Convert Sharp MD-MT190H audio to MP3 via MacBook / Audacity

[FrogMom]

Hello MD community,

I recently found my old Sharp MD-MT190H and discovered I have MD recordings of interviews with my (now deceased) grandmother. I'd like to transfer them to an MP3 format so I can share them with my family but I'm not succeeding and need technical help. I have a MacBook Pro 2015 that runs on OS Sierra and installed Audacity for Macs today. So far so good. My problem is transferring the sound from my MD recorder to my MacBook Pro so I can record with Audacity. I have tried the following:

- Connecting MD recorder to MacBook Pro via 3.5 mini stereo audio cable (headphone jack in MD recorder, USB audio stereo sound adapter in MacBook Pro on Input jack) + System Preferences > Sound > Input = USB device / Output = internal speakers

- Connecting MD recorder to MacBook Pro via 3.5 mini stereo audio cable (headphone jack in MD recorder, headphone jack in MacBook Pro) + System Preferences > Sound > Input and Output = internal speakers

In Audacity, I've selected Transport options > Software playthrough 

No sound is coming out in Audacity. What am I doing wrong?

Would really love some help on this. Thanks so much.

 

 

[Forester]

You did press play on the minidisc - right! :-)

I run Ubuntu Linux, so not up on the Mac side of things, but in Audacity you can change the source for recording. Just under the transport bar there is a wee picture of a microphone: my screenshot shows it at 'default', but the drop-down might give you the input options you mentioned above.

You can adjust input levels using the slider below the play button.

Glad you found the recordings of your Gran - that's one of the great things about minidiscs - longevity which surpasses system upgrades!