diff --git a/base.py b/base.py
index f9d54b2..5a75daf 100644
--- a/base.py
+++ b/base.py
@@ -310,15 +310,21 @@ class ServiceManager:
         ins_list = self.wildcard(ins)
         if ins_list is not None:
             return ins_list
-        if logger is None:
-            class logger:
-                @staticmethod
+        if not logger:
+            if logger is False:
+                def info(fmt, *args):
+                    pass
+            else:
                 def info(fmt, *args):
                     print(fmt % args)
 
-                @staticmethod
-                def error(fmt, *args):
-                    print(('ERROR: ' + fmt) % args)
+            def error(fmt, *args):
+                print(('ERROR: ' + fmt) % args)
+
+            logger = type('Logger', (), {})
+
+            logger.info = info
+            logger.error = error
 
         if ins is None:
             logger.info('nothing to start')
diff --git a/seaman.py b/seaman.py
index abf4afd..aaebcea 100644
--- a/seaman.py
+++ b/seaman.py
@@ -26,7 +26,8 @@ import subprocess
 import psutil
 import os
 import re
-from os.path import join, exists
+import socket
+from os.path import join, exists, expanduser
 from servicemanager.base import ServiceManager, ServiceDown, UsageError
 
 CFGLINE = re.compile(r'(?:device makeitem (name|stick_name|confirmed) "(.*)" ""'
@@ -255,3 +256,20 @@ class SeaManager(ServiceManager):
         if service:
             result.append(service)
         return result + extra
+
+    def sea_recorder(self, ins, uris):
+        self.do_start(ins, None, logger=False)
+        port = self.info[ins]['sea']
+        try:
+            conn = socket.create_connection(('localhost', port))
+            uris = ' '.join(uris)
+            conn.send(f'seauser seaser\nconfig listen 1\nsea_recorder {uris}\n'.encode())
+            conn.settimeout(2)
+            prev = b''
+            while True:
+                lines = (prev + conn.recv(999)).split(b'\n')
+                prev = lines.pop()
+                if b'ACTIVE' in lines:
+                    break
+        finally:
+            conn.close()