In my last blog post I talked about some new innovative technology that Olympus have built into to their new range of WS series digital voice recorders which was announced in early January 2012 and on display on the Olympus stand at CES 2012 in San Francisco.

In this post we will look a little closer at the new three digital voice recorders (WS-811, WS-812 and WS-813), see how they are different from the models they will replace (WS-650S/WS-750M/WS-760M) and speculate on when we might see these in Australia. Gone finally is the trailing letter on the model of the recorders that we have seen for so many years where S used to denote Stereo and M was for music, now simply the series, WS, and the model number.

New Olympus WS Series Digital Voice Recorders

• Olympus WS-811 – 2Gb
• Olympus WS-812 – 4Gb
• Olympus WS-813 - 8Gb

New Look

As is usual with a product range revamp we tend to see the same things improve. Firstly we have a new more modern look, the rounded edges, new look grills over the improved microphones. Olympus have done some work with the mics and are high sensitivity low noise, directional mics with a  high signal-to-noise ratio which ensures clear crisp and pure recording. We also see enlarged stop and record buttons for ease of use, not much of a big deal you may think but these recorders are really quite small so anything that helps locate the buttons you need quickly adds to the use experience.

PCM (Pulse Code Modulation) – Uncompressed WAV

Surprisingly we still don’t see PCM recording across the entire WS range, with only the WS-812 and WS-813 affording that luxury which for those of you not aware PCM recordings are equal to CD quality recordings (using the 44.1k/16bit PCM mode to uncompressed WAV). Don’t be swayed, the high quality MP3 and WMA recording modes on all three are still stunningly clear and you would need the hearing of a bat to tell the difference.

MicroSD Slot

Nice to see a microSD slot on each recorder allowing the already large in-built memory to be expanded. Remember these little devices also double as portable storage so not only can you record and keep your audio on them but any digital file – much like a memory stick.

Plug And Play – No Software Required – Mac Compatible

This is nothing new, for a fair few years now Olympus have been Mac compatible and for ease of use you require no software to access the audio, or any other files, you store on your WS series recorder. Simply walk up to any computer, Mac or PC, USB connect and the stored data is available. The USB connector is built into the recorder and slides out from the bottom when needed from just below the speaker grill. All three recorders can also double as an MP3 music player, pop in the supplied earbuds or your own headphones and listen to your music.

Only On The WS-812 and WS-813 …

The WS-811 has been by-passed with some features that will be key to a few like manual recording levels, all three recorders also have auto record levels. Voice playback feature which skips the silent parts of your recording during playback and only plays the recorded voices. Voice balancer technology boosts quieter voices and reduces loud voices to attempt a level range of spoken audio volume. A calendar search function has also been introduced to help you find audio on the a little easier (if you know the date they were recorded). Files can be moved between folders on the device.

When Will They Be Available In Australia?

Yes we are keen to get ahold of these little beauties too, I for one am looking forward to playing with the new voice playback and voice balancer features and putting them through some tests ready for a review. The rumour on the street is that the new WS series recorders will be available in Australia towards the end of March. No confirmation on price in AU (prices in Europe have been published) but I would expect them to come in around the same price as the current WS series range if not a little cheaper, just to put a bit more pressure on the competition.

January is not only the time of year where you and I make resolutions doomed to fail in the first week but more importantly the time of the year where the worlds gadget companies and technology press converge at CES to show the world their latest and greatest for the future and the upcoming year. Olympus is just another name in the crowd at CES showcasing new digital voice recorders and some interesting additions to the feature set of a digital voice recorder.

Voice Changer

I know what you are thinking, this is a fun feature that can change your voice to that of a Dalek, chipmunk or perhaps how you sound after sucking helium. Unfortunatly Olympus are far too serious a company for that feature, it is more focussed around the ability to change the pitch of a recorded voice during playback on the digital voice recorder. Tweaking the pitch of a voice can help make it clearer to hear and therefore understand.

Voice Playback

This is great little feature, on playback of your recorded audio only the voice segments are played back. Silences between conversations are skipped helping you concentrate on what was said rather than awkard or long pauses between the conversation. This will vastly speed up recapping your audio and will be especially noticeable on longer recordings of interviews, meetings or your personal digital audio notes or ramblings.

Voice Balancer

Something that has plagued transcriptionists for years is now about to get much much better. With voice balancer louder recorded voices are toned down whereas as quieter voices are toned up, hence balancing the voices to a more manageable and consistent audio level.

All of the above features were announced by Olympus in a press release at the beginning of January 2012 and will be found in two (WS-812 and WS-813, not WS-811) of the three new WS series recorders released in the US and show cased at CES 2012. More on the new WS series in a separate blog coming soon.

Olympus voice are an innovative bunch, they don’t tend to sit on their hands doing not a lot, they keep refining and evolving their range of digital voice recorders. It is not uncommon to see digital voice recorder models come and go in the space of a single year. As such we often find customers coming back after years of use to replace their digital note taker or dictaphone only to find that their old model voice recorder has been replaced by a newer model.

In an attempt to make finding the current equivalent voice recorder to replace your old trusty Olympus digital voice recorder a little easier I have compiled a list of old models and their latest equivalents. This list covers PCM music recorders, interview/meeting/focus group recorders, budget recorders, the Pro range of digital dictaphones and finally Olympus digital transcription kits.

Olympus WS Series Digital Note Takers

The latest range of WS Series digital voice recorders from Olympus are:

• Olympus WS-811 – 2Gb – WMA, MP3 recording
• Olympus WS-812 – 4Gb – PCM WAV, WMA, MP3 recording
• Olympus WS-813 – 8Gb – PCM WAV, WMA, MP3 recording

These three replace the following list of WS series recorders:

• Olympus WS-100
• Olympus WS-110S
• Olympus WS-200S
• Olympus WS-210S
• Olympus WS-300M
• Olympus WS-310M
• Olympus WS-311M
• Olympus WS-320M
• Olympus WS-321M
• Olympus WS-331M
• Olympus WS-450S
• Olympus WS-550M
• Olympus WS-560M
• Olympus WS-650S
• Olympus WS-750M
• Olympus WS-760M

