Your recorders and other digital devices

Thank you. Of the two you listed, the $5 one is much better because it is omnidirectional (all directions) not unidirectional (one direction). Too bad the cheaper one lacks the needed accessories the more expensive one has.

I use a Kodak Playsport.

It is simple to use. It is rugged and waterproof. I know. I accidentally washed mine and found it in the dryer making a heck of a noise.

What Model Olympus?

There are various models of Olympus DVR's and other brands. If you care to, you can go back, edit your post and tell us the model you posted about. What DVR model is you're post describing?

one of the concerns i had was how to carry it. i read of someone that hung it around the neck. and also security, i have read some have ways of locking. how does carrying in a pocket or under the shirt effect the sound ?

I use an Olympus WS400 audio recorder and hang it from a lanyard around my neck. Gets good sound through a shirt etc as long as your not moving a lot. It takes 1 AAA battery and lasts about 12 hrs recording. Video would be great, but the shorter recording time and turning it on and off is a hassle.

Motofixxer said:

Video would be great, but the shorter recording time and turning it on and off is a hassle.

Click to expand...

Pressing two buttons is a hassle?



I have the capacity to record at a fairly high resolution for 2 hrs with an 8 gig card. Lower resolution, longer record time. It takes seconds to swap batteries and seconds to swap cards to prevent illegal seizure of evidence. This camera is water proof, shock and dust resistant and simple to use. It easily fits in a shirt pocket. I wear mine with a homemade lanyard around my neck and tucked under my shirt.

I never leave home without a camera or now this thing. A voice recorder does no good if you witness something extraordinary when you are out and about.

Which One?

HandyHamlet said:

I have the capacity to record at a fairly high resolution for 2 hrs with an 8 gig card. Lower resolution, longer record time. It takes seconds to swap batteries and seconds to swap cards to prevent illegal seizure of evidence. This camera is water proof, shock and dust resistant and simple to use. It easily fits in a shirt pocket. I wear mine with a homemade lanyard around my neck and tucked under my shirt.

I never leave home without a camera or now this thing. A voice recorder does no good if you witness something extraordinary when you are out and about.

Click to expand...

Is this your Kodak Play Sport?
How do you transfer or store files for record?

EricDailey X-NRA said:

Is this your Kodak Play Sport?
How do you transfer or store files for record?

Click to expand...

Yes. And I really did put it through the laundry. It was in a shirt pocket. I am male. I don't check pockets when doing laundry. The cam works perfectly.

I/O interface: USB 2.0 (high speed), AV out, HDMI

Data can be stored and accessed off the card via card reader as well.

http://store.kodak.com/store/ekconsus/en_US/pd/PLAYSPORT_Video_Camera__Zx3/productID.169976100


HINT: Always have a dummy sim card, SD card, roll if film, or even a dummy camera with you. If you get into a sticky situation swap the real stuff for the dummy stuff. Hand off the real stuff if possible to someone who can escape immediately.

Due to a short battery life video recorders that I have found aren't practical to leave running. so you have to turn it on and off. So if it's off, and something happens, then what good does it do. You have to remember to turn it on. Then it's likely to late to catch the whole event.

If it works for you good. I'm just saying I haven't found one I like enough yet. The best option would be to have audio and video separately. The Kodak playsport seems to be a reasonable option. But how long does the batteries actually last? That's my biggest complaint.

Motofixxer said:

So if it's off, and something happens, then what good does it do. You have to remember to turn it on. Then it's likely to late to catch the whole event.

Click to expand...

This goes for anything. You have to remember to turn it on. I guess my answer would be situational awareness?

If it works for you good. ... But how long does the batteries actually last? That's my biggest complaint.

Click to expand...

Well like everything else in life there is never any single best answer. It's always a trade-off.

The stock batteries that come with my camera SUCK. I immediately purchased a better battery. I have run mine, including deleting and playing back video for over an hour before. Remember that your recording settings effect battery and recording life. And as I said it only takes seconds to swap cards and batteries. You should always have back-ups of these anyway.

I have never just turned it on and run it completely dead so I can't answer you with a hard number of minutes.

Personal opinion: A video recorder would be, by far, the best, but every one I've seen has battery life issues.

A digital audio recorder, even without an external microphone, seems to be the best bet until someone comes out with a DVR with a longer battery life that meets our needs for concealability. I would also love to see one that could be voice activated.

I use an Olympus VN-3200PC and the battery life is outstanding. It has a capacity of over fifty hours of recording. I use it in the sound-activated mode and generally have it either in my shirt or trousers pocket.

So far, I've only had one encounter that needed to be recorded and that was with an ignorant Wal Mart manager. Thankfully, and thanks to eye95 and others, the police and sheriff's department here are very knowledgeable.

Try the Flip MinoHD excellent piece of kit

http://reviews.cnet.com/digital-cam...d/4505-6500_7-33776070.html?tag=similarProds;[object HTMLCollection]
Two hours of HD video and works very well

I carry:

RCA VR5220-A audio only recorder on a lanyard around my neck. 16-18 hours record time and picks up great.

I also have an IPod with a free app called "I Recorder" which, once activated, continues to record until a four digit code is entered. You can turn the IPOD (or IPhone) off, even exit the app and turn the device off, and it CONTINUES to record with no external indications. This device is new to me and so I'm still testing it's capabilities and quality of recording.


When in "Indian Country" (I'm retired military so no PC attacks please):

I have an Fm wireless transmitter that I can use with the RCA device (or any other that takes a plug in MIC. The reciever plugs into the MIC jack so that the recorder can be carried by a second person and only the MIC and transmitter are on me. If that person is going to be physically with me then the recorder would be in a locked case/bag.

I carry two devices. Prior to the IPod it was a junk recorder and the RCA (with the wireless transmitter). Now it's the RCA/wireless and the IPod.

We are "must inform" here and so we don't have the option of clandestine recording. The dual recorders when in "Indian Country" is so that, in the event of a bad encounter, the obvious recording device will hopefully cause the provacateur to think that he/they now have my recording device and they are "safe".