Alternative method for recording Stereo Mix (and Skype)

The usual method for recording sounds playing on the computer is to set the recording input to “Stereo Mix”.
This method is specific to Windows, and sadly is often not available on modern machines (particularly with Vista and Win 7).
Other methods for Windows are described here: http://manual.audacityteam.org/man/Tutorial_-_Recording_Computer_Playback_on_Windows

A (new to me) method that I have recently tried with success is using a small program called “Sound Leech”.
This program is a “free to try” evaluation versio. The evaluation version appears to be fully functional. Registration is on an honesty basis (if you use it you should pay for it to support the developers costs).
http://www.milosoftware.com/en/index.php

As an experiment I tried recording Skype with Sound Leech and it successfully recorded the “other” party. I was also able to record “my” side of the conversation using Audacity to record the input from my microphone, so ending up with two recordings - my side in Audacity and the other side from Sound Leech. The Sound Leech recording is 44.1 kHz stereo WAV, which can then be imported into Audacity and manually synchronised with the microphone recording.

Steve,
Does this warrant an entry in the wiki and in the FAQ?
Peter

I’ve added a note in the manual: http://manual.audacityteam.org/man/Tutorial_-_Recording_Computer_Playback_on_Windows

That’s another technique. No magic, cross-platform, one-click method.
Does that sound like a Feature Request?


"Hey, Alex, long time no hear. I just downloaded Audacity 2.2 and it has a ‘Skype Recorder’ tool. Is that cool or what? You can set it to record to two channels or jam the conversation into one.

Audacity > Transport > Skype Recorder.

Thought you might find that handy for your podcast. Heard any more from Warner Distribution/Publishing? Good luck with your negotiations. Talk to you later."

Koz

Reading the small print it looks like it will stop working after a month if you don’t cough up the $15.
[those unfamiliar with windows may not know that it “remembers” what software has been installed, even when it has been uninsntalled , i.e, uninstalling then reinstalling after the month free trial has run out won’t work, there are ways around that though]

I’ve not spotted anything along those lines so far, but heck, people have to make a living and I’ve no problem with people charging for their work.

neither do I.

The annoying bit is that time-limited trial software leaves bits behind on Windows computers when they are uninstalled (to prevent reinstalling the trial version), which can cause problems even if you buy the licensed software at a later date.

After a month has elapsed it’s too late to do a “system restore”, so you’re stuck with it, unless you’ve used an addon uninstaller.