Need rerecording info badly

[MommaT]

I am actually a huge fan of digital quality. I love it. But I am here to ask questions about analog because I am desperate. I am a medical transcriptionist. I have my work normally uploaded to me in WAVs. Now have several days of work that must be rerecorded using the telephone. My transcriber is rerecord capable. A lot of MTs do this using the little gadget they get at Radio Shack, or a thing we call a Skutch box. The quality of voice is just not good enough. I need better sound. Isn't there a way to record from the phone using your stereo or other equipment that doesn't cost a fortune but gives you some quality of voice? I am willing to spend some money, but not a great deal. I need to get this done. Can someone offer any advise? HELP????

[Dom Franco]

The problem is in the phone itself. To insure intellegibility, the phone companies boost hi mid frequencies and eliminate all lows. This makes for the famillar telephone "voice" sound. No matter how you record phone conversations its gonna sound thin and edgy...

You could run the recording through a graphic EQ, and try to boost bass and cut highs to even it out...but...good luck...

Sincerely;

Dom Franco

[Emeric]

Dom is absolutly correct. Telco only uses a frequency range of 300Hz to 3400Hz, for the reasons that this is where speech is most intelligable.

But, to your problem. Possibly you could process the wav's using some wav editor that would make it more intelligable for you? Something like Goldwave or Cooledit or Soundforge? A bit of EQ'ing?

One possible route.

[ZARCOTU]

This may sound cookie but you can get great sound quality and space to record all of your audio transcripts recording into a four head VCR, yes its true; the quality is awesome and the capacity is determined by the length of the tape you use, remember this is 1/2 " tape your using and you would be inputing into the audio in-s in stereo using the appropriate jack converters.

[The Ghost of FM]

I would call the CIA and ask them what they use seeing as they are probably recording every call you make!

Then again, MommaT asked this question 6 years ago so perhaps she already found her solution.

Cheers!

[DigitalSmigital]

so don't try any funny business! Zarcotu found this link in the Related Threads list on the bottom of a page!

MommaT has retired and is selling Mary Kay Cosmetics out of the trunk of her car now.

[Outlaws]

Originally Posted by ZARCOTU

This may sound cookie but you can get great sound quality and space to record all of your audio transcripts recording into a four head VCR, yes its true; the quality is awesome and the capacity is determined by the length of the tape you use, remember this is 1/2 " tape your using and you would be inputing into the audio in-s in stereo using the appropriate jack converters.

Ugh....?

Half inch? Doesn't the VCR reserve some of that for the video?

Might wanna look at that one again.

[Outlaws]

In reguard to his question, I think he wants better sound than just sticking a mic to the phone. Cause that is crap.

There is a store here in Phoenix called Spy Headquaters. I don't know off hand if they are national, but they should have something for that very purpose.

As for cheap? Answering machines can sometimes be set to record. I don't know that they have outputs on them, but you could check around a bit. Never know.

[The Ghost of FM]

Marantz used to make a reporter's field recorder that was a mono, 3 head, battery power unit with a telephone input connection as a switchable input and offered a standard line output. I owned the stereo version of that deck and used it to record our band's practices about 15 years ago. It had excellent fidelity and worked like a charm as it was built like a tank. All metal construction chassis with a very tough outer plastic shell.

You would hook it up to an extension phone jack and tape your calls, (both sides of the conversation), with no beeps every 30 seconds as an answering machine would normally do and at a much lower level of sound quality then
the Marantz.

Here's a picture of the one I used to own; The mono looks almost identical



Cheers!

[The Ghost of FM]

Here's the mono version.

http://img3.musiciansfriend.com/dbas.../24/244051.jpg

Cheers!

[arjoll]

Originally Posted by MommaT

Isn't there a way to record from the phone using your stereo or other equipment that doesn't cost a fortune but gives you some quality of voice? I am willing to spend some money, but not a great deal. I need to get this done. Can someone offer any advise? HELP????

Radio Systems make a 'telephone hybrid' for broadcasting called a TI-101. This model has been around for years and uses an old transformer-based technology. Won't be especially cheap new, but you may be able to pick one up at a reasonable price second hand, as they're pretty much looked down on by the industry because they're such old technology compared to digital hybrids from the likes of Sonifex.

This will give you far better quality, but you will need to tweak it a bit to work best on your phone line etc.

Might be worth a look.

Cya
Andrew

[The Ghost of FM]

This thread has certainly developed a wealth of information in its six year life span.

I hope MommaT appreciates all our effort!

MommaT?

You still there?

Oh well.

[Herm]

Some people just wont stick around for an answere Jeff