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Topic: Capturing Streaming Audio (Read 12412 times) previous topic - next topic
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Capturing Streaming Audio

I'm looking for a tool to capture streaming audio on a Windows-based PC.  Ideally it would include a scheduler and the option to set the bitrate to something decent.    I often like to record "radio"  shows and interviews (not necessarily stations that broadcast where I live) when I'm away or busy doing something else.

I've been using TotalRecorder but TotalRecorder insists on me setting it to be my default audio device instead of my regular soundcard driver.  If I forget to set it back to my regular soundcard driver then other applications (e.g., the tools I use for video editing) break!

This is too much of a hassle.  Are there other streaming audio recording tools that don't need to replace the soundcard driver?  Are there any that just capture the streams digitally, i.e., that don't have to go through the soundcard at all?  Most of the streaming audio I use is streaming RealAudio, streaming Windows Audio or streaming MP3.  I am not trying to capture DRM'ed content such as Rhapsody or Pandora.

Thanks in advance.

Capturing Streaming Audio

Reply #2 –
 River Past Audio Capture - this is what I use.

Capturing Streaming Audio

Reply #3 –
There is an option in Total Recorder that allows for you to only use the Total Recorder driver just for making recordings with Total Recorder. Once you exit Total Recorder, then the sound driver defaults back to your original one.
For Total Recorder 6.x, go into Options, Settings, Driver, and then check the box that says "Auto switch Total Recorder's driver off...".

Capturing Streaming Audio

Reply #4 –
If you ever gonna pay for a software product for the sole reason to loopback PCM audio, consider purchasing a pro soundcard which that can do this and more.

Capturing Streaming Audio

Reply #5 –
You can use VLC media player or MPlayer to stream the audio output to a file (assuming the streaming audio can be played in the media player). Both are open source released under the GNU GPL v.2.

For VLC just open/select the stream, tick "Steam/Save" in the open dialog box and click on "Settings..." to set up the output options. You can alternatively use the commandline. For more information: see here.

Cheers, Arite.

Capturing Streaming Audio

Reply #7 –
I should add one more thing about NetTransport:  It captures the stream without decode or transcode.  If you're catching a Real Audio stream, it writes a Real Audio file.  If you're catching a Windows Media stream it writes a WMA file.  Same for MP3. Decoding or transcoding later is always possible.

Woody

Capturing Streaming Audio

Reply #8 –
Strange never had the problem you describe with TR and i use it 5 years now. I had a problem in the beginning but that was becuase TR writes everything in the registry but adaware was blocking it so it was lost eacht time. After i mailed TR helpdesk they said what tomdo and the porblem was solved :-)

I havent found a better program then TR for recording radio.

Capturing Streaming Audio

Reply #9 –
Quote from: woody_woodward on
I should add one more thing about NetTransport:  It captures the stream without decode or transcode.  If you're catching a Real Audio stream, it writes a Real Audio file.  If you're catching a Windows Media stream it writes a WMA file.  Same for MP3. Decoding or transcoding later is always possible.

Woody

Actually I'd like that better than going through the soundcard.    One thing I don't like about TotalRecorder is that it depends on the soundcard, which means:

A.  The quality is determined by the quality of the soundcard

B.  You can't listen to any other audio while capturing a stream.

I've always liked the idea of capturing the stream digitally but I didn't know how to do it.  So, once I capture, say, a RealAudio file can I just play it in RealPlayer?

Thanks in advance!

Capturing Streaming Audio

Reply #10 –
I use "VU Recorder", by the guy who does VU Player:
http://www.vuplayer.com/other.php

"A simple audio capture tool with timed recording and file splitting features,
supporting direct encoding to Ogg Vorbis, FLAC, WMA & WAV formats.
Source code is included."

Nice and simple (and no installation required - i think).

C.
PC = TAK + LossyWAV  ::  Portable = Opus (130)

Capturing Streaming Audio

Reply #11 –
Quote from: plnelson on
Quote from: woody_woodward on

I should add one more thing about NetTransport:  It captures the stream without decode or transcode.  If you're catching a Real Audio stream, it writes a Real Audio file.  If you're catching a Windows Media stream it writes a WMA file.  Same for MP3. Decoding or transcoding later is always possible.

