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DESCRIPTION
TapeDeck is a new audio recorder exclusively for Mac OS X 10.5, designed with a quick-capture workflow in mind. You're never more than a single mouse click (or keystroke) away from making a new recording, which are called, unsurprisingly, “tapes.” TapeDeck records directly to compressed MP4-AAC audio, making it equally useful for quick high-fidelity samples or hours and hours of lecture.
As you can see, TapeDeck was designed to emulate a real cassette tape recorder (perhaps you have a similar model in your basement), but with a few key differences:
- Every recording you ever make is immediately saved in the box of Tapes.
- You cannot record over an existing tape; clicking Record automatically starts a new tape for you.
Of course, TapeDeck improves on the traditional tape recorder in a number of ways:
- In much the same way that digital cameras made film “free,” TapeDeck makes tapes “free”: you'll never run out of tape (until you run out of disk space).
- TapeDeck's recording quality is far better than that of an audiocassette. You can adjust the recording quality to trade file size for recording length.
- An audiocassette has a label (where you can write a little bit) and a case liner (where you can write a lot). TapeDeck has these too, but they're full-text searchable.
- Tapes are standard .m4a audio files, so you can copy them into iTunes and synchronize them with your iPod, or email tapes to others.
To record with TapeDeck, you must have a built-in microphone, use device plugged into your Mac's line-in port (such as a microphone, record player, etc.), or another audio input device (USB input, Bluetooth headset, etc.).
WHAT'S NEW
Version:1.3.2:
- ALAC recording was broken in 1.3.1, and is now repaired. Unfortunately, that means HQ mode is limited to <2h recordings in 10.6+.
- MQ/LQ modes do not crash upon stopping long recordings in 10.6.
REQUIREMENTS
Mac OS X 10.5 or later.
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| TapeDeck User Reviews (5 posts) | Write A Review |
 | Nov 25 2008 |
GLOBETROTTERDK Here is a discount heads up: "On the Friday after Thanksgiving, November 28, 2008, sit down with family and friends to share stories—and record them for future generations—as part of the National Day of Listening. To celebrate this innovative project, we’re offering a 20% discount on TapeDeck, the powerful and fun audio recording tool for Mac OS X. With its foolproof recording interface and retro tape-recorder style, TapeDeck is perfect for capturing stories, songs, and anything else worth sharing aloud. And through November 30th, you can purchase TapeDeck for just US$20." The offer can be found at the normal URL with the subdirectory "ndol". (Version 1.1) | |
| [ Reply ] | |
 | Aug 15 2008 |
GARY ANGELONE My therapist was looking for a program like this just before it was released. Unfortunately she doesn't own a mac or know how to use one ~_~. Anyways I can see how this product could be extremely useful. (Version 1.1) | |
| [ Reply ] | |
 | Jun 10 2008 |
DOM21 "TapeDeck is a new audio recorder exclusively for Mac OS X 10.5" I'll never understand why some developers deliberately exclude themselves from sales to a significant portion of the Mac market, i.e. buyers who have remained with OSX 4.11. (Version 1.0.2) | |
| [ 6 Replies - Reply ] | |
Replies:
 | Jun 10 2008 |
MIDI PRO Agreed. I have two computers, one with OSX 10.3.9 and one with 10.4.11 both very stable for the work I do. TapeDeck looks very interesting and wouldn't mind purchasing 2 licenses. Now? I have to use something else. Just my 2 cents. (Version 1.0.2) | |
 | Jun 10 2008 |
MACUPDATE ADMIN It may be that the developer chose to use some tech that exists only in Leopard. Just FYI, all three of the Macs in our household are running 10.4.11, though two of them are more than capable of running Leopard, and we have Leopard installer discs that came with our daughter's new iMac. (Version 1.0.2) | |
 | Jun 10 2008 |
MIDI PRO Pardon my ignorance...I am not a software developer. What I read from the description, I don't see anything that TapeDeck does on Leopard that wouldn't do on Tiger or Panther. (Version 1.0.2) | |
 | Jun 10 2008 |
MACUPDATE ADMIN "I don't see anything that TapeDeck does on Leopard that wouldn't do on Tiger or Panther." So it would seem, I agree. The thing that we just don't know is whether the developer may be using some aspects of Leopard's code/capabilities that do not exist in Tiger. (Version 1.0.2) | |
 | Jun 12 2008 |
MRK It uses Core Animation, which was introduced in 10.5. (Version 1.0.3) | |
 | Apr 25 2009 |
CHAS_M Not only does the program use Core Animation, which doesn't exist in Tiger, but it is entirely reasonable and rational for a developer to assume that TWO YEARS AFTER RELEASE most customers have migrated to the current OS. Next there will be some crank on here who's mad that there's no OS 9 version. I perfectly understand that some people are reluctant to upgrade the OS until after the bugs are spotted and quashed and all the programs have been updated to accommodate the changes. That is normal, and rational, behaviour. But two years later, now you're just being cheap (or you have a machine that can't go beyond Tiger). Stop whining about developers that are working in the present just because YOU are stuck in the past. Live with what you've got or get with the program. If you don't like rapid, ongoing change, you probably shouldn't be using a computer at all. (Version 1.1.1) | |
 | May 14 2008 |
DENNISG I downloaded the demo version of TapeDeck, and was immediately stunned by its interface which exactly mimics a portable cassette recorder. This, of course, means there's absolutely no learning curve in using TapeDeck, since virtually everyone has experience using cassette recorders. Congrats to the developers for this inspired interface. My one beef with the software has been resolved by a video they posted on their web site. Like the previous reviewer, my main objective with TapeDeck is to capture a stream of internet radio content. The video showed me how to do that. And as I write this, I'm recording Radio Paradise to one of the "tapes." Just drag the tape to iTunes, plop it onto your iPod, hop on an airplane, and you've got hours of entertainment to distract you from the pathetic lack of legroom, absence of food, and the 3-year-old kicking the back of your seat. I gave TapeDeck a rating of 5 because it does its job perfectly. For a version 1.0 product, it's well-conceived, intelligently executed, and rock solid. The only thing that could be improved is the necessity to download an ancillary system utility called Soundflower that directs the sound to the TapeDeck application. It would be nice if this capability were built in to TapeDeck instead of requiring a separate download and setup. But it's a very, very small quibble, and takes nothing away from the fact that this program's capability is the answer to my prayers. (Version 1.0) | |
| [ 2 Replies - Reply ] | |
Replies:
 | Jun 12 2008 |
CHAS_M I went to the website but can't find any videos. Link? (Version 1.0.3) | |
 | Aug 15 2008 |
CHAS_M Hah, had to provide my own follow-up! They sure don't make this easy to find: http://www.viddler.com/explore/liscio/videos/1/ (Version 1.1) | |
 | May 9 2008 |
CHAS_M This is a very clever idea and an interesting UI. The only real flaw I can find with this is that it appears to be unable to record streams (as, say, Audio Hijack or Wiretap can). As-is, this is a great easy tool for musicians and vocal recording, voiceovers, practicing and podcasting, so if they add the ability to record audio off the net I think they've got a really solid product here. (Version 1.0) | |
| [ 1 Reply - Reply ] | |
Replies:
 | Apr 27 2009 |
MORISSSS Cannot agree more. Clever idea and an interesting UI. mkv video converter mac mkv player (Version 1.1.1) | |
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