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krx · Jun 20, 2006, 11:50 AM

I am about to launch a research project involving taped interviews. The interviews will have to be transcribed. I'm wondering if any of you have recommendations for recorders, preferably handheld. The last time I did this I used a tape recorder and I'm just guessing the technology has advanced since then (fifteen years ago). I use an iBook G4 and it would need to be compatible...

Also, any thoughts on "speech to text" software? Would this actually transcribe the interviews for me?

Any feedback, even links to where I should be looking, would be much appreciated!

SSharon · Jun 20, 2006, 12:17 PM

I used Word 2004 to record my classes when I was in school.
You can type as it records (good quality was 22mb/hour) and then go back in and fill in whatever you need to.
This is using the notebook feature by the way.

Contact me if you want any more details.

krx · Jun 20, 2006, 09:01 PM

Do you use an external mic for this? The internal mic on my iBook doesn't pick up anything - I've maxed out the sound input and still have to yell to get a semi-audible recording.

But even w/a decent recording I think it would take me a long time to type an accurate transcript this way - doesn't seem like this program is really made for transcribing so much as recording a meeting or seminar and taking some notes on it.

I've done a little more research and think what I need is "voice recognition software." I've just been looking at iListen and ViaVoice, but neither of these seem like they can handle more than a single user's voice.

SSharon · Jun 21, 2006, 09:37 AM

I use the internal mic and turn the gain all the way up in Word. I have had no problems with this.

You can add more voices to viavoice and such but you need to "train" them first I believe.

krx · Jun 21, 2006, 12:26 PM

Originally Posted by SSharon

I use the internal mic and turn the gain all the way up in Word.

Can you tell me how you did this? Maybe I did it wrong.

SSharon · Jun 21, 2006, 01:51 PM

I am on my PC at work right now, but there was a sliding bar right next to the input meter in Word 2004. I was not changing any settings in the system prefs (that is why I specifically mentioned Word in my last post).

edit: top right screen shot, it's called "input volume"
http://www.activewin.com/mac/articles/2004/3.shtml