How does the music get into my computer and how does it come out?
How does the music get into my computer and how does it come out? Your PC is equipped with a sound card. On digitalization, the sound card converts analog signals into digital signals, and, on replay, converts them back from digital to analog. Regarding the hardware, the sound card is the sole deciding factor which determines the quality of the performance. A sound card, similar to a tape deck, possesses both a line-in and a line-out connector, both in stereo. Thus, the PC is connected to the hifi system in the same way as a tape deck. If you have any problems buying the necessary cables, try contacting your radio or TV dealer. Very often, the PC and the hifi system are set up in different rooms. In this case, you should start by setting up your tape deck in the same room and near your PC. For evaluating the sound, PC loudspeakers are not sufficient. Consequently, you should use high-quality hifi headphones, which you can easily connect to the loudspeaker output socket on your sound card. If you want to connect a record player, a special frequency response correction is required. To achieve this, a variety of matching amplifiers for record players are available, also called "Phono-PreAmp".
Another important topic is your Windows operating system. In your Windows system settings, the input and output channels for the sound card are configured, and the recording and replay levels are controlled. Make sure that all Windows multimedia components are installed correctly. Please observe the following guidelines:
Windows multimedia system configuration:
Select Start, Settings, Control Panel, Software and check the index card "Windows Setup". You should see the following information:
It is important that all components (11 of 11, in this case) are installed.
Volume Control Replay:
The Volume Control can be accessed via:
Start + Programs + Accessories + Multimedia
Volume Control Recording:
Via Options + Properties in the Volume Control, you can toggle between Replay and Recording to select the necessary controls. By exiting this menu via the Recording radio button, you can access Recording Control.
If you want to record music from the tape deck which is connected to the line-in connector, the line-in channel must be selected, as shown in the image above.