Olympus VN Series Basic Digital Notetakers

• Olympus VN-2100PC discontinued, equivalent Olympus VN-8500PC or VN-8600PC
• Olympus VN-3100PC discontinued, equivalent Olympus VN-8500PC or VN-8600PC
• Olympus VN-3500PC discontinued, equivalent Olympus VN-8500PC or VN-8600PC
• Olympus VN-5500PC discontinued, equivalent Olympus VN-8500PC or VN-8600PC
• Olympus VN-6800PC discontinued, equivalent Olympus VN-8500PC or VN-8600PC
• Olympus VN-8500PC discontinued, equivalent Olympus VN-711PC
• Olympus VN-8600PC discontinued, equivalent Olympus VN-712PC

Olympus DP Series Basic Digital Notetaker

• Olympus DP-20 discontinued, equivalent Olympus DP-211

Olympus DM Series Digital Meeting Recorders

• Olympus DM-450 discontinued, equivalent Olympus DM-3
• Olympus DM-550 discontinued, equivalent Olympus DM-5

Olympus DS Series Digital Meeting Recorders

• Olympus DS-30 discontinued, equivalent Olympus DM-3
• Olympus DS-40 discontinued, equivalent Olympus DM-3
• Olympus DS-50 discontinued, equivalent Olympus DM-3
• Olympus DS-55 discontinued, equivalent Olympus DM-3
• Olympus DS-65 discontinued, equivalent Olympus DM-3

Olympus DS Series Digital Dictaphones

• Olympus DS-2200 discontinued, equivalent Olympus DS-2400
• Olympus DS-2300 discontinued, equivalent Olympus DS-2400
• Olympus DS-3300 discontinued, equivalent Olympus DS-3400
• Olympus DS-4000 discontinued, equivalent Olympus DS-5000 or DS-5000iD

Olympus LS Series Digital PCM Music Recorders

• Olympus LS-10 discontinued, equivalent Olympus LS-3
• Olympus LS-11 discontinued, equivalent Olympus LS-3

Olympus Digital Transcription Kits

• Olympus AS-2300 discontinued, equivalent AS-2400
• Olympus AS-4000 discontinued, equivalent AS-5000

If your older model Olympus digital voice recorder is not on the list please leave a comment with the model number and I will add it.

The official change from firmware version 1.20 to 1.30 details:

• Start DAISY file playback from previously stopped position. (DM-5 only)
• Improved DAISY bookmark function: The bookmark is at the exact position where it is set by the user. (DM-5 only)

For details on how to update the firmware on your DM-3/DM-5 please refer to our earlier blog post:

Mac & Windows – Olympus DM-3 / DM-5 Firmware Update – How To

No, is the short answer. Voice or speech recognition software will only successfully work with one spoken voice and that spoken voice, for best results, needs to have trained the software to understand their voice and style of speaking known as creating a voice profile. Most people who use voice recognition software typically pop on a headset and mic and chat away to their Windows PC or Mac and watch as their voice is magically (or using the Dragon voice recognition engine if you don’t believe in magic) converted to text.

Voice recognition is currently going through a spike in popularity, especially since the release of the iPhone 4S running iOS5 with Siri, which has raised awareness of just how good voice recognition technology has evolved over the last couple of years, Nuance being the company leading the way in this technology on Mac, Windows and now inside iOS5 working closely with Apple.

Because of this everyone now has an iPhone which is capable of recording audio and most who need to capture important meetings or interviews also have a high quality digital voice recorder. Dragon NaturallySpeaking Premium and Professional edition on Windows and MacSpeech Scribe on the Mac can take recorded audio and transcribe it, that is only for that single trained person who is speaking. So it is understandable that the leap is often made that if it can transcribe one voice it can transcribe many, not so. The technology is not there yet and in my opinion won’t be for quite some time.

Nuance on their website cleverly have a couple of pages dedicated to Transcribing Interviews or Transcribing Lectures using a technique called voice writing or parroting. The idea is simple, you record your interview, meeting, lecture or whatever it is that has multiple voices or a single voice that you can not get trained in Dragon (possibly the voice of someone making a speech or presenting at a conference). Then when you are sitting in front of your Windows PC or Mac (in this case running Dragon Dictate, not MacSpeech Scribe) you listen to your recorded audio and you speak what you hear. Therefore it is your trained voice that Dragon hears as you are repeatings other peoples words from your recording. Sounds simple doesn’t it – it isn’t, I have tried it a few times and have become extremely frustrated. You may find that the voice you are listening to is too fast for you to remember and repeat back which means you are constantly stopping and rewinding the audio, which on an iPhone app or basic digital voice recorder is not always that easy. You will likely often have to stop the audio to correct mistakes made by Dragon, maybe when unfamiliar names or terms are used which have not been trained into your user profile. It will work but it does take a lot of concentration and a large amount of practice, you can give it a try just search YouTube for a boardroom meeting and see if you can repeat what you hear while wearing a headset and mic.

So what are your practical options for transcribing audio or video of meetings and interviews or in fact any audio that you need turned from voice to text?

Option 1 – Type The Audio Yourself

You could transcribe the audio yourself using some specialised transcription software to help you, transcription is the process of typing what you hear. When I say help it won’t actually do the work of typing it for you but it will assist greatly with the audio playback. For example if you are a slow typist you could slow the speed of audio playback down to match your typing speed or conversly also speed up the audio if your fingers are a blur when you type. Using transcription software you can also easily rewind the audio, again set up to match your typing ability so you could either rewind back half a second or if you are a poor typist like me rewind the audio back up to 5 seconds. The biggest benefit of using transcription software is that audio can be controlled from inside the word processor that you are typing in. By that I mean using a USB connected foot pedal or pre-defined keys on your keyboard you can stop/play/rewind the audio without leaving the document that you are typing. This is a huge time saver, often people try to transcribe using Windows Media Player or Quicktime for their audio playback and they have to constantly switch between they document to the audio player to stop/rewind/play and then back to the document which adds a considerable amount of time to the whole transcribing process.

Pros Of Doing It Yourself

• Cost, from the point of view that you are not paying someone else to do the work.
• Cost, from the point of view that transcription software is free or relatively cheap depending on what you buy.

Cons Of Doing It Yourself

• It is hard work and not as easy as it sounds.
• Transcription typing does take a long time even if you are experienced.

Just as an indication of how long transcription takes, a good quality one hour audio file of an interview between two people would take an experienced transcription typist around 2-3 hours to transcribe. If you are not experienced expect that to rise to 4-5 hours and without the help of transcription software even longer.

