How to record streaming audio
These days, there is a plethora of audio content available to stream over the Internet. Even traditional terrestrial radio often offers content streamed over the Web, diversifying the choices for how consumers can enjoy music and other audio. Although the legality is questionable, there are--and will always be--ways to record these streams. Streamed audio recordings for music are not going to offer the same sound quality as a ripped CD or even a purchased MP3, but it's a good option for talk programs and mixes that might not be available in other formats. This tutorial will show you how to record streamed audio as an MP3; just be sure to read the usage rules for any recording source before beginning.
Editors' note: This tutorial was completed using Windows XP.
Cost: Free
Time commitment: Varies
System Requirements: Windows
For more than five years, Jasmine France has covered a variety of tech products for CNET--from scanners to keyboards to GPS devices--but she's happiest where she is now: sitting atop a pile of MP3 players, "testing" every music service known to man, and jamming a variety of earbuds in every shape and color into her absurdly small ears. E-mail Jasmine.

Donald Bell is an electronic musician, a veteran record store employee, and a fearless hardware hacker. He's also CNET's Senior Editor for MP3 and digital audio.
Jasmine France is CNET's resident digital audio doyenne, writing and editing product reviews, crave blogs, and feature stories on all things MP3. And if you need advice on headphones, she's your girl.


One cheap (@$3) and easy hardware fix is to buy a 3.5mm stereo audio splitter and short male-male 3.5mm stereo audio cable. Simply plug the main splitter lead into the sound card output jack (where you have your speaker cable plugged in), plug your speaker cable into one of the splitters, and then plug one end of the audio cable into the other splitter and the other cable end into the "line in" input of your sound card. Now you can select "line-in" as the device and start recording away!
But I've never heard of having to download the actual drivers to do it. Nice tip. I will have to keep this in mind next time I buy a laptop for school.
I'll use this software on my Acer Timeline (Win7) & Sony Vaio (Vista) laptops. I'll be able to definitely update my ringtones for my Treo. Thanks again.
[CNET editor's note: Personal attack deleted.]
Streaming Audio Recorder is a good way to download songs from Myspace, youtube, etc.
I pay to run a legal, licensed internet stream through live365.com. I'm paying nearly twice as much money this year to support half the listeners I did last year thanks to these rate hikes. Who do I contact at CNET about getting a check for the difference?
Really...have some responsibility and self-respect as a reporter.
Yes, I take offense to your article as it seeks to do further damage to our industry and it teaches people how to break the law. Please retract this article and report responsible material going forward.
As for it being "Our" industry, maybe we should take into account how the industry belongs to the companies and organisations that run it, not the end listeners. So in that respect, it isnt our industry at all.
Well as the postal strikes here in the UK have got everyone using other services such as UPS and CityLink, the music industry, or rather the licensing part of it will cripple itself and people will choose an alternative. People "Stealing" music doesnt really affect it at all, except in the way that the RIAA seems to have the "Frenzy Blinkers" on and only focusing on piracy, when they should be seeing how to evolve and designig a system that works properly. Apple managed it with iTunes, and they still abide by the crappy legislation that the RIAA has oozing out of every crevice.
Personally, I commend Jasmine France for putting together an easy step by step to recording streaming audio. She never once suggested that this guide was to be used for stealing, just for making a recording so you can listen to something at a later date. Heard of podcasts? Never hear a peep from the BBC or any other TV company about how people record their shows onto their computer. Sure, you may still have to pay your TV license, but then what if you pay for your streaming service? Like Spotify, or any other paid for streaming service?
You can take offense to whatever you like, but in no way does this article seek to damage to music industry. No doubt you will be taking offense to streetlights or how the sun shines by the end of the week.
Really...have some responsibility and self-respect as a reporter.
Yes, I take offense to your article as it seeks to do further damage to our industry and it teaches people how to break the law. Please retract this article and report responsible material going forward.
CNET - What happened to you?
Now that isnt going to happen is it? Realisticly?
It means getting rid of all labels, all record companies, everything, and having one central database for all music that is managed by a company that isnt run for profit but breaks even and focuses on music being accessible. Yes artists, it may be nice to get paid every time your song is on the radio, but surely its enough to be able to know that your song is being palayed on the radio without YOU having to pay per play like an advert would? Artists used to be about the music, now its about the money. It was sad to see Michael Jackson go, but I bet the money hungry people in the music industry were rubbing their hands together knowing sales would massively increase, while the world mourned the loss of a great musician.
Live365 Broadcaster
Delete this page from your site; it's not worthy of the C-Net brand.
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by GunghoFilipino
September 7, 2008 1:31 PM PDT
- I don't know if anyone else has had this "problem," but I've notice that when i play back the songs that I recorded, they sound slower than the original content, and the pitch is a half-step down. Has anyone else had this problem, or am I the only one? Is there a way I can fix it?
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