How to Use a Digital Voice Recorder

The phonograph was the first instrument which was used for sound recording. It was used mainly for studying languages. The voice of the native speakers of a language was recorded and other non-native people learned the language and the pronunciation using the recorded voice.

After some years, cassette recorder was used to record voices, though with low sound quality. Later, after the advent of digital voice recorders, voices could be recorded with a better sound quality, file sharing and with more convenience in usage.

Well, this device functions almost in the same way as a tape recorder, except that, it doesn't have a tape. As the recording and listening process is easy and quick, it is widely used by students, interviewers, academicians, journalists, etc., to record their voices and re-record them if they choose to.

Digital voice files are incorporated to record the voice data. The voice data is stored in the form of discrete numbers, and the value depends on the air pressure involved during the voice modulations. But the input is a continuous stream of analog data.

The analog signal is converted into digital signal by Analog-to Digital Converter (ADC). The output of the ADC is in the form of stream data consisting of 0s and 1s, which is stored in the memory and later converted to analog data. It is important to convert the digital data into analog data, because, we can hear only analog signals.

This device looks like a USB device, it's just that it records voice data. Its three main components are:

• Microphone , to capture the sound waves
• Amplifier, to amplify the incoming data
• Recording Device, to record the voice data

• Some of the commonly used buttons are play, stop, record, forward and rewind, menu. Some versions can also have some buttons combined, such as play/pause or record/stop.
• Identify some other components such as microphone, USB, headphone jack, speaker, in your device.

• The screen will display the recording time left, indicator to show the recording process, location of the data file, battery life, etc.

• Choose, the location of the file, where you want to save it from the folders in the menu.
• After choosing the file location, press the record button and start recording your voice through the microphone.
• Ensure that the indicator in the display screen of your recorder, indicates the recording process.

• Now you can go back to the file location and listen to the voice recorded, by pressing the play button.
• By pressing the forward and rewind keys, you can control the action. You can also increase and decrease the volume by pressing the '+' and '-' buttons, respectively.

It is also possible to transfer the recorded data from your device to your computer. Insert the USB in the USB port of your computer, and get the data downloaded. You can also record the audio, directly from your computer. If you are using Windows Vista, follow the route: Start → All Programs → Accessories → Sound Recorder.

In here, you need to press the Start Recording and Stop Recording buttons, to control the recording process. Finally, a digital voice recorder is not a complicated device at all. Is it not easy to learn how to operate it? Sure it is.