multiple line input on pc - recording radio

[straighjacket]

I need to record 4 different radio stations on my PC (Windows XP). I'll have a separate radio tuned to each station I need. I'll connect a line from each radio's headphone jack to my PC. I was thinking of using High Criteria Total Recorder to capture the audio from each line. I think I can just run 4 instances of total recorder and set each instance to record from a separate line. I don't need excellent quality audio. I basically just need the quality to be good enough to hear the commercials during the radio programs I'm recording.

How do I set this up? Will Windows XP support multiple line inputs? Is there a single sound card that I can install that has multiple line inputs, or do I have to install a separate sound card for each line input? Would I be able to install multiple identical brand sound cards? Or do I just use a mixer to do this?

Remember, the line I'm using will need to go from the radio headphone jack to the PC.

Any specific instructions on how to accomplish this are greatly appreciated.

[robertruetz]

You're going to need a multi-input audio interface. Something with at least 4 Line inputs. For that many inputs, you're probably going to want to go with something external. If You're insistent upon a PCI solution. Look at the M-Audio Delta 44 (http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/Delta44), as it has 4 inputs. With a good piece of Multi-track software, you can easily assign each of the inputs to a separate track and record them all at once.

You can also search for a USB or Firewire solution, just make sure it has 4 independent Line inputs.

I'm not familiar with Total Recorder, so I can't attest to how many instances you can run, but it would seem that they would all need to use the same sound card - Which won't work. You could look at Reaper - which is a donation-ware (I think) multi-track DAW. There are some others out there that are not free like Adobe Audition, Sony Acid, and many many others. You need something with multi-track recording capabilities.

Perhaps someone else has another solution for you, but this is the way I would go.

Welcome to the forums.
Rob
:cool:

[ecc83]

The M-Audio 1010lt is a big favourite for a reliable 8in 8out (+SPDIF&MIDI) pci card and really is only tad more costly than the 4ch card.

Two of the inputs can be balanced mic ins and could be useful to record a 5th "logging" track (date,time, degree of pissed offness with the whole thing!).

For software I strongly advise a look at Samplitude 9, available as a download for about £50 but you can get a 30day demo. This is the easiest software I have found for setting multiple ins and outs (Cubase is byzantine by comparison!). But Reaper is pretty good too.

NB, computers are not, by nature, organized for the recording of continuous sound files, there are certain "tweaks" that really need doing. Most important is to shut down all Windows Sounds.

Come back or PM if you want chapter and verse.

Dave.