It would seem, why do you need a dictaphone at all, if you do not work as a journalist, interviewing people day and night? But it is needed, because life in Russia today is developing in such a way that without a dictaphone, wherever you are, you are in a deliberately losing position. Why are we so sure of this? Well, at least because we ourselves use the dictaphone almost every day, and it really helps to cope with a lot of problems.
Use the voice recorder as a diary
If you are lazy to keep a diary, but always wanted to do it, then use a dictaphone record instead of a boring notebook or word document. This format is convenient for a number of reasons. Firstly, you do not need to look for a pen and a book to write down a "brilliant" idea. You just take out a dictaphone, write it down, and rejoice at the result. Recording is always prompt. Secondly, audio recordings are very convenient to store, and they weigh a little. These are not at all piles of papers that will be scattered on the table in the event that you want to keep a diary in the old way.
Guarantor of agreements
We recommend keeping a record of any business conversation that may involve money. Yes, perhaps your partners or colleagues will not like that you write them down (it is better to warn them about this, by the way), but you will even less like the fact that they will not fulfill their obligations, and instead of proof of their non-fulfillment, you will have empty words, which remained in memory, and not on a piece of paper or writing. Perhaps the record is not always legally binding, but it may well be the guarantor of agreements of one level or another. And, again, such a guarantor is quite convenient for itself.
Your help for developing public speaking skills
With the help of the voice recorder, you can even develop your skills, for example, oratory. Everything is simple here. In your head, your speech can sound great because you perceive your voice with distortion, which is quite natural.
Other people hear your voice differently, and it can be drastically different from what you hear differently. Therefore, it is important to train the skill of a public monologue with a voice recorder. With its help, you can adequately perceive your mistakes, speech "bugs", lost tempo and so on, so on, so on. The dictaphone recording clearly demonstrates where you went wrong. This means that you can fix anything you want.
Life hack for your holey memory
Let's add one more application of the voice recorder to our list: you can record lectures, important conversations, lists of products that need to be purchased for the holidays on it. In other words, the voice recorder in this case will become part of your memory, freeing your brain from unnecessary stress. In general, the fast pace of life that we see in any city is conducive to this format of “memorization”. We use it - it helps perfectly. When there is information overload in your head, it is very difficult to memorize everyday things that are necessary simply for normal life functioning, and the dictaphone saves you. Try it yourself.
"Witness" in court
Again, the record can be falsified, so it may not be a serious argument in court, but, on the other hand, it can help your lawyer or investigator to understand the case, and this will greatly facilitate the legal process. Dictaphone recordings are often used by journalists as an argument in favor of a particular material. By doing this, they periodically save people who are under strong pressure from various structures. Actually, if you read the news, you probably saw the "leaked" records, which were made only in order to find the truth or to protect yourself. Therefore, yes, the voice recorder is not a whim, but a necessity that can save you. Tested by hundreds of people.
In general, we watched different voice recorders for a long time. The range of prices for them is large. Some may cost thirty, others a couple of thousand. Actually, when choosing, one must be guided by common sense. The quality of the recording doesn't have to be studio quality, but it doesn't have to be lousy either. The price should not shock, and reliability should be guaranteed by a reputable manufacturer. If there is a guarantee, then this is only a plus. In general, there are three models of voice recorders that we have selected for you. All of the Ritmix brands, and in our opinion, they are the ones that have the best price-to-functionality ratio.
Ritmix RR-610
This is a handy and compact voice recorder that combines the functions of a radio and a music player. It is very easy to operate, and any recording goes to internal memory or microSD in WAV format, which is a universal solution that does not require conversion. There is also a voice activated VOR recording function. If you turn it on, the device will start recording automatically. But the main advantage of this model is the presence of a USB connector, which will save you from the hassle of wires.
Ritmix RR-810
It is a digital voice recorder with excellent recording quality. It is equipped with a high-quality speaker, several recording modes, removable disk support function (that is, you do not need to install additional software to work with a PC). The record itself easily suppresses external noise - the output recording is extremely clean. Separately, we highlight the excellent protection of the recording from accidental deletion. And on it, like on the previous one, you can listen to music and radio, there is even a hearing aid function. Plus, thanks to replaceable batteries, you don't have to worry about the battery life cycle - you bought new ones and threw out the old ones.
Ritmix RR-989
This is a versatile voice recorder with two built-in high-sensitivity microphones located at an angle of 90 degrees for natural stereo sound recording. As for the functionality, the model has incorporated all the functions of the two previous voice recorders, so we will not repeat the description, but simply note that in terms of price / quality ratio, it is an ideal choice.
