Denpa MP38 and Ultradisk DVR-1 recorders

These two recorders have identical adapters to connect to the phone.



The line connector is removed from the phone and plugged into the adapter and the supplied cable then connects the adapter to the phone. The audio cable connects the adapter to the recorder.

The basic operation of the two recorders is the same. Both need to be turned on by pressing a button for 2-3 seconds. On the Denpa recorder, you have to then press the 'file' button and wait for the file menu to open and then press record. The unbranded one doesn't have this extra step but you just press record.


Both recorders power off if not in use so they have to be turned on each time - before the phone is answered.

The denpa recorder uses 1xAAA battery and can (in thoery) be powered from the USB lead although I couldn't get this to work. The Ultradisk recorder uses 2xAAA batteries and can be powered from the USB lead although the USB functioallity is lost until you disconnect and then reconnect.

Both recorders look like a memory stick to the PC and you can download the recorder file to the PC. Having said that, the Denpa device requires USB 2.0 which is usually only available on later PCs. The Ultradisk works quite happily on USB 1.1.

Both recorders time and date stamp the files (although I haven't yet discoverd how to set the data and time on the Ultradisk - it thinks it is 2006!). Both have voice-activated recording but I don't recommend this as it will lead to conversations being split over several files and will mess up the time and date stamping.

Both are available at under £30.

My favourite way of making telephone calls is through a computer using VoIP software.
I don't use Skype. I use VoipCheap. I've been using it for over 3 years. It is about the cheapest around. Cheaper than Skype. It allows me to make calls to landlines in most countries in the world completely free of charge.

I've recent disovered Express Talk Download VoIP Phone Software - SIP Softphone

It costs about £29 whereas the VoipCheap and most other Voip software is free. However, what made me buy it is that it includes an excellent call recorder which records all calls automatically.

Express Talk replaces the VoIP software altogether. You get a completely different dial pad and address book. It was certainly a nuisance to have to recompile my address book. However, there is no conversion utility.

In order to get it to log on to your normal VoIP account, you have to tell it your "sip" settings. this is very easy to do and the information is on the internet. In my case, I simply googled "sip settings voipcheap" and there were several pages which contained the information.
That is all there is to it. I was back up using my VoIP service but with the Express Talk software within a couple of minutes. You can set the recording to manual or to automatic.

If you want to record your calls to your bank or other company and you use a VoIP service - then this may be the best way.

You can get a 30 day trial download of Express Talk so that you can see if it is right for you.

Let us know if you need some help getting or configuring your sip settings

Dynametric patch

The device is attached to the phone as shown below and the grey wire plugged into the PC's microphone socket. (the black wire is for playing things back down the phone line - the wires are coloured differently in the picture)






Audacity

The software runs on any PC and is easy to use. The main screen is shown below.



The recording volume is set by sliding the control next to the microphone symbol and the recorder is operated by clicking on the tape recorder 'buttons'. It works exactly like a conventional tape player/recorder.

Once recorded, the file is saved by clicking 'file' and then 'export as WAV..'. You can also export as MP3 but that requires a plug-in to be loaded (only once) which is not difficult but may be confusing if the user is not confident with computers.



It is recommended that the file name used to export the file should contain the name of the bank, the date and the time.

This device is quite expensive for what it is but there are quite a few cheaper ones available. Some connect to the handset and some to the phone line. WARNING - quite a few will not record on a computer - make sure before you buy.

Nokia 6230i mobile phone, capable of recording and storing hours of calls.



i found the phone was fairly easy to use to record once i had worked
out the steps to start recording.

answer call, go to MENU
go to MEDIA
go to RECORDER and press Select
you will see you are at the voice recorder screen
press Select
the call will then be recorded

the whole process from answering the call and scrolling to the start
of recording the call takes a few seconds to complete at most.
the recorder turns itself off when the call is ended and the recording
is stored in the phone.

to hear the recordings
go to MENU
go to MEDIA
go to RECORDER
at the recorder screen press Options
recordings list will be highlighted
press Select
recordings will be highlighted
press Open

your list of recordings will be displayed, including file size and
format and date and time recorded. you can scroll up or down the list
and choose to play and hear each one.

it will also record video and has a camera built into it plus a load
of other pretty useful features.

