Topic: Covert Tape Recorder, use in room or carry...

[KeyPress]

Nothing fancy, something simple to use in capturing conversations for hours while unattended, ~ 168 hours or more.

[OOK]

Who the hell has a conversation for (I am a dumbass) yep 7 days ?!  Thats more like a meth induced rant...... More info is needed.  However the best recorder and is ony limit by the card size and battery life available.  The recorder with the best bat life is the sony pcm-10 which comes in at 25 hours give or take but is limited to 16 hours straight of record time at 24/48k pcm on a16gig card.  Most portable recorders are limtied to 32 hours of 24/48k pcm on a 32gig card but are only good for 5-6hours tops....in terms of bat. life.... 

ook

[darby]

Who the hell has a conversation for 24 days ?!  Thats more like a meth induced rant......ook

that's only 7 days... but it still sounds like a tweeker to me 

[page]

Who the hell has a conversation for 24 days ?!

Could be conference meetings. I've seen conferences that ran 24 hours a day for half a week before. Security surveillance/audit is another. While conversations sort of throw it off, doing soundscapes of an area over long periods of time (like looking for a certain call/response from a critter) would be another situation where long record times are needed.

anyway, besides the point, if the requirement is that you be able to record continuously (and unmonitored) for upwards of 7 days, I can think of 2 solutions:

- a laptop with a USB interface
- a 7 series with upgraded hard drive or jumbo external firewire drive.

The problem isn't necessarily quality, but size of the resulting recording. This could be compensated by running at 16 bit, but then you would need to have better control of the levels which if unattended could be problematic. In both instances I'd run a limiter and long (balanced) XLR cables so you can stash the recorder/setup in a safe place and run the mics from other locations.

You'll do better (read: cheaper) with the usb interface if you already have a PC you are willing to use. An older usbpre1.5 or similar box can be had for around $400 or so, others maybe more or less.

[flintstone]

Maybe it won't be necessary to record in PCM.  Voices sound OK in MP3 or WMA format.

Recording in 64Kbps MP3 mode, the Sony PCM-M10 ($220) can capture 279 hours onto an 8 GB flash card.  The M10 manual says a pair of AA batteries will last 43 hours when recording MP3, so some sort of external power would be required to last for a week or longer.

Several inexpensive recorders have sound-activated recording features, in which the recorder sits in record-pause mode until a sound loud enough to reach a preset threshold is sensed by the recorder.  Then the recording starts.  After a pre-determined period of sound below the threshold, recording stops.  The M10 lacks this feature, but the Olympus LS-7 ($170) and Zoom H2 ($130) do offer this feature.

The LS-7 also has the ability to record in Microsoft's WMA format, which uses less space than MP3 and still produces decent voice quality.  Recording at 32 Kbps WMA, the Olympus manual says 257 hours of recording fits onto a 4GB flash card.  Again, external power will be required to last this long.

[TNJazz]

No, I don't need high quality audio. I was thinking the Diasonic DDR 7000, however that still could be big and bulky. I was looking for something small that cannot be detected. Covert meaning, an audio recorder in the shape of a watch, some object that acts as a masking device so the person does not figure out they have been bugged. Basically, this is to bug a room.

Seriously?

[twatts (pants are so over-rated...)]

Quick Google search came up with this:

http://www.spytechs.com/Voice-Recorders/index.htm

How about this one:  http://www.spytechs.com/phone-recorders/digital-recorder-75256g.htm

Terry

[kirk97132]

No, I don't need high quality audio. I was thinking the Diasonic DDR 7000, however that still could be big and bulky. I was looking for something small that cannot be detected. Covert meaning, an audio recorder in the shape of a watch, some object that acts as a masking device so the person does not figure out they have been bugged. Basically, this is to bug a room.

Seriously?

X2   WTF?   

[greenone]

I'll third the wtf, and extend it to your entire posting history. Seriously...

Two other threads also mention the DDR 7000.
Three threads about jobs, job interviews, work ethics, etc.
One thread about soundproofing a bedroom.
Two threads about cell phones.
One thread about a car camera system.
Now this one.

So again...wtf?

[rastasean]

I'll third the wtf, and extend it to your entire posting history. Seriously...

Two other threads also mention the DDR 7000.
Three threads about jobs, job interviews, work ethics, etc.
One thread about soundproofing a bedroom.
Two threads about cell phones.
One thread about a car camera system.
Now this one.

So again...wtf?

AND this person is a site supporter!

Good research on their threads!

[TNJazz]

If I read his previous posts correctly, he has had some issues with people he works with and HE IS A DISHWASHER.

Sounds a little like raging paranoia and a desire to spy on people and I don't think that's something anyone on this site should be encouraging.

Please correct me if I'm wrong, Keypress.

[Gil]

And no one has mentioned George Costanza yet? For shame!

[flipp]

I recall a couple of those threads about work and ethics. If the OP is serious about bugging a room the only advice I will offer is check with an attorney to see if it is legal in your jurisdiction. If advised it is not legal in your jurisdiction, drop the matter at that point.

[drewloo]