The saddest chapter in the history of the fight for information security is, without a doubt, the fight against voice recorders ...
Currently, the voice recorder is the most accessible and frequently used means for secret recording of audio information. But today there is no way that could effectively and imperceptibly protect negotiators from recording their conversation.
How did this situation come about? Is it all so hopeless? Is it possible to somehow defend oneself? We will try to consider all these issues.
There are two different (but not mutually exclusive) approaches to the problem of protection against hidden audio recording. First, an intruder's dictaphone can be detected (and defused); secondly, the operation of the voice recorder can be suppressed using various kinds of interference. Let's consider these approaches in order.
Detecting voice recorders
Any modern voice recorder can be easily detected using. Moreover, the probability of detection is quite high, regardless of the size of the recorder and its condition (a recorder with a "dead" battery is detected as confidently as a recorder in working order). And, if the recorder is embedded (planted) in your premises, the problem can be considered solved. It is enough to invite an experienced specialist with a nonlinear locator, and after a while he will either find a dictaphone or confidently say that it is not in the room.
But, unfortunately, it is possible that the dictaphone is in the pocket of your unscrupulous interlocutor planning to record the conversation without your consent. The dictaphone can be detected in this case as well. But for this, your interlocutor must be subjected to a personal search procedure using a non-linear locator. And this is often impossible and almost always inconvenient and undesirable. Covert inspection with the help of a nonlinear locator will not give anything, since it will not allow you to say what is in the visitor's pocket - an activated dictaphone, a mobile phone or an electronic car alarm key fob.
The voice recorder can also be detected with confidence using a metal detector ( or ), since metal is always present in its structure. But here the situation of the previous case is completely repeated: the embedded dictaphone will sooner or later be discovered during a scrupulous examination of the premises, but to identify the dictaphone at the visitor, a personal search with the help of a metal detector is required.
Recently, the detection of voice recorders using a thermal imager has become a popular topic of discussion. It is assumed that when it is pointed at an object on the screen of the device, the location of the switched on voice recorder will be displayed as an area with a high temperature. But here again the problem of identification arises: there are no signs of selection by which it would be possible to distinguish the infrared image of a dictaphone from the infrared image of a mobile phone or MP 3-player. And, in addition, there is a fear that modern miniature dictaphones during operation heat up so weakly that their detection with a standard thermal imager is unlikely to be possible.
And finally, theoretically, hidden detection of a working voice recorder can be performed by a voice recorder detector - a special electronic device that catches and analyzes weak electromagnetic radiation. In cassette and some types of digital kinematic voice recorders there is an electric motor, which generates characteristic electromagnetic signals, which are unmasking features. In digital voice recorders, as a rule, there are signals associated with the operation of digital-to-analog converters and various digital microcircuits. It is these electromagnetic signals that dictaphone detectors are trying to receive and then analyze.
The signals analyzed by the detectors of voice recorders are so weak and diverse that without microprocessor processing, their functioning is practically impossible. They are hindered by the saturation of the ether with extraneous signals and the intrinsic internal noise of the sensitive elements. For example, a computer working next to a detector can completely disorganize its operation. An important circumstance is also the constructive performance of the recorder. Dictaphones in metal cases have ten times less intrinsic radiation than dictaphones in plastic cases, with the same design. The real distance at which a kinematic voice recorder can be found is 30-50 cm for plastic voice recorders and 2-10 cm for voice recorders in a metal case (TRD-800 and CPM-700 detectors). Microprocessor-based devices (for example, devices of the PTRD series or the ST 0110 software and hardware complex) allow these recorders to be detected at long distances, but in any case, this distance usually does not exceed one meter under normal conditions, and if present in the immediate vicinity Even microprocessor-based detectors give false signals when working electronic equipment.
Finding digital voice recorders is even more difficult. Therefore, they can hardly be recommended for dealing with hidden microphones, and therefore, at present, many manufacturers are phasing out the release of voice recorder detectors.
Suppressing voice recorders by jamming
In recent years, various dictaphone jammers have been used more often, in which both electromagnetic and acoustic interference can be used.
Generators of electromagnetic interference designed to combat voice recorders are called voice recorder suppressors.
