One: Features  

1.Recording file types:
      Supports Wave(pcm,alaw,ulaw,adpcm,mp3),Aif,Snd,Mp3,Ogg, Wma, Flac, Ape,M4a(aac),3Gp(ms aac) , WavPack.  and can freely switch file type.
2.Multichannel output support:
     Multichannel output support for some audio files.
3.Recording control modes:
      Supports manual, automatic, schedule recording, and can be freely switched.
4.Schedule recording:
     The timing service module automatically fetch the first available item from schedule items, and start or stop recording according to the start time or stop time, then fetch the next available item automatically. The software also provides the daily recording times and options to update the schedule items, so user can achieve unattended recording.
5.Selection of recording device:
    Choose recording device and sampling parameters, supports 8,16,24,32 bits sampling. Can choose whether to use the device in exclusive mode or not.
6.Loopback recording mode:
   In win7 or later version, can use playback device as a recording device to do recording through loopback recording mode.
7.Sampled data transformation:
    Transforms the sampled audio data to a suitable encoding format automatically. Saving the user's time to test choosing parameters.
8.Mix processing:
    User may choose whether to mix the residual source channels with the output first channel when output channel count is less than input channel count.
9.Device status response:
    In Vista or later version, automatically response the device state's change (enable, disable, insert, remove) or device and audio engine format's change.
10.Sound source selection:
    In Xp, can select the recording source and it's volume. In Vista or later version, the sound source is also selected when you choose a device.
11.Mix device (Karaok):
    Setting the audio input and volume of mixer, when recording device is set to "Stereo Mix" or "Mono Mix", you can record a karaok.
12.Recording options:
    Include file output options, auto recording, encoding format, audio tag information, recording schedule, auto deletion files.
13.Naming a Recording file:
    In manual recording mode, can choose whether assign file name automatically or not. In automatic and schedule mode, the file name will be assigned automatically.
14.Recording task bar:
    Through the display of current recording task in real time , can have a clear understanding of the current recording file details.
15.Recordings management:
    Automatically records the details of  a recorded file, can  play , locate ,find, delete  items in file list,  set auto deletion file options.
16.Auto deletion files:
    Through the setup of auto deletion file options, a timing service module will automatically delete the files which meet deletion rules, greatly decrease your maintenance work.
17.Multi card recording
     Run multiple instances of recording when use multi instance version.
18.Supported platforms: 　
    Win7, Win8,Win10,Vista, WinXp,  Win2003,Win2008,etc.

   

Two: Main interface

   When the software started, the user interface will be shown as in figure 2-1 (Win7) or in figure 2-2 (WinXp):

Figure 2-1   Main interface  (Win7)

　

Figure 2-2   Main interface  (WinXp)

 

Three: Selection of recording device

   Click the "Device" button in figure2-1 or figure2-2, you can select the recording device (or sound card) inside the computer and it's sampling parameters, as shown in figure 3-1 ( Win7), figure 3-2 (WinXp) :

 Figure 3-1  Recording device and sampling parameters ( Win7)

 

Figure 3-2  Recording device and sampling parameters (WinXp)

    The software enumerates the recording devices (sound cards) inside your computer , you can choose the recording device and it's sampling parameters from the enumerated devices.

   Loopback recording mode --- In win7 or later version, you can use playback device as a recording device to do recording through loopback recording mode.

   In figure 3-1,when the option "Enable exclusive access mode" is checked, the software will get the audio data from audio device( device driver) directly, instead of from audio engine,  the response speed will be faster, the recording device will not be affected by other recording software.

    In vista or later version, it's a good idea to set the sampling parameters to the same value with the audio device format (in exclusive mode) or with the audio engine format ( in shared mode), since doing so can reduce the times of re-sampling audio data.

   When you complete the selection of recording device and it's sampling parameters, and the software detects that the selected recording device or sampling parameters changed, it will immediately work in the selected recording device and the sampling parameters, if a recording is in the process at this time, the software will stop the current recording work.

 

Four: Sound source of recording device

   If you are using Vista or later version, the sound source is also selected when you choose a recording device, see the figure 4-1.

Figure 4-1   the sound source is also selected when choose a recording device (Win7)

    In WinXp, the "Sound Source" button  is  used to select the sound source of  recording device and it's volume,  see figure 4-2:

Figure 4-2  Selection of  sound source and volume  (WinXp)

    The left side of figure 4-2 is used to select the audio input line, the right side is used to select the input sound volume of corresponding input line.

   When you have changed the options,  the selected sound source of recording device in the OS will  change immediately.

