What is Total Recorder? What does it do?
Total Recorder is a software package that allows you to record sounds made by other programs on your computer (for example, RealOne, Windows Media Player, QuickTime, etc.). The software does this by "faking out" your computer, telling Windows that Total Recorder is actually your sound card. In this way, Total Recorder can capture the sounds your sound card would make BEFORE it even makes them. It then passes those same sounds on to the sound card so that you can listen to the audio as it plays/records. Because Total Recorder simulates being a sound card, it is able to capture pretty much every sound your computer is capable of playing.
In addition to capturing sounds produced by software, Total Recorder can also capture sound from the sound card's input line (e.g., microphone jack), line-in, CD audio port, etc. This allows you to use Total Recorder as a tool for more than just streaming audio.
Sound Conversion
Total Recorder also doubles as a sound converter. You can open a sound file in any of the supported formats and save it to disk in WAV, WMA, MP3, Ogg Vorbis, or FLAC format.
Advanced Recording Features in the Pro Version
The above features are available in the standard version of Total Recorder. The "Pro" version reviewed here includes some additional features not present in the Standard version. For example, the Pro version allows you to automatically "split" an incoming audio stream into smaller files, based on selected criteria. Criteria include things like "if the sound volume drops below x% for more than y seconds, start recording to a new file" and "if the clip information changes in the the media player, start a new file". I've tested these features and they work as advertised.
Basic Sound Editing Functionality Included
The Pro version offers some very basic sound editing capabilities as well. You can pretty easily trim a few seconds off the start or end of a recording. For more detailed editing, I would want to use a true sound editor, like the free Audacity editor. Regardless, the editing facilities in Total Recorder are adequate to basic preparation of a captured audio stream.
Scheduled Recording Facility
Total Recorder Pro can be "scheduled" to record sounds at a specific time. For example, imagine that your local radio station is having a live concert by your favorite band, but the concert is taking place while you're at work. You could start your web browser playing their audio stream when you left for work in the morning, and schedule Total Recorder to start recording at about the time the concert starts, continuing until it ends. When you got home that night, it would have recorded that concert for you at the same level of sound quality that the radio station streamed it. Hard to beat that functionality.
Batch Processing Option
As if all this wasn't enough, Total Recorder can also do "batch processing" of sounds. Let's say you have a bunch of WMA files that you'd rather have as MP3s to load on your MP3 player. You can set up a batch process in Total Recorder to load each of the files and save it as an MP3. This can save you a lot of manual effort versus sitting there at the keyboard and mouse making it load the sound files one at a time to convert them.
Command-line Interface
Although I haven't used this feature, Total Recorder also includes a number of command line options that give some additional flexibility with the software. The command line features allow you to plug Total Recorder into batch processes and the like.
Not Quite Complete Out of the Box
I should point out that on its own Total Recorder does not ship with support for writing MP3 or Ogg Vorbis files. However, they do provide very clear instructions for downloading the "LAME" MP3 encoder DLL and Ogg Vorbis DLL, as well as how to make them accessible to Total Recorder. This takes you maybe 5 minutes after you first install Total Recorder.
When I've lost my serial number, High Criteria has generally been very quick to look up my records and replace it. I've never really had to contact them for any other support, since in my experience Total Recorder generally "just works". The only issue I ever have with it is that occasionally Windows Media Player will refuse to play audio when Total Recorder is set as the system's playback device. However, I can get around this by closing Windows Media Player, changing the playback device in the Sound control panel to my sound card, launching Windows Media Player again, changing the playback device back to Total Recorder, then using Windows Media Player. This is a very minor inconvenience for the many benefits the player provides.
A Great Value for the Price
One of the best things about this product is its price. The Standard version costs only $11.95 and can be downloaded immediately after purchase. The Pro version costs $35.95 and can also be downloaded immediately after purchase. Both versions are available for a free (limited functionality) trial. Something pretty impressive and amazing about these prices are that they include free lifetime updates of the software. That's right... buy it today for $11.95 and when a new version comes out this year, next year, etc., you get it free! I bought Total Recorder about 5-6 years ago and the company still sends me an email every time they update the software. For those of you who don't like to use credit cards online, High Criteria will allow you to pay online with a credit card, by phone with a credit card, or by check or money order.
Supported Platforms
Total Recorder is only available for Microsoft Windows, but it's designed to run on any PC using Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows NT, Windows ME, Windows 2000, or Windows XP, so long as that PC contains a Windows-compatible sound card.
A Big Thumbs Up!
I would definitely give this one a 9 out of 10. If that Windows Media Player issue didn't exist (and I recognize it's most likely NOT Total Recorder's fault), it'd be a 10.
High Criteria Software: http://www.highcriteria.com
Total Recorder Overview page: http://www.highcriteria.com/main_productfr_tr_overview.htm