Transcription Software

• Express Scribe from NCH Software – $FREE
• Express Scribe Pro from NCH Software – approx. AU$40 – Click Here To Buy Express Scribe PRO – Plays .dss .ds2 .dct .dvf .avi .mov .wmv audio and video files.
• Olympus AS-2400 Digital Transcription Kit – Includes software, headset and USB foot pedal – RRP AU$425 but usually it sells online for less. Windows & Mac compatible.

Option 2 – Outsource To A Professional Transcription Service

If you need your audio transcribed quickly and accurately then this option is for you. Just Google transcription service and see how many businesses are listed both organically and in the paid Google ads. Transcription has become a boom business over the last few years and that makes total sense. With the availability and high quality of digital voice recorders and iPhone apps just about everyone is recording their meetings, interviews, podcasts, vodcasts, focus groups, lectures, letters, assessments the list goes on. It is great to have a record of your meeting and the like stored digitally which can be easily shared within your business on your intranet or with the world on the internet but more often than not a written transcript is also required for offline reading, compliance or for public record. There are all kinds of reasons audio and video is transcribed into text these days.

This is where a professional transcription service can come in to help you. Simply send them your digital audio or video via the internet and they can set to work using their team of experienced transcription typists to convert your voice to text. Here is a security tip, always make sure that the transcription service you use has their own secure file server and that the data you send them is encrypted either using FTPS (not FTP) or HTTPS (not HTTP) – this is important for two reasons. 1. your audio/video is encrypted as it travels across the internet from you to their servers. 2. by ensuring they run their own secure server they will have full control and access over what happens on that server. Many transcription services use third party providers like SendThisFile.com and they nor you have any control over your data on that third parties servers. Ask any transcription service that you approach about their security and file transfer mechanisms. Many still use FTP and not FTPS, transferring files across FTP alone does not encrypt the file contents, be it audio, video or worse still your transcribed documents.

Any good professional transcription service will turn your audio around quickly and the final transcript will very accurate. Typically there are two phases to the transcription process; phase 1 is the transcription typist who listens and types your audio/video to text. Phase 2 is a quality assurance phase, a proofreader will listen to your audio and proof against what has been transcribed. This double verifies the typists work and the document can be formatted to your specific requirements. Obviously we recommend The Transcription People, not just because this is our sister company but because they are leaders in the transcription industry in Australia who service clients not only from Australia but also the US and Europe

As audio and video for transcription is mainly digital you can utilise the services of a transcription company anywhere in the world, you may want to do this for cost benefit reasons but more often than not to take advantage of time zones. Many UK and US businesses will use the services of Australian based transcription companies for just this reason as Australia tends to work their business day as Europe and the US sleep.

Pros

• Speed, this is a transcription services core business. Reputable companies will turn around audio and video very quickly.
• Accuracy, again as a core business this is how transcription services are rated from a customers point of view. A good transcription firm will always produce high quality accurate transcriptions because of the two phase approach.
• Ability to adapt, regardless of how much audio or video you send you should always expect the same fast, accurate turn around of transcripts.
• You don’t have to do it so you can focus your time on more productive work.

Cons

• Cost is the only con, you are paying for a service so compared to you doing it yourself there will be a cost involved. Obviously the larger more reputable transcription companies will have different rates from the work from home type of micro transcription service.

So there you have it ! Reasons why Dragon NaturallySpeaking for Windows or MacSpeech Scribe for Apple Mac are not good for transcribing meetings or interviews and the options you have open to you to convert recorded audio or video into text.

Dragon NaturallySpeaking from Nuance, currently at version 11.5, can use a digital recording of your spoken voice and transcribe that into text (Premium and Professional versions only), this is commonly referred to as deferred transcription. With so many people now owning either a digital voice recorder and/or an iPhone or iPad with a voice recording app the question is often asked “is the recording quality good enough for use with Dragon NaturallySpeaking?“.

Luckily the nice people at Nuance have a quick and easy way for you to check, via the Nuance Hardware Compatibility website. This site shows compatibility for all Nuance software but you can specifically drill down on Dragon NaturallySpeaking and then look through the Recorders (current) or Recorders (legacy) for older digital voice recorders.

The Nuance Hardware Compatibility website is also worth a visit if you are planning to buy a new microphone or mic and headset combo for use with Dragon Naturally Speaking as these too are listed and given a Dragon accuracy score out of six, the more dragons the better the accuracy. We like the Plantronics DSP-400 and have been promoting that for a few years now. The DSP-400 achieved a six dragon accuracy score and is an excellent all round headset/mic combo which is both Mac and Windows compatible, works with Skype also.

Currently the only universal (iPhone and iPad) voice recording app which is listed as compatible is the awesome Andrea Pure Audio Live Recorder app (found in the Recorders (current) dropdown which achieves five out of six dragons. I have this app on my iPhone 4 running iOS5 and it works beautifully, the app also works on the 3GS iPhone.

The latest music digital recorder from Olympus is now available in Australia, the Olympus LS-3 comes hot on the heels of the demise of its predecessors the LS-10 and LS-11 and puts its hand up as the sole recorder in the current Olympus Australia range aimed at recording music.

So what makes the LS-3 different to any other recorder in the Olympus range? Well all the other Olympus recorders are designed to record spoken audio which generally has a constant and narrow range of audio volume. Large fluctuations in volume, very quiet to very loud are not coped with well with standard voice recorders, this is where the LS-3 steps in. Not only that but the new Tresmic 3 mic system nestled under the LS-3 mic grill is designed to pick up a more natural, closer to reality audio.

Audio levels on the LS-3 can be controlled automatically or if you prefer manually. When setting levels manually a built-in limiter will suppress any sound distortion.

The neatest feature of the LS-3 though has to be the pre-record function. Advertised to let you “Never Miss A Beat” this handy featured when turned on will hold a 2 second audio buffer, so as soon as you hit record the previous two seconds of audio has already been recorded and now included in the audio recording.

Key features of the LS-3 are:

• Records in Linear PCM (Pulse Code Modulation) WAV, MP3 or WMA audio formats
• 3 Tresmic Mics, center mic can be turned on or off to give a frequency response of 20Hz-20kHz (Center mic ON) or 70Hz-20kHz (Center mic OFF)
• 4Gb of built-in flash memory with an additional microSD card slot for expansion upto 32Gb
• Mac & Windows compatible

Released in Australia in August 2011 for RRP $299 incl. GST, the LS-3 sets a new standard in music and nature sound recording.

