems a longer way to do it if I can just pick up the mix-as-broadcast and record that somehow, in something?
I found a Behringer USB interface and plugged it in to an old low specification Windows 10 (home) machine I have spare.
It installed using the "standard" Windows driver.
It offered an option to allow applications to take exclusive control which I deselected on both record and playback.
Although it shows as "microphone" it is a phono line input from the USB sound card.
I had to turn the "loop" switch off as it was working terribly until that was off. I also set the sample rate to 44.1kHz 16 bit (which might be something to do with your issues so do that).
This machine doesn't have PlayIt Live on it (or much else) but it replays sound OK from a browser (tested on headphones in the Behringer card) and records audio OK using the "Voice Recorder" application that comes with Windows so I think it would work with PlayIt Live/Recorder and/or Audacity.
To go any further with this I think screen shots of the sound settings will be needed.
I have to say, I'm extremely puzzled why streaming using the USB card works but recording doesn't. I would go for the first approach in your list if the quality of the PC line in is suspect. It may well be that the output of the mixer is a bit high for the PC input.
If the mixer has a "recording/booth" output or similar try that if it gives the whole mix and turn that down.
I've used this for similar problems with input level issues:
"Fostex PC-1eB Passive Volume Control for Desktop Speakers"
It's a bit pricy for what it is but actually "just the job" !
I'll give that first bit of first post a try again - I mean everything is recognized and does work - its the end bit it falls down on, so going back to original ask - there must be something I am not seeing in the output from PIL to any recording device I am guessing? Short of setting another laptop in his house I am running out of options. So weird it works for broadcast.
Ok - abandoning idea of separate mixer for moment. Going to get him to
use USB mic and standard play it live set up. Is there anything I need
to do short of setting encoder to Play It Live Main Mix for broadcast? In terms of the PIL recorder, and reading that the PIL Main Mix doesn't go anywhere, where I should point the recorder to in order to get the full thing captured please?
Thank you for your help this far by the way, much appreciated.
You could try 'Stereo Mix' - it's hard to tell though without seeing what options the PC is offering ...
My understanding of "Stereo Mix" is that it is whatever is the default sound output is set on a Realtek sound card.
Thus you can record whatever is being sent to the PC speakers.
This may or may not include a USB mic (which will have some delay - this may or may not be a problem).
The PlayIt Live "main mix" can't be directed to a sound card, only the constituents can.
Edited to add: Missed the bit about USB sound card, yes it's just a behringer audio i/o which I have used for a few of friends who had fairly decent mixers but not with a USB function :)
I also meant to add - I think it would be brilliant if the plugin more clearly showed when the microphone was open / on air. Perhaps if the microphone button changed to red or something?
Toggling the microphone on/off changes the colour between white and very light grey - so you can't easily tell that you've turned the microphone off after a link.
Thanks
The red 'mic on' light is a great idea and a feature request I made.
thanks! glad there is wider support for this. I imagine coding the button to go red would be about as simple a feature implementation as you could get, but massively helpful!
Gavin Richards
Hi - I'm using the internet broadcast and microphone push to talk plugins with PlayItLive.
The microphone settings have been a bit strange, but I have configured the microphone plugin to my USB microphone.
If I broadcast the playitlive mainmix to my audio stream, then you cannot hear the microphone.
The way round this is to select "headphones" as the playback in the microphone plugin, and then stream the "headphones" feed to the streaming server. This allows the microphone to be broadcast. But it feels a slightly sub-optimal way of doing things. It also means that any other noise omitted by the computer (a notification or other windows noise that gets picked up through the headphone feed) also gets broadcast into the stream.
Any advice much appreciated!