If you are looking for an audio solution that can be used with the Arduino or standalone to record longer than 60 seconds, check out HQ Audio. The HQ Audio is essentially an audio recorder/playback module that allows you to record almost 700 seconds (11 minutes) of audio, playback up to 8 different sound bites and superimpose your own voice!

With more than 11 minutes of recording room, you can do anything from recording cool sound bites using the PC to cool Arduino projects such as voice activated doorbells, alarm systems, etc.

The HQ Audio module features a microcontroller, an external audio input, onboard microphone, 8 momentary push buttons, record/playback switch, audio output (to plug in a set of speakers), speaker connection and a pin rail to connect your Arduino.

The module board can play one really long message or up to 8 different messages via four modes of operation: single message mode, two message mode, four message mode and eight message mode.

You get two power options onboard also, which include a 5mm power socket (for an ac to dc adapter) and power terminal block with V+ (from 7.5volts to 12 volts) and Ground for the DC ground.

The audio module also features onboard a two pin audio recording header to select either onboard microphone recording (no jumper attached) or external audio input recording (jumper attached). The two pin audio recording selector feature is actually quite nifty because when you are recording you can use both the audio input and the microphone to lay your own voice over a sound at the same time.

Interfacing the HQ module board with your Arduino is done via the module's 10-pin header. Two of these pins are the v+ (regulated 5 volts) and DC ground connection. The other eight pins correspond to the 8 push buttons and these pins control messages one through eight respectively.

It is very easy interfacing the HQ Audio module with  Arduino as you simply execute a digitalWrite GPIO HIGH call by default of all the GPIOS from your Arduino that are connected to any of these pins. To record or playback messages, you execute a digitalWrite GPIO LOW call (you only need a 100 ms low pulse to trigger a playback). To stop playback, you simply send another low pulse during mid-message to cancel the playback and return to standby mode. +patrickikis