If you check in on our blog often you would have noticed us drooling of the amazing Olympus LS-20M a few months back, in case you missed it here is the link – please note the massive close up picture of the LS-20M just to ram home how cool this little device is.

Well in the latest pricing released to all Olympus Australia resellers today you could almost hear the shouts of “yippee” across the country as we rubbed our eyes in disbelief, the LS-20M is now available in Australia (or will be in the next week or two).

Sure, we all have HD video recorders nowadays, on our iPhone, our Flip camera and even on our point-and-shoot or DSLR cameras. So what makes this recorder anydifferent? Well, if you have used some or all of the above devices then one thing you would have noticed, great video quality, shocking audio quality. This is where the LS-20M stands out; using the experience of Olympus imaging for the video and the market leading audio capabilities of the Voice arm Olympus have come up with this powerful little package.

Keeping in vogue with recent trends of filtering your shots, seen in the massively popular Instagr.am app on the iPhone (follow me on Instagr.am @australia) and in the ever so popular PEN range of Olympus Imaging cameras, filters are a part of the LS-20M bundle of fun.

Unusually with the LS-20M Olympus have stepped away from the on-board flash memory + SD/SDHC card combo, the LS-20M has no on-board flash memory at all and relies solely on the SD/SDHC card slot. Click here for the US specs for the LS-20M.

What I can tell you is that the RRP for the LS-20M is $449 incl. GST.

This is where Dropbox comes in. Dropbox is a service which has both free and paid options which not only allows you to share files of any kind, of any size with others it also stores them in the cloud aswell as on your PC or Mac in effect creating a backup of what is already on your computer. The concept is simple, you install the small Dropbox client on your computer and point that client to a single folder, that folder on your computer, just like My Documents on Windows. That folder and all its contents (including sub-directories) will be automatically synced with your account in the cloud. You don’t need to worry about the transfer completing, Dropbox handles that for you, you just drop the file and forget.

You can install the Dropbox agent on any of your computers, Mac or Windows, if you have more than one to keep files in sync from one machine to another. But in the digital voice world it makes a perfect solution for sharing audio files with colleagues and even your typist, regardless of whether they are in the same office, same state or even the same country.

Dropbox allows you to share certain folders (and even files) with people, so if you store all your important documents in Dropbox on the folders (or files) you choose will be shared with others. For example, lets say you use an outsource transcription service who transcribes your audio files. You can simply setup a “Transcription” folder in Dropbox, share that with your typists and then drop any audio files you need into that directory. You typist will automatically receive the file on their computer and will be alerted via a popup that the file has arrived. Not only that, when the transcription is complete they can just drop the transcript in the same directory and vice versa you receive the actual document into your Dropbox ready for you to read.

Most good transcription businesses will utilise their own secure servers for file transfer, however some of the smaller ones still tend to use thrid party sites like sendthisfile.com to move large audio files around. That’s great but you have to wait for the transfer to complete, which if you are working off a mobile 3G connection can be slow and painful. Dropbox takes that pain away and just works, not only that all file transfers are secure and the files are encrypted as they pass from your computer to Dropbox both ways.

The uses of Dropbox are limitless. Me personally, I use Dropbox to store all the voice recorder manuals I sell, along with many documents that I refer to often. Aswell as being available for Mac and Windows there is also an Apple iPhone app and Android app so you can access your files while on the go from your smartphone.

Dropbox has been around for a while and has really set the standard for file sharing and backup. I wrote this blog because I love the way it works and I use it daily. For file sharing, especially for large audio files, Dropbox is an easy way to move you files around.

Dropbox has both free and paid options. The free option gives you 2Gb of cloud storage, if you need more then there are a couple of paid options offering either monthly or yearly payments. This gives you 50Gb of space called Pro 50 (US$99/year or US$9.99/month), 100Gb of space called Pro 100 (US$199/year or US$19.99/month) and there is also a 350+Gb option called Teams, Dropbox will tailor a plan to your needs. For the average person the free option is the way to go, that’s what I use. So give it a try and let me know what you think. Click here to get Dropbox for free !

We get alot of hits on our blog from all over the world. Many hits are people searching for answers to specific questions. So we thought we would start a post and update as we go with questions we see pop up from day to day. This post will get longer over time so make good use of your browsers search function (here’s a tip, click Ctrl-f):

Do you have a question you would like answered? Leave a comment and we may include it in the list.

Q: Can you convert a .ds2 file to .dss?

A: Yes you can. But why would you is a question we would ask back. I would understand converting an MP3 or WMA file to a dss file format as the file size would be greatly reduced, but .ds2 to .dss no point.

Q: What is the best mic for use with Dragon Dictate for Mac

A: The answer to this one depends on the kind of microphone you prefer. Dragon Dictate for Mac in Australia is bundled with a choice of several mic options (click here for a run down of them all). These are all excellent mics so it is really down to personal choice. If you like a headset then there are a couple of options, if you prefer just a mic then there is an option for that and if you prefer wireless again there are a couple of choice. Soon I am sure dictation wirelessly through your iPhone/iPad will be available I am sure as this has just been released for Dragon NaturallySpeaking on Windows.

Q: Can I use the Olympus DS-5000 with my Olympus AS-4000 transcription kit.

A: Yes you can. BUT, and there is always a but, not straight out of the box. The AS-4000 kit will only work with standard .dss audio files, out of the box the DS-5000 records in .ds2 or DSS Pro audio format which is not compatible with the AS-4000. With the DSS Player Pro v5 Dictation Module software installed on a Windows PC (it comes with the DS-5000) you can set the default record mode of the DS-5000 to what is called Classic Mode (click here for a video demo how to do this). By setting Classic Mode your DS-5000 will record .dss audio files and will then be compatible with your AS-4000 transcription kit. More info here from an earlier blog post.

Q: Free transcription software for ds2 file.

