# Cannot convert ALL call recordings to MP3 **URL:** \ **Category:** Asterisk General\ **Created:** [July 12, 2024, 7:51pm UTC](https://community.asterisk.org/t/cannot-convert-all-call-recordings-to-mp3/103329 "2024-07-12T19:51:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![edlentz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/82dd89/32.png) [@edlentz](https://community.asterisk.org/u/edlentz)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2024, 7:51pm UTC](https://community.asterisk.org/t/cannot-convert-all-call-recordings-to-mp3/103329/1 "2024-07-12T19:51:44Z")
I am trying to convert call recordings to MP3. I have tried lame and ffmpeg. Both will convert about half of the files that I have for testing. I setup logging and I got this when using lame " Can’t init infile" Is there a way aroung this? Can Asterisk do the recording in MP3 format yet? I am using Freepbx and there isn’t an option for MP3. Would other formats be easier to convert? The whole reason for this is that I need to archive these recordings and want to keep them small to save HD space. ---
**Author:** ![david551](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3bc359/32.png) [@david551](https://community.asterisk.org/u/david551)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2024, 8:05pm UTC](https://community.asterisk.org/t/cannot-convert-all-call-recordings-to-mp3/103329/2 "2024-07-12T20:05:12Z")
If you want to keep them small, use a high compression voice codec, or which Asterisk supports more than one. If MP3 was a good codec for low bandwidth telephony, the mobile networks would be using it as their native codec. ---
**Author:** ![Pooh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f05b48/32.png) [@Pooh](https://community.asterisk.org/u/Pooh)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2024, 8:06pm UTC](https://community.asterisk.org/t/cannot-convert-all-call-recordings-to-mp3/103329/3 "2024-07-12T20:06:32Z")
On Friday 12 July 2024 at 22:02:38, edlentz via Asterisk Community wrote: > I am trying to convert call recordings to MP3. I have tried lame and > ffmpeg. Both will convert about half of the files that I have for > testing. What does the “file” command tell you about a recording which can be converted, and a file which cannot? Are you able to play the (unconverted) files and hear the recordings? If so, which tool / application do you use to play the files, and what format/s does it tell you the files are in? Antony. – What do you call a dinosaur with only one eye? A Doyouthinkesaurus. ``` Please reply to the list; please *don't* CC me. ``` ---
**Author:** ![edlentz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/82dd89/32.png) [@edlentz](https://community.asterisk.org/u/edlentz)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2024, 8:48pm UTC](https://community.asterisk.org/t/cannot-convert-all-call-recordings-to-mp3/103329/4 "2024-07-19T20:48:38Z")
What I found is that for some reason the script that I was using AI generated would leave off a leading character for the file path instead of var/spool/asterisk/monitor/filename.WAV it would use ar/spool/asterisk/monitor/filename.wav so it would fail. I decided not to pursue this as it seems like a real rabbit hole. ---
**Author:** ![ldo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ed8c4c/32.png) [@ldo](https://community.asterisk.org/u/ldo)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2024, 8:08am UTC](https://community.asterisk.org/t/cannot-convert-all-call-recordings-to-mp3/103329/5 "2024-08-06T08:08:15Z")
Did you try asking the AI to fix your script? ---
**Author:** ![edlentz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/82dd89/32.png) [@edlentz](https://community.asterisk.org/u/edlentz)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2024, 7:06pm UTC](https://community.asterisk.org/t/cannot-convert-all-call-recordings-to-mp3/103329/6 "2024-08-07T19:06:41Z")
I did and it appeared to only do about 2/3 of the files with the other third still having a partial file name and then failing. I have abandoned this idea. Thanks ---
**Author:** ![ldo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ed8c4c/32.png) [@ldo](https://community.asterisk.org/u/ldo)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2024, 7:20am UTC](https://community.asterisk.org/t/cannot-convert-all-call-recordings-to-mp3/103329/7 "2024-08-10T07:20:08Z")
Maybe try some of the AI options reviewed [at ZDNet here](https://www.zdnet.com/article/perplexity-pros-ai-absolutely-aced-my-coding-tests-but-theres-a-catch/). Might be something there that is better than what you were using. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/asterisk/original/2X/4/475d0c889911cfb84ac4881ad6df8b523e3f9105.png) [@system](https://community.asterisk.org/u/system)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2024, 7:20am UTC](https://community.asterisk.org/t/cannot-convert-all-call-recordings-to-mp3/103329/8 "2024-09-09T07:20:25Z")
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