[Hidden-tech] Digital recording & transcribing

[Ron Miller]

The first question I would ask is do you really need to transcribe  
the entire interview. I ask because as a journalist I use a digital  
tape recorder as a backup to my notes. I transfer the taped  
interviews to my computer, then I review my notes and find the most  
relevant passages. It's only when I'm going to use those passages,  
that I check them against the tape to make sure the quote is 100  
percent accurate. If you are not using the entire interview, and you  
type backup notes, you can save a lot of time and skip the  
transcription.

I had been using a Sony digital recorder for a number of years, but I  
recently purchased an Olympus WS-300M recorder. It claims to hold 8  
hours of recording. It includes a built-in USB connector, so you  
don't have to find a cable each time you want to transfer and the  
files are in Windows Media format, which I can read under Windows or  
Mac (using QuickTime). What's more it uses a single triple A battery  
and has excellent battery life. It goes for around $100 at Staples.


Ron


Ron Miller
Freelance Technology Writing Since 1988
Contributing Editor, EContent Magazine

email: ronsmiller at ronsmiller.com
blog: http://byronmiller.typepad.com
web: http://www.ronsmiller.com

Winner of the 2006 and 2007 Apex Award for Publication Excellence/ 
Feature Writing



On Apr 17, 2008, at 2:07 PM, Susanna Opper wrote:

>    ** The author of this post was a Good Dobee.
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>
> Techies and non-techies alike can give me a hand with this issue.
>
>
>
> As a wordsmith, I record a lot of interviews. I usually transcribe  
> them myself. Yes, I know there are online services, but it usually  
> helps me to get inspired if I listen to the recording and take notes.
>
>
>
> What recorder/transcriber combination works best? Low cost is good.
>
>
>
> I’ve gone back to old-fashioned tape because I have a foot pedal to  
> stop and start the recording. Figure I need same for digital.
>
>
>
> Thanks,
>
> --Susanna
>
> -------------------------------------
>
> Susanna Opper
>
> Shawenon Communications
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