Two ways to record a remote conversation
A video call is compressed hard and adapted second by second to each connection, because its job is to keep the conversation flowing. If you record that stream, you record every freeze, blur and robotic syllable that happened on the network.
The alternative is older than video calls. Podcasters called it a double-ender: each person records themselves on their own equipment while the call is only used to talk, and the files are combined afterwards. The local file never crossed the internet in real time, so it does not carry the network damage.
Riverside automates that approach. Its FAQ says each participant audio and video are recorded directly on their own device and uploaded to the cloud in the background during the session, so quality stays high even if a connection lags or drops. [1] Its blog contrasts this with cloud recording, whose quality depends on connection quality, and says local recording is the default in Riverside with no setting to enable. [2]
| Recording the call stream | Local recording (double-ender) | |
|---|---|---|
| Where the file is made | From the meeting as received, on a computer or in the cloud | On each participant device [1] |
| Effect of network dips | Recorded into the file | Affects the live call, not the local track [1][2] |
| Tracks | Often one mixed file; Zoom can add separate audio files per participant [3] | Separate audio and video per participant [1] |
| Who carries the load | The recording computer or service | Each guest device and upload connection |
| When files are ready | At the end of the call | After every guest upload finishes [2] |
What each participant records
Riverside says it records video up to 4K as long as the equipment supports it, and audio as uncompressed 48 kHz WAV. [1] Each participant gets a separate audio and video track, and Riverside syncs them automatically. [2] Up to 10 people can be recorded, nine guests plus the host, and screen shares are recorded locally on their own track. [1]
Resolution is adjusted in the studio Audio and video settings. [2] The ceiling is the guest camera: a laptop webcam that only produces 720p will produce a 720p local track no matter what the studio is set to.
For comparison, Zoom can record locally on a desktop computer, but computer recording is not supported on iOS, iPad or Android devices, and account owners and admins can enable or disable it in the web portal. [4] Zoom also offers Record separate participant audio files for up to 80 participants, with phone dial-in audio merged into one file. [3] Riverside blog claims that Zoom local recordings still reflect network dips; that is a competitor claim, so test it with your own setup. [2]
Progressive upload and what happens when a guest drops
Local files have one obvious weakness: they live on the guest computer until they reach you. Progressive upload addresses that by sending the recording to the cloud in small chunks while the session is still running. [2]
Riverside says that if a host or guest browser crashes, the files are safe because recording is local and uploads to the cloud, and that a recording still saves if the computer glitches or crashes. [1][2] What its public pages do not spell out is how long an upload can be interrupted before a track is incomplete. If a guest has a long outage, assume part of their track may be missing until the dashboard shows it complete.
The practical consequence: the end of the recording is not the end of the session. Files appear in the dashboard once uploads finish. [1][2] Ask guests to keep the tab open until the upload completes rather than closing it as soon as you say goodbye.
What it asks of a guest device, storage and bandwidth
Guests need no account or install, only the join link. [1] But the guest machine is now doing two jobs at once, running the call and writing a high-quality file, and their connection is doing two jobs, carrying the call and the background upload.
You can estimate the audio load yourself. Riverside does not state the bit depth of its WAV files on the pages we reviewed, so here are both common cases. 48 kHz, 24-bit stereo is 48,000 x 3 bytes x 2 channels = 288,000 bytes per second, about 1.04 GB per hour. 48 kHz, 16-bit mono is 96,000 bytes per second, about 346 MB per hour. Video is far larger and depends on resolution, so the reliable way to plan is to record a five-minute test and multiply its size.
Riverside blog lists the basics: use earphones to stop other voices bleeding into each track, and back up to cloud storage so recordings do not fill the drive. [2]
Guest checklist to send before the session
Send this with the invite. Every item protects the local file, which is the only copy that matters.
- Join from a computer with the camera and mic you want recorded; the local track can only be as good as the device. [1]
- Wear earphones or headphones so your track contains only your voice. [2]
- Free up disk space; plan from a five-minute test recording rather than a guess.
- Use the most stable connection available and pause large downloads or backups during the session.
- Close other apps that use the camera or microphone.
- After the host stops recording, keep the tab open until the upload finishes.
- If your browser crashes, rejoin with the same link rather than starting a new session.
Who should use local recording and who can skip it
Use it when the recording is the product: podcasts, interviews that will be cut into clips, anything where a guest voice must sound like they were in the room. Separate local tracks also make editing easier, because each person can be cleaned and levelled on their own.
You can skip it for internal calls, quick check-ins or recordings that only need to be searchable. A call recording with separate audio files per participant, as Zoom offers, is often enough. [3]
Questions before you decide
What is a double-ender recording?
It is a remote recording where each participant records themselves locally while the call is used only to talk, and the files are combined afterwards. Riverside automates this by recording each participant on their own device and uploading the files in the background during the session.
What quality does Riverside record locally?
Riverside says video records up to 4K if the participant equipment supports it, and audio is uncompressed 48 kHz WAV, with each participant on a separate audio and video track. Up to 10 participants can be recorded, nine guests plus the host.
What happens if a guest disconnects during a Riverside recording?
Riverside says files are safe if a browser crashes because recording is local and uploads progressively in small chunks. Its public pages do not detail long outages, so check the dashboard and have the guest keep the tab open until the upload completes.
Can Zoom record locally on a phone?
No. Zoom says computer (local) recording is not supported on iOS, iPad or Android devices and needs the desktop app; mobile users are directed to cloud recording on paid accounts.
Sources & verification
Product details and prices can change. Check the linked provider before buying.
- Riverside: FAQ Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Riverside blog: Local Recording: What is it and Why It is Better Than Cloud Recording (last updated 10 Oct 2025) Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Zoom Support: Changing settings in the Zoom Workplace desktop and mobile app Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Zoom Support: Enabling or disabling computer recording Accessed 30 Oct 2026
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