OnlyR

OnlyR is a Windows application for capturing audio that permits configuration of encoding parameters such as sample rate, channel mode, and MP3 bit rate. The interface consists of a start/stop button and a volume meter. Recordings are stored in a date-based folder hierarchy. The tool is suitable for recording meetings, conversations, or any system audio source.

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• Single-button recording. The primary function of OnlyR is activated through one button that toggles between starting and stopping audio capture. No additional controls exist on the main interface, which reduces operational errors. The recording status is indicated visually on the same button and on the volume meter.
• Real-time volume meter. During recording, the application displays a bar representing the incoming sound intensity level from the selected input device. This allows the user to verify whether the signal is too low or saturated before finalizing the recording, preventing unusable files due to incorrect level.
• Input device selection. OnlyR permits choosing among multiple audio devices connected to the system, such as internal microphones, external microphones, line inputs, or audio interfaces. The selected device becomes the exclusive source for the recording without changing the global Windows configuration.
• Sample rate configuration. The user can define the sample rate of the resulting MP3 file, with common options such as 44100 Hz or 48000 Hz. A higher sample rate captures higher frequencies of the original sound, while a lower sample rate reduces file size. This function allows balancing quality and storage space.
• Channel mode (mono or stereo). The tool offers a choice between mono or stereo recording. Mono mode reduces file size by half and is sufficient for voice or conferences. Stereo mode preserves channel separation, necessary for music or sounds with spatial information. The selection directly affects the final MP3 encoding.
• Variable or constant MP3 bit rate. OnlyR allows adjusting the bit rate of the MP3 encoder, with typical values such as 128 kbps, 192 kbps, or 320 kbps. A higher bit rate improves audio quality but generates heavier files. The user can select constant bit rate (CBR) or variable bit rate (VBR) according to the need for quality or predictable size.
• Maximum recording duration limit. A maximum time in seconds or minutes can be set for the capture. When that limit is reached, the recording stops automatically and the file is saved. This function prevents unintentionally long recordings that consume disk space or truncated files due to memory shortage.
• Fade out effect at the end. Upon finishing the recording, the application applies a progressive volume fade during the last seconds of the file. This eliminates abrupt cuts that could generate a click or unpleasant sound at the end of playback, especially useful for music or presentation recordings.
• MP3 tag with music genre. The user can preselect a genre (for example, "Podcast", "Conference", "Music", "Voice") that is automatically inserted as metadata into the ID3 tag of the generated MP3 file. This facilitates later organization of recordings in players or media libraries without manually editing each file.
• Date-based folder hierarchy storage. Recorded files are automatically saved in a directory structure following the pattern Year\Month\Day. For example, a recording from April 5, 2026 is stored in \2026\04\05\. This chronological organization eliminates the need to manually rename or move files after each recording session.
• Exclusive MP3 output format. The program encodes all captured audio directly to MP3 using the NAudio.Lame library. No subsequent conversion or intermediate lossless storage is required. The resulting file is compatible with most players, editors, and distribution platforms without additional software.
• Event logging with Serilog. The application generates an internal log of events, errors, and operations using the Serilog library. This log can be consulted to diagnose recording failures, input device problems, or encoding errors. The log file is stored alongside the program configuration to facilitate technical support.

The development history of OnlyR began in the year 2019, when the developer Antony Corbett created the tool to address the need for a Windows audio recorder that allowed control over MP3 encoding parameters, a feature absent from the built-in operating system utility. The programming language used is C# along with the WPF framework for the graphical interface. Main libraries include NAudio for sound capture, NAudio.Lame for MP3 encoding, AutoMapper for data mapping, GalaSoft MvvmLight for the Model-View-ViewModel pattern, Newtonsoft.Json for configuration handling, and Serilog for event logging.

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