| A product like the Dictaphone (a.k.a.
voice recorder) may seem out of place in an IT newsmagazine
like this one. So why have I chosen to write about a device
which we journos fondly call the ‘dicta’? Well, the
Digital Voice Recorder with its computer-centric technology
(like speech-to-text conversion) is my reason. The possibilities
increase further when it’s interfaced with a PC.
Voice recorders are not only for journalists. In fact secretaries
and executives are using these devices for recording memos.
If you’re visiting an exhibition or happen to witness
an accident scene, pull out your dicta and record your observations.
This certainly beats jotting notes in a hasty manner. Medical
and legal professionals will also find these devices indispensable.
The price of voice recorders ranges from Rs 1,100 to Rs
45,000 (for the Sony Pressman TCD-5M professional tape recorder)
and these are available from a Customs notified goods shop,
directly from vendors, or on the street. Lately, many Chinese
brands and some imitations have flooded the market. If you
are looking for a genuine brand it would be wise to buy from
the manufacturer’s retail outlet/distributor, or from
an established shop. The more popular brands are Sony, Sanyo,
and Olympus. Other well-known consumer electronics companies
(like Matsushita and Philips) also make voice recorders.
 |
1.
Sony Pressman TCD-5M
2. Sanyo TRC 960c
3. Philips SpeechMike
4. Olympus Pearlcorder DT-2000
5. Olympus DS-2000 |
Types of Recorders
There are three types of voice recorders: Transcribers, Cassette
recorders and Digital recorders. The choice of machine really
depends on how much you want to spend and the features required.
Let’s take a quick look at each type of recorder.
Transcribers: These machines are ideal for use within the
office. Professional transcription services also use these
machines. Transcribers (also called dictation machines) can
be regarded as heavy-duty voice-recorders. If your secretary
needs to do a lot of transcribing, then these machines will
be more suitable than portable voice recorders.
Transcribers use either micro-cassettes or regular compact
cassettes. They are designed for frequent transcription. A
foot switch can be connected to the transcriber to control
stop, play and rewind/forward actions with the feet. That
leaves both hands free for typing. Then there are other useful
features such as quick erase, variable tape speed, auto backspace
and indexing.
Olympus and Philips offer a range of transcribing machines
Cassette recorders: I have observed that many opt for
a micro-cassette recorder although compact cassette recorders
are now becoming popular. The former is small enough to fit
in a handbag or shirt pocket. Micro-cassette recorders can
also be used for what I call ‘stealth’ recordings—some
people are averse to the use of recording machines during
the interview.
Regular-cassette portables may be monaural recorders or stereo
recording walkmans. The advantage of using regular cassettes
is that these can be played back on the home stereo system.
A powerful amplifier and speakers can help in distinguishing
even the faintest recordings.
Micro-cassette recorders cost about the same as monaural
compact cassette recorders and you can pick up a decent machine
for a street price of Rs 1,200. The stereo recorders cost
a bit more.
Digital recorders: These devices (also called IC
recorders) offer the latest in voice recording technology.
They are more expensive than analogue devices, but it’s
worth paying for the features.
Since recorded sounds are digitised, you can be assured
of excellent clarity during playback. Searching for recorded
passages is easier too. This can be done in a random fashion
with the aid of the indexing feature. Some devices allow you
to organise recordings in separate folders.
Speech-to-text conversion is a timesaving feature present
in some models. If you think transcribing is tedious, consider
the Olympus DS-150 digital recorder that includes IBM ViaVoice
speech-to-text software.
Philips too offers a range of dictation products. Besides
digital recorders, Philips offers a product called SpeechMike
that lets you use your PC as a dictation machine. The SpeechMike
is a multifunction PC input device that includes a microphone,
speaker and trackball in the same housing. With the trackball,
users can control standard Windows applications simultaneously
while transcribing or recording. SpeechMike comes with Dragon
dictation software. The device connects to the PC via the
USB port. With SpeechMike you can store and organise voice
memos on the PC and e-mail them to others if required. The
device also doubles as a pointing device.
Digital recorders generally store recordings in internal
flash memory. Some models use removable storage media. The
Olympus DS-2000 for instance, uses a 64 MB Smart Media card
to offer up to 22 hours of recording.
