How to record streaming audios: Reader Query Answered

Now record favourite songs from MP3, radio or podcast sites

I remember the days when two-in-one audio systems allowed you to record your favourite music and listen to it over and over again. It was a time when kids worked hard at their song compilations and people with two-cassette decks were considered fortunate. Then came the CDs, people moved to recorded songs on MP3 players, and today, listening to radio on cell phones has become a fad.

When I recently switched to a Mac, I not only fell in love with it but also with the Internet radio channel while listening to iTunes. I, of course, had iTunes on Windows, and similar programs on Linux, but with over 200 channels beaming my favourite hits from the 1950s through the ’80s, I wanted to grab my two-in-one and record the songs. So this week, I shall tell you how to record streaming audios from MP3 sites, radio sites or podcast sites that don’t let you download—all without spending a dime.

Since most people these days are Windows users, I shall target this piece at them. The first thing you need to do is get your hands on a nifty little software called Freecorder. To do so, go to www.freecorder.com. The download is free, without the risk of viruses and without limitations. Click on the “get it free” button and once you have downloaded it, open the file. Then select the option to install all your browsers (I selected both Internet Explorer and Firefox and suggest you do the same).

Once installed, it will automatically launch your default browser (Firefox or Internet Explorer), and take you to a survey page. If you want to, you can fill it, otherwise click on the link that says “quick start”. Press “continue” at the bottom of the page, go through the page that comes up, and if you want, read the Toolbar FAQ.

Now head to your favourite online radio site. If you don’t know of any, a good place to start is www.live365.com (though some stations require membership, they have a lot of free stations too). Browse through the stations and when you press the play button, you will see options like Record/ Stop/Pause/Play and settings come up on your browser. These buttons will help you record. (As some stations are added by default, you can add your station to the browser toolbar).

A normal user doesn’t need to change the settings. But if you are like me, you will want to do it. In this case, press the settings button and you can play around with the way Freecorder records and saves your files. Once you are ready to record, all you need to do is press the red record button. If all goes well, you will see a VU meter with a wave form. If you don’t, go back to settings and make sure the option “Record from freecorder input audio driver” is selected. If you hadn’t done it, select it and record again.

The file will be saved to the directory in the settings. To know how well you fared with your recording, press the stop button on the station you are listening to, and then press the stop button in the Freecorder toolbar.

Pressing the play button in the freecorder toolbar will take you to the directory where your recording is saved. Double click and listen to the song you just recorded.

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The Above Article was Printed in the Indian Express, on Sunday, May 4, 2008