Capturing audio; whether it be streaming audio, Skype calls, or even basic show captures, Mac users are likely quite aware of Audio HiJack Pro as an indispensable tool.

Windows users also have a tool to capture audio streams. Total Recorder, from HighCriteria is not a new kid on the audio capture block. I have used this program on and off for many years. There are many competitors out there, but I’ve always stuck with Total Recorder.

Besides capturing audio steams, Total Recorder can act as a basic recorder for any sound input on your system including mic and line inputs. The simplicity of TR is in the implementation. Basically, a separate Windows compliant audio device driver is installed on your system. This audio driver allows TR to capture any sound that would be routed through your systems sound device. The TR sound driver then, simply hands-off the audio code to your systems ‘real’ audio device.
…a simple and very effective form of capture compared to audio ‘looping’

Once you have captured audio, you will likely want to save it. TR saves your captured audio to WAV, WMA, MP3, OGG or FLAC file formats allowing both compressed and uncompressed capture.

Total Recorder is available in both Standard and Professional Editions. The Pro version even allows you to capture video, perform file splitting and many other features. A comparison of Standard and Professional versions can be found here. Check out the free add-ons as well. An added bonus is the scheduling option that allows TR to spring into action at a certain time.

Total Recorder is a time-tested product that always seems to pull through for me with a minimum of system overhead.

HighCriteria
Standard Edition: $17.95
Professional Edition: 35.95

Best Regards,
MarkJensen

Filed under: Podcasts