Howto: Record Skype Conversations In Ubuntu

Recently I created a list of apps for recording Skype conversations in Windows and Mac OS X, but I didn’t cover how to record in Linux. Considering the rise and rise of Ubuntu, I thought it was about time I added how to record Skype in Ubuntu.

1. First of all we need to install lame for encoding our MP3s, then sox, sox-dev and vsound. This will also install build-essential for all the programs necessary to compile programs.

   sudo apt-get install vsound sox sox-dev lame build-essential

2. Download Skype.

   cd
   wget http://www.twistedlittlegnome.com/skype-rec-kraken.tar
   tar xvf skype-rec-kraken.tar

3. Now make the app.

   cd skype-rec-kraken
   make

4. Here’s where we edit the app, making sure that Skype is not running when we start editing.

   gedit skype-rec

5. Find “my $SKYPEREC” and then change to /home/username/skype-rec-kraken/libskype-rec.so and now on to the recording.

   ./skype-rec

6. This command will run Skype and record your conversation then saving your MP3 in the directory you named above.

Serious thanks and hat-tipping goes to majikstreet who posted the technique in this thread over at the Ubuntu Forums.