Currently, there are a significant number of such devices on the market (Shumotron, Storm, Bastion, Ramses, etc.), but the principle of their operation is the same: directing electromagnetic interference directly to the microphone amplifiers and the input circuits of the recorder ... As a rule, noise signals with a relatively narrow emission bandwidth are used for these purposes in order to minimize interference with radio equipment for various purposes. The frequencies at which these devices operate are more often in the 1 GHz region, and the powers are in units of watts. Dictaphone jammers emit electromagnetic interference in a directional way, in a 60-70 degree cone oriented in one direction.
There are two versions of voice recorder jammers: portable (usually mounted in a case) and stationary (located in the place of negotiations under the table or in the nearest cabinet). The portable version is equipped with an autonomous power source (battery) for 30-60 minutes of operation. Almost all models have a remote control. Some are equipped with small-sized power-on indicators. there are practically no external manifestations of its work as a suppressor.
Unfortunately, voice recorder jammers are not without their drawbacks.
The first of them is the adverse effect on the human body. Although many devices of this class have medical certificates, they usually indicate at what distance and how long a person can safely be in the working area of the device (suppression zone). Here, neither add, nor add, nor advise. Read the medical certificate carefully and decide for yourself whether to purchase a voice recorder jammer or not. But keep in mind that harm to the body is not the only drawback of this class of devices.
The second drawback is that voice recorder jammers interfere with electronic equipment. Radios, active speakers, telephones, radiotelephones with analog radio channels, audio and video intercoms, televisions, and computer monitors are most affected. Even false alarms of burglar and fire alarms can occur if the suppressors are not located correctly. Not only can dictaphone suppressors disrupt the operation of radio equipment in this way, but by this disorganization they unmask their work.
And, finally, we will consider the third, but the most important disadvantage from the point of view of information security. As with voice recorder detectors, the degree of voice recorder shielding plays an important role. Manufacturers of dictaphone suppressors in their operational documentation usually indicate that dictaphones in plastic cases are suppressed at distances of up to 5-6 meters, and in metal cases - at distances of 2.5-3.5 meters. Until recently, it was so. But try to suppress the voice recorder of a modern mobile phone using any of the jammers. In 90% of cases, a fiasco is guaranteed. And this is not surprising. After all, the input circuits of microphones of mobile phones were originally designed in such a way that they would not be affected by microwave radiation. Not only that, technologies developed for mobile phones are now being introduced into conventional voice recorders. Therefore, more and more of them are becoming simply immune to the effects of suppressors. Thus, the use of voice recorder jammers nowadays is a roulette game. You turn it on and wonder: suppressed - not suppressed.
An alternative to electromagnetic interference is acoustic interference. The class of devices generating acoustic interference in the speech frequency range was named acoustic maskers... The principle of their work is to mask the ongoing conversation with speech-like noise. Due to the peculiarities of the perception of sounds by human consciousness, the interlocutors are able to understand each other against the background of sounding noise. At the same time, the dictaphone records a completely unintelligible mixture of speech with noise, from which it is impossible to distinguish speech even theoretically.
Thus, when using acoustic maskers, you can conduct confidential negotiations, regardless of the presence of voice recorders in their area. An additional advantage of acoustic maskers is that they suppress the functioning of not only dictaphones, but also all means of picking up acoustic information without exception (stethoscopes, laser stethoscopes, directional microphones, wired microphones, radio microphones, network bookmarks, etc.).
Despite such versatility, this class of devices has two interrelated disadvantages: firstly, negotiations have to be carried out in conditions of high-intensity acoustic noise; secondly, in the heat of negotiation, the interlocutors can simply shout down the masker and thereby reduce its effectiveness (however, this is a matter of adaptation).
Intelligent acoustic maskers are partially devoid of the first of these disadvantages. Devices of this class have an acoustic start circuit (i.e., acoustic interference is generated only when there is sound in the room) with an adjustable switching threshold. The acoustic start system reduces the duration of exposure to speech noise on hearing, which helps to reduce fatigue when using the device. In addition, the use of the acoustic start system increases the battery life of the device.
An example of a simple and effective intelligent acoustic masker is the Ekran product. The speech-like interference of the device sounds synchronously with the masked speech. The intensity of the interference and its spectral composition are close to the original speech signal. Each time the device is turned on, unrepeatable fragments of speech-like noise are presented.
The next stage in the development of acoustic maskers was the creation of products, with the use of which negotiations are carried out in audio headsets. At the same time, the negotiators exchange information through the electronic unit, and the headphones, wearing them, exclude the annoying effect of acoustic interference. An example of such a masker is "Comfort-4".
