Can't get Reaper to work on my PC

prancinghusky · 01-02-2018, 04:04 PM

Hey guys,

First time posting, just want to say thanks for the add and happy new year!

I'm hoping you can help me with something.

I've recently installed the trial version of Reaper and have been having a real struggle getting it to play any of the sound that I have recorded.

My soundcard is the standard Windows - High Definition Audio Device, that came pre-installed on my laptop.
There is also an NVidia Virtual Audio Device (Wave Extensible) WDM that came with the GeForce GT 640M graphics card.

I have tried using the ASIO4ALL driver recommended by a user in this forum, with both of my sound card options.

I would really appreciate any help you can give me on this. All I want to do is make some music! =)

Many thanks

drumphil · 01-02-2018, 05:01 PM

Need more information.

Exactly what have you done so far?

How are you reaper audio preferences configured?

I'm assuming you have a project with some audio on a track, and you can see the waveform view?

What happens when you hit play?

Does everything look like it's working, but you can't hear it, or does nothing happen when you hit play?

Are you running any other apps in the background that could be competing with reaper for control of your audio device?

How did you get the audio into reaper in the first place?

Details!

slipstick · 01-03-2018, 02:55 AM

Have you tried setting the Audio System to WASAPI instead of ASIO4ALL? That usually gets you going on Windows systems.

Then you can try refining things and set up ASIO4ALL if you really need it.

Steve

drumphil · 01-06-2018, 05:14 AM

cricket, cricket...

Why do I keep responding to this type of thread and trying to help....

?

prancinghusky · 01-06-2018, 02:36 PM

Lol drumphil because you like to help clearly!

I put a screenshot on showing my audio preferences.

So when I press play the playback bar scrolls across the track; but no sound comes from my speakers.

I recorded the sound using the microphone on my laptop. The sound monitor next to the audio track bounces around when I make noise. The monitor bars are yellow if that makes any difference?

I had Spotify open in the background so I tried closing that. Can't see any other immediately obvious ones to try.

Really appreciate your help with this guys!

drumphil · 01-06-2018, 05:25 PM

Are there any other options under "output device". Have you tried exclusive instead of shared? What happens if you try DirectSound instead of WASAPI?

I know that some audio devices don't work with WASAPI, but do work through ASIO4ALL. How did you have ASIO4ALL configured, and what did your reaper audio preferences look like when using it?

Quote:

with both of my sound card options

What are both of your sound card options?

prancinghusky · 01-07-2018, 11:37 AM

Tried all the different modes for WASAPI, and tried DirectSound.
Each option gave me the same result; the playback cursor moves across the screen but no sound comes out of the speakers.

My sound card is:
High Definition Audio Device

I saw a thread where someone said that onboard laptop sound cards are sometimes not supported with WASAPI.

I attached a screen of my ASIO setup.

The other sound card option is the Intel(R) Display Audio Driver, which I've disabled in the latest round of tests.

Dynsdale · 01-07-2018, 02:23 PM

This attached set-up works for me when using build in sound card.
Also make sure master volume and track volume is turned up (yes I have done that) Good luck.

drumphil · 01-07-2018, 04:49 PM

Do you have two options for "high definition audio device"?

Usually there are two, one for the speakers, and one for the headphones, when using the default microsoft driver.

What happens when you plug headphones in?

What options do you get for input and output devices in directsound mode?

Have you done anything to the reaper routing matrix?

Could you post a picture of the main project window, and the routing matrix?

Could you post a picture of the windows playback devices and recording devices? (right click the speaker icon to the right end of the taskbar)

What happens when you actually install the proper driver for the on board sound?

This situation certainly is odd, but I bet it's something relatively simple in the end.

prancinghusky · 01-10-2018, 02:52 PM

Sorry for the late reply been busy with work

I've only got one option for the output which is the Speakers (High Definition Audio Device)

I have a Fiio DAC that I connect my headphones through. I plugged it all in and got the same result as when I tried with just the speakers.

With DirectSound my mic options are:
"Primary Sound Capture Driver"
"SPDIF Interface (my DAC)"
"Microphone (High Definition Audio Device)"
With the speakers:
"Primary Sound Driver"
"SPDIF Interface"
"Speakers (High Definition Audio Device)"

Haven't touched the routing matrix.

The forum pixel limit won't let me do a fullsize picture of the window, is there any particular area that you need?

Really do appreciate your help with this I'm learning loads

drumphil · 01-10-2018, 10:05 PM

The reason your audio device shows up as "High Definition Audio Device" is because you haven't installed the proper drivers, and are using the generic microsoft driver.

Still should work in most situations though, but laptop audio setups can be funny.

If you're using direct sound, and you select "Speakers (High Definition Audio Device)" as the output device in reaper does that work, on either the internal speakers or headphone port?

If neither the internal speakers or headphone port has any sound coming out of it, it's time to actually figure out whether your on board sound is realtek or IDT or whatever and actually get the proper drivers for it.

There are often problems with switching from the headphone/line out port to internal speakers with the generic microsoft HD audio driver.

Wouldn't surprise me if all comes down to that. Laptops have odd audio setups that can cause all sorts of headaches.

Also, a picture of your reaper project window would be good, and, when i ask for a picture of asio4all configuration, i mean the window you get when you click the ASIO Configuration button in the reaper audio preferences window. Clicking that should launch the ASIO4ALL control panel, which has to be set up correctly too.

But if we can't even get it working with direct sound (which pretty much always works, even if the latency isn't good), then there is no point worrying about ASIO4ALL yet.

prancinghusky · 01-19-2018, 11:01 AM

Sorry I took so long to reply!

Tried setting the "Speaker (High Definition Audio Device)" as the output device in Reaper and no sound came out of either the onboard speakers or the headphones.

I contacted the people that built my laptop and they said that the sound card is an " Intel dual channel HD sound card". I've replied for more technical details on it.

While I wait for that; I've included a picture of the ASIO4ALL window.

The project window picture is too big for the forums so you can see it through the link below:
https://ibb.co/iCg2Ob

drumphil · 01-20-2018, 08:38 PM

Can you post a picture of the project window that shows the mixer with the master fader. Do you have any plugins enabled?

If so can you take a screenshot showing the relevant plugins and their settings?

What happens if you disable record arm on the track and hit play?

You aren't tying to record a new track over the top of the existing one are you?

JamesPeters · 01-20-2018, 11:22 PM

Try WASAPI for your "HD audio device" again, this time not as "shared" but as "exclusive".

Keep in mind whatever mixer app your laptop has (probably linked from an icon in your system tray), the audio is still controlled by that. If you've muted your SPDIF or something like that in the mixer app you won't be able to hear anything from it.

Also if you're using the SPDIF of your onboard audio device, keep in mind that might not be the ins/outs you're expecting them to be in Reaper. You might have to specify different ins/outs to use the SPDIF. Seeing "microphone" and "speakers" listed for your device doesn't seem to make sense if you're using SPDIF inputs/outputs.

Oh wait a minute...that DAC isn't part of the audio device, it's some separate USB device. You can't use that at the same time as the onboard audio device. You'll have to pick one and go from there. And if Reaper doesn't recognize the DAC as its own device, you won't be able to use it in Reaper.