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Freeware Total recorder alternative.

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everso

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I know there is a method to record sound from a Hi-MD without going the Total recorder route. However there may be people out there who have started using the real time thing or for one reason or another can not get other methods to work.

For those, and others, looking for real time sound card capture try

http://www.snapfiles.com/get/messer.html

Its a program called Messer. It works like Total recorder but is freeware. I've been using it for a while to record internet radaio as it has a built in timee.

Enoy

Everso

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I know there is a method to record sound from a Hi-MD without going the Total recorder route. However there may be people out there who have started using the real time thing or for one reason or another can not get other methods to work.

If you have enough RAM in your PC, you can use Microsoft's Sound Recorder (it comes included with Windows) to record from WAVE IN. To record 30 minutes at a time, you would need roughly 300MB free RAM.

Sound Recorder defaults to a 1 minute recording time.... but you can easily overcome this by:

1. record a 1 minute WAV file. Save as "1 minute blank.wav"

2. In Sound Recorder menu, click "Insert file" and select "1 minute blank.wav". Now, you have a 2-minute recording time!

3. Repeat this for as many minutes as you wish to record. I.E, do it 30 times and save the final file as "30 minute blank.WAV". Use Sound Recorder to open this file every time you need to record for 30 minutes.

Your only limit is how much physical free RAM in your PC. A standard CD-quality WAV takes roughly 10MB per minute.... so, if you wanted to record for 30 minutes, you would need about 300MB free RAM.... 60 minutes would require 600MB RAM.

I have 1GB RAM on my PC, with over 700MB free.... so I can record 60 minute's of music, using Sound Recorder, with no problems. You'll need another app, however, to split up the big WAV into smaller pieces.

I use this method to record internet streaming audio. I'll record for, say 30 minutes... then I use a WAV editor app to split up the file into the indivual songs, as WAV's. Then I use Sonic Stage to move them to my HiMD, for listening in my car. It works for me... maybe someone else will like the idea too.

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I think it's important to note, ksandbergfl..

Why would someone with 1GB of RAM in their PC be recording with Sound Recorder, which is garbage and unnecessarily complicates the task, when there are multiple free applications or utilities out there that are easy to find, easy to install, easy to use, have more features than, and most importantly are far less of a hassle in every way than sound recorder [not to mention not being made by M$]?

Messer looks interesting btw, everso. It does not support the one feature that makes Total Recorder what it is though: the proxy driver that lets you record digitally from any source on your PC straight to a .WAV file, whether your sound card's mixer supports such a source or not.

We could use any program for analogue transfers [which is what Messer is made for]. TR has a specific function that nothing else I've seen supports.

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I think it's important to note, ksandbergfl..

Why would someone with 1GB of RAM in their PC be recording with Sound Recorder, which is garbage and unnecessarily complicates the task, when there are multiple free applications or utilities out there that are easy to find, easy to install, easy to use, have more features than, and most importantly are far less of a hassle in every way than sound recorder [not to mention not being made by M$]?

My PC was 1GB is at work. Sound Recorder works for me, does what I need it to do, and there was no learning curve nor additional software to install. I'm at work and can't spend all day browsing the web looking for freebies, or installing non-approved software on a PC that belongs to my company. I can walk to any PC in the building (not that I would ever do so) and record internet streaming audio with no extra software anywhere. And I disagree that Sound Recorder is difficult to use... It has given me no hassles ever.

That being said, I tend to agree with you - at home I am less encumbered. Being a musician I use Cakewalk Pro Audio to do this same thing. Do you approve of that? ;-)

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Sound Recorder defaults to a 1 minute recording time.... but you can easily overcome this by:  

1. record a 1 minute WAV file. Save as "1 minute blank.wav"  

2. In Sound Recorder menu, click "Insert file" and select "1 minute blank.wav". Now, you have a 2-minute recording time!  

3. Repeat this for as many minutes as you wish to record. I.E, do it 30 times and save the final file as "30 minute blank.WAV". Use Sound Recorder to open this file every time you need to record for 30 minutes.  

Your only limit is how much physical free RAM in your PC.

If that doesn't define complicated [for what with most software would be a matter of simply hitting 'record' to do all the same things and not be limited by RAM] then I don't know what does.

That said, excellent point about the work computers. Students at universities face the same type of restrictions, too.

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  • 3 years later...

Audacity , .............. nuff said .

There is a Portable version that runs from a USB stick ............ a PORTABLE ,....... USB Recorder .

Win / Mac / Linux , and unlike Messer , it has full effects processing , and is constantly being tested and improved upon by THOUSANDS of testers who are contributing code for improvement , and has YeARS , of usage a MUCH nicer GUI . ANd !!!! Doesnt Use your RAM

http://portableapps.com/apps/music_video/audacity_portable

http://audacity.sourceforge.net/about/

Audacity-logo-r_50pct.jpg

Edited by Guitarfxr
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I have no idea why this discussion from four years ago has suddenly resurfaced!

But the person who said

It does not support the one feature that makes Total Recorder what it is though: the proxy driver that lets you record digitally from any source on your PC straight to a .WAV file, whether your sound card's mixer supports such a source or not.

was on the money as far as Total Recorder is concerned. For instance, it had the ability to record streaming audio from the net at full download speed, not just real time.

However, wanting to get hold of the latest version (I have a licence) I've been unable to get into their site for a long time, and I assume the developers have disappeared - pity!

[Edit - heh, I've just got into their site and I see in fact there is a new version available!]

Edited by ozpeter
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