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This software is visually different from any other I have reviewed designed to record streaming audio. It incorporates a slick animation, which serves little purpose but is entertaining. Choosing various functions and options many times results in a 3-D visual which takes you to the screen/area of choice or a sliding door that reveals further choices..

As far as productive features, it does come through with some real useful ones. You can record both .wav and .mp3 files and adjust the file setting for each choice. There is a scheduler which allows the user to walk away and record audio from a streaming signal. As a matter of fact, the scheduler allows for several different on/off times - something I don’t recall seeing in other products.

There is a peak level meter to monitor your audio input which I always consider a plus with this kind of application. Additionally, just about everything can be accomplished by using hotkeys. If you are adept at remember one set of hotkeys from another, then you'll find this convenient. (As for me, I usually can’t so I generally just rely on clicking my way through a task.)

Another nice feature is the “signal recording” as the software labels it. I usually refer to it as “voice activation” because that’s what it does. You can set the Audio Playback Recorder to only record upon receiving a signal - a nice feature when your audio stops for “buffering” or if there is net congestion. You can choose to pause recording, create a new file upon the audio resuming or to just stop recording when it senses a certain length delay (like the end of the signal)

Audio Playback Recorder comes with an extensive HELP file which includes a tutorial. There is also additional online help available.

I like this version (3.4) of this software. I tried out an earlier version, which at that time was called 3D MP3 Sound Recorder, and quite honestly, I disliked it so much I decided not to even post a review. Since then, the author has made some excellent changes and added some very handy features. It’s been vastly improved and is now worthy of downloading and evaluating.

Audio Playback Recorder is $29.95. You can download an evaluation version at the Tongsoft.com website. - Corey Deitz

- Corey Deitz

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