I got error code: 0 “can’t initialise digital sound system” too. What to do?

As for recording skype calls i use IMCapture for Skypeimcapture.com
. I always record my interviews with it's help.

It does not work well. I have leave it for another program, named PowerGramo.

Skype Recorder works great for me. Thank you for posting this.

Do remember that if you are calling another country - one of the great benefits of Skype, the legislation may be different (and tighter). It is probably unlikely that you will find yourself extradited but equally a court in that country would be unlikely to look be impressed that you were flouting its laws if you were suing somebody there.

Recording conversations involving somebody in a European Union member state is likely to breach their data protection and or human rights legislation if they have not given their consent.

Fubar, I think you are a bit unused to Internet discussions. If I came off rough, I'm sorry, but I've been in "polite" exchanges on various forums that were nastier.

As far as the echo I got from Skype Call Testing, I did NOT use a headset, or any microphone at all. When I use Skype I have it set to use an audio mixer and a pro (XLR dynamic) mike, since I'm recording it for a podcast. I did not have it hooked up, and I didn't use one of those poverty headsets for this test. Normally, I use an external recorder, using "mix minus" through the mixer (I know this is technobabble, but we do it at my TV station a lot). Skype Recorder echoed all on its own.

Skype will actually record with great quality, but balance between send and receive is critical to avoid echo or cancelling your own outgoing audio. The appealing thing about this program would have been recording my audio and the incoming audio from my out-of-state friends on separate channels, for mixing together later on (in either Audacity, a very nice free multichannel recorder, or in my pay program Reaper).

Sadly, this Skype Recorder doesn't do the job it promised; I simply have to build a PC with faster-than-1.5 GhZ processor that will work with the MX Skype Recorder that I purchased.

A state-by-state guide of recording laws is available at http://www.rcfp.org/taping/

I don't vouch for its overall accuracy, but it does represent the law of my home state, Virginia, accurately.

Pity that people ask questions without reading previous comments. To #53 and #54, the answer is in #51 (and several more before that). Just close and reopen the program--but be sure to really close all instances if you may have opened more than one. (Thanks, Fubar, for your kind comment #48. Hope my first sentence above doesn't change your opinion. Just late and I may be cranky. :-)

I believe the problem with Vista compatibility is the advanced sound drivers. Vista has newer audio features which don't work with many recording devices yet; I'm not sure, maybe Windows Vista Home Basic doesn't have these updated drivers, so it might work for some but not all.

I installed program few times, but no change continues to show as "Evaluation Version"

Well, when it dies, will have to uninstall it.

I installed my copy, but it says "Evaluation"
Did I do something wrong?

Or this is OK.

You all may be interested in a series of massive-multi line call recordings I did using Skype-- an free experimental release called "Tenex". You can download it at my linked site.

Ahhh ... 5th time to close & reopen .. finally the Evaluation signature at last disappeared.

I've used my Skype Out for many months to listen to school lectures. This would have worked great except it won't register properly. I've never had this problem before on this website. The Record box indicates that it is only the evaluation version. D/l again several times but still E/V. Anyone else have this problem? San Diego Granny

Jul(#35): Thank you for your helpful and kind response. I realize that people who are much more computer savvy may become irritated by us "noobs", so it's a pleasure to find someone willing to take the time to help.
Thomas E. Reed(#28) almost took my head off for asking a question, but when he screwed up, Charlie Arehart(#37) explained stuff to him in a very civil manner. Mr. Reed could learn much about computers AND manners from folks like you.
Anyhow, Skype has definitely caught my interest so I'll be downloading this baby as it sounds like it may come in handy. (By the way Thomas, that's Fubar with a capital "F", baldy.)
Thank you, GOTD, ExtraLabs Software, and all the posters who take the time to help out us less technologically inclined users.
You learn something new every day!!!

Nice clean installation. It works perfectly. Clear recording of both sides of the conversation.

I have installed and tested this on a Win XP Home machine.

It works ok, but not all of the settings take effect. If it is running, it will start recording immediately upon a call, even if that box is unchecked. If it is launched in the middle of a call, it does not start recording and there is nothing visible to push to start.

