[PodcastMN] iChat vs. Skype

Wed Aug 29 16:26:36 GMT 2007

Steve, do you still use/recommend HighSpeedConferencing.com? Seems like with this setup, you wouldn't need to use their recording, unless it's just another backup to have. I haven't tinkered with it yet, but to get a minus mix from that would be very nice, since the non-techs use the phone.

-Brian

On Wed, 29 Aug 2007 11:00:26 -0500, "Steve Borsch" <steve at iconnectdots.com> wrote:
> Hi Graeme,
> 
> I've used both Skype and iChat extensively and have recorded them both
> (even
> with video...but I digress). Two ways to do it for audio:
> 
> 1) The easy way is with Audio Hijack Pro (
> http://www.rogueamoeba.com/audiohijackpro/) or Wiretap (
> http://www.ambrosiasw.com/utilities/wiretap/). I've had the best success
> with AHP so that is my recommendation. They have set up a no-brainer quick
> Skype or iChat recording function and have detailed a how-to on their web
> site:
> http://www.rogueamoeba.com/audiohijackpro/manual/English.lproj/help_ATrecordingchat.htmland
> you can also download a demo so you can try it out first.
> 
> There are other software solutions (like CallRecorder:
> http://www.ecamm.com/mac/callrecorder/) but they're limited and you won't
> be
> able to grow with them as you get better. The kicker with AHP is that as
> you
> grow and become more sophisticated in what you want to accomplish, AHP has
> deep and highly functional capabilities that you can spend hours playing
> with to get a more perfect sound and geek-out with routing audio signals!
> 
> 2) Setting up a "mix minus" from your mixer or Firewire/USB box so that
> you
> can record the iChatters or Skypers on one channel and you on the other
> channel so you can fix any problems or normalize audio levels in post. My
> preference is to record *both* an internal recording on my Mac with AHP
> *and* a backup recording out to my M-Audio Microtrack to make certain I've
> captured it and there are no hiccups. Saved my bacon twice when doing
> sessions for one of my clients earlier this year.
> 
> (By the way, I've set up a new user account on my Mac called "clean user"
> just for audio recording. The only thing that runs is AHP and either iChat
> or Skype so NOTHING else is running and interfering with the recording
> process. I also open Activity Monitor (in your Utilities folder...hit
> Command-1 to open the current running processes) to make sure that some
> system-wide process isn't running that's eating up CPU time or causing
> disk
> activity like Apple's Backup program. Once you've done this stuff to setup
> recordings a couple of times, it literally takes just a few minutes to get
> completely setup and running for recording. There have been times that
> I've
> started a recording session on-the-fly since someone has asked me to do so
> in a conference session and, since I've done it several times, I don't
> even
> think much about it anymore since the workflow is ingrained in my brain).
> 
> The audio guru Doug Kaye has three excellent posts on Skype recording --
> with the first two telling you how to setup a mix-minus for (either iChat
> or) Skype recording -- with his latest post being fabulous if you want to
> get REALLY great Skype recording without those annoying digital "hiccups"
> --
> since the two of you will have an incentive to tweak your own networks and
> connections to get better-n-better results:
> 
> a) Interviews via Skype:
> http://www.blogarithms.com/index.php/archives/2005/07/14/interviews-via-skype/
> 
> b) Interviews via Skype revisited:
> http://www.blogarithms.com/index.php/archives/2005/07/22/interviews-via-skype-revisited/
> 
> c) Recording Skype interviews:
> http://www.blogarithms.com/index.php/archives/2007/07/09/skype2/
> 
> 
> NOTE: for those of you wanting to explore Skype recording software
> solutions, here's a great page:
> http://labnol.blogspot.com/2006/06/how-to-record-skype-conversations.html
> 
> Hope this helps.
> 
> --
> Steve Borsch
> Direct/Mobile: 952.486.7678
> Email: Steve at iConnectDots.com
> Blog: http://www.iConnectDots.com
> Podcast: http://www.iConnectDots.com/podcasts/
> 
> On 8/29/07, Graeme Fehr <weirdcookie at turkeyvan.com> wrote:
>>
>>  If someone has some info or can point me to a disscussion forum, that'd
>> be cool.
>>
>> Has anyone used iChat as a means of a conference call vs. a skype call?
>> Frosty and I are doing the show cross-country now and Skype has it's
>> upsides, but also has it's downsides...
>>
>> Can you use iChat using AIM, or do you have to have a .mac account to
> make
>> this work?
>>
>> And if iChat is a means of doing it, with it being based on the AIM
> server
>> rather than skype, would it run smoother at times or does it matter how
> many
>> people on a port?
>>
>> Thanks in advance.
>>
>>
>> -----
>> Graeme Fehr
>> ----
>> http://itradio.turkeyvan.com - ITRadio's Website
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> Page.
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>>
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> 
> 