You can choose the format in which you want your final transcription to be laid out in. If you do not know for certain then we can discuss and offer several suggestions. This will depend on the number of speakers and the final use of the transcription. Most of the formats will not change the cost though extra can be charged if the format requested is special.

You also have several options in the way you want your transcriptions. You can get your transcription in print outs, on disks, in emails or can be posted to our website where you can download them.

With electronic files, there are several formats they can come in. We use the Microsoft office suite but can still use other formats like word perfect, open office, text files, Macintosh files to name but a few. A good thing with modern word processors is that they can read different formats so format may not really matter.

Digital audio Files

Most materials these days are found in digital computer formats. This is due to the establishment of multi- media computers. There are now hand held digital recorders that record on memory cards. They generate audio that you can store on a disk or use the internet to send it. Transcription wave can convert these files and transcribe them even though they come in different formats.

From your audio or video tapes we are able to create files to use on your website. Through consulting with you we will get to know what you need. We understand these formats well and we know which ones can work the best on the internet and web. We use several methods to make your audio files for your purpose to ensure that it is downloaded or transmitted effectively.

Some of the formats for digital audio files include;

Windows WMV, windows PCM (WAV), Microsoft ADPCM (WAV), MPEG3,FHG (MP3)*, MP4, M4A, IMA/DVI ADPCN (WAV),CD and DVD audio disk. Video formats (AVI, MOV, WMV), CCITT mu-law and A-law (WAV).

It is important to note that you should use Constant Bit Rate (CBR) when creating MP3 files for transcription. If you use the Variable Bit Rate (VBR) it will lower quality of the transcription because compression may cause the files to jump while transcribing.  Transcription wave will convert the VBR files for you into CBR files.

Hand held digital recorders use some of these file formats that are proprietary,

Sony memory Stick Voice (MSV), Sony Digital Voice File (DVF), Sony IC Recorder sound (ICS), Olympus (DSS, DS2).

The following are multi track propriety file formats. They are mostly used for court room sessions and law enforcement. They also have other multi-channel recording applications. They include: FTR Gold for The record (ftrgold.com), Libert Court Recorder/Player High Criteria Inc. (highcriteria.com) DCR.

The following are single track or stereo files.

• 8-bit signed raw format (SAM)
• ACM waveform (WAV)
• CCITT mu-Law and A-Law (WAV)
• Dialogic ADPCM (VOX)
• IMA/DVI ADPCM (WAV)
• Real Audio (RA, RAM, RMM, RM, etc.)
• MPEG audio (layers I and II)
• Next/Sun CCITT mu-Law, A-Law and PCM (AU)
• Apple Quicktime
• Raw PCM Data
• SampleVision format (SMP)
• Sound Blaster voice file (VOC)
• TrueSpeech (WAV)
• DiamondWare Digitized (DWD)
• Apple AIFF (PCM encoded data only) (AIF)

Transcription wave are able to transcribe your audio from internet and web sources if we are able to access it from a browser or program. Different audio files have several options that are important for the transcriptions and dictations. The options include:

Tracks: Mono, stereo, multi- track

The tracks you have determine the file size required, the more they are the bigger the file services. For the stereo or multi track unless each track represents a separate microphone at a different location then it is not very useful when it come to transcribing. If this is the case then all the tracks need to be combined for ease of transcription or can be transcribed separately.

Sample Rate

• Sample rates show the number of times each second of audio is recorded. Quality is much better in the faster rates but it takes a bigger size while slow rate’s quality is low but files are smaller.
• The typical sample rates are deducted in sample per second and they are normally 6000, 8000, 11025, 22050, 32000, 44100, 48000, 64000, 88200, 9600 and 176400. 44100 samples per second is the sample rate for CD quality audio.
• The audio frequency that can be reproduced in digital format is at most half the size of the sample rate.  So, at 44100 samples per second, a CD audio can be reproduced at most 22 kilohertz frequencies.
• For voice transcription it is best to use a sample rate of about 22050 samples per second. Transcriptions can be done at lower rates but this compromises the quality by lowering it.