In order to completely get rid of the disadvantages inherent in acoustic maskers, they have repeatedly tried to use high-intensity ultrasonic signals instead of the speech range as interference. Such devices are called ultrasonic acoustic maskers. However, these attempts to date cannot be considered successful. The intensity of the ultrasonic signal, capable of overloading the input circuits of the microphone of the recorder, turned out to be higher than all permissible medical standards for human exposure. With a decrease in the intensity of ultrasound, it turned out to be impossible to reliably suppress the recording equipment. But the saddest thing is that there are voice recorders that do not choke on ultrasonic signals, even of high intensity. First of all, this applies to the voice recorders of modern cell phones. Protecting interlocutors negotiating on a mobile phone in an open space from the wind whistling in the microphone, the developers have excluded the penetration of acoustic signals into the microphone path with frequencies other than 100 - 5000 Hz. Ultrasound simply does not get into the recorder's tract. But after mobile phones, dictaphone manufacturers began to use similar solutions. In this regard, the effectiveness of ultrasonic acoustic maskers becomes doubly problematic.
Summary
Protection of confidential acoustic information from unauthorized recording on a dictaphone is possible. For this purpose, acoustic maskers can be recommended (from the simplest "Fakir" to the complex, but easy-to-use "Comfort"). The only unavoidable drawback of this class of equipment is the lack of secrecy of its use. If for some reason the use of acoustic maskers is impossible, then it is better not to voice confidential acoustic information.
Glossary
- a special electronic device that detects in interior items and building structures of premises technical means of unauthorized information retrieval, which include semiconductor components. Detection is provided regardless of whether the stripper is active or passive. Detection is carried out by irradiating the investigated volumes with high-frequency pulses and receiving a signal reflected from them. The signal reflected from semiconductor elements in its spectrum necessarily contains, in addition to the fundamental frequency (first harmonic), the second, third and higher harmonic components. Their presence in the reflected signal unambiguously indicates the presence of electronic elements in the investigated volume.
- an electronic device that allows you to detect metal objects in a neutral or weakly conductive environment due to their conductivity. The metal detector detects metal in soil, water, walls, wood, under clothes and luggage, in food, in humans and animals, etc. Thanks to the development of microelectronics, modern metal detectors are compact and reliable devices.
Thermal imager - a device for monitoring the temperature distribution of the investigated surface. The temperature distribution is displayed on the display (or in the memory) of the thermal imager as a color field, where a certain temperature corresponds to a certain color. Typically, the display shows the temperature range of the surface visible through the lens. The typical resolution of modern thermal imagers is 0.1 ° C.
More recently, it could not be used as evidence in court, and with this, his rival Dwarf won a lot. After all, it’s one thing, a gift dictaphone, a convenient and high-quality device, and another thing is the use of functionality directly for self-defense, although the overwhelming majority of people will hardly need it. And this makes Edic a very specific device, that is, one should expect that a category of the population of a certain type of activity will be interested in it - even more than now.
Well, let's not guess, Edic - in principle, first of all, not voice recorder for use as evidence in court, but a unique professional sound recorder.
What is digital signature
Technically, a dictaphone recording in court can be used if it has a digital signature function. These are special markers that go through the entire record. With the help of them, the data on the brand of the recorder, etc., are checked to establish the fact of the recording. Moreover, if the record has already been changed, then this is also recorded, after which the record can no longer be presented in court as the original. In this way, the data is reconciled.
In this case, the system of markers of Edik's record is presented by the manufacturer as more perfect than the analogous one.
Attention, this function of marking records can only be enabled in the firmware of your device, version 11.1 or higher.
With Edic Mini digital voice recorders recording within a 12m radius, you can easily insure yourself against fraud or other forms of suppression. Although one should avoid getting into unpleasant situations. The best way to do this is to obey the law.
Using voice recorders in court as a working tool
In court, a dictaphone can be used not only to provide recordings as evidence. Nowadays, more and more lawyers, lawyers and citizens are using voice recorders to record court sessions.
In accordance with paragraph 7 of Art. 10 Code of Civil Procedure of the Russian Federation "Persons participating in the case, and citizens present in an open court session, have the right to record the course of the trial in writing, as well as using audio recording means".
There are no requirements for requesting permission to make audio recordings. Therefore, you can safely record any court session you are at. And, of course, if in the future you need confirmation of the arguments expressed in it and not included in the protocol of the court session, you can use the audio recording made. For these purposes, it is better to use the Gnome or Edik dictaphones with the digital signature function.
