Need Help to Record from Home Telephone to PC

Audacity Help Forum Windows
1

Dear Forum Members

I have, what is hopefully, a simple problem but because I am completely new to Audacity and I am not actually sure where or how to start.

First of all, my equipment:

WinXP Pro SP3 O/S
4GB Ram
2 x 640GB WD HD
Gigabyte Motherboard with Realtek sound card
Audacity 2.0.3
ReTell 157 (Telephone Recording Connector) http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_0_6/275-6938554-2605344?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=retell+157&sprefix=Retell%2Caps%2C196

Now, before I downloaded Audacity I tried out my setup with "Windows Sound Recorder (WSR)"as the control software, an accessory applet that came with WinXP. However, as WSR has no controls when I played back my test recording all I could hear was my own voice.

Please note, I do not want to do anything complicated, like make or edit music, I just want to record and save some of my telephone calls, this will come in useful when having disputes with ISPs, retailers and/or cold callers.

Anyway, when I installed Audacity I noticed that it automatically recognised my sound card, input and output, and has enough features and controls that would not be out of place on a plane’s flight deck.

Therefore, what I would like is someone to post some simple “Jack & Jill like” instructions on how to record and save my telephone phone calls (possibly as .wav or .mp3) and then play back those calls via my PC. From there, if necessary, I would burn the saved “calls” to CD or DVD.

My simple motivation is that whatever business I transact via my PC can be documented and as my phone and PC are side by side I should be able to record my verbal communications as part of my documentation process.


UK Bob

2

I use the Olympus TP-7 with adapter or TP-8 without.

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2141764
http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=olympus+tp8&tag=googhydr-20&index=aps&hvadid=7278709808&hvpos=1t1&hvexid=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=12885485021580119672&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=e&hvdev=c&ref=pd_sl_2zu74r74vo_e

Jam that into the Mic-In of your sound card (the TP-7 takes the 3 to 2 adapter) and the other end into your ear. Make the call through the microphone and record from the sound card Mic-In.

I do this when I’m likely to be issued a long list of instructions I’ll never remember.

“OK, now file the pink copy with the state agency…?”

If you don’t notify the person at the other end, you can never tell anybody you have the recording – ever. If you do notify them and they say no, then you’re stuck. Certain agencies are absolutely forbidden to make recordings. Consult wiretapping laws in your location.

If you don’t have a Mic-In (most Macs), then you can use a “headset adapter” such as the Startech ICUSBAUDIO.

http://www.amazon.com/StarTech-com-Stereo-Adapter-Converter-ICUSBAUDIO/dp/B000NPKGGK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1369501167&sr=8-1&keywords=startech+icusbaudio

I wrote this up somewhere, but I can’t find it. It works particularly well with cellphones because they don’t have sidetone and the conversations come out better balanced.

You may occasionally have to tell people to speak up. If they’re the slightest bit hard to hear in real life, they will be impossible to record. Customer Service people frequently let their microphone slip over the course of their day and they’re impossible to hear. Sales people have no such problem.

Koz

3

A note, both of these microphones are designed to plug into listed Olympus personal reorders, meaning you can make recordings with the whole thing, including the phone in your pocket.
Koz

4

I never wrote it up. I started. You won’t need the white adapter if you’re on a Windows machine with a Mic-In. You might want to use it anyway. Mic-In on most Windows machines will not win many quality awards.
olympus_TP7.jpg

5

Hi Koz

Thanks for your reply but I think you have gone way over what I am actually after, however let me clear up a couple of misunderstandings.

You mentioned;

“OK, now file the pink copy with the state agency…?”

I have no such problem because I am in the UK, London to be precise, and I don’t believe there are any restrictions on recording your own telephone conversations over here.

Next, you suggest a whole range of alternative equipment I should try rather than go with the ReTell 157 which I have already set-up. Please note, I intend to keep you suggestions as “Plan B” if the 157 completely fails.

You also mentioned;

You may occasionally have to tell people to speak up. If they’re the slightest bit hard to hear in real life, they will be impossible to record.