Compression

• Compression can be done to some degree in some audio formats. This makes the files smaller but compromise the audio quality. The compromise may not really affect the quality but if the compression is extreme then it is likely to be seriously affected. These file formats, since they can lose some of their audio quality, are known as lossy files. A good example of this is the MP3 format.
• Compressing files is a trade off of file size to audio quality.  One needs to select a compression file that will not lower the quality of the audio files.  To compress the MP3 files one can use the Variable Bit Rate (VBR) which will significantly reduce the size of the file. It is not advisable to use it though as it cannot be used in that format by the transcriptionist. The recommended format is the Constant Bit Rate (CBR) format.

Sample size (bits)

• Bits are used to measure each of the samples as they have a standard size. The larger the size then it the audio reproduction is accurate and the file created is also large in size. For the smaller size, then the audio will be less accurate but the file size created size will be small.
• The most common sample sizes are 8- bit, 16 bit and 32 bit. The most commonly used is 16 bit.

Be on the lookout for more formats as there are new ones all the time. More on audio and video formats.

Video tape or electronic video files can be defined as video. Digital video files can be used to extract digital audio files which are then transcribed. For easier transcription an intermediate audio tape is made from video tape transcriptions. There are several more formats and standards that can be converted but with a slightly longer lead time.

For video tapes (NTSC) then the formats include

• VHS
• SVHS
• 8mm
• Hi8
• digital 8
• Beta
• ¼ inch

With digital video the formats can include

• WMV
• MPG
• MPEG
• MP4
• FLV
• Quick time files
• AVI
• DVD
• Real video
• VOB

Digital/Tapeless/Phone-In Dictation

Digital dictation and transcription have become the most common in the industry. They are replacing the hand held tape recorders. One can use a hand held recorder that has stores the dictation in memory modules or a phone-in dictation systems.

The initial digital recorders capture audio in proprietary formats which are difficult to convert using conversion machines which do not support their proprietary software.  Devices produced after 2009 can create files in several standard file formats like MP3, MP4 and WMA.

It is encouraged that one considers phone-in dictation as it has several advantages.  Transcription wave also has the capacity to download audio files for transcription, we can also transcribe from voicemail, devices and other digital transcription services.

A digital voice recorder can be defined as a piece of equipment that can be used to record a variety of sounds and play them. This is the reality of this machine. The area of actions normally lies within those people who are usually involved in various types of meetings, congregations, interviews and conferences among many others. It can be used by journalists, detectives, lawyers, police and dictation takers etc.  There are a lot of factors that need to be put into consideration if you want to obtain quality recording using digital voice recorders, in relation to the quality of voice that they can capture during the recording process.

It is important to know how to take care of the equipment so that it can be used for a long time without any complications. The strength of the battery is also very important as it determines how long it can be used before it switches off especially in instances where there is no power and the recordings are long. The accessories that are used with the machine are also vital for instance extra slots that can be used with additional memory devices.  It is also advisable to get one that supports USB so that it can be easy to transfer the data to and from laptops and computers.

Someone who lives a busy life can really appreciate the use of the digital voice recorder especially when they are a little busy or cannot take down all the information that is handed over by people through speeches and dictations. There are also times when finding a pen and paper can prove to be a headache as they may also get lost the minute they are used. The digital recorder comes in handy as it is very easy to use and it also saves a person time and energy that could be used for something else.

There are very many companies that sell the digital voice recorders with the likes of Sony and Olympus making eminent names in the market. A lot of research has to be done before you settle down on the recorder that will be used to make sure that you only get the best. You also need to put into consideration the price of the equipment so that you can get the one that will not dig a hole in your wallet. Compare the prices of the recorder in different shops to get the best price so that you can save money and get high quality equipment.