Features of voice recorders used in court
| Dictaphone | Peculiarities | Document |
| Edic mini PROTECTION | Miniature voice recorder in a robust metal case. The minimum number of functions, one-button control, built-in memory of 14 hours (2GB), 28 hours (4GB) and 56 hours (8GB). Powered by rechargeable batteries or AAA batteries. | Conclusion of ANO "Forensic Examination Center" on the suitability of phonograms for linguistic and phonoscopic expertise |
| Gnome 007 | Stereo voice recorder in a robust metal shockproof housing. Advanced feature set, OLED display, keyboard, headphone listening, speaker, navigating and deleting recordings. Memory capacity 32 GB, recording duration not less than 7 hours, power supply from the built-in battery. | Conclusion of the EKTs (Expert and Forensic Center) under the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation on the suitability of phonograms for identifying speakers by voice |
| Gnome-R | Stereo voice recorder in a robust metal case. Minimum functions, one-button control, listening to the last recording through headphones. Memory capacity 8 GB, recording duration not less than 30 hours, powered by AAA batteries. | |
| Gnome-2M | Stereo voice recorder in a robust metal case. Advanced feature set, LCD display, keyboard, listening through headphones, rewinding, deleting recordings. Memory capacity 32 GB, recording duration not less than 12 hours, powered by AAA batteries. | |
| Gnome nano | Miniature stereo voice recorder in a robust metal case. Minimum functions, one-button control, listening to the last recording through headphones. Memory capacity 2 GB, recording duration at least 9 hours, powered by a built-in battery. | |
| AVIDIUS mobile | Video recorder in a robust metal case. Advanced feature set (video and audio synchronous recording), OLED display, keyboard, headphone listening. Memory capacity 12 GB, recording duration not less than 1.2 hours, power supply from the built-in battery. |
Read along with this article.
Based on the purpose of the recorder, the most important characteristics of the recorder are operating time and sensitivity.
Manufacturers love to make loud promises like "300 hours of work", "sensitivity up to 100 meters", but should they be trusted?
What characteristics should you pay attention to when choosing a voice recorder, and which are just a publicity stunt, I will tell you about this in this article.
So, How to choose a voice recorder ...
Digital or analog?
Analog - a dictaphone in which the recording is made on a cassette. Such today can only be seen in the movies.
All other voice recorders are digital. They record on a memory card (external or built-in), and they differ only in the recording format.
* - there are also professional dictaphones, where a digital signal is recorded on a digital cassette, but for household purposes they are too expensive, they are not sold in kiosks, and are not considered in this article.
Voice recorder recording format
Sound can be recorded compressed or uncompressed. Typically, voice recorders use WMA and MP3 formats.
The good thing about recording in mp3 is that what has been recorded can be immediately rewritten and listened to without processing on any mp3-player, it takes up much less disk space.
The only advantage of the wma format is that although they take up much more disk space, due to the lack of compression, it transmits everything that is recorded from the microphone without loss of quality.
However, if the dictaphone provides recording in mp3 with "high bit rate" (what is it - read on), you will not hear the difference in sound.
Pay attention to the phrase "everything that you recorded from the microphone" - no matter how good the format is, the quality of the recording also depends on the microphone.
Recording time is one of the most important characteristics
Manufacturers often attract customers with loud slogans such as "120 hours of recording", or "300 hours of continuous work." You should always wonder what is behind such promises.
The recording time is determined by both the capacity of the memory card and the recording format. You, of course, know that the higher the compression ratio, the lower the sound quality. For mp3 files, the degree of compression is determined by such a parameter as "bitrate" (there is also a parameter "sampling rate" - but I will not bore you with technical details).
It is believed that CD-quality is provided at a bitrate of 256 kbps (there are 320 more - but this is already a delight). A bitrate of 128 kbps provides the standard sound quality found on cheap computer speakers.
When recording a voice, you need to consider the purpose for which you are recording. If you just write something down for yourself, holding the recorder right next to your face, the lowest quality will suit you.
It will be like a voice in a police radio “Fifth, fifth, I'm going to the second point. How do you understand? Welcome. " - i.e. words can be distinguished, but guessing who pronounced them is already difficult.
But if you are recording a stormy dispute with a large number of participants, it is important for you to distinguish not only the words on the recording, but also to recognize the voice of the one who pronounced them, and even to hear the muffled comment of one of the participants. In this case, you need a high quality recording (i.e. high bit rate or low compression ratio).
