I have been mystery shoppint for 6 months and have been using a recorder for some of my shops. If the shop plays music or I am near the cash regiwters, I can not make out what was said. Is there a recorder that cuts out some of the background noise - like hearing aids do?

Thank you, Doris Ann

I had enough problem with precisely those types of issues that I purchased an external microphone to use with mine. It is much more directional than the built in microphones in the DVR, and I can loop it over the center of a bra so it is closer to where the conversation is happening. Music, especially loud music, can still be an issue, but a lot less so than before. If someone speaks behind me, the DVR is not likely to pick it up, but most encounters are face to face so their voice projects well to the microphone.

The iphone works really well for this. You can wear the mike and look like you have an iPod playing.

I agree... buy an external clip on mic to go with your voice recorder. I will warn you though... some places that have a ton of background noise like restaurants might still not come through that great, but it should help.

I use mine in sports bars with loud music and don't seem to have any problem. Haven't used it during a game with lots of yelling or anything, but there is always music or TVs going. It's a Sony. It's wonderful. I keep it loaded with extra batteries in the car and in the house and can transcribe details while relaxing and watching tv or playing a game. Only wish I could rewind to catch things if I missed them.

The rewind feature is why it is great to have one that uploads the voice file into the computer. With a slide bar you can move around quickly with the recording or arrows can move you backwards or forwards a few seconds at a time. I almost never listen to mine on the recorder itself but only through the computer.

Dorisann Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I have been mystery shoppint for 6 months and have
> been using a recorder for some of my shops. If
> the shop plays music or I am near the cash
> regiwters, I can not make out what was said. Is
> there a recorder that cuts out some of the
> background noise - like hearing aids do?
>
> Thank you, Doris Ann

Some of the high end Olympus recorders do when coupled with the right mike. You have to get a sales person to counsel you as the model numbers keep changing. Ask the salesperson if you can "test ride" it to see if it works under the conditions, I want the recorder to perform under.

I only infrequently miss something due to background noise. But since I only use it as backup for my memory or to take quick "notes" during a shop it's not a problem. I always go over minor items right after a shop (going to or in the car) like names, descriptions, and any comments on cleanliness or safety hazards.

I tried an external mike a few times, and it worked lots better than the built-in mike, but it was too much hassle with the wiring. I had to run it under my shirt and clip it to a fold or edge. I admit, it was much easier to listen to, just not worth the extra setup.

The built-in mikes tend to raise all sounds picked up to the same volume level, and the loudest sound wins! It's just the way it is. In the winter I wear a large nylon parka and the rustling sound it makes takes over the recording! Wear cloth coats!

Glabow Wrote:
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In the winter I
> wear a large nylon parka and the rustling sound it
> makes takes over the recording! Wear cloth coats!

Yes, I have been surprised by the 'rupt, rupt, rupt' on the DVR of walking in jeans I never knew walking could be so noisy unless you were walking in high heels!

Which voice recorder is the best ( I can't use IPhone w/TMobile, they are in bed with Blackberry which isn't voice recorder friendly)

I'm going to buy one from OfficeDepot this week with my $10 off $25 coupon?
There's several that are around $50, some with instant rebates.

Do I have to worry that the cheaper ones aren't as good??

Most of the ones you find at Office Depot and such are plastic, which makes them lightweight but somewhat fragile. Realize that the cheap ones are cheap because the offer fewer features and generally have poorer microphones. I had a $39 Olympus when I started and it was ok but not great. The features I value are the ability to upload the file to my PC because with the Voice Editor software that came with my Sony, I can jump back and forth in the shop as needed. I can save the file without clogging up the available space on my recorder. I can use an external microphone and use headphones with the recorder if needed or with headphones on the PC.

More specifically. Time in is recorded on the beginning of your recording and time out at the end. Most forms that ask for time in and out ask for them first thing on the report. The ability to skip quickly to the end of the file is a godsend. Most of the time the descriptions of folks with whom I interact are at the end of the recording--again a skip to the end and then back to the beginning to report quality of greetings, upsells, etc. When you know the shop well you can make your observations pretty much in the order the report needs them, but not always. Trying to push small buttons on a recorder to listen to stuff all over the recorded message is a PITA.

Saving a file, especially when you expect there will be a contested report is valuable. If you live in a 2 party consent state, you probably don't want to offer it up as your proof, but you can review and report precisely what was said to you and to others.

