Weirdest ever audio recording problem - going mad - need h..

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.video.desktop (More info?)

I have my new digital cable box hooked up to my PC to capture some sports.
Here's my problem: When I start recording, a rather loud white-noise hizz
suddenly appears over the audio . This is not audible when I am just
listening through my speakers without recording, and I can't actually hear
it while recording either, but it's there on the final WAV file.

I have tried capturing for other sources, such as VHS, DVD and a games
console, and the audio was crisp and clear from these sources. I also have
everything but line-in muted, and I always capture to a 44.1 khz 16 bit
stereo file.

I am completely stumped. I have never come across anything like this, and my
old cable box didn't have this problem. I could understand if the cable box
itself was emitting this noise consistently, but like I said, I can't hear
it until the final recording, and no other sources seem to cause the same
problem.

Any help or suggestions would be much appreciated

 

[terry]

Archived from groups: rec.video.desktop (More info?)

describe how you have the cable box hooked to the PC

"Allan" <fghj@tyui.tyu> wrote in message
news:cdkphb$ksb$1@titan.btinternet.com...
> I have my new digital cable box hooked up to my PC to capture some sports.
> Here's my problem: When I start recording, a rather loud white-noise hizz
> suddenly appears over the audio . This is not audible when I am just
> listening through my speakers without recording, and I can't actually hear
> it while recording either, but it's there on the final WAV file.
>
> I have tried capturing for other sources, such as VHS, DVD and a games
> console, and the audio was crisp and clear from these sources. I also have
> everything but line-in muted, and I always capture to a 44.1 khz 16 bit
> stereo file.
>
> I am completely stumped. I have never come across anything like this, and
my
> old cable box didn't have this problem. I could understand if the cable
box
> itself was emitting this noise consistently, but like I said, I can't hear
> it until the final recording, and no other sources seem to cause the same
> problem.
>
> Any help or suggestions would be much appreciated
>
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.video.desktop (More info?)

> describe how you have the cable box hooked to the PC

Same as the other equipment I tried, phonos to one of those mini-jacks into
my soundcard. And like I said, the sound is perfect while "monitoring", but
as soon as the recording is done, I've got load white noise hiss, and it
doesn't happen on any other sources connected in the sawe way and to the
same specs.

 

[terry]

Archived from groups: rec.video.desktop (More info?)

"Allan" <fghj@tyui.tyu> wrote in message
news:cdlm3k$ou5$1@hercules.btinternet.com...
> > describe how you have the cable box hooked to the PC
>
> Same as the other equipment I tried, phonos to one of those mini-jacks
into
> my soundcard. And like I said, the sound is perfect while "monitoring",
but
> as soon as the recording is done, I've got load white noise hiss, and it
> doesn't happen on any other sources connected in the sawe way and to the
> same specs.
>
>
And how is the video plugged in? Are you using phonos, a coaxial or an
optical input?

And while your monitoring, turn the mute on and off to verify the sound is
coming from the line-in. What I'm getting at is there's a chance your video
card is feeding the audio to the system.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.video.desktop (More info?)

> And how is the video plugged in? Are you using phonos, a coaxial or an
> optical input?
Video is plugged in via S-Video. I even tried disconnecting that just on the
odd chance that it might be causing some sort of interference, but that was
not the case.

> And while your monitoring, turn the mute on and off to verify the sound is
> coming from the line-in. What I'm getting at is there's a chance your
video
> card is feeding the audio to the system.

Tried that, and there is no noise. I even tried muting for a bit while
recording, and the waveform is perfectly flat when I do that, and the
buzzing is back the second I un-mute, on the recording that is, I still
can't hear it while monitoring, even during recording.

Sounds nuts, doesn't it?

 

[Brian]

Archived from groups: rec.video.desktop (More info?)

"Allan" <fghj@tyui.tyu> wrote:

>I have my new digital cable box hooked up to my PC to capture some sports.
>Here's my problem: When I start recording, a rather loud white-noise hizz
>suddenly appears over the audio . This is not audible when I am just
>listening through my speakers without recording, and I can't actually hear
>it while recording either, but it's there on the final WAV file.
>
>I have tried capturing for other sources, such as VHS, DVD and a games
>console, and the audio was crisp and clear from these sources. I also have
>everything but line-in muted, and I always capture to a 44.1 khz 16 bit
>stereo file.
>
>I am completely stumped. I have never come across anything like this, and my
>old cable box didn't have this problem. I could understand if the cable box
>itself was emitting this noise consistently, but like I said, I can't hear
>it until the final recording, and no other sources seem to cause the same
>problem.
>
>Any help or suggestions would be much appreciated
>

It could be a fault in your digital cable box.
Check that the audio cable is shielded to earth and try moving the
location of your cables as they might be near some electrical
equipment that's causing the problem.
If your using your sound card for the recordings it almost seems like
the microphone input of your sound card is picking up the noise.