 

Five: Playback mix device (Karaok)

Figure 5-1 playback  mix device ( Win7 )

 

Figure 5-2 playback device mixer settings (WinXp )

   As shown in Figure 5-1,5-2, when the recording device ( recording source )  is set to "Stereo Mix" or "Mono Mix", you can record karaok by selecting the mix input. The concrete steps are as follows:

    1.Recording device: Select "Stereo Mix" as the recording device, if you don't find the "Stereo Mix", may be your OS installed a wrong version of sound card driver and you need to download a correct version of driver then re-install the driver.

          2.Plug your headphones into the computer's headphone jack, the reason for this is to avoid sound from the speakers re-enter into the recording device again via mike (or other audio input device ).

          3.Plug your microphone into your computer's microphone jack, of course, you can use the computer's built-in microphone (if any). If you have other sound input device, eg line in, etc. It can also be used as a sound input and plug it into the corresponding jack of sound card.

         4.Enter into the software's "Mix device" and enable the microphone, as shown in figure 5-3:

Figure 5-3  Enable the microphone (Win7 )

     In figure 5-3, if your computer has  built-in microphone , then the built-in microphone is enabled; If your computer does not have built-in microphone , then the external microphone is enabled.

     If  you don't want to use the built-in microphone and want to use the external microphone.  You can disable the built-in microphone and enable the external microphone,  as shown in figure 5-4:

Figure 5-4  Disable the built-in mic and enable the external mic(Win7)

    It should be noted that different versions of  OS  may have different name of  the audio source, try this as long as you can, or consult the relevant professionals.

           5. Start your favorite media player and  play  your accompaniment music, now you can record your masterpiece.

 

Six: User recording options

        User recording options is used to set file's output options, parameters of auto recording , audio file's encoder options, audio file tag information and recording schedule. Clicking the button "Options" in Figure 2-1 will enter the settings shown in figure 6-1:

Figure 6-1 User recording options

Related options are explained below:

    File output path:   As shown in figure 6-1, click  the button "Choose path ..." to choose the file output directory you want. The setting will take effect at the next time recording.

    File naming format:  When the "Auto file name" option is checked in figure 2-1, the application will use the "File naming format"   in figure 6-1 to name a output file. The table 6-1 below is the explanation for file naming format.

yyyy Year of current date
MM Month of current date
dd Day of current date
HH Hour of current time
mm Minute of current time
ss Second of current time
msec Millisecond of current time
Table 6-1 File naming format explanation

 

    Auto recording options: as shown in figure 6-2, you can specify condition to determine "Having sound"  and conditions to start, stop or pause recording.

Figure 6-2   conditions to start (stop) recording

 The following table shows the acceptable scope of relevant value.

Item Default value Scope of value
condition to determine having sound 5 dB   0 ---- 80 dB
condition to start recording 0 ms   0 ---- 1000 ms
condition to stop, pause recording 5000 ms   Larger than 3000 ms
　 　 　

  Wave audio file: 

        When the recording file type is wave format, the software will use your settings below as shown in figure 6-3.

Figure 6-3  Wave encoder options

 

  MP3 audio file :
       When the recording file type is mp3 format, The software will use your settings below, as shown in figure 6-4:       

Figure 6-4 MP3  file settings (CBR Mode or ABR Mode)

    Mp3 file supports three encoding modes: CBR Mode, ABR Mode  and  VBR Mode.

    The so-called encoding mode refers to the organization way of audio data when the audio file is in the formation , a different way (different coding rate) will have a different sound effect.

   Figure 6-4 shows the selection of encoding rate  when you select CBR or ABR Mode. The figure 6-5 below shows the options of VBR encoding mode, and has instructions about the selection of VBR quality .

Figure 6-5  MP3 file settings (VBR Mode)

The figure 6-5-1 shows the other options for mp3 encoder.

Figure 6-5-1  mp3 other options

OGG audio file:
     When the recording file type is OGG format, the software will use your settings here, as shown in figure 6-6: 　

Figure 6-6  OGG file settings (CBR Mode or ABR Mode)

    Ogg file supports three encoding modes : CBR , ABR and VBR .

  Figure 6-6 shows the selection of encoding rate when you select CBR Mode or ABR Mode. The figure 6-7 below shows the options of VBR encoding mode, and has the instructions about the selection of VBR quality .

Figure 6-7  OGG  file settings (VBR Mode)

 

Wma audio file:

        When the recording file type is Wma format, the software will use your settings here, as shown in figure 6-8:

Figure 6-8  Wma file settings

Wma encoding mode: Wma supports CBR and VBR mode, if you choose ABR mode, the software will use CBR mode.

Wma Encoder version: the software automatically enumerates encoders installed in Windows, you can go to Microsoft website to download the latest version of the encoder.

