Re: XPS 420 - Vista Home Premium - Can't record sound.

"Cmplx80" <> wrote in message
news:...
> This might fall under the "just let it go" category.
> I was attempting to record a streaming flash video from a web site using
> demo versions of a few commercial screen recorders. On playback, the
> video was okay, but there was no sound. For some strange reason, I dumbly
> assumed that a system called "XPS 420 *STUDIO*" should be able to record
> the sound that went to the speakers, since older systems could handle it.
> Not to be. I went into "Control Panel | Sound" and discovered that "What
> U Hear" is not listed. In fact, only mic and Line In are there. Yes, I
> checked "Show Disabled Devices" and "Show disconnected Devices". After
> visiting the Dell forums and other sites, I learned that this feature is
> "defeated" in the Sigmatel drivers for the integrated sound. I tried some
> other things like older drivers in XP mode, etc. After turning off the
> integrated sound, I installed an older Audigy Platinum card and used some
> drivers by some guy who was openly threatened by Creative (there should be
> an asterisk by that name) for hacking drivers to get this to work on
> Vista. Still nothing. Plus I lost sound at the speakers.
>
> So, my question is:
> Has anyone here been able to get this to work?
>
> Frank



Frank -

Not sure it's identical to what you're after, but I use Firefox with the
plug in "Download Helper, v3.4" to bring down the Flash videos.

I then use a small .flv program - FLV player v1.3.3 to execute and run those
files.

Mind you, display/screen size is limited in the FLV player and this solution
is nothing more than a basic download/save to file/and play solution.

You may be after more than this - but just in case. I'm using FireFox
version 3.0.4.


-Stew

S.Lewis wrote on Sun, 16 Nov 2008 10:40:20 -0600:

> Frank -
>
> Not sure it's identical to what you're after, but I use Firefox with the
> plug in "Download Helper, v3.4" to bring down the Flash videos.
>
> I then use a small .flv program - FLV player v1.3.3 to execute and run those
> files.
>
> Mind you, display/screen size is limited in the FLV player and this solution
> is nothing more than a basic download/save to file/and play solution.
>
> You may be after more than this - but just in case. I'm using FireFox
> version 3.0.4. -Stew

Well FireFox isn't really special in this regard as other browsers and
third party software does this as well. There is also stream recorders
like WM Recorder which downloads streams as files. You get better copies
using these programs because it is actually the same as the stream.

Now for most things, there is even a better way to handle most of this
stuff. Like use something like Unlocker which allows you to do things
with locked files. And most streams are already saved as files in your
temp folder. Although when you close the stream, the file gets removed.
But with the tiny program unlocker, you can pause the stream and copy
it. Now you have it for your own and it won't disappear.

As for viewing FLV files and such, I use Media Player Classic (free).
And you can play them with the player or even Windows Media Player if
you like. For FLV files, you will need the codec files found in
klcodec*.exe. Same place as Media Player Classic and they come together
as well. These are free too.

Unlocker (free)
http://ccollomb.free.fr/unlocker/

K-Lite Codec (free)
http://www.free-codecs.com/download/...codec_pack.htm

WM Recorder ($79.95)
http://www.wmrecorder.com/demo.php

P.S. The older WM Recorder 10.2 demo will only record the first 2
minutes and then stop. But if you rerecord again it will just keep going
all day.

--
Bill
Asus EEE PC 8GB 1GB SoDIMM Adata 16GB
Windows XP SP2 and Xandros Linux

Cmplx80 wrote on Sun, 16 Nov 2008 19:51:24 -0600:
[...]
> I tried WM Recorder, but it quit working...

Ummm... Frank? WM Recorder is a demo unless you pay big bucks for it to
unlock demo mode. So it is supposed to stopp working. But like I
mentioned, WM Recorder v10.2 (much earlier version) works as a demo at
first. As it will only record 2 minutes and stop. Although without
closing it down and record again it will record all day without any
problems. Just don't close it. As you would have to start all over
again. If you already tried a newer version, I don't know if 10.2 acts
this way anymore. You might have to use System Restore back to a time
before the later version was installed so 10.2 will work this way.

