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Record Audio From Any Mac OS X Application

Posted by pudge on from the mmmm-audio dept.

MrFreak writes "Have you ever wanted to grab a sound from DVD Player or record a RealMedia stream to AIFF? It's previously been impossible to do this digitally, but the folks at Rogue Amoeba have released a piece of software called Audio Hijack that allows you to record audio from any OS X application. Additionally, it can apply live audio effects to any application, so you can add an equalizer to MAME or play Quake 3 with a live echo or flanger effect."

3 of 54 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Old Hat... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

    Snapz only records ALL the audio coming from your machine. It can't target a specific application, or tweak it with DSP plugs. This means you get system beeps, AIM noises, etc., mixed in with what you're listening to.

  2. Re:Wait a second... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Insightful
    I haven't tried the application but if it works like the description says, then Apple will most likely sue them to stop releasing it (this is not flamebait). I work writing an audio app for OS X and I can tell you that whenever someone asks how to monitor output to audio devices, an Apple employee says both that it cannot currently be done and that they would have to deal with DRM issues. It's been implied that the latter issue would restrict Apple from ever providing an API for it. Even though this app probably doesn't work directly on the output streams this application runs into the same DRM issues, especially since it can effect DVD and Real streams.

    Although I *am* generally bad mouthing Apple (I love parts of the OS but I've been hating the company's actions w.r.t to consumers for the past year) in this case I can see the legitimate reason why they would make this application be pulled from the market. Apple has managed to show no support for DRM protections and get away with it because the OS also isn't known for having things like DeCSS or apps which can capture all audio in a lossless way. Assuming this really does something like what it claims, applications like this one could put Apple in a bad light that's been hinted at with the iPod, which has been mentioned at congressional hearings on DRM IIRC. Then Apple may be compelled to put in more DRM restrictions than simply disallowing apps like this one and we, the consumers, would be worse off for this app to have ever seen the light of day. I'm obviously getting a bit ahead of the current situation but given just how fascist the RIAA is, I believe the situation is almost inevitable.

  3. Which is why Secure Audio Path exists by metalpet · · Score: 3, Insightful
    As summarized here.

    Unless macOS comes up with a similar mechanism, Apple might have a hard time convincing the usual crowd to package streams for their OS at some point in the future.

    Then again, you could point out VMWARE makes Secure Audio Path an exercise in futility.
    It's an arm race, and I'm not sure how the DRM side can win it.