Digital+Audio+Recording+using+Olympus+Digital+Recorders

toc //This page has been replaced by sections in the Soundroom Operating Manual. We are allowing it to remain posted here for any who are using Olympus or Sony recorders.//

Digital Audio Equipment
Since the Olympus VN-5200PC Digital Recorder was used successfully for both services on Sunday 7Feb2010, C3HUU services are being recorded directly in digital format. The Olympus Digital Audio Recorder is in a plastic box in the top drawer of the cabinet under the amplifiers and wireless receiver equipment. The box has a blue top and is marked with "C3HUU Olympus Digital Recorder" label on it. The manual, extra batteries, a USB cable, and extra audio connector cable are included in the box.

This document provides more details on directions that are posted on the wall of the Soundroom. The source for that document is this Digital Audio Recording Summary page. Listed below is detailed directions on how to operate the Olympus Digital Recorder to record audio from the C3HUU Soundroom Soundboard. A Visio diagram is under construction that will add more context when completed.

NOTE: The CD-Recorder is still connected and can still be used or both CD-Recorder and Digital Audio Recorder can be used at the same time if desired. The Soundboard input volume control marked "CD volume" on hasn't been tested to verify whether or not the CD player is still setup to play through the Soundboard.

Using the Digital Recorder
To use the Olympus Digital Recorder for capturing service or event audio from the C3HUU Soundboard: > Get the recorder out of the box and make sure the "Hold" switch on the left of the unit is in the "Hold" (or Off) position. This is the On/Off switch. > Locate the cable coming from the right rear of the Soundboard which is labeled "Digital Recorder" on each end. There is short, thin vable with mini-phone connector for the Digital Recorder attached to it. The end of the cable should be laying on or near the left hand size of the Soundboard. Connect that mini-phone connector to the "Mic" input on top of the Olympus Digital Recorder. The thin cable has a small box in the middle with a piece of blue tape on it. This is the "impedance matching" circuit, please don't take off the tape or the small knob may be moved and the recording may become distorted. You may place the recorder wherever suits you, we've found it fits nicely sitting on top of the unused red volume sliders on the right hand side of the Soundboard controls. > If you haven't done so already, go get an Order of Service bulletin (or event schedule or agenda) to mark down audio "tracks". > Move the "Hold" switch out of the Hold position to turn the recorder on. It is good practice to turn the device On //AFTER// connecting to the Soundboard. > Anytime before the service starts, press the "REC" (record) button, the upper right control on the front of the Olympus Digital Recorder, and you should see the record/play light glow RED and stay on during the recording. > During the service, press the "Index" button (lower left of the Recorder) and place a corresponding number or some marking in the matching section of the Order of Service or Agenda so that we can correlate the audio index marks with the events in the service or program later. A label will flash for 2 seconds on the bottom of the Digital Recorder screen giving the number for the index mark just placed in the audio file. If you miss getting the number that flashed, no big deal. Just having ANY index marks in the audio with some some matching label in the Order of Service or Program Agenda makes editing later SO much easier! Note: there are a maximum of 16 index marks per recording. > After the service ends, press the Stop button, wait for the RED light to go out (no more than 10 seconds) and push the "Hold" button up toward the top of the unit. This turns the recorder off. You can verify that the audio was recorded using the "Play" button in the middle of the recorder controls. The indicator light will glow GREEN and play the last file, which should be the service or program you just recorded. > Unplug the Olympus Digital Recorder and return it to the plastic box in the top drawer under the rack of sound equipment. Please fold and place the Order of Service or Program with your Index Mark list in the box.
 * 1) **//Make sure the Digital Recorder is Off//**
 * 1) **//Connect Soundboard cable to the Mic jack on top of the Digital Recorder//**
 * 1) **//Get an Order of Service or Event schedule//**
 * 1) **//Turn the Digital Recorder On//** **//and check the Battery//**
 * Please make sure the switch on the middle left of the unit is in the "Dict" mode, not "Conf" mode and an "LO" appears in middle right of the screen or audio will be distorted.
 * Make sure the battery charge indicator in the upper right of the screen has at least "two bars" out of 3. Once it gets to one bar, you may only have 10 minutes of charge left. We haven't found a way to change the battery or use an external power supply without stopping and restarting recording. A spare set of batteries is in the white film canister in the Digital Recorder plastic box.
 * During audio system tests, the VU indicator will NOT come on unless you are recording. You may find it useful to start recording early and adjust the Soundboard Digital Recorder volume knob so that the VU display shows typically 50% volume for strong audio. The knob that controls volume to the digital recorder is on the far right of the Soundboard, about 1/3 of the way down from the top and labeled "Digital Recorder Volume".
 * 1) **//Start recording by depressing REC anytime before service starts//**
 * The default setting for the recorder is to show a recording volume "VU" display on the lower portion of the screen. If this doesn't show up, you may press the "Menu" button during recording to change the display from "VU meter" to two other "time remaining/time used" displays or return to the VU meter setting.
 * Because this Digital Recorder can hold over 35 hours of audio at highest quality setting, recording can be started whenever the Soundroom operator wishes. Recording no longer is confined to a 70-75min limit per CD which led soundroom operators to start recording CDs just before the Sounding of the Gong so that all of a service would fit one CD.
 * Please mark down on the Order of Service or Agenda which "folder" is set to hold the recording. The "folder" letter (A, B, C, D, or E) shows in the display with a small folder icon next to it. The default folder is "A".
 * 1) **//Use the Index button and make matching marks on sections of the Order of Service or Program Agenda//**
 * Please make sure to depress the index button just as the sermon starts and just after the sermon ends. Doing so saves 20 minutes (or more) of the audio editor's time later locating the sermon audio portion of the recording. As of this writing, C3HUU can only publish the Sermon portion of the audio on our web site.
 * 1) **//At the end of the service or event, Stop the Digital Recorder, then turn it off//**
 * 1) **//Return the Digital Recorder and marked up Order of Service or Program Agenda to the box and return to top drawer//**