EasyVoipRecorder is the perfect tool to record store, organize and share your's voip conversations. With this tool you could record and save Skype, Gtalk (Google Talk,) VoipCheap, VoipStunt, VoipBuster, 12Voip, Yahoo Messenger, MSN Live, Globe7, VoipWise
More information available here
http://www.easyvoiprecorder.com

Call recording

I have tested out three recorders:

1. Denpa MP38 digital voice recorder

2. Unbranded recorder

3. Dynametric TMP-636 patch

They all do the job. Number 2 is the simplest to use as the controls are just like a tape player. Number 3 gives the best quality but requires software and (obviously) needs the computer to be on all the time whan calls are expected. The best software is Audacity which is open source and free. It is also very eassy to use - I use it all the time. The Dynametric patch is quite expensive but Maplin do a much cheaper version. which I haven't tried but expect that it works exactly the same.

And a fourth, in a different class entirely

4. trueCall Just had one of these delivered on approval from the manufacturer. What a fantastic device!! It buffers calls so that if you press the 'record' button in the middle of the call, IT RECORDS THE WHOLE CALL, EVEN THE BIT BEFORE YOU PRESSED THE RECORD BUTTON.

trueCall





This comes in two versions - a call recorder and a complete phone call screening system. Both are absolutely brilliant.

It is dead easy to set up - plug it in and follow the voice instructions played over the built in loudspeaker. The full function version then rings you up to complete the set up and record a welcome message.

The full function version has the call recorder as an add on option which I assume is fitted in what follows.

Call recording

Call recording is just by a single press of the button altough you can configure it to automatically record all calls. However, this is not necessary with the fantastic buffer system. If you start recording a call in the middle it records the entire call, EVEN THE BIT BEFORE YOU PRESSSED THE BUTTON.

In the full function version, the name the person gave at the start of the call is also recorded.

You can pay back on the machine. Better, you can remove the memory card and plug into the USB port on the computer with a special adapter. The card also has the software to review and copy the calls. They can be stored on the computer as .wav files.

Files are date and time stamped but you have to set the time and date on the recorder using the options menu system. This is not difficult and, as for everything else on this system, you are guided through the process by spoken instructions.

Call screening

This is on the full-function system only.

When anyone calls, the system plays a welcome message and then asks them to say their name after the tone before it rings your handset.

If they don't say a name, it plays a message saying that this number doesn't accept anonymous calls and hangs up on them.

If they do give a name, it then rings the handset and tells you you have a call and gives their name. You can press '1' to accept the call or hang up. In that case they get passed to your messaging system.

There are also two other options - if you press '*' it adds them to your 'star' list. Thereafter, whenever they ring they get straight through without the message - ideal for family and friends.

If you press '#' it adds them to you 'zap' list and thereafter will never put hem through at all. These 2 options only work if you have caller ID, which you may be charged for by your phone supplier - it is free from BT. You can also 'zap' a call in the middle of the call. The other party gets a message saying you are not interested and not to call again.

There is loads of additional functionality and you can personalise all the messages rather than using the ones supplied. I haven't played with these as I wanted to see how it worked 'out of the box'.

The only problem I had was that I kept getting a message every couple of minutes that someone had rung whilst I was on the phone and then getting put through to my 1571 box. This is a signalling problem with Virgin broadband it turns out and trueCall gave me a code to turn off that function. (It would have become incredibly annoying otherwise).

There is also a service provided by the vendor to control the unit over the internet. This service also keeps a complete log of calls in and out. There is a charge for this service.

trueCall is not cheap - £100 for the full-function unit plus £25 for the memory card and software but for someone being seriously harassed it could be worth every penny.

