Resco Audio Recorder

Contents of This Page

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• What is Resco Audio Recorder?
• Installing Audio Recorder
• Opening and Setting Up Audio Recorder for the First Time
• Before Using Audio Recorder
• Creating a Recording
• Scheduling a Recording
• Using the Voice Activation System
• Tagging a Recording
  • Exporting Tags
• Purchasing Audio Recorder
• Registering Audio Recorder

What is Resco Audio Recorder?

Turn your PAC Mate into a handy recorder with the Resco Audio Recorder. Use it to record notes, meetings, interviews or classroom lectures. With its digital Voice Activation System (VAS), Resco Audio Recorder records only when sound is detected. This increases recording time and is useful during lectures and meetings. When used with CompactFlash� storage cards you can extend available recording time for hours. Resco Audio Recorder supports the following file formats:

• MP3 - 16, 32, 64 kbps audio encoding (strong audio compression)
• MP1, MP2, and M3U
• RAF - 22 and 44 kbps ADPCM audio encoding (middle audio compression)
• WAV - most known standard wave format (pure audio compression)

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Installing Audio Recorder

The following describes how to install the 14-day evaluation version of Resco Audio Recorder. This version is available on your PAC Mate Documentation CD, or it can be downloaded from the Freedom Scientific Web site at http://www.freedomscientific.com/fs_products/downloads/Resco_Audio_Recorder.asp.

Perform the following procedures to install the Audio Recorder:

1. Ensure that your PAC Mate is connected to your computer with a standard or guest partnership using ActiveSync.
2. Select Audiorec_pacmate.exe.
3. Select the Run button when the File Download - Security Warning dialog appears.
4. Select the Run button again if the Internet Explorer - Security Warning dialog appears.
5. The Resco Audio Recorder Installation dialog appears. Choose Yes, and then choose Install when the second Resco Audio Recorder Installation dialog appears.
6. Choose Yes to install Resco Audio Recorder into the default directory.
7. When the Application Download Complete dialog appears, press ENTER to begin transferring the application to the PAC Mate.
8. Choose Finish to close the last Installation dialog.
9. On the PAC Mate, the Welcome/Help dialog appears once the installation is complete. Press F1 to close the dialog.
   Resco Audio Recorder is now installed on the PAC Mate.

Note: The Help system is still running in the background. To close it, use the Memory Manager to quit, or perform a warm reset of the PAC Mate.

Note: During the purchase process, be sure to enter the owner information exactly as it was entered into the PAC Mate because the registration code for Audio Recorder is keyed to this information. This means that you must set a name in the Owner Information dialog in Settings and use that name exactly, including upper and lower case, when registering.

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Opening and Setting Up Audio Recorder for the First Time

The first time you open Audio Recorder, you are asked if you want to make it the default player for several audio file formats.

Do the following to open and configure the Audio Recorder:

1. From the Start menu, select Programs, and choose Audio Recorder.
2. A dialog appears asking if you want to set Resco Audio Recorder as the default player for specific audio formats. Select Yes.
   (If you do not want to associate files with the Audio Recorder, select No, press F1, and go to step 6.)
3. The Options dialog appears. From the Associated File Types list box, use the SPACEBAR to check specific audio formats from the list, or use the Select All button to choose all of the listed formats.
4. Press DOTS 4-5 CHORD to move to the Associate button and press DOT 8 .
5. A message indicating the file formats that have been selected appears. Press F1 to dismiss it.
6. Press F1 again to exit the Settings dialog.

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Before Using Audio Recorder

Before using Resco Audio Recorder, you must first disable the current settings of the UP, DOWN, LEFT, and RIGHT ARROW hardware buttons. If you do not do this, you will lose the ability to change values in controls such as the date and time edit controls, combo boxes, list boxes, and so on.

To disable these hardware buttons, do the following:

1. Press TAB to open the menus and select Tools.
2. Navigate to the Settings command, and press ENTER to open this multipage dialog.
3. Press DOTS 4-5 CHORD to move to the Buttons page.
4. In the Hardware Buttons list, select the UP button.
5. Press TAB to move to the Action combo box, and select the No Action item.
6. Press TAB several times to return to the Hardware Buttons list.
7. Repeat steps 4 through 6 to select and disable the DOWN, LEFT, and RIGHT buttons.
8. After disabling all ARROW buttons, press DOT 8 to close the dialog.

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Creating a Recording

To create a recording:

1. Press the F4 to open the Start Menu, press P to open the Programs submenu, select Audio Recorder, and press DOT 8.
2. Press DOTS 1-2-3-5-7to begin recording.
3. Press DOTS 2-3-4-7 to stop recording.
4. Press P CHORD to begin playing.

Note: For recording meetings, lectures, etc., a directional external microphone with amplification is recommended.

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Scheduling a Recording

You can schedule a recording to begin at a specific time and even on a specific date. To do this:

1. Open Audio Recorder. Press F2 to open the menus and select Tools. Select Scheduler from the Tools submenu.
2. Press DOTS 4-5 CHORD to move to the date field. The date field is editable and is formatted as 9/3/04.
3. When you move to this field, the day is active, type the day. Then LEFT ARROW to the month and type in the month.
4. Press the RIGHT ARROW twice and this time, type in the year.
5. Next, press DOTS 4-5 CHORD to move to the time field. The time field is a spinnable field and is formatted as 12:04:17 PM.
6. When you move to this field, the hour is active. You can either use the UP and DOWN ARROWS to select the hour or type it in. Then press the RIGHT ARROW to move to the minutes. Follow the same steps listed to change the minutes and seconds.

Note: In order to ensure that you can properly adjust the time and date settings, you must have highlighting turned on in the Braille Options if you are using an attached Braille display and have muted speech output.

