parnass
AJ9S
(Note: This is not intended as a product review.)
Radio Shack has a new product of interest to scanner hobbyists. They call it a "Desktop Digital Recorder" (model # 1400214). Think of it as a modern, solid state replacement for their traditional VOX (voice activated) cassette tape recorders. Measuring 7.1 by 4.7 by 1.6 inches, the new recorder is too big for a shirt pocket, but its larger size is just right for use in a radio room.
In the past, I used modified versions of Radio Shack's old CTR-75 cassette recorders connected to my receivers to monitor channels unattended. The CTR-75s were voice activated and I would review the tapes for recorded radio traffic at day's end when trying to identify frequency users.
The Desktop Digital Recorder is so new that I can't find it on Radio Shack's web site. The store manager had just placed it on the shelf of his store minutes before I walked in and bought it.
The new recorder features a large, backlit LCD display and 4 GB of memory built in. It has a slot for an optional SDHC memory card (up to 32 GB) if you want to expand the capacity.
As supplied, the Desktop Digital Recorder can store between 92 and 262 hours of audio, depending on the recording quality level you select. There are 3 levels available.
The desktop digital recorder is powered by 4 AA batteries or by a wall wart power supply. The AC wall wart is supplied with the recorder, along with a soft mesh carrying case.
There is built in microphone, as well as 1/8" jacks for auxiliary line and external microphone inputs. A miniature USB 2 jack is located on the size and a USB patch cord is supplied so you can transfer the recordings from the recorder to your computer. The audio files are in .WAV format and easily transferred to and played on my Linux computer.
There are computer programs available to record audio from an external source, e.g., a scanner. I prefer to keep my scanners and computer separate during monitoring sessions, so a dedicated recorder like this one meets my requirements.
The new recorder is a solid state device and makes no noise. There are other applications besides scanner monitoring for this recorder. You can "arm" it in VOX mode, hide it behind a couch, and record several days worth of sound in your home while on vacation or while the baby sitter is having an unauthorized party in your house.
The list price is just under $50, and I used a $10 coupon to lower the price. Radio Shack currently gives customers another $10 off coupon if they make a purchase over $30, so I walked out of the store with a new recorder plus a new coupon.
The bright green display backlight turns off after a few seconds and was off when I took the following snapshot.
Radio Shack has a new product of interest to scanner hobbyists. They call it a "Desktop Digital Recorder" (model # 1400214). Think of it as a modern, solid state replacement for their traditional VOX (voice activated) cassette tape recorders. Measuring 7.1 by 4.7 by 1.6 inches, the new recorder is too big for a shirt pocket, but its larger size is just right for use in a radio room.
In the past, I used modified versions of Radio Shack's old CTR-75 cassette recorders connected to my receivers to monitor channels unattended. The CTR-75s were voice activated and I would review the tapes for recorded radio traffic at day's end when trying to identify frequency users.
The Desktop Digital Recorder is so new that I can't find it on Radio Shack's web site. The store manager had just placed it on the shelf of his store minutes before I walked in and bought it.
The new recorder features a large, backlit LCD display and 4 GB of memory built in. It has a slot for an optional SDHC memory card (up to 32 GB) if you want to expand the capacity.
As supplied, the Desktop Digital Recorder can store between 92 and 262 hours of audio, depending on the recording quality level you select. There are 3 levels available.
The desktop digital recorder is powered by 4 AA batteries or by a wall wart power supply. The AC wall wart is supplied with the recorder, along with a soft mesh carrying case.
There is built in microphone, as well as 1/8" jacks for auxiliary line and external microphone inputs. A miniature USB 2 jack is located on the size and a USB patch cord is supplied so you can transfer the recordings from the recorder to your computer. The audio files are in .WAV format and easily transferred to and played on my Linux computer.
There are computer programs available to record audio from an external source, e.g., a scanner. I prefer to keep my scanners and computer separate during monitoring sessions, so a dedicated recorder like this one meets my requirements.
The new recorder is a solid state device and makes no noise. There are other applications besides scanner monitoring for this recorder. You can "arm" it in VOX mode, hide it behind a couch, and record several days worth of sound in your home while on vacation or while the baby sitter is having an unauthorized party in your house.
The list price is just under $50, and I used a $10 coupon to lower the price. Radio Shack currently gives customers another $10 off coupon if they make a purchase over $30, so I walked out of the store with a new recorder plus a new coupon.
The bright green display backlight turns off after a few seconds and was off when I took the following snapshot.
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