Kelly,

What's the audio quality like compared to tape and Minidisc? I though about
buying one of these devices (a model like the Olympus you are using or one
of the similar digital recorders made by Sony or Panasonic) but went with
Minidisc.  I was put off by the rather high compression rates, and low
sampling rates, narrow frequency response (maybe sufficient for good voice
recordings though). I felt the audio  quality might be okay but not as good
as it might be. I also didn't like lack of display and control over
recording level (the latter, maybe something many people might not desire),
lack of stereo recording (which I don't generally use in interviews but I
can see as being an advantage in focus groups when using separated mics),
and my own preference for storage in a common digital compression format
(i.e. MP3).  I do like the ability to transfer recordings to PC rapidly via
USB and the better reliability of solid state (pluses over Minidisc). I'm
hoping the Dialog4/Orban Sountainer, when it comes available, will offer the
best of both worlds.

Alan.



----- Original Message -----
From: "Macatangay, Kelly" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Friday, February 01, 2002 12:16 PM
Subject: great equipment for recording


Hi all,

Just thought you might want to know about our new toy.

We started using this light weight piece of equipment to record our
interviews and focus groups. We are using the DS2000. It's the size of a
slice of spam (but definitely not a "spam"). All our recordings are filed in
a removable memory card (64MB). You can get different sizes. With the 64MB,
you can record using the LP or SP mode. The LP gives you longer recording
time (22+ hours). The quality on SP mode is sharper but gives you only 10+
hours of recording. We also use a mini omni mic, the size of a gummy bear
(maybe slighly bigger). So, we can practically carry these devices in our
pockets. Excellent, especially if you have to move around a lot.

At the end of the day, you can transfer your files to the PC and listen to
your recordings. You can also control the play speed from your computer, so
transcription becomes a lot easier.

We got the idea from a transcription service provider. If you are inclined
to get their services, you simply send a copy of the recorded files to them
(through your computer) and they send the transcription in two days or so.
I've tried this, too. I sent a voice file to them, and in two days, I found
the word document in my computer. Of course, your computer has to be set up
so you can send and receive files easily (and not by email).

Hope this helps.

Kelly

-----Original Message-----
From: Sarah Delaney [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Saturday, January 26, 2002 5:09 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Returning to the discussions of a few weeks ago: new
methods of recording and transcribing interviews


been following this thread with interest as we're toying with minidisk and
reducing transcription

but now I am feeling very deprived.

where do you guys get the money for all these technological gadgets?



Sarah Delaney
Research Officer
Health Services Research Centre
Department of Psychology
Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland
The Mercer Building
Mercer Street Lower
Dublin 2
00-353-1-4022121
[log in to unmask]

