Cool Edit Pro: Recording Audio from CD-ROM Drives in Windows ME.

Recording Audio from CD-ROM Drives in Windows ME.

Most audio programs that record from CD-ROM drives including Cool Edit record through the sound card (Analog input). Windows Media Player 7 is by default setup to Paly/Record audio CD's digitally (digital audio extraction). This option not only effect Windows Media Player, but it also changes the way other programs read audio CDs. As long as this Windows Media Player 7 is setup to record digitally, other programs can't record from CD using the analog source through the sound card. You can make the following modifications to allow Cool Edit and other programs to record from you CD-Rom drive through the sound card.

There are two ways to solve this issue:

1. Change Windows Media Player 7 to play analog instead of digital:
   • Open Windows Media Player 7.
   • Go to OPTIONS > TOOLS
   • Click on the CD Audio Tab
   • Un-Check the box labeled "Digital Playback" under Playback Settings.
   • Close Windows Media Player7.
   • Reboot your machine.

** Now you can do the following to choose to record from your CD-ROM drive directly.

• Wait for Windows to startup.
• Dbl-click on the yellow speaker icon located on the lower right hand corner of your screen.
• Select Option, Properties.
• In the "Adjust Volume for" area, select Recording.
• In the "Show the following volume controls:" Make sure all the devices are checked.
• Click on OK.
• At the bottom of each recording device, there is a check box with "Select" to the right of it.
• Select CD or CD AUDIO to record from your CD-ROM.
• Make sure the recording Volume is at least half way up.
• Close "Recording Control" window.

You are ready to record from your CD-Rom drive via your sound card into Cool Edit. Please note that in the above scenario, your CD-Rom drive must be internally connected to your sound card via an audio cable (Most PCs are setup for this).

2. Record Digitally by allowing Windows Media Play to Play and Cool Edit to Record. If you wish to have music continue to play digitally you can, but you must tell Cool Edit to record from a digital source in this case by doing the following:
   • Dbl-click on the yellow speaker icon located on the lower right hand corner of your screen.
   • Select Option, Properties.
   • In the "Adjust Volume for" area, select Recording.
   • In the "Show the following volume controls:" Make sure all the devices are checked.
   • Click on OK.
   • At the bottom of each recording device, there is a check box with "Select" to the right of it. When recording Digitally you need to have either WAVE, MIXED OUTPUT, or WHAT YOU HEAR (which ever selection your sound card gives you).
   • Make sure the recording Volume is at least half way up.
   • Close "Recording Control" window.
   • You are ready to record Digitally.
   • Open Windows Media Player 7 and play your CD-Rom and press record in Cool Edit to record the audio.

To better understand how Audio works, we recommend you download and watch "A short course in digital audio" .

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