Digital recorders are also available as modules for cellular
phones and PDAs/handheld computers. A notable example is the
recording module for the Handspring Visor PDA.
So far, digital recorder products have not been launched
in India. You may find some models in the grey market. Otherwise,
ask your godfather in the US or in Singapore to send you one.
Digital recorders cost between $100 to $400 (approximately
Rs 5,000 - Rs 20,000).
| Shopping
for a portable tape recorder? |
|
Since
portable tape recorders are the most popular of the
three types of voice recorders, it seems appropriate
to discuss their features.
When buying a cassette recorder the most important thing
to check is the sensitivity of the microphone. Also
get a feel of the controls—slide control switches
for Play/Pause are preferable. Also make sure the device
has one-touch recording. You might not require features
like variable speed control, dual tape speed and voice-activated
recording. So don’t pay extra for these features
unless you need them. I’d recommend a basic model
that uses a standard cassette (not micro-cassette).
Go through the following explanation of recorder features
and decide what you need.
Microphone: A microphone might be too sensitive
(and catch background sounds), or have poor sensitivity.
It’s best to test the recorder at the shop. Some
high-end models let you adjust mic sensitivity.
Hold the recorder a foot away from your face and speak
in a normal tone without raising your voice. An external
microphone is recommended for recording conferences
and seminars. So make sure the recorder has a mic socket.
LED indicator: This is another useful feature.
Besides indicating that the machine is operating, the
LED indicator also shows you the status of the battery.
If the indicator is dim or flickers constantly, that’s
a sign to replace the batteries. In some models the
LED indicator can be used as a Voice Mirror. The LED
flickers in response to the sounds being recorded and
shows you that the sounds are loud enough to produce
a quality recording.
Auto stop: I’d say this feature is a must.
You need to be alerted when one side of the tape is
over. From experience I’ve found that if there’s
too much slack in the tape, the auto stop does not function.
There are better options like Tape-end alarm and Auto
reverse, but you’ll have to pay more for these
features.
Tape counter: This feature allows you to easily
locate specific passages in the recording. For instance,
a second interview might begin halfway through the tape.
Assuming you reset the counter to 000 at the beginning
of the tape, you can find the second interview and note
the corresponding reading on the tape counter, for future
reference. The Indexing feature in transcribers and
digital recorders is a more efficient method for locating
recorded passages.
Dual tape speed: Many micro-cassette recorders
have this feature, which is handy during long interviews
and seminars. You may have just one cassette that offers
60 minutes recording on both sides. The Dual tape speed
feature doubles the recording time for the same tape
through LP (Long Play) mode. The trade-off here is the
quality of recording. You get better recording quality
in the SP (Standard Play) mode.
Variable speed control: Also called Pitch control.
This feature can be used in two ways. When the battery
is weak, the tape drags, and recorded speech is slurred.
This problem can be rectified by slightly increasing
tape speed. In some cases you might also need to slow
down tape speed. Sometimes it is difficult to comprehend
what a person is saying, especially if he speaks with
a foreign accent or just speaks too fast. Slowing down
the tape speed fractionally, can help distinguish words
and phrases to some extent.
Voice Activated Recording: There might be long
passages of silence when the person(s) talking stop
to think. Voice activated recording automatically pauses
the machine in such moments, thereby saving tape.
Accessories: With accessories like pedal controls
and Telephone pick-up you can extend the functionality
of the voice recorder. These accessories may be specific
to certain models or may be available from third-party
vendors.
I had been looking for a solution that connects the
dicta to the telephone. One Interactive is offering
a device for this purpose called TalkTek. It costs Rs
950. More details are available on the website www.talktek.com.
In addition to all this, there are two other important
things to keep in mind:
1.)
The type of battery and cassette. If you use the dicta
frequently, then use a pair of alkaline batteries. These
are expensive but long lasting. From experience, I found
that the BPL Power Cell or Eveready ‘Heavy Duty’
batteries go a long way. These are non-alkaline batteries
that have long life and cost almost the same as regular
batteries.
2.)
If you’re using a regular compact cassette I’d
recommend the 60-minute tape (Brands: Sony, TDK or Maxell).
The 60-minute tape is thicker and more durable. It is
also easier on the motor and batteries while rewinding.
|
Brian Pereira can be contacted at brianp@networkagazineindia.com
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