Ok, in all versions of Windows prior to Vista I could open the mixer and
turn on audio input so that the sound coming from my stereo via a line out
was heard in my pc speakers after taking caution adjusting the proper input
level.

How the **** you do this in Vista. Damn mixer is basically ****ing
useless!!!

I can just imagine it gets even more obscene in Win7 as they continue to try
and lock down/out media. As it is I keep a virtual XP under Vista just to be
able to convert DVD's to avi files in the format I choose. Looks like I have
to consider keeping parts etc. for one pc to never be upgraded past XP just
to insure one can still do what one was always able to do.

One should not have to open some recording software nor should one have to
depend upon some utility provided by the sound card manufacturer just to
provide this basic functionality that always existed before. Same thing with
CD/DVD players. At one time they had buttons on them to start/stop audio
etc. Meant could put a cd in and press the play button and without needing
any software but just "turn on" "cd-in" in the mixer and you could hear the
sound without any hit on the pc at all. Now, try to find a drive does
that!!!