--
Bill
Asus EEE PC 8GB 1GB SoDIMM Adata 16GB
Windows XP SP2 and Xandros Linux

"Cmplx80" <> wrote in message
news:...
> BillW50 wrote:
>> S.Lewis wrote on Sun, 16 Nov 2008 10:40:20 -0600:
>>
>>> Frank -
>>>
>>> Not sure it's identical to what you're after, but I use Firefox with the
>>> plug in "Download Helper, v3.4" to bring down the Flash videos.
>>>
>>> I then use a small .flv program - FLV player v1.3.3 to execute and run
>>> those files.
>>>
>>> Mind you, display/screen size is limited in the FLV player and this
>>> solution is nothing more than a basic download/save to file/and play
>>> solution.
>>>
>>> You may be after more than this - but just in case. I'm using FireFox
>>> version 3.0.4. -Stew
>>
>> Well FireFox isn't really special in this regard as other browsers and
>> third party software does this as well. There is also stream recorders
>> like WM Recorder which downloads streams as files. You get better copies
>> using these programs because it is actually the same as the stream.
>>
>> Now for most things, there is even a better way to handle most of this
>> stuff. Like use something like Unlocker which allows you to do things
>> with locked files. And most streams are already saved as files in your
>> temp folder. Although when you close the stream, the file gets removed.
>> But with the tiny program unlocker, you can pause the stream and copy it.
>> Now you have it for your own and it won't disappear.
>>
>> As for viewing FLV files and such, I use Media Player Classic (free). And
>> you can play them with the player or even Windows Media Player if you
>> like. For FLV files, you will need the codec files found in klcodec*.exe.
>> Same place as Media Player Classic and they come together as well. These
>> are free too.
>>
>> Unlocker (free)
>> http://ccollomb.free.fr/unlocker/
>>
>> K-Lite Codec (free)
>> http://www.free-codecs.com/download/...codec_pack.htm
>>
>> WM Recorder ($79.95)
>> http://www.wmrecorder.com/demo.php
>>
>> P.S. The older WM Recorder 10.2 demo will only record the first 2 minutes
>> and then stop. But if you rerecord again it will just keep going all day.
>>
>>
> Thanks Stew and BillW50.
> My problem is that the streaming videos usually consist of a relatively
> active video (an instructor) and a visual aid off to the side, usually a
> chart, slow animation,etc. Most of the browser downloaders grab only the
> active video. This is also the case with most of the freebies. I tried
> WM Recorder, but it quit working. WM Capture requires a lot of klunky
> manual clicks to use it. It also generates rather jittery and/or
> out-of-sync video. It is able to grab the audio, probably because it uses
> its own codecs. I'm still searching.
>
> Frank

you might try http://www.orbitdownloader.com/

Cmplx80 wrote on Sun, 16 Nov 2008 21:20:25 -0600:
> What??!! You mean the demo doesn't have all of the functions of the
> retail package? When did they implement that stupid restriction?
>
> Okay, seriously, it *quit working*, as in it failed to start after 2 or
> 3 tests. I'm aware of the demo's time limit. I re-installed it and it
> seemed to run okay. On the recording side, it's on a par with the
> freebies. It isn't worth $80 to me. In fact, WM Capture is a better
> buy at $39--jittery out-of-sync video and all. I don't think either of
> these are ready for Prime Time. It looks like I'll need a screen
> recorder after all, so, I'm still looking around.

Well I had to ask, right? And it isn't worth 80 bucks to me either. That
is why I just grab the stream from the temp files found on the computer.

--
Bill
Asus EEE PC 8GB 1GB SoDIMM Adata 16GB
Windows XP SP2 and Xandros Linux

Cmplx80 wrote:
> olfart wrote:
>> you might try http://www.orbitdownloader.com/
>>
> olfart -- I tried that. The flash video quality is top notch, but it
> doesn't record the side-window of the visual aids--only the main flash
> content of the instructor.

Got a website so we can see this unusual stream? Maybe we can try with
our bag of tools and tricks.

--
Bill
Asus EEE PC 8GB 1GB SoDIMM Adata 16GB
Windows XP SP2 and Xandros Linux