mp3 recorders

Around 7/24/07 Luisma and a few other SW brothers asked:

Do you know how I could record talks to mp3?

This is what I sent:

The key specifications that I was looking for in a talk recorder were:
-record directly to mp3 format
-run on a rechargeable lithium ion battery
-have a built-in microphone that captures good sound

Here’s the one that I bought to do that: Support Plus 512 MB SP-MP363A-0062. I found it for $28 dollars total and it arrived within a week. You can also find a 1GB model (black in color) for around $75 (check ebay). All I have to do is hit a record button on the side and then set it on the table in front of the person speaking. Voila!

Support Plus is sort-of an obscure brand, but their reputation is solid. There are a lot of choices out there for flash-based mp3 players with more of a name-brand. Many of them have a built-in microphone, but it’s real hard to tell if they’re going to be able to capture good quality sound. I picked this one originally because it encodes directly to MP3. It just turns out that the built-in mic is good, too.

Finally, as mentioned in a post on audio editors, you could download MP3directcut for free and just use your laptop to record direct to MP3.

-Brian LaLonde