If the "minimize on close" box is not checked, then closing it actually quits the program, rather than sending it to the system tray.

I found that an 8000hz and 16kbps encoder setting is fully adequate for voice quality. It is the second lowest setting. At the lowest, 8kbps, the voice is muddy and loses its high tones.

I found no place to control the one track vs. two track recording. When I open the recording in audacity I get a stereo display with both voices on both tracks -- not the desired result.

Anyone find anything different?

It's okay. For those worried about privacy, you can go into its settings and uncheck both the program to not start up when Skype starts and not to record EVERYTIME you call somebody. These settings are in the Recorder program and separate from Skype.

I just wish there was a feature to turn it off from loading up when WINDOWS starts. It loads BOTH this and Skype (which I had the startup settings turned off) up which is a slight pain to my startups, so I had to msconfig to turn the Windows startup of this program off.

And as for the Evalutation issue, I had to install it a couple of times to get that to go away.

AAAARRRGGGHHGHGG

I just payed $25 for a skype recorder >_

#39, I think it is "illegal" in most states to recording calls unless both parties aware and agree to it, if you recording without consent, it will be dismissed in the court. that's why most business will have greeting such as [for quality and training purpose, this call maybe monitored...] or you need make audio beep in interval so both parties aware something there.

hiden mode? I would very mad if my SkyPE publish secret recording(even it's funny). it is NOT okay

Well it's very limited, Audacity is free and much more powerful while being very easy to use (press the big red record button...).

i am a regular user of skype, so i think this may be useful to me.
i donloaded the package but I DO NOT KNOW HOW TO REGISTER IT !!!!
can anyone tell me how to register this thing ????
please reply who ever reads my question !?!?!?

thanks in advance ...
and thanks to you give-away-guys !!!!!

I love it!
I see its usefulness when I call the customer service departments of companies. It's going to make it easy to remember and verify what someone told you or "who told you what" which is useful when you have to do several follow ups with a company.

Additionally, it's also useful at work when I there are a lot of details given during the conversation. I have my notes AND the recording to go back to.

I've just tried the software. I had a headset connected to the mic and earphone ports/socket of my laptop. The recording was very clear and loud - true for both my voice and the other party's voice.

I had no problem specifying a different Output folder. All my recordings went to my specific folder without a hitch.

@ # 29 - "In most states it is legal to record calls, as long as 1 of the callers is aware & agrees to it, which can be the person recording."

So if only the person who is recording the phone call is aware of it, it is okay. HELLO!

All that said, I do want to +1 RapidRust's other observations that sadly despite this site's statements to the contrary, we do not have all 4 options: "MP3/WMA/OGG/WAV format", nor can we record "conversations in either single or dual audio track recording", nor the "built-in FTP-client".

Perhaps that's because this is really an evaluation edition. Like others, I did see that after closing and reopening the tool (really closing it, by right-clicking on the status tray to quit), it then did show in the help>about that it was no longer an eval edition. But that didn't then also provide these missing features.

Is that the way it works with GOTD sometimes? Like we're getting permission to use the limited-feature Eval edition free without a guilty conscience for not having to buy it? If so, it ought to state that here and in the RSS feed to avoid confusion.

To Thomas (32), the echo would go away if you used a headset. If instead you use your computer speakers to listen to a skype call, then your microphone also picks up that sound--thus the echo.

Unfortunately, I found that when I connected a headset, then even though skype was set to use that headset for the audio and mic, this skype recorder still recorded the mic on the laptop--so what was said by the other caller was clear, but my voice was faint. Of course, I could just speak up, but then that overpowers the headset mic so the other caller hears me being too loud. The playback of the recorder also was over the computer's speakers and not the headset.

It's as if the tool is fixed to recording from the computer's mic and speakers and is ignoring the headset (though Skype itself is not). I know some would think this must mean that the default audo properties for the computer are set that way--but that's not so. I just checked, and in Control Panel's "Sound and Audio Devices", the Audio tab shows default device for both playback and recording to be the headset.

All that's disappointing, but not tragic, given that it's free. I appreciate the other ideas folks have shared here.

