Digital Recorder

Leader Design · 09-06-2004, 01:02 PM

I just purchased an Olympus VN-480PC Digital Voice Recorder. It comes
with software and a USB cable. The software, unfortunately, is for
Windows. I went to the Olympus site to find software to download for the
Mac. I found some software and Firmware Update, but am cautious about
downloading and installing. In question, especially, is the DM-1
Firmware Upgrade. There is also software: DSS Player for Mac OS X.

I have plugged the digital recorder into my Mac. Am I suppose to see any
type of image on my desktop that shows that the recorder is mounted? I
was hoping I could simply open it in iTunes.

Got any advice for me? Should I be concerned with firmware updates? I am
still running 10.1.5. Would this update sitting on my desk help? Thanks
for any help you might give me.

Sincerely,

Michael Courtney

bedouin · 09-06-2004, 01:42 PM

I don't have any concrete answers for you, but can just suggest you download the firmware and system software in question, read the included instructions, and make sure your version of OS X will meet its requirements. I'm guessing if it's incompatible it will just not install.

Since the digital voice recorder isn't quite a drive, it may not actually mount on your desktop; this is probably where their proprietary software comes into play. I'm not even sure it records in a format iTunes can understand. Take my thoughts as a grain of salt, since I've never actually used a digital voice recorder on a Mac.

However a few months ago I researched this subject pretty thoroughly for a friend. After looking at what options were available for Mac, he ended up just purchasing an iPod and using a Griffin iTalk. He's doing a ton of data collection and that seems to be working out quite well for him; especially being able to organize his data in iTunes. The downside is an iPod is much more expensive than a digital voice recorder.

ckeilah · 09-01-2006, 01:30 PM

After much gnashing of teeth I have concluded that Olympis's contention that the vn-480pc is not Mac compatible is an Olympus enforced verity. Alas! There is no reason that Olympus (or some creative OS X coders! ;-) couldn't write a little application to allow us to pull the data off of the vn-480pc into our Macs, but Olympus doesn't want it to be so. Too bad. Otherwise I'd say they've got the market sewn up with these little devices.

Olympus does make some recorders that ARE Mac compatible, but they've ticked me off so much with this issue I don't know that I'd buy one.

Anyway, I've got this vn-480pc, and I still have a PeeCee, so I can get the data off on the Windoze box and save the files to the NAS, then access them via the Mac. To give Olympus a bit of credit, they do allow us to PLAY BACK the files once we do finally manage to get them onto our Macs. There is some freeware downloadable from olympus.com to do this. Of course, I'm pretty sure VLC will do the job without sullying your lovely Mac with Olympus's warez.

[edit] Forget about installing Olympis's software! Not only are the files just .WAV files, easily playable via QuickTime or VLC (http://www.videolan.org), but it requires root (admin) access! God only knows what nefarious system-breaking software they're installing on our Macs, which they refuse to support. :-P

Leader Design · 09-01-2006, 02:42 PM

Thanks for your reply to my post. I settled on the (now obsolete) Palm Tugsten T3. It does a very good job of recording lectures, etc. Playback is great and I can record to a Memory Card inserted into the Palm. My only problem is trying to figure out how to convert the .wav files into a format that my CD player can read. Any knowledge on this? Thanks for your interest.

trevor · 09-01-2006, 02:51 PM

Quote:


	My only problem is trying to figure out how to convert the .wav files into a format that my CD player can read.

Drag the .wav files onto iTunes. Burn a CD with iTunes.

Trevor

09-06-2004, 01:02 PM	#1
Leader Design Prospect Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: PA Posts: 5	Digital Recorder I just purchased an Olympus VN-480PC Digital Voice Recorder. It comes with software and a USB cable. The software, unfortunately, is for Windows. I went to the Olympus site to find software to download for the Mac. I found some software and Firmware Update, but am cautious about downloading and installing. In question, especially, is the DM-1 Firmware Upgrade. There is also software: DSS Player for Mac OS X. I have plugged the digital recorder into my Mac. Am I suppose to see any type of image on my desktop that shows that the recorder is mounted? I was hoping I could simply open it in iTunes. Got any advice for me? Should I be concerned with firmware updates? I am still running 10.1.5. Would this update sitting on my desk help? Thanks for any help you might give me. Sincerely, Michael Courtney

09-01-2006, 01:30 PM	#3
ckeilah Prospect Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 8	NOT compatible with Apple Macintosh - Olympus bites! :-P After much gnashing of teeth I have concluded that Olympis's contention that the vn-480pc is not Mac compatible is an Olympus enforced verity. Alas! There is no reason that Olympus (or some creative OS X coders! ;-) couldn't write a little application to allow us to pull the data off of the vn-480pc into our Macs, but Olympus doesn't want it to be so. Too bad. Otherwise I'd say they've got the market sewn up with these little devices. Olympus does make some recorders that ARE Mac compatible, but they've ticked me off so much with this issue I don't know that I'd buy one. Anyway, I've got this vn-480pc, and I still have a PeeCee, so I can get the data off on the Windoze box and save the files to the NAS, then access them via the Mac. To give Olympus a bit of credit, they do allow us to PLAY BACK the files once we do finally manage to get them onto our Macs. There is some freeware downloadable from olympus.com to do this. Of course, I'm pretty sure VLC will do the job without sullying your lovely Mac with Olympus's warez. [edit] Forget about installing Olympis's software! Not only are the files just .WAV files, easily playable via QuickTime or VLC (http://www.videolan.org), but it requires root (admin) access! God only knows what nefarious system-breaking software they're installing on our Macs, which they refuse to support. :-P Last edited by ckeilah; 09-01-2006 at 04:14 PM.

09-01-2006, 02:42 PM	#4
Leader Design Prospect Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: PA Posts: 5	Partial Solution Thanks for your reply to my post. I settled on the (now obsolete) Palm Tugsten T3. It does a very good job of recording lectures, etc. Playback is great and I can record to a Memory Card inserted into the Palm. My only problem is trying to figure out how to convert the .wav files into a format that my CD player can read. Any knowledge on this? Thanks for your interest.

09-06-2004, 01:42 PM	#2
bedouin All Star Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 759	I don't have any concrete answers for you, but can just suggest you download the firmware and system software in question, read the included instructions, and make sure your version of OS X will meet its requirements. I'm guessing if it's incompatible it will just not install. Since the digital voice recorder isn't quite a drive, it may not actually mount on your desktop; this is probably where their proprietary software comes into play. I'm not even sure it records in a format iTunes can understand. Take my thoughts as a grain of salt, since I've never actually used a digital voice recorder on a Mac. However a few months ago I researched this subject pretty thoroughly for a friend. After looking at what options were available for Mac, he ended up just purchasing an iPod and using a Griffin iTalk. He's doing a ton of data collection and that seems to be working out quite well for him; especially being able to organize his data in iTunes. The downside is an iPod is much more expensive than a digital voice recorder.