Regards Brian

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.video.desktop (More info?)

> >I am completely stumped. I have never come across anything like this, and
my
> >old cable box didn't have this problem. I could understand if the cable
box
> >itself was emitting this noise consistently, but like I said, I can't
hear
> >it until the final recording, and no other sources seem to cause the same
> >problem.
> >
> >Any help or suggestions would be much appreciated
> >
>
> It could be a fault in your digital cable box.
> Check that the audio cable is shielded to earth and try moving the
> location of your cables as they might be near some electrical
> equipment that's causing the problem.

I am thinking it's the box too, but I just can't get my head around how that
could possibly be the case. Like I said, the sound output is perfect when
monitoring or connected to a TV, and it appears to be fine while it's
recording too. It's only the final recording that had the noise. I don't get
the problem from any other sources, including my DVD player and VCR.


> If your using your sound card for the recordings it almost seems like
> the microphone input of your sound card is picking up the noise.

Yes, that was one of my first thoughts too. I was pretty sure that
microphone input channel was muted, but just to be sure I connected a
microphone and started tapping it while recording, and it didn't show up on
the recording. Of course, the white noise did.

I don't think I will figure this one out. I thought posting a question here
might help me remember something really obvious, but I think I have
everything covered. It really is the weirdest problem I have ever had.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.video.desktop (More info?)

"Allan" <fghj@tyui.tyu> wrote in message news:<cdkphb$ksb$1@titan.btinternet.com>...
> I have my new digital cable box hooked up to my PC to capture some sports.
> Here's my problem: When I start recording, a rather loud white-noise hizz
> suddenly appears over the audio . This is not audible when I am just
> listening through my speakers without recording, and I can't actually hear
> it while recording either, but it's there on the final WAV file.
>
> I have tried capturing for other sources, such as VHS, DVD and a games
> console, and the audio was crisp and clear from these sources. I also have
> everything but line-in muted, and I always capture to a 44.1 khz 16 bit
> stereo file.
>
> I am completely stumped. I have never come across anything like this, and my
> old cable box didn't have this problem. I could understand if the cable box
> itself was emitting this noise consistently, but like I said, I can't hear
> it until the final recording, and no other sources seem to cause the same
> problem.
>
> Any help or suggestions would be much appreciated

Try recording with a different sample ratio, like 48KHz. This is a
longshot but maybe the 'white noise' is some sort of beating effect
from the difference between the PC's and the Cable box's sample rate.

R

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.video.desktop (More info?)

Try a 1:1 isolation transformer to see if its ground loop. $4 at
Radio Shack.

On 25 Jul 2004 21:45:51 -0700, rmashiah@yahoo.com (Robmash) wrote:

>"Allan" <fghj@tyui.tyu> wrote in message news:<cdkphb$ksb$1@titan.btinternet.com>...
>> I have my new digital cable box hooked up to my PC to capture some sports.
>> Here's my problem: When I start recording, a rather loud white-noise hizz
>> suddenly appears over the audio . This is not audible when I am just
>> listening through my speakers without recording, and I can't actually hear
>> it while recording either, but it's there on the final WAV file.
>>
>> I have tried capturing for other sources, such as VHS, DVD and a games
>> console, and the audio was crisp and clear from these sources. I also have
>> everything but line-in muted, and I always capture to a 44.1 khz 16 bit
>> stereo file.
>>
>> I am completely stumped. I have never come across anything like this, and my
>> old cable box didn't have this problem. I could understand if the cable box
>> itself was emitting this noise consistently, but like I said, I can't hear
>> it until the final recording, and no other sources seem to cause the same
>> problem.
>>
>> Any help or suggestions would be much appreciated
>
>Try recording with a different sample ratio, like 48KHz. This is a
>longshot but maybe the 'white noise' is some sort of beating effect
>from the difference between the PC's and the Cable box's sample rate.
>
>R