A: OK, this search term or a variant of it appears every day in my Google analytics and I have to be honest it annoys me. If you are searching for free software to transcribe .ds2 audio files that indicates to me that you are likely doing this as a service to someone, i.e. you are running a business. At some point while running a business you will have to spend some money to support your business activities. After all most transcriptionists have it good, the most popular transcription software (Express Scribe) is free, you can even use it without a foot pedal thus saving you even more money. Now if you are receiving .ds2 files from your clients do them and yourself a favour, buy the software to let you play or convert these audio files. My tip, if you are watching the pennies, buy the Olympus DSS Player Pro v5 Dictation Module software, this will let you convert an Olympus .ds2 into .dss (classic) or WMA (or AIFF if you are on a Mac) and therefore will work with your free transcription software.

Q: Which digital voice recorders are compatible with Dragon Dictate for Mac.

A: This is an easy one to answer, none. Dragon Dictate for Mac can not take audio from a digital voice recorder, unlike its Windows cousin, Dragon NaturallySpeaking which can take audio in the Premium and Pro versions. Currently a seperate product called MacSpeech Scribe will take audio from a recorder and transcribe it using the Dragon speech recognition engine. I expect this to change at some point in the future and be part of Dragon Dictate but as of now it can only be done with MacSpeech Scribe.

The DM series recorders in Australia are now manned by the Olympus DM-3 and the Olympus DM-5 digital voice recorders since the launch of the DM3 in early July 2011. To look at them you would be hard pressed to tell the difference other than the Olympus DM3 is silver and the Olympus DM5 is black.

So what is the difference between the two? Here is a summary:

Memory:

• DM-3 has 4Gb of on-board memory, expandable via the microSD slot (512mb to 16Gb cards)
• DM-5 has 8Gb of on-board memory, expandable via the microSD slot (512mb to 16Gb cards)

Maximum Recording Time (using in-built memory only):

I only list the highest quality audio recording modes as these give the best quality sound and audio pickup. If you choose lower quality recording modes the maximum recording times will be greater than I have listed. I recommend using the highest quality audio recording modes.

Olympus DM-3 (RRP $349 incl. GST in Australia)

• 25hrs 30mins on the highest bit-rate MP3 format (320kbps)
• 5hrs 15mins on the 48kHz linear PCM uncompressed WAV format
• 62hrs 30mins on the highest quality WMA (Windows Media Audio) format

Olympus DM-5 (RRP $499 incl. GST in Australia)

• 53hrs on the highest bit-rate MP3 format (320kbps)
• 11hrs 5mins on the 48kHz linear PCM uncompressed WAV format
• 130hrs on the highest quality WMA (Windows Media Audio) format

Text To Speech (DM5 Only):

Only the DM-5 is capable of reading aloud a textfile, this feature is not available on the DM-3. Text to speech is a functional typically used by people who are vision impaired or have reading disabilities.

DAISY Books (DM5 Only):

Only the DM-5 is capable of playing DAISY (Digital Accessible Information System) books. DAISY books were intended to replace audio tapes for digital devices and have the ability to read-aloud books while also highlighting text and displaying images. DAISY books are typically used by people who are vision impaired or have reading disabilities.

Voice Recognition (DM5 Only):

Only the DM-5 is capable of processing voice recognition commands to control the digital voice recorder. Voice recognition allows complicated key inputs using voice alone, for example to set the date and time or setting up timer record. Voice recognition only controls the Olympus DM-5 functions is does not take your spoken words and transcribe them. Voice recognition is typically used by people who are vision impaired or have reading disabilities.

Viewing Images (DM-5 Only):

Only the Olympus DM5 has the ability to store and display images imported from a digital camera. The images can be displayed on the DM-5′s large lcd colour screen.

So there you have it. As you can see the Olympus DM-5 is really aimed at people who are vision impaired and give them a user friendly digital voice recording device. Both will record exactly the same audio quality files, the main difference being the size of the memory in each which in turn effects the maximum recording times which I have listed above. If you are not vision impaired the only reason I would see someone opting for an Olympus DM-5 over a DM3 would be if they are planning on being away from a computer for a large amount of time gathering audio that would exceed the in-built memory plus an addition microSD card’s worth of memory. That is alot of audio.

Both the Olympus DM-3 and the Olympus DM-5 are available in Australia from us, Dictate Australia. We are an Olympus Imaging Australia Gold partner. Any questions about these or any recorders please comment here or contact is through our website – www.dictate.com.au

A new firmware update is available for the Olympus DM-3 and DM-5 digital voice/meeting/interview recorders, version 1.20

New in this firmware release is:

1. Support the functions of USB microphone or Speaker.
2. Supports the function to register the voice keywords for the schedule.
3. Supports the function to register the voice memos for the schedule.
4. Supports the playback for audio files from the schedule list display.
5. Improve the volume setting when the text file is spoken out.
6. Supports to directly connect the device to CD drive and import DAISY contents from CD (Only for DM-5)

Both the Olympus DM-3 and DM-5 can be updated on either a Windows or a Mac, to find out how please review our earlier blog post by clicking the link below:

How to firmware update your Olympus DM-3 / DM-5 on Windows or Mac

The latest Olympus digital voice recorders come with the ability to update their firmware as and when Olympus release new updates. The firmware is essentially the operating system that runs your digital voice recorder so it is a good idea to always stay up-to-date with any new firmware releases, much as you do with your Mac when new OS X operating system releases are made and on Windows with security patches and fixes. Firmware updates will improve the usability of your recorder, fix any minor bugs and often add more features or improve usability.

To check your current firmware version on your Olympus DM-3 or Olympus DM-5 digital voice recorder navigate the menus:

Preferences -> System Menu -> System Info

Your current loaded firmware version will then be displayed along with your recorder model and serial number.

To upgrade the firmware on your Olympus DM-3 or DM-5 digital meeting recorder on a Mac or Windows PC you will need:

• Obviously your Olympus DM-3 / DM-5
• The DM-3 / DM-5 USB Cable
• If on Mac – OS X 10.4.11 or higher
• If on Windows – XP, Vista or 7

I recommend that you either fully charge your DM-3 / DM-5 prior to upgrading the firmware or better still use the AC mains power adapter (not Mac/PC powered USB). If the firmware upgrade fails your recorder may be left unusable, this will often occur if the recorder battery is low and powers down during upgrade.

Next you will need to determine if your current firmware version is older than what is currently available. You can do this by either regularly checking the relevant Olympus firmware website for your operating system (links below) or better still keep an eye on our blog as we will announce firmware updates as and when they occur:

Click here for the latest Olympus DM-3 or DM-5 firmware for Mac

Click here for the latest Olympus DM-3 or DM-5 firmware for Windows

The above links will give you all the detail you will need to update the firmware on your recorder.

