New WireTap vs Audio Hijack Pro thread

Again, just picking up the pieces of that blown thread...

cheers... -Adam

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From: sagg928comcast.net Subject: Re: Audio Hijack Pro vs. WireTap Pro Date: Jan 15, 2005 7:01 pm

I'm new to the group and after reading a thread on this I thought I'd send along my 2 cents:

I've used WireTap only. I've found a few websites that have radio archives that you can listen to, but can't download, so with WireTap I just begin the program and click WireTap on, set a timer in the kitchen for the amount of time the program runs on my RealAudio Player and when done, I move it to iTunes, transfer to AAC and load it to my iPod!

I also love running it on the spot for AirAmerica radio programs that have special guests, etc. because it is so easy--just click open (it's on my dock) and hit the record button since it records anything that runs thru your computer speakers.

BTW - I am looking for any advice for recording on the phone (per client requests) of our sessions and wondered if anyone has any advice on h/w and/or s/w for this.

That's my 2 cents, Patricia :)

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Just bringing these previously messed-up items back into line.

cheers... -Adam

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From: lifelonglearner Subject: Re: WireTap Pro vs. Audio Hijack (Pro) Date: Fri, 14 Jan 2005 00:33:02 -0800

It's hard to do a really good comparison when you are more familiar with one product after long use and only have a cursory knowledge of the other, but here goes...

I use Audio Hijack Pro (for the past couple of years) extensively with a large library of 3rd party plug-ins to convert analog cassette tapes to MP3 or AAC, as well as cleaning up old analog video sound tracks. The ability to create the various 'sessions' with plugin already configured is a real timesaver. Automatically adding tracks to long speeches, for instance, is a simple matter with AHP, or even with tapes with music tracks. There appears to be much more customizing features in AHP.

WireTap Pro is a good solution for my kids, who mainly deal in digital data. There isn't as much of a need to do any massaging of the sound so much as reformatting and the scheduling features tied to iCal are a nice touch. It's half the price of AHP and does what they need very intuitively.

I own more than a half-dozen audio capture soft-products, including some high end like PEAK 4 and I still find myself using AHP 95% of the time.

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From: speisert To: <WireTap Pro vs. Audio Hijack (Pro)tidbits.com> Subject: Audio Hijack Pro vs. WireTap Pro Date: Fri, 14 Jan 2005 00:36:42 -0800

I think that WireTap Pro has a nicer interface. In terms of features, Audio Hijack Pro is way ahead in terms of being able to save as AAC and also to capture the audio only from specific programs rather than the whole OS. From a technical perspective, each has their trade-offs. Audio Hijack Pro requires an APE extension. WireTap Pro requires a Kernel Loadable Module. I use AHP because it allows me to isolate audio from specific applications.

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On Wed, 19 Jan 2005 15:29:19 -0800, Adam C. Engst <acetidbits.com> wrote:
> I think that WireTap Pro has a nicer interface. In terms of features,
> Audio Hijack Pro is way ahead in terms of being able to save as AAC
> and also to capture the audio only from specific programs rather than
> the whole OS.

AHP also is better about scheduling events.

> From a technical perspective, each has their
> trade-offs. Audio Hijack Pro requires an APE extension.

Which was a killer for me. I refuse to use APE. I know unsanity
swears it's stable, but I know that my system is a lot less stable
when APE is running, and I have all sorts of weird problems. In fact,
last time one of my macs started acting weird I spent several days
troubleshooting before discovering that some EvilApp had installed APE
without my noticing. killed APE, dleted it's files, and all was right
with the machine.

[The APE extension just enables Instant Hijack, which lets you work with apps that are already open, as far as I can tell. So if just let AHP launch apps, or launch them after AHP is open, you don't need Instant Hijack or the APE extension at all. -Adam]

> WireTap Pro
> requires a Kernel Loadable Module.

or a kext, for much the same reasons.

So I am left without a solution that will work for me. OTOH, it's not
a priority. I'd LIKE to record the Carguys each week, but I'll live
without it.

--
<http://2blog.kreme.com/blog/2944/Twas_the_Night_Before_Christmas>

I have been using AudioHijack and now Pro since it was a plug-in in the
old MacAmp mp3 player for OS 9. Combined with iKey, it is quite
powerful!

As for APE support, Adam is correct, it is optional in version 2:

http://www.rogueamoeba.com/audiohijackpro/faq.php#ape

Does Audio Hijack Pro use Application Enhancers (APE) Technology?
Version 1.x of Audio Hijack Pro was dependent on Unsanity's Application
Enhancers technology to obtain audio from other applications. For
version 2, we've made the use of APE optional. When you install Audio
Hijack Pro (by dragging it off the disk image), you won't be installing
APE. If you need the features APE provides to Audio Hijack Pro, you
will have the option of installing the Instant Hijack component, which
uses APE. For more information, see the About Instant Hijack menu item,
in the Audio Hijack Pro menu, after you've installed Audio Hijack Pro.

Having experimented with a few of these audio capture/enhancement programs such as Audio Hijack Pro, I must admit that I am completely bewildered by the sheer number of settings and plugins (along with their myriad settings.) The most effective sequencing of effects for various tasks, and the seemingly endless number of permutations of parameter settings within each, require a fair knowledge of audio processing or endless patience for trial and error. Ordinary casual users are are at a loss with the terminology of audio, let alone the choices and settings. Raw experimentation with an extensive palette of options is very time consuming, not always productive, and extremely frustrating.

Audio Hijack Pro is an apparently powerful program, which (after I read Matt Neuberg's piece,) I suspect am only getting half my money's worth out of, by being ignorant of the likes of "the Excitifier and LowPass effects."

I also suspect that I am not alone in needing some guidance in the ways of "astoundingly powerful digital signal processing plug-ins, including a 31-band graphic equalizer, a compressor, a limiter, and high-pass and low-pass filters." I'd like to know what that means, as well as how to "sweeten up the sound a bit," and I'd like to be able to remove some "high-frequency artifacts," whatever they are. Frankly, I'd just like to know, in direct terms, just how to remove that "listening thru a garden hose" sound inherent in some internet audio without experimenting or researching dozens of filters. A gentle introduction to compression and the flanger would be well appreciated too.

In order to take full advantage of Audio Hijack Pro, I should know more than Hijack>Record>Listen. Are there currently any straightforward resources, beyond the basic AHP manual, to help me get better aquainted with audio for recording, saving, and eventually editing and enhancing audio on the Mac? Such a resource might include reference to a combination of programs such as AHP and Amadeus.

Perhaps Matt (or someone else with the expertise and time) could write a comprehensive "Take Control of Mac Audio" manual for those of us with little knowledge of such things.