Can't capture system sound on iMac Pro

Question

Level 4

2,137 points

Can't capture system sound on iMac Pro

iMac Pro, macOS 10.13.3

I've tried capturing System Sound / Computer Audio using SiennaTV NDI Scan Convertor, Telestream ScreenFlow, Telestream Wirecast Screen Capture except when using USB Audio Out?

When System Preferences Sound Output is set to iMac Pro Speakers or External Headphones on the Headphone Port I can't capture sound but, oddly when I set it to USB Audio Output I can capture System Sound.

The only correlate I see is in Apple Audio MIDI Setup iMac Pro Speakers and External Headphones are 32 Bit Float and can't be changed unlike other Macs I've used. On the other hand USB Audio Output is 16 Bit Integer.

Anyone seeing this in other screen capture utilities?
Any screen capture utilities able to capture computer audio?

I can only capture system sound / computer audio when this is set to my Output.

iMac Pro (2017), macOS High Sierra (10.13.3), 8 Core, 32GB RAM, GPU Vega64

Posted on Jan 28, 2018 7:17 PM

Reply

Answer 1

JDRYAN91

Level 1

8 points

Feb 27, 2018 7:24 PM in response to Craig Seeman

ScreenFlick DOES work. Just tried it, it uses soundflower and previously I was unable to get to be recognized or work in snagit2018 but in Screen flick, it 100% works

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Answer 2

Craig Seeman Author

Level 4

2,137 points

Feb 27, 2018 10:44 PM in response to Craig Seeman

Telestream's ScreenFlow Beta of 7.3 uses a new audio driver which captures system sound!
Tested and confirmed working.

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Answer 3

Feb 21, 2018 8:24 AM in response to Craig Seeman

Craig Seeman wrote:

Any screen capture utilities able to capture computer audio?

Screenflick works on an iMac Pro. (and other Macs).

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Answer 4

Feb 27, 2018 7:10 PM in response to JDRYAN91

Screenflick uses soundflower and works.

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Answer 5

Mar 1, 2018 7:26 PM in response to Craig Seeman

I didn't have any luck with a clean audio capture. Sound went out through speakers and into mic, recording all room noise and sub standard audio for screen recording. I was able to send sound out through headphone jack and into my UA Apollo TB3 interface and it worked just fine, but thats a big expense to do a procedure that can be done with a mini jack from headphone out to line in on a regular iMac.

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Answer 6

Craig Seeman Author

Level 4

2,137 points

Mar 6, 2018 7:02 PM in response to 3etwegadrs

Already stated. Use USB out and you'll be able to capture audio.
Also ScreenFlow Beta 7.3 can capture audio.

There is no other workaround. Apple made changes so the third developers will have to make changes. Otherwise monitor with USB speakers or USB headphones.

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Answer 7

JDRYAN91

Level 1

8 points

Feb 27, 2018 7:06 PM in response to Craig Seeman

I have an iMac Pro as well and this person is correct - because of the new T2 chipset, it does not record systrem audio from pretty much any app. I have tried four so far, zero work.

Come on apple - if you charge us this much for this box.. at least have it WORK.

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Answer 8

MaineMac

Level 1

4 points

Feb 21, 2018 7:28 AM in response to MaineMac

Update: TechSmith has had me try a number of approaches, none of which has worked so far. It is interesting that another app, Rogue Amoeba's Audio Hijack 3, has no trouble recording and playing back system audio (this app can also capture audio from a running app like Safari and ignore system sounds). I have let TechSmith know of this -- maybe they can learn something about why AH3 works and their app does not.

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Answer 9

Craig Seeman Author

Level 4

2,137 points

Feb 21, 2018 8:47 AM in response to MaineMac

Apps that "hijack" audio still work as they aren't using a third party audio driver to route the audio. SoundFlower and similar should still work. They're not recording system sound generally as Camtasia or ScreenFlow does.

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Answer 10

Craig Seeman Author

Level 4

2,137 points

Feb 3, 2018 8:01 AM in response to Craig Seeman

Wow no one has noticed this!
Given the market for the iMac Pro you'd think the issue with the inability to capture system sound would have caught a number of professionals. Both ScreenFlow and Camtasia are affected. Anyone using NDI Tools would see this as well.

Of course if you can capture system sound (without using USB Monitoring) please do speak up.

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Answer 11

MaineMac

Level 1

4 points

Feb 15, 2018 6:18 PM in response to Craig Seeman

I have the same problem with SnagIt 2018. I can get system audio when playing over Bose USB speakers but it is badly distorted. I am working with SnagIt techs to see what can be done. Will update if they can help.

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Answer 12

Craig Seeman Author

Level 4

2,137 points

Mar 6, 2018 7:04 PM in response to Mark Pilkinton

My Behringer USB U-Phoria UMC22 cost $40 and there's a lower model for $30 and there's some really cheap USB to headphone adaptors for close to $10. Not that expensive.

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