Call Recorder that works on the Atrix?

[hellosailor]

Moderators, please delete this thread.

The short answer is that Motorola, under contract to AT&T, has apparently removed critical code from the Android OS and the US versions of this phone will never be able to record calls in the full manner that Android normally supports. That problem is not unique to these phones and why the OS has been crippled this way, apparently in violation of the Google Android license terms, is a whole other question.

Bottom line, if someone got here from a search engine? If you want to record calls on an Atrix, you need to buy the Chinese mainland version, or root your phone and install custom firmware in order to restore the functions, which are in the Chinese distribution.

If you are required by the US Security Exchange Commission (SEC) or other agency to record your calls and you own an Atrix? You'll have to get another phone.


Does anyone know of a call recorder that works on the Atrix?

Not "might work"
not "only works on speakerphone"

Just works, reliably, on all phone calls (bluetooth, speaker, whatever) with both sides of the conversation?

Seems like every app on the market has highly mixed reviews and notes that it doesn't work on some phones. Atrix is too new to be mentioned yet.

 

[mbranscum]

Why not try some of these programs on the Atrix and post your results here.

 

[hellosailor]

I was hoping to avoid re-inventing the wheel.

 

[mbranscum]

How is trying a program out on your phone reinventing the wheel?

 

[hellosailor]

Tired everything that is in the market, and nothing apparently works. Most either make no recording, record only from the mic using the speakerphone to get the other side, or produce a buzzsaw noise. And one called out to Chicago and wanted to do...I don't know what. A number of them launch themselves, I kept finding them listed as "running applications" when I had NOT run them, so it is possible some interfered when they snuck up without being asked.

Bottom line, there was nothing that could simply be installed and used, or if there was, something else clobbered it.

All I hear from developers is "Gee, Motorola does really wierd things with their audio, its impossible to record their calls." Ahuh.

Since no one actually reports in any detail having used a working product...if there is one, it is being hidden very well.

 

[Terrigno]

The programs dont work because its not legal to record conversations between both parties at the same time. You would have to let the other person know you are recording the call. Ive herd of some apps that do that, but none of those were found reliable.

 

[mbranscum]

Rred is partially correct. Depends on the state. For example, I live in Arkansas where only ONE party has to be aware of a recorded call. Then its legal. Many states are like this. Some states require BOTH parties to be aware. Most states only require one though. It is a common misconception that recording is illegal.

As a detective with a local agency here, I have worked many cases involving recorded calls by individuals.

Back to the topic, if the OP really wants to be able to record calls (both ends) Nokia/Symbian will be your best bet. Most higher end Nokia devices run this type of software and there are many programs available for that platform. Haven't seen another platform (besides the old Palms) that work this well.

 

[mbranscum]

AT&T and other companies dont want to allow you to have something that is legal and works in your state, and not others.

Actually that's not right either. AT&T has sold phones in the past that allow recording. Any of the Symbian Devices like the Nokia E71x, Nokia 6620, and others had plenty of third party software available. The Palm Centro and other Palm devices would also do this with third party software out of the box, unaltered. Many of the Nokia devices would even do it with the built in call recorder. Some would provide a beep, but most would not. One of my favorite AT&T phones was the Nokia 6620. I used a third party app recorded on that phone and recorded all calls. Pretty handy if I was driving down the road and didn't want to pull over and take notes.

The real reason that he can't find any software for Android devices is because like many Windows phones, the internal mic system isn't geared to work well with these type programs. Its not that they actually planned it that way, it just is. Also more complicated with noise canceling mics.

Also, call recording is legal in ALL states. What's different it which ones require you to make other parties on the call aware.

 

[Terrigno]

I dont know much about that stuff because I dont have a need or a want to record my calls with other people. Unless I was a bill collector. But for a person to get rude that way and act like that, is to far. Ill get out of this thread because I dont need to put myself that low and get to that point. Its the internet, and all you and I see is text. This community dont need to be this way.

 

[Cory Streater]

Agree or disagree with a member, but calling someone a jackass is probably not the best way to introduce yourself into the forums.

 

[terpitude71]

i have deleted the posts not relevant to the original question, which pertains to quality call recorder apps. lets keep things civil on here, and stay on target

 

[hellosailor]

One source in another forum once posted that he found the root of the problem. Apparently Moto does not implement the full range of functions in the libaudio.so file that is used on all the Droids, and an Atrix is, after all, just another Droid.

From what I'm reading (and at this point a lot of it is over my head) there IS a standard Android function to handle call audio (the two-way stream of audio during a call) and that function must be explicitly allowed by the telephony application, or else it cannot be shared.

