Sony Visual Voice Recorder ICD-CX50

Advantages: Instant One Touch Recording. 80GB Hard Disc Drive. VideoPlus.
Disadvantages: Poor Manual Layout

...I decided that it was time to purchase a DVD Recorder for the first time. (don't buy videos anymore - DVD's are just as cheap). After speaking to friends and scouring the internet the main features I wanted were HDD (Hard Disc Drive) of at least 80GB. Even in Standard Recording Mode (for which you wont notice any real difference from HQ (High Quality) you get 26 Hours of recording. In SLP Mode you have 106 Hours which is similar to Video (VHS) Recording. It is easy to Record from Video onto either DVD or HDD (after which you can then Edit). For Recording from your Digital Camcorder I stronly suggest your purchase an I-Link Cable (Sony sell these for £19.99) these can be easily purchased from E-Bay etc. One of the excellent features of this DVD Recorders is that it comes with VideoPlus. This means that you simply type in the code... Read review

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Advantages: Takes regular sized audio cassettes, double-time recording, inexpensive model
Disadvantages: Needs to be used close to sound-source, a bit bulky for some tastes

...I always wanted a dictaphone as a child. Largely, I admit, for slightly dubious reasons (i.e. I wanted to plant it in my big sister's bedroom and find out if she was talking about me.) Many years on, as a student, I finally received one as a birthday gift so that I could record important lectures. This certainly did come in handy during those classes that, however hard I tried to stay alert, had me head down and drooling on the desk within minutes. The Sony TCM-200DV Cassette-Corder (or 'dictaphone' to you and me) is a fairly basic model compared to some products on the market - but it does what it says on the tin and it does it to a perfectly acceptable standard. The machine is silver (with a charcoal grey back panel and battery compartment) and weighs in at 171g - it's roughly the same size as a cassette-playing personal stereo... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful

Advantages: Variable recording time, mains compatible
Disadvantages: No tape counter

...I paid about £35 for this cassette recorder, which may be better described as a dictating machine. The machine is attractively packaged, having a black and silver case and weighs about 275g. It measures approx 11cm by 4cm by 9cm, taking a standard cassette size, as opposed to the micro ones. This should mean that the overall quality is better but you pay for the size and bulk of the thing. It's as heavy, and the same size, as your average Walkman. The voice operated recording (VOR) works fine and the sliding switch on the front to vary the recording time gives 'Normal' and 'Double', effectively doubling the amount of recording time you can use. The microphone is a built-in electret condenser mic and is mono. Again, this does the job as an effective dictating machine but not alot else. The Record button is at the side but above... Read review

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