TV is one of the most popular forms of media. As much as there are many people who might want to dispute this, a majority of people still find themselves drawn to the entertainment box. Radio which was more popular in the previous generation is slowly losing its glory. This is mostly because there are numerous gadgets that can be used to listen to music.

Podcasts for example can be used in place of the radio. This is one of the things that is increasingly gaining popularity in social media. Some of the basics that involve the podcasts include:

About podcasts

This is a combination of the words “broadcast” and “iPod”; podcasts are a kind of digital media that is episodic. Users can download to this media via web syndication when they have subscribed. They take the form of the audio although there are video podcasts where slideshows are used.

In the past, they were only used by the techie demographic but the general public son caught up. Content used in the podcasts usually ranges from culture, sports, music and magic among many others.

Social Media and Podcasts

Podcasts were introduced almost at the same time as social media. Most people understand social media as fancy web 2.0 terminologies that are related to Facebook and Twitter which are a means of opening up communication as well as interactions between organizations and their followers, fans and audience, brands and persons.

The podcasts allow for a wider interaction with people mostly because of the syndication feeds. Feeds permit the users to download the podcasts once they have been released and listen to them using a variety of mediums. This is different from the radio where you have to tune in at a specific time or date.

Most of the time, the people who have produced the podcasts will become the producers and vice versa thus they end up holding conversations with each other. Podcasting calling usually calls for active participation and listening.

Content and Freedom

Podcasts empower both the consumer and the producer. Listeners can choose the time they want to listen to the content.

Anyone with a computer and microphone can participate as it does not have too many restrictions. They have become one of the most unique ways of sharing information/content. Podcasts have broad audience, do not have any restrictions, can be used easily as it does not have difficult applications and is one of the major forms of media which gives people voice to be heard. More on podcast transcription

There are times when keeping track of business meetings can be quite a headache especially when you have a number of audio and digital format recordings. There is a lot of important information that is usually discussed in meetings in regards to the future of the organization and other important business matters. Transcribed files come in handy when you want to review the meetings or get any clarifications and follow-ups. The recordings are transformed into Microsoft word documents that enables a person go through easily to find out all the details.

It is important to note that transcription of the meetings is very important for the business.fir this reason you can get a company that is specialized to offer the services. There are very many benefits that a person gets when they decide to make use of these services. For instance you can concentrate on other important tasks for the business as you let the professional company handle the transcription work. The transcripts can also be used to send important information to clients as well as important business partners.

Look for a company that offers affordable rates for their services. Different companies normally use different charging criterion. There are some that will charge you according to the amount of lines that have been written while others will charge according to the minutes that have been used up. There are some organizations that work on flat rates for any work that needs transcription. These services however prove to be very important for persons like, students, psychiatrists, market researches, attorneys and many more.

One of the reasons why it is important to make sure you work with a professional is the fact that your work is handled by trained experts who have experience on the job. This usually means that you expect the best results. The professionals usually have knowledge as well as the skills that are needed to handle the projects with ease. There are transcriptionists who specialize who specialize in various fields like medicine or law among many others.

Try and give the professionals tape that is clearly recorded as this makes their work easier and yu get to pay less for their services. This means that a lot of caution has to be taken when you are recording the meetings to come up with high quality tapes that will also reduce the turn about time of the transcription process.  This also reduces the number of people who will work on the project.

The quality of the audio recording material is one of the most important things when it comes to cost and time when looking for a professional company to carry out transcription of the audio files into text based documents. It is therefore vital to ensure that the audio material is of high quality when you first begin.

Time Equals Cost

Transcription outsourcing companies normally hire qualified and professional transcriptionists who have been highly trained. These are people, who have had various qualifications in different fields like public sectors, medical, commercial, research, legal and academics among many others with high typing speeds of more than 70wpm. There has to be diversity in the professional fields to match the projects the clients dish out.