Woody

Actually I'd like that better than going through the soundcard.    One thing I don't like about TotalRecorder is that it depends on the soundcard, which means:

A.  The quality is determined by the quality of the soundcard

B.  You can't listen to any other audio while capturing a stream.

I've always liked the idea of capturing the stream digitally but I didn't know how to do it.  So, once I capture, say, a RealAudio file can I just play it in RealPlayer?

Thanks in advance!

Yes, whatever the stream server sends is written to your disk.  If it's a RealAudio stream, you will have a RealAudio file.  Play it in RealPlayer or other.

Woody

Capturing Streaming Audio

Reply #12 –
Get FlexiMusic Audio Editor and recorder, it has an amazing audio recording and editing options.

Capturing Streaming Audio

Reply #13 –
Quote from: soultrain on
I havent found a better program then TR for recording radio.


I used to use TR, but back then, it couldn't create MP3s greater than 56kbps (or some other small number) so I changed to Audacity.

Capturing Streaming Audio

Reply #14 –
I can't believe this thread got resurrected, but at least it gives me a chance to thank Woody for his suggestion to use Net Transport.  I've been using it very happily ever since!

Capturing Streaming Audio

Reply #15 –
Quote from: j7n on
If you ever gonna pay for a software product for the sole reason to loopback PCM audio, consider purchasing a pro soundcard which that can do this and more.

LOL, even my onboard Realtek HD audio codec can do this (capture what it is playing without DA/AD conversion)!

Capturing Streaming Audio

Reply #16 –
Quote from: Martel on
Quote from: j7n on

If you ever gonna pay for a software product for the sole reason to loopback PCM audio, consider purchasing a pro soundcard which that can do this and more.

LOL, even my onboard Realtek HD audio codec can do this (capture what it is playing without DA/AD conversion)!


Why would anyone want to do an analog loopback when you can capture the original digital stream without transcoding?

Capturing Streaming Audio

Reply #17 –
Quote from: plnelson on
Quote from: Martel on

Quote from: j7n on

If you ever gonna pay for a software product for the sole reason to loopback PCM audio, consider purchasing a pro soundcard which that can do this and more.

LOL, even my onboard Realtek HD audio codec can do this (capture what it is playing without DA/AD conversion)!


Why would anyone want to do an analog loopback when you can capture the original digital stream without transcoding?

Who was talking about analog? I talked about digital PCM loopback inside the soundcard chip (or maybe just the soundcard driver).
It is sometimes (intentionally) difficult to rip the stream directly into a file as it may contain DRM/proprietary codec (custom flash player) etc. And there is nothing they can do about PCM loopback recording in this case (perhaps unless you are using Vista).
 

Capturing Streaming Audio

Reply #18 –
Quote from: Martel on
Quote from: plnelson on

Why would anyone want to do an analog loopback when you can capture the original digital stream without transcoding?

Who was talking about analog? I talked about digital PCM loopback inside the soundcard chip (or maybe just the soundcard driver).
It is sometimes (intentionally) difficult to rip the stream directly into a file as it may contain DRM/proprietary codec (custom flash player) etc. And there is nothing they can do about PCM loopback recording in this case (perhaps unless you are using Vista).


Can you explain more about this, then?    If it's DRM'ed how/where does it intercept the stream before D/A conversion but after conversion from the DRM'ed format?    Why is it called loopBACK, and not just an intercept of the data in the signal-processing pipleline?  And really, why would you even need to involve the soundcard in this if there's no analog component?

I realize that, technically, trying to defeat a DRM scheme is a violation of the DMCA and could land us all in jail, so I'm just asking for technical edification on a theoretical basis only, of course.  Naturally.

Capturing Streaming Audio

Reply #19 –
Quote from: mazz90 on
Get FlexiMusic Audio Editor and recorder, it has an amazing audio recording and editing options.


I use Skype for IT support sessions and consultations. I sometimes record the conversation to send to the clients later so they can replay it instead of calling me again.
Would FlexiMusic be the right product for this, and if so which version?

Thanks

Capturing Streaming Audio

Reply #20 –
one way is also using mplayer, examples:

dump in native format:
mplayer  -dumpstream http://127.0.0.1/somestream -dumpfile testdump
dump as pcm:
mplayer http://127.0.0.1/somestream -ao pcm:fast:file=testdump.wav
listen:
mplayer http://127.0.0.1/somestream

so you can do some bat files for various stations to record, or just listen.
PANIC: CPU 1: Cache Error (unrecoverable - dcache data) Eframe = 0x90000000208cf3b8
NOTICE - cpu 0 didn't dump TLB, may be hung