Recording Skype calls with Pamela

In the first of these two videos, Nik Peachey demonstrates how to install the free version of Pamela to allow you to record the audio of Skype calls (up to 15 minutes) either with another Skype user (for free) or to a landline or mobile phone (credit needed).

In the second video, he shows how Pamela launches automatically whenever you try to make a call and requests whether you would like to make a recording of it or not. He then goes on to explain where to find the resulting mp3 file of your conversation and then how that can be dragged on to the desktop for editing later.

Recording Skype calls can be useful in three main ways:

• to allow you to bring authentic speech into the classroom which you have recorded at home with a native speaker friend or colleague
• to record live chats with your partner school
• to enable pupils to record themselves practising role-plays or presentations

Unfortunately, if Skype is blocked in your school, the last two opportunties will not be possible of course.

Willem Karssenberg, e-advisor and conference speaker from Drente College in Holland has been experimenting with Skype and Pamela as part of his project This call is being recorded where students record themselves practising scripted conversations over the internet.

Watch the clip below to get a flavour.

Willem has developed some software for running Skype, Pamela and Audacity from a USB stick which allows students to make, record and edit calls all from the same portable device.

His work was the inspiration for this post I wrote a few months ago.

Willem spoke recently about his project at EFODL conference 2007. You can download his presentation from here.

Comments

[Lenare]

Just for your information SkypeCallRecorder (http://voipcallrecording.com/) is a completely free alternative to Pamela.

[Joe Dale]

Hi Lenare,

Thanks for your comment. I know there are free alternatives such as SkypeCallRecorder and CallGraph, but I prefer to use Pamela or Pretty May as I find the audio quality is better and you can record each speaker as a separate channel which makes editing much easier.

As a one off payment, I think therefore it's OK to pay $25 because it will make life easier in the long run.

[Eugene]

This app seems to work not very stable. I tried it a few times and all the time it let me down at very important business conversations. Not very pleasant consequences though!

Better try MX SkypeRecorder
http://skyperec.com/
which is very simple and reliable, works in fully automatic or manual mode and supports various voip apps. Or try other app but not Pamela.

[Joe Dale]

Hi Eugene,

I've found Pamela to be very stable. Thanks for your comment.