STEP BY STEP GUIDE – DM3/DM5 FIRMWARE UPGRADE ON MAC

The steps for upgrading the firmware on a Mac are the same as on Windows, the walk through splash screens are exactly the same (see Windows upgrade steps below). The only difference I noted was that when I ran the .dmg installer it forced my to reboot my Mac prior to automatically launching the DM-3/DM-5 firmware upgrade. I left my digital recorder USB connected during this reboot.

STEP BY STEP GUIDE – DM3/DM5 FIRMWARE UPGRADE ON WINDOWS

So once you have downloaded the firmware upgrade for Windows from the above Olympus link, simply double click and the firmware updater will walk you through the process. It is very simple and only takes around 4 minutes to complete the firmware upgrade.

Step 1.

Confirms that the software you are running is a DM-X (Dm3 or DM5) firmware updater and requests you USB connect (PC not AC) your Olympus DM-3 or DM-5 digital voice recorder.

Step 2.

Your Olympus DM-3 or DM-5 will be detected and this is confirmed in this next splash box. Here you can check your current firmware version against the firmware version available and downloaded. If they are different then you can continue.

Step 3.

Firmware update phase 1 begins. PLEASE NOTE there are two phases of firware update so please be patient and read carefully every splash screen instructions.

Step 4.

Firmware (phase 1) is copied to the Olympus DM3/DM5 and is updating the digital voice recorder.

Step 5.

The next phase of firmware update is about to begin. Do not pull out your recorder from the USB yet.

Step 6.

This confirms that the new version of the firmware is now residing on the Olympus DM-3/DM-5 and is ready to be installed.

Step 7.

Wait while the firware unpacks on the DM3/DM5.

Step 8.

Firmware is installing.

Step 9.

That’s it! Your Olympus DM3 / DM5 has been flashed with the new firmware.

I know fancy title for what is essentially a giveaway if you buy a bundle of the best digital dictaphone and transcription kit on the market the Olympus DS-5000 digital dictaphone (or DS-5000iD) and AS-5000 digital transcrpition kit. And why not, its alot of money to buy this gear so you should be rewarded and thats exactly what Olympus are prepared to do by giving away … drum roll please … a 14 mega pixel Olympus FE4030 digital camera.

In yet another move to send the competition scrambling for ideas the partnership between Olympus Voice and Olympus Imaging is cemented with this deal. To qualify all you need do is buy one DS-5000 and one AS-5000 in one transaction, that’s it. Oh and of course make sure you are buying from an Olympus Pro dealer in Australia who is participating in this promo, please check first though to make sure they have the camera stock so as not to be disappointed. At the time of writing, we Dictate Australia, have quite a few cameras to give away with 5000 bundles. No need to buy online we can invoice you.

The Olympus FE4030 is a stunning little point and shoot from Olympus, with a 14 megapixel sensor and powerful 4x optical zoom lens with 26mm wide angle, you’ll get your great shot every time. Get creative with the FE 4030′s selection of Magic Filters.  With Pop, Pinhole, Sketch and Fisheye effects, transform your photos into works of art, all at the touch of a button.  And when its time to upload your shots to your computer, you’ll be charging the battery at the same time, with USB and In-camera charging! I love the filters they can transform ordinary photos into works of art.

Well, all official Olympus resellers will also sell spare parts, the trick is knowing what that spare part is called. In this post I will go through everything that is in the box and show you the part numbers and their RRP (in Australia) to give you an idea if you really should have looked after that part a bit more carefully. When you open the Olympus branded shoe box that contains your new DS-5000 or DS-5000iD everything inside can be replaced except for the recorder itself. So apart from the recorder what you will find inside are:

CR10 – Docking Station for Olympus DS-5000 – RRP AU$95 incl. GST

This black dock acts as the interface between your recorder and your PC or Mac. Be warned though this replacement part is only the dock, the cables which connect to it are separate Olympus parts. The dock allows charging of the DS-5000 and also the USB connection to your computer.

The CR10 dock can also be used with the Olympus DS-3400 but will not charge batteries in the DS-3400.

BR403 – Ni-MH Rechargeable Battery Pack – RRP AU$45 incl. GST

These are the Olympus rechargeable nickel-metal hydride batteries which come with your Olympus DS-5000.

Over time your batteries may get tired from constant use or you may prefer to have a spare set of rechargeables on hand, if so this is the part for you.

These batteries also fit the older Olympus DS-4000 digital dictaphone.

A513 – 5v AC Power Adaptor – AU$59 incl. GST

The power supply for your Olympus DS-5000. This connects directly to the back of the CR10 dock or into the DS-5000 itself, this is the part you need if you want to have a spare power supply to take on business trips with your or to keep at home.

Make sure you buy this from an Australian reseller other you may end up with a plug which is not compatible with Australian wall sockets.

KP21 – miniA-B USB Cable – AU$59.50 incl. GST

This cable is essential, it is the USB cable which directly plugs into the CR10 dock or into the Olympus DS-5000 directly and connects your recorder to your Mac or PC. If you store your audio on the internal memory then without this cable you will not be able to access your digital audio files other than playing them back on the recorder itself. Just a tip, if you are away and have forgotten your KP21 and you have urgent dictation stored on the internal memory that you need to send to your secretary or transcription service, copy the dictation to the removeable SD memory card. Finding an SD card reader will be much easier to find than a KP21, anywhere in the world.

AS5001 – DSS player Pro v5 Dictation Module CD-ROM – AU$145 incl. GST

The all important software, the software which on Windows works much of the magic behind the Olympus DS-5000; Auto send of dictation by FTP, onto a network drive or via email. Audio editing, file encryption, file conversion, recorder settings and much more are all controlled using this software. On the Mac this disk contains the DSS Player Plus v7 software. Most importantly though this CD-ROM includes a single install licence key, one for a Windows install and one for a Mac install. Maybe you have a new PC and can’t find the original software disk or more often the case the licence key then this part is for you. Please remember you can still get audio off the DS-5000 without this software, on both Mac and Windows the software just adds all the functionality. The CD also holds a PDF copy of the DS-5000 manual, so if you are looking for that it’s on the CD. If you just need the manual, email me I will send you a PDF copy.