Manufacturers, in an effort to increase the time indicated in advertisements, often deliberately introduce an ultra-low bit rate mode. And, of course, no one will call the modes like this: 128 kbps - "normal", 64 - "bad", 32 - "very bad", 8 - "terrible". Rather, they will call 8 kbps - "good", 32 - "improved", 64 - "super quality", 128 - "super extra pro". And they will write on the package "48 hours in good recording mode."
Therefore, when comparing dictaphones, focus on one recording mode, for example, 128 kbps - this mode provides good quality, for example, for recording lectures in a large audience.
Battery life or power consumption
A parameter that is rarely where you can find out, but the actual operating time of the recorder depends on it.
No batteries last forever, and how long they last will ultimately determine whether you will be able to record all the lectures or not.
The operating time depends on the capacity of the batteries (accumulators), so it is simply impossible to indicate it, but knowing the power consumption, you can calculate the real operating time.
For example, the power consumption of a voice recorder during recording is 600 mW / h (0.6 W / h).
You have batteries with a capacity of 1200 mAh (1 Ah).
Then: Total power for two batteries = 1.2 A / h * 1.5 V * 2 = 3.6 W.
Working time = 3.6 W / 0.6 W / h = 6 hours.
Capacity (in megabytes and gigabytes)
The recording time depends on the capacity: the more, the better.
But dictaphones can be compared only if they have the same recording format. If you choose models that record, for example, an mp3 bitrate of 64 kbps, it is clear that a 2 gigabyte recorder will record more time than 1 gigabyte.
But if a 2-gigabyte writes a bitrate of 256 kbps, and a 1-gigabyte writes a bit rate of 64 kbps, then a 1 gigabyte one will fit more recording time.
The presence of a removable memory card
With the fall in prices for flash-media, and the increase in write speed, manufacturers begin to provide the ability to use external media.
If during the recording process you are separated from your computer for a long time, removable memory cards can be useful - they expand your possibilities.
(For example, I take a dictaphone on trips, and being torn away for 1-2 weeks from the computer, I like to write down my impressions.)
Voice recorder sensitivity
The sensitivity of the recorder determines the distance from which it can record a voice. It's one thing when you write down your thoughts or interview while holding the recorder in front of the speaker's face, it is another thing when you record a teacher in a lecture or threats from a drunken neighbor being at a considerable distance from them.
Here manufacturers will try to confuse you with the technical characteristics, scaring you with different "+74 dB", "-58 dBV" for the microphone. In fact, all these data make sense only if you buy an external microphone for an amplifying system, the parameters of which you know: from them you can calculate what voltage you need to apply and how much to amplify the signal in order to get an acceptable sound.
For dictaphones, these data are no more useful than the values of the supply voltage on the microcircuit.
The only significant parameter can be the sensitivity, indicated in meters, by which you can find out at what maximum distance the speaker can be, so that his voice can be recorded.
It's actually better to try making a trial recording and listen to how good the recording is.
This function automatically stops recording when silence occurs and turns it on when the conversation starts.
It can be useful, for example, when the teacher is giving a lecture, and then, for example, some time writes something on the blackboard - the recorder will not record the sounds of moving chalk, but will only record the teacher.
Please note that activation does not turn on instantly, and often the beginning of the first words are "swallowed".
If you are going to use voice activation, make sure that the recorder has an activation threshold adjustment - i.e. so that he could be taught which volume should be considered as noise, and which as a useful voice.
Allows you to set the threshold that will be considered silence.
For example, if you are sitting at a lecture in an audience where the windows are open, a small noise comes from the street, but it is much quieter than the lecturer's voice. From an automation point of view, street noise is not silence and needs to be recorded. From your point of view, street noise when the teacher is silent is not worth writing.
You can set the noise level below which you want to stop recording.
Modes "street", "interview", noise reduction
Any dictaphone, when recording, captures all surrounding sounds. And if in a quiet room all voice recorders work perfectly, then, for example, on a noisy street, too much extraneous noise gets into the recording, drowning out the voice.
For this, manufacturers add special modes such as "street", "interview", etc. In these modes, the corresponding filters are automatically turned on or off. For example, in the "street" mode, everything that does not look like a voice is cut off. At the same time, the voice itself becomes poorer, but extraneous noise also disappears.
(Note: Each manufacturer names these modes differently.)
