How to Capture Streaming Audio

Recording streaming audio on your PC couldn't be easier. There are a host of free and commercial tools for doing this. Recording programs fall in two categories - audio recorders and stream capture programs. One program (Replay A/V) offers both methods. More advanced programs add radio station tuning and scheduling, and some audio filtering and conversion options as well.

Audio Recorders work by capturing the audio that's about to play from your sound card. These are the most common type of recording program. The great thing is that any format of audio can be recorded, even copy protected (DRM) audio.

Stream capture programs work differently - rather than recording audio, these programs record the bits and bytes directly from the server. The advantage is that your audio quality is a perfect reproduction from the original server, and in many cases you can record multiple streams at the same time. These programs can also capture streaming video, too.

For some recomendations on audio recording, and how to record specific TYPES of audio, please see the links below for some GREAT freeware and shareware suggestions from both of the above categories: