I have done a search for some sort of answer to this for the last 2 days and can’t find an answer.
Within my job, I have the ability to work from home. There is a program we use to be able to make calls from our computer to outside numbers, such as a cell phone. We sometimes need to record the conversations to create a record of events. The company is currently having us use Audacity 2.1.2 to record things. The typical way people have had to do this was, instead of using a USB headset to listen to the call, they would use the other program that we can use to make calls that would then ring to their cellphone, put the phone on speakerphone and record the conversation through the microphone array built into our laptops.
We have now been advised that we can use the USB headset through the program to make calls but I have run into a problem.
Through Audacity I can mess with the settings to hear one side of the call or the other but not both.
Is there a way to get both sides? This would greatly improve our recordings and make working from home not as much of a hassle.
I use an Olympus TP-7 microphone. It works with anything you hold up to your ear, landline or cellphone. It picks up you via bone conduction and the other side through the straight microphone.
It should work either plugged into the Mic connection of a laptop (Macs may need an adapter) or an actual Olympus recorder. From memory, mine came with a 2 to 3 conductor adapter which some laptops need.
This is far easier than doing it any other way I found. I have several “phone recorders” that are terrible.
Also see Olympus TP8 which doesn’t need the laptop adapter.
If you’re doing everything on one laptop, you may still have conflicts. The “telephone” software may insist on grabbing the sound channels (Skype does this).
I thought I had a pix of the small sound recorder. That’s another option if you can’t get the laptop to to work. It’s more of a hassle because you have to transfer files, but it’s far better than nothing.
I read somewhere the WS 823 was no longer being made, but I still see sales offerings. Yes, it does have a USB connection in its base. The WS823 will record in perfect quality WAV or two different flavors of MP3.
You can put one of those in your pocket and record cell calls in the field. Stay away from high winds. The TP7 is still a microphone.