Automatic gane control (AGC)
This function automatically adjusts the microphone gain level based on the input signal. If the people being recorded speak loudly, she slightly muffles the sound; if they begin to speak softly, she increases the volume.
This can be useful if you have multiple voice sources speaking in turn and at different volumes (or at different distances from the microphone).
External microphone
An external microphone is useful when the recording direction is known exactly, or when the recorder itself cannot be pointed or brought to the source of the voice.
The built-in microphone records voices from all directions, and, for example, when you are doing an interview, it is important for you to catch only one voice from the surrounding noise. You can use an external microphone and point it towards the speaker, eliminating extraneous noise from the recording.
Likewise, when you only need to record yourself, you can put the recorder in your pocket, and attach only a lapel with a microphone, and exclude external noise when recording.
Frequency Response Range
According to the recorded frequency range, voice recorders are divided into voice recorders for recording speech and for recording music.
The difference is this: from your physics course, you, of course, remember that our ear perceives sounds with a frequency of 20 to 20,000 hertz. And human speech fits into the range from 300 to 3,000 hertz, so a larger range is simply not needed to record speech.
Therefore, ordinary household dictaphones record exactly the frequency range from 300 to 3,000 hertz (this can significantly reduce the volume of recorded files). But there are also special dictaphones for recording music, where the frequency range is expanded to acceptable values (though usually external microphones are used for this).
Stereo recording capability
Usually, when recording a voice, stereo sound is not needed - the gloss comes from one source. But sometimes this function can be useful, for example, when recording disputes.
Remember that stereo recording requires more disk space.
And often the built-in microphone only provides monaural recording, while stereo mode requires an external stereo microphone.
Built-in tuner
The tuner built into the recorder is one of the "non-core" add-ons. Allows you to listen to the radio. Radio recording is often possible.
Accelerated listening mode
Needed to find the right place on the record. This is a fast rewind, during which you can listen to what has been recorded in fast mode.
Some voice recorders even have an accelerated mode without changing the timbre of the voice.
Adapter for recording telephone conversations
A device that connects to a landline telephone: the telephone cable is plugged into it, and then the cable coming out of the adapter is connected to the telephone.
Internal folder organization
Voice recorders often allow recordings in different internal folders.
This can be useful when you are recording different types of notes. For example, at a lecture, you write down the professor, and then in the corridor you write down your thoughts about what you heard. So that later it would be convenient to search for materials, you can initially record, for example, the lecturer in the "A" folder, and yourself - in the "B" folder.
Limiting the number of records
Despite the fact that the recording time can be very long, in any voice recorder (as in any file system) there is a limitation on the number of recordings (number of files).
If you like to take short notes, this limitation can be significant for you.
Ease of management
This is probably the decisive factor when choosing a voice recorder.
The voice recorder can have as many useful functions as you want, but if access is difficult, if you cannot quickly get information in what mode the recorder is currently working, all the "bells and whistles" for practical use will be useless.
Batteries
Typically, voice recorders can use standard AA or AAA batteries (to reduce size).
But sometimes there are models using non-standard batteries, which are extremely inconvenient to use.
Equipment
The minimum kit sufficient for operation is the recorder itself (batteries are purchased separately).
A built-in microphone is often included (it is difficult to buy it separately).
Usually, the kit also includes a USB cable - it is especially important to check this if the recorder has a non-standard connector.
Sometimes the manufacturer also provides headphones.
Of course, if the recorder has a non-standard battery, it should also be included in the kit.
Connection interface
Modern voice recorders are connected to a computer via a USB port like an external drive, the contents of which are folders with mp3 files.
But there are also dictaphones, which come with a special proprietary program that allows you to extract the content.
It is more convenient, of course, to see the content as a collection of files.
What you need to buy additionally
For frequent use of the voice recorder, you need 2 sets of rechargeable batteries. Even if the recorder can work for 24 hours, charging time will come, but it does not happen instantly. And then, psychologically, it is always useful to have a replacement kit so that you can think about the recording, and not about whether you have enough batteries.
Batteries differ not only in type (size), but also in capacity, measured in milliampere-hours, and indicated on them: the higher the number, the greater the capacity (usually sold from 1200 to 2700 mAh). The required capacity is determined only by the parameters of the recorder.
A charger is purchased together with the batteries. They are all standard (the only difference, to put it simply, is that there are light and cheap ones that charge for a long time, and there are expensive and heavy ones for which charging takes place quickly; from practice, cheap charging is enough to work).
