Quicktime Hangouts Recording (using soundflower for audio)

quicktime-hangouts-recording.md

Short link to this page: caseywatts.com/quicktime

Other gists & tricks: http://caseywatts.com/gists-and-tricks

Unrelated update: my book is out! Debugging Your Brain is an applied psychology / self-help book

Quicktime + Hangouts Recording

Scenario: You want to talk with someone over google hangouts (like for a user study), and you want to record BOTH:

• the system output audio (from them)
• the microphone audio (from you)

(screenshots below in a comment)

General Setup (do this once)

1 Install Soundflower

brew cask install soundflower

(if you don't have/use brew, then google soundflower and install it from their site~)

2 Make an aggregate device (for quicktime input)

This is for Quicktime to be able to record audio from both you and the other person.

• open the OSX system app Audio Midi Setup
• Create Aggregate Device
• Include both inputs:
  • Built-in Microphone
  • Soundflower (2ch)
• Name this one Dual Input for Quicktime (optional)

3 Make a multi-device output (for output)

This is so both you and quicktime (via the aggregate device^) can hear what's going on.

• open the OSX system app Audio Midi Setup
• Create Multi-Output Device
• Include all both outputs:
  • Built-in Output
  • Soundflower (2ch)
• Name this one Dual Output (optional)

Specific Setup (do this for each screen recording)

4 Choose system output

• alt-click on the volume icon in the taskbar
• choose your system
  • input = External Microphone (hangouts only needs one - quicktime will get both on its own)
  • Output = Dual Output (hangouts should output to both quicktime and your headphones)

5 Quicktime screen record

• Open Quicktime Player
  • (you may need to close and re-open this after configuring inputs)
• File -> New Screen Recording
• In the dropdown next to the record button
  • Microphone = Dual Input for Quicktime

Works with Skype on Mac (Mojave) as well (using "Default Device" for input and output) 👍