Re: [Audacity-devel] input volume controls on Vista

[Jan K. <ko...@ma...>]

David Bailes napsal(a):
> Hi,
>
> Using audacity 1.3.7 on Vista, there are two relevant volume sliders
> for a microphone:
> 1. the slider on the levels page of the devices properties, which you
> can open from the Sound dialog.
> 2. the input slider on Audacity's main window
>
> The level meter in audacity depends on 1 but not 2.
> The recorded volume depends on 1 and 2.
>
> Slightly confusing?
>   
Yes. But... 


Putting aside the main problem that 1 and 2 move independently on Vista,
I think, it would be *worse*, and not better, if level meter would 
follow 2 (together with 1).

This is the case when Help>Audio Device Info says "Capture volume is 
*emulated*", is not it?
That means, recorded signal is multiplied by number <1 inside Audacity.

Then the level meter should give* information about CLIPPING* in the 
sound device, and in this case it is better that level meters do not 
depend on 2 since 2 cannot avoid clipping.
(Therefore the second sentence on wiki Release_Checklist is not a bug to 
be fixed, only a symptom of the problem from the first sentence:
        P3  (Windows Vista only) System mixer level sliders and
       Audacity level sliders act independently.
       As a result, achieved recorded level only matches level
       indicated on the Recording VU meter if the Audacity input slider 
is at 100%.
)

-------------------
BTW, I suggested a while ago on the Forum:
In the mixer toolbar,
the recording mixer should perhaps appear different when input mixer is 
emulated.
Perhaps instead of black, a gray color would be used for drawing the 
picture.
(And/or a balloon help (for a second or two) "Beware: emulated mixer. 
Emulated mixer cannot avoid clipping during capture" could be useful 
when its value would be set lower than 1,0.)

---------
David,
thanks for the hint, I should indeed better look at meters.

Jan