How To Record A Nortel VoIP Call On A Mac

OK, I probably have a weird scenario which is why a solution was a bit more difficult to come by than I expected. But it turns out that the solution is a lot cheaper than I expected too. Here is the problem. In the next few weeks I'll be doing some online classes that are going to be lengthy. My voice will be heard by the students over the phone and the reception on my phone at home isn't so good. My company uses a VoIP solution so I thought I would try to go that route. But the phone system is from Nortel and the IP soft phone software runs only on Windows. AND I have to be VPN'ed in for it to connect. This is a problem because my main machine is my MacBook Pro.

I actually have a Windows XP VMWare Fusion machine ready to go for filing expenses and filling out my vacation requests, so that part is easy. The VPN software runs on both Mac and Windows so that part is easy too. Since I want the phone to connect over the VPN but none of the other functions, VPN'ing in from the Windows box is actually very convenient. The IP Softphone connects just fine and I can make calls out without a problem.

As long as you turn on the sound card in VMWare, sound comes in and goes out without a problem. That part feels like magic. For the audio input and output, my scenario is a little out of the norm. Instead of a mic headset, I am using a Heil PR40 mic connected to a Apogee Duet 2. My headphones are also connected to the Duet which connects to the Mac via USB. So I am hands free and the audio sounds great when I record it.

Now the problem is that I was having a hard time recording both my side AND the output from the soft phone. My first try to solve this was to use Audio Hijack Pro. I called my mobile phone a dozen time leaving myself messages, but I could never record both sides of the conversation. I brought in Soundflower to see if that would help me get both sides, but again I couldn't do it.

Finally a solution popped up in a forum post: Aggregate Devices!!! Wow, this is fantastic and the result is that i don't need to buy anything else. I opened Audio Devices on my Mac and clicked the little plus sign at the bottom left of the window. An Aggregate Device lets you combine different devices into one. I combined my Duet USB with the 2ch Soundflower. Above in the same window, I set Soundflower to be used for output and the Duet for Input.

Now just open up my recorder (I happen to be using Logic Pro, though I would imagine Audacity would work also) and start recording. The whole session is captured. Ahhhh, perfect. I'll have to practice this a few times, but I think I am se