Sony ICD-PX720 Digital Voice Recorder 4 5 30 34
******Works like a gem! Read my awesome review! WINDOWS ONLY! No mac os x and no linux!Linux users, read the bottom of this review!If you want to use the files from the device and put onto your computer, you have to be running Windows!THIS RECORDER IS AWESOME!EASY TO USE!GREAT QUALITY!GREAT BATTTERY LIFE!Can convert to MP3 with included software on Windows only.Works great. The design of this recorder is better designed than the previous version from 2 years ago. Easy to read LCD screen. Buttons are well placed. Buttons are easy to press with big or small fingers.When you are not using it, flick the HOLD button on the side which is to turn it OFF! This is the power switch! If not, the battery will be used or it might start recording if you bump it when in your bag or pocket.Just install the CD that came with the device on your Windows computer, and it is pretty straight forward. You can slice and dice the audio and remove parts of the audio that you recorded with the software too.I launch the software, plug in the recorder via the USB port and the software does the rest with one mouse click.I dont use these features.I just have the software configured to automatically take the recordings from my recorder, convert to mp3 and store on computer and then delete them from the recorder. With one click! hehe sweet.You can fine-tune the recorder's settings easier from the software's menu. Microphone sensitivity, recording quality. Higher quality equals less recording time. I use HQ (high quality) which sounds like CD awesome quality. gives me 12 hours of recording time total. If you choose a lower quality, sounds like a tin can and you get a hundred or so recording hours. Tin Can is the lowest setting. There are about 4 quality settings total.About the size of a 5 inch snickers candy bar.I use it in class and record ALL college classes. I press record and put in back into my book bag with the top poking out. If my table is large enough in class, i put it on the table. Our college classes are normal size and hold about 30 students. And 8 foot cielings. We have no crazy big rooms with the stadium seats. The recorder records everything using my settings at the end of this review! If you happen to be in a larger room, sit nearer the front. Or place on teacher's desk with permission. THey generally dont mind.Mic sensitivty info:HIGH and LOW are the options.HIGH is for large rooms and far away voices.LOW is for recording close voices usually in a small room with no noise (think of a kitchen in house size room.) LOW gives the quality more realness. HIGH gives you some background noise, but it really isnt too bad. This is NORMAL on all voice recorders!The more expensive recorders use super super mics for ultra precise recording. Totally only useful for recording birds singing, or recording a chorus or singing. For voice, go with this recorder. If offers more features for the best price. And everything is great for the cost and benefits.ONLY 1 NEGATIVE for this product:WINDOWS ONLY!Sorry MAC OS X and SORRY LINUX users.The audio is saved internally in the recorder as a special SONY format. THEIR SONY software can convert the audio from their format, into MP3 or WMV with 1 click. Their SONY software works on WINDOWS only.(Linux users: there does exist software to talk to the recorder via the USB cable interface, but the software works only with SOME versions. i recommend finding this software, launching it via terminal (no GUI), look at the supported MODEL NUMBERS for the SONY devices.)(MAX OS X Users: dont buy this!)TIP:When playing your recording through the recorder's built in speaker, place the recorder into a mixing bowl from your kitchen, it will give the recorder a booming increase in sound quality. try it out!Same idea in your car's open and empty glove box or sunglasses holder. It acts like a sound chamber.My computer settings are:Windows XPMy recorder settings:record quality: HQmic sensitivity: HIGHBattery: 2 months of everyday use. 09/06/2009
This is a quality recorder I've owned my recorder for several weeks now, and have had ZERO problems with it. It is very easy to operate, and has good sound quality. Battery life is outstanding!!!!! Still using the batteries that came with the recorder. The USB port is very useful, and easy to use. I would definately recommend this recorder. 11/20/2009
clever gadget I needed a very small recorder to hide and record conversations with. This is perfect. The voice quality is excellent and it is small enough to fit in a cell phone holster for a Nokia phone. The dimensions given are wrong. They are package spec's. The recorder is about 4 3/8 x 1 3/8 x 3/4. I am fairly proficient with a computer and had no difficulties recording or saving to computer. As a retired Electronics Engineer and part-time P.I., this is a must-have. Intuitive operation and high-quality results. 01/07/2010
the pause works All is as expected and product has a real pause button so you can pause and then continue recording on THE SAME FILE. The only DIGITAL recorder I have seen that allows you to do this and it is SO necessary. Compact, good sound quality (for the price) and lots of options to work files. Good job Sony. 02/12/2010
