Slight change requested at FAQs

Question 6 at http://manual.audacityteam.org/o/man/faq_recording_how_to_s.html#top is “How long can I record for?”

I spent quite a bit of time looking for maximum “recording length” in the forums, then in the FAQ, since that’s what I wanted to know about. Perhaps this question could be changed to “How long can I record for/what is the maximum recording length?”
The question as posed is nice and friendly, but it’s not the way a technically oriented person would phrase it.

Thanks.

Hi Ernie,

thanks for that feedback, good catch.

I have made changes in the alpha 2.0.6 Manual (we cannot edit the released 2.0.5 Manual) which will become visible once 2.0.6 is released.

In the process I notice that we have not one, but two FAQs on the same topic - but in different sections of the main FAQ page - hmmmm, let me think about that …

The FAQs will in future read:

What is the maximum recording time, the longest time I can record for?

Audacity lets you record for as long and as often as you need, subject to the disk space you have available. The theoretical limit to maximum recording time is a mere 58 billion hours or more than 6.6 years (if you have the disk space). See Recording length for details.

and

What is the maximum recording time, how long can I record for?

Audacity does not restrict the maximum recording length or how many times you can record, beyond some specific technical and practical limitations. Recording takes space on your drive so you can only record while the drive still has space available. When you start to record, Audacity shows a “Disk space remains for recording” message in the Status Bar at bottom left of the window giving the current recording time available.

To get more recording time:

  • Delete your old files and folders (especially your old Audacity Project files and _data folders when you have finished with them)
  • Select an alternative disk that has more space in the Directories Preferences
  • Record in mono instead of stereo (settable at “Input Channels” in Device Toolbar or in Devices Preferences)
  • Set the “Default Sample Format” in Quality Preferences to 16-bit instead of 32-bit (this is a good choice for a “quick recording” which you export at once without editing).

See Recording length for more details.

The first is in the “Recording - Troubleshooting” FAQ section, the other in “Recording - How To’s”

Many thanks,
WC

Hi ErnieGG,

So what were you looking for in your “recording length” query - did you want to know if there was a feature restriction imposed by Audacity, in the way some free programs limit features so as to provide more features in paid-for versions?

Or you wanted to know when from a technical point of view (RAM, disk space or whatever) you would not be able to record any longer?

Two FAQ’s with near identical titles is ridiculous :wink: I can only imagine the one in Troubleshooting is a throwback to when the recording time remaining display in the Audacity Status Bar was badly worded so that everyone thought it was a “free version” limitation. I don’t think the current wording “Disk space remains for recording” suggests that, so I would recommend deleting the FAQ in the “Troubleshooting” section. Work the minimal information in that into the FAQ in the “How to” section.

The “How long can I record for?” was deliberately ambiguous to catch both the “free version” and “technical” questions in one short question. I don’t personally like the new longer title very much. It says recording “time” rather than length, and seems like it is asking the same question in different ways rather than asking the two different questions that I think it should be addressing.

Perhaps “Is there a maximum recording length or limit on recording usage?” is closer to what’s needed?


Gale

For my money these are, and should rightly be, two separate FAQs:

  1. Is there a maximum recording length?

  2. Is there a time limit on recording usage?

Though 2 may be better worded as “Is there a time limit on Audacity usage?” as users presumably are asking about time-limits to the usage of Audacity in general - not just for recording.

But this also begs the question: do we actually need the no. 2 now that the message in the bottom Audacity Status Bar is better worded?

Peter

P.S. This has led me to note that we do not have a documentation page for the Audacity Status Bar, the bar at the bottom on the Audacity screen. We do document particular usage of the Status Bar on several pages. There is no link in “Bill’s-amazing-image-map” for any of the Status Bar entries. I have set a P2 on the main page for that.

Exactly, hence my "hmmmm … " in my post yesterday. :sunglasses:

I’ll look into sorting this.

Peter.

OK we now have a single, consolidated, FAQ in the alpha 2.0.6 Manual - it remains in the “Recording How To” section

back to top


What is the maximum recording length?

Audacity does not restrict the maximum recording length beyond some specific technical and practical limitations. Recording takes space on your drive so you can only record while the drive still has space available. The theoretical limit to maximum recording time is a mere 58 billion hours or more than 6.6 years (if you have the disk space).

When you start to record, Audacity shows a “Disk space remains for recording” message in the Status Bar at bottom left of the Audacity window giving the current recording time available.

To get more recording time:

  • Delete your old files and folders (especially your old Audacity Project files and _data folders when you have finished with them)
  • Select an alternative disk that has more space in the Directories Preferences (but do not record to an external USB of Firewire disk)
  • Record in mono instead of stereo (settable at “Input Channels” in Device Toolbar or in Devices Preferences)
  • Set the “Default Sample Format” in Quality Preferences to 16-bit instead of 32-bit (this is a good choice for a “quick recording” which you export at once without editing).


    FAQ updated in the light of subsequent postings - see later in the thread.

Peter.

We don’t know which of the two the original poster was asking, but I don’t think 2) is often asked.

What is the maximum recording time, the longest time I can record for?

I still do not like that. It’s poor grammar and I don’t know which of the two questions it’s asking so it is no better than the original in that regard.

And why recording time when the specific search was recording length? Recording time is too close to the Timer Record question I think

If we wanted two questions then you could have a more generic one in “About Audacity” e.g. “Are Audacity features limited, such as how many times you can record or edit?”


Gale

OK I simplified the FAQ title to “What is the maximum recording length?” - as this concurs with the original poster’s search term.

The text “maximum recording time” appears in the FAQ so that should help if a future user searches for that.

On reading and re-reading the original post it seems pretty clear to me that the poster was asking how long any individual recording could be - I can’t recall the last time someone asked us if Audacity, as supplied free, had any limit on usage in terms of length of time a trial is available or the maximum number of uses.

Peter.