Transcriptionists normally have experience in handling good and bad audio tapes. The cost of the transcription however mostly depends on the quality of the audio file followed by other factors like the content of the material that has been handed in as a project and whether the people working in it will have to dig deep into the industry’s terminologies. The factors make sure that accuracy and time are equal to the cost.

The rule of the thumb in the industry

Technically, individuals speak 4 times faster than they can type. It therefore requires 4 hours to transcribe 60 minutes of an audio recording. This is based generally on standard lack of background noise, high quality audio and voice clarity- the industry uses this as an example for the transcription basis. Dependent on the scale and content of the audio recordings it may take more time because of other factors that may affect the project.

Factors that affect transcribing timescales and cost of the audio recording material

• More research into the industry or company
• Content of the technical terminology that has been used on the material
• Accents of the person/s speaking
• Number of people talking
• Speech the person/s uses to speak
• Voice of the person/s conversing
• The recordings clarity and background noise.

As it has been shown by the example above, these are some of the factors that are normally put in mind and accessed by the agencies before they can start the transcription process.

Two important steps for creating high quality audio

The factors that are shown above can shape the money that is spent as well as the amount of time that will be spent when transcribing the audio material. However, there are a few steps that can be followed to save on the money spent on transcription by following the methods that are explained below so that you can come up with great quality for the audio recordings as well as offer all important details about the material that will be handed in for transcription to the company that will be handling the project.

Step 1: coming up with top notch audio recordings

When recording dictation, always run a test that will be used to identify the audio levels that will be used. It is usually advisable to use a digital voice recorder or a desk top recorder. You can also use recorders that are hand held but it is important to make use that a new tape is used for all the dictation sessions.

You can get a recorder that can be used with external microphones especially if you are dealing with more than one person.

Additional microphones should be used if there are more than 3 people.

Set fast control speeds when using analogue tape by reducing the “tape his”.

Get rid of any background noise when carrying out the recording as the noise usually messes up with the quality of the recording thus increasing the time that will be used for transcription which will also increase the money that will have to be paid.

Recording time can be reduced when housekeeping information like breaks, fire exits and serving of lunch are noted down before starting on the entire process.

Do not forget to press the stop button when you are not recording especially during breaks so as to save space on the tape without recording unnecessary material.

All the speakers should be asked to introduce themselves stating their full names tiles and organizations they are working for.
Speakers should not talk over one another.

The speakers should also ensure that there is no background noise which can be caused by eating and shuffling papers which can affect the quality of the recording. Recording should be stopped when the speakers need refreshments.

Where possible use digital equipment to record the material as it has numerous advantages over the analogue ones.

Digital recording is more superior as there are no problems of tape hiss.

Digital material can be copied a number of times without messing up with the quality.

It is possible to know the exact time that was spent when recording as they usually note down the words per minute. (This helps to know the amount of money that will be spent for the transcription process). There are various kinds of digital recording files that can be used and they can be uploaded easily into a number of websites as well as transferred from one user to another thus they save time since they don’t have to be converted to other formats.

Step 2: Get a list of all the important details of the audio material

Come up with a list of all the people who are participating in the conference, interview or whatever event that you want to record.

The list should have the full names of the participants spelled out correctly with their relevant information like the organizations that they work with, their professional titles, like manager, Dr etc, their gender and all the details that you deem relevant when it comes to the participants.

The moderators’ full details should also be included as he/ she is the person who leads the meeting.

There are some people who make comments but are not in the meeting, do not forget to include this while making the lists.

It would also be great if you made a list of the people who are talking in the meeting in an orderly way.  For example

First speaker: Dr. Alexandra Wells (Medical Research Director)- name of institution they represent

Second Speaker: Mr. Adam Smith (Director Of medical Resources) – institution he words for

This usually makes the transcription work much easier thus reducing the costs.