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Using the Voice Activation System

The Voice Activation System (VAS) allows Audio Recorder to turn itself on when a predetermined sound level is detected. To set the external volume level, do the following:

1. Press F2 to open the menu. Select Voice Activation System and press DOT 8.
2. Use the LEFT ARROW and RIGHT ARROW keys to adjust the VAS level setting. The higher the value of this setting, the more sensitive VAS becomes and the lower the external volume level that is needed to cause recording to begin.
3. Press F2 to open the menu, move to File List, and press DOT 8 to return to the main Audio Recorder window.

Note: To turn off the VAS feature, open the VAS setting and set the value to zero.

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Tagging a Recording

Tags are parts of a recording that can be processed separately. They can be exported to one or several files. You can listen to them separately from the original recording.

To create tags, do the following while a recording is playing:

1. In the Files List View dialog of the Main File Panel, navigate to the file you want to hear, and then press DOT 8 to select and start playing the file.
2. Press DOTS 1-2-4-5-7 CHORD to enter Tagging mode.
3. Press B to mark the beginning of a new tag.
4. Press E to mark the end of the tag.
5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 to make additional tags.
6. If necessary, press DOTS 4-5 CHORD to navigate to the Stop button, and press DOT 8 to stop the file.

Exporting Tags

To export tags:

1. Press DOTS 5-6 CHORD to move to the Tags Panel.
   Use the UP ARROW to select the first tagged item in the Tags list box. If necessary, use the DOWN ARROW to move down the list and select another tagged item.
2. Do one of the following to export single or multiple tagged segments:
   • To export one tagged segment and save it as a separate file, press DOTS 4-5 CHORD until you hear, "Export Selected Tags button." Press DOT 8. The Export mode dialog appears.
     ...OR...
   • To select all tagged segments and export into a single file, use DOTS 4-5 CHORD to navigate to the Single/Multi Selection button and press DOT 8.
   • Return to the tagged list and make sure that the first tagged segment in the list is selected. Next, press DOT 3 CHORD, DOWN ARROW. This action selects all items in the list.

   Note: If you want to combine all tagged segments into a single tagged item, select the Merged button. A merged segment includes all material (even material that was excluded during the initial tagging) from the beginning of the very first tagged segment to the end of the very last tagged segment.

   • Press DOT 4-5 CHORD until you hear, "Export Selected Tags button," and press DOT 8. The Export mode dialog appears.
3. Use the DOWN or UP ARROWS to select an exporting mode format, for example, WAV, RAF, or MP3.

Note: If you select MP3, press DOTS 4-5 CHORD and use the UP and DOWN ARROWS to configure the Quality and Exporting Mode Properties parameters.

4. Press DOTS 4-5 CHORD to choose the Export button, and press DOT 8.
5. In the Target File dialog, press DOTS 4-5 CHORD and then provide a file name and storage location for the file.
6. Press DOTS 4-5 CHORD to move to the Save button, and press DOT 8.
   The export process begins. The duration of the export process varies based on the number of tagged segments. When the export is finished, focus returns to the Tags Panel. To move focus to the Main File Panel, press DOTS 2-3 CHORD.

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Purchasing Audio Recorder

Resco Audio Recorder for PAC Mate is a powerful recording tool that is intended for use by students and professionals alike who need to record using their PDA. This version of Audio Recorder features a custom interface designed especially for the PAC Mate, which takes all of the mystery out of using this powerful application.

To Purchase Resco Audio Recorder:

1. Go to: http://www.resco.net/buy/ar_for_blind.asp. An online shopping cart appears with the Resco Audio Recorder selected at a discounted price of $13.96.
2. Navigate to the Credit/Debit Card combo box, and select the type of credit card you are using to purchase Audio Recorder.
3. Navigate to the Checkout button, and press ENTER. The Personal Information page appears. This page and all subsequent pages are secured Web pages.
4. Fill in the required edit fields. Required fields are indicated by an asterisk (star).

Note: The Intended Device combo box currently does not include the Freedom Scientific PAC Mate as an option. Select another device, the type is not important.

Note: The “Pocket PC Owner Name” edit field requires the name you entered into the PAC Mate’s Owner Information field. This allows you to obtain an Authorization code. You must enter your name exactly as it appears on your PAC Mate’s Today Screen or the Authorization code will not work.

5. Navigate to the Continue button, and press ENTER. The Payment Information page appears. Enter your credit card information.
6. Navigate to the Continue button, and press ENTER. The Review Order page appears.
   Review your purchase information. If you find any errors you can press the Edit button and make any necessary changes.
7. If the information on this page is correct, navigate to the Complete Purchase button, and press ENTER. The Confirmation page appears. You may wish to save the contents of this page for your records.

Important: Do not download the version of Audio Recorder available from the Confirmation page. Instead, use the version provided by Freedom Scientific. This version is customized to provide a highly accessible PAC Mate interface.

Note: After purchasing Audio Recorder, an Authorization code is e-mailed to you. Use this code to register and fully activate your version of the software. For registration procedures, refer to Registering Audio Recorder.

8. Close your Web browser, and use the Freedom Scientific version of Resco Audio Recorder. It is available on your PAC Mate User Documentation CD-ROM or can be downloaded from Freedom Scientific.

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Registering Audio Recorder

An Authorization code is e-mailed to you shortly after purchasing Resco Audio Recorder. By registering and activating your software, you remove the 14-day evaluation limit.

Do the following to register Audio Recorder:

1. Copy the Authorization code from your e-mail message.
2. Open Audio Recorder.
3. Press F2, choose Tools, choose About, and press ENTER. The Registration form appears.
4. Paste or type the Authorization code into the Code field, and press ENTER.
   Resco Audio Recorder is now registered and fully activated.