And I cannot sing highly enough the praise of the external microphone. In general digital recorders come with either a very directional microphone or a very wide angle microphone. The former is good for dictation, the latter is good for recording meetings or classes. Neither really works well to capture a conversation in a noisy location. A good external microphone worn in the bra or safety pinned behind a shirt pocket is going to capture primarily what is happening about 5' in front of you. That is the usual range of interacting with a server or a cashier. An external microphone can also be looped over your ear and tucked inside the telephone earpiece to record your phone calls so you can concentrate on the conversation and recapture the name, greeting, number of rings and such later. I frankly have had lousey luck with speakerphone conversations and have had the party on the other end ask that I "pick up, please, I can't hear you." There went recording the call.

I was looking at this Sony,
Do you think it has all the features I need?

Which Sony do you have Flash??


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Quality 5 out of 5 Meets Expectations 5 out of 5 Printable reviewsSony® ICD-PX720 Digital Voice RecorderItem # 643212
Records and plays MP3 files
•Records in the widely supported MP3 format.
•1GB flash memory for recording time up to 288 hours (in long-play mode).
•Supports stereo recording.
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Original Price: $59.99
Instant Savings: -$21.27
Checkout Price: $38.72
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I have an ICD-MX20 which I don't think is made any more. They were around $250 but were always availablee discounted. I have recently picked up a few used ones off of eBay at reasonable prices as backups for when mine eventually dies (it has about 4 years on it already).

Here are the specifications I see on the ICD-PX720

* Records in the widely supported MP3 format. Your recordings are ready for podcasting and can be played on any MP3 player — no conversion necessary.

This is fine. The earlier Sony's recorded in MSV format so required conversion on shops where I was to submit the recording.

* 1GB flash memory for recording time up to 288 hours (in long-play mode).

This is a nice amount of memory. You will not want to record in long play mode as the fidelity is not as good, so select less hours at higher quality and clear your recorder once you have saved the files you want/need.

* Supports stereo recording. Use either an external microphone (sold separately), plugged into the stereo microphone jack, or the built-in microphone, which has adjustable sensitivity.

Ok, so here is your option for an external microphone. I understand that Radio Shack has some external microphones at a decent price. My original microphone was a Sony ECM-CS10 3.5mm stereo Business Microphone that set me back $50+. When it died within the past year I picked up a handful of them off of eBay at about 99 cents each with $10 shipping from Taiwan. They look real, they work just as well as my original ever did, but they have to be knock offs. They will not combine shipping as they are making their money out of the fee-free shipping cost.

* Voice-operated recording for fewer silences. Makes more efficient use of storage space. Recording stops at silent pauses and begins again only when the microphone senses sound.

This is potentially dangerous, especially if you plan to measure elapsed times with your recorder. I turned the Voice operated system off on my machine because I want to control the on off with the buttons on the face of it in my pocket.

* 5 message folders let you organize your recordings. Plus, file protection function protects against accidental deletion.

Since your goal should be to get the recordings OFF of your machine ASAP, this feature is not very useful.

* Large front speaker for great sound.

You want to read your instructions and have the replay volume virtually off while the record volume is high. At one point I hit the wrong button in my pocket and began replaying my interaction with the teller while I was going in to talk to the platform person. I hit the stop button fast and started a fresh recording, but it was hard to keep a straight face.

* Includes batteries, USB cable and digital voice editor software (PC compatible).

This is the key stuff! The USB cable is what connects your recorder to your computer and that digital voice editor is what allows you to jump around on the recording with a slide bar or arrows for quick repeat of the past few seconds or a few second at a time jump ahead.

As for batteries, get a couple of sets of rechargeables so that you always have a set on the recharger to install before you head out and if you are going to be gone a substantial period of time you can throw an extra pair of charged ones in your pocket or purse.

I've been happily using the Olympus WS-300M model for 5 years now without a single hitch. I have used it with a stealth pen microphone for covert use, but find the actual built-in microphone is superior. The size is so small, it fits in any pocket or even hidden in the palm of your hand. It has a built-in USB plug that allows you to connect to any computer without having to carry a cable. The sound quality is superb and you can set it to Conference or Dictation and hear the voices clearly over any background noise. I believe the model has been discontinued, but you can still find new ones at Amazon [www.amazon.com] or E-bay [cgi.ebay.com]. I'm sure there are other newer Olympus models of equal or better quality with greater recording capacity, but this is the model I know and trust.

I personally dislike rechargable batteries, because I don't remember to keep them charged and ready.

If you are as addle-headed as I am, I found that paying big bucks for lithium batteries was worth the extra money. They seem to last forever, and it is one less thing for me to think about.

Thus ends my shameful "I am not a friend of the environment" confession.