When it is time to hand over the Audio material

Good transcription agencies will make sure they consult with you in depth when you give them the project, identifying the areas that may need deeper research, requesting list of all the participants and speakers, list of terminologies, any potential problems so that they can come up with the charges that you are supposed to pay them when they are done working on the project.  You can talk to them about the budget that you have to ensure that their charges are in line with it so as not to pay extra money. Always make sure that you work with a reputable company that will do the job perfectly. More on interview transcription

Conversion of audio files into text is what is referred to as the audio transcription process. The transcribed file is the output that is put into the designated use. There are a number of companies which specialize in this type of conversion and they offer transcribing services for recorded speeches, digital audio files, audio cassette tapes and dictations. These recordings are transcribed according to the client’s specifications to produce written texts in hard or soft copy format.

The conversion of files from audio to word format is a common need in the market. The complexity of conversion is increasing more with the technological advancement and introduction of the digital media. This technology has led to increase in the requirements when doing transcription. Professionals such as busy executives and lawyers now want their presentations transcribed accurately for future use.

In today’s world research papers and lectures are supposed to be converted into text on a word for word basis for use by students with hearing impairments. Universities have become a major client to the transcribers. The transcribed files are then stored for future reference which has made the audio transcription an important aspect that is applicable in many areas. They can be used in future by people with similar problems that which is why the transcription should be accurate.

Transcriptionists have customized services to cater for the needs of their clients. These services work on various forms of presentations including discussions, speeches, movie, reports, minutes, television serial or manuscript. They produce high quality output efficiently captures the content of various media platforms. These transcription companies often employ the expertise of professionals who are equipped with the skill and experience in converting audio files into text. It is vital to ensure that the confidentiality clause if present between the client and transcriptionist. This is because the files to be converted might be confidential or sensitive and should not be disclosed to third parties. The pricing should also be right in order to create a lasting relationship between the transcriptionist and the client.

A majority of the companies offering transcription services work through the following process:

• The client contacts them and they pick the clients details.
• A quotation is sent to the client.
• Payment is made
• The audio file is sent by the client
• The file is converted and the master transcribed file is sent to the client through email for approval

Digital transcription can be termed as the future of secretarial services where it offer the users with numerous benefits and cost cuts when compared with the traditional analogue options. Nonetheless, the technology that is used to drive this revolution comes with its own glitches and problems. Below you will find useful information on the pitfalls associated with digital transcription through expert advice where you will get insightful information on how to avoid catastrophes.

1. Background noise – there are numerous examples of background noise that affect recording quality like traffic pollution, hard wood floors, high ceilings, shuffling paper, coughing and sneezing among many others. It is vital for the interviewer to talk to the participants before hand and even carry out test recording to ensure that everything is in place.
2. Check the equipment to look for USB cable – Most of the time, digital recorders are bought without digital interface like USB cables. This means that removing data for transcription becomes a hard task. Study the device well and ask all the necessary questions before it is purchased to ensure that you get a functional item. The device should be compatible because of transcription purposes.
3. The recorder should have enough battery/memory before it is used. Different machines have varying battery lives and capacities. It is best to get the one that will handle the interview in the best way possible to minimize interruptions during recording.
4. Microphones – It is usually advisable to make use of external omni-directional mics when dealing with many speakers. This is because the inbuilt mics are usually not enough for many people.
5. Talk to the transcriptionist – where possible it is best to consult with the transcriptionist to know the best methods to use as well as get advice to come with a high quality production.
6. Flow of speech/accents – Participants need to be advised on the importance of being concise and clear when speaking to get the best verbatim that can be understood with ease. Client should know that accents can slow down transcription time.
7. Cost of transcription – Avoid the catch phrase “cheapest is the best” as it may end up posing a lot of problems and becoming more expensive.
8. Choose digital over analogue – This is because they are superior in quality and clarity and do not deteriorate over time.
9. Identify yourself – This helps to avoid misidentification and duplication. References can be used when there is need for confidentiality
10. Content – Provide a glossary section in case there are any difficult terminologies used.