CS-119 Carry Case for Olympus DS-5000 – AU$55 incl. GST

This part is the carry case which keeps your Olympus DS-5000 free from dirt and scratches and over time can become a bit tatty.

If you need a replacement look for the CS-119.

That covers all the parts that come with your Olympus DS-5000 or DS-5000iD digital dictaphone. If you lose something it can be replaced, please make sure you always get your parts from Authorised Olympus Australia Professional reseller, which of course is what we are.

As usual, any questions or comments please post them here or tweet us @dictates. All these parts are available in Australia from Dictate Australia – Olympus Gold Professional Reseller

Olympus Imaging yesterday revised the price on a number of their hugely popular digital notetakers (used mainly for voice notes, interviews, meetings, conferences, lectures etc.) in a downward direction. Last year we had a flood of downward price movements after the middle man, Nationwide Dictating, was removed and Olympus Imaging took over Australian distribution of the voice products. This downward trend seems to be continuing with Olympus in Australia making their voice recorders even more competitive and surely sending dread through most of their competitors who continue to struggle to get close to Olympus.

With Olympus though it is not just price reductions for the sake of it. They are busy, we continually see new models churn out of their factories so innovation continues while at the same time making the recorders much more affordable. Students in particular will be happy with this round as some of the budget recorders have been reduced. Here are the new Australian RRPs for the models affected (all prices stated include GST):

• Olympus DP-20 down to $59 from $69
• Olympus VN-8500PC down to $79 from $99
• Olympus VN-8600PC down to $99 from $129
• Olympus WS-650S down to $139 from $169
• Olympus WS-750M down to $169 from $229
• Olympus WS-760M down to $199 from $269
• Olympus DM-5 down to $499 from $599

Left out of the price cuts are the popular DM-450 and DM-550 meeting/interview recorders and the LS-10 and LS-11 PCM music recorders.

So why the price cuts? One can only speculate and speculate we shall !! I would say Olympus want to continue to put pressure on the other players in the digital voice market. These include Philips who sit at number 2 in Australia and to a smaller extent Sony who seem to merely play at the voice recorder game and trade off their brand name rather than their cutting edge technology and local Australian support. We may see a revamp of the WS series models later this year and we may also get to see the DM-3 put in an appearance down under.

All RRP price changes effective from 8th February and always buy from an official Olympus Australia partner.

You may want to go make a cup of tea before you start reading, this is going to be a long post. Why so long? The DM-450 and DM-550 are just amazing digital recorders and are packed to the brim with features while at the same time being extremely easy to use out of the box. So, if you have your tea made then lets begin….

The new Olympus DM-450 and DM-550 digital note taker voice recorders from Olympus have recently replaced the massively successful DS series note takers (DS-30/DS-40/DS-50 and more recently the DS-55/DS-65). With each new evolution of this range of recorder they just get better and better in all areas; look, feel, software, audio quality and ease of use.

The DM-450 and DM-550 follow a similar pattern with previous Olympus recorders. Essentially they are both the same internally with only slight differences between the DM-450 and DM-550, if you record a WMA or MP3 in ST XQ on both recorders they would record pretty much record the same audio (DM-450 stereo mic records 100Hz to 15kH, DM-550 stereo mic records 70Hz to 20kHz).  Let’s start with the huge list of what they both can do:

Features of both DM-450 and DM-550 are:

• Mac (Intel) and Windows (XP, Vista, 7, 32-bit & 64-Bit) compatible.
• Records in .WMA or .MP3
• Expandable memory via the MicroSD/MicroSDHC slot using commercially available MicroSD/MicroSDHC cards.
• Supports playback of audio in WAV, WMA and MP3 format, either recorded by the recorder or transferred from files on your computer.
• Built in Variable Control Voice Actuator (VCVA) allows voice activated recording based on variable volume triggers.
• Low Cut noise filter attempts to remove low level audio sounds like air conditioning units
• Noise cancellation and voice filter functions to enhance audio on playback.
• Built in and programmable recording and playback scenes (e.g. conference recording, interview recording, dictation etc).
• Move or copy files between built-in memory and expanded memory.
• Backlight display.
• Index and temp marking.
• Controllable playback speed.
• Voice guidance feature, the recorder talks to you to advise of menu selections, perfect for vision impaired users.
• Folders can be named.
• Timer record, set the record to start recording at preset times and days.
• Alarm feature, set the recorder to playback audio at preset times.
• Directional mic, records wide all around audio (interviews, meetings, focus groups etc) down to single directional for direct dictation.
• Comes with Olympus Sonority software for audio file editing, enhancement and email functions. Although software is not required to take audio from the recorders, they are plug and play on both Windows and Mac – no software required.
• Batteries can be charged via USB.
• Recorders can be used to store and playback podcasts, configured via the Olympus Sonority software.
• Recorders can be used as an Audible device, store and listen to your audio books on the recorders.

The subtle differences between the DM-450 and DM-550 are :

• DM-450 has 2Gb of in built memory, expandable via the micro SD/SDHC slot (512mb – 16Gb).
• DM-550 has 4Gb of in built memory, expandable via the micro SD/SDHC slot (512mb – 16Gb).
• DM-450 is silver, DM-550 is black.

Features available only on the DM-550 are:

• PCM audio recording. This creates a better than audio quality CD recording to an uncompressed .WAV file. Typically used to record music and nature sounds like birds or frogs.
• Recording level can be adjusted automatically or manually.
• Files can be moved between folders in the memory.
• Files can be split or divided on the recorder.
• Intro play feature when searching through files.
• Partial erase (PCM files only)

Ok now that you know all the features and functions let’s look now at the using the recorder itself. Both recorders are about the length of a Snickers bar and about 3/4 the width. They fit nicely in your hand and when placed on a desk is held firmly in place by four tiny rubberized feet. The recorders are housed in an aluminum shell so they are tough and can take some abuse.

Both recorders are super fast at start-up, this will appeal to journalists in particular who need to quickly whip out their recorder to grab sound bites. The record, stop and play buttons are located on the right side of the unit if you look at it face on, this is perfect positioning and takes no thought as to which button to press, this is similar to the tried and trusted design of the Pro range of digital dictaphone, all of which have the record/play/stop controller on the side. By placing the button here makes the device universally acceptable to both right and left handed people, with the mics at the top of the unit it can be flipped to suit either dexterous ethnicity.