The record only version is somewhat cheaper. TBA

 

 

By Bazooka Boo on 27th November 2008, 16:41

Re: TrueCall digital telephone recorder Having tried numerous other, somewhat inferior,and cheaper, phone call recording systems, I shelled out for the Truecall phone recorder. And I must say it really does do everything the others couldn't! I have gone from having a digital Dictaphone in the front room and a second "tape 2 way recorder" in the office (spare room) and having to remember to hit the record button each time I wanted to record a phone call, to the Rolls Royce of phone recorders. The memory card, which is like a digital cameras SD card, has to be purchased from truecall as it has the software in it to record the calls, but £25 for 70 hours of phone recordings, and up to 12 hours recording in a single phone call really is all that is needed, unless you want to pay the extra tenner for the 140 hours!! I have four handsets in the house, three of which are cordless, and as the Truecall is plugged into the only phone tap in point in the house, irrespective of which phone I use to make my calls it will still record the conversation. I have mine set up to record all calls, and not to allow calls between the hours of 11PM and 7AM unless the caller knows the "breakthrough code" which they wont unless I have told them! Once a week it synchronises itself with my computer, downloading all of the numbers that I have called or have called me, even if they hung up on hearing the message used for "shield all unrecognised callers" which is different from the "anonymous caller rejection" which I believe BT were charging me £4.50 for? And if there is a particular call I want to "archive" to the computer, I remove the memory card and plug it into the card reader sent with the Truecall and save it to my computer as a wav file, simple! For me it really was worth the money, because I now know that the only people who can call me are friends and family, anyone else is either played a message asking them their name, which I can listen into and decide whether I want to answer or let the Truecall take the message, or for telesales, banks, DCA's and those who I don't want to speak to, they can either be played a blunt message telling them not call again, or all they hear is the ringing tone. I really don't know what else to say about it, come round and have a look at it, it's bloody fantastic!     By colinbush on 21st December 2008, 13:08 Re: TrueCall digital telephone recorder I recently bought the Truecall monitoring system and having set it up via the webpage portal (very easy to use) I have had pleasant telephone conversations with those that I want to talk to. I have setup the family and friends numbers so that they get through without having to go through the screening. It works a treat. I haven'y used the recording feature as I havent yet got the card. However its a good system and no doubt will prove its worth overtime.     By gaz2954 on 7th January 2009, 13:53 Re: TrueCall digital telephone recorder i was thinking of having this but as my home number is also for my business for orders for my web sites i wondered if some people would be put off by having to give their name etc can you tun off this part of facility comments please regards Gaz     By Bazooka Boo on 9th January 2009, 00:12 Re: TrueCall digital telephone recorder Gaz, you can have it set up so you can receive calls as normal, in fact just having the system does not mean that you have to spend time telling it which numbers you want to receive. If you receive a call you wish you hadn't answered you just simply press the square (#) key on your phone, they are then played a message to say you do not wish to continue the call and they should not ring again. And if they do, your phone won't ring, they will just be played the same message each time they try to call. You can allow all calls as normal if you wish, and it allows you the option of talking to them or not, if your getting alot of oversea calls that you don't want, it will ignore them for you, if their are particular numbers which you know of that you do not wish to be connected with, you simply enter them onto your zap list (*) and they cannot get through to you! I know it is pricey but you really do pay for what you get, the internet control panel even tells you who has rang and didn't leave a message, who has rang and which part of the country they called from and who has rang and witheld their numbe, including all dates and times!! Buy one it really is peace of mind!!     By blackntan on 11th January 2009, 21:26 Re: TrueCall digital telephone recorder Does the True Call Answering machine make a beep sound when it is recording telephone calls so the other person knows they are being recorded? Personally I used to use a phone bug which I got from a shop in Leyton east London. It cost about £70 a long time ago. I used to record on to a basic cassett recorder with 3.5 mini jack, the trouble was eventually the tape recorder went wrong.No one new that they were being recorded. I only got this because of a conversation I had with a bank once that went wrong and they denied it. I recently bought an Olympus digital voice machine and found that the recording was too low on playback despite adjusting the mic levels. The True Call sounds interesting.     By steven4064 on 11th January 2009, 22:53 Re: TrueCall digital telephone recorder True call does not beep to show the otehr person they ar being recorded. Your phone bug may well work on one of these cheap digital voice recorders you can buy on ebay