The demand for hard-copy of documents has risen despite the advancement of technology, because it is easier to keep hard copies for reference as opposed to soft copies which are prone to data loss. Recordings of business discussion, meetings, interviews and conferences can all be converted from digital to text conversion format using any of the conversion software available in the market. These tools and applications facilitate easy conversion of digital recordings to text formats, but they can however not replace the efficiency of human-aided conversions.

Video and audio recording devices have simplified how business meetings are conducted; the ‘take notes’ on your behalf and the recordings can later be converted into text format for documentation purposes. These recording devices reduce the secretarial workload of having take minutes during meetings, as opposed to listening and digesting what has been said during meetings.

Technological advancements have evolved and made it possible to capture audio visual media with ease. Conversion has never been easier with one of these applications which complete the task in a matter of seconds. Most of these applications can convert and support multiple file formats of audio-visual media into text. All you need to do is specify the format you are using to capture your audio visual media and the best application will be recommended for you.

Some of the common formats presently used include: OGG, WMV, DSS, MP4, MP3, DCT, WMA, DVF and WAV. However, a majority of people prefer to work with video formats like Quick time, Real Media and AVI. The most common conversion text formats include TXT, HTML, PDF and MS Word. Sufficient technological components should be available for any digital transcription to convert media of any size.

The question here is whether this digital transcription produces the expected output when compared to human-aided conversions and the answer here is no. Software applicants cannot render the work of human transcriptionist redundant, because they are prone to formatting and syntactical errors. The transcription service providers who use software applications for conversion often offer additional services such as grammar checks, to verify the accuracy of the converted text.

The client should always have confidence and only submit their work to trustworthy and skilled service providers. It is important to carefully choose a transcription provider, in order to obtain the desired results. The time it takes between submitting the recordings for transcription and when you receive your converted text document is one of the factors to consider before choosing a transcription provider. The quality is however much more important than the turnaround time or cost.

Presently, there is a wider range of tools used in the production of audio media as compared to the past. Better methods of manipulating and capturing audio are developed with each passing day, to enhance the quality of recorded sound.

Apart from PDAs and laptops, the assortment of the available equipment used for audio recording include: tape recorders, memory recorders, disk recorders, and analogue and digital recording equipment. The main aim of this article is to assist you to make an informed decision when getting ready to buy audio recording equipment.

The information contained on this page is meant for a diverse group of people including students, speech therapists and researchers. The article largely focuses on handy equipment that can be used to capture audio media in the field within the available budget (the most expensive recorder mentioned goes for £650), which therefore excludes complex recording equipment used by Radio broadcasters or for mass communication in general.

The objective is to help you assemble an assortment of tools and equipment that have the capability to produce excellent audio recordings, which are good enough to be used for signal analysis. An example would be the use of a computer in the analysis of the vocal sound quality, format frequencies and fundamental frequencies. The audio recorders currently available in the market are meticulously constructed to ensure that all vocal recordings to be used in the instrumental analysis process are of good quality. This quality of vocal output is attained by ensuring that you have the right choice of a recorder, the perfect microphone and a good recording environment that is free from noise – ensuring that the audio recording settings are set to precision.

For each of the mention recorders their basic functions, advantages and short comings are mentioned. However, technology is constantly improving at a rapid pace. This means that what is relevant today might be outdated within the shortest period of time.

The Use of Cassette Recorders in the Audio Recording Process

Cassette recorders are amongst some of the sound recording devices which have been around for a while. Initially the recorders utilized 1/8″ tapes with 1.875 inches/sec recording speeds. Modern cassette recorders were tweaked for efficient speech recordings, but they are generally unforgiving when the recording levels are not set correctly. They are not the best devices to be used when high-quality speech recordings are required. This is because they are prone to harmonic distortion and degenerating quality after years of storage. In the 90’s walkman recorders were the most preferred cassette-based audio recorders. Today it is difficult to find a walkman recorder in the market, because they have been edged out of the market digital audio recorders. However, before digital recorders came along the Minidisc Recorders were preferred largely because of their compact nature and disk use.

