Re: [ARSCLIST] Tape recorders

[Rob Robinson <RRobinson@xxxxxxx>]

Tristram,

Our reporters have been using minidisc recorders for several years now with
great success. We find several advantages to the minidisc recording format:

The minidiscs record digitally, so no hiss is created on recording.
The recorders are very light and portable.
Reasonably priced.
The content can be quickly and easily edited within the minidisc recorder.
Once the content is transferred to tape or CD-R (as you suggest) the
minidisc can be locked and can act as a  non-archival backup, or be
completely erased and re-used.

Drawbacks we found are:
The recorders are easily damaged when dropped or banged around.
They aren't easily repaired.
The portable recorders aren't built to be long-lasting devices, you'll have
to buy new ones every few years.

That said, they work very well for us in a high-volume production
environment.

Robert C. Robinson, MLS
Senior Librarian
National Public Radio
635 Massachusetts Ave NW
Washington, DC 20001
202-513-2355 phone
202-513-3056 fax
rrobinson@xxxxxxx



-----Original Message-----
From: Hooley, T.J. [mailto:tjh5@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]
Sent: Tuesday, February 25, 2003 6:35 AM
To: ARSCLIST@xxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [ARSCLIST] Tape recorders


I want to buy a tape to tape recorder for copying oral history recordings.
We've been using domestic recorders (TEACs etc) and one of them has just
broken down. I guess it is because we are giving them so much heavier usage
than they would normally get. Ideally we would want something more robust
that we could plug into an amp and record tapes and CDs at the same time.

Does anyone have any advice on what to buy?

Tristram
East Midlands Oral History Archive
http://www.le.ac.uk/emoha