The trick is where you have the recharger. There is a small table in the hallway where I have a recharger and always keep AA and AAA batteries in it. My camera is also on the table, as is the DVR and microphone and my watch. Opening the camera to switch out the batteries is also the time to note whether I have returned the memory card to the camera. If the DVR is not on the table, I haven't cleared it for its next use, so time to verify the appropriate files have been saved, detach it from the computer and erase everything before putting in fresh batteries and hooking up. My camera eats batteries, whether they are regular or lithium, so I'm much safer with a pocketful of freshly recharged AAs than anything else. My recharger holds 5 pr of batteries and there is a little tray on the table for spares. The ones I have are mostly ones purchased with full rebate from Staples, Office Depot or Office Max over the years, and the recharger also makes certain there are live batteries to run into wireless mice, TV remotes, etc. etc.

If anyone's in the market for a new cell phone, I use an LG Xenon and LOVE it. The voice recorder works VERY well. I use it in two ways. Occasionally I will record an entire interaction to take notes later on, but mostly I use it to record "notes to self" from my car after a shop. Even when it is in my purse or in my back pocket, it picks up conversations really well.

I could ramble on about how useful this phone is to me and mystery shopping (hello, gmail app), but I'll keep it on the topic of voice recording.

I like that system, Flash. I plan to try rechargeable batteries again, once youngest child is completely out of the house. They tend to completely disappear when he is around.

As for phones, I got an LG 290C for about $25 from Tracfone (using a discount code I Googled) that records voice memos, although the time limit per recording is one minute. This is very handy for inconspicuous notes to self, but wouldn't work for recording an entire shop.

I've not actually used it as a phone yet--the voice recorder, stopwatch, and 1.3 megapixel camera all work whether or not the phone is activated.

Elmer Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I like that system, Flash. I plan to try
> rechargeable batteries again, once youngest child
> is completely out of the house. They tend to
> completely disappear when he is around.

The only solution I have found to that problem with all the uses around the house for AA and AAA batteries is to take advantage of every full or substantial rebate offer I see for the rechargeables. I have trained the SO to carry the dead rechargeables to the recharger "to make sure you get the right size" and put the dead ones in when he takes the charged ones out. Because this does not always happen, any time I walk by and note empty slots I put in a pair from the box nearby--not all is perfection, but we try
>
> As for phones, I got an LG 290C for about $25 from
> Tracfone (using a discount code I Googled) that
> records voice memos, although the time limit per
> recording is one minute. This is very handy for
> inconspicuous notes to self, but wouldn't work for
> recording an entire shop.
>
> I've not actually used it as a phone yet--the
> voice recorder, stopwatch, and 1.3 megapixel
> camera all work whether or not the phone is
> activated.

I wasn't aware you could buy one that was not activated. Does the phone come with a cable and software to be able to upload your notes/memos and photos to your computer for future reference and doing reports?

Tracfones are not activated when you purchase them--you either activate over another phone or on the web. Internet activation gives you 20 initial minutes; non-internet activation gives you only 10.

Data transfer is done via bluetooth. I have a Windows XP netbook with bluetooth built in. Without it, I would have to get an adapter/dongle and plug it into one of the USB ports. Tracfone allegedly crippled the bluetooth for my phone model so headsets (but little else) work. HOWEVER, there are instructions at [pbush14.wordpress.com] to fix the phone. Once I adjusted the phone settings, I connected the computer and the phone. I could see the tracfone pictures and sound files on the netbook just like I would be able to from any other connected device, and could easily drag and drop.

I believe there's at least one Tracfone model with bluetooth that works without owner intervention, but I really wanted the other features of the model I bought. As complicated as I've made the process sound, it was really pretty simple.

Alternately, I could send pictures via email (which is what Tracfone wants people to do) at a cost of 1.5 units each. I don't think there is an option to email sound files.

Something that just occurred to me about inactive mobile phones: I bet all of this can be done on ANY inactive phone, not just Tracfones. File transfers probably work more smoothly on NON Tracfones, such as the "obsolete" RAZR sitting in my living room. When the owner is back in the country next week, I am going to have him test this. After all, he owes me several large favors to compensate for all the rechargeable batteries he's lost.

Certainly a reason I have hung onto my by now antique cell phone is because I bought the cable and software to transfer files to the computer. (It is older than blue tooth except for the highest end phones of its era.) It has phone only service--no texting, emailing, etc.--so the only way to get pictures off of it is by cable and software (which annoyingly are not Win 7 compatible, so I have to fire up the old XP box) and because the phone is so old, there is not Win 7 software that is compatible with it.

But certainly $25 for a viable camera and messaging system is not outta line

I use a Sansa Clip to do recording with. It does pretty good. Im sure an external unidirectional mic would make it better, but that would require some work on the device. But for the price, it sure has paid for itself on many a shop.