Using Minidisc Recorders for Speech Audio Recording

This kind of audio recorder produces compressed audio media on a 2.5 inch magneto-photosensitive disk. A cartridge is used to shield the disks from damage. The ATRAC compression system invented by Sony is used to produce the audio media. These recorders are amazingly small in size and highly portable, with a great capacity of audio data handling. On the flip side, their small size makes them difficult to handle and operate.

The Minidisc recorders are designed to deter people using them from copywriting audio media, meaning you are not able to directly get rights to the compressed sequence bits that make up audio media. You have to compress and recompress the media before it can be used, and the compression and recompression process leads to loss of playback sound quality. A number of minidisc recorders are equipped with digital output capabilities to facilitate the transfer of audio media to a computer, but in order to do this you will require a PC with a digital audio input and a minidisc deck that has a digital output.

Currently there is a deliberation to decide whether there is any variance in speech recordings when using ATRAC compression method and whether it would affect instrumental analysis. Considering that the method is basically a time-domain coding that is used on varying frequency signals, the pitch is not likely to be affected by coding. However, the spectral envelope might be affected and there is no guarantee that it would not be negatively modified. It is difficult to know what effect compression will have on a recording, however small or negligible the change may have been the uncertainty is what causes a lot of concern.

The HiMD recorder is the latest recorder to be produced in the Minidisc recorder category. This new minidisc has two fascinating aspects that set it apart from the older models. For one, the HiMD recorders come with a Universal Serial Bus (USB) interface which has the capability to load audio media into a computer, which is only possible if they were produced on a recorder that supports analogue input.

Secondly, they utilize disks with higher memory capacities enabling the recording of vocal media for an hour or longer; whether in a compressed or uncompressed mode. One of the HiMD Minidisc recorders available in the market at the moment is the Sony NH700. It captures audio media in ATRAC3plus and Linear PCM recording to Hi-MD up to 1 GB. Normal MD blanks are reformatted to 300MB functionality since you can now use it as a USB disk. Doing so facilitates the use of a PC to transfer audio media from the line input.

The use of (DAT) Digital Audio Tape Recorders to Capture Audio Speech

Digital Audio Tape recorders were designed to capture digital audio recordings on 6mm tapes. The recorders used an enhanced video recording technique, with rotating tape heads. DAT recorders have the ability to capture high-quality audio recordings, and they gained wide use in the broadcasting professional. The recorders capture PCM digital signals in 16-bit linear recordings at either 48000 or 44100 samples/sec speeds. Most AT recorders come with a digital output mechanism, enabling the digital transfer of recordings to computer systems. One of the main concerns about DAT recorders is their tape transport system and rotating head complexity. The devices are highly sensitive and they require regular maintenance and a high level of protection during transit.

Using the Solid-state Digital Voice Recorders to Record Speech

The solid-state recorders store audio recordings on memory cards loaded on the device. The recorders often come with the choice to save the recorded audio either in compressed forms line the MP3 format or as uncompressed linear PCM formats. With larger memory card capacities, the solid-state recorders can record longer sessions on the compressed formats; however, in such instances the quality of the recorded audio is often lower in quality. Audio recordings intended for computer analysis should be recorded at data rates of about 192kbps to obtain quality recordings. In the uncompressed monophonic format, a one hour 16-bit recording recorded at a 44100samples/sec speed occupies a space of about 320MB. However, if the recording is maintained at a 192kbps data rate, the recording occupies only about 90MB of space.

