Olympus VN-3100PC (128 MB, 71.5 Hours) Handheld Digital Voice Recorder

I needed a voice recorder for my masters research project, which involved interviews lasting about an hour. I liked the fact that it is quite easy to use, small, and can be connected to my home pc via a cable included. you can save files into 4 different folders, and copy them individually or all together to your pc. so far the battery life has been good. never really used any other digital voice recorders so hard to compare performance, but I bought it due to it having good reviews on ebay and other well known sites and electrical shops in the UK.

I bought this device to use when interviewing people.

I chose it for a number of reasons, firstly because it came with an external microphone, I tend to think the internal ones are limited and as they are by their nature close to the workings of the device I thought it may pick up unwanted noise. I also wanted to be able to put the mic on a table in front of me and have the recorder elsewhere less noticeable. I was surprised that while the microphone was a plug in external mic it actually is a piece of hardware that connects directly into the unit without a wire therefore being almost as close as a built in mic, however the quality of sound is very good, even at reasonable 3-4 metres. The device isn't intrusive as it's small and neat so it won't be a problem for me to put on a table and even if it was I could get a 3.5mm extension cable to allow this.

Secondly, for the recording space - it's good with about 17 hours at high quality and it connects via usb for download to my computer using the included software.

The unit uses AAA batteries which are available in many shops rather than a proprietary battery or a proprietary rechargeable, this makes it more flexible in my view. The recording function and controls are very simple which I am pleased about as there are enough complicated things in life!

Recommended

As I'm a father of very young children, I realized after a time gone, that unfortunately I've forgot the sound of my elder son's laughter(now he's 12 years old). So I decided to capture the laughter of the younger using a tiny but a comprehensive voice recorder. My experience in Olympus products (photographic) was superlative positive and I've decided to buy the product.
Using it I liked the portability - it's so light and small as the new generation mobile phones - and it can work for hours. I can take it every where I go, I can hide it in a flower not to be seen by others and let it record for a long time. Its fidelity is high and the ability to capture sounds is sharp.
I use it constantly while my children are playing and later I process the recordings in the PC very easy.
Also I have to mention its lovely design and the well made construction, things that - in my opinion - Olympus do the best.

The pocket-sized recorder is sleek in style and powerful in performance with nearly 72 hours of continuous recording capability. The easy-to-use thumbpad makes for quick and convenient operation of functions like file management, choosing playback and recording modes and more. Timer recoding and voice activation provide awesome versatility. Select from four recording modes to meet your specific needs - XHQ for extra high quality, HQ for high quality; SP and LP for extended recording Large LCD for easy, quick viewing of file locations, recording status and battery life Slow and Fast Playback modes let you listen to audio 25 percent slower or 50 percent faster than real time Four folders, each stores up to 100 files Easy file management functions allow you to erase single files, multiple files as well as transfer files Voice activation extends recording time by recording only when the microphone senses sound Index marks let you specify a particular point in a recording or playback for easy retrieval Recording Format - CELP+ADPCM Recording Media - Built-in 128MB Flash Memory Recording Time - 5 hours 40 minutes in XHQ mode, 11 hours 40 minutes in HQ mode, 23 hours 30 minutes in SP mode, 71 hours 40 minutes in LP mode Voice Activation Practical Maximum Output 120 mW 28mm diameter dynamic internal speaker Power Supply - 2 AAA batteries Battery Life - Approximately 25 hours System Requirements - Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional, XP Professional, Home Edition, CPU Intel Pentium 166MHz or faster, 32MB RAM Minimal, Sound Board Creative Labs Sound Blaster 16 or 100% compatible card, Video Card and Display Min. 800 x 600 pixels, 256 colors, 2x CD-ROM, USB Port At least 1 free USB port Dimensions - Length 4.0 x Width 1.54 x Depth 0.77 inch Weight - 2.22 ounces (68.0 grams) including battery

JUST WHAT THE WIFE WANTED. ALTHOUGH SECONDHAND IT WORKED PERFECTLY, WAS EASY TO USE AND IS JUST WHAT SHE NEEDED AS AN AID FOR HER WRITING.