Campaign Rec extension explained: 8309 WAV vs 8310 GSM

The Campaign Rec extension is a small field with a big effect. It chooses which recording extension handles calls for the campaign, and that extension decides two things: how long a recording can run and what format it is stored in. The two extensions you will meet first are 8309 and 8310.

What the extension controls

The default Campaign Rec extension is 8309. On a standard install it records in WAV format for up to one hour. WAV here is uncompressed audio, so the files are larger but they play everywhere and need no decoding step before review. This is the safe default and the one most systems run.

The included alternative is 8310, which records in GSM format, also up to one hour. GSM is a compressed Codec, so the files are much smaller for the same call. The trade is audio quality and a little extra handling, since some tools want the file converted before playback. So the choice is really about the Recording format (WAV/MP3) you want every file written in, and the disk and load that come with it.

8309 versus 8310 at a glance

flowchart TD
  A[Set Campaign Rec extension] --> B{Which extension}
  B -->|8309 default| C[WAV format]
  C --> D[Larger files plays everywhere]
  B -->|8310| E[GSM format]
  E --> F[Smaller files saves disk]
  D --> G[Recording up to one hour]
  F --> G

It helps to picture where this extension sits. When a call is set to record, VICIdial hands the audio to the recording extension you named in the campaign. That extension is what opens the file, picks the format, and enforces the length cap. So the Campaign Rec extension is not just a label; it is the actual recording engine for that campaign. Change the number and you change which engine runs, which is why the same field controls both format and maximum length at once.

Both extensions cap a single recording at one hour by default. That limit comes from the recording timeout on the server, not from the extension number itself, so switching between 8309 and 8310 does not change the maximum length. If you need recordings longer than an hour, that is a separate server change covered in our note on why recordings stop at one hour.

How to choose

Stay on 8309 if disk is not your bottleneck and you want the cleanest audio with the least fuss. WAV is the friendliest format for quality review, for outside transcription tools, and for anyone who just wants to double-click and listen. Most campaigns that record only their best calls do fine here.

Move to 8310 when you record a high volume of Call recording and disk is filling faster than you would like. GSM shrinks each file substantially, which buys you more days of retention on the same drive. If you go this route, confirm that whatever you use to play or process recordings handles GSM, and plan for a conversion step if it does not. For the full set of ways to manage recording size and length, see our call recording guide.

A practical middle path is to mix extensions by campaign. Put your low-volume, high-value campaigns on 8309 so reviewers get clean WAV audio for the calls that matter most, and put your high-volume churn campaigns on 8310 so the bulk of your recordings take less space. Because the extension is set per campaign, nothing forces you to pick one format for the whole system. Match the format to how each campaign's recordings actually get used.

Whichever you pick, set the Campaign Rec extension on the campaign, submit, and place a test call to confirm the file lands in the format you expect. If you would rather have the format and disk planning sorted for you, check our pricing for a hosted option.