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This solution requires a high-speed internet connection, as it uses a VOIP phone service.

So you need to record a phone call -- to potentially be used in court, for instance - and you don't want to have to buy an expensive device or software that you'd probably never use again after this one time. Yet you need a good quality recording. If your computer has the audio option called "stereo mix" or "wave out" or "what you hear", then you may be able to get the job done with a free software like Ask & Record Toolbar (formerly Freecorder). If, however, you have a computer running Vista, you may find, as did I, that stereo mix has been removed as an option. I've read that this is due to an agreement between Microsoft and the recording industry to curtail illegal audio recording. On some computer systems, the option has only been hidden, not completely removed. To check whether you have it or not, right-click the audio icon in your taskbar, then click "Recording Devices". If you don't see stereo mix (or any of its aliases), right-click inside the area that shows your devices, and click "Show Disabled Devices" (if it doesn't already have a checkmark next to it). If stereo mix appears, you can right-click on it and select "Enable", and right click again to set it as the default device. If not, read on.

If you search for a way to get stereo mix on your computer, you'll find the suggestion of installing an XP audio driver in compatibility mode. I tried this, and while it did give me stereo mix, it caused my mic to stop working, which obviously wasn't acceptable, so I then used Vista's "Backup and Restore" to revert my computer back to a previous state (undoing the new driver install).

For days I searched for a phone call recording software that would work with my computer and current VOIP service and not cost much since I only needed it for one-time use. I never found one. But in my searching, I noticed that there were a few recording programs that were specifically for Skype (a VOIP service). And one of them, called Call Graph, was completely free. I'd never tried Skype, but knew it was very affordable. Exactly how affordable, I proceeded to find out.... Monthly subscriptions start at $2.95 for unlimited calling to landlines and cellphones in the U.S. and Canada. Or you can pay as you go at great rates (.021 in the U.S.) by buying credit starting at $10. Pc-to-pc calls to other Skype users are free. They also offer text messaging, phone numbers for incoming calls, and more.

So my total investment to get my call recorded was $2.95. And that also bought me a month of unlimited calling from my computer, as well as introduced me to a VOIP service that's probably going to replace the other one I've been using.

After downloading Skype , you can dial Echo123 for their free testing service, to make sure everything's working. You also can make one free call to a mobile or landline phone, or if you prefer, send one free text. I'm still learning about the service myself, so can't tell you much else about it, but if you're a Firefox user, here's a great thing: there's an add-on for the browser that turns phone numbers on websites into links you can click to automatically make Skype calls.

The Call Graph recording software can save calls in either wav or mp3 format. The default is mp3, and gives you the option of mono or stereo. In stereo mode, which is also the default, one party's voice plays back from the left speaker, with the other on the right... which is nice because it reduces the chance of words being undecipherable when both parties talk at the same time. Another feature of Call Graph is the option to automatically record all Skype calls.

Something odd I discovered is that for Call Graph to work, your computer's sound scheme cannot be set to "No sounds". Skype calls will work fine, but as soon as you click Record, one party can't hear the other, seemingly randomly-- the first time it happened to me, the person on the other end couldn't hear me; when I tried it again, I couldn't hear her. Since it had been working fine for me before I set my computer sounds to off, I quickly realized what the problem probably was, turned them back on, and all's well again.

Be sure to check into the legalities before recording any phone calls. The law varies by state. You may have to inform the other party (or both/all parties, if you're planning to record a call you're not taking part in) that you're recording the call.

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