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.

Over the past years, it has become common for individuals to record productions using the SMPTE time code, instead of the 60HZ sync pulse that was used traditionally.  Below you will find an overview and introduction of the time code in conjunction with DAT, and Nagra analog recorders.  The original time code system is referred to as non drop frame as it usually assigns a progressive number to the video frames.  This helps to track the frames accurately but normally poses a problem especially to editors when comparing elapsed “videotape time and “real time”.  This is because the video does not run at 30 frames but 29.97 frames. Thus the editors could lose 3.6 seconds after a show that runs for 60 minutes.

The drop frame time code was developed to “synchronize” clocks in the edit system to deal with elapsed time counters which works like a leap year in repeal. 2 frame numbers are skipped or dropped every 60 second in exception to when the minute ends with a 0 like 00 and 30 etc.

Please note that the video frames are not deleted. Only the numerical labels are worked on.

29.97 is the correct time code frame that should be used on a video. Other options that can be used to rate film include: 24, 25 and 30fps.

When you want to record for a video shoot either non drop or drop mode can be used depending n the recorder.  The non drop frame is however preferred for video because of the reasons found above.  To be on the safe side however, you should always confirm with the camera operator or engineer.

The speed at which the video records at should also be ideal for the audio recorder.

If you want to record audio to be used for a film shoot, the settings differ.

Most of the time the film editors prefer to use non drop timecode as it eliminates confusion when editing thus you should also use it if you have not been instructed otherwise.

30fps is the correct frame that should be used on audio that will be used in the film even when the camera is running on 24fps.

For the audio to stay in sync it has to be slowed down at first so that it can work out well with the picture.

After editing the audio is brought up to speed so that the production can be perfect.  When instructed to use any other settings than non drop 30fps make sure it is in writing so as to avoid any problems later on.

5 running modes that can be used for generating time code:

1. Free run/time of the day
2. Free run/user set
3. Record run time code
4. External
5. Jam- Sync

I have been searching for a method that can be used to record Skype VoIP calls I make.  Most of the interviews I conduct are done through Skype since my AT&T reception is quite bad.  It usually restricts me to look for a northwest corner in my balcony.  This forces me to lean over the balcony to enjoy better reception. After almost tripping from the balcony and losing/damaging my phone, I decided to make Skype calls.  These calls are recorded using an application on my iPhone, after placing the phone on the right position near the speakers on the laptop. I still don’t know why Skype has not implemented this function.

Before this happens, it is time to look for better ways that can be used to record the VoIP calls. As I was conducting the search, I managed to come up with 5 Ways in which this can be done:

Pamela [Win] – this is free to download and it permits a person to record the calls that have been made through Skype. The official website accords that it has been registered by Skype and it supports Windows devices.  Some of the features it comes with include:

• Blogging and Podcasting
• Playing sounds as the call is going on
• Answering machine
• Creates really cool mood messages
• Skype cal; conference call manager
• Stereo/mono recording options
• Automatic call recording
• Skype call scheduler
• Skype call transfer
• Skype chat recording
• Skype video recording
• Skype call recording

My main concern however was with the fluorescent purple application is that the recording time is only limited to 15 minutes.  The interviews that I deal with start to become juicy after 15 minutes. Thus this free application was really not going to work for me. There is an option of paying $ 25 when you are looking for unlimited recording time. It is easy to download the applications as it comes with instructions that are understandable. When you are done, restart Skype and you will be good to go.

My search continued and I came across MPs Skype Recorder. Just like Pamela it allows a person to record Skype calls. It comes with:

• It is free and does not have any limits attached
• Manual or automatic recording capabilities
• Compact format of  stored records
• Can split person called and caller and save them on different tracks
• Can be integrated easily with Skype conference recording
• Easy to use interface.

Wire Tap Studio allows you to record edit and export audio on a Mac from applications like iTunes and Skype.

Ecamm Call Recorder [Mac]- gives you seamless recording controls when using Skype. It comes with:

• Record video calls with pictures
• Share recording
• Designed for Mac users
• Advanced compression capabilities

IMcapture- [Win/Mac] – records and captures audio from Skye calls. These are saved in MP3- AAC format. It is excellent for personal use and comes with numerous amazing features like: record audio Skype, time’s lapse indicator and quick time movies format.