Misc [Help] Recording 2DS audio on a laptop

[Earhart]

Hi everyone, I recently started getting set up to record my 2DS so I could make some videos. I have the video capture all set up, but I just can't figure out how to do the audio.

I have an audio adapter(a Hama klinkenadapter) plugged in to my 2DS and a 3.5mm 4-pole aux(both sides male) connected from that to the jack on my laptop. I'm using a Dell XPS 13, so there's only one audio jack, which is a combination headphone-and-mic port.

The laptop absolutely refuses to recognize the plugged-in cords as anything but headphones. I've tried every combination of cord I could think of, including using a regular 3-pole aux. I've tried with both OBS and Audacity. The computer has no problem recording input from a gaming headset, so I don't think the jack is broken. All forum posts I can find on here and elsewhere are for people using a PC with multiple audio jacks for specific types of input, so I haven't been able to get help elsewhere. I have access to an old IMac, but I feel like I'd have the same issues.

I've been trying all sorts of methods for days, so I'm sort of at my wit's end, haha. Has anyone else dealt with this problem? Any help would be so, so appreciated.

(I wanted to include links to the cords I'm using but I can't since I'm a new user. I can describe them in more detail if that helps.)

 

[KleinesSinchen]

Shot in the dark:
Not a 3DS but a PC problem. Modern laptops have internal audio capabilities like . They often don't have "Aux-in". Virtually all connectors (not audio only) have been replaced with wireless garbage. (I'd better stop ranting here before this goes fully off-topic)

Generally Aux-in and Mic-in have completely different levels (unless the microphone uses a preamplifier). Connecting anything "Hifi equipment" to a microphone jack will result in LOUD(!!) noise.
My guess -- it is just a guess -- is that the number of connected channels on the connected device makes the laptop decide what is plugged in:

• One channel: Microphone
• Two channels: Headphones or speakers
• Three channels: Headset

Connecting a 3DS the way you described has two channels. The same problem should prevent you from recording from any common stereo audio source.

Not sure about the iMac. Define old. Apple was always pioneer at getting rid of things (floppy drives, optical drives, easy replaceable batteries, replaceable mass storage, various connectors...). Just try recording a stereo source with the bitten apple if there is some audio-in.

A cheap external USB sound device should solve the problem. There are cheap boxes with two Mic-in, Aux-in, analogue 5.1, digital S/PDIF and whatnot.

Good luck!

 

[Earhart]

Shot in the dark:
Not a 3DS but a PC problem. Modern laptops have internal audio capabilities like . They often don't have "Aux-in". Virtually all connectors (not audio only) have been replaced with wireless garbage. (I'd better stop ranting here before this goes fully off-topic)

Generally Aux-in and Mic-in have completely different levels (unless the microphone uses a preamplifier). Connecting anything "Hifi equipment" to a microphone jack will result in LOUD(!!) noise.
My guess -- it is just a guess -- is that the number of connected channels on the connected device makes the laptop decide what is plugged in:

• One channel: Microphone
• Two channels: Headphones or speakers
• Three channels: Headset

Connecting a 3DS the way you described has two channels. The same problem should prevent you from recording from any common stereo audio source.

Not sure about the iMac. Define old. Apple was always pioneer at getting rid of things (floppy drives, optical drives, easy replaceable batteries, replaceable mass storage, various connectors...). Just try recording a stereo source with the bitten apple if there is some audio-in.

A cheap external USB sound device should solve the problem. There are cheap boxes with two Mic-in, Aux-in, analogue 5.1, digital S/PDIF and whatnot.

Good luck!

Thanks so much for the reply. I thought it was probably the laptop's fault...I will try a USB sound card, and if all else fails, I'll try the iMac. (My family got it in about 2013, so maybe the right hardware hadn't been removed yet.)
Do you have any recommendations for what USB device I should try? Would a Sabrent USB sound card fit the bill? (I'd include a link if I could, sorry)

 

[Pk11]

Apple removed audio input ports from iMacs in 2012 so if you're remembering the year right then it doesn't have it. You can easily tell if it has audio in because there will be two separate ports one of which has the audio in icon:

There were a couple MacBooks and MacBook Pros that had a combined port, however I don't think that applied to any iMacs and they'd already stopped doing that by 2012 anyways I think.

 

[KleinesSinchen]

Apple removed audio input ports from iMacs in 2012

Just what I feared.
→
Apple removed everything… people still buy it… other manufacturers follow. Always the same.
Clarification: The "" is for Apple, not for you @Pk11; you know I always appreciate your replies (same this time – wouldn't have known a date when Apple removed a particular thing)

Thanks so much for the reply. I thought it was probably the laptop's fault...I will try a USB sound card, and if all else fails, I'll try the iMac. (My family got it in about 2013, so maybe the right hardware hadn't been removed yet.)
Do you have any recommendations for what USB device I should try? Would a Sabrent USB sound card fit the bill? (I'd include a link if I could, sorry)

Sadly I can't recommend you anything from own experience. Normally I use full-fledged desktop computers and not castrated laptops.
I have been using a LogiLink UA0099 that identifies as "ID 0d8c:0102 C-Media Electronics, Inc. CM106 Like Sound Device" in lsusb for… what feels like forever. It has been a lot cheaper in the past than what I get as result now:
https://www.amazon.de/LogiLink-USB-2-0-Channel-Sound/dp/B003YFVN3Q
https://www.reichelt.de/soundkarte-extern-sound-box-7-1-usb-2-0-logilink-ua0099-p101895.html
Main reason for getting this was using on Raspberry Pi with LibreElec to get Dolby Digital/DTS passthrough (via S/PDIF) to my surround amplifier from the year 1999 (which obviously doesn't have HDMI).
I guess you won't need that. There must be cheaper alternatives.

Edit:
This should do as well:
https://www.ebay.de/itm/363634463256
A very simple dongle with only two jacks is likely to have stereo out and microphone in – no aux-in.

 

[Earhart]

God, I thought I replied already but it didn’t go through. Thank you for telling me so I don’t waste my time with the iMac, I really appreciate it.

 

[Earhart]

I ordered a cheap USB sound card and will update when I try it out!!

 

[Earhart]

UPDATE!

The USB soundcard works! To anyone who is trying to record 3DS audio on a laptop, a sound card is the way to go!

Thanks so much for your help @KleinesSinchen and @Pk11 !