Software for recording audio continuously

[ian.jens]

Hi everyone,

I want to have my computer record audio from the microphone continuously, 24/7, similarly to a security camera. I want it to keep audio files one month back, i.e. at every given moment I'll have audio files for the last month. I don't want to have to keep the program window open or even see it, I want it to be like a background service.

Is there a program that does that? (For Windows.)

Thanks,
Ian.

[Renegade]

Hmmm... Interesting...

I'm not aware of anything that does what you're asking. For many years the "go to" program was "Total Recorder", but I've not kept up with that.

What you're asking for though would be relatively simple to create - a few days of programming.

I'm pretty much tapped for time at the moment, but if you don't find something by the time I do have some free time, I'll see if I can whip up something that will do the trick.

I should have enough free time to get this done around about mid-November. However, I do love to goof-off (which is primarily what I do here at DC), so if I can manage to swing it before then, I'll give it a shot.

Someone might find something to do it in the meantime though... we'll see. (It does sound like fun to create that though!)

[Edvard]

I think what you're looking for is "Voice Activated recording", much like how a security camera with motion sensor works in that it starts recording when the input to the sound card is over a certain threshold, and pauses when things are silent.
There are also auto-started programs that can be set to start and stop recording at certain times, like a DVR.
There are a few out there, this is what I could find:

Triggered:
-ScanRec. The original website is down, but it's available from Softpedia, Software Informer, etc., just do a search for "Scanner Recorder" or "ScanRec", you'll find it.  Only records to WAV format, but does have a buffer so it starts the audio recording from just before the trigger, so you don't get clipping. Freeware
-VoxRecorder
http://antoninoporci...xoom.it/VoxRecorder/
Same as above, don't know if it buffers though. Freeware
-ReCall
http://sagebrush.com/recall.htm
As requested, this runs in the background, listening for audio.  Not free; $14.95 or ReCall-PRO for $29.95

Timer-based:
-AutoRec
http://www.scott-inc.com/html/AR.htm
Free.

Both:
-LoopRecorder
http://www.looprecorder.de/
Can run in the background.
Free, with a Pro version for way too much money, but apparently NASA used it.
-Audacity
http://audacity.sourceforge.net
Has both Timed Recording and Sound-activated Recording features.  Free and Open Source.