Hi,
This is to respond to a number of queries on the make/model of the recording
equipment I've been using.
The digital voice recorder is a DS2000 Olympus. I am also using the
Ultra-Miniature Tie-clip Microphone from RadioShack, which requires a 357A
button-cell battery. This microphone has the capacity for 360-degree sound
pick up. The recorder is about $180 and the microphone is probably around
$30 (sorry, can't remember the exact numbers).
And, as far as quality is concerned, there is definitely a difference
between the SP and LP mode. And although you can listen to the recording
from your PC (once transferred), sound from the recorder is still much
better. The built-in microphone works fine for dictations or one-on-one
interviews. Alan, I haven't tried Minidisc so I can't compare the audio
quality. And, as regards the lack of display and control over recording
level, you may be right. But, you can use an ear/headphone and listen while
it's recording and take it from there (if that's what you mean). Compression
rate, I'm not sure what that is. Could you tell me more about it?
And yes, Saliha, the files are transferred via ftp. I you wish more info on
the transcription service provider, let me know and I can pass their contact
info to you.
Cheers,
Kelly
-----Original Message-----
From: Alan Stockdale [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Monday, February 04, 2002 6:30 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: great equipment for recording
Jacky,
I'm not sure what you're asking. I have the sense that you may be under the
impression that the digital recordings are automatically transcribed by
voice recognition software. That's not the case. Once the recording is made
someone still has to listen to it and type the transcript. My guess is that
that sort of transcription technology won't work well for interview and
focus group applications for many years.
Some digital recorders do have the advantage of producing much better
quality audio. This results in better transcripts produced in less time and
at less cost. If you listen to recordings made with cassette tape you'll
here a lot of hiss and other noise. If you listen to a recording made with,
for example, Minidisc you won't hear any noise--there is a much higher
signal to noise ratio. The difference can be really dramatic. However, there
are many types of ways and devices with which one can make digital
recordings and the audio may be stored in many different types of
compression formats. Not all digital recorders and formats are equal and
some may not be a good choice for use in qualitative research for a variety
of reasons. All the available digital recording devices have advantages and
disadvantages. I think that's what many of us are trying to figure out,
what works best.
Alan.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jacky Williams" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Monday, February 04, 2002 4:28 AM
Subject: Re: great equipment for recording
Very interested in this discussion - being of the slightly older generation,
I wait some time before catching up with new technology. I know how to use
my VCR at home now - but I wonder about these digital voice recordings -
what are the transcripts like - people talk in so many different ways, are
they really able to capture every word - or does checking the transcript
take as long as typing it up would have???
Jacky
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