Believe it or not, I have to tell people to speak up on the phone now, either they speak too fast and I cannot understand what they are saying, speak with a broad regional accent or, as you said, speak in low hushed tones and I have to ask them to speak up.

Finally, you said;

Mic-In on most Windows machines will not win many quality awards.

Yes, you are probably right because I have been advised to use another sound card, something from the Sound Blaster Audigy range, rather than the one that came with my motherboard.

Anyway, what I would really like to do is make a simple .wav or .mp3 telephone recording using my Retell 157 and Audacity.

Therefore, can you instruct me on how to make a recording without setting up “projects” and/or other complications.


UK Bob

6

Therefore, can you instruct me on how to make a recording without setting up “projects” and/or other complications.

Audacity works in Projects and allows you to make a WAV sound file or, with extra software, an MP3 of your Project. A project is just a single job or show.

I have two very similar recording devices in a box somewhere. I gave both of them a fair shot and they were both profoundly unsatisfactory. Any time you make a wired connection between a phone and a computer, there is the possibility of distortion, hum and buzz in the show, sometimes to the point of having no useable show at all. That’s why I use the microphone and sound connection rather than specialized hardware. That works universally for everyone with all computers and all phones.


You should connect the device as it says in the instructions (or the videos on-line) and plug the sound cable into the Line-In of your sound card. From there, launch Audacity and change Edit > Preferences > Devices to point to your sound card.

http://manual.audacityteam.org/o/man/tutorial_selecting_your_input.html

This is part of the First Recording section in the Audacity instructions.

http://manual.audacityteam.org/o/man/tutorial_your_first_recording.html

Which sound card service may be required to be set in Windows Control Panels. Audacity will get you to the sound card, but maybe not the individual connection.

Press record and watch for the bouncing lights in the sound meter when you make a call.

You should probably turn down the computer speakers when you make the call or you may get howling feedback – microphone and speakers running in the same room.

You may find that you will be going through many if not all of those steps and complications no matter whose technique you use. It’s the same steps to the get little micophone to work.

Let us know how you get on.

I don’t believe there are any restrictions on recording your own telephone conversations over here.

Nobody cares whether or not you record your own voice. Recording the far side voice comes in very firmly under wiretapping laws.

For instance, in the U.K., wiretaps are only permissible via a warrant requested by law enforcement or the security services and signed by the Justice Minister.

Koz

7

Hi Koz

Once again, thanks for your very speedy reply. I intend to go through you instructions and pointers very carefully and I can say, thanks to your advice, I am closer to where I want to be than I was a few days ago.

OK, your statement saying that;

Recording the far side voice comes in very firmly under wiretapping laws.

You know, I think you are very wrong on this point because telephone recorders and modern mobile phones, both sold for domestic and business use are on sale throughout the western hemisphere, it becomes wire-tapping when you record someone else’s telephone conversation, on someone else’s line and without their permission.

However, recording your own telephone conversation, for documentary purposes, is not illegal anywhere, e.g I have seen numerous episodes of “Judge Judy” (I am a fan, I watch it every day) where a telephone recording is presented to the court of conversations between the plaintive and the defendant.

As you said;

Nobody cares whether or not you record your own voice.

This is very true but recording the other side of the conversation you are having is also not illegal, please look at this video excerpt from the BBC news website; http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-18647187.

There are many more excerpts available but the one I was after, where a man used his computer to record a cold calling organisation that refused to stop calling him, I could not find. The cold calling org. initially said they did not call him so the victim took them to court but the org., once they realised the victim had a timed recording, settled before the case was due to be heard.

Anyway Koz, it’s been interesting learning from and debating with you.


UK Bob

8

You may have one other Windows adjustment to make. Default Windows tries to help you with voice processing which you may not want.

http://manual.audacityteam.org/o/man/faq_recording_troubleshooting.html#enhancements

Koz

9

There is an enquiry about “ReTell” from a Linux user here: https://forum.audacityteam.org/t/need-help-to-record-from-home-telephone-to-pc/31132/1 .



Gale