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Digital recorders

Are you still using a tape recorder? You know those funny cassette things that the videographer sometimes hands you at the end of a depo?

Why not update to a digital recorder.

I personally have an Olympus. But it's old. I'm thinking of upgrading to a newer digital Olympus. What are you guys using?

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Elise Nock on October 11, 2009 at 15:41

okay, thx! i will keep in mind the info about dictation recorders, though, that's good to know!
Thx, Allison!

Permalink Reply by Jodi Harrison on July 31, 2009 at 9:51

Hi All,

I'm a videographer (thank you Kyung for inviting me to this group), and I'd love to know what format Court Reporters would like for their audio copy. I've been recording C.R. copy on audio cassettes for years, but I'm thinking about getting a CD recorder for your copies. Would this be a universally accepted format for CR's? I'd love your input.

Thank you,
Jodi Harrison

Permalink Reply by Kyung on July 31, 2009 at 9:59

If you burn to cd, would you be burning as a wav file? Would it include time stamps?

The awesome thing about my digital recorder is that it has a time stamp, and I can convert it and sync it.

Permalink Reply by Jodi Harrison on July 31, 2009 at 10:29

That's a good question Kyung. As far as I know, It wouldn't be a burn, it'd be a real time copy (no time stamp) like we do with the audio cassettes. On the fly in real time.

Your digital recorder sounds great. For videographer purposes I'd have to download a format at the end of a depo. How long does it take to download final output from the DR onto either a CD, or even download to the Court Reporter's laptop (if they choose) after the depo ends? Or does it have an auxillary for recording in real time?

Permalink Reply by Kyung on July 31, 2009 at 13:06

It doesn't take very long. Maybe 5 to 10 minutes. I've never really timed it.

Permalink Reply by Audrey Ricks on July 31, 2009 at 11:50

Great point, Kyung! Hadn't thought of that. Wonder what the videographers will say. (waiting) ;-)

Permalink Reply by Audrey Ricks on July 31, 2009 at 10:02

I would MUCH prefer an audio CD! I just had a case last week where my witness literally yelled through her entire depo! We'll just put her in the "angry witness" category and leave it at that! LOL Her yelling in the depo caused my audio to really get distorted (very difficult to hear, believe it or not), so I had to ask the videographer for a digital wav file, hoping to NOT have to try and find the spots through listening to cassette tapes! He dropped off the DVDs at my house -- said the files were too huge to transfer through e-mail or through a site (??) Anyway, it would've been great to just have a CD with the wav files on it. I rarely have to mess with backup audio, but it sure would be great to have something EASY to access when those times do occur. Personally, I'd LOVE it!

Permalink Reply by Rhoda Collins on July 31, 2009 at 11:09

You could suggest yousendit.com for large files. It works great!

Permalink Reply by Audrey Ricks on August 3, 2009 at 0:04

Rhoda, have you tried sending the entire video clip on yousendit? Or are you sending just the WAV files? I use Leapfile, and it's great for large files, but not DVD size stuff. I was trying to get the videographer's audio feed (quality) saved into a WAV file and then sent to the scopist.

Permalink Reply by Rhoda Collins on August 3, 2009 at 17:26

I just send WAV....a DVD size would probably take forever to download. Mailing it would probably take less time, lol.

Permalink Reply by Jodi Harrison on July 31, 2009 at 10:01

Afterthought: Or does it matter? Cassette copy vs. CD copy

Permalink Reply by Rhoda Collins on July 31, 2009 at 11:08

Olympus here too! I have two I've used but my ultimate FAV is the WS-321M. This thing picks up everything! Even for a large courtroom it works great! Since it records in stereo, a cough won't usually 'cover' any words being said. Also, it is USB right in it, no cables, so you use it as a flash drive too. I have it on the higher quality recording and have over 60hrs available. Suggested it to another CR in our firm and she totally loves hers.