Recording Speech Using Hard-Disk Recorders

Hard-disk recorders store both uncompressed and compressed audio recordings onto in-built disk drives with high storage capacities. The recordings are transferable to computers or they can be copied to CDs. There are few hard drive recorders in the market at the moment, but their use promises to increase progressively as a number of people embrace the new technology. One of the main reasons why they are not in high circulation is because they tend to be very expensive and they are generally not designed with portability in mind. However, a number of compact music players are available in the market and most come with live recording functionalities. They store the recorded audio on in-built low capacity in-built hard-disks, and come with external sockets to accommodate microphones. The iRiver H300 is an example of these portable music players, and it comes with about 20 to 40GB hard disk storage spaces. The recordings are then transferable to computer systems via USB ports.

Recording Audio Using Laptop Interfaces

Laptops can be transformed into digital recorders, if equipped with high-quality external microphones. However, most laptops have sub-par microphone inputs and they are usually too insensitive to act as proper quality microphones. A separate digital converter and microphone pre-amplifier are required to work in collaboration with laptops for quality audio recording. With the introduction of USB microphone interfaces such as the M-Audio MobilePre have made the process much simpler. The USB interface comes with 3.5 mm microphone ports and it can support XLR cable connections. It can also supply Condenser microphones with phantom power and it is relatively efficient when it comes to noise reduction. It is important to have quality recording software installed on the laptop, with the ability to create audio files and store them on the computer system.

Using PDAs as Audio Recorders

PDAs or Palm-top computers have the ability to be used as portable audio recorders. These devices are often preferred for audio recording when compared to conventional computer systems, because they are highly portable, less expensive and come with better battery life. PDAs and Palm-tops also come equipped with network and memory interfaces making them the ideal option when compared to conventional computers. Few PDAs come with microphones and those that do are designed specifically for voice recording as opposed to quality audio recordings. PDAs are usually designed for telephony purposes with combination of a headset and microphone. For the purposes of quality audio recording, a Compact Flash interface accompanied with a quality pre-amplifier will be required to facilitate external microphone use.

Choosing a Microphone to Accompany the Selected Audio Recorder

Once an appropriate audio recorder has been selected, the next step is to choose a compatible microphone to accompany the recorder. The chosen microphone should be compatible to the recorder when it comes to connection and quality. Using a sub-par microphone with a quality recorder will result in equally sub-par audio recordings and vice versa.

The different types of microphones available

There are essentially two main types of microphones available in the market; the Condenser microphones and Dynamic microphones.
Dynamic microphones are considered as the ‘general-purpose’ microphones. They accommodate rough handling, because they are quite sturdy and flexible. They are the ideal choice for audio recordings where high volume levels cannot be avoided for example when amplifiers and musical instruments are part of the audio recording. They do not have internal amplifiers and external power sources or batteries.

Condenser microphones are more sensitive and they require external power sources or batteries. They are known to produce stronger audio signals and they are generally more responsive compared to dynamic microphones. They are however not ideal for audio recordings in high volume situations, because of their high sensitivity.

The different types of microphone connectors

Microphones come with different types of connectors, and this is an important aspect which should not be overlooked because it determines the microphone’s comparability with the audio recorder when it comes to connectivity. Although conversion cables are available to enable a microphone to be used with an incompatible recorder, it is much simpler to get a microphone which is connector-compatible with the recorder at hand.

The XLR connectors commonly accompany professional microphones. Each microphone comes with earthed shields and two signal lines. They are known to provide the best amount resistance to electrical-based interferences.

The Mini XLR connectors accompany lapel or lavalier microphones. The connector essentially connects the microphone to a radio transmitter or battery box. The other end of the battery box often has 1/4″ jack connectors or XLR connectors.

1/4″(6.5mm) stereo or mono jack connectors commonly accompany stereo microphones and professional microphones respectively.

1/8″ (3.5mm) stereo or mono jacks commonly accompany consumer-based stereo and mono microphones.

3.5mm mini jacks commonly accompany telephony headsets, which come with mono microphones and stereo headphones.