In fact, again to Thomas, you raise the concern that "it doesn’t save the options you choose like recording output folder or selections". I bet you're hitting what RapidRust (25) explained: if you didn't notice, you may have opened more than one instance of the tool. If you look in your status tray, you may see 2 instances running. Since closing it (by default) just minimizes it (that's configurable in the File>Settings menu), and it doesn't seem to prevent itself from loading another instance, your settings in one of the instances may not be remembered if you later close the other instance which had different settings.

Laws about recording telephone and other conversations vary from state to state. There is no national rule governing the recording of conversations between private parties, though there are certainly federal laws dealing with interstate crimes, governmental agencies, etc. In Virginia, for example, where I practice law, any party to a private conversation may record it without notifying the other party that it is being recorded. Someone who is not a lawful party to the conversation may not record it, with or without notifying the parties. [Just ask the former chair of Virginia's Republican party, who lurked in (and recorded) a Democratic party conference call.] Other states require that you notify the parties, or that the recorder make an audible "beep" sound.

Know your own state's laws before you record a conversation. If you're thinking of recording a conversation that has interstate criminal or federal government implications, you need more help than you can get at GAOTD.

Hi #7 and #19,

Just to share with you that Skype is a free service that enable you to chat in most country and has been very useful for me. I been using this to chat with my buddy in oversea. Though sometimes the echo tend to be little annoying, but the reception is much better than Yaho MSM (I am not allow to type the actual Ya.. spelling :) ) You just have to register and download the tool in your pc or laptop + user name and so on.... . And you are ready to chat with friends over the world. (the other party must have this install too ) Check out http://www.skype.com/intl/en/download/skype/windows/

Hope this help. Thanks GOTD for all effort to give us so much 'free' licensing products to us.

#32: Actually, it's not incorrect, to some degree.

Only 12 states require ALL parties to consent, within the remaining 38 you only need the consent of one party at the most - as long as you're not recording the conversation with criminal intent, such as blackmail. As such if you have a legitimate legal reason to be researching someone (ie, you have a lawsuit) recordings may be admissible even if the second party wasn't aware, provided you live in a state with a 1-party consent law.

However, there ARE some other specific laws pertaining to recordings - face to face recordings, hidden camera recordings, et - that do not follow this, but since we are talking about skype they don't apply as long as you're not making calls to outside of your home state.

My apologies to Phil (22), when I got PowerGramo it was free. However I notice that it is now on the Skype website ( which it wasn't before) so they must have decided that official recognition allows them to charge.

Large companies like to tell you that they are recording you call - "for training purposes", but you would be surprised at how accommodating they can be then you tell them that you are recording as well!

I think that the legality of recording is only an issue in the US they they accept recording as evidence in some courts. The FBI and CIA no doubt are exempt!

I tried this program with the Skype Call Testing Service, which tests your Skype connection. The incoming feed had bad echo. Makes this useless for recording conversations. Also, the software web site is unresponsive - when uninstalling it, I got sent to a comment form for their "RSS Feed" software. Finally, it doesn't save the options you choose like recording output folder or selections. This program and the company's customer service have to go back to the shop for several months before this program can be considered functional.

There are good Skype recorders out there. They just require a much faster processor than I currently have to work properly. Pity this didn't work.

To #29: That is incorrect. It is ILLEGAL to record another person on a phone call without informing them they are being recorded. That is why, for example, you'll ALWAYS here radio deejays informing the people they've called that they're "on the air," which also implies that they're being recorded.

Phone calls are no different ... if you are the one recording the conversation you are legally required to let the other person know they are being recorded (exceptions being law enforcement agencies with court authorization). Otherwise, not only is what you recorded inadmissible in court, but the other party could successfully sue you for illegally recording them.

When you call a company and you hear an automated voice stating, "calls may be recorded for quality assurance," this is there way of fulfilling their legal obligation to let you know you ARE being recorded.

Regards,
Steve

I have used Audcity to record Skype and
several other podcast type stuff.
If an audio plays on my pc,
Audacity has been able to capture it, free.
http://audacity.sourceforge.net/
It's not clear what advantages this has over Audacity.

