# Record Computer's Audio Output **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 26, 2008, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/record-computers-audio-output/442769 "2008-03-26T05:57:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2008, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/record-computers-audio-output/442769/1 "2008-03-26T05:57:52Z")
There must be a way to have my computer record whatever its current audio output is to a separate audio file. Does this require anything fancy? In any case, what does it require? (I could probably just _physically_ wire the audio output back into the audio input, I guess…? But I was thinking more along the lines of a software solution.) -FrL- ---
**Author:** ![appleciders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85f322/32.png) [@appleciders](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/appleciders)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2008, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/record-computers-audio-output/442769/2 "2008-03-26T06:00:28Z")
You know, I’ve tried physically wiring it back and been quite unhappy with the outcome. It was scratchy, if I recall correctly. But give it a shot; you might have a better connection than I have. ---
**Author:** ![TimeWinder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bcef8e/32.png) [@TimeWinder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TimeWinder)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2008, 6:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/record-computers-audio-output/442769/3 "2008-03-26T06:03:21Z")
What kind of computer? Audio Hijack will do this for a Mac, I have no idea if there’s a Windows version. ---
**Author:** ![Rico](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rico/32/3582_2.png) [@Rico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rico)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2008, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/record-computers-audio-output/442769/4 "2008-03-26T06:04:03Z")
If you’re asking what I think you’re asking, Audacity will do just that. If I’m listening to streaming audio, and wish to record it, Audacity will allow that - but make sure you turn your microphone off before you do it or it will mix the mic audio in. [Get it here. Free.](http://audacity.sourceforge.net/) ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2008, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/record-computers-audio-output/442769/5 "2008-03-26T06:04:32Z")
Oops, sorry, I should have specified its a PC not a Mac. -FrL- ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2008, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/record-computers-audio-output/442769/6 "2008-03-26T06:05:54Z")
[QUOTE=Rico] If you’re asking what I think you’re asking, Audacity will do just that. If I’m listening to streaming audio, and wish to record it, Audacity will allow that - but make sure you turn your microphone off before you do it or it will mix the mic audio in. [Get it here. Free.](http://audacity.sourceforge.net/) [/QUOTE] Thanks for the tip! Someone IRL\* told me that Audacity _doesn’t_ do that. Glad to know they were wrong. I also didn’t realize it was free. -FrL- \*You, of course, are not IRL. ---
**Author:** ![Rico](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rico/32/3582_2.png) [@Rico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rico)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2008, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/record-computers-audio-output/442769/7 "2008-03-26T06:11:43Z")
Glad to help. Been using Audacity for years. Make sure you read the documentation - there’s some strange stuff in there - but it all makes sense when you’ve used it a few times. Enjoy. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2008, 9:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/record-computers-audio-output/442769/8 "2008-03-26T09:57:49Z")
[QUOTE=Frylock] Thanks for the tip! Someone IRL\* told me that Audacity _doesn’t_ do that. [/QUOTE] In some cases, it won’t be able to, but that’s not Audacity’s fault - I believe it’s a case of whether the sound card drivers have an option to set ‘stereo mix’ (or something like that) as the recording source. ---
**Author:** ![Jurph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/50afbb/32.png) [@Jurph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jurph)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2008, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/record-computers-audio-output/442769/9 "2008-03-26T12:55:44Z")
If Audacity won’t do what you want, try Audiograbber. I’ve found it to work very well for recording pretty much anything that is coming out of my speakers. ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2008, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/record-computers-audio-output/442769/10 "2008-03-26T20:37:55Z")
[QUOTE=Mangetout] In some cases, it won’t be able to, but that’s not Audacity’s fault - I believe it’s a case of whether the sound card drivers have an option to set ‘stereo mix’ (or something like that) as the recording source. [/QUOTE] Yes, this has turned out to be a problem for me. Creative apparently _used_ to have an option like this called “what you hear,” but they have gotten rid of it for their Vista drivers. (Or something. I wasn’t completely clear about the history here.) Audacity themselves recommend I just do the physical line out to line in thing. So if Audiograbber doesn’t work, that’s what I’ll be doing. -FrL- ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2008, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/record-computers-audio-output/442769/11 "2008-03-26T20:47:14Z")
Another program that works is MP3MyMP3. What’s nice is that you can select any number of sources, including everything you can hear. And it is free (think it’s been GPLed too, but I’m not sure.) However, the fact that it was put together by a guy in his spare time shows as it’s quite difficult to use at times. ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2008, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/record-computers-audio-output/442769/12 "2008-03-26T20:47:14Z")