So somewhere in that muddle...it seems that Moto is not including the function in their firmware, and if it isn't listed as a function--then no matter what third party software calls it, assuming the standard functions will BE THERE...it won't work.

This is apparently a case of assuming there is a light bulb, turning on the light switch, and then wondering why the room is still dark. Why Moto chose not to include the light bulb, and whether libaudio.so can be fixed (have functions added to standardize it) is beyond me, at this point.

Anyone have the skills to look into that? To see if it really is just a case of the phone having some essential standard code missing?

 

[Terrigno]

I have a HTC HD2,. i am using a new kind of call recorder.It can record both incoming and outgoing calls. it can record the calls in *mp3 or *wav and play them. Free downloaded here:
Free Download WM Sound Recorder | Record Your Mobile Phone Sounds And Calls For Windows Mobile

That program says its for a windows phone. How do you go about getting that to work on Android?

 

[hellosailor]

What, you've never run WINE or another Windows emulator on the all-powerful *NIX OS?

A skeptic might think that post was a spam bombing run, posted to any thread that mentioned "call recorder". An optimist just KNOWS there's a way to make WinCE run on these Android boxes.<VBG>

Seems like the only real answer is "Get an Olympus pen recorder and a piece of velcro, stick it on the back of your phone." Or, correct the libaudio.so omission.

 

[sk8trix]

i havent seen it on android but you can use bluffmycall for BB or I phone

Update: so i checked em out they got an android version but it might not work on all android devices so its up to you if you wanna go and still try it out this program worked really good for my old BB awsome to have recorded conversations for those times people swear up and down they didnt say something...lol

 

[corythered]

I'm gonna be trying one out on my HTC 3VO, and like copy paste some info since I'm lazy...

Was thinking of trying AllCallRecorder, since it doesn't use the mic but the audio record path (so no need to use speakerphone setting). Though, after bit of reading, seems no one has made a really good one yet.

Be nice if there was one that did all these, and did em well - Autostart, record in an other than .3gp format (think .mp3), name file by contact info (caller id) and date/time stamp, record to SDcard, good volume both sides (and not mic/speakerphone requirement), maybe even way to bookmark interesting bits in the recording itself, having few permissions (2-Way Call Recorder needs everything, it's scary) etc, etc.

And nother forum had whole long bit on legality issues, or rather lack of real issues. I'll drop the link to guy who did the footwork. But basically, US federal law requires one person in the call to know it's recording, which most states follow as well. Only eleven states requires both parties to be informed.

is it possible to record your phone conversations? - Android Forums

UPDATE: So it seems that it's now 12 states that require both parties to know of the recording. Most US States and most European countries require only one party know it's being recorded, so I wouldn't sweat it.

As for AllCallRecorder ... Well, the HTC EVO 3D has same problems as MOTOROLA does, it doesn't allow access to the audio record path. When I tried to turn "Record other party voice" on, I got the "Attention - Unfortunately, your phone does not support recording other party voice." which sucks.

It does put date/time stamp, plus phone number and contact name in record. And will play right from the app. Since it's not allowed to access the audio directly it has to record through mic. So my outgoing voice is clear, and, sadly, incoming has to be over speakerphone, and you'll want the volume turned up. And some audio software to pull up the incoming if its too low even then. It recorded okay from speakerphone (didn't need to tweak it at all), but man, I'm wishing I could open the path up for it to record direct from stream.

 

[hellosailor]

I'm gonna be trying one out on my HTC 3VO, and like copy paste some info since I'm lazy...

Was thinking of trying AllCallRecorder, since it doesn't use the mic but the audio record path (so no need to use speakerphone setting). Though, after bit of reading, seems no one has made a really good one yet.

Be nice if there was one that did all these, and did em well - Autostart, record in an other than .3gp format (think .mp3), name file by contact info (caller id) and date/time stamp, record to SDcard, good volume both sides (and not mic/speakerphone requirement), maybe even way to bookmark interesting bits in the recording itself, having few permissions (2-Way Call Recorder needs everything, it's scary) etc, etc.

And nother forum had whole long bit on legality issues, or rather lack of real issues. I'll drop the link to guy who did the footwork. But basically, US federal law requires one person in the call to know it's recording, which most states follow as well. Only eleven states requires both parties to be informed.

is it possible to record your phone conversations? - Android Forums

UPDATE: So it seems that it's now 12 states that require both parties to know of the recording. Most US States and most European countries require only one party know it's being recorded, so I wouldn't sweat it.

