Can't SAVE or LOAD to wavs in Family Basic

[P]

Now when the manual is translated and I have some time I thought I would finally be able to enjoy Game Basic, since I hardly had the chance to try it out yet.

But now I can't save or load my programs to and from wav files. I connected 3.5mm stereo cables to my computer's green line-in port and the blue line-out port, typed SAVE "progname" and then pressed the record button in Audacity. I only get really small waves in the graph.

Loading any of the programs UglyJoe uploaded in this thread http://www.famicomworld.com/forum/index.php?topic=8234.0 won't work either. It just keeps saying LOADING until I press stop long after the wav file has finished playing.

Both saving and loading works in Nestopia so I know that I'm not typing anything wrong. I tried other ports like microphone and I tried swapping the cables in the Read/Write ports of the keyboard. I even tried on a laptop connecting to the headphone and microphone ports. I've checked the stereo cable and it's fine.

I've considered trying an old Sound Blaster Live 5.1 card I have laying around but I'm not so sure it will be any different.

Edit: Oops I just realized this should have gone in the technical support forum. Sorry about that!

[UglyJoe]

Haiku tech support:

Family Basic
keyboard is nearly deaf and
only speaks whispers

You basically need to amplify the audio that you send to the FB keyboard, and also amplify any audio that you are receiving from the FB keyboard.  I run mine through a set of speakers with a headphone jack and volume dial, so that the speakers can act as the amplifier.

For recording from the keyboard:
FB Keyboard Audio Out -> Speakers -> 3.5 mini-to-mini cable via headphone jack -> PC line-in

For sending to the keyboard:
PC speaker out -> Speakers -> 3.5 mini-to-mini cable via headphone jack -> FB Keyboard Audio In

It can be pretty finicky, as well, as amplification can cause distortion.  Speaking of distortion, make sure nothing else is causing distortion in the Famicom's audio (player 2 mic, bad/cheap RF/AV cable, noisy TV, etc).

Good luck!

[P]

Thank you and nice haiku!

OK my PC speaker's amp is in a subwoofer but it won't let me amplify the audio via the headphone jack for some reason (to prevent ear injury from accidental turning on the volume knob I guess) so I connected it to the RCA ports where the speakers normally goes.

Sending to the keyboard:
PC line-out -> Subwoofer -> RCA-to-3.5mini cable -> FB Keyboard Audio In

Kanitori geemu loads! But I had to turn up the volume quite high!
However, I still can't save. I hooked it up the same way, just changed the ins and outs.

Recording from the keyboard:
FB Keyboard Audio Out -> 3.5mini-to-RCA cable -> Subwoofer -> PC line-in

The input level bar in Audacity is moving but it's way to low and it doesn't even seems to be affected by the volume knob. Strange since it worked in the other direction.

I'm getting a good tape recorder (I have bunch of old empty tapes anyway) but I wonder if the amp in the tape recorder will be allright when my subwoofer's amp hardly works.

I'm probably forgetting something stupidly simple.

[UglyJoe]

That's weird that it's not amplifying when you're recording.  All that I can think of is a stereo/mono problem.

The FB keyboard is using mono input/output.  I'm not sure if you're doing a mono recording or stereo recording in Audacity.  If you're capturing mono, it might be that you're capturing the wrong channel (left instead of right, or vice versa).  Try recording in stereo (if you're not already) to see if either channel gets amplified.

[80sFREAK]

Check cables/mixer settings. My RQ-8050 output about 0.25V and keyboard output is about 5mV, which is far enough for MIC.

[P]

That's weird that it's not amplifying when you're recording.  All that I can think of is a stereo/mono problem.

The FB keyboard is using mono input/output.  I'm not sure if you're doing a mono recording or stereo recording in Audacity.  If you're capturing mono, it might be that you're capturing the wrong channel (left instead of right, or vice versa).  Try recording in stereo (if you're not already) to see if either channel gets amplified.

I captured both channels and they were both too low.
I just picked up a pair of working PC speakers that someone had thrown away and has a built-in amp. I can load Kanitori geemu or anything else I try (but only on highest volume level) but saving still doesn't work at all. I just noticed that while loading a program the output level bars in Audacity are not affected either by the volume knob but I can only load the game if the volume knob is at max.

Check cables/mixer settings. My RQ-8050 output about 0.25V and keyboard output is about 5mV, which is far enough for MIC.

I double checked the cables, no problems there. All adjustable output volumes are at max, the RealTek ones are fixed. The speakers I picked up in the trash, outputs around 0.20V on highest volume in the headphone jack.

I begin to think that something is wrong with my RealTek HD Audio input drivers. I tested them all plus Microsofts sound mapper and I still get nothing at all except some small noise. All the drivers work with my microphone however, just not with line-in...

[UglyJoe]

Do your mic /line-in ports have software that is doing noise cancelation? If so, disable it.

[P]

The closest thing I can find is Noise Suppression which is a setting for the microphone. But it has been turned off all this time.

There something called "Enable recording multi-streaming" which people seem to use when they can't see the mixer at all, but I can already see it...

[tonev]

Activate Microphone boost in control panel if you are using windows

[P]

This sound card doesn't have a Microphone boost option in windows.

[UglyJoe]

Have you tested your microphone / line-in jacks with any other devices, like a cheap microphone or an MP3 player (via mini-to-mini cable)?

[P]

Microphone works fine, and I just tested the Line-in with a Sony Walkman and a cassette tape (it doesn't have a recording feature though so I can't use it for saving). It recorded flawlessly in Audacity without any external amps, so that rules out any problems with my computer or sound card I guess.

So it's either the amp or something is weird with my FB keyboard. I'm gonna try some more with these cheap USB powered speakers I found until I find something with a better amp. The ideal volume for saving might not be the same as the ideal volume for loading.

[UglyJoe]

Have you plugged headphones into the Audio Out port of the FB keyboard to see if you hear anything when saving?  It should be faint, but discernible.

[P]

Just tested it. Diddn't hear anything at all first but then I tested again and listened carefully and I heard a faint ringing sound in one ear. It's really faint but it seems to work.

[P]

OK I got tape recorder on my trip to Japan. First department store I checked in a small town on Kyushu. Now I can at least save and load my own programs to tapes. Saving in Wrecking Crew and Lode Runner works too! So now I know that the computer is the problem and not the keyboard.

You know something is wrong with the world when you have to go all the way to Japan just to buy a normal tape recorder!