Hi I am trying to save a few voicemails from my mom to my computer. She recently passed away and I am afraid to lose them. I have an iPhone 5 and using Max OS X 10.8.2 I just downloaded Audacity from the dmg. I found about how to do this from CNET and I am using a cable from my iPhone to the headphone connection on my computer. I hit record on the program and them hit play on the voicemail but no sound is being recorded. I turned on software play through like CNET suggested. Any help with this would be very much appreciated! I don’t want to lose them. Simple directions please…I’m kinda slow on the computer. THANKS!!!
The iPhone and the computer Headphone are both trying to push audio to each other – clearly not going to work. I’m curious, did the article tell you to do that and if so, do you remember the address of the instructions?
If you have a MacBook Pro laptop or something similar, you can use the built-in Stereo Line connection (on the left):
http://www.kozco.com/tech/audacity/pix/MacLineIn.jpg
Switch Audacity to record from the Built-In Input.
Audacity > Preferences > Devices > Recording > Device
Koz
Hi Koz, thanks for your help. Here is the link to the CNET. http://howto.cnet.com/8301-11310_39-57449803-285/transferro-memorable-voice-mails-to-your-computer-with-a-simple-audio-trick/ After re-watching it I see I am suppose to use the microphone plug. My MacBook Pro does not have one of those…only the headphones…which I don’t understand why…its only 2 years old. Is there another way to do this? Can I buy a different cord?
~Cheri
Read the Manual for the machine to see if it becomes an input when you connect an input to it or if you can switch it to an input. I don’t think so for recent Mac Book Pro - I think it only accepts an “Apple iPhone headset with remote and microphone” which has a four-ring plug.
If you have one of those iPhone headsets then buy a cable with a 1/8 inch two-ring plug both ends, then you “might” be able to plug one end of the cable into the iPhone headphones and the other end into the red end of an adaptor like this one. Then the other end of the adaptor goes into the headphones port of the Mac.
Otherwise buy a line-in to USB adaptor and plug a similar “standard” cable into it and the other end of the adaptor into the USB port of the Mac.
You can probably also get the voicemails off the computer by syncing the iPhone with the Mac. I can’t help you with this but try these links:
http://pinglio.com/2012/03/how-to-save-your-iphones-voicemails-for-safekeeping/
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/2071416?start=0&tstart=0
http://www.howtogeek.com/141164/how-to-backup-iphone-voicemails-to-mp3/
Gale
Some of the Macs in the middle had the ability to switch one connection between Headphone and Line-In. One of the Systems people at work has a MacBook Pro 13" that works like that. Go into Apple > System Preferences > Sound and see if it has switching tools.
My slightly older 15" MacBook Pro (I intentionally bought a second one) has separate Headphone-Out and Stereo Line-In. The newer Macs gave up on the Stereo Line-In completely and only have the headset connection. I think everything in the AIR line works like that.
Koz
One other point, the Macs that came with separate Line-In and Line-Out also have digital optical S/PDIF at those connections. You can drive a surround-sound entertainment theater with those machines. Koz
Thank you! I was able to switch the connection between Headphone and Line-In. It worked!! I can’t thank you enough for your help! I am forever grateful that I have these voicemails saved to my computer!!!
~Cheri