How to record streaming from a website? [SOLVED]

Audacity 3 Help Forum Windows
1

V 2.0.3/Win10

I go to the website in question and click the play button on a particular voice ‘tape’. I then click the Record button on Audacity. Audacity records but the sound line is flat. Clearly I’m missing a step?

Mark

2

Probably you are recording from the wrong recording device. See Tutorial - Recording Computer Playback on Windows.

Note that you will not have the Windows WASAPI (loopback) option mentioned in that link because you are using a very old version of Audacity. Are you using 2.0.3 because that is the only released version of Audacity that can see your audio devices? If so, you could try 2.1.3-alpha from the top of http://gaclrecords.org.uk/win-nightly/. Note that is not a finished release.

Or if you have not tried 2.1.2 yet, get it from http://www.audacityteam.org/download/windows.

In 2.1.2 or 2.1.3-alpha you can use the Windows WASAPI (loopback) method of recording computer playback.


Gale

3

Thanks for getting back so quickly. I updated to v 2.1.2.

Understand that I know practically zero about sound. I’m trying to download several meditation segments from a website that only streams and does not offer an MP3 download.

I had tried another piece of software (Replay something) that worked great. All I needed to do was install and run the software, click the stream to start the webpage and the software automatically started and recorded. Only snag was the deceiving software description. It was supposed to be limited with the $ for advanced features. However, anything that the software recorded stopped at 50%.

DIYaudio recommended Audacity. I used Audacity many years ago to slice up a CD’s 2 segments to individuals and that’s why my version was so old.

My installed v 2.1.2 does not line up with your tutorial link. Neither MME, Windows direct sound nor WASAPI have Stereo Mix as a recording device option. I tried Windows direct sound per the attached since that seemed the most logical but as you can see once I started the website stream then clicked record, nothing but a flat line?
Audacity.PNG
Mark

4

As it says in the Tutorial:

  • Availability of Stereo Mix depends on the computer, not on Audacity
  • If you don’t have Stereo Mix, you need to chose the Windows WASAPI (loopback) method.

So follow these steps:

  1. In Audacity, open Device Toolbar.
  2. In the first (Host) box of Device Toolbar, choose “Windows WASAPI”.
  3. In the second (Recording Device) box, choose the (loopback) input for the speakers or headphones you are using for playback. So in your case, choose “Speakers HP (Realtek High Definition Audio) (loopback)” in this step.
  4. In the third (Recording Channels) box, choose mono or stereo. Stereo may work better.
  5. In the fourth (Playback Device) box, choose the Speakers or Headphones that you are using for listening. So in your case, choose “Speakers HP (Realtek High Definition Audio)” in this step.
  6. Start playing the audio you want to record.
  7. Press the big red Record button in Audacity.

Gale

5

Thanks, the recording worked!

Is there a way to tell the software to stop after ‘n’ seconds of silence? The remaining 2 web segments are ~30 minutes each and I’d rather not have to listen to each to know when to tell Audacity to stop.

Also, I mistakenly used the default wav extension instead of mp3. Since an mp3 file is smaller (and the differential fidelity quality is not an issue here) I’d rather the file be mp3. Can I open the file in Audacity, Save As and change the extension or do I need to take the file to another app for extension translation/change?

Mark

6

There is Transport > Sound Activated Recording but it stops immediately after the recording level falls below the threshold set at Transport > Sound Activation Level… and restarts after the recording goes above that level.

Sometimes WASAPI lopback functions as Sound Activated Recording without turning the Transport Menu item on, but that depends on your computer.

Add LAME to your computer as per FAQ:Installation, Startup and Plugins - Audacity Manual then do File > Export Audio… and you can choose “MP3 Files” for the export format.


Gale

7

Thanks, figured out Lame during the interim.

Mark