Wma encoding format: when you have selected encoding mode and the encoder version, you can choose the encoding format you need through a list of encoding formats , as shown in figure 6-9

Figure 6-9 Wma encoding format selection

 

Flac audio file:

        When the recording file type is FLAC format, the software will use your settings here, as shown in figure 6-10:

Figure 6-10   FLAC encoding options

 

Ape audio file:

        When the recording file type is APE  format, the software will use your settings here, as shown in figure 6-11:

Figure 6-11  APE encoding options

M4a(ms aac), 3Gp(ms aac) audio file:

     The software uses the Microsoft AAC encoder which is supported by windows 7 or later version, as shown in figure 6-12.

Figure 6-12  Ms AAC encoding options

   

    Aiff or Aifc file options:  .aif or .afc is an audio file format used by Apple computer, the options are same as the wave file.

    Snd or au file options:  .snd or .au is an audio file format used by NeXT or Sun Microsystems, the options are same as the wave file.

 

    What you have done in the recording options will be used at the next time recording, the file being recorded is not affected.  

 

 Audio file tag information:

   Tag information refers to the works information that is embedded in the audio file, such as: author, title, album, track, year, copyright, publisher, original, genre, notes and other information, as shown in Figure 6-13:

Figure 6-13  Audio file tag information

   When the option of  "Write tag information to audio file " is checked, the software will write the tag information to audio file.

  

 Recording schedule:

        As in figure 6-14, when you choose "schedule recording ", a timing service module will automatically fetch the first available item in chronological order from the schedule items, and do the work to start or stop recording when the start time or stop time is up. when a item completes its work, the timing service module will automatically fetch a next available item from the items. You can add, edit, delete the relevant items.

Figure 6-14  Recording schedule

      

       Daily recording time

         Click the button "Daily recording time" in the figure 6-14, you can set your daily used recording time beforehand,  as shown in the figure 6-15. You can add, modify, delete the daily used recording items. 

Figure 6-15  Daily used recording time

       The button "Add to recording schedule" in figure 6-15 is used to add the daily recording items to the "current day's recording schedule" manually.

       Figure 6-16 below shows the interface to add or modify the daily recording time.

Figure 6-16  Interface to add or modify daily recording time

 

       Schedule recording options

Figure 6-17  Schedule recording options


     Figure 6-17 shows the schedule recording options used to manage recording schedule automatically.  By setting the options "the update of schedule items by daily recording time", a timing service module will automatically add the current day's "daily recording items" to the recording schedule to achieve unattended recording. 
      
  

 

Seven: Audio file types

   In figure 2-1, under the label of Audio file type, you can choose the audio file type you need, as shown in figure 7-1:

Figure 7-1 Select audio file type 

     When you choose an audio file type, the software will automatically use the encoding parameters which have been set at the next time recording is started.

     If you change audio file type when the recording is in process , the audio file type that is being recorded will not be affected until the recording is finished, it will take effect at the next time recording is started.

 

Eight: Recording control  mode

   Provides  "Manual recording", "Automatic recording" and "Schedule recording" ,they can be chosen in figure 2-1 under  the label of "Control mode", explained as follows:

    1.Manual recording ------ the start or stop of a recording task is entirely up to you to operate through the button "Start" and button "Stop".

    2.Automatic recording------ the start, stop or pause of a recording task are controlled by the parameters of auto recording options, the software will determine whether to start, stop or pause recording.  See auto recording options in user recording options.

    3.Schedule recording ------the start or stop of a recording task are controlled by the start recording time and the stop recording time of  a schedule item, when a item completes its work, the timing service module will fetch a next available item from schedule items.  See recording schedule options in "User recording options",

    4.the control switch ---- you can choose the control mode at any time, the selected control mode will take effect immediately. 

 

Nine: Naming a recording file

   In figure 2-1, there is a check option about "auto file name",  the meanings are as follows :

   1.the option is checked ---- means that the file name is automatically assigned, the software will automatically generate a file name according to current date and time before the recording is started.

   2.the option is unchecked ---- means that the file name is specified by you, it is only when the recording control mode is set to manual control mode that you can manually specify the file name.

 

Ten: Recording task bar

  The recording task bar displays the current recording task in real time, you can have a clear understanding of the recording file name, recording status, recording duration, file size, encoding parameters, file type, start time.  As shown in figure 10-1:      

Figure 10-1 Detailed recording information on the task bar

　

Eleven: Spectrum display and frequency setting

Figure 11-1   Frequency - amplitude display

     Figure 11-1 shows that the sound spectrum is displayed in real time when the recording device has a sound input, the software displays sound state using 30 frequencies which the frequency value is from 20Hz to 20000Hz .

