Recording Skype Sessions using Free Apps

I finally had time to figure out how to record a Skype session using the free apps Soundflower, LineIn and Audacity. Thanks to 360east.com f or the original post that helped me set this up. The directions on the 360east blog are for using GarageBand as the recorder. Check it out, too. I decided to write more detailed instructions to make it easier for non-techies. Here are the steps: 1. Download and install the following: Soundflower from Cycling 74 . LineIn from Rogue Amoeba . Audacity from Sourceforge . This will be our recorder. 2. Configure the sound settings of your Mac. Click the Apple icon > System Preferences > Sound Output. Choose Headphones (or Internal Speakers , if you're not using Headphones). See screenshot, below. In the same window, click Input. Choose Internal microphone . Close the window. 3. Configure Audacity. Run Audacity. In the menu, click Audacity > Preferences > Audio I/O. Set Playback Device to Built-in Output. Set Recording Device to Soundflower (2ch) 4. Configure LineIn (we're almost there). Input from: Built-in Input Output to: Soundflower (2ch) IMPORTANT: Click the Pass Thru button before recording the call. On playback, turn it off (if you're wearing headphones, be careful as this may cause deafening feedback). This redirects your microphone output to Soundflower, which in turn will be piped into Audacity. Using LineIn lets you record not just the people on the other side of the call, but also the sound coming through your mic. 5. Configure Skype (just a bit more patience). Run Skype and click Skype > Preferences > Audio/Video. (The picture below is Skype version 5.0) Set Microphone to Soundflower (2ch) Set Speakers to Soundflower (2ch) This redirects your Skype session to Soundflower, which in turn redirects everything to Audacity (our recorder). 6. Run Soundflowerbed . When you install Soundflower, you also install an App called Soundflowerbed residing in your /Applications folder. You can also use Spotlight to find it. Soundflowerbed shows up on the upper right menu bar of Mac OS X. Check Built-in Output in the settings for Soundflower (2ch). Important: Leave the 16ch off (or you may get deafening noise!). 6. Hit the record button on Audacity. 7. Start your Skype session and have fun! The MacSwitched Blog - Online Journal of a Mac Switcher Tips, tricks and other discoveries about Macs and iPods.

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Recording Skype Sessions using Free Apps is an episode from MacSwitched by Ruben and Data Canlas.

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This episode was published on Feb 2, 2011.

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