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iHateMacs

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Aug 13, 2008
654
24
Coventry, UK
Are there any recorders out there that I can use on my MacBook Pro that record a timestamp with the audio?

I want to leave my MacBook on overnight to record a neighbour's dog barking.
 

JackRoch

macrumors member
Jul 12, 2010
84
21
Are there any recorders out there that I can use on my MacBook Pro that record a timestamp with the audio?

I want to leave my MacBook on overnight to record a neighbour's dog barking.

Amadeus maybe: http://hairersoft.com/ ?
…also includes scheduler which might be helpful.

It has a timer at top of waveform window – is that what you're looking for?

Bonus: developer lives in Kenilworth!
 

monokakata

macrumors 68020
May 8, 2008
2,036
583
Ithaca, NY
A low-tech solution might be to turn on a radio, softly enough so that it doesn't cover over the barking, but loud enough so that when the station identifies itself, or an announcer declares the time, that audio will be recorded on the same track as the barking.

The problem with internal timestamps is that they can be edited in or otherwise spoofed. The dog's owner might be able to claim that you didn't make the recording when you say you did.

A radio time signal is completely external and therefore probably pretty good evidence. If you have a shortwave radio you could tune in one of the world time-broadcasting stations, such as the US WWV or Canadian CHU -- there must be one in the British Isles. Greenwich? Anyway, that audio would give you 1 minute time signals.

A person arguing against you would have to be able to show that you had somehow added a track or laid the time signal over the barking. An audio engineer would be able to show that you didn't, if it ever came to that.
 
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