If there were no headphones in the kit, buy headphones, they will come in handy for listening to what was recorded in any crowded place.
In many situations, a dictaphone recording is almost the only way to prove the fact of offensive statements, degrading treatment or extortion of money. It is especially difficult to collect evidence if the events take place during a private conversation between a parent and a teacher or in a lesson, where the only witnesses are small children.
So far, there have been controversial jurisprudence regarding the recognition of a secret dictaphone recording as admissible evidence. By default, secret recording of conversations is an infringement of your privacy. Unauthorized recording of private conversations was considered inadmissible evidence obtained in violation of the law.
In December 2016, it was adopted, in which the Supreme Court allows the possibility of keeping and using as evidence in court a secret dictaphone recording if its content affects the rights and interests of the participant in the conversation.
This does not mean that the recording of a private conversation, which the other party does not know about, can be distributed by any means. It is also unacceptable to record conversations that do not relate personally to the person who is recording. Such actions are criminalized. It's just about the ability to use the record in court.
For example, a secret recording of a story about the content of the teacher's author's methodology or a recording of a conversation with a parent who mentions the details of family life will be a gross violation of rights and inadmissible evidence. It is unacceptable to secretly leave the recorder in a room where conversations on any topic can be conducted.
However, secretly recording one's own conversation, which directly affects the rights and interests, in the opinion of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation, is possible. If the recording of a private conversation can serve as evidence of illegal actions, or if the conversation is being conducted with a person who is performing official duties or in a public place, the refusal to protect privacy can be challenged. Private life, according to the definition of the Constitutional Court, is "an area of human activity that belongs to an individual, concerns only him and is not subject to control by society and the state, if it bears a non-illegal nature."
The dictaphone recording will be accepted as evidence in court if you follow the recommendations
The plaintiff must submit a written petition to attach the dictaphone recording to the case. It is important to indicate how this is required by Article 77 of the Code of Civil Procedure of the Russian Federation, "when, by whom and under what conditions the recording was made." It is advisable to describe in the application in as much detail as possible:
- who made the audio recording,
- who owns the voices participating in the conversation,
- day, exact time of recording,
- location (address, organization name, outdoor location),
- name of the device to which the recording was made (brand, model, number),
- the format in which the recording was made,
- what changes were made to the source file during the rewriting process (format conversion, renaming, etc.)
- whether the original file has been preserved on the primary media / recorder.
It is important to emphasize that the recording of the conversation was made for the purpose of self-protection of one's rights, on the basis of Article 12 of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation. Directly in the petition, it is worth pointing out the circumstances that are significant for the case, which can be confirmed by a dictaphone recording.
The recording can be attached on a CD-ROM, while it is desirable to attach its text transcript to the dictaphone recording. If the court has doubts, it may additionally require an examination for the absence of traces of installation and identification of voices.
What does the law say about the admissibility of a dictaphone recording as evidence?
"The circumstances of the case, which, in accordance with the law, must be confirmed by certain means of proof, cannot be confirmed by any other evidence" (Article 60 of the Code of Civil Procedure of the Russian Federation)
A person submitting audio and (or) video recordings on an electronic or other medium or applying for their reclamation is obliged to indicate when, by whom and under what conditions the recordings were made (Article 77 of the Code of Civil Procedure of the Russian Federation).
"Evidence obtained in violation of the requirements of this Code is inadmissible. Inadmissible evidence has no legal force and cannot be used as the basis for an accusation, nor can it be used to prove any of the circumstances" (Article 75 of the Code of Criminal Procedure of the Russian Federation)
How the Supreme Court interpreted the use of secret dictaphone recordings as evidence
In support of the inadmissibility of an audio recording of a telephone conversation, the court referred to paragraph 8 of Article 9 of Federal Law No. 149-FZ "On Information, Information Technologies and Information Protection", according to which it is prohibited to require a citizen (natural person) to provide information about his private life, including
including information constituting a personal or family secret, and to receive such information against the will of a citizen (individual), unless otherwise provided by federal laws.According to the appellate instance, the recording of the conversation between the plaintiff and the defendant was made first without notifying about the recording of the conversation, and therefore such information was obtained against Sh .'s will, which is unacceptable by virtue of the above legal provision.
At the same time, it was not taken into account that the recording of the telephone conversation was made by one of the persons who participated in this conversation, and concerned the circumstances related to the contractual relationship between the parties. In this regard, the prohibition on recording such information does not apply to this case.
Lera Perova, School and Law