   There are 30 frequencies from left to right horizontally, the frequency value is between 20Hz and 20000Hz; vertical direction from the bottom to up is that the amplitude of the corresponding frequency ,the measure unit of amplitude is in decibel, the amplitude value is between 0 dB and 100 dB.

    In the spectrum display area in figure 11-1, right click the pop-up menu "sound frequency settings", you can set your  own sound frequency value according to your own requirements, as shown in figure 11-2:   

Figure 11-2   Set sound frequency of spectrum

  In figure 11-2, the left side is used to set the sound frequency, the number of each line represents a frequency in Hz, when the frequency value is modified, the button "Apply" becomes available.

   When clicking the button "Apply", The software will automatically checks the frequency values and sorts them, immediately make the software to use the frequency values, and displays the frequency spectrum.

  Setting a different sound frequencies will not affect the recording quality, if setting not properly, may affect the start, stop or pause recording when control style is automatic control style.

 

Twelve: Spectrum zoom

     In figure 11-1, by clicking the popup menu item "Zoom display" in spectrum area, draging the pop_up window's edge with mouse, the spectrum display will be arbitrarily scaled. As shown in  figure 12-1:

Figure 12-1  Zoom display

 

 

Thirteen: Message window

Figure 13-1   Message window 

   As shown figure 13-1, when changes happen such as the recording device or sampling parameters changes, or recording is started,  recording is ended, etc, the message window will display the messages, the system displays a total of 99 line messages, the previous message will be automatically deleted when the message count is greater than 99.

       

Fourteen: Recordings management

Figure 14-1 Recordings management

  As shown in figure 14-1, the software automatically records the details of a recorded file, like audio file name, sampling parameters, file size, file duration, encoding parameters, file type, start recording time, end recording time, etc.

     By double clicking a recorded file, the software will open the file with the default player in windows.

     Clicking the button "Windows open style" , the software will pop up a windows explorer's context menu, you can choose a player to open the file, or choose a default player corresponding to the file type in windows.

     The button "File location" is used to locate a selected audio file in windows explorer.

    The button "Find files" used to find items in the file list and locate the item by index , see figure 14-2.

Figure 14-2  Find files

 

    The button "Delete" used to remove the selected items, you can select multiple items by using the "Ctrl key + left mouse button" , can choose whether to delete audio files simultaneously when you delete the selected items .

    Auto deletion files --- Select menu item "Auto deletion files" in figure 14-1, as shown in figure 14-3, set the initial start time and period, then set the deletion rules, and then click the button "Apply", a timing service module will be started , and delete files which meet deletion rules at the specified time, greatly decrease the maintenance work.

Figure 14-3  Auto deletion files

      

 

 

Fifteen: Setting control's  properties

   The software provides several designated areas where you can select the menu item "Property for the area"  by right-mouse menu to enter the setting properties of the region, such as: font, background color, gradient color, color spectrum. the designated area is as shown in figure 15-1:   

Figure 15-1 designated areas for setting the properties

 

     Properties for the recording device title area :

Figure 15-2 Recording device title area properties

    Figure 15-2 shows the property settings for the recording device title area, where "gradient color direction" means the following:    

gradient color direction meaning
gradientVer The gradient color changes vertically from top to bottom.
gradientHor The gradient color changes horizontally from left to right.

   When the property settings are finished, click the "save" button, the software will automatically use the property values you set when  you start the software at the next time.

  The property settings for the "Sampling parameters title area" and "Recording task title area" are same with settings for "Recording device title area".

   

  Properties for Recording control area :

     Figure 15-3 shows the recording control area properties.

Figure 15-3 recording control area properties

   When a image is designated in the property of "Background picture", the area will display the image as the background image. When the "Background picture" property is empty and the property of "Enable gradient color" is true, the area will display a specified gradient color, when the property of "Enable gradient color" is false, the area will display the color assigned by the property of "Background color".      

   Figure 15-4 is the result of specifying an background picture and set the property "Transparent" of spectrum display area to true at the same time.          

Figure15-4

 

 

   Properties for buttons area:

   Figure 15-4 shows the buttons area properties, in which the meaning of "gradient color direction" is same with the meaning of    property in recording device title area.

Figure 15-4 buttons area properties

   The Property settings of bottom message area are same with the property settings of buttons area .

 

  Property settings for spectrum display area:

    Figure 15-5 shows the property settings for spectrum display area :  

Figure 15-5  Property settings for spectrum display area

   

 

Sixteen: Multi card recording

      When use the multi instance version of this software, you can install the software into the different directories, one directory identifies one instance, one instance corresponds one sound card, and each instance has it's own configuration parameters. Achieve multi card recording in one machine.