As for AllCallRecorder ... Well, the HTC EVO 3D has same problems as MOTOROLA does, it doesn't allow access to the audio record path. When I tried to turn "Record other party voice" on, I got the "Attention - Unfortunately, your phone does not support recording other party voice." which sucks.

It does put date/time stamp, plus phone number and contact name in record. And will play right from the app. Since it's not allowed to access the audio directly it has to record through mic. So my outgoing voice is clear, and, sadly, incoming has to be over speakerphone, and you'll want the volume turned up. And some audio software to pull up the incoming if its too low even then. It recorded okay from speakerphone (didn't need to tweak it at all), but man, I'm wishing I could open the path up for it to record direct from stream.

Cory?
" But basically, US federal law requires one person in the call to know it's recording, "
Don't believe everything you read on the internet. If you can't cite an actual federal statute, i.e. USCode or other body of law, then what you've heard is wrong.
By definition, if you are recording a call of your own, one party already KNOWS it is being recorded. DUH. Someone is confusing you with information about wiretaps and third-party recording, that is NOT THE SUBJECT HERE.
PLEASE do not hijack this thread and distort it with discussions about legality OR HTC PHONES. Those are totally outside of this thread, feel free to start a new one to discuss those topics.

The question here is very simple and let's focus on the point: Is there any call recorder software which will work on the Atrix? And to date, the best answer seems to be no, there is not, because Motorola omitted some standard Android code from the locked libraries in the Atrix, and no one can get past that.

 

[tohio]

Cory?
" But basically, US federal law requires one person in the call to know it's recording, "
Don't believe everything you read on the internet. If you can't cite an actual federal statute, i.e. USCode or other body of law, then what you've heard is wrong.
By definition, if you are recording a call of your own, one party already KNOWS it is being recorded. DUH. Someone is confusing you with information about wiretaps and third-party recording, that is NOT THE SUBJECT HERE.
PLEASE do not hijack this thread and distort it with discussions about legality OR HTC PHONES. Those are totally outside of this thread, feel free to start a new one to discuss those topics.

The question here is very simple and let's focus on the point: Is there any call recorder software which will work on the Atrix? And to date, the best answer seems to be no, there is not, because Motorola omitted some standard Android code from the locked libraries in the Atrix, and no one can get past that.

Rred, little bit of an over reaction to Cory's post wasn't it? I personally think a discussion of call recorders should include information about the legality of the act. Ironically, the subject of legality was brought up by a former (I believe) adviser. And really, is this forum so paranoid that someone can't mention their experience with another phone using the same type of software that is being discussed in this forum? I hope not. You probably owe Cory an apology. Here's the Federal cite you demanded of him.

In the absence of more restrictive state law, it is permissible to intercept and record a telephone conversation if one or both of the parties to the call consents. Consent means authorization by only one participant in the call; single-party consent is provided for by specific statutory exemption under federal law. 18 U.S.C. Sec. 2511(2)(d).

Regards
Tim

 

[mbranscum]

Some additional information about call recording in the US.

American Legal Guide on Recording Telephone Conversations (USA))

 

[hellosailor]

Tohio, call it an overreaction but in every discussion asking FOR SOFTWARE in every forum, I've seen the discussion get taken over by digressions about legalities that are inevitably off topic and outright wrong. So call it an overreatcion, but I'm tired of seeing irrelevant digressions to a fairly simple question.

Tim, your answer is a perfect example of what's wrong. That's a WIRETAPPING STATUTE. Look at how it is written. If the person who owns the phone and uses the phone wants to install software for THEIR OWN USE, well duh, obviously one party to the call knows about the recording. That statute is written for the purpose of wiretapping, when a third party installs the software or intercepts the call. It has nothing to do with FIRST PARTY recording.

So let's go back to the question. I own a phone. I want to record my calls on it. That means there is no relevant federal law restricting the manufacture or installation or use of recording software.

Focus on the simple point, does such software exist? If it doesn't exist, ALL THE REST IS MEANINGLESS.

And apparently, it doesn't exist, because Moto has chosen to omit key software from the locked library on the phone. That's the answer, as of now. It doesn't exist, and legalities are simply not relevant here.

If you work for the DHS and you want to perform a wiretap on a cellular phone, you won't be able to do it on an Atrix. Quickly now, let's ban the sale of Atrix phones because drug dealers and terrorists might use them to prevent wiretaps. Let's find out if Moto is designing Droids and Atrixes to support druggies and terrorists.

Is that OT enough to make everyone happy?