Record Audio From Any Mac OS X Application

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."

Comments

Windows Option

[bradshaw-ka]

Total Recorder from High Criteria does this on Windows as well.

Re:Windows Option

[elmegil]

The version I bought (probably a few revs back, it was a couple years ago) made my machine even more unstable than Windows normally is. Caveat Emptor.

I've been doing it

[Apreche]

I don't know about you, but I've been able to do this with my Sound Blaster Live! Value, always. Even with the newest version of the the Creative AudioHQ. All you do is set the recording device to Wav/Direct Sound and record with your favorite recording software. You can use the EAX or the Advanced EQ if you want.
There is also "What U Hear". Which allows you to record everything that comes out of your speakers. So I can record my Line in, a playing mp3, and my friend on the microphone simultaneously.
The ability to do this on the mac may be a new thing. And it's obviously a nice way around some DRM. But it's been around for a long time. At least 3 years.

Re:I've been doing it

[Ford Fulkerson]

The ability to do this on the mac may be a new thing. /.../ But it's been around for a long time. At least 3 years.

Well, it never said that it was a new invention. That's probably the reason it's published in the Apple section and not the Science section.

The point is, the mac os/sound card driver doesn't provide a user interface for this feature but now it's available through a third party app.

Re:Why?

[Anonymous Coward]

Because as the site says, it frees you from proprietary audio formats. So now, you can record a real stream or file into AIFF, convert to MP3, and take it on your ipod.

Linux Version

[JimR]

I wanted to do something similar under Linux (i.e. capturing the audio output from a quicktime player running under WINE) and a quick bout of Googling turned up dsproxy which worked very nicely, thankyou very much.

vsound accomplishes the same thing under Linux

[displague]

We already have this in Linux (*BSD, etc.). It allows you to rip RealAudio streams, et. al.

~/> dpkg -p vsound
Package: vsound
...
Description: Virtual loopback sound recorder and real audio converter
This program allows you to record the output of any standard OSS
program (one that uses /dev/dsp for sound) without having to modify or
recompile the program. It uses sox to convert and save the raw data
into the desired file format and can help to convert real audio files
to some other non-proprietary format.

The website for vsound is here.

Web site is unclear on DSP fx

[Steve Cowan]

...it says that the app has a built-in "VST Hub", so you can use VST effects (such as those you might use with Cubase or Logic under OS 9). But I didn't think there were any VST plug-ins available for OS X!

I assume the reverb/eq etc that are automatically enabled with the app are Mac OS X "Audio Units"?

Can anybody enlighten me here?

Re:Web site is unclear on DSP fx

[stew77]

You are mistaken. There are VST effects in OS X, you will find a directory /Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/VST on any MacOS X installation.

Audio Units are the native plugin format on OS X, like DirectX has a plugins on Windows. VST is a cross-platform plugin API written by Steinberg (and actually supported on OS X by applications like Ableton Live). Emagic is not using VST any more in it's OS X sequencer Logic, but that's probably because Emagic's owner Apple wants to push Audio Units and Emagic is a direct competitor to Steinberg.

Re:Web site is unclear on DSP fx

[DavidRavenMoon]

But I didn't think there were any VST plug-ins available for OS X!

There are a bunch of OS X native VST plugins available already. And free too!

MDA has about 30 plugs out in carbon versions, including a virtual synth. They also have a beta AudioUnits plug.

Also Cubase SX will be out October 10.

Check out osxAudio.com for more.

Phew!

[grantsellis]

The anti DRM capabilities seem to be its most lauded application. Fortunately, naming it "Audio Hijack" will calm the RIAA's fears. :)

Re:Huhh? What's with the download?

[mistermoonlight]

If it's a .dmg file, Internet Explorer displays it like it would display a text file, same thing sometimes with tar files.

Right-click on the link and save link target (or whatever the vernacular may be)

Re:Huhh? What's with the download?

[autojive]

You should be able to right click on the download link and select "download link to disk" or "save to disk" (not quite sure what the wording is on the windows side), It will give you a save dialog box so you can place it where you want on disk and you should be all set. Hope this helps.

Wait a second...

[PythonOrRuby]

Weren't we just talking about how this kind of tweaking and hacking is supposed to be impossible with Mac OS X?

Re:Wait a second...

[Anonymous Coward]

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.

UI vs inner workings

[stew77]

That was about UI customization.

Re:UI vs inner workings

[PythonOrRuby]

Actually, I do know what I'm talking about.

The core issue is Apple hiding APIs to hinder customization of their OS. The fact that Audio Hijack can exist proves that low-level APIs that Apple doesn't want people seeing(at least not yet) are still accessible to adventurous hackers.

Re:UI vs inner workings

[usr122122121]

The core issue is Apple hiding APIs to hinder customization of their OS. The fact that Audio Hijack can exist proves that low-level APIs that Apple doesn't want people seeing(at least not yet) are still accessible to adventurous hackers.

1. The APIs are not hidden. Take a look: /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/
2. The article the other day was primarily about how Aqua was being kept locked up... Not the OS on the whole.
3. Apple doesn't mind people seeing the Frameworks. They're available in the PrivateFrameworks folder. The issue, however, is that since they are private they are undocumented. Chances are that Apple just wants them to mature a bit before opening them up for everybody's use. This will prevent a bunch of developers from having their programs break when Apple modifies the framework. IMHO, some other parts of the system, like the entirety of Aqua and the private section of Quartz, will ALWAYS stay private.

Re:UI vs inner workings

[PythonOrRuby]

Sorry if that first came off a bit adversarial. It's been a long day.

I think the key word is "custom". A lot of the tweaking people would like to be able to do with regards to Aqua can probably be done without hacking the OS.

I suppose I was just poking some fun at the overly dramatic tone of the /. article I linked to. :-)

Re:Shhh... don't tell the RIAA/MPAA/DRM crowd

[stew77]

/dev/audio doesn't exist on OS X. CoreAudio is taking a different route than the "everything is a file" Unix approach.

Which is why Secure Audio Path exists

[metalpet]

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.

"Previously Impossible"

[bill_mcgonigle]

It's previously been impossible to do this digitally

Except for the sample code Apple has given away for years... (for OS9)