In most states it is legal to record calls, as long as 1 of the callers is aware & agrees to it, which can be the person recording. I have needed to do this many times, especially for when someone is threatening me, and for talking to creditors about a problem, as often they tell me 1 thing & later I am told they were wrong, even at our bank this happened once. So it is useful & legal. Although I don't have Skype, I think I'll go see about it & maybe get Skype & recorder.

For fubar...Skype is an internet-telephone system. Free international calls to people who also have Skype, or you can pay and make calls to regular telephones cheaply. You didn't know this? Skype is available for free all the time at www.skype.com - we shouldn't have to type your Yahoo searches for you.

And as far as "password," read the download instructions. Just like all GOTD specials, you have to install this software while on-line, during the 24 hour period it's available, or your chance is gone forever. All the instructions are inside the package. As mentioned before, this is NOT a crack or anything; it's a limited-time free installation of the program.

! Thank you!!! Just what I need :D!

They say: "The software will start the recording by itself as soon as you start talking on Skype"

That concerns me. Can we control whether or not it records a conversation? I prefer to be able to record on demand only those calls that are appropriate to record. Also, will it record a multi-line call? -- that is, for example, a conference call or Skype webinar. Some products limit that capability.

Details on their website are pretty sparse.

Using Audacity to record Skype calls is problematic. I have tried it without success. There are procedures on the web for it, but I have not had much luck with them.

Seemed to install just fine

Minor issue, it doesn't stop more than one instance of itself running concurrently (in the same user context), and that combined with File, Quit not actually exiting the program led to a problem where I couldn't change the settings (from one of the two running instances)

It might have been related to having more than one instance running (but I experienced an application crash from one of the running skyperecorder processes at the end of a 42m call. A tmp file was left behind (rec1.tmp). I allowed the application to report the error back to Microsoft so if the company has registered with Microsoft they will get the report...

The website for the product advertises multiple audio formats "automatic record encoding into MP3/WMA/OGG/WAV format", however the "Encoder" tab only shows MP3 and WAV format on my computer

Similarly in terms of features, I couldn't see where the option was for recording "conversations in either single or dual audio track"

We will see how it goes but it hasn't had a stellar start so far

Thanks for the great program! I use Skype and it's going to be much easier to take notes on my business calls when they are over if I need them! It should be easier for me when I call a business and get a confirmation or cancellation number and have to write it down, now I can just go back to the recording. Thanks GOTD!

I have Skype, but cant see any reason why I would want to record call, no thanx....

Installed fine on XP Pro Program Help shows Licensed Id. OK.

PowerGramo is not free it's $20 shareware.

Privacy issues anyone?
I mean, hidden mode? Not exactly an ethically sound product.

Not that that makes a difference to anything really. I'll pass though.

It's a Skype recorder and tried not to be any more and does it's intended job well, I especially like the ability to encode directly to a compressed format which is what most other applications lack.

It's also appropriateley priced at $14 unlike many similar "does one thing" applications which fetch prices like $29.95.

If you want a free bee, look at some of the other comments or see Audacity.

What's skype? Is it like those walkie-talkie thingies? Where's the reg.# for this thang? Is it in the exe. file?

I use PowerGramo, a free recorder (www.powergramo.com/) which adds a recording button to the Skype window and a small additional window to list your recordings, so that you can play tham back. It also has an answering facility which can replace Skype Voicemail. It's worked well for me.

The "Evaluation version" text was also present in the window title when I ran it the first time. Then I checked the about box, saw a license code and restarted the application. Now the "Evaluation version" text is gone.

Nice software, There are many skype related software out there, the most famous being pamela recorder which has a basic free version albeit with certain restrictions compared to the pro versions.
Serious users should compare this 'free' version with the basic version from pamela, since i have used their product as well as this. Vista users should try pamela no check required.
If only this had a video record feature, that would have been a killer!

I installed it on my Windows XP, installed and activated OK. But when I installed it on my Windows Vista Home, I got error code: “can’t initialise digital sound system”, what's wrong. I do need this skype recorder, works with my audio converter, so I can edit it with windows movie maker and burn to DVDs, anyone can help?

same on my vista laptop as no. 11, it works but says it's Evaluation Version.
any ideas?

Along with recording interviews, this would also be useful for podcasters