Recorder Compatibility
INTRODUCTION
Raven recorder is compatible with a wide array of recording hardware. However, Raven users do sometimes report compatibility issues.
Tip: Recording with Raven Pro or Raven Lite will probably go more smoothly for you if you read the following sections of the Raven Pro User’s Manual:
- Chapter 4: Signal Acquisition (Recording)
- Appendix C: Configuring Audio Input
EXPLANATION
As stated above, Raven recorder is compatible with a wide array of recording hardware. Since we developed Raven recorder with NIDAQ recording devices we believe that they are in general the most likely to be compatible with Raven software.
Compatibility problems between Raven Recorder and various recording devices are due to compatibility problems with the your default audio device driver. Most computers ship with generic device drivers already installed. And many recording devices have custom device drivers that allow users to access that particular hardware. All that to say that you may have several device drivers already installed on your computer and that you may be able to find additional device drivers online, a subset of which is almost certainly compatible with Raven. Given that, here are several steps you can take if you encounter compatibility issues.
1. If you are recording more than two channels simultaneously, see Multi-Channel Recording.
2. Try selecting a different device driver in the “Device” menu in the “Configure New Recorder” dialog. 
3. Update your audio device drivers. If you don’t know what that means, try a Google search on “update drivers”.
4. Install and test another device driver. The manufacturer of your recorder may supply one or more device drivers for your recorder. If they don’t, you may find an ASIO device driver that is compatible with your recorder. (Try a Google search on “asio driver”.)
5. Configure audio input. (See Appendix C in the Raven Pro User’s Manual, which you can open from the Help menu.)
6. Try another software application. Audacity is one of the most popular free applications. The Audacity website has ample documentation, as do many third-party websites like YouTube. If simplicity of the user interface is a priority, check out Ocenaudio. If you would like to try something else, do a Google search on “alternatives to Audacity”.