Nobody uses voice recorders???

johnniet

johnniet

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Jul 12, 1999
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I don't get this. This is the biggest bunch of gearheads I've ever found. But Ryan's original question in April, and my followup, are both completely unanswered?

Isn't there anyone else who sometimes has to cut things, and sometimes has to record a talk or just notes to themselves?
 
I must have missed the first post Jonniet. I used a tape based dictaphone on and off for a few years. Making notes on-site is much easier this way. I make verbal bullet points, coroner style, into a dictaphone when I am walking/climbing around oil rigs and mine sites. This means I can keep my eyes on what I am doing and where I am walking rather than stop and try to pull out a notebook. I switched to an el cheapo MP3 player with voice recording capability about 2 years ago. Haven't had much use for it because I took a 2-year mini retirement that I have only just started coming out of. Used it recently however and found it great. It's nice to be able to import the wav files straight into the laptop and work from there. I find it easier than referring to a set of notes.

Just today I also discovered that my digital camera (a leica D1) records an audio file and links this to a photo. I can see the benefit of this when I observe a job. I can take some photos (which are often better memory joggers for note taking than anything) and record a few verbal notes to go along with it.

All this time saving technology is so sweet. Frees up more time to waste on Bladeforums.
 
Which el cheapo MP3 player was that? I'd love a dual MP3 player and voice recorder, as long as it had at least 3 hours of recording time (in voice mode), date and time stamps, and lots of folders.
(I say 3 hours because sometimes I go to talks that I'd like to record. They can go over 2 hours and I'd want some left over for me.)
 
Originally posted by johnniet
Which el cheapo MP3 player was that?
Click to expand...

It is a Pine Technology, made in china. Here it is

http://mp3-player.cebru.com/electro...ology_SM-320V_DMusic_3-in-1_MP3_Player_Black/

Wow! check out the price. Mine cost me less than $ 150AUS ($70ish US. I guess it's not el cheapo after all. Sorry for the bum steer there Jonnie.

It will record for up to 2 hours with the 32MB card added. The audio is quite exceptional quality given the tiny microphone. The only problem I have with mine is that it uses the serial port rather than a USB, so the data transfer is slooooow.
 
I must have missed it too. I use one here at work (inline with phone) to record interviews and such.
 
Sorry I missed this thread too.

We've replaced the micro cassette recorders with Panasonic RR-QR120 Digital Voice recorders $49.99 at Office Depot: 120 minutes of record time,the ability to sort recordings into folders and good run time on batteries. I'm the RNCO for an Army Mobile Public Affairs Detachment (we're a bunch of journalists), the equipment we use will be taken all over the world and abused. If you want a microcassette recorder, we've had good luck with the cheap Sony line $30 or so for them.
 
Digital all the way. There seem to be a lot of nice ones out there. I'm especially asking which one I will be able to whip out, use, and put away the fastest (sort of like one-hand openers). I imagine making 10-20 little notes each day, plus longer recordings of talks and so on.
 
J,
I really recommend the Panasonic then. It's pretty cheap under $50 plenty of record time and it's dependable. Turn it on, it's got a VOX setting or one touch record. We use our interviewing people and HAVE to rely on them.
 
Originally posted by johnniet
Which el cheapo MP3 player was that? I'd love a dual MP3 player and voice recorder, as long as it had at least 3 hours of recording time (in voice mode), date and time stamps, and lots of folders.
(I say 3 hours because sometimes I go to talks that I'd like to record. They can go over 2 hours and I'd want some left over for me.)
Click to expand...

johnniet, check out the iRiver MP3 players. They currently have two flash based lines out, the 1xx for slim triangle shape and 3xx for more comfortable shape. The x80 holds 128MB, x90 holds 256MB, and x95 holds 512MB. They are pretty pricey though so try to find a good deal.


www.iriveramerica.com
 
I used to use a good pocket tape recorder, then I got a discontinued Smith Corona digital about the size of a pager. Records 60 minutes, three folders, time/date stamp, easy one-hand controls. I've had it for a few years now and the two AA batteries last a looong time.

I sometimes cellphone myself a message to my home answering machine instead of carrying the digital recorder, but it's handy to have a "notepad" with me when I'm on the road.
 
i missed this thread too. are you sure you actually posted it? :-p I use my phone, a vx-4400, it's really useful especially so i can record songs that i want to download. quick too, just flip it open and press a button. i can do it with one hand.

Pete
 
Guess I missed this post earlier too. Doing a search for my Viking brother Vox/ALIass and the voice on tagged it.

Using a Panasonic RR-QR400. Tis packed with features, folders, and stuff but lost the instructions. Spend most of the time trying to figure it out and listening to my son's recording of Brak's cow imitation - funny as hell!

Too proud to ask junior how to operate the danged thing.... Kids these days!
 
I used to, but never seemed to get into the habit and for whatever reason found it easier to just jot myself a note. Then I switched to a PDA and would be lost without it. My Tungsten has a recorder built in, but I still habitually use the note function, except when driving. My Panasonic recorder still sits on the desk, waiting for use.
 
I missed the thread too. I live with voice recorders. I do alot of dictation and have done so for about 25 years. It's also useful for several other purposes. The standard in the industry has been Assman recorders [I kid you not], but recently I've been considering moving from the tape systems to the digital systems. I can't decide among the alternatives, Sony, Phillips and Uher. My old machines still work, but digital has the potential to be much better.
 
What's the difference between the "professional" digital dictaphones versus the digital voice recorders like the Panasonic or Olympus?

I bought one of the Panasonics a few days ago, but I'm thinking of upgrading it. The LP mode sounds terrible so I only use SP, which gives about an hour of recording time. I'd also like to have proper alarms and slightly simpler programming.
 
I don't know enough about the digitals to really say, but I can tell you some of the features a professional digital has to have, for me at least. The record, play, FF and RW functioons have to be integrated on a slide bar that can be thumb operated. There has to be a good display showing time and that can be marked for indexing. There has to be a voice activation feature and at least one microphone sensitivity setting. A removable memory and media card is a good feature with some way a secretary can read it into her machine. Sony uses memory stick and different adapters, Uher has a seperate machine like the old dictaaphone readers. There has to be a fast USB connection for direct transfer. A way to change the battery as well as a fast recharge. And the sucker has to be tough for daily and long term use, and it has to come with a good onsite service contract.
 
I have a short list of three: Uher, Sony and Phillips, but I have to test them.
 
My cel phone has a voice record feature that is handy from time to time.
 
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