> ----------
> From:         Alan Stockdale
> Reply To:     qual-software
> Sent:         Friday, January 25, 2002 5:55 pm
> To:   [log in to unmask]
> Subject:      Re: Returning to the discussions of a few weeks ago: new
> methods of recording and transcribing interviews
>
> Interesting. A big advantage of this device over minidisc is the fast
> upload
> to PC.
>
> That said I thought about using Archos Jukebox Recorder but decided
> against
> it on reliability grounds having followed users experiences at
> http://forums.funmp3players.com/forum/ (there is also another discussion
> board for this device on Yahoo). I think you can upload recordings from
> the
> Creative Jukebox but it is more complicated (Creative is also about to
> release a new recorder). Another similar (but more expensive) option is
> the
> Terapin Mine. My impression is that all these portable hard drive
> recorders
> are works in progress but maybe the latest models are more stable and
> reliable than the first generation.
>
> Although the Archos and Creative can record they are not principally
> designed for interview recording. They are designed for recording music
> from
> a stereo stsytem, transfer of music files from a computer, and, in the
> case
> of the Archos, occasional voice recording use using the internal mic. It
> is
> important to note that both the Archos and Creative only have line-in
> sockets; they do not have mic-in sockets. You can plug a mic into the
> line-in socket but the recording level might be very low. Unless you are
> recording music in the front row of an AC/DC concert you will very likely
> need to buy a microphone preamplfier to raise the signal to line level.
> This
> may cost an additional $100+, not including $50 for a decent mic. Like
> most
> internal microphones, the one in the Archos is of a poor quality. It will
> also pick up noise from the hard drive.
>
> Another problem with consumer digital recording devices (Minididisc,
> Jubebox
> recorders, and soon Dataplay) is that they now often implement some type
> of
> copy protection scheme. This may be an issue although with some devices
> there are workarounds. It is certainly an issue with Minidisc. Sony could
> easily have developed Minidisc so live recordings could be uploaded to a
> PC
> at greater than real time speed over a USB connection. This is a feature
> that is noticeably absent from the new NETMD recorders. I suspect Sony
> will
> never implement such a feature.
>
> I'm waiting for the Sountainer solid state MP3 recorder from Dialog4 and
> Orban (to replace my Sharp SR60 MD), which will supposedly be available in
> the next few months. This should be much better than existing voice memo
> (IC) recorders from Olympus, Sony Panasonic but cheaper than other pro
> equipment from Denon, Marantz, etc. This device was designed for recording
> interviews. I suspect reliability/service won't be an issue as it's solid
> state and it was developed by companies who cater to the needs of
> broadcast
> professionals. The device has a rich feature set that allows for a lot of
> control over recording, fast USB upload, no copy protection annoyances,
> etc.
> Estimated cost is around $500 (330 British Pounds). Expensive but small
> relative to the cost of transcription. It should pay for itself very
> quickly. At least that's my hope...
>
> For transcription I'm using the free Transcriber software at the moment.
> This works well without a footpedal or similar device, works with MP3s,
> and
> produces XML data files synchronized to the audio file. The
> synchronization
> of transcript and audio is great way to check the transcript etc. XML
> isn't
> much of a benefit otherwise at the moment but it will be as transcription
> becomes more tightly integrated into qualitative data analysis software.
> Imagine you can import an XML transcript into a program like Atlas-ti and
> the qualities of the interviewee (gender, role, or whatever the relevant
> sampling variables were) are all automatically coded to the interviewee's
> speech turns.
> See http://www.atlasti.de/xml/
> Also http://qualitative-research.net/fqs-texte/3-00/3-00muhr-e.htm
>
> Alan.
> Education Development Center
> Newton, MA.
>
>
>
>
>
>
> .
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Mitchell-Smith,GM" <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Friday, January 25, 2002 7:12 AM
> Subject: Returning to the discussions of a few weeks ago: new methods of
> recording and transcribing interviews
>
>
> New methods of recording and transcribing interviews:
>
> Returning to the discussions of a few weeks ago, I wanted to share a way
> that my partner and i have come up  with using the following:
>
> 1. Archos 20GB MP3 Recorder
>
> 2. Gaming driving wheel with set of pedals (because i dont think you can
> get
> a set of game pedals that plugs straight into computer!)
>
> 3. Express Scribe 2.04 transcription software available FREE at
> http://www.nch.com.au/scribe/.
>
> From what i've seen, no software can automatically and accurately
> transcribe
> my interviews.  It doesnt matter if i record it on tape, minidisc or
> anything else, programmes like "Via Voice" and "Dragon Speak" need to be
> trained beforehand etc ... so I am upgrading my trusty dictaphone, not to
> a
> mini disc, but to the Archos 20GB MP3 Recorder. This is being released
> today, it has its own microphone and also "line in?" for external
> microphone.  It records 500 hours.
>
> There are other MP3s that voice record, e.g the ARchos 6GB recorder
> version,
> but don't buy a similar product from Creative, as it doesnt record out
> from
> the machine, it only uploads songs on it.
>
> Reason for not using mini disc?   even though this latest Archos Recorder
> is
> £300 - it will be cheaper in long not having to buy m-discs or tapes.
> Also
> may transfer the interviews onto computer more quickly than m-disc?
>
> Re:  Express Scribe: it is more approachable for non-techies than, for e.g
> the free transcribing software listed in the snailmail CAQDAS newsletter
> this month.
>
> Why the gaming driving wheel and pedal?
> They are much cheaper - e.g £40?  than the horrendously priced ones that
> are
> sold along with software e.g at
> http://www.startstopc.com/Transcription/htm). (If you are buying a pedal,
> then it would be better to get flat and soft ones like piano pedals as
> opposed to car pedals like mine!).
> Then set the pedals to work with Express Scribe. This is a superb little
> program.  If you've got 2 pedals, the left one is rewind and the right one
> is stop/play. And that's it!  Transcribe into word or whatever ...
>
> I will report back on the success or otherwise of the set up in a couple
> of
> weeks ...
>
> Gerry Mitchell
> CASE, LSE
> Email: [log in to unmask]
>
>