Audio recording software

[SentinelAeon]

Hi,

I am making a home audio recording system that will record 24/7, kindof like a security video camera does, only that it will record only audio.

I am looking for a software, if possible free one, that will do this: Record audio 24/7 and make a new recording file either every x hours or when file size is of certain x. It would be great if the software could somehow encode the recording. I will be using a 320GB disk and storing as uncompressed .wav, it will fill the disk in mere days. The application has to be fully automated because i will only check the computer recording audio every few days. An added bonus would be if the program would be able to autodelete recordings older than x days, and that way i wouldnt have to manualy delete recordings every few weeks but would need to check them only when/if there is a security need for that.

 

[trents]

You're asking for a lot there, especially in a freeware package. I expect that even if you find something that will do some of those things you would need to create your own macros to do the others.

 

[SentinelAeon]

I agree, i even though about making the app myself to include all the things i need. But right now i needed something fast. I found 2 options. 1 is simply using scripts and ffmpeg, which should be great. But i also found a neat little program, "free software recorder". It has a schedule that can run each day, sadly the only option is from x to y hour. So i will have to have each recording 24 hours long. Which is perfect but i am afraid it might get corrupted somehow and i will lose 24 hours of recording. That happened to me when i used audacity and record in .wav .. if the recording was over 5 hours long, it had like 50% chance of getting corrupt, at least on my pc at the time. Managed to salvage some of those recordings by some audacity tools but it was a hasle. This free software recorder encodes in real time, meaning the .mp3 file is growing second to second, so even if pc loses electricity, ur not losing the audio file. Another thing i like is that it gives several options as to which file to save the audio as. I choose 320 mp3 which seems to be ok for now.

Optimal, i would prefer the file to split it into 8 hour segments. I am just testing it now to see if the 24 hour long recording will be ok or will it get corrupt. I am at almost 18 hours of recording and everything seems to be ok. File will be about 300-400MB per 24 hours which is ok.

 

[trents]

Being nosy I guess, but what are you trying to record? Sounds like it could be a CIA project, hee, hee!

 

[SentinelAeon]

I cannot get into all specifics but for now i am just testing how it records my place. I used similar program when i was still living near my family and my brother was a notorious liar and kleptoman. So i always checked the recording when i was not at home and then asked him if he went into my place. It was really easy as in a 10 hour recording, if anyone opened the doors, u would see a huge spike. Turns out my brother never went into my place, my parents say because he respects me, i think he was just afraid of me. But in anycase. Some would say a key would be easier but i think it was a good test for him, knowing for a fact that i have money and goods that he wants and he had to fight the temptation, i think it was good for him, sure was lots of fun for me. After a while i plan to migrate to audio + video since i will be recording my vehicle that will be parked under my window, also i would like to record if anyone tries anything funny around other vehicles or our door (neighbours said things were stolen from cellar). And since we have such stupid laws, i have to do all that in a way that no one except neighbours will know that i am recording, because listen to this, if i record someone doing illegal activities around out front door, he can still sue me cause i recorded him on public place. Obviously i will not be pushed by that bull**** and will protect my property and property of my neighbours. So that camera will have to be hidden well and the recordings will only be shown to my neighbours if they say something was stolen from our house. Though i really dont know what my camera can do that my neighbours cant. I live in a house and 3 of my neighbours are elderly women. It is amazing how they know everything that is going on, everything, sometimes before i do. They are amazing !

 

[trents]

Gotcha! I was just trying to figure out why you were using only audio and not video as well. I guess a mic is easier to hide and audio alone takes up less storage space.

Had to laugh at the pics! Poland is using the original low tech surveillance method, tried and true.

 

[SentinelAeon]

It survived the test of time. The only time it actualy doesn't work is past 10 pm but well, the usual cheap small camera doesn't either cause its dark. Besides, its a full package, audio, video, batteries, storage space PLUS audio output

 

[trents]

Lot of static sometimes, however.