How to Record Streamlined Audio From the Internet

You can record songs from the Internet to your PC.

You can record streaming audio from the Internet on your PC using two techniques that take advantage of native software and hardware.

Instructions

Use the Internet Browser

1. Navigate to the "plug-ins" or "add-ons" website for your Internet browser. For example, Mozilla has a website called "Add-Ons For Firefox." (See Resources)

2. Search for an add-on that will capture streaming audio file formats, such as Flash Audio (FLA), Windows Media Audio (WMA) or MP3. Download and install the add-on according to the developers instructions. With Firefox, the "FlashGot" add-on captures streaming audio from a page. (See Resources)

3. Bring up the Web page that has streaming audio. Press "Play" to begin streaming the audio file from the Internet to the browser on the PC.

4. Right-click a blank area of the Web page to bring up the browser's context menu. Find the menu options related to the add-on by name. Click the option that downloads the audio from the website to the PC. Using the FlashGot and Firefox example, the menu option is "FlashGot Media."

5. Select the folder or drive letter on the computer's hard drive that will store the audio. Click the option to begin the download, such as "OK" using FlashGot. Monitor the status bar at the bottom of the browser --- it shows the size of the audio file and the time left to download the file. Look for the status bar to countdown to zero or disappear, indicating that the audio file from the Internet is written or recorded to the hard drive in your PC. Double-click the file to begin playing it.

Use the Sound Card

1. Click "Start." Type "Sound Settings" in the search box at the bottom of the "Start" menu. Press "Enter."

2. Click the "Recording" tab in the "Sound" dialog box. Right-click the device labeled "Stereo Mix." Click "Enable," if it is not already. Click "Apply" and "OK." This action routes sound from the speakers to the microphone.

3. Click "Start." Type "Sound Recorder" in the search box at the bottom of the "Start" menu. Click that icon from the list of results on the menu. Drag the Sound Recorder's window off to the side.

4. Bring up the Web page that has streaming audio. Drag the left or right edge of the browser window so that you can see the Sound Recorder application to the side. Prepare to start recording and then quickly start playing the audio.

5. Press "Start Recording" in Sound Recorder. Click "Play" in the Internet browser. Wait until the audio finishes playing. Click "Stop Recording." Name the audio and click "Save."

References

• Clemson University: Online Teaching Tools
• Windows 7 Forums: "What U Hear" Recording -- Enable
• Microsoft Windows: Record Audio With Sound Recorder

Resources

• Mozilla: Add-Ons for Firefox
• Mozilla: Add-Ons for Firefox: FlashGot
• Billboard