Answering Machine to Laptop

NewGirl

New member
Can anyone tell me what equipment and/or software I need in order to make simple recordings from my answering machine directly to my laptop? I want to do it directly rather than using a microphone....

Any advice would be very much appreciated.
 
Ooooo! GOOD question!!!

I've never even tried anything like that!!

I think there is a free audio editor that will let you record things called "Goldwave." I'm not sure its still free (I haven't looked at it for over a year) but if it is, its a good way to go. The documentation that comes with it will describe how to do the recording part.

As for not using a microphone.... Hmmmm....

There is a possibility that you can plug the phone output from the answering machine into the modem on your laptop and record it that way- but I don't know how to make the signal go from the answering machine to the laptop...

If your answering machine has a headset jack, you can buy a cable that will go from the headset jack to the mic input on your laptop. That would work.

If you have a cellphone with a headset jack and you can check your messages by calling the machine, you could plug that headset jack into the mic input of your laptop, call your message machine and record away.

Sounds like a fun bit of technical geekery figuring out how to do that. :) Those are my first ideas...

Good luck,
Chris
 
I've actually done this for an effect in a song.

If you have a headphone out that's adjustable in volume, turn the volume all the way down. Then buy a 1/4" to 1/4" cord and plug it into the headphone output of the answering machine and the line in on your laptop. For a very simple recording, I think all you'll need to use is Windows' "Sound Recorder" function.

So, are you gathering evidence? Trying to preserve the voice of a "special someone?" :D
 
One of my friends leaves absolutely histerical messages on my digital answering machine, which I save ....but now my machine is full and I can't bear the thought of erasing them.

Thanks for the detailed answers; you guys are fabulous. I can't wait to get home tonight and see if I can get any of these options to work for me.
 
If you can't get it to work you can just set up your PC/Laptop to answer the phone and record the messages
 
Back
Top