We are working on a place to "dock" the USB connection for the Olympus Digital Recorder to automatically upload files -- a future project. I hope you all will find that this device is at least as easy to use as the CD-Recorder for recording service or program audio!

If the Olympus Recorder shows only two bars in the battery charge on screen icon when turned on or after use, replace the batteries with the spare set of rechargeable batteries in a film canister in the plastic box where the recorder is stored. The spare set is rechargeable, the original set is not. Once the original set runs down, we'll keep a spare set of charged AAA batteries in that same film canister. There is a charger for AAA and AA rechargeable batteries in the Soundroom and there should be one pair of AAA batteries in addition to at least one pair of AA batteries in the charger.

Other Recorders Considered
There are many digital recorders on the market. The Olympus VN5200PC recorder was chosen because it is: reliable, cheap, simple to operate, simple to upload, has a large display for this class recorder, and includes software to allow index marks for ease of post-processing.Other recorders considered:
 * Professional digital recording decks: numerous professional recording decks were considered. The LEAST expensive is over $1000. Not much more core audio recording function, but much more in post-processing integration available. If the Community Concert series sees fit to expand the audio system, then coordinating on a digital recorder is an ideal long term option.
 * Samsung Zoom H2: very well rated, superior design, but overkill for attach to a mono sound system. If more frequent use of a digital recorder for direct stereo recording is envisioned, this would be an excellent choice at approximately $150. Product page details may be found here. I believe this is a newer equivalent to the nice digital recorder that Glenn owns.
 * Sony IC line of recorders: similar to Olympus, but no special recording software available to assist in post-processing.
 * Olympus DP-10 and other similar low end digital recorders: many are available, but few have a PC interface.
 * An output to a PC/Mac or a removable SD card with a line-in audio might appear to be minimal requirements for C3H use. But no other digital recorder with digital output or removable SD card and line input was found under $40 aside from the VN5200PC. Let us know if you find one!

Related Web Pages

 * Soundroom organization at C3HUU
 * Soundroom futures for recording audio
 * Sermon Audio Recording summary
 * @Content from the Sanctuary
 * C3H Announcement of Digital Audio
 * Olympus VN-5200PC product page