What is "timetrax"

''For the science fiction television series, see Time Trax.

TimeTrax refers to a software and hardware platform by parent company Time Trax Technologies Corp. which allows audio recording from satellite radio, Internet streaming and traditional radio broadcasts. The company is best known for its disruptive innovation and leading role it played in the transformation of the business model of the music industry.

The original software was created by Scott MacLean to time shift XM Satellite Radio programming using the $50 XM PCR PC-connected satellite radio—doing so by recording the audio to MP3 format, and saving songs as individual MP3 files, named and tagged with the artist and song name. Now, the TimeTrax technology "de-aggregates" any radio-like broadcast and then reassembles that content, customized for the user. In other words, it records individual songs from the radio, saves each song as individual MP3 files and allows the user to build a music library.

Although XM initially encouraged third-party application development for the XM PCR radio, publishing links to third-party applications on its web site, XM discontinued the XM PCR radio after the release of TimeTrax. XM publicly stated that the discontinuation of the XM PCR was a previously planned product end-of-life, however several sources from within XM later confirmed that the withdrawal of the product was due to mounting pressure from the RIAA due to the emergence of TimeTrax. After the withdrawal of the XM PCR and because of the popularity of TimeTrax, used XM PCR radios started selling online for as much as $300.