[tuqqer]

I'm having a helluva time figuring out how to record phone conversations into my G5 2Ghz (tons of RAM, running OS 10.3.3, with all updates and latest versions of all sofware). After 10 hours of trial and error, using 2 otherwise great Mac technicians, 4 pieces of software, and a variety of hardware, I'm stumped.

We need to record 90 testimonials over the phone, over the next few months.

Hardware we've tried: JK Audio Voice Path, directly into the Mac's Mic port, as well as through Griffin's iMic.

Software: Audacity, PEAK LE, Sound Studio, and Amadeus.

Settings: System Prefs: making sure the Sound and Speech settings are correct. Also, checking each of the above software's pref settings for the Input and Output settings.

Over the past two days, we've also unpluggeg/plugged in all components (from phone to cable, to iMic), run DiskWarrior, PRAM zap, restarted, rebuilt permissions, and run Onxy stuff.

The problem we're having is twofold: horribly loud background noise (louder than the speaking voices, we're not tallking a low hum here), or superlow sound. Without the iMic, the background sound is lower, but the audio is almost inaudible. With iMic, the voices are louder, but the buzz drowns out what the parties are saying.

The lines certainly sound clear when we're talking and interviewing; we don't hear any background buzz and we can hear each other perfectly.

Has anyone successfully recorded telephone conversations into their G5? If so, what precisely did you use, from cables to phones to devices. Whatever you're using, we'll buy! Just give us the list.

We're about to hire some $80/hour sound technician to come over, but before we do, we're wondering if anyone has a solution. So far, we're in shock that it's been this difficult.

[Wiskedjak]

I've had absolutely no problems recording telephone conversations onto my 600mhz iBook with an iMic. How are you getting getting audio from your phone? I rigged a line-out to the speaker on a cheap handset and plugged it straight into a cassette recorder which I then played back through the iMic into the Book. Sound quality was as good as the original conversation.

The reason for the cassette recorder? Originally, I plugged the rigged line-out straight into my PC's mic port. Fried the sound card. The cassette recorder didn't seem to mind.

[tuqqer]

Hi Wiskedjak, thanks for responding. So you're saying that you have a regular cassette recorder plugged into your phone, and then after the call, you put the call into your Mac via iMic and capture it with some kind of sofware. Is that correct?

I may have to go two-step route. From what I'm reading around on other sites, there seems to be some kind of interference that can happen when pulling phone voice directly into the G5.

Again, thanks for the response.

[mitchell_pgh]

http://www.proteron.com/wiretap.php

[mitchell_pgh]

I would probably use the iMic and this thing...

http://www.ahernstore.com/9000-rj-01.html

I'm sure it would give you the best quality.

[Wiskedjak]

Originally posted by tuqqer:
Hi Wiskedjak, thanks for responding. So you're saying that you have a regular cassette recorder plugged into your phone, and then after the call, you put the call into your Mac via iMic and capture it with some kind of sofware. Is that correct?

That's correct. I used the software included with the iMic.