Easy Access To Stop/Play/Record Buttons

As you can see from the image above showing the play/stop/record button location just above on the top of the unit is the grill protecting the phenomenal stereo mics, which are not only gorgeous (you have to be a digital recorder fan to think that a mic grill is that good) but super sensitive. A new feature introduced in this range of digital recorders is the zoom mic. This can vary the range of audio pickup from narrow to wide. For the vast majority of your recordings you would choose a wide setting. Zoom would be rarely used except for when in an audience and you are struggling to hear a speaker, flick to zoom and point at the presenter to get the best chance of audio pickup. As always, my general rule of thumb, if you can hear what is being said, so will the record. If you are struggling to hear, zoom will be your best chance of audio pickup.

The DM-450/DM-550 are powered by 2x AAA Ni-MH rechargeable batteries (included) and can also be powered by standard alkaline AAA’s. They can also be powered via USB, both PC/Mac connected or via mains power. Olympus claim that you will get 51 hours of recording off the batteries in LP mode. Nobody uses LP mode so expect less than that, personally I recommend USB powering the units if you are going to be recording long sessions.

Essentially the DM-450 and DM-550 are now the work horse Olympus units for recording interviews, sound bites, conferences, lectures, meetings and with the PCM capabilities of the DM-550 music and nature sounds. In our business we use the DM-450 for any onsite recording we do for clients.

The DM-450 retails for $349.00 incl. GST and the DM-550 is $449.00 incl. GST in Australia.

On a budget, short of cash, funds a bit low, boss won’t spend big on technology? Then do Philips and Olympus Voice have a cheap digital voice recorder for you.

The range of digital voice recorders on offer from the two big boys, Olympus & Philips, can be a little bewildering to the average person. With Olympus alone having a range of around fifteen digital voice recording devices starting at the AU$99 (VN-8500PC) and going all the way up to AU$945 (DM-5000iD) the consumer can be forgiven for being a little overwhelmed by the choice.

At the bottom of the pile, in a nice way, are the cheap budget digital voice recorders (note takers) which range from AU$99 to AU$129. These are the most basic of voice recorders but will get you by if you are pinching pennies or do not require all the features and functions that some of the more mainstream recorders provide. Your typical lower end digital voice recorder still however picks up and records pretty good audio. They would not be recommended for important board meetings, focus groups and even sound bites if you are a journalist. But if you are looking to record informal chats, your strumming on a guitar, family oral history recordings and at a push lectures and the like, then these digital recorders will be of interest to you.

What You Get:

• Simple, easy to use recording
• Mac & Windows compatible recorders
• .MP3 or .WMA (Windows Media Audio) Recording
• Digital note taking

What You Don’t Get:

• A digital dictaphone
• High quality, high bit rate stereo recording
• Background noise filtering
• Mic Level adjustment
• PCM Recording
• Mic adjustment – Wide/Narrow/Zoom
• Software for editing, adding notes, sending etc
• Large amounts of memory for storage
• This list would go on and on

So lets take a look at what Olympus and Philips have to offer in their budget range, both have two recorders…

Philips Digital Voice Tracer LFH0612 & LFH0632

From Philips there is the Digital Voice Tracer, DVT for short, models LFH0612 and LFH0632. You would be hard pushed to spot the difference between these two recorders other than the obvious colour. Both have 1Gb of memory, 3 recording modes (HQ, SP, SLP) and both record .mp3 audio files. The only difference we can find is that the LFH0632 has a voice volume indicator whereas the LFH0612 does not. Both units last around 15-20 hours of recording off the 2x AAA batteries.

Olympus VN-8500PC & VN-8600PC

From Olympus we have the VN-8500PC and the VN-8600PC. These little beauties you can tell the difference between on the spec sheet, although interestingly not to look at (unless you look closely and you will see that the VN-8500PC has a narrower speaker grill than the VN-8600PC). The key differences between these two are; VN-8500PC only records in .WMA (can be painful on a Mac) whereas the VN-8600PC records in your choice of .WMA or .MP3. VN-8500PC only has 1Gb of memory whereas the VN-8600PC doubles up with 2Gb of memory giving you longer maximum recording times. Olympus claim to get 51 hours of usage out of the 2x AAA batteries.

Most who buy these recorders would be hard pressed to find much difference between them, alot would be swayed by brand loyalty. Are you a Philips person or an Olympus person?

We are now in the day and age of digital dictation and transcription. But, believe it or not, there are people and organisations out there who are still using some form of cassette tape to record dictation. Olympus long ago discontinued their micro and mini cassette transcription kits (remember the old Pearlcorder brand?) and more recently their hand held tape dictaphones and the tapes bit the dust.

So, what if you do transcription work and you only have digital transcription software, how do you get taped audio into a digital format for you to transcribe? Really it is quite simple as long as you have a device that can play the tape usually the device that made the recording if you have a microcassette or mini cassette. Standard tapes can be played back using a standard tape deck although you have to be careful as some standard cassette recordings can be made in double time which you won’t be able to play on a standard tape deck. As long as that tape player has an earphone or headphone jack you are in luck.

As audio is played back through the earphone jack socket, typically to a headset or earpiece, when you play the tape use that output source and run it into the mic socket on your PC or Mac. To do this you will need a cable which on one end has a male jack plug the correct size to fit the earphone/headphone jack socket on the tape player. On the other end of the cable you will need another male jack plug the correct size to fit the mic socket on your PC or Mac. Don’t worry if the sockets on the tape player and your computer are different sizes, you can get adapters to change the male jack plug size. Once you have the cable all you need is some free audio recording software to record whatever your PC/Mac mic socket can hear as the tape is played back. Once recorded you can save the audio in your favourite digital format; mp3, wma, wav etc.

One thing to watch out for is excessive noise output from the tape playing device. In our experience we have had to reduce the output volume on the player to very low. On the computer I recommend you adjust the mic in volume control to the lowest setting also. Keep an eye on the audio meter levels in the software you choose to record digitally, you will be able to see if the audio in is too much for your sound card. Remember this is taped audio, it will not be as crisp or clear as digital.

Suggested software for recording audio on your computer:

Audacity: Open source, free audio recording software. Allows for audio editing and some effects like noise reduction.

Wavepad: From everyones favourite audio software company NCH Swift Sound. Wavepad comes in a free limited functionality version and a paid full featured package.