[QUOTE=Jurph] If Audacity won’t do what you want, try Audiograbber. I’ve found it to work very well for recording pretty much anything that is coming out of my speakers. [/QUOTE] I’ve checked it out, (as in downloaded and ran the latest version,) and as far as I can tell, Audiograbber only grabs audio from CDs, not from the audio output stream. But am I missing something? -FrL- ---
**Author:** ![GameHat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ed655f/32.png) [@GameHat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GameHat)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2008, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/record-computers-audio-output/442769/13 "2008-03-26T23:58:11Z")
Kind of an ugly program, but I’ve been using [HarddiskOgg](http://www.fridgesoft.de/harddiskogg.php) for a few months and it does a pretty decent basic job. Despite the program name, you can save audio to a few different formats. Unfortunately “wav” isn’t an option by default - I usually save to APE then decompress to wav. ---
**Author:** ![totoismomo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/59ef9b/32.png) [@totoismomo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/totoismomo)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2008, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/record-computers-audio-output/442769/14 "2008-03-27T00:00:18Z")
I use [Virtual Audio Cable](http://software.muzychenko.net/eng/vac.html) in conjunction with Audacity to achieve this. However, it might not be exactly what you want, since you can’t actually listen to what you are recording while using it. Also, it’s not freeware, but relatively cheap at $30. ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2008, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/record-computers-audio-output/442769/15 "2008-03-27T00:05:53Z")
Thanks for the suggestions everyone. It appears that the same problem recurs when I try any of the solutions listed here. Apparently my sound card does not have the option to use the output strea as the recording device. Most sound cards do, mine does not. Mine (A Creative SoundBlaster Audigy Somethingorother) _used_ to, but its more recent drivers have stopped offering this option. (It was called “What You Hear,” and was listed alongside “Microphone” and “Line in” as recording devices.) Older drivers are, I gather, very non-recommended for Vista machines like mine. Aggravating. And its hard to believe there’s not some workaround for this. (I mean, what could make it impossible in principle just to have the machine take what it’s sending to the speakers and also send it to a disc drive?) But I can’t find anyone who’s found a way yet. -FrL- ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2008, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/record-computers-audio-output/442769/16 "2008-03-27T00:27:19Z")
> [@Frylock](#): > > (I mean, what could make it impossible in principle just to have the machine take what it’s sending to the speakers and also send it to a disc drive?) Well-funded recording industry lawyers. ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2008, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/record-computers-audio-output/442769/17 "2008-03-27T00:30:24Z")
[QUOTE=Beware of Doug] Well-funded recording industry lawyers. [/QUOTE] I put the words “in principle” there in an unsuccessful attempt to head off that comment at the pass. -FrL- ---
**Author:** ![totoismomo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/59ef9b/32.png) [@totoismomo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/totoismomo)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2008, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/record-computers-audio-output/442769/18 "2008-03-27T00:38:41Z")
[QUOTE=Frylock] It appears that the same problem recurs when I try any of the solutions listed here. Apparently my sound card does not have the option to use the output strea as the recording device. [/QUOTE] Maybe your system doesn’t allow it for some reason, but I’m fairly certain Virtual Audio Cable will work around this. What it does is set up a virtual sound card with virtual in’s and out’s so that you can use Windows’ sound manager to set the playback device to “virtual cable 1” and then in Audacity set the recording device to “virtual cable 1”, and it will record whatever would normally go to the audio out stream. Your actual physical sound card doesn’t get involved at all. ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2008, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/record-computers-audio-output/442769/19 "2008-03-27T01:56:41Z")
[QUOTE=Frylock] I put the words “in principle” there in an unsuccessful attempt to head off that comment at the pass. -FrL- [/QUOTE] Ah, I see. :smack: I was looking for something along the lines of _physically_ or _scientifically_. I forgot for a moment that lawyers don’t operate on principle. ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2008, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/record-computers-audio-output/442769/20 "2008-03-27T21:29:31Z")
[QUOTE=Frylock] Creative apparently _used_ to have an option like this called “what you hear,” but they have gotten rid of it for their Vista drivers. (Or something. I wasn’t completely clear about the history here.) [/QUOTE] I went through the same thing. The drivers for the audio card on my previous computer did supply “all” on the recording source selection. I would set that and have GoldWave start recording at the right time. Worked just as I wanted it to. My new computer, with different audio hardware and drivers, has no such selection. I bought Total Recorder. It has its own audio drivers and works as advertised. Their basic version (which I use) is only US$17.95 and it’s worth it. I have no connection with them other than being a satisfied customer.