Help me record calls on an iPhone in Canada
February 4, 2015 10:32 PM Subscribe
Can you help me find the best hardware or software solution?
I have an iPhone 5C that isn't jailbroken (and which I don't want to jailbreak). As part of my job I need to record some of the calls I make. (I'm very familiar with the legalities of doing so.)
I'm looking for a way to do this that:
a) records incoming or outgoing calls
b) doesn't involve paying an outside party per minute/per call
c) works from Canada and doesn't incur international (US) long distance phone charges
d) is simple and (basically) foolproof.
Ideally, I think I'm looking for a hardware-based solution, which is what I have for my landline. I like the idea of this, which I can plug into my audio recorder or laptop, but I can't seem to find anyplace in Canada that sells it. I see this is available from The Source, but it looks cumbersome to use.
What have I missed, or what have I not considered?
I have an iPhone 5C that isn't jailbroken (and which I don't want to jailbreak). As part of my job I need to record some of the calls I make. (I'm very familiar with the legalities of doing so.)
I'm looking for a way to do this that:
a) records incoming or outgoing calls
b) doesn't involve paying an outside party per minute/per call
c) works from Canada and doesn't incur international (US) long distance phone charges
d) is simple and (basically) foolproof.
Ideally, I think I'm looking for a hardware-based solution, which is what I have for my landline. I like the idea of this, which I can plug into my audio recorder or laptop, but I can't seem to find anyplace in Canada that sells it. I see this is available from The Source, but it looks cumbersome to use.
What have I missed, or what have I not considered?
Can you use a computer do to this at all? You could use an Olympus TP-8 to record the call with your software of choice, Audacity or Garageband or Audio Hijack or whatever. That's probably the cheapest solution, though it's more cumbersome than what you're looking for.
posted by macdara at 3:47 AM on February 5, 2015
posted by macdara at 3:47 AM on February 5, 2015
Does it have to be hardware? There is an app called Voice Memos that works great for this kind of thing.
posted by St. Peepsburg at 5:15 AM on February 5, 2015
posted by St. Peepsburg at 5:15 AM on February 5, 2015
Response by poster: To address the questions:
1) It doesn't have to be hardware. I would actually prefer software, but most of the apps I've looked at seem to involve dialing a third-party outside of Canada, allowing them to do the recording, then paying for the recording based on a per-minute fee.
2) Yes, I can use a computer, and I also have a good quality audio recorder. The Olympus TP-8 is essentially the same piece of equipment I linked to in my third (available at The Source) link, but as I said, it looks like a bit of a nuisance to use in that there is no direct connection between the phone and the recording device (be it computer or audio recorder), and is just picking up the conversation over the air (unless I'm missing something).
3) Thanks lungful, that definitely is one option, although it's a bit more involved than I'd prefer.
posted by sardonyx at 7:32 AM on February 5, 2015
1) It doesn't have to be hardware. I would actually prefer software, but most of the apps I've looked at seem to involve dialing a third-party outside of Canada, allowing them to do the recording, then paying for the recording based on a per-minute fee.
2) Yes, I can use a computer, and I also have a good quality audio recorder. The Olympus TP-8 is essentially the same piece of equipment I linked to in my third (available at The Source) link, but as I said, it looks like a bit of a nuisance to use in that there is no direct connection between the phone and the recording device (be it computer or audio recorder), and is just picking up the conversation over the air (unless I'm missing something).
3) Thanks lungful, that definitely is one option, although it's a bit more involved than I'd prefer.
posted by sardonyx at 7:32 AM on February 5, 2015
Response by poster: And one question of my own: can Voice Memos record phone conversations? I thought I read that was one thing it couldn't do, but I'd be happy to be corrected if I'm wrong.
posted by sardonyx at 7:33 AM on February 5, 2015
posted by sardonyx at 7:33 AM on February 5, 2015
And one question of my own: can Voice Memos record phone conversations?
You know what, in our case it was a call with a lawyer and we had two phones going: the call was on my partner's phone and I was using Voice Memos to record it. If you want to use one device then you could try to circumvent this by using Skype or Google Voice to make the phone call and Voice Memos to record it.
posted by St. Peepsburg at 2:38 PM on February 6, 2015
You know what, in our case it was a call with a lawyer and we had two phones going: the call was on my partner's phone and I was using Voice Memos to record it. If you want to use one device then you could try to circumvent this by using Skype or Google Voice to make the phone call and Voice Memos to record it.
posted by St. Peepsburg at 2:38 PM on February 6, 2015
it looks like a bit of a nuisance to use in that there is no direct connection between the phone and the recording device (be it computer or audio recorder), and is just picking up the conversation over the air (unless I'm missing something)
No, you're right, it's basically a microphone in an earbud that picks up whatever you hear from the phone's earpiece. But I've tested it (I got it for phone interviews if I can't Skype with the other party) and the quality of the recording is exactly the same as what you would get by any other means.
posted by macdara at 4:57 AM on February 8, 2015
No, you're right, it's basically a microphone in an earbud that picks up whatever you hear from the phone's earpiece. But I've tested it (I got it for phone interviews if I can't Skype with the other party) and the quality of the recording is exactly the same as what you would get by any other means.
posted by macdara at 4:57 AM on February 8, 2015
Response by poster: Thanks macdara, that's a helpful answer.
posted by sardonyx at 7:18 PM on February 8, 2015
posted by sardonyx at 7:18 PM on February 8, 2015
Response by poster: In case anybody cares about this, I ordered contacted VEC and got the name of a Canadian distributor and ordered the CC-40. It arrived today, so fingers crossed it will work for me.
posted by sardonyx at 11:44 AM on March 10, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by sardonyx at 11:44 AM on March 10, 2015 [1 favorite]